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Déclaration de la Nouvelle-France et de l’alliance de proximité indéfinie

Vextrous41 — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 22:40:32 GMT

En cette période de conflit extrême, les peuples d’Amérique du Nord doivent reconnaître ce danger et donc se préparer à toute incursion, attaque ou invasion sur ce continent. Cette déclaration de la Nouvelle-France et l’alliance des régions environnantes protégeront les innocents jusqu’à ce que le continent se brise. Ce n’est qu’alors que cette alliance de proximité indéfinie prendra fin. Aucun gouvernement, personne, intelligence artificielle, animal ou extraterrestre ne peut avoir de pouvoir sur ce domaine.

Ces pays et États peuvent consentir aux actions de l’alliance de proximité indéfinie, mais tous sont tenus de consentir avant d’agir.

Antigua, Babuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El, Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, The Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, United States, and the dependent Territories of Navassa Island, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands

Deadblood pt. 1 - Chapter 5 - The Firestorm Arises [Unfinished]

Vextrous41 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:42:16 GMT

Chapter Five
The Firestorm Arises

After several weeks of the strange rushing of customers, Alex and Moon decides to rearrange the shop. Alex wakes up in the upstairs bed with Moon on his side. He moves her gently and gets up, stretching, leaning back and cracking his back. “Oof, that hurt.” Alex walks downstairs and starts on the morning shop chores, removing old materials and placing them in the scarp bin. As he begins sweeping, Moon comes downstairs in her nightgown, stretching and rubbing her eyes. “Morning furnace boy. I only woke up because I got cold.”

Alex chuckles. “I get hot when I sleep. I’m surprised you haven been burned yet.” Moon walks over to him and makes him bend down to kiss her. “I’ve worked in a forge since I was three years old, if molten steel doesn’t burn me anymore, then you sure as hell don’t.” Alex laughs and hugs her. “Yeah you’re a forge master but you put me in charge of forging.” She smiles and strokes his chin with one finger. “You have a natural talent I’ve never seen before.”

Alex kisses her forehead “Well let me finish and get dressed, we’ve got a bit of work to do today, then I’ll take you out for a meal tonight” Moon laughs “Look who’s giving orders” Moon goes upstairs to change as Alex finishes up in the shop and comes up front to find Moon already working. They start rearranging the shop, Alex moves the shelves and Moon moves the weapons. She arranges them on the shelves by weapon type and size. In the center of the shop alex sets up a round display and they put the cheap weapons in it. Alex laughs at his ‘bargain bin’ idea, sparking Moon to laugh as well.

As they are laughing Alex turns and looks at the window display and sees the carbon steel knife with the gold dragon on the blade sitting on a dusty crimson silk pillow. He carefully puts the dagger into it’s leather holster and gives it to Moon to hold as he dusts the pillow and fluffs it, then he puts the blade back on display and uses a soft brush to dust off the knife. When he looks up, he is looking into his father’s eyes. Alex Realises that his father has been looking through the window as the knife while he was taking care of it.

Alex stands back and leans on the bargain case as his father enters the shop. Alex notices that his father is carrying a message rolled and wrapped like a scroll. Cartolous walks over to Moon and gives her the scroll. “The knife in the window is my son’s design, as well as many of the other weapons in here.” He starts to look around quietly as Moon reads the message. “Wait you’re evicting me? But I paid this month” Cartolous bends over to look in the bargain case with his hands behind his back. “Yes, that notice is for the end of the month.” Alex starts to get angry. “You rent from my father? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Moon tosses the message on the counter and puts her face into her hands. Alex pushes his father away from the display case. “I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I want to know why you’re evicting us.” Cartolous remains stoik as always. “You two have been providing weapons to everyone, there is a rebellion growing in my city and I will do anything to keep the peace. As another problem, you need to come home.” Alex takes a step closer and gets into his father’s face. “I refuse to live with someone who treats my woman the way you do, or who commands me to live as you want me to.” Cartolous gives an easy push to get Alex out of his face. “I didn’t think you would. As a bit of compensation I would like to purchase all of your inventory including all forge equipment.”

Alex grabs the carbon steel knife from it’s pillow. “I refuse to sell anything to you.” Moon looks up with tears on her cheeks. “Alex, we have to. How else will we be prepared to move?” Alex becomes furious and puts his fist through a cabinet full of daggers, shattering the glass and knocking down all the daggers. After a few seconds he takes a deep breath and regains his composure. “The price for you is ten million.” Moon looks up confused at the ridiculous number. “Alex, you know the whole building isn’t worth that much.” Alex looks directly at his father. “I know that.” Cartolous Looks between the two. “Ten million is your price then? Alexander I expect you to use it well. Invest in something and have a nice life” Cartolous leaves the shop and a few moments later Cartolous enters with two of his servants carrying a massive chest, one of them being Alex’s friend.

The servant looks at Alex who has a confused face “Sorry bro, he threatened me…” Alex shakes his head and looks at his father. “What are they here for?” Cartolous snaps his fingers and the servants put the massive chest on the floor and open it. Inside is nothing but gold, stacked neatly filling the chest completely to where it barely closed properly. Cartolous looks to Alex and Moon who were both standing in front of the counter. “Your mother and my wife saw this in her visions, she knew you would ask for ten million, so I came prepared. Alexander you must understand I am not against you.”

Alex puts the carbon steel knife into its Holster and attaches it to his belt. “It’s all yours, Moon start packing, we’re leaving today. I’m not staying in this city.” Cartolous looks at the knife. “It would be nice if I could take that as well. You’ve made a perfect piece of art. I would give it to your mother.” Alex puts his hand over the knife “This is mine, you have an entire shop full of nice weapons to give to mother.” Cartolous extends a hand “Very well, it was nice to do business with you, Alexander.” Alex pushes his hand away. “If all I am is a business to you, I have no reason to stay. Now please take your things and leave.”

Alex goes upstairs and starts packing while the servants start moving things from the shop to the wagon waiting outside. Moon leaves the store to find some sort of way to move. While walking through town expecting to find a wagon and horses, she is stopped by the sudden sound of popping, accompanied rumble. She looks over to see a wagon with some sort of machine on the front, the wagon looked unusual, it was lower to the ground than usual. She walks closer and notices the wheels are different, a steel disk with a rubber outside lining. She walks up to the man working on it. The man wears a top hat with goggles on the base, his tunic was high quality leather and silk, he wears straps connected to his pants, they seem like they should be over his shoulders, but he lets them hang.

His outfit is decorated with copper and brass. As moon is walking up, the rumbling machine lets out a puff of steam and the man lets out a shout of aggravation as the machine sputters and shuts off. “Damn you, jagrivate!” He hammers on it a couple times and starts it again. “That’s more like it. Hey you there, come here I need some help.” Moon hurries over to him. “Are you okay?” The man looks at her and nods, moon notices his glasses with different magnifications connected over the front of the lenses, he has a few of them flipped out. “What do I need to help with?” The man points with one hand at his toolbox. “Hand me that tool with a plus sign on the end of it” Moon leans over and picks up the tool. “What is this?”

The man tightens a screw and the engine stops popping and the sound evens out into a low rumble. “The machine is what I like to call an auto-wagon. It doesn’t need horses.” Moon is surprised and looks at him in disbelief. “A horseless wagon?” The man jump into the seat and holds what looks like a wagon wheel on a stick. “Want to come with me for a test?” Moon smiles and jumps onto the seat beside him. “If it goes somewhere, take me to the forge, I want my boyfriend to see it. The man nods and pushes a lever, the whole wagon lurches forward and the machine turns off. “I must find a way to fix that.” He starts it again from his seat and the machine starts to pull the wagon forward. The ride is smoother than a regular wagon ride, she is surprised and smiles as people stare at the strange wagon while it passes.

The wagon rolls to a stop in front of the shop and the man pulls the lever back, the wagon lurches forward and dies again. “I’ve got it, it needs another lever to neutralize the gear transfer unit temporarily. I could make that in about three minutes and I have enough tools in the wagon to do it… Say, are you moving? There is a lot of boxes out front.” Moon looks at the servants putting the crates onto the other wagon and nods. “Yeah we just found out today, it was kind of sudden. Come inside when you’re done working on this thing, and I’ll tip you for the ride.” The man nods and jumps down, working quickly as Moon walks inside to a mostly empty shop, all except for the chest of money and Alex sitting on it with his duffle bag.

Moon goes behind the counter and gets some money from the drawer “We’ll need to tip the driver of the wagon.” Alex looks outside and looks confused. “That thing doesn’t have horses, how does it move?” Moon smiles and walks to the front door “Come and see.” Alex leaves his duffle bag and walks outside with her as the man with the hat pulls a cable up and connects it to a new lever, then pushes his magnifying lenses out of the way of his normal lenses. “I think I got it. Didn’t even take as long as I thought. Come! Let us drive around the block!” Alex jumps on followed by Moon. “what the hell is this thing and how did a human build it.” The man jumps into the driver seat. “This human has a name, you know. Jack Ramsey at your service! And I call this thing an auto-wagon. I plan on making more and improving the design” He starts the machine and pushes the new lever forward, then pulls the other lever back, then pulls the new lever black and the machine smoothly starts to pull the wagon.

