For a while, the Chiefess stared into the darkness. She wasn’t sure where the memories took her next. Again, the mist wrapped around her, before throwing her out into another unknown area. A realization hit her. She could understand what people were saying. It seemed being inside of his memories made it so that she was allowed to understand what he was saying.
She did not allow this to distract her though as she found herself in a dark room. Flashes of areas unknown to her fluttered around her. She felt her footing slip. She fell to the side, before dragging herself up, just to fly upwards. Light flooded into her eyes as she found herself on the edge of a building.
Steadying her stance, she placed her hands to the side to steady herself as she looked around. Small flames illuminated the room. More flames filled the room along the sides. A long hand-crafted table filled a room the size of which she had never seen. The greatness of his table was only overshadowed by the lush array of food on it.
Around the table, an unusual sort of people. First a loud woman. At the end of the table, she laughed and poured a drink into the cup of a nervous-looking man. The woman had dark skin like herself and tall Desert Crawler ears and tails. Three large tails flapped behind her as she cuddled against him.
“Markarious! Drink!” she said as she bit his neck. Squirming, the boy elbowed her slightly in the side. That name… Etasose’s eyes widened. Charlie’s father. To his other side, a blond woman batted away at the Wolvanticai.
His mother maybe? She recognised her, yet her eyes were different. They were soft, full of youthful delight. All seemed young. A strange sense of comradeship and kindness. There were about twenty more around the table. People of odd clothes and celebratory words. Her eyes fell onto a man though. A man which caused a sense of confusion and dread to swell in her. Wrench sat shoulder to shoulder with several men.
They laughed and cackled as Wrench stood and walked around the table. Wrapping his arm around Markarious, he dragged him to his feet.
“Oi! Come on! Be nice to him, the captain said we did well on the last mission, so we get to celebrate,” Wrench said, tapping him on the back as he tried to escort him from the two women. Both yelled their protests as Markarious began to try and rub the blush from his cheeks as the two women turned their bickering from about him onto each other.
Etasose had to keep at the back of her mind that this was Charlie’s father. Their faces were so similar it was amazing… Yet something was bugging her. Where was Charlie? Were these not his memories?
“Hey, let's step outside. I have some more of the medication from Lendicinae,” Wrench whispered to Markarious as they walked through Etasose. Shivering, she took in a deep breath before turning. The two men stood outside on a balcony. The stars shone down onto them as Wrench took him to the bannister.
“Look man, I don’t think I need those,” Markarious said with a chuckle. Wrench shook his head and reached onto his pocket. Pulling out a small brown paper bag, he pushed it against Markarious’ chest.
“You need this. Lendicinae knows what he is doing. He is a smart man,”
“I know the powers of the Angle’s blue blood make me… get over-excited,”
“Like on the beachhead?” Wrench said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, like that, but I am starting to feel better after taking in that demon blood,”
“Do you hear yourself Markarious?” Markarious leaned against the balcony and put his head back as he held the bag in his hands. His emerald eyes shone in the moonlight. He looked up to Wrench.
“I know man. I know. But it's true. There is merit to the worry of the captain…Yet I just don’t think he or Lendicinae are fully right on his. I feel more stable now. Less sporadic,”
“My, are you two talking about getting rid of my hubby’s sexy side?” Charlie’s mother said with a flirtatious voice as she came out onto the balcony.
“It is a sickness. I am amazed when he torched those Church dogs it didn’t flood back and hit me in the trees,” Wrench scoffed back.
“Hey, come on, let's relax and drink. We will do this another time,” Markarious said, throwing his hands up with a laugh. Wrench wrapped his arms around Markarious. Standing back and keeping his hands on his shoulders, Wrench stared him in the eyes.
“You take those fucking pills! You are like a brother to me, and I don’t want you snapping one day,”
Shaking his head before beginning to walk back inside, Wrench scoffed at Charlie’s mother as he passed her.
“I know they say Pirates are stubborn, but who knows it extended to your own bloody health,”
She returned the glare as Wrench returned to the party. Charlie’s mother draped herself over Markarious and nuzzled her face against his shoulder.
“Ignore him… this is war, we must do what we have to do,” she muttered. Markarious nodded and placed his arms around her.
“I know, but he has a good point,” Placing her hand onto his cheek, she made him turn to her.
“HE as well as Lendicinae are just as paranoid as little birds,” she said with a giggle as she placed a kiss onto his cheek, “and what you did at the beach… well you know I like it when you are crazy,” she again kissed him with a little giggle. Placing his hands onto her, he gently pushed her away before walking inside.
“He’s the closest I have to a brother,” his smile was warm, if not with a douse of awkwardness as several from inside laughed and joked as they saw her kiss him.
The Wolvanticai from inside barged past Wrench and to his side. Immediately her bickering with the girl began again. Etasose wanted to speak. She wanted to know why or what she was seeing. But she knew these shadows of the past could not hear her. Staring at the tables, she saw something that caught her eye.
Masks. Many masks, all of which strongly resembled that of Wrench. But again, the mists around her swirled.
It was dark as the mist formed. The only light came from emerald flames. As the scene before her expanded, she saw a city ablaze. Tall, odd tubes towered over buildings. Chimneys, but that was not known to her. But she still recognised them. Wrench’s town. Splayed against a wall, Wrench lay. Both his arms were nothing but twisted and mangled flesh, and his body riddled in blackened scorch marks.
Half his mask was shattered, and his soft blue eye looked up to her. A voice from behind Etasose sent shivers down her spine. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Charlie’s father. His eyes were different, his face aged by a couple years. Harsh emerald flames fluttered around him as he stared to move forward.
