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Running with Madmen

Started by WallyD, April 26, 2017, 09:42:57 PM

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WallyD

Behind the curtain, Julien took if his armor, placing his swords on the bed. He then changed out of his dirt stained clothes and changed them for black trousers and a deep red shirt. Two rings could be seen around his neck on a silver chain, Juliens arm was also wrapped up from the burns. He then reached under the bed, pulling out a jar, he opened it up and reached for his money pouch, adding coin to it, 400 to be exact. After placing it back under the bed, Julien opened the curtain and walked over to the China cabinet.

Julien reached up and felt around for a bottle. He found the neck and pulled it down, examining what the drink was before opening a cupboard and pulling out two glasses. Julien sighed and sat down at the table, placing his up and pouring himself a glass, draining it quickly.

"Always been told that I wasn't a good host, but this is about as hosty as I get." Julien said, looking at Rene. "So, baby doll. What exactly do you plan to do to get Garlock The Destroyer."

Wrathwyrm

By the time he had been done, the tea was ready, as well.  Rena hadn't done anything complicated like remove her armor, because that required more time and effort, but her sword was leaning against a wall so that she could sit down, at least.  With the addition of a glass to use, she poured herself some tea.  Cups would be better, but it was hardly an issue.  Like the man said, he wasn't particularly 'hosty'.  This was more than reasonable, though, from a man she had been fighting, some hours ago.  She took a sip of her tea before answering his question.

"From what I can tell, from the things I've heard, Garlock seems to terrorize and destroy to make his mark.  He's ruined whole towns and killed many.  I even heard that he trashed the mansion of a fellow Knight of the Old Oath."

She took another drink of her drink, gesturing to herself.

"That's what I am.  Long family tradition.  Still...he just doesn't like people, it seems, so I think it would take very little to annoy him if he was just called out to fight.  I'm actually surprised he hasn't been to Zefras and the mines.  It's a large community, alot going on.  Still, though...  He was said to be around here.  He may only be putting off shooting magic because you're here."

Pause...  Rena looked at him intently, all of a sudden.

"You know, a Mordecai blocking a mage's magic - his magic - would be enough of a reason to be pissed off."

WallyD

Julien stopped mid drink. He paused and set down his cup, clearing his throat. Garlock The Destroyer sounded very much like his old life, when he was with Ekon. Going to different places, getting a job that involved destruction, and leave a mark upon the town just so they knew who they were and they could do.

That's what almost happened to Whiteriver, Ekon had planned to burn half the town , scare the Mayor to submission and other things, but it didn't happen. Julien was the reason it didn't happen.

"So..." Julien said, drawing it out, "do you plan to use me as bait or something?"

Wrathwyrm

Rena let a sip of her tea drag out before answering that, and when she did, it was with a smile.

"We're drawing out a guy calling himself 'The Destroyer'.  Make no mistake, Jules, we're both bait."

She wasn't going to give him some sort of false idea of what they were up against or what he plan was.  Neither of those things would help her, in the end.  Only those that could handle an honest appraisal of what she expected even should help her in such an endeavor.  She couldn't fool someone into working for her, only to be a sacrificial lamb or a patsy.  Not if they weren't the kind of dangerous person that was better off arrested or dead, anyway.  Julien was not a terrible person, it seemed.  He was only after money, in the end.  The question is...would he risk his life for it, knowing that Garlock could potentially own them, still?

"So, what are your thoughts?  Am I scaring you off or are you just crazy enough to do it?"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Meawhile, the cat stood over the house, as it appeared from his realm of power.  It was correct to assume that Garlock had more to him than the powers of a pumped-up wizard.  He had torn apart such people on the first day of his awakening.  He remembered clearly...  Their screams of pain as he forced them to destroy each other, again and again, with their magic...  It was all to appease his massive rage, yet it was not enough.

Still not enough.

Never enough.

Never satisfied.

Humans...  He had lived and let live in that place, his home.  They had taken everything with their petty ways.  There was no bottom to the well of anger he knew, no means by which to quell the flames that burned and burned and burned...