Alex watches the machine attached to the front and starts to get a vision, he sees the inside and how it works, he watches as fuel is dripped into the chamber and ignited by a spark and making the bottom push down and come back up, but only igniting the fuel every second stroke. He snaps out of it when Moon puts a hand on his lap. “Are you okay?” Alex looks at Jack. “Is this thing for sale.” Jack keeps his eyes forward to watch where he is going. “Yes but it is expensive, fifty thousand gold, enough to build two more.” Alex grins “How about one hundred thousand and you build four more?” Jack presses a foot lever and the wagon slows quickly, then he pulls a hand lever by the seat and the wagon’s wheels stop turning, sliding the wagon to a stop in front of an old lady doing her best to cross the street. “You sir, are a generous man. If you’re going to buy it, you should learn how to drive it. Over here.” Jack gets into the back while Alex scoots over, then Jack plops down in the middle. “Release the hand brake on the other side, then push the blue lever forward, then I’ll tell you how to start it..” Jack reaches over and pulls a black lever, making the engine shut off.

Jack points at the black lever “This is your ignition, that toggle under the turning wheel is what I call a suffocator, pull that out. Now push the black lever forward.” As it starts, Alex laughs and Jack chuckles. “Good job, how push the red lever forward and pull back the blue lever. Now pull back the red lever and push that tall pedal at your feet. I said the tall pedal not the wide one, the wide one is for non-emergency stopping.” Alex pushes the pedal all the way down and the wagon moves forward quickly. Jack holds his hat as he is pushed against the seat “Be careful with that throttle, the Auto wagon pulls as fifty horses would.”

Alex slows down a little as he figures out the controls quickly. “This is so fun, You may have yourself a regular customer if you make better ones” Jack laughs and puts his hands behind his head. “That is the plan my friend. Basic design is always first, then I rebuild and improve.” As they stop in front of the forge

Deadblood pt. 1 - Chapter 4 - Temple Of Life

Vextrous41 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:39:45 GMT

Chapter Four
Temple Of Life

Before the sun has risen over the temple barracks, the door flings open and a tall Human woman ducks through the door. “Morning, ladies, it’s breakfast.” The woman doesn’t wait for the three fox brothers to wake up, instead she pulls each one out of their bunk by their ankles. “I said get your arses out of bed, furballs” Arvik sits up on the floor and takes the blanket off his face before his clothes hit him in the face. The tall woman turns to leave as they start to get dressed and the brothers see this woman carries a tower shield on her back. Decorated very oddly this shield seems to represent all of the gods, good and evil. Under the shield is a massive sword, as tall as the fox brothers.

As soon as the brothers are dressed, they walk outside and Mailo looks at his temple uniform. “I look like a martial artist… That is awesome.” The follow the human monks into the dining hall and get a plate of food each. Arvis sits at a table and his brothers join him. “What the hell is this slop?” Maria speaks up as if she had been sitting there the entire time and Pinwae flinches as she startles him. “It’s good and healthy, eat it.” Arvik takes a large spoonful into his mouth. “She’s right, it’s delicious.” Penwae and Mailo start eating and soon are finished. Maria waves her hand as she walks out of the dining hall. “Follow me, you three have training to start.

Mailo gives her backside a scan “Are we training with you?” Maria stops in the courtyard and points to the tall woman. “No you’ll be training with my partner for life.” Arvik, Mailo, and Pinwae walk past her to the tall woman sitting at the fountain eating a fresh apple. Pinwae looks around to see no fruit bearing trees anywhere in the temple courtyard. Pinwae licks his lips. “Hey where did you get that.” The tall woman finishes the apple and tosses the core into a nearby plant pot “If you want fresh fruit, you have to climb the mountain. I’ve already gone, but I would like another. One of you will get it for me. Follow me.” She stands and walks past them to an opening in the temple wall with an archway. Pinwae realises she couldn’t be less than seven feet tall. As they follow her, they realise the valley where the temple lies is actually a carved out mountain as they look off the side miles down to a massive forrest.

Arvik walks up beside the tall woman. “I have questions, if you are willing to answer. The tall woman nods. “Ask all you wish, I have nothing to hide.” She points to another nearby mountain, much taller than the temple’s mountain, The mountain was so tall fog covered the peak. “That is our destination.” She points to a long bridge connecting the mountains. “First we must cross.” As she starts up the path to the bridge Arvik paces her. “I wanted to know what you are and what your name is.” The tall woman laughs. “You’ve never seen humans before? The southern continent is full of us, I do not think we were created by light or darkness, but we are as certain as death. My name is Akura Indigo Temlin.”

Arvik Looks a little confused. “You have the same name as the Gryphon lady, is it like a clan designation?” Akura laughs and slaps his back. “There are no clans here, my friend. Maria’s birth name is Kenira, she attained my name when we pledged our lives to each other under the blessing of the gods. Eternal peace and love does not have a physical form, therefore you must love who you are drawn to or you may never know true happiness.” Arvik stops for a second, trying to understand why or how two women could be with each other as life partners. Mailo pushes him forward as he starts asking questions. “Is there sex is a relationship like that? How does that work?” Akura lets out an exasperated sigh, then stops and turns to Mailo. “Yes there is sex, I will not speak any further about my intimate life.” She flicks him in the nose and continues up the path.

Pinwae has been quiet the entire time, when he speaks, they all stop to listen. “You must love her a lot if you let her have your name. I wish I had someone like that.” Akura walks back towards him and kneels in front of him, to be eye level with the youngest of the fox brothers. “I love Maria with all of my being. That kind of love happens only once, when you find it, never let it go. Now come, we are almost there.” She stands and takes him to the front to cross the bridge first. “Don’t be scared, a fall from this high would be a quick, painless death.” Pinwae freezes “That doesn’t help at all.” Akura gives him a shove onto the bridge to which he yelps and holds on to the side rope. Akura sends Arvik next and Arvik helps his brother Pinwae stand and walk across Mailo walks on after Arvik, leaving Akura at the end to bring up the rear.

After fifteen heart wrenching minutes Pinwae walks off the bridge and hugs a nearby tree. “Land!” Akura lets out a hearty laugh and pushes him off the tree. “Come on, we are only halfway” The next few hours Pinwae spends in agony as they climb sheer cliffs and narrow pathways all while finding it harder to breath as they climbed. Near the top, Mailo slips and gets caught by Arvik and Pinwae who work to pull him up, then they tumble backwards as he comes over the top. The tree lay in a heap at the top of the mountain as they look up to see three trees, an apple tree, a peach tree to the right side and a pear tree to the left side of the apple tree.

Akura stands in the middle and takes a deep breath, then sits down on the center of the meditation circle carved in the rock. The three brothers struggle to catch their breath as they may their way over to the trees. Mailo gets a peach, Arvik gets an apple, and Pinwae gets a pear. Akura looks to Arvik. “I’m waiting on my apple.” Arvik grabs another plump red apple and tosses it to her. Akura catches it without looking and takes a big bite. “Eat the fruit, they will help you at this elevation to store energy. Now sit, use this time to meditate.” Mailo plops down beside her. “I’ve never meditated before.” Akura smirks and looks over. “That’s Very obvious. Don’t cross your legs like that, it restricts blood flow.” Arvik and Pinwae sit and follow the instructions given to Mailo, slowly mastering the meditation as Mailo learns.

Akura spends her next few weeks learning about the brothers and how they work together. In battle as she finds they are well trained, seamlessly matching each other’s movement. Arvik, the alpha male, leads and decides how the battle moves. Pinwae, the scholar, learns and adapts, and shows the others two what to do. Lastly Mailo, slow but powerful, moves last but usually makes the final blow. Mailo has brawn and charisma, Pinwae has incredible intelligence and is also the youngest. Arvik, the eldest of the brothers, is lean, fast, and a cunning tactician, a perfect leader for a pack of stealthy warriors. These were three incredible warriors, and Akura was happy to have someone to spar with.

Deadblood pt. 1 - Chapter 3 - Requiem Of Death

Vextrous41 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 18:04:46 GMT

Chapter Three
Requiem Of Death

The day after the incident with Zarrov in the market Alex is awoken by his father yelling “You will get your slothful tail out of this bed! I know what happened yesterday. What do you think you are?” Alex quietly gets up and starts getting dressed. “I am a protector and a warrior.” Alex puts his sword on his back again. “I’m going out to find work as a mercenary.” From behind him on the bed a sweet and strong voice shocks both Alex and his father Cartolas. “What’s all the shouting about, I was right in the middle of a wet dream.” Alex realises that Moon had not left. “Uh… father this is Moon Shadow…” Cartolas takes a deep breath through his teeth. “Where did you find such a disrespectful harlet.” Alex turns to his father with a serious face. “If you call her that again, I’ll cut off your toes in your sleep.” Cartolas lets out an exasperated sigh and grabs the dagger from Alex’s hand as he picks it up. “This is not who you are, it is a dream! Nothing more than a child’s fantasy!” Cartolas’ hand glows a bright orange as he melts the blade. Alexander tries to stop him, but Cartolas pushes him against the wardrobe.

