The King of the Dead - by The Dark Lord Timmy!

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:51 pm

Chapter 1: Falling rain and sinking hope

"How soon, Chancellor?" The lead healer inquired to an elderly mage watching the elderly king convulsing and spitting up mucus and blood on his bed in throes of death. "As soon as we find his spirit an acceptable host." he said, not knowing where he was to find a host in such a short time. He looked down on the courtyard, seeing ape-man guards milling around the stronghold, He knew if a new host wasn't found there would be revolt. The king of the dead had a rare power, he could summon the allegiance of both living and dead, and his word is law. But the chancellor cared because the current king was a corrupt one who kept him in power, and knew if a just king rose, that would be it.

The current King's imminent demise had a forgotten effect however. Deep, deep under the castle was a dark secret. Down a set of secret stairs was a large black room illuminated by countless glowing purple runes. On the wall across from the entrance against the middle of the wall was what looked like a man, bound to the wall. GhostStory was his name, belched from the afterlife to execute the current king for using his power over the dead honorlessly. GhostStory was blessed with a strange ability: He didn't have to obey the king of the dead. When he came the first time he almost finished his task, but was beaten and sealed away. Also in the room was his equipment, The Ethercoat and Zantesuken, constantly under guard by Ape-man berserkers. That night however, something was going to change.

On the changing of the guard, an ape-man waddled up to under GhostStory and looked at him. "How long has he had that crazy-ass smile?" and quick as a blink he dropped from the wall, grabbed the Ape's head and ripped it off effortlessly. The other three went into a rage and charged him. He simply chuckled, and dove over the first one to his position and grabbed Zantesuken from the table. The long slender blade raged to life as he swung it, cutting two Apes in two and de-arming the third. He walked over to the armless ape-man and set the point on his sword on its brow and began to laugh. "A sign to come, The King's power bound me to the wall, but it's obvious that he's not long for this world, so I must make a visit soon." he said and with all his might, lunged forward. He left the blade in the creature as he put his coat on, walked over and casually drew the blade and strode up the spiral stairs. This would not be the only trouble this night though, intentionally or not.

A couple hours later that night, however, across the city something very different was happening. Through the shadowy alleyways of the city went a couple of young thieves. Nobles walking down the well lit main streets would find themselves prey to the purse-nabbers. They had a perfect system: Matteco would bump into the target while pretending to be running to his class, and Mollica would pinch his wallet while the target is distracted by her lover's bumbling ruse. That night was particularly fruitful as the duo entered their hideout, which was dug under the stronghold of the ape-men. "You just seem to get better as we keep doing this!" Mollica said putting the pile of gold coins onto the table. "Speak for yourself, I think that last noble was wearing a breastplate, I think I hurt my shoulder." Matteco said rubbing his shoulder and shedding is mage's robe and books, revealing his leather armor, used by thieves due to the weight and flexibility. Mollica wrapped her arms around Matteco's waist and asked "Want me to make you feel all better?" she purred seductively. He was about to respond then an alarm went off in the building above. "Ye...., wha?" Matteco said looking at the roof and wishing they were almost anywhere else.

Matteco sighed and Mollica set her head against his chest but looked up when an ape-man shouted "Kill that bastard and bring me his head!! Go Now!" "That's interesting" Matteco said, knowing little upsets the apes like that. "Wanna check it out?" Mollica suggested, He nodded and in a minute they were running down the alleys looking for the disturbance with peaked interest. It looked like the people were being evacuated from the district of the city; Mollica was watching them until she ran headlong into someone. "OOF! Why don't you look where...you're....go...ing....." she said until she saw what she had ran into. It was an ape-man, with a long, thin blade coming out of the back merely inches above her head, going right between her cat-like ears. The blade retracted and dropped the body to the ground and she was looking at a tall figure holding a long thin sword and with glowing purple eyes staring down at her. He began walking forward towards her as she was sliding back on her bottom trying to escape him, he reached down to grab her and she screamed the only thing she could think of, "MATTECO~"

Chapter 2: The works of Abaddon

Lightning flashed and thunder roared near a man who stood on an upper parapet of the castle at the center of the city, the heavy rain soaking his long black hair and bouncing off his armor which glowed blue in the dark. He was an honor guard, one of the chosen few who watched over the palace and its denizens, and this particular guard was the general, right hand of the king of the dead, a position he didn't take lightly. Kaze was his name, unbelievably young for his position, he was righteous and pious, almost mirror opposite of Chancellor Kyrthis. He knew that something was happening in the city under his watch, something having to do with the current ailing king. Another honor guard walked out on the high parapet and asked Kaze to accompany him to the armory. He walked a quick pace, wanting to get through any new business as quickly and as painlessly as possible. There he met Chancellor Kyrthis, and Kaze rolled his eyes and asked what he was summoned for. "Kaze, you are known as the finest swordsman in the city, now is the time to prove it." Kyrthis carefully fingered his metal staff that he leaned on as almost a third leg and continued, "Before your time..." Kyrthis said as a way to make it seem that he was superior to Kaze by age "There was an incident. A rogue undead soldier named GhostStory infiltrated the castle with the intent on slaying the king. He was however 'sidetracked' by one of the Seraphan," and with this, Kaze opened his eyes wide. The Seraphan were basically angels who aided the people in various magical ways, but to "sidetracked" as he put it meant that he actually came to meet this Seraphan for a length of time. Kyrthis went on for some time demonizing this GhostStory, but anyone who the Chancellor couldn't be all bad could he? Until the orders came down: Eliminate GhostStory. Kaze left, not excusing himself and entered his chamber. He slipped his boots off at the door and walked into the chamber in his socks. He went into the bedroom and gathered his two blades: A slim cobalt katana which he uses on a daily basis and Chekleron, one of the Runeblades, filled with ancient power. He put them into his belt and looked at his bed and his young wife, M'ell was her name, quietly and peacefully sleeping. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and left, not knowing if this man, this GhostStory, was going to part them forever or if this was Kyrthis's attempt at removing both of them from the picture. Either way he went to a full fledged run into the streets to confront this GhostStory.