As we said, the cat stood over the house.  He was not there physically, but in the realm which he dragged humans into when he wished them to hurt...for a long, long time, though little may pass in the real world.  In this place, he was as giant as he needed to be, not puny as he had been, years ago, a mere familiar studying under a humble wizard operating a pet shop.  He had been considering just how to approach this as he continued to listen to them plot.

How did it come to this, that the only one in the world who might understand him would be his hunter?  He had indeed become this Destroyer, but why was she clad in armor and wielding that sword?  He remembered...  Had his owner not told him the traditions of his family, of his brother?  Rena had been a mere child when they had met.  Why was she the head of the family now?

He would have to find out.  As much as Rena sought information from him, it would seem that he would have to seek information from her.  Perhaps this could work out...

WallyD

Julien wasn't sure to cry or laugh at the name Jules. He guess it was only fair since he calls Rene everything but her name. Though the name 'princess' was really growing on him.

"Come on, gorgeous." He said, leaning back, folding his arms behind his head, "I'll do anything for money. And my sanity isn't in trial." He paused, "Yet. The only person is question is the guy your looking for. I'm assuming that you wish for us to go soon."

Julien stood, taking one last drink and walked back to his bedroom, putting on his armor and collecting his swords, making sure the rings were tucked safely beneath his shirt and armor. Julien walked back out and stood near Rene.

"We should probably want to get him outside of town. To close to the Mayor's Mansion. Plus, if he's already here, he's probably watching us and I don't want to have my house stuck in the cross fire."

Wrathwyrm

She had to laugh a bit about his desire of money over sanity.  It was a boast, clearly, but it made no difference.  He was in, and whether he knew it or not, he was helping her deal with a harsh chapter in her life, the one that remained to haunt her, even after she had overcome the issue of her parents' deaths.

"That's the spirit, and no time like the present."

Rena stood up after quickly finishing her tea, pulling Spark from the wall and on returned it to her back.  He was arming and armoring up, which was always a good idea, and was back in plain view within moments, suggesting they take this out of town.

"Agreed.  He might've done.  Depending on the kind of person he is, he could make real trouble for us if we don't handle this right."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A famous actor once said 'Irony can be very ironic, at times.'.  It was a comedy, of course.  Even still, the point remains that the conversation had definitely been heard, and even as Rena and Julien were to move out  to go find him...the black magus was already making his appearance.

The middle of town was, as always, a bustle of activity.  Well, it was about to get a whole lot more active!  People were suddenly shocked and blindsided by a fast-moving shadow that leapt past them, higher and higher, before standing atop a building and appearing now in the form that Garlock had been in whilst drinking in Yahbrook, the very same that had watched Julien from a nearby table.

With a sweeping gesture, Garlock extended a dozen or so shadowy tendrils all over the market square and general town circle area, slamming their spiked ends forcefully into the pavement, breaking through and cracking it wildly with their heavy impacts!  He whipped the appendages up and they flailed against several buildings, causing more damage as they retracted to again become his hands, hands which he now raised overhead.

"People of Whiteriver, BEWARE!  I am Garlock The Destroyer!  I come to say that I am...basically going over that way, should anybody ask! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha haaa!!!"

With that, he changed shape and became to leap from building to building, in the direction he had so indicated.  It would be, perhaps, the strangest thing an evil magus had ever proclaimed to a populous, and it had been done on purpose.  Those two were to find him, alright.  But while they were coming for him, he was waiting for them.  Make no mistake, this was to be the confrontation, and he would not be running from it.

WallyD

When Julien stepped out of the house, closing and locking it after Rene was out as well, he didn't expect to see people rushing by. Julien took off, pulling out his sword, running to the center of town, praying that Mista wasn't  there. He stopped when he saw the scene. There was no blood, people were mostly freaked. Julien sighed in relief and sheathed his sword. Someone ran up to Julien, about to say something. Julien quickly shook his head and pointed at Rene.