Cartolas leans over a vase and the iron drips of of his hand into the bottom of the vase. “I will have no more childish games! You will present yourself at breakfast properly dressed and without this woman!” Alex is silent for a second, then his fist catches fire and he puts it through the stone wall. “You think you can control me like that? I’m not going to come to breakfast, in fact I’ll be leaving with the ‘disrespectful harlet.’ If you try to stop me, this blade will be your fate.” Alex grabs the hilt of his sword on his back. Cartolas scoffs “Don’t make me laugh, boy. You may be able to strike down a thug but I am a classically trained warrior.” Cartolas leaves the room as a completely nude Moon gets out of bed and starts to get dressed. “Geez he really is a dickhead. By the way if you looking for a place to stay, I’ve got an extra room above the forge.”

Alex turns away from her, not realising she was unclothed. “I’m sorry I didn’t think you were nude” Moon laughs “You had your face in it last night, so I don’t think it matters anymore.” Alex’s face drains of color as he feels his face get very warm. Moon comes over to him in a robe and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “I plan on doing that again. I’m going to get my clothes from the bath house and go back to the forge. Bye Alex.” She walks out and closes the door. Alex looks in the trunk at the end of his bed and throws out things that are not important, then he begins packing his clothes and tools. As he is about to close it, he looks over his bed and opens it back up. He grabs his bedding and pillows and stuffs them in.

Alex leans out the door and scopes out the hallway. He sees one of the servitors from the dining hall on the balcony smoking something. Alex tries to get his attention. “Hey pst! Wanna make ten shils? Help me get this trunk to my wagon. The servitor flicks the last bit of smoky paper off the balcony and comes towards Alex. “As long as you don’t tell the kitchen master where I smoke at.” Alex nods as he picks up one end and the servitor picks up the other. As they carry it around the estate they keep to the less active halls eventually making it to the stables. Alex helps the servitor put the trunk into the back of the wagon. Alex turns to the servitor and gives him the shils he owes him, then leads one of the bisen over and hooks it up to the wagon.

“Mind taking me home, Alex?” Alex turns to see Moon dressed in her tight leather clothes. Alex reaches an arm down and pulls her onto the front bench, then he whips the reigns and they start moving. As they roll past the front gate, Lilliana watches from the tower balcony. “Thus it begins, the end of existence. I hope he can change the fate of the world.” A hooded figure with a black scythe and a green glow steps onto the balcony behind her. “It means the end of your family to change the fate of the world. If Lord Gadray and myself are able to find him soon we may be able to stop him. But he is growing stronger with each moment he hides. We have to find him soon.” A silent tear falls down Lilliana’s face. “I have not yet come to terms with this…” The hooded figure steps closer and reaches out, placing a skeletal hand on her shoulder. “You must let go, my dear Lilliana…”

In town, Alex pulls up to the back of the forge and takes the bisen over to the stable. When he gets back to the wagon he grabs the trunk and pulls it onto his shoulder. Moon unlocks the door to her forge and lets Alex in. “The stairs are to the left, just put it anywhere” Alex walks up the stairs and finds there is only one bedroom with a closet and bathroom. He puts the trunk down at the top of the stairs then goes back down to talk to Moon. She has already put on her apron and is trying to prep the forge. The pile of black coal on the inside is too cold to light properly, but she tries anyway. Alex walks over and lights his hand with his power then buries his hand in the coal on the inside of the stone forge. The coals around his hand start to glow red, then yellow. They glow even brighter before the pressure of the forge ignites into flame. Alex takes his hand out and wipes off the coal dust, then looks at a confused Moon.

Alex is quiet for a second. “There’s only one bed upstairs…” Moon grabs an ingot and puts it in a stone pot, then puts it on the shelf in the forge to melt. “Yeah, I sleep down here, There’s a cot in the other room” Alex looks around and grabs a hammer. “Look, my father won’t let me have any more money, so Why don’t you hire me, I’ll have something to do, and it would pay for my room and board. You could teach me how to forge.” Moon laughs and takes the hammer from him. “Not just yet, big guy. I mean, yeah you have a job, but You don’t have any experience with a forge. The front needs to be cleaned, there’s a broom and mop in the closet. Oh and you can run the front when customers show up.”

After a few hours of cleaning the floors walls and weapons, Alex sits behind the front desk and props his feet onto the desk. Moon walks over and sticks a dagger into the table next to his foot, to which alex sits up. “Sorry I’ll find something to do.” Moon laughs and pushes him back into the chair. “It’s for you idiot. You wanted to learn, this is how high I set the bar.” She grabs the dagger and gives it to him. “Six inch double edged blade, three alloys inlaid and folded in iron, hand stitched leather grip, and to top it all off, I stitched your name into the hilt.” Alex looks at the piece of art closely, between the leather and the blade, where the hilt crosses over on the guard, he sees his name in beautiful gold silk thread

‘Alexander’

“May I try the forge then?” Moon takes the dagger and sets it down on the table “Sure, I don’t have anything else until tomorrow.” Alex gets up and takes Moon’s apron. Moon stops him before he walks into the back and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Alex looks her in the eyes. “You know we only met yesterday.” Moon laughs and leans back. “That was yesterday, you’re mine from now on. You’d better do that thing again tonight. Now go make me something” Alexander goes to the forge and grabs a few things and tosses them in the forge pot. He wonders to himself why she thinks he has no knowledge of the forge. He grabs a second forge pot and drops some gold in. Before the gold is molten, he takes it out and starts making the handle. After the alloys are molten he takes them out and pours them into a moulding he found for a single sided knife about four inches long.

The carbon black steel cools into the moulding, he takes the extra time to sand out the flaws. When the blade and handle are put together, he puts the leftover gold in the forge in a stone bucket to melt as he starts making an etching of an eastern dragon on the blade and moulds a mouth around the base of the blade. Around the base of the tiger head, he wraps the handle in a high quality redish-brown leather. The end of the handle he carves into a ball, then etches a lotus into it. The gold for the blade etchings was melted by this point, so Alex pours it in one drop at a time. After it has cooled he sharpens the rounded side, then polishes it to a fine sheen. He takes a minute to take it in as he makes the leather holster.

After finishing the holster, washes his hands and goes up to his trunk then gets a crimson silk pillow with gold stitching, then he puts the holster under the blade and carries it down to Moon. Alex realises this nearly took him all day, the sun was in the west and shown directly into the front windows. He looks at Moon, and business was apparently slow enough she had fallen asleep. He sat the crimson pillow on the desk, making sure to not touch the blade any more than necessary. He takes off the apron and hangs it on the hook, then gently picks up a sleeping moon and takes her up to the bed. He covers her up and head back downstairs and starts to organise the shop, he even takes to time to touch up the paint on the walls and makes a couple new signs. He puts his carbon steel blade on a pedestal in the front window. A few people stop to look at the magnificent blade as Alex is putting it on display. After a few more hours of waiting at the front desk, Alex closes the front and locks up. Then he goes to the cot in the side room beside the cleaning supplies, takes off his boots and tunic. He lays down and finds no trouble going to sleep.

He is awoken a few hours later by someone sitting in the chair beside the cot. He rolls over to look and a hooded figure with a green aural glow places his scythe against the wall. “Hello Alexander, my name is Morgan.” Alex sits up quickly. “Mind telling me how you got in?” Morgan grabs one of Alex’s boots with a skeletal hand. “I willed it. You need new clothes, and perhaps some armor.”Alex takes the boot from morgan and tosses it next to the other one. “ I’ve never had armor before, what makes you think I need it now.” Morgan shrugs. “Well you’ll be fighting a war soon.” Alex rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to be in a war, I already stopped Zarrov.” Morgan stands and grabs his scythe. “If you think Zarrov is the only follower of the dark lord, you are very mistaken. Heed what I tell you Alexander.”

Alex rolls over and crosses his arms as he tries to go back to sleep. “Yeah whatever Morgue man.” Morgan exits the small room and chuckles. “Morgue man… Haven’t heard that one before. Very amusing.” Morgan wave a skeletal hand over the front door and it slowly opens for him, after he steps through, it follows him shut and locks itself.

In the morning, Alex is jolted awake by the excited shriek of Moon. Alex jumps out of the cot in his undergarments and runs to check on her, tripping up the stairs. He reaches the top and looks around, seeing her by the window doing what could only be explained as a happy dance. “I heard you from downstairs, what happened?” Moon runs over and gives him a kiss on the lips. “I don’t know what you did, but there are customers line up around the side of the building to get in! Let’s get down there and open!” Alex lets out a sigh of relief and goes back downstairs to get dressed. Moon comes downstairs and looks at the magnificent job Alex did spiffing up the place, she even takes a second to look at the shine job he did for the weapons.