"MATTECO!" Mollica screamed as the man grabbed her by the throat and lifted her high off the ground. Matteco was standing across from them, drew his bow and shot a shot through the man's arm. It lodged itself in his arm but he neither flinched nor reacted in any way, he continued to stair at the young cat-girl in his hand. Matteco readied another arrow and shot it through the side of the man's throat. It once again lodged itself in. Mollica was beginning to be very scared at the creature with his hand over her throat, not knowing what he was going to do. He turned his head and stared at Matteco and threw his long, thin sword at him. Mollica screamed as the blade flew, but landed and sunk into the chest of an ape-man hardly a foot behind Matteco. The ape howled and Matteco turned on the ball of his foot and with a swing of his arm, sunk a dagger into the bottom of the ape's mouth, killing it instantly. The man dropped Mollica, ran and jumped over Matteco, landing on the ape's gut, causing a subsequent spatter of organs, bones and gore, and drew his blade from the tattered remains. Mollica ran behind Matteco, who readied another arrow. The man stabbed his sword onto the ground and pulled the arrows out of him saying "If that didn't work over there, what makes you think it'll work here? And I can just as easily do this." and he punted a small gooey organ into Matteco's chest, Rushed him, knocked him down and he fell onto Mollica, and held his sword to Matteco's throat, which could go through Mollica's heart. "I take it you're not an ally of the apes or you wouldn't have finished it for me, would you? The fact that you travel with a Cat-person is proof of that" so he raised his blade and pulled up Matteco and Mollica together easily. "So, you're an ally?" Mollica asked from the relative safety of behind Matteco. The man stepped behind Matteco and said "The enemy of my enemy, love" he said stroking her chin softly. She stepped back but blushed and grinned as Matteco stepped in front of the man, "What's your name warrior?" The man stood straight up and said "Call me GhostStory." "Alright, GhostStory. Prove your claims and perform a challenge." GhostStory shrugged and asked "What?"

In a few minutes they were in front of the guard fort above Matteco and Mollica's hideaway. "Bring us the commander's helm." Matteco said, thinking GhostStory would sneak in, instead he walked straight to the front, when confronted by the gate guards, and he sliced one and punched the other in the throat and strode in. The two thieves followed in at a safe distance and the fort was becoming a battle ground. The apes that GhostStory wasn't slicing with Zantesuken he was blasting mercilessly with dark magick. One form of killing came when he pointed his arm at an ape and hundreds of dark chains came out in a pillar like form, shredding it instantly. He totally decapitated the commander to get the helm and tossed it to the two thieves whom he saw from the beginning. What blew them away the most was the effort he was putting into the fight, or lack there of. It seemed like a dance to him, simply dodging the clumsy blows easily. When they were all dead, another enemy entered the stage. Tall, wearing the armor of an Honor Guard and bearing a blue katana in his hand. GhostStory launched an orb of dark fire at the newcomer who blocked it with his katana, which blocked the blow but promptly melted. GhostStory laughed but the man drew a katana which looked similar to Zantesuken in construction and materials. He tried to spin-cut the honor guard, but he blocked it and they exchanged a flurry of slashes, cuts, and parries with equal skill. "Good form." GhostStory said to the guard "Likewise. I’m assuming by your dress and blade that you're the GhostStory" at this, GhostStory bowed. "You have me at a disadvantage. And you are?" "Kaze" he said, taking a fighting stance once again and Lunged at GhostStory. He turned and Kaze turned with him, but GhostStory blocked with an uppercut followed by a chop and stood back after a stunning parry. "And the thieves?" Kaze asked. GhostStory glanced at them and he said "I don't know, but the hate the apes and it's enough for Me." and followed with a lunge and spins which Kaze ducked under. Kaze saw and took an opportunity and stabbed GhostStory in the eye. GhostStory took the stab rather well, staring for a second and stabbed Kaze in the side while he was awestruck after stabbing this man in the brain and having no effect. He staggered backwards and saw as deep purple blood ran from the socked for a few seconds as a new eye regenerated in. "Any other smart ideas?" GhostStory asked, opening his arms wide for another stab to the body. GhostStory saw in Kaze's eyes something strange, He wanted to kill him, badly. But he wants to stay alive much, much more badly. Almost the exact same look as Matteco had when he was holding Mollica. GhostStory lowered his blade and hung his head slightly and asked "What's her name?" Kaze looked confused and uttered "Huh? M'ell, Why?" GhostStory turned and uttered a name under his breath which started with "J" and said "She'd probably miss you. I'm such a goddamn wuss." He walked toward the door and said "Let's meet again somewhere Kaze. C'mon Thieves." The three left and Kaze was thoroughly confused. If he were good, why is he trying to kill the king, and if he's evil, why'd he let me live? As he thought this, another Honor guard ran in to find the abattoir and see Kaze, who stood up and walked out without a word.

Later that night, Kaze sat on his bed; he was bandaged from the fight, and lay next to M'ell. She rolled over and lay one of her arms over his chest and snuggled close to him and fell back asleep. "GhostStory, you confound me deeply, and that has never happened before." and with that he drifted into a deep sleep beside his loved one. GhostStory however, was in an Inn across the city, sitting in the window sill, leaving his sword and coat on his bed, he examined his jewelry, a bracelet on each wrist and silver rings on his right index finger and left middle. Through the wall he could hear the sound of Mollica and Matteco thanking each other for getting each other out of the whole ordeal. GhostStory stared at the wall then to the castle and sighed. "Will we meet again, my immortal beloved?" he strode over to his bed and lay down and slept. Not knowing what would happen tomorrow.

Chapter 3: Richter Spider-Maw

It was a cold frosty morning as Matteco and Mollica walked into the small open air cafe and breathed in the cold air. Mollica shivered as he stepped onto the cold cobblestone floor and jumped as a voice behind her said "You're the laziest couple I've ever met." and Matteco turned to see GhostStory sitting at a table with his right foot up on it. "It's barely seven, what do you mean early?" GhostStory fished into his coat and pulled out a silver pocket watch with a gold inlaid rune and said "Yes, you've kept me waiting two hours. I had to keep busy waiting for you." He said, cracking his knuckles and continued "That so-called terror of the streets was no challenge." and dumped a werewolf head out of a sack next to him "A mangy, cross-eyed misbegotten dog whelp." Mollica snuck over and started poking the head as Matteco gave GhostStory an inquiring glare. He simply sighed, grabbed Mollica by her hair and one of her cat-like ears lifted her head and ran his thumb under her chin in a swift cutting motion along her throat and made a *Shhwwhhffiip* sound with his lips. He released the kitten's ear as she hopped out of reach and massaged her ear where the ghost had grabbed it. GhostStory got up and pushed the Half-elf aside as he was trying to chew him out and walked back into the inn, totally ignoring Matteco's yelling.