"Talk to her, she's the hero."Julien said, taking a step back.

Wrathwyrm

Upon first hearing and then seeing some panicked people, Rena's thoughts were 'Oh shit...  Bad to worse, already!'.  She drew her sword on a run, pulling it back behind her as she moved.  Rena's whole style of sword-fighting was more based in finesse than brute force to swing that sword around.  She didn't possess great strength, but rather allowed her speed and agility to make her the sword's counter-balance to created those deadly swings.  They came to the center of town to see it fairly-wrecked, but...strangely that was all.

This can't be right.

The area had been assaulted, yet the area was still an area.  Was Garlock truly weakened by Julien's power?  Call it morbid, but Rena had doubts that the magus had managed to strike down nobody with whatever power he had been using, not unless he were drunk at the time, maybe.  Or...perhaps it was on purpose.  Well, her answer came in the form of a guy running up to Julien, only for him to point to her, calling her the hero.

"That's not exactly untrue."

"Huh?  Really?"

"At your service.  What happened here?"

"A...a man, or demon, flew past and jumped to that roof, up there.  He said that he was Garlock The Destroyer.  I'd heard rumors of him.  He destroys all that he touches!"

Rena made a gesture with her hand, telling him to calm dow.

"Sorry.  One of those black things landed only a few feet from me."

"Pretty lucky."

A little too lucky.  Of course, Rena got it as soon as the man explained, rather perplexedly, that Garlock was blatently pointing people in the direction to follow, as though to dare them that way.  This had been clearly done for them, because he knew they were coming.

"Of course, some guards were in pursuit, but I dunno..."

"Well, I do!  C'mon!"

The last part shouted at Julien, Rena headed for the town's edge that Garlock had gone for.  Town guardsman against Garlock The Destroyer...and if they weren't otherwise equipped in ways a Mordecai couldn' touch, they were gonna be painted all over the landscape...

WallyD

Julien followed. The sounds of fighting soon filled the air. A couple of guards were standing, but many were strucked down. Julien was used to seeing dead men, killed more than a few himself. Seeing this didn't effect him. Julien watched Garlock in action, seeing the magic he used. Julien scoffed and reached behind his back, grabbing the cloth that hung on a strap, unwrapping what was underneath.

A blood red sword shone bright. Immediately the air around Julien turned heavy from the strong magic that radiated off the sword. A Demon Blood Sword is dangerous to all life, with the ability to poison ones blood and kill them instantly, but painfully. He looked over at Rene, grinning.

"Don't worry princess, I won't use it unless I have to." He said winking. He looked at Garlock, "I suggest you stop fighting for a second. Looks like we got to talk." Julien called out, letting his sword tip touch the grass. As soon as the tip touch, the grass died, turning grey, spreading out in a small radias around Julien. "And no funny business."

Wrathwyrm

Curious, though...  Could such a dark sword really harm such an entity?  Rather, harm wasn't the question.  It was a magic blade, so it would have some sort of effect, but the poison wasn't likely to kill him.  The two of them had come to find Garlock some distance from town, Garlock flinging them like ragdolls with shadowy tendrils.  It looked like child's play, and by that we mean children at play.  Where Julien scoffed, Rena looked worried.  This was too easy.  All of the guards should be dead if he still had command over darkness.  Julien may have wished to reassure her, but Rena would not be lowering her guard anytime soon.  So now, the Mordecai addressed Garlock The Destroyer, whose red eyes seemed to flash with amusement.

"Really?  Is it that time already?"

His tendrils of shadow casually tossed aside what he was holding onto, and he was actually telling the guards who were conscious to 'Shoo!' before laughing.  But then, he stopped.

"No, you're right.  This isn't funny at all.  Let me show you..."

"What're you-  Hey!"

Before they could stop it, the world around them changed, altered.  The guards - dead or alive - were gone.  They had been pulled into some darker place that shadowed their own world, a realm of either Garlock's own making or one that he had access to.  The magus himself was not even standing where he had been, but was about ten feet to the left on a throne of ebony marble, one leg over the other in comfort, with two shadowy red-eyed panthers on either side.