Simply he passed through her until he stood before Wrench.
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” Markarious said, a flaming hand extending to Wrench. Squinted eyes glared at Markarious.
“Traitor…” he muttered.
“You know I didn’t want it this way. But it is the way that it is. We all want change but leaving it to the kids…” Markarious looked to the side. There was a glimmer humanity in his eyes. Shaking his head, he placed onto his hands onto his face, the flames moving as his hand touched his face. Wrench glared to Markarious.
“We…We do not deserve a good life. They are far, far too powerful…” Wrench said.
“THEY ARE NOT!” Markarious roared down at Wrench.
“THEN WHY HAVE SO MANY DIED!” Markarious roared back. Wrench was silent.
“I know why,” Markarious muttered, lowering his hand from his faces. Small tears dripped down his cheeks, “it is because you refuse to do what is necessary. Take the fucking gloves off Wrench and fight!”
Again, Wrench stayed silent. Blood dribbled from his mouth.
“We can not fight this battle. There is no hope for us…”
“So, you want to push our burdens onto our Children?” Markarious’ voice rang down the street.
“Look at reality Markarious! The Church are a million we are thirty. There is no hope for us, but there can be for those after. They can stand were we fell. Learn from us, and if we are just harsh enough. If we could train them… they may just be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” His voice was soft as his wounds began to leak with blood. Pools were now beginning to form on the ground.
Markarious looked away before turning his glare back to Wrench.
“We can’t stay so good… I will be honest, I stopped taking those pills Lendicinae gave me on the advice of my wife. At first, I just took them in secret as not to anger her. But only in small amounts. But then I slowly realised something,” he crouched and stared to weakening Wrench in the eyes.
“I can think clearer. So, I started taking less and less, and as expected I thought clearer and clearer. Then I had an epiphany. All we were doing was wrong. Well, I mean the idea is good. But we were going about it wrong…”
“So, you slaughtered us like sheep?”
“So, I tried to bring you to reason! We can’t just fight the Church in these little shadow wars. The empire is also wrong, maybe even more than them. We need to bring this war into the dark into the light,”
“Slaughter a couple tens of thousands, butcher the innocent and maybe they may start to listen?” Markarious shook his head.
“You do not understand Saclith! These Politics and attacks on corrupt lords can only get us so far… We need to take the gloves off and fight. You hold sway over the hearts of the working class here in the cities of the south. Follow me Saclith, and I can give your region, your son, the world they deserve,” again Markarious extended his hand.
“Markarious the monster. It has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?” Markarious’ eyes fell solum as he turned his palm to Saclith.
“I am so sorry it has come to this…”
“Spare me your pity. Rather pity what is to happen to you…” he glanced to his side. From a street Corner, a woman sat and stared. A small boy in her arms. His eyes a bright blue and hair a deathly black.
“I am simply a small spark for a much, much brighter flames,” Turning, Markarious put his hand out to the boy and girl. Emerald flames began to move around his hand. If there was even the slightest chance that his son was even slightly trained by his father, let alone had is potential, was going to be a threat.
“One last chance Saclith,” Only laughs came from the man. Lifting his bloody stump of an arm to his face, he removed his mask.
“You know something, the world is like a machine. But a very much messy one. Little cogs sometimes do more damage than good. And a strong wrench is needed to put them back in their place,” he gave warm smile to the boy as he threw the mask over to him.
“Don’t let Lendicinae name him! Give him something good…” his eyes fell onto his son, “Be a good little Wrench for me, and keep the machine of hope going. Just don’t sink to his level,”
He turned back to Markarious.
“Don’t let those voices consume you anymore…please, keep just a little of your humanity,” he muttered as he stared into the glowing emerald eyes of Markarious.
Emerald flames flooded over Saclith. His smile melting as the flesh melted. Within seconds he was ash. For a moment Etasose stared in shock, slowly processing the information. The man was not Wrench, but rather his father.
From the arms of the mother, the boy she now assumed to be Wrench screamed and threw his fists towards Markarious. Emotionless, he again fired flames towards them. Just as the flames began to form, Markarious found his vision fall to the ground as feet slammed down onto his hand. A black trench coat fluttered in front of him as the flash of a black mask like that of his own and Saclith shone in the moonlight.
Leaping back, he saw a man before him. His eyes widened.
“Where is Nackyanu?” Markarious muttered.
“The Wolvanticai is dead,” The man answered cruelly. Markarious stood stunned, his eyes widening as tears dripped down his cheek.
The other man leapt to the side of the wife of Saclith and Wrench. Standing over them, sheathed sword in hand. Surveying the scene, he saw the shattered mask of Saclith and a scorch mark which resembled that of a person. Lifting his hand, he removed his mask. Passing it back, he shoved it into the arms of Wrench.
“It may not be your father’s, but it will help,” black mist wrapped around the shattered mask. What remained of it floated into the empty hand of the man. Passing it to Wrench, he smiled.
“Taking the crystal at the back, place it into the inside of the mask, then you can have the memories of your father. Or at least what the mask has gathered over the years. I pray it helps. Now go,” his smile was warm, but the fear in his eyes could be seen by even the blind.
“Lendicinae…” the wife of Saclith muttered as she stared at the golden eyes of the man.
“I am a doctor,” he looked to Markarious, “This was my patient, but it seems it is now a virus,” lifting his word, he gripped the handle and drew it, “it is my sworn duty, my oath, to eradicate sickness,”
Wrapping Wrench in her arms, she turned and began to sprint, “THANK YOU!” she screamed back through tears. All the while the small boy cried, “I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!”
Neither man