"Well," Mollica said softly into Matteco's ear "It's been a while since we've done it in a public place..." And she walked over and lay seductively on a bench under an awning. Matteco grinned and walked to her and took off his armored jerkin and was about to lay over her, but stopped as he heard a cackling laugh and turned to see a emaciated-looking man surrounded by eleven large thugs. Before they could do anything the thugs restrained them and two went into the inn. "Your compatriot is not going to last long in an ambush." The man said with a grin revealing his nasty yellow teeth and walked over to Matteco. "How long has it been? Five years? You haven't changed a bit. Me however" and he gestured to his face "I've weathered many a mage's curse and warrior's sword." and he walked over to Mollica, whose blouse was partially unbuttoned "Mattey, I like your tastes in women." And he turned back to Matteco "Did you know that you're worth an ogre's weight in gold for your return to Richter?" He said nodding "Yes, you and I are going to visit him shortly. You five with him, we're going to Spider-Maw HQ. You with the girl do what you want, clean up and head on back later." and they dashed off carrying Matteco away. The other four dragged Mollica into the foyer and two held down her arms, one her legs and one was preparing to force himself on her. She let out a scream for help and all went quiet for a *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* coming down the stairs. They turned to see the head of one of the Thugs that went after GhostStory rolling down the steps. GhostStory followed with a dismembered hand wrapped around his neck. "Don't go up there, total mess....oh." and he saw Mollica and the thugs, pulled the hand off and dropped it and said "Oh you're busy, I'll be back later." "Don't worry about him fellas! We'll finish up here and go take on the Seraphan that Kyrthis gave us when we get back!" Said the highest ranking thug amid Mollica's shrieks for aid, GhostStory stopped in his tracks, Turned and walked over to the thugs, drew a pair of mithrill daggers from under his coat and in a spin, slashed three throats to the spine and held the knives to the leader's throat and hissed "Tell me everything, and do it now if you value your life." The man explained that Kyrthis paid them for a heist with a young Seraphan girl who had been in his hair earlier that day. GhostStory decapitated the man and let the thought of who it could be and what will happen build up the rage. "Jen...." he said under his breath as Mollica stood up and got angry with GhostStory about a rescue or sommat, stuff GhostStory wasn't listening to. “Fix your clothing and let’s go if you want to save Matteco." "?" she thought as she made a quick examination of herself, then got flustered and realized that she was wearing torn clothing which revealed a bit much for a lady. "Hang on." and he snapped his fingers which emanated dark spheres of purple light which surrounded her clothing changed to a dark suit of leather and chain mail armor with a dark sheen. "Wow." She said catching up to him as he was running down the street toward the Hideout. "How do you know where to go?" GhostStory turned a corner and said "It's amazing what someone will tell you when you cut apart his hands joint-by-joint." Mollica cringed as he continued, "You know what's going to happen to Matteco when Richter Spider-Maw gets his hands on that little betrayer?" Mollica thought for a second then she got a shocked look on her face then got angry; she wanted the one who would take her Matteco away quite in pain.

They came to a gate and walked into a vacant sentry station and were looking through the papers, looking for a patrol chart, orders or something they could use to enter the compound, and GhostStory noticed that Mollica was taking one document and moving back and forth trying to read it. "Can you read?" He asked. She lowered the paper sharply and said "I can TOO read!" And he replied "You just can't see it can you?" She lowered her eyes and went back to searching and said quietly "....yeah....It's been that way for a while..." Easily fixed." He said, handing her a pair of round silver-rimmed glasses which he bent to fit over her cat ears. She put them on and she said that it fixed her vision, but she looked like a cat-girl with large silver rimmed round glasses. GhostStory would have snickered, but the situation kept him a bit preoccupied “These, m’dear, are a loan. I intend to get them back when you procure your own pair.” Ghost told her and he returned to his searching. Wanting to keep the one he loved from harm was all that kept him going, without that; he'd practically be reduced to a killing machine, nothing more. He found a key in a locked drawer which he forced open rather effortlessly with his level of strength and was able to get into the main compound. The two snuck across the compound to a building where there were prison cells lining both walls, the two at the end held people, one was a young woman who was laying on a cot and the other had Matteco and two guards who were beating him severely. before he could stop her, Mollica darted forward, clearing the hundred feet of prison very quickly, got into the cell, stabbed one guard in the kidney and took her other dagger and put it into the top of his chest, and with all her strength and weight, pulled it straight down, effectively splitting him open. He fell back against the wall and Mollica hissed at him as he hit the wall and died. GhostStory, who was totally used to carnage examined the occupant of the other cell, a young woman who had been dead for several months, he did a sign of the cross and turned to find Mollica trying to break the manacles off of her love's wrists, GhostStory walked over grabbed the chain and with small arcs of dark purple lightning jumping from his arm, jerked the chains from the wall with little problem. He turned to Mollica and instructed her to take Matteco to a safe place and he had some questions for Richter Spider-Maw, and with that he turned and walked out of the prison and drew a revolver from his coat, a .44 special. He strode through the compound, blasting everyone in his path; giving Mollica the diversion she needed to slip away unnoticed with Matteco.

GhostStory had a few choice words to ask Richter, and to see the Seraphan for himself. He bursts into Richter's grand hall and walks up to the thug king himself. The Half-Orc sits on his throne, large, muscular with long grey hair in a Mohawk coming into a ponytail in back. His skin has a greenish hue and he has a jutting jaw and tusks, but he has human proportions, and no slumping posture. He saw a thick axe at his side. He returned the guns to his coat and inquired "Excuse if I hack to bone, but why do you have a Seraphan?" Richter leaned back and said "She's payment for a hit or sommat. I don really care. Why do you care?" GhostStory never really asked himself that question, all he wanted is to know it wasn't Jennan'wyl, and since it's not, who cares? All these thoughts rolled through his head and gave Richter the chance he'd been wanting. He picked up his axe and with a lunge and spin, took GhostStory's head off his shoulders. The head fell on the ground in front of his body and Richter began to laugh victoriously. He turned to face his throne, but was grabbed in a guillotine hold by GhostStory's body as his head disintegrated and reformed on his severed neck with an evil grin. "What's the matter, blood? Never fight a creature from my side of the abyss? I’ve snapped the necks of creatures which make you seem like a common barn mouse." He chuckled as his grip on the Half-Orc tightened, but in though side doors, and in came thugs with tied up Matteco and Mollica. "Turn me loose or they die."