"So, let's talk."

Rena didn't know what this place was exactly, but he knew another realm when she saw it.  Thanks to a woman called Natah, she was taken the very edge of life and death to speak to her parents.  This place might've been different, but she knew one thing for sure.  Garlock having brought him here meant he had the upper hand.

"If you're fine with talking, then why bring us here?"

"You WANT to spare everyone around here, right?"

"A normal setting would be better."

"I prefer a private setting in these situations.  Alot of things may come out you don't wish to be known by others.  For instance, you two has suffered a great deal, haven't you?  I am one who benefits from carrying out revenge.  To some, I extend an offer.  You, Mordecai.  You were mourning the dead, weren't you?  And you, Rena Goldswith...  How I know you..."

"Yes, of course you do.  You were there.  Did you do it to him?  Or did somebody else?  What happened in Claris, Garlock?!"

"Do you desire vengeance, then, for those that have killed your uncle?"

"Wait..."

He didn't answer her, but...he did.  He said 'those'.

"How do you expect me to get revenge on people you've obviously killed?"

"I have ways.  How about it, Mordecai?  Suffering and damnation to the enemies who caused you pain."

WallyD

Julien rolled his eyes.

"Trust me they're already dead. I know because I burned their bleeding body's and spat in the ash. I don't need someone else to do something I can do myself."

It was around five years ago. Julien still remembered it. Ekon had showed up in town with some of the others while Julien was out in tjhe other town, buying what he and his pregnant soon to be wife needed that Whiteriver could not provide. Julien came back and saw the flames of burning buildings, dead men covered the streets.

Julien saw and old friend from when he was part of the Blood Snake, the name of the mercenary gang. Julien didn't hesitate to cut him down, but before getting information from him. Ekon had returned to finish what he tried to do years before. Burn the town into submission.

Julien remembered running to the mansion if the Mayor, his fiancee's parents house. Ekon was cutting down the guards, bearly inside the mansion. The two fought but somehow Julien won. He ran up stairs to see the family was still alive, Mista was bearly a child then. And slowly the realization fell upon Julien.

He ran to the house where his family lived. The next day Abigaile Grranito and her unborn child were buried. Julien tracked down the rest of the Blood Snake and slaughtered every last one.

Julien leaned on his sword, appearing bored. "Can we get on with this. Dinner time is soon and I'll like to open a new bottle of Dwarven Ale."

Wrathwyrm

The magus nodded approvingly at Julian's response about the men who caused him woe.

"Good, good...  That's how it SHOULD be."

However, he brushed off his comment about dinner.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry.  Time has no meaning here."

During this banter, Rena had been watching the two of them carefully, watching their reactions and listening to their responses.  What was this?  Garlock offering to bring harm down on people when he was bored?  No, that wasn't it, but it seemed to be at the center of things...  He destroyed people's lives, wrecked homes and towns, caused all kinds of chaos...and he tempted people into seeking revenge.  Rather, he tempted them into accepting an offer to allow him to do it.  If this was who he was, then...

"What's your price?"

"There is no price."

"You don't ask for anything?"

"You've already paid it.  I punish the cause.  I gain from that act.  That's how it works."

That seemed to confirm what she was thinking.  Rena licked her lips, and took a chance.

'I accept."

"You do?"

"My uncle was as good a man as anyone in my family.  A kinder man, a wizard running a humble pet shop.  He didn't deserve what happened to him.  If it wasn't you, then go on.  Punish whoever did it."

Garlock seemed to stare for a moment, and then he spread his arms out in an emphatic shrug.

"I already did."

This, however, did not seem to surprise Rena.  In fact, she actually smirked.

"I thought so.  But...who are you?  And why're you using the name of his cat?"

His WHAT?

WallyD

Julien wrinkled his nose.