When she sees the black carbon steel knife that Alex made, her jaw drops and she reaches out to touch it but stops herself when she sees the perfect sheen on it. The blade sharpened to the point where just resting the edge of it on the pillow is cutting into the crimson silk. Alex Prepares to be up front, but Moon takes off her apron and gives it to him. “Oh no, you’re not sitting around today, get back there and make more like that. Now I know why we have so many customers” Alex grabs the apron and steps into the forge “Didn’t think I was that good. I just liked to do it as a kid, because it was one of the few things I couldn’t burn with fire.” Moon pushes him through the doorway. “That doesn’t matter now, just get in there and do more.”

Alex starts making weapons of all kinds, not putting as much effort as the first one, but still putting thought and care into them. While Moon is up front making sale after sale, she couldn’t be more happy. Later in the evening Alex comes out to see a couple people browsing a nearly bare shop, but the Carbon steel knife still unsold. He walks over and puts the iron longsword he had been making on display, and it is immediately picked up by a customer that saw him come out of the forge with it. “Anything from this place must be the best in the world” Alex looks confused. “I wouldn’t say that, friend. I’m really only an amateur.” The customer scoffs as he tosses down a couple hundred shil in front of Moon who sweeps it into a bucket.

Moon smile and holds out the bucket full of thousands of shils. “After the drawer filled up I had to use the cleaning buckets, you can have this whole bucket because I have one too.” She scoots out her chair and picks up a second bucketful of shils. “We’re rich, Alex. Well… you’re rich again.” Alex laughs and sets his bucket of money on the ground. “I don’t care about the money, seeing you smile is enough for me. What say we close early and go have dinner looks like everyone left anyway.” Moon gives him the key and goes upstairs to change, Alex locks up and cleans before going and changing into his nice clothes. When he opens his trunk he hears whispering from inside, so he moves some stuff around and finds his sword, all the while hearing a hushed voice. “Come to me, toy take me into your hands and strike for blood.”

He realises he is holding the sword extended towards a dark corner of the room. Alex shakes off the weird feeling and puts it back into its sheath, then grabs his clothes and proceeds to the bathroom to change. He walks in to see Moon bathing in crystal clear water, everything was visible. Alex covers his eyes and turns around. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were bathing.” Moon laughs mockingly. “You’ve already seen it, why do you get so embarrassed by me?” Alex steps out of the bathroom and gets dressed in the bedroom.

“Because seeing the body of someone you aren’t seeing romantically is wrong. At least that’s what I’ve been taught.” Moon scoffs “Who said we weren’t dating?” Alex stops for a second. “Uh…” Moon gets out and walks into the bedroom nude then leans on the doorway. “I say you’re my man, prove me wrong.” She walks past him and puts on a beautiful blue dress that Felicity helped her pick out. “Now let’s go eat like rich people.” Moon grabs Alex by the and and pulls him along with her.

Deadblood pt. 1 - Chapter 2 - Beware Of The Fox

Vextrous41 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:42:00 GMT

Chapter Two
Beware Of The Fox

In the east, the Jackals are now very alerted to the presence of an uprising. The royals set a curfew and send Hyenas to enforce it. As the seven hyenas roam the streets, laughing and talking of nonsense, in the shadows lurk a group of Fox thieves, bent on taking from the Hyenas. The Hyenas sit at an open cafe, laughing and talking, not caring that the cafe was closed. Then upon them falls three foxes, armed quite literally to the teeth, with inserted steel fangs, blades, swords, batons, and maces. The Hyenas jump to their feet, drawing their weapons, ready for a fight. But with the power of lightning, flashing blinding light and zipping quickly from point to point, the Foxes take the weapons from their hands, biting the necks of the Hyenas. As the steel inserts tear away the flesh, the Hyenas are doomed to bleed to death. In less than sixty seconds, the foxes robbed and killed the Hyenas.

The Foxes flee to their den, entering and unloading their haul and equipment. As the three report to Sariis in the war room with Icarus. “Captain Daseron, the attack was successful.” Sariis looks up and nod, then looks back down before looking up again. “Arvik, clean your face, the blood stains are unbecoming of you. You look like a crazed Jakal. Remember to clean the steel fangs as well.” Arvik nods, proceeding to the washroom. But in the dimly lit den, shadows are prominent. He walks down the hall, waving to his brothers as they go to bed down. In the dark hallway, a crack in the ceiling filled with moonlight suddenly go dark as a dark mist pours in and forms into a hooded figure. Luminescent red eyes shine from under the cloak, and the figure silently follows Arvik.

Arvik dips his hands in the bowl of warm water and splashes his face, then he takes out the steel fangs and bends down to splash his face again, while in the mirror, appears the dark figure. Arvik looks up and sees the mirror, then turns quickly to see he’s standing in an empty room. “Hello?” He shakes his head then shouts out the door “Aha, very funny Mailo.” He shakes his head and turns back to the mirror, suddenly facing the lord of darkness himself. Arvik, gasps to yell, but Decosa simply holds out his hand. Arvik starts to cough and gasp for air. “I am not here to kill you. I am here to grant you power. Take this ability and use it to battle the Jakals. You will be the first of many, lycan. When the time becomes just, you will know what to do with this power.”

A swirl of darkness centers in front of Arvik’s chest and enters his body, this painful process is so overwhelming that Arvik loses conscience. A few moments later, his brothers are both around him, helping him up. “We heard you shout. What were you yelling about, and why were you asleep on the floor? What exactly happened Arvik?” Arvik stands and looks in the mirror expecting to see Decosa, but only seeing three foxes in the mirror. “I thought I saw… I guess I just got light headed. Perhaps our raid tomorrow needs to be postponed in light of a day of rest?” Maihlo nods and stretches, cracking his back. “I could use a long bath, and a day off is just what would help this knot in my back.” Pinwae collects the steel fangs from the table and puts them into Arviks hand.

“We all need a day off. I say we collect our bonus from tonight’s raid and have a day in town. Perhaps have some fun with the strumpets?” Maihlo nods and grins. “That’s a good suggestion. Sleep late, early lunch, drinks till sundown, and strumpets until lights out.” Arvik rolls his eyes but nods. “Sounds like a plan, I’ll go inform Sariis.” Arvik proceeds to the war room where Sariis and Icarus are having a late supper. Sariis looks up and points to the boiling pot in the corner. “Would you like some soup? Icarus is a very good cook.” Arvik licks his lips and grabs a bowl, then ladles a helping into it. “My brothers and I have decided to postpone our raid tomorrow in favor of a day of rest and relaxation. Although Mahlo and Pinwae will do less resting than I will. May I collect our bonus now?”

Sariis lets out a hearty laugh and leans down beside his chair and picks up a small sack of gold. “Sounds like those two have plans for the brothel.” He tosses the sack of gold down beside Arvik's chair. Arvik takes a spoonful of his soup and chuckles. “Yes while I plan on retiring early tomorrow. Also this soup is fantastic.” Icarus turns and smiles, then speaks with a partial lisp. “It was my mother’s recipe.” Icarus turns back to the fire pit and puts the bowl up to his lips, his steel fang clinking on the bowl, he drinks the remaining broth. Arvik looks at the scar on his face, Icarus’ steel fang is always visible through the fissure separating the back of his mouth and the front of his lips. The long fissure runs across his cheek and up the side of his nose. It was completely healed but the fur cannot grow over the scar. Icarus’ lisp comes from his metal replacements being slightly larger than the original teeth.

Arvik looked into his bowl and put it to his lips, drinking the warm broth. A unique flavor, garlic with beef, salt, parsley and something else. It tasted lightly of honey, Arvik licks his lips. This was the best soup he had ever eaten. Arvik stands and sets the bowl down, then he picks up the sack of gold. “Thank you for the food, it was magnificent, goodnight, my friends, may we see each other again.” Sariis stands and tosses his empty bowl next to the fire pit. “Sleep soundly my friend.” Icarus douses the fire with a pan of water. “Let us all sleep soundly. The Jakals will not let us rest when the war starts.” The three part ways and go to their beds to sleep.

The next morning, Arvik awakes to a splash of water. He gasps and shakes his head, then wipes his eyes to see his brothers standing over him. “Gah, damn you both. I’m going to throttle you sods.” He jumps out of his bunk to fight as his brothers laugh. Pinwae sets the bucket down and grabs Arvik’s bag of gold and tosses it to him. “You’ve slept long enough, we’re ready for food, drink, and women.” Arvik begins changing from his sleepwear. “You two are only interested in the women.” Mailo slaps Arvik on the back of his shoulder. “Yet you are only interested in the food. I sometimes suspect you’re a queer” Arvik hits Mailo on the front of his shoulder. Being the eldest and largest, he hits harder than he realises. Mailo laughs as he rolls his shoulder. “You are well taken, but your hits are strong and painful.”