Before GhostStory's grip on the fiendish man loosened, a kunai sunk into each thug in either their throats, hearts, or heads, killing them all, save Richter. They looked up and saw a female Seraphan warrior in black garb, and she was fending off five thugs by throwing shrunkens and slicing their jugular veins with lethal accuracy. After dispatching the thugs, she jumped and glided down on her immaculate wings to in front of GhostStory. GhostStory jerked Richter's head hard, snapping his neck and faced the newcomer fully. Mollica helped Matteco limp behind a pillar and watched with peaked interest of what was about to unfold; expecting a fight of some renown, but to their total shock and disbelief, they embraced each other. "What's the matter with this scene?" Matteco asked and Mollica shrugged at the question, "I guess they know each other." She said, pushing her glasses back up her nose while watching. GhostStory looked at the Seraphan and said "I was coming for you, Jen." "I knew you were, but I'm not taking any chances with Kyrthis, I'd rather be prowling the streets, and be able to see what’s coming from far off," Jen said walking amongst the corpses, retrieving the thrown daggers, "And second, I had to thank you. This was a trap, baited with one of my friends to lure me out. Kyrthis didn't intend for you to show up and....um...GhostStory the place up." she said looking out the window at the bloodbath that was the compound. "But enough small talk, Did you see Sariya?" GhostStory shrugged and said "I just got here before Richter tried to kill me. I came with them." And he pointed to the thieves, "Come out you two!" GhostStory called to the thieves. They walked over and GhostStory pointed to them and said "Matteco and Mollica, this is Jen. Jen, these are a couple thieves I hang around with." Jen bowed to them and turned to GhostStory. "I still can't find the prison where Sariya is being held." Ghost said to Jen “That young Elfling actually worked with the trash a while back.” as Matteco walked over to Richter's throne and said "When Richter and I worked together, we used this compound, and I know many of its secrets. GhostStory, c'mere, I'll need some muscle, and Girls, see those torches in the walls? Chunk down on the on my mark" GhostStory walked up to the throne and Matteco instructed him to push a section of wall on his signal. Matteco then sat on the throne and told the girls to pull the torches. When they did, the throne sank four inches into the floor. "Now, GhostStory." Matteco said and GhostStory shoved a panel of wall back like a door. The others gathered around and Matteco explained "This is the secret cellar, it's got a small prison cell and a secret way out, let’s just go through here. Mollica hugged Matteco and said "Isn't he the smartest?" and they walked through the door, but GhostStory hung back to get a last look. Jen came back up, looked at the room and asked "You have that look on your face. What's bothering you, M'love?" GhostStory stared for a second then replied "I don't know why, but I'm getting a feeling like something’s coming that could influence the unfolding of the world." Jen looked from GhostStory to the room and back to him. "Truly?" she asked in amazement, GhostStory shrugged, looked down at Jen, smiled and said "It's probably the honor guard or sommat. Let's go." And he followed her down the stairs and closed the passage behind him.

A few minutes later, Richter's body began to gasp for air and he spat up blood and cursed. "If I ever see him again, I'll torture him until the end of time! And I'll do worse to that fatherless son-of-a-bitch Matteco.... “A quiet voice emanated from the shadows "And you believe that you're alive through strength of will? Good sir, the ghost broke your neck and severed your spinal cord. The ONLY reason you live is that I sustain you." Richter turned his head and only saw shadow but the voice continued, "Would you serve me for the strength to destroy my enemies?" Richter thought for a minute and said "I do pledge to serve you. Tell me master; what is your name so I can kill those that use it in vain." The voice paused and continued a few seconds later "Call me Count Velderstadt......."

Chapter 4: Battle in the King’s Square

Matteco lead the way down the stairs to the hidden prison followed by GhostStory, Mollica and Jen in that order. While they were going down the stairs, Jen handed Matteco a bright yellow potion which restored his damaged body to good as new. They snuck down to the prisons where they thought that the Seraphan hostage was being held. Matteco turned to GhostStory and mouthed "Guards" and GhostStory formed a wicked smile and pushed past Matteco into the prison. It was a large round room with six cells around the walls and a stair across from the entrance. As he stepped in he got the attention of about eight guards. The others sat in the shadows as GhostStory went to work. He ducked under a sword swing of a guard then rammed his shoulder into the man's lower jaw as he came up then turned and catching another guard by the ear, smashed his head against an iron torch holder. He brought his arm around and stopped an axe swing with the Ethercoat then lit the man ablaze with demonic fire which burned violently and hot and spread all over his body in seconds. GhostStory scooped a flail from the ground and swung it menacingly at the five remaining guards. He walked in a circle, moving the unit of guards across from him to in front of the stairs, backs to the specter's allies. GhostStory spun the head of the flail in the air in front of him as a signal to the others to make their move. Slowly out of the shadows came the three, Mollica with a long thin dagger, Jen with a pair of kunai and Matteco with a length of chain. At once they all struck, Mollica put her blade into one goon's back, Jen slashed another's throat with a crosswise motion, Matteco threw his chain around one's Neck and put all his weight into strangling him and GhostStory bashed one of the two remaining guard's heads in and put his hand on the face of the other and using dark magicks, exploded his chest. GhostStory dropped the tattered corpse and Jen ran into the room and opened one of the cell doors. "How does she know exactly which cell the Seraphan is in?" Mollica asked GhostStory. "They can sense each other’s presence. It's an innate feeling, they just know." GhostStory told her as he used dark flames to clean the bits of bloody flesh off himself. Mollica helped Matteco pull the limp body off of on top of him, and helped him to his feet. Jen came out of the cell, carrying another young woman, who looked pretty well beaten. "We must leave. I sense an army and many powerful demons coming." Jen said and GhostStory pushed his hair from his eyes and said aloud to himself "...Project, you son of a bitch...." Matteco and Mollica crossed the room, Mollica helped Jen and Matteco opened a door leading up, the sounds of a battle emanated down the stairs. They ran up the stairs with GhostStory at their head, and at the top of the stairs, they opened the door and a great battle they found.