"Who names a cat Garlock the Destroyer. I would have named them Sparkle or Mr. Snuggle." He paused, "I take it back. That's what I would have named a dog. Cats are evil little creature." Julien looked over at Rene and nodded in approval. "Your uncle was right to name a cat 'Destroyer'"

Julien was actually surprised that Rene took up Garlock's offer. Maybe she wasn't a righteous as he thought she was. Yes she looks out for her fair men, but someone who is completely 'pure' in heart would have never hired someone to take the life of another, even if they deserved it. Maybe there was no such thing as righteousness. Maybe everyone had a pure heart as a toad swimming through nasty swamp water. Julien pushed the thought away. He wasn't drunk enough to get all hypothetical and whatnot.

Wrathwyrm

Both Rena and Garlock looked over at Julien as he spoke up about the naming of animals.  Rena had her eyebrow arched, and Garlock...well...let's assume that he was doing the same, because both of the panthers were kind of tilting their heads in a funny way at the Mordecai.

"Actually, my uncle just called him Garlock.  The whole...Destroyer thing, I have no idea where that came from."

"I added that on, myself.  I was fairly pissed at the time.  I still am, really.  Nice bluff, by the way.  How'd you know?"

"The way you were going on about vengeance, it sounded like you already knew my uncle."

Ah, so she was just getting him to admit the reasons behind the fall of Claris.  Go figure.  Rena was a smart girl, after all.  She didn't need whatever Garlock was to take care of business.  The dark magus glanced sort of sideways at the mention of the man.

"...you could say that."

"This was always about Uncle Zan, wasn't it?  I guess I can understand the anger.  If any of the Silver Horde had survived after my parents died, I would've hunted them down, myself.  Lousy bigots..."

This seemed to gain the black figure's attention, red eyes staring for a moment.

"I see...  That explains why you're the one in armor.  We're the only ones left."

"'We'?  Who are you?  I don't have any family left, except my grandparents.  As far as I know, my uncle never had an affair, an apprentice, or anything.  He just..."

Rena voice caught in her throat, and her eyes went wide with shock.  All this power, all this death and destruction, all this time...  It all stemmed from...from just a cat...

WallyD

Julien watched the two of them and felt like he wasn't supposed to be here. The two clearly had some sort of history and as much as Julien enjoyed being in a dark, creepy place with a magus named 'Garlock the Destroyer and an emotional young woman with a  lightning sword , he wanted to go home. Julien looked around the dark space and started to walk around, poking the trees and kicking around rocks.

"Let me know when your, uh, reunion? Pitty party? Er, whatever that is," Julien said, waving his hand in a circle, gesturing at the two. "is done, I'll be over here, watching silently?"

Wrathwyrm

Well, to say that all this really wasn't his scene would be technically true.  They expected some kindof battle, and it turned out that it was all a setup to let the cat out of the bag.  that may've been something of a letdown for old Jules, but when the evil magus has some rather personal business with the lightning warrior, things aren't going to break down into a fight.  His words must've struck a nerve, though, because he'd find himself droppeed on his ass next to the road leading into town, all of a sudden, just basically dumped out of the realm.  A black cat sat nearby a tree, licking its paws.  It spoke in Garlock's voice.

"You know, for a man who's obviously lost in his life, you've surprisingly little respect for anybody else in the same boat.  I'm gonna go now and talk to someone I haven't in a long time, which is about all that's keeping me from crushing you and your town beneath my little paws.  Ta-ta!"

The cat vanished.  Obviously, if he wasn't interested, the creature wasn't keeping him around, right?  That being the case, it might be a while before he gets paid...or no time at all, depending on how that place actually worked, and what happened in there.

WallyD

Julien blinked and sat back sighing. He decided that he didn't like the magus, and it was definitely the cat from before. Julien didn't like the fact the cat had basically stalked him. He also didn't really care what the thing said, everyone had something but one should only worry about themselves and those who are important in their lives.

Julien scratched his head and stood up. At least he could go eat and open his new bottle. Julien wrapped up his sword and placed it on his back, heading back to his house whistling.

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