Later, in the town of Kandt Oris the three brothers make their way down the market road. Arvik, who had been very quiet the entire trip, suddenly turns to his brothers. “What in Tartarus does Kandt Oris mean?” Pinwae, the youngest and most proficient in foreign language laughs “It means Camp Oasis, you sod! It was formed around the lake. Why have you been you so quiet until now? Are you feeling well?” Arvik lets out an exasperated sigh. “No, I keep seeing that thing! The shadow in the mirror, it came at me. I’m different now, I don’t understand why.” Arvik takes a bite of a fruit he bought. “I need a drink. Are you coming?” The other two are shocked by his confession and nod, then after a short silence, Mailo hugs Arvik and holds him by the shoulders at arms length. “We’ll take a drink with you, but why the silence about the shadow? It could be news of the dark god.”

Arvik turns and starts walking, waving off the question. “It means nothing, simply exhaustion.” As the two follow closely behind Arvik, he throws the bar door open. He marches in and takes a seat directly at the bar, throwing out several gold coins. “That bottle, no glasses.” The bartender gives him the bottle of rye. Mailo and Pinwae sit on either side of him. “Glasses, please. Arvik, don’t kill yourself, take a glass.” Arvik pops the cork with one claw. “Fine. Glass please, chilled.” The bartender opens a barrel and pulls a glass out of the ice and scoops up some ice before sliding it down to him. Arvik pours the glasses for himself and his brothers. “To life, may the Jakal fall and Foxes live on.” They toast their glasses and all take a drink, Arvik, continues with his glass until he empties it, then pours a second.

Mailo takes a sip and looks over. “Slow down mate.” As they all share a few more drinks, the doors get kicked open by one of three large Hyenas, they laugh as they flip a table onto a young couple. The fox brothers face straight forward as the hyenas make trouble. The bartender silently slips under the bar to hide as Arvik reaches in his pocket and gets out the steel fangs, putting them in. Then he pulls up his scarf over his mouth and nose, his brothers do the same as the Hyenas stand behind the brothers. “Lookie lookie, dumb fluffy puppies! Wanna play?” The hyena reaches for Arvik and pulls him off the stool, then the Hyena is surprised by a blade across his throat.

As the Hyena grabs his bleeding throat, choking and trying to keep his throat from bleeding. The other two hyenas grab Pinwae and disarm him, taking his dagger. Arvik and Mailo snarl as they pace around the two hostiles. The hyena on the floor coughs and spits out blood, taking his last breath. The two hyenas back towards the door with the dagger to Peinwae’s chest. Pinwae reaches into a concealed pocket and pulls out a spring knife and puts it straight into the back of the Hyena’s elbow. When he gets free, the other two lunge at the hyenas. Mailo gets hit with a chair and gets knocked into Pinwae, Arvik takes the dagger and swings it at Mailo’s attacker. The other hyena takes the knife out of his arm and buries it in Arvik’s back

Mailo and Pinwae rush to him as he collapses. The Hyenas take a step back to take a breath from the fight. Arvik blacks out and his breathing becomes deeper and his fur starts to grow, Pinwae and Mailo step back as Arvik’s body starts growing, becoming a feral monster. The blade falls out of his tightening muscles. The hyenas see the monster growing in the corner. The monster growls and flips a table, making Mailo and penway flee across the room. The beast turns to the reeling hyenas and stares with it’s feral eyes. It lets out a guttural roar, shaking the building. The hyenas start to scramble and the beast runs after them, he grabs one by the leg and it yipes. The beast grabs his head and pulls the hyena in half.

As blood sprays everywhere, the beast catches the other one by the throat before he can escape through the door. The beast takes a bite out out of his head. Mailo and Pinwae are hiding behind the counter with the bartender. Out of the shadows, a gryphon female dressed in meditation robes emerges, the beast turns and crushes a bloody skull in its mouth. It starts to walk towards the woman and a flash from her hand blinds the beast. “In the light, evil cannot live.” After the words are spoken, she approaches the beast and puts a glowing hand to it’s chest. A powerful light blasts through the beast and reverts the beast back into Arvik. The woman takes off her outer cloak and puts it around him as he falls to his knees. “You cannot stay here, you need to come with me to learn to control this beast inside you.”

Arvik holds the cloak to cover himself, dizzy and disorientated. “What happened?” Pinwae and Mailo peek over the bar at the gryphon helping Arvik up and walking him out the door. Mailo stands and shouts. “Where are you going?” The two continue outside and into a covered wagon, the gryphon lays Arvik down in the back and jumps into the front as Mailo and Pinwae run out to the Wagon as well. “If you’re taking him, you’re taking us.” The gryphon whips the reigns and shouts to the horses Mailo and Pinwae jump on just in time.

Hours pass like days, luckily Pinwae grabbed his dagger on the way out the door. He had been cleaning and sharpening it the entire trip. Mailo moves up front beside the Gryphon woman. “Where are we going? Who are you? What the hell did Arvik turn into? What did you do to him?” The Gryphon looks over. “I will tell you all you need to know when we are at the temple.” Arvik starts to stir and Pinwae sets his dagger down. “Are you alright? Would you tell us what the hell that thing was.” Arvik sits up, feeling nauseous “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mailo looks back at arvik then to the gryphon. “Seems he’s up now.” The Gryphon points up the hill to a gate. “Good, because we’re here.” She stops the wagon and looks at Mailo.

“Would you mind taking the reins whilst I open the gate?” Mailo looks confused on why this mysterious woman would trust him. “Y-yeah, sure. What is all this?” She doesn’t say anything and goes to open the gate, Mailo pulls the wagon through when she does. He stops the wagon after the gate and the Gryphon closes it. Mailo sits in awe of the marble temple. Built like a town in itself, there is a courtyard and several buildings surrounded by cliffs, on top of the cliffs there are ten foot walls, this place was secret, all except the canyon disguising the entrance. To the east were the residence, to the west is the training room, to the north is the temple, The entrance extremely tall. The front of the marble palace is lined with columns. In the center is a large fountain with water that seems to glow.

Pinwae helps Arvik out of the back of the wagon while the gryphon walks over and takes a steel cup from the side of the fountain and takes a drink of the water, then she fills the cup again and brings it to Arvik. “Drink this, it will make you feel better.” She tilts it up for him and he gulps it all down, letting out a cough when she pulls it away. “Next time let me drink it myself.” Arvik smacks his lips and stretches his back, then ties the cloak around his waist. The gryphon looks at his very tightly muscled upper body and seems unattracted. “I think we should get you some clothes” Pinwae and Mailo stand next to Arvik as the Gryphon turns to the barracks. Arvik follows after her. “Aren’t you going to tell us your name?” She opens the sliding door and lets them in, “My name is Maria Synclair Temlin. You can call me Maria… Or Synclair… Or Indigo, you could even call me lady. Just don’t say ‘hey you’, I hate that.”

Arvik cracks his neck and shakes his head. “What was that water? I feel better already.” Maria gives each of the brothers temple robes, blankets and towels. “The Water is something I am not fully capable of understanding. These are yours to take care of, from your looks you are used to military life, so first thing in the morning report to the temple for training. We may yet be able to keep you from becoming a soulless monster.” Arvik sets his stuff down on the first bunk. “I hope they can fare without us at Headquarters”

Deadblood pt. 1 - Chapter 1 - Rise Of Darkness

Vextrous41 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:38:45 GMT

Chapter One
Rise Of Darkness

One night at supper, Cartolas, Lilian, and the children all seem more quiet than usual. The only noises were the sound of the iron flatware on the glass plates and the servitors in the kitchen preparing the second dish, clanking metal and sizzling pans. Alexander sits between his brothers. He fiddles with the food on his plate, uninterested in the meal. Alex puts his elbow on the table and rests his cheek on his palm. From the foot of the table, Lilian speaks without looking up. “Elbows off the table, Alexander.” Alex straightens up and corrects his posture, taking his elbow off the table. “Yes, mother, sorry.” As the servitors bring the second course, clearing the remainder of the first, they set a fine wine in front of the family.

Still uninterested in the meal, Alex sighs and slouches. Looking at the wine being served in fine glasses, he motions for the servitor to give him the entire bottle. While taking a long drink from the bottle, his father gives him a disapproving look. “It is not proper to drink from a bottle. If you are going to drink to excess, pour it into the glass.” Alex ignores it, then lights his fingers with a flame and belches past his fingers, creating a large flare. He laughs, while Ferrous simply shakes his head. Cartolas stands, forcing his chair out with a squawk.

In a firm tone, Cartolas addresses Alex. “Alexander! You will stand and walk with me.” Alex stands, grabs a pork leg and walks with his father, taking a large bite from the leg. Cartolas leads Alex into the hall, and onto the balcony. For a few minutes, while Alex eats, Cartolas is silent, looking out over the city, due to the mansion being on a hill. “You disappoint me, son. The dining hall is no place to act like a fool. I understand that you are not interested in taking my place as Lord of the land, I don’t expect you to. You have two brothers, one of them will become lord. But I still expect you to act properly. Even now, you eat like a commoner.” Alex swallows and throws the bone as far as he can, landing it outside of the front gate.