Demons were fighting the entire ape-man army in broad daylight, using various skills. GhostStory summoned Zantesuken into the form of claws on his hands and lunged into the fray as Jen and the thieves watched the various demons tear paths through the Ape flesh. Jen told Matteco and Mollica who they were and their powers. The first one they saw was a giant muscular man who looked nine to ten feet tall whose weapons were his arms, which had plates going from his shoulders to his fists lined with spikes, barbs and blades, and he swung his arms and sent two or three apes flying back against the walls. "That's the Behemoth" Jen said as the giant did a tumble which crushed ten apes into the cobblestone roadway. In a feat of incredible acrobatics, a girl with almost normal features, save lizard like hoof-feet jumped from Behemoth's helm and shot twenty feet into the air and came back down and telescoped the spine of one of the larger apes, the through her scimitar and sliced open the gut of another, "That's Arglethonder Jussi, or ‘Wizzo the Mad-Blade’." As Wizzo reclaimed her blade, a tall man in all black with a short spear impaled an ape's head and threw a ball of dark energy which scorched and burned twenty apes in a flash of light. "That's the Lokien and GhostStory’s master, Lord Jadod Ska. He taught GhostStory all he knows about Dark Magicks, eighty five percent of everything GhostStory knows about his dark powers he learned from him." Jen said as she lead them to cover where they could see the fight from safety, And they caught sight of a short elf woman leading two large four-headed dogs, one looking like a German Shepard and the other like a huge, solid black lab-mastiff mix, and they tore through the apes with teeth and claws that could rend steel. Before Jen could explain who it was, they heard a noise, like a swooshing or light fluttering. Mollica looked around to see what it was, and as she turned, *THUNK* a scimitar imbedded itself into the solid stone wall next to her and Wizzo landed right behind the trio. Before anyone could realize, Wizzo belted Mollica and landed a Roundhouse kick on Matteco, sending him flying down to the other end of the parapet. She drew her sword and turned to Jen and greeted her. Jen told Wizzo to hold off on Matteco and Mollica and Wizzo jumped ten feet, and latched her feet to the wall and shouted "YO GHOST! THE CAT AND THE HALF-IT, THEY GOOD OR CAN I OFF 'EM?" GhostStory tore the head off an ape and shouted "Leave 'em for now." Wizzo looked away and muttered an obscenity then looked down at Mollica and shouted "I GOT MY EYE ON YOU!" and with that, Wizzo rocketed into the fight. Mollica helped Matteco to his feet and wiped some blood from her lip and swore at Wizzo. In a few seconds Matteco shouted "Duck!" and an ape helm flew past, just barley missing Mollica's head, "She heard you." Jen told Mollica. Mollica helped Matteco behind a large piece of fallen bulwark and she watched as the fight progressed on in savage ways, "Hey Jen, why aren't you down there?" Mollica asked Jen, who was sitting against a wall where her view was obstructed but she could see if she leaned. "Mollica, Look at it..." and Mollica looked at the carnage and back to Jen who continued "...it's what Ghost would call 'A Mosh-pit from hell' Do you think I would want to be there, getting crushed by corpses of creatures almost six times my weight? Those that are down there are allies of GhostStory from the past, they knew and trusted each other before I was born, and odds are that they will know, trust and fight together long after we die and return to dust. Before we met, Ghost lived for one thing, the thrill of the kill, this is something that he and they do better than anyone else. I once got into a fight like that one down there." She said, sharpening her numerous kunai. “Really, what happened to you?” Mollica asked Jen, and Jen took her jacket off and lowered her shirt and showed them her back, with a long, nasty looking scar running down her back. Jen pulled her armor back on and Mollica asked what happened and Jen replied “I literally got my spine pulled from my back… and Ghost gave me a portion of his immortality and saved me from death, but doing so, well, it damaged him more than he was already damaged, since then we’ve been connected in spirit.”
Mollica then looked down at the fight and saw GhostStory leap up on one of the Ape-men, leaned it's head back, and Ghost sunk his fangs into the Ape's neck and ripped a huge chunk out and spat it to the ground and then saw the crude, random almost insane creature in a new light.

After the fight, they gathered in an alleyway a little way from the carnage and Ghost announced his mission, and for their own personal reasons, Wizzo, Jadod and Project, a demon in the form of a tall, young man with ruddy skin, short black hair and wearing a black suit decided to help him assassinate the current king and parted ways. Jen and GhostStory were approached by the thieves and Mollica asked where to go. "Take Matteco and hide out somewhere, meet us here tomorrow at 2 a.m." And with that Ghost and Jen ran into shadow and faded away. "Well dear, let's go." Matteco said to his beloved Mollica. They wandered down the street and ran into a little robed woman looking at a cart with cages on it, and the woman asked if they could free a little black dog in one of the cages while she distracted the guards. The thieves shrugged and decided to help lady get her pet back, and as the little woman started arguing with the ape men, Matteco and Mollica collected a small, two-headed black dog and ran into an alley. The woman followed, retrieved her dog and thanked them, saying she owed them a favor. Matteco and Mollica turned when they heard the cart leave but when they turned back to where the woman was and she was gone before they could say anything. They brushed it off and ambled to a small Inn, and stayed there under an assumed name. That night Mollica had an odd dream. It was.... when she was young, only 16 years old. Back when the only home she knew were the slave pens of Richter Spider-Maw, she lived in a cold cell with her blind mother, she remembered one raid by another gang and she was in her cell with her mother, hiding from the invaders. Without warning, four thugs burst through the wooden door. Mollica reached into her pocket and pulled out a makeshift shank made from a bone and was determined to cut anyone who got close to her mother, but a hard slap knocked her to the floor. One of the thugs looked down at the struggling girl with an evil lust in his heart. He was about to force himself on her when there was a *twang* and a *thump* and the man fell to the side with an arrow in his back. Mollica looked to see an archer in the doorway knock another arrow. Another thug tried to rush the elf with the bow when a bloodlust roar came from the hall and in came a man with an axe and sunk it into one of the thugs and spun, decapitating another. The elf swept in under the axe, gathered the girl up, helped her mother and swept through the door. Mollica looked down the hall and saw more gang members running toward them, she screamed but the elf told her not to worry. And before the thugs could get to them, the Orc with the axe came through the wall and landed on top of the running thugs. They ran down the hall and the elf gave Mollica's mother to a healer then lead Mollica away with him, to his chamber. He took his cloak and armor off, pointed to his bathroom and said "Clean yourself up, slave." Mollica walked in to see a bath drawn and clothes laid out showing that the elf was about to bathe himself when the attack happened. She undressed and got into the hot bathwater and began to scrub the blood and dirt from herself, since she hasn't had a bath in many days. She washed her face and looked up to see the elf standing next to the tub. She recognized him as Master Matteco, the man who owns her, her mother and about a hundred other slaves. She stared in fear, hearing rumors of his black-heartedness, cruelty, malice and a rumor that he and Richter had fought off "The Joker," a demon of unmentionable power. After a minute, he did something unexpected. He walked around and scrubbed her back, confessing that for the longest time, he had felt attraction to her and these feeling for her him reexamine his life. He took his robes off and climbed into the tub with her, and they cleaned each other. They then dried off, they got dressed (Mollica put on one of Matteco's larger shirts) and they walked to his bed, laid down together and slept in each other's arms.