Cartolas puts his hand over his eyes. “Alexander, are you listening?” Alex turns around and leans against the railing. “Yes, my lord. I understand your lecture and I shall change my way.” Cartolas turns away and looks up at the moon. “Why do you mock me? I am trying to help you. We are a distinguished family, and I expect you to act as such.” Alex scoffs. “If we’re so distinguished, why do you expect me to be what my brothers are. I wanna do something else. I don’t want to be a fancy ambassador for the country.” Cartolas puts his hands on the railing. “You will be what you need to be, but for now, we do not know what that is, so I expect you to act properly. We have an image to maintain.”

Exasperated, Alex looks down at the well cared for lawn. “Whatever, I’ll straighten up, but don’t treat me like a child.” Cartolas puts his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “I would not treat you as a child if you did not act as such.” Cartolas pats his shoulder then turns to walk into the hall. “But very well, if you want to be an adult you can accompany your mother and sister to the market to procure more food, drink, and wares.” Alex follows, putting his hands in the pockets of his tunic. “Yeah, I’ll go.” The two proceed back to the dining hall. Meanwhile outside the gate, a black mist gathers, then forms into a hooded figure. The figure faces away from the gate and another figure steps into the moonlight from the shadows. “Why have you brought me here, my lord?” The second figure bows. The hooded figure looks at him with luminescent red eyes and speaks in a deep, powerful voice. “I have brought you here to task you, count Zarrov. I need you to establish my empire. I could destroy all, but it would attract the elder gods. I need followers to fight Gadray again. Now go and serve me.” Zarrov bows again. “Yes, Lord Decosa.” The Lord of Darkness becomes a dark mist again and quickly flies away.

~~~~~Next Day

Alex awakens from the sun shining across his face when his sister Felicity pulls the curtains back. Alex lets out a groan. “Why are you torturing me? I’d Rather a little push.” As he sits up on his bed blinking while his eyes adjust, Felicity picks out a nice outfit. “Because you told our father you go with our mother and I to the market to shop. Also, I’ve tried to push you, but it burned my hand, you get hot when you sleep, I don’t know how you haven’t singed your sheets.” As she turns to set down Alex’s nice boots, he takes off his sleeping tunic. “Get out, I’m not ten I'm older than you.” Felicity rolls her eyes. “Oh please, you’re older by eight months, besides, we had to take baths together when we were little. That’s nothing I haven’t seen before. You’re well endowed and you’ll make a great father. Besides, mother wanted me to make sure you actually got ready on time”

Felicity leans on Alex’ dresser. Alex hides his face in embarrassment. “Felicity, please stop. I don’t think my endowment is something to talk about with my sister.” She shrugs and puts up her hands in confusion. “I don’t understand what the big deal is, you’re a handsome man. I’m attracted to guys, but you’re my brother, acting on those feelings would be awkward and disgusting.” Alex’s face starts to become pink, draining his normal red color. “Stop, please just stop. I’m ready.” Alex sits on the bed and slides on his boots. “I won’t continue with this conversation.” Felicity stops leaning and crosses her arms. “Are you a queer? I can tell you I know you are physically attracted to our maids, and myself. But you feel the same, those feelings are irresponsible and disgusting.”

Alex grabs his belt from the rack and equips his dagger, hiding it in an inner sleeve in his tunic. “You’re psycho so I can’t argue with you, it’s true I like the female form, but I will not think of my sisters like that. I will also have you know I am bisexual, but I prefer women.” Felicity walks out the door when Alex opens it. “Psychic, not phycho, you idiot. I know you like women, I can sense your emotions, but you know I am bisexual?” Alex shakes his head after locking his door and slipping the key in his pocket. “No I did not, Felicity. I’m begging you, let’s drop the subject.” Felicity grins and pokes his shoulder. “Fine, I’ll drop it. I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine.” Alex starts walking towards the atrium “I’ll keep my mouth shut, but it doesn’t help you know all my secrets anyway.”

Felicity laughs and puts her hand to her chest. “Of course I know, I’m psychic.” Felicity follows Alex and purposefully steps on his tail. Alex cringes and grabs his tail. “Please don’t walk that close. I don’t step on your tail, do I?” Felicity grins and plucks a feather from his wing. “I like messing with you. It makes you frustrated. Besides I keep my tail tied under my dress.” Alex fluffs his wing and keeps walking. “Doesn’t that hurt? It hurts if I bend my tail too far.” Felicity adjusts her hair tie. “It did the first few times, but I have increased the flexibility of my tail since then. Also since I tie it in a double loop with a tie band, it is easier. It is kind of like tying my hair.” The siblings finally reach the outside and the wagon is already prepared with Lilliana sitting on one of the rear benches.

Alex jumps over the side over the wheel and plops down on the bench. Felicity steps up the short ladder and sits beside her mother. Alex puts his arms over the side as he leans back. The wagon shortly sets off as the servant shouts to the bisen, whipping the reins. Alex turns to his mother, “What exactly are we going to get?” Lilliana reaches into her satchel and pulls out a small sack of money and gives it to Alex. “I plan on simply getting my special wines, but I will allow you to purchase whatever you like.” Lilliana gives Felicity a small sack of money the same size as Alex’s. “Your allowances are 200 shils. I am going to go to the carriage yard to get another carriage first, this one is old and rickety. After that I’ll get my wine”

Alex ties the sack to his belt as the wagon runs over a soft spot in the gravel, bouncing slightly. Felicity moves to the front near the driver to look at the shops that pass. “Alex, when we get to the stables, I want you to go with me to some of these shops.” Alex sits up as they come to a courtyard and round the fountain to the stables. “Fine, but that means, you have to come with me to the forge. I have to get my dagger sharpened.” Felicity stands and walks to the back of the wagon and steps down the ladder as the driver gets off and pays to rent the stables for the day. Lilliana follows, Alex jumps off the side. When he lands, his money sack jingles.

Alex dusts off and starts walking with Felicity. “Which shops did you have in mind.” Lilliana gives the driver money to spend. “Meet us here this evening.” Felicity brushes off her brother’s shoulder. First we’ll have breakfast, then we will go to the apparel shops, after we meet mother in the courtyard to go home.” Alex opens the door to a restaurant, letting Felicity in. “Find, but I’m keeping the old wagon for myself.” Felicity finds a nice table near the window and Alex pulls her chair out.

Soon after they are served, Alex focuses on eating as Felicity goes on about dress sizes and the reason she doesn’t like long dresses. Alex finishes his food and pays, waiting on a chatty sister. “We can talk about this later, you know.” Felicity waves him off and takes another bite of her food. “I know, I know, your dagger was dull during the hunt. It wouldn’t happen if you would stop carving wood figures with it.” She rolls her eyes as she senses his thoughts. “Fine I’ll hurry up. Hey, I am not obese! I am well fed. Well I’m sorry you’re so easy to read, that is not my fault!” She gasps at him. “You take that back!” Alex raises his hands and surrenders to his sister. “Alright, alright, I take it back. I didn’t say it aloud,it’s easy to hold my tongue but not my thoughts. Please remember that, I am sorry.” Felicity finishes then puts a tip on the table.

“I know, I was giving you a hard time, Alex.” Alex stands and walks to the door, thanking the host as he leaves, followed by a continued stream of nonsensical fashionista’s tips. He stops by the town’s fountain square and looks around, spotting his destination. He waves for his sister to follow as he starts to walk towards it. As they get close, Felicity sees the blacksmith, a very attractive woman, seemingly the same age as her brother. Felicity giggles and hurries in with Alex, planning on causing some trouble. Alex takes about five minutes to look around at the weapons, he notices that all the weapons are hand made and very well crafted. A certain red bladed sword with an onyx handle and hand stitched grip with a white jewel in the hilt catches his eye.

He draws the sword from the display, feeling it in his hand. A strange feeling runs over him, like he had used this sword before. But he realises how impossible that is, he had never owned anything more than a dagger. Maybe in a dream or a vision; either way, he felt that this sword called to him. He grabbed the sword’s sheath and walked to the counter, pulling out his dagger and untying his money pouch. When he looks up, he looks into the deep purple eyes of a grey demon with jet black hair. “What do you need, friend?” For a few seconds, Alex was speechless; awestruck by her beauty. Felicity walks up beside him and taps Alex’s head. “Are you alive?” As Alex shakes his head and stammers for a second, Felicity spots a hidden blade on the wall across the room and goes to check it out. Alex stops stammering and clears his throat. “Yes, I would like to buy the sword and I need the dagger sharpened.” The blacksmith smiles and grabs the dagger. “Not a problem, The dagger will take an hour, the price for the sword is 85 shils, the sharpening will cost 3 shils and 50 bits.” As she heads towards the back and sits at her sharpener, Alex puts 90 shils on the counter and watches the blacksmith work. Felicity walks up beside her brother. “I’m sure you could get her to do that after a few dates, why don’t you ask her.” Alex looks at Felicity, embarrassed at his own dirty thoughts.

Felicity rolls her eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, it is normal to feel sexual attraction. Ask her on a date, or least you could ask her name.” Felicity sets the hidden blade on the counter and calls to the blacksmith. “How much is the hidden blade with the wrist strap?” The blacksmith continues working and turns her head. “25 shils, It’s on sale.” Felicity adds another 25 to the 90 already on the counter, then slides up her sleeve and straps the blade onto her arm, then covers the blade with her sleeve. “Elegant, yet deadly.” She activates the blade and it springs from under her wrist, stopping a few inches past her hand. “It’s longer than I thought.”

Alex takes a few minutes to strap his new sword to his belt, Felicity retracts her blade and pushes the bottom of Alex’s sword sheath with her foot. “It may be easier to carry as a back strap.” Alex looks down and sees the long sword hovering only a couple inches above the ground, he detaches it from is belt and attaches it to the back of his tunic’s leather strapping. Felicity sits on a bench against one of the ceiling posts, she pulls out her book and starts reading. Alex unsheathes his sword and holds it in front of him with both hands. He sees something move in the reflection on the blade and suddenly it felt like he was in a different place, he looked around and the blade was gone, all he could see was he was standing in a dark crater with thick smoke around him.

The smoke slowly starts to clear and he sees something stuck in the ground, he moves closer and it glints red. It was his sword, but it was damaged, he could not tell how damaged it was, but it was stuck more than half way in the ground and what he could see shocked him. The blade was dented and nicked, and cracked on one side, the handle’s stitching was torn and two of the laces blew in the wind. The jewel in the end was shattered and partially missing. Alex bent down to pick in up, but was stopped by a sudden blast of heat and heaviness, he turns around to face someone in the haze with black flames for eyes, holding a black fireball. Another black fireball appears in the figure’s other hand before it ignites it’s entire body into a black bonfire of a person.

Alex realises he’s holding the blade in the forge with the blacksmith standing beside him with the dagger. “Are you okay?” Alex looks at the sword, seeing the fine edge and perfect sheen. This blade had never seen a battle. He sheaths the blade and takes the dagger. “I’m okay. What’s your name?” The Blacksmith smiles. “My name is Moon Shadow, also thank you for the tip.” Alex puts his dagger in his tunic then Felicity kicks his leg and motions towards Moon. Alex looks at his sister and back to Moon, then swallows. “I would like to ask you a question, Ms. Moon. Would you possibly come to dinner tonight?” Moon looks at him, interested. “I would actually like a dinner, business has been slow lately. I’ve only been able to afford a lunch most days.” Alex grins. “Great! We will come back to get you before we leave. We’re going back this evening.”

Moon smiles. “I could actually close now, I’ve gotten caught up with my work, and those clients won’t be back for another few days.” Alex steps out of the forge and onto the gravel. “You can help my sister shop for her clothes then, she could use a female companion, I don’t have a sense of fashion as Felicity would have you know.” Felicity rolls her eyes and walks along behind the two. “A white tunic does not go with brown straps and black holsters. The colors do not flow, you need black straps.” Moon nods, stepping up beside Alex. “I agree, it's a strange combination of colors. Perhaps a crimson silk with black stitching, and a gold hem.”

Felicity points at their next destination, a dress shop with pastel colors in the windows. Alex rolls his eyes and Felicity laughs. “Moon, are you sure you want to shop for dresses with two wealthy strangers?” Moon steps up onto the step in front of them. “I got two words for you; free stuff. Business isn’t exactly booming for me in the forge since we live in a safe city, if you offer me free food, I will definitely take off to avoid spending money of my own.” Felicity raises an eyebrow “So you’re using us?” Moon shugs.”Eh, call it what you want.” Felicity laughs walks past her into the shop. “Well you’ll need a nice dress so our father will approve, come on and pick something out.” Alex holds the door for Moon. “Yeah, neither of us mind sharing our wealth, though our father may not approve”

For the next few hours, Alex follows the girls to different shops, secretly approving of almost everything Moon tries on, he had never seen someone so beautiful, charming, strong and intelligent all at once. So much woman, Alex wasn’t sure he was even good enough for her. As they leave the last shop, the sun in setting on the horizon and they start down the street, toward the square where their mother was waiting with the new carriage. A gang of shadowy figures emerge from the dark alleys and surround the three. One figure steps forward and throws his hood back. “Quite the spenders, eh? Only wealthy landowners could spend so much so freely. It’s sad that your greed sends these people to the slums.” The charcoal colored demon grins and draws a weapon, as do the rest of the gang members.

“I am Zarrov Blye, and this is the end of your greed.” Alex draws his new sword. As a primal instinct he knows how to use it, even if he lacks the training. Felicity draws her hidden blade and steps closer to Alex. “I don’t think my blade will be much of a match for this many, Alex.” Moon sets her bags down and draws two long daggers and puts her back against the other two. “I’m not quite defenseless, but I am not prepared for a full ambush.” Alex stays focused on Zarrov. Alex’s body heats up and his eyes go from a deep crimson to a shining gold. Alex lets out a huff and smoke comes out of his mouth. “You seem to think you have the advantage, scaring girls. You don’t scare me, and neither does your posse. In fact you may just want to leave now.” Alex looks over his shoulder. “Step back girls, I may get too hot.” Zarrov laughs and points his morning star at him. “Get them, kill them, rape them or whatever you want. Leave the flame headed freak to me.”

Alex leans forward after a deep breath and releases a massive flamethrower from his mouth that quickly dissipates and causes Alex to sputter and cough, finally hacking up a black ring of smoke. He tries to speak, though his voice now hoarse. “Well that didn’t work. I guess I need practice.” The crowd starts to close in and Zarrov steps toward Alex. Lillianna sees the trouble from a distance and calmly makes her way over close to the crowd and puts her palms together, closing her eyes. After a short chant, she opens her eyes and they glow a sharp and bright indigo. She holds out one hand and snaps her fingers, then like a cascade, the crowd’s eyes start glowing a dim magenta and they all stop, dropping their weapons.

From inside Zarrov is dumbfounded as he looks around at the sudden change. Felicity withdraws her blade and turns to Zarrov. “You’re in trouble now.” Alex still stands ready for his opponent as the crowd behind them part, revealing Lilliana, her body radiant with an indigo light. “Alex, I implore you to defend yourself against the dark one’s minion.” Lilliana snaps her fingers again, releasing the crowd. “You will all go home, if economics are your concern, I will speak to your city council. Please return to your homes or make way.” Alex keeps his eyes on Zarrov as he slams his morningstar into the ground. “How could you possibly have known my association with Lord Decosa?” Liliana raises an eyebrow as her glowing aura dissipates. “I am one of the few remaining psychic demons. My son is the most powerful of the fire demons. I warn you, he will be a very harsh opponent.” Zarrov becomes extremely furious and the remaining few people who stayed to watch all step back against the walls along the storefronts.

Lilliana grabs Moon and Felicity and pulls them onto a doorstep close by as Zarrov points his morningstar at an unflinching fire demon with a strange red sword. Alex focuses on his target as Zarrov starts to monologue. “Are you going to do the dark lord’s work or just talk at me?” Zarrov becomes enraged and charges him, to which Alex flourishes around Zarrov and causes him to stumble. Zarrov turns back around and charges again, this time landing a blow directly into Alex’s back, in between his wings. Alex loses his breath and drops his sword, Zarrov gains the upper hand and tackles Alex. Zarrov jumps to his feet and raises his morningstar over his head, ready to crush Alex. Zarrov slams his morningstar between Alex’s legs and alex lets out a relieved sigh before stumbling backwards towards his sword. He tries to grab for it, but Zarrov changes his tactics and steps behind alex, putting the handle of his morningstar around Alex’s neck, pulling him backward.

Once Zarrov has him here he pulls Alex against his chest, in an attempt to crush his throat. Moon watches closely, and shouts to Alex. “Use your dagger!” Alex hears her and remembers his Dagger in his tunic pocket, he pulls it out and sinks it into Zarrov’s leg. Zarrrov yells in pain and lets Alex go, who is trying desperately to catch his breath. Zarrov throws down his morningstar and takes a step back, grabbing at the dagger in his leg, he pulls it out with a yell and starts toward Alex again, when Zarrov raises the dagger, his blood on the blade flies off in droplets, one landing directly in the center of the red blade of Alex’s sword. As Alex turns to face Zarrov, the red blade starts to glow and slides it’s way into Alex’s hand. Before Alex realises anything, the blade of the sword has swung has seemingly swung itself, causing Zarrov to stumble backwards again. Felicity is breathing quickly as she watches, scared for the outcome of the battle.

Zarrov manages to dodge the second swing and dashes forward. Alex narrowly evades the dagger, and manages to disarm Zarrov by slicing off the hand holding it. Alex grabs the blade as Zarrov stumble around, screaming in shock and pain. Alex puts the blade into Zarrov’s chest to the hilt. Zarrov gasps and stumble backwards, turning to fall on his knees, Alex sees the bloody tip of the dagger sticking out of Zarrov’s back. Alex walks around to face him. “If you thought you’d live after threatening my family or friends, you were mistaken.” Alex removes the dagger and crosses his blades around Zarrov’s neck. He brings the blades across each other, with a shearing sound of metal, Zarrov’s head separates from his body and screaming can be heard from the crowd as they start running.