The dream then took a turn, to an unfamiliar place at an unfamiliar time. It went to a foggy dam top road, and a brown pickup truck was driving down toward the wall of the Black Seam. GhostStory was sitting in the bed and talking into the window in the rear windshield to Matteco and an unfamiliar male driving. Though she couldn't hear what they were saying, it seemed they were in preparation for some sort of battle. The fog was thick and she couldn't see where they were going. Once again the dream shifted, but this time it was visions of fire...pain...bleeding...death. She walked amidst the bodies of thousands, men, woman, children and elderly, all dead. All races and colors, from priests to soldiers, and she looked up to see a pair of men fighting, one she thought was familiar but the other filled her with fear. The fearsome man took his sword and slashed the familiar man in the face and turned and charged her. She tried to run, but her feet wouldn't move and she tried to scream, but her voice stood silent. The Man raised his sword and brought it down at her neck. Then she sat up in bed, screaming uncontrollably and dripping with sweat. Matteco sat up and took her in his arms, she settled down and she began to cry uncontrollably. Matteco stroked her back, but he felt her neck was damper then the rest of her, so he held his hand into the moonlight and gasped. "Mollica, how did you get cut?" She looked at him then felt her neck; she had a cut which went halfway around her throat. "It's.....it's an omen." she said to Matteco, who took her back in his arms. "Don't worry, I'll bet that GhostStory knows what to do." He said softly to her, rocking back and forth. Mollica healed her neck and wiped tears from her eyes. "Let's hope so....." she said through her distraught, honestly not knowing what to do now....

That night GhostStory was lying with his beloved in her bed in her loft hideaway and he was staring into darkness of the night, when he heard voices, and not the ones he usually hears, these were speaking of dark things to come. “We have sewn the seeds of destiny. You know these things, blood has been shed on our behalf, be aware….” Ghost stared into the darkness and held Jen close to his side, almost protecting her from what he could and he drifted to sleep.

Chapter 5: A new king

GhostStory ducked behind a large wooden crate in an abandon warehouse on the dockside of the city, He had taken his coat off and he wasn't carrying Zantesuken, so it was just his fighting abilities, ghostly powers and dark magicks. "YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T WIN AGAIN!" Ghost shouted into the darkness, and was replied by several shuriken flying towards him. GhostStory elbowed the crate and a board came down and caught two of them, a couple missed, but one sunk deeply into his arm. Ghost phased through the crate and ran to the other end of the warehouse, between boxes, crates and other large objects. Ghost leaned against a couple of storage tanks, gritted his teeth and with a *SCHLICK* sound, the bladed star came free from his muscle and tissue. He looked at the little shards on one point and snickered at the thought that he got his bone nicked by such a little blade. He jumped on top of the canister and looked into the dim room, and for a split second, saw movement. Ghost launched a volley of explosive dark blasts which destroyed everything in that area. Ghost breathed for a second until he felt a blade across his throat. Jen leaned into his view and grinned. "I win." Ghost said. "How?" Jen asked and GhostStory pointed to the wound in his arm then to the tank they were standing on, and there was a circle of runes arranged into a spell ready to cast written in Ghost's own blood. Jen sheathed her kunai and together they climbed to the loft over the warehouse which was filled with shelves and tables packed with glowing bottles. "Someone's been busy." GhostStory said to Jen as she took off her bandolier of daggers and shrunkens. Jen sighed as she set the belts down and she walked over to Ghost and asked "How much damage did you cause?" GhostStory snickered and tried to brush the comment off so as to stave off worrying, but Jen took her two first fingers and jabbed Ghost square in the chest, which caused him to cough a glob of dark purple ectoplasmic blood onto her arm. Ghost wiped his mouth and walked past Jen as she looked at the bloodstain on her jacket with a look of pity. Jen turned to look at GhostStory, who was leaning against the frame of the large warehouse window in her lab, and she wiped the blood from her arm and held her palm out to him. "It's my fault actually. Somehow that bastard's seal halted my degeneration, and for a while after I escaped, I didn't degenerate and I was able to charge my powers, but I'm degrading again." Jen walked over to Ghost and looked in his eyes, and saw that he was in pain, though he was taking it well. She retrieved a potion and gave it to GhostStory and asked "Then why are you sticking your neck out for those kids? Last time we talked, you said you might had found out where something that would fix you located in the wastes, and as soon as you killed the king, you were heading into the desert to retrieve it. But now you're helping a couple thieves, so what's the deal?" Ghost finished the glowing yellow potion, let out a sigh of relief and said "That boy, Matteco, HE'S the next King of the Dead. The next ruler of almost a quarter of Cirrus if he plays his cards right." Jen was shocked at this revelation and Ghost continued that when he first saw them, he was just going to swath a path through them and keep going, but he knew from first sight their destiny, and he wasn't going to upset some vast, eternal plan.

"But....Kyrthis has..." Jen was beginning and GhostStory pitched the bottle at the ground in rage and began to pace the room in anger. "KYRTHIS. That manipulator, devilish, twisted, arrogant freak, if only he knew the kind of....Abominations he committed by keeping that feeble chunk of meat of a king alive twenty years at a time. Dabbling in necromancy and upsetting the wheels and cogs of destiny to serve his own designs, turning family member against each other in wars to suit his needs, curse him for being born onto this plane!" GhostStory turned around and saw Jen, looking at him with a grin. "Did I do something funny or sommat? What's this grin?" Ghost asked the Seraphan. "I've got a plan. A very interesting plan." Ghost had a curious look on his face as he approached her. "It's going to involve us, and those kids, and all of our respective talents, and those of a friend....." Jen explained her downright brilliant plan too GhostStory, and it was genius and devious. “Jen…” GhostStory said, taking Jen in his arms and beginning to waltz with her across the room “Every day you remind me of how I fell in love with you!”

Jen’s plan was a genius three pronged attack.
1 (GhostStory) – GhostStory would find a way to kill the king, but he need only distract Kyrthis, blinding him to the bigger picture, and in so doing, making the other forms of attack open to do their work.

2 (Jen) – Jen would go to Kaze and use her Seraphan guidance to inform him that because the king has been resurrected by necromantic means, has actually died many years ago and is loyal to the new king, Matteco and should serve him, but before so doing, lead an exodus from the city of all the people.

3 (Project) – Jen would ask Project to aid in the mission. Project’s duty would be to rally the demons of the city, because demons are primal in nature, they will naturally follow the strongest demon as their leader, and after Kaze has evacuated the city, Project will lead the demons in a rampage, destroying the ape men and any other allies of Kyrthis and level the city which has served as little more than a symbol of tyranny.

As they were dancing around the room a voice came from the corner. “Fun as it may be, there is a very LARGE problem with your plan.” Ghost and Jen turned and saw Jadod step from the shade and straighten his elegant Ethercoat. “Hi boss.” Ghost said to Jadod as Jen bowed before the superior entity, and bow she should because the Lokiens are truly superior, first because they are considered immortal because they exist outside the mortal perception of “Life” and “Death.” Second they possessed powers far beyond the comprehension of most people on Cirrus, including the ever mysterious ability of trans-dimensional travel and the ability to destroy smaller and simpler dimensions and forge them anew with mere thought. To have a Lokien in your midst was considered among the highest honors and to be chosen as a protégé is unheard of, of course, so is most aspects of GhostStory’s existence.

Jadod beckoned for Jen to rise and continued “Kyrthis has ordered the immediate capture and imprisonment of all demons in the city, effective since the massacre at King’s Square.” Both Jen and Ghost were worried, but Jadod continued, “And on top of that, Kyrthis has dispatched some of his…minions to capture the boy-king and his wife. He’s going to be used as the new host to for the king; she’s going to be dinner for the apes.” Jen gasped as GhostStory ran and retrieved his Ethercoat, but Jadod stopped him before he could rush off. “Here’s my version of your plan; Girl, you go to Project and help him break in and free the demons, they’ll need the help. Ghost, you go to the Moon song inn, and for Loki’s sake, don’t let the boy be taken to Kyrthis’s tower! I’ll go the guard and get the evacuation started. Let’s go.” And Jadod faded back into the shadows, Jen grabbed her grey cloak and ran down the steps, and GhostStory Donned his Ethercoat and phased through the huge window and ran into the streets.

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Jen dashed down the back alleyways to get to Project’s pride and joy, “The Stuck Pig” his tavern and Inn which was a hideout for all sorts of underground activities, and guards and authority figures never tried to enter there, well on duty if you get the meaning…Jen knew it was a great risk to enter there, being a small woman in a nasty place, but she was a friend of Project, made him a few elixirs when he needed them, so she felt like she would be, to a degree, safe. She got the entrance, two large torches lit up the sign and drunks and prostitutes filled the alley outside, she walked in and snuck through the unruly bar crowd to the bar, and asked the bartender to get Project, and that she knew him and it was important. The bartender left to the back room and Jen waited impatiently for Project to swagger through the door as he always did in his bar to prove who the top dog was there. Jen was on pins and needles when she heard a snorting behind her, and she felt a hand on her shoulder and a grimy voice say “Hey baby, how would you…” “I wouldn’t, beat it sleaze.” Jen said, turning to see a group of six pig-men, the leader taken aback. “You little bitch! How dare you disrespect me?!” The leader shouted loudly, taking a step forward and Jen took a defensive step back and in this fashion, she was soon backed against a table against the wall, surrounded by the pigs. She raised her hands in a martial defense stance, ready to protect her life and livelihood from these potential rapists. “Pike off swine, Do you know what my beloved would do if he were here?” Jen said in an attempt to fend off the attackers. “The leader removed his armor and asked “Oh? What would ‘your beloved’ do to me?” but before she could respond, a voice behind the pig answered, “Something akin to this…” and there was the sounds of tearing flesh, breaking bone and squealing pig.

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Ghost was running down the main street toward the moon song, but came to his first major obstacle of the day: The Ape man army, GhostStory was charging headlong into the army. He attempted to conjure Zantesuken into a claw, but a voice filled his head, “Forgive me master, but I must rest and grow my power for the justice….” Ghost swore and decided that there was only one way to get to his location, and that was to just charge through the army of apes. Ghost was halfway through and only suffered minor injuries when one through a huge axe at him and he turned and took the blow square in the back, and the Ethercoat, while protecting him from the cutting which makes up the majority of the strike, he felt the pressure of a hundred pound axe hit him at forty miles an hour square in the back. Something broke and something hurt GhostStory as well as hinders his advance. GhostStory was reduced to a jog through the onslaught, and he had to fight his way through with his mithrill daggers, and by the time he could run again, he was in dismal shape, and he ran down the street and phased through a few houses before getting to the inn, running up the stairs and searching every room until the third one on the top floor had the two thieves sleeping quietly.

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Mollica’s dreams had just subsided when she heard a banging and she and her husband sat up when GhostStory ran in, coated in his own blood and that of others. He kicked the door shut and leaned his back against it, sliding down to his rear on the floor in a wreck. Mollica grabbed a robe and her glasses and ran to Ghost’s side and Matteco put his pants on and looked out the window, searching for chasing enemies. GhostStory looked up at Mollica, wiped some blood from his eyes and said “You….got new glasses.” Looking at her new, thick dark framed glasses on her face, which complimented her looks very well. Ghost explained the plan and told them what had just happened, and he had the bodily damage to prove it. “Well, first priority is getting the hell out of this inn, which won’t be easy, looks like the place is surrounded by the bad guys.” Matteco and Mollica suited up and the three went to the main foyer of the inn and looked out the door’s windows, and thought of potential courses of action. “Well, this sucks like a starved vampire.” Ghost said when out of the rafters came four blobs of goop, which surrounded Mollica, engulfed her, and flowed outside before anyone could react and out to Kyrthis himself, who shouted “YOU TWO IN THERE! COME OUT OR I’LL KILL THIS YOUNG WOMAN! HER LIFE MEANS NOTHING TO ME, AND I’LL HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH LETTING HER DROWN IN MY GOLEMS!” Matteco, for the first time that GhostStory had seen, showed true fear. “Matteco, I have a plan, but it will require your complete trust.” Matteco nodded and Ghost invoked a dark enchantment.

A minute later Matteco exited the Inn, walked into the square, knelt down and put his hands on his head, saying “I’m the one you want, release her please!” And with a wave of his hand, Kyrthis’s servant blob regurgitated Mollica onto the cobblestone roadway. “Where is the Ghost?” Kyrthis demanded to know, and Matteco gestured to the Inn and said “He mumbled something like ‘how readily he leaves the king defenseless’ and ‘delusions of grandeur’ or something like that.” Kyrthis suddenly realized that the king was alone in his chamber, not even a healer. So he gathered up Matteco, had him bound and ordered Mollica take to the demons’ prison.

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The Pig was thrashing around at Project’s feet, clutching where its scalp and ears were on its head before Project removed them crudely. Project tossed the blood soggy piece of flesh aside, walked over and stood in front of Jen and declared “This young woman is under my protection now, so you guys can go get fucked.” The lead pig man snickered and rose to his feet and completed the circle once again, saying “You forget, you’re outnumbered, there’s six of us and none-a you.” Project scoffed and said “No, you’re outnumbered, take a look behind you, dumb-ass.” The pig turned his head and saw the whole of the bar crowd surrounding the circle of pigs, and while the pigs were distracted, Project scooped Jen to her feet and jumped over the pigs and onto the bar then shouted “SOOOOIIIIEEEE! FRESH PORK, COME AND GET IT!!” And the bar patrons fell upon the pigs in a bloody melee. Project ushered Jen into the back room, closed the door and asked “So what can Dranston help you with? Did GhostStory send you too him?” Jen straightened her cloak and explained the plan to Project, who then stood up, took his dark brown duster and assortment of firearms and said “So when do we leave?”

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Mollica was being taken to prison by a couple apes and down into the dungeons she went. She looked at the cells packed with demons, all happy to take a young, sweet, tender mortal Felisapian, and Mollica began to shiver with fear, believing these were her last moments, and the apes were chattering about who was the worst of the demons, until at last they came to a shadowy cell and looked down at her and smiled with sadistic pleasure and said “These here, their the worst here, ain’t that right?” and from the cell came a distinct “Fuck you.” And they slid the cage door open and tossed the girl in and left. A pair of reptile creatures walked out and looked like they were starved for a week. Mollica stood up and pressed herself against the gate to avoid the inevitable, and she began to say the druid prayer of death and looked up and her eyes had adjusted to the light and her night vision kicked in and she saw a familiar pair, and just as the lizards were about to lunge, a large pair of hands grabbed one lizard by the shoulders and ran him through the prison grating, landing him in the corridor in several pieces. The other lizard tried to attack the giant man-monster when from the roof came a braided rope and a woman dropped from the roof and strangled the lizard with little effort. The man looked at her and he had a black beard around his mouth and a shaggy mop of curly black hair on his head, and when he turned, it donned on Mollica just how big this man actually was, and she began to back up, and backed right into Wizzo. She turned and looked at Wizzo’s big grin and looked at the large man, who was obviously “The Behemoth.” Mollica turned back and walked over to a cot and sat down, waiting for the light of her life to be…obliterated. “Oy, You!” Wizzo said and she jumped over and landed, Indian-sitting next to Mollica, “What’s goin’ down, clown?” Behemoth gamboled over the corner where he was sitting and flopped back down on his ass. Mollica explained to Wizzo what happened, The Inn, GhostStory, Kyrthis, the sludge golem, Matteco. Wizzo shrugged and suggested “Well, we can eat you, that’d end a lot of all or our pains.” “Yeah, it’d end my pain nicely.” Behemoth said. Mollica flipped off Wizzo and Wizzo shrugged and flipped to her feet and hopped to the ground and said “Suit your self, just don’t go to sleep.” Behemoth looked up as a grey cloaked figure ran past, followed by Project, and Wizzo jumped to the door, reached out and grabbed Project’s sleeve, and he promptly reached into his duster, pulled out his .41 special and put it to Wizzo’s head. “Just let us out.” She said to Project.

The five of them were standing in the corridor and the clamor of demons begging for freedom was almost deafening, and with sign language they settled on a course of action, The demons would stay and free all the demons and Jen would take Mollica and save Matteco, Jen didn’t fully understand the “save” part of Matteco, but she feared the worst. Then the Seraphan and the thief dashed back out of the dungeons, up corridors in the tower and ran across a bridge to get to Kyrthis’s tower, and they turned a corner and ran into ten ape men. “Well, shit.” Mollica said as the apes drew their weapons, and the girls decided to retreat back to the bridge. They ran out to the bridge and a shout rang out as they stepped out, “DOWN!” and Mollica and Jen lay down on the bridge as the plodding of apes got closer. When the apes stepped out onto the bridge, they heard a different shouted order. “ARCHERS, LOOSE!” and a flurry of arrows shot over the heads Jen and Mollica and shredded the apes, and another order came out from the other end of the bridge, “CHARGE!” Mollica looked up and saw Kaze leading the royal honor guard in a charge against the apes. The guard went around the women and defeated the apes, but Mollica jumped up and began to run up the tower, and Jen called to Kaze and lead the guard to Kyrthis’s inner sanctum.

Through the door burst Mollica and she saw the ritual entering the last phase. Matteco was naked and tied to a stone pillar and on a pillar in front of him was the old king. Mollica attempted to run into the room, but some force was keeping her out. “MATTECO!!” she screamed, tears flowing down her face as she beat on the invisible wall keeping her out. Kyrthis had a smug look on his face and began to recite the last spell, when a deep purple fog filled the room, and a floating circle of dark purple glowing runes appeared floating in front of Matteco’s chest and out of his chest came a huge black claw which buried itself into the king’s chest, and pulled out many of his vitals. Out of the circle crawled GhostStory, and he rolled forward, landed in crouching position and stood, and decked Kyrthis to the ground. Ghost dispelled the barrier and Mollica ran to free her love as GhostStory was encroaching upon the trembling old man, who was whimpering like a wounded dog. Ghost picked him up with the black claw, and tossed him across the room. Kyrthis was very close to the door, and tried to make a brake for it when Kaze stepped in, drew Chekleron and said “Let justice be done.” And beheaded the chancellor.

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Later that day, GhostStory, Mollica, Matteco, Jen and Kaze were on a train platform near sunset. “Kyrthis put bounties on you guy’s heads, Jen’s was revoked by the Seraphan counsel, but you three are still wanted. You’d better get out of here.” And behind them there were numerous explosions coming from the palace and upper city. “I’m going to take the honor guard and go south to the military outpost. Luckily M’ell was evacuated down there also, so I’ll find her and we’ll decide what to do next from there.” “Hey!” Ghost shouted to Kaze who was walking away, “If you want your old job back, I’m pretty sure that the new king isn’t a dick, if you can put up with me that is.” Kaze laughed and walked off. They were sure that when Matteco decided to take up the mantle of command, he would call Kaze back into service, but until then, Matteco was happy being a thief with his wife. Jen and GhostStory embraced and she told him “I’ll be out in a week or so, I’m going to go to the capital of Sel Nexus and figure out where the Necronomicon is located. I’ll see you soon, M’love.” She said. Ghost waved the thieves onto the train and said to Jen “I’ll seeya later, m’dear!” and ran onto the train as it was just leaving.

The thieves chose a nice booth and Ghost joined them. “I’ve never left the city before. I wonder what we’re in store for.” Mollica said, looking out the window at the sunset. “So, what are you going to do now Ghost?” Matteco asked Ghost, who was lying on the couch-bench in the room, and he replied, “I’ve got another adventure, if you’re up for it.” Matteco and Mollica looked at GhostStory, then to each other, then back to Ghost and Mollica asked “Matteco, when did we become adventurers?” Matteco scratched the back of his head and replied “I guess we decided to become adventurers when we welcomed him into our home and hideout.”

Saiyan Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Hell

Really nice story bud..it took me three days to finish reading it because of how long it was..didn't have the time nor the eye strength to read it all in one day overall we here at xplay give it 4 out of 5.

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 5:03 pm

Amazing, as always. I know you have school and all, but when're you planning on having the next chapter up?