Felicity gasps and Lilliana holds a hand over her mouth. Moon shouts and jumps up in excitement. Alex feels a stinging in his hand holding his sword. He looks down and the red blade covered in blood starts glowing a deep red and the blood is quickly absorbed, the clear crystal on the hilt shines and becomes a deep crimson. As Alex holds it, he wants to let go, but something kept his grip firm, as a voice spoke in his head. “I will not let you go! You are my toy now, bloodless one!” He is brought out of his trance by Moon’s hand on his shoulder. “Wake up, flame boy. Time for you to feed me.” Alex looks at her and back down at his sword, the crystal on the hilt was white again. He shook his head and stood up, holstering his weapons. He looks down at himself covered in Zarrov’s blood. “Maybe I should get a bucket of water from the fountain.” As he turns to walk towards the fountain, Felicity splashes him with a bucket of water, rinsing him of most of the blood.

The water starts to steam quickly and Alex brushes some water off of his eyes. “Thank you sister. I was thinking the same.” Felicity remains awkwardly quiet, Lilliana hugs Alex. “I cannot explain my feelings, my son. I don’t know that your father will be very happy with you.” She turns and points towards the new carriage. “Let us go, Alvus has our new closed cabin Carriage.” Moon finds herself hanging on Alex’s arm, quite a bit infatuated with his display. “That was kind of sexy you know. Show no mercy! Whoo!” She laughs and Alex can’t help smirking a bit. Alex cannot seem to get over the anger he feels about Zarrov threatening his sister and friend. Alex thinks about it and realises he does not regret killing him, Zarrov had no family or friends, simply extremist followers. If he had another chance, he would stab Zarrov in the chest as many times as his stamina would allow.

As they all ride in the carriage with their bags, Moon, Lilliana and Alex all chat happily as Felicity watches out of the window as everything passes, still quiet. The voice she had heard speaking to Alex was unexplainable, let alone the sword blade glowing and absorbing the blood of it’s enemy. She knows that Moon’s forging is above the normal spectrum, but this was beyond even an alchemist’s abilities. Like something had controlled Moon at the time she was forging the strange blade. With all this though, Felicity sits back and realises that they were entering the gate at home. She reaches over and hugs her brother. “Thank you, Alex. He would have done terrible things to us.” Alex, a little stunned by her sudden affection hugs her as well. “Not a problem sis, I’ll always protect my family.”

Deadblood pt. 1 - Prolouge

Vextrous41 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:35:27 GMT

Deadblood
By Vextrous Kyle

Dedicated to Family

Introduction

Since 2011, I have created stories, music, and other things.When I started, all of the characters and concepts were severely undeveloped. The rudimentary concepts of curses, demons, gods, supernatural powers, and character personalities have evolved into something I cannot explain with a simple sentence. So Deadblood, aptly named, will be the first book of many, setting the lore for two major storylines. The lore established will have age-old concepts and new original concepts.

Prologue

Creation

Darkness is all that exists in the beginning. A being beyond existence manifests two things in the harshness of space. A being of light, manifesting as a dragon with emerald scales; and a being of darkness, manifesting as a demon with black fur and bright red eyes. Very little time passes before the two beings clash, with the first battle creates the Hostrana Galaxy. Stars and planets form and near the center of Hostrana, a solar system named Foralle resides with a single yellow sun and 6 planetary bodies.

In this solar system, the two celestial beings clash for the second time. With a flash of light the god of light strikes the god of darkness, sending him crashing onto the fourth planet. The fourth planet is sixty percent water with 3 major land masses. The flash of light that hit the lord of darkness scarred him immensely. When the lord of darkness crashes, it creates a crater. The lord escapes and decides to find a place to hide on the planet. From the crater rises another being, simply put, it was death. A biped like the demon of darkness but without a tail.

This being creates a place where living beings can rest in eternal peace after life. Death congregates with the emerald dragon. The emerald dragon decides to create life designed to mirror death. At the same time, the lord of darkness creates life to mirror himself; shadows that move freely around the planet, and the mortals created from light roam the planet, as well. A dark mortal walks with a light mortal, and they find the crater, sadly falling in. Before exiting, they find something enticing: the blood of the lord of darkness. The temptation and aroma of the blood lure the mortals to drink it.

The mortals become vulnerable flesh and take on the form of true mortals. The mortals of darkness become demons, darkness no longer clutching their heart. The mortals of light all become anthropomorphic animals, no longer restrained by light. The flesh mortals, now separated from the gods, form language and communities over thousands of years around the fourth planet of Foralle. The mortals of the planet, having mutual but different languages, form a congregation and name the planet Amphitrus.

The demons form clans and soon Families form. Each clan of demons develop different types of magic that set categories of powers, such as air, water, earth, fire, and other non-physical powers. One clan of fire demons sends the youngest born male, Cartolas, as recompense to a clan of psychic demons.

As acceptance of the treaty, the youngest born female of the psychic clan, Liliana, was tasked with keeping Cartolas and teaching him the ways of the clan. Through time and age

the two grow fond of each other. The clans eventually fall apart from lack of authority and government, but Liliana and Cartolas stay together and learn to fight, becoming warriors. As they become older, the couple copulate and create a family. This action of pure love and fertility spawns another dragon god. The goddess of love and fertility, with gleaming scales of sapphire.

Now the gods must speak their names into existence. The lord of darkness, who was still hiding, spoke his name as Decosa Relinta. The emerald dragon speaks his name as Gadray Basomli Hurtonus Vehg. The entity, who is death, speaks his name as Irezed Zheldrock. The goddess of fertility speaks her name as Belisama Anuket Nantosuelta. As the goddess speaks her name, Gadray hears the beautiful voice of heavenly lyre strings and they attract each other. These two dragons copulate and birth a dragon of the void. Gadray and Belisama speak his name as Drezidious Katchii Etmetach. Drez has black obsidian scales and incandescent amethyst eyes, he is the dragon god of the void, home to things that are lost and forgotten.

Following the example of the gods, the mortals give themselves longer names after their clans collapsed separately, Liliana and Cartolas agree upon a name representing the severance from their clans. Through a ceremony of marriage, they create a family name of Deadblood. Deadblood has a meaning of genetic and other binding ties to their clans being rescinded. With the creation of the Deadblood family, Cartolas gains more power over land and wealth. Lord Cartolas and Lady Liliana now possess a vast legacy.

With that, the two have many children, five children now reside in Deadblood Manor. From eldest to youngest, their names are as such; Veritus, Ferrous, Alexander, Felicity, and Marian. But even then, in the shadows, Descosa lurked; watching them all closely.

As the demons formed their families and clans, the animals created conquest, taking other species as slaves and prizes. The most malevolent and prominent species, who rose to the top with power, where the Jackals and Hyenas, the Jackals, being more refined and agile, served as the governmental force, commanding the unintelligent Hyena warriors to do their bidding. The Jackal empire grows to astounding numbers quickly, forcing the other species to flee. The Wolves and Foxes, sadly could not escape the Hyena forces, becoming a slave Workforce. Terrible things were done to them, some were used as bait for hunting, some were forced to bear the children of their betters, then these Hybrids were sacrificed to false gods. A truly terrible empire; it is truly sad that creatures made from light could have so much darkness in their hearts.

Soon a royal family of inbred Jackals were in power of the despotist empire. Families of the Hyenas became mutts and distinction became less important. These mutts had no access to education, the Jackals feared educated warriors would overtake the empire. The wolves grew their numbers and families in secret, focusing on becoming strong enough to destroy their oppressors. The foxes became thieves and merchants, focusing on making a profit in an underground market. The Jackals couldn’t be the wiser, unawares of what was happening in what they believed were lower species. So soon would these lessers destroy the empire, with ruthlessness of those who have nothing to lose and a cause to die for.

The Wolves formed a rebellion, it’s leader, the teenaged Icarus of the Steel Fang, attained his name when he fought a large group of Hyenas bullying a young wolf pup. In the fight he killed several of the Hyenas and was struck with a large blunt weapon, scarring his face and knocking several teeth out, including his top left fang. A Wolven medic implanted steel replacements for his teeth and a steel pike from a Jackal’s mansion matching the size and shape of his other fangs. His steel fang became the drive for freedom, showing his fellow wolves that the Hyenas were not as strong as they’d have the Wolves and Foxes to believe. As part of the growing rebellion, the Foxes began to act as the suppliers for the wolves. The leader of the thieves guild was Sariis Daseron, a man of very quiet fingers and growing wealth. The battles between the imperials and rebels would last for a very long time.

As Tensions grow in the eastern hemisphere of Amphitrus, the western hemisphere grows in peace. Commerce and capitalism grow as demons and refugees from the East create and sell, as well as trade services for Shilfaris, a type of currency created by the Western Collaboration of Peoples. The Deadblood family still maintain their wealth as Cartolas does favours for the people in the town growing nearby. Soon a city springs around the Deadblood estate, making a government necessary. The people in the WCP mutually agree that Cartolas’ disposition as a former warrior makes him a perfect candidate for a position of power. Cartolas is sworn to lead the people of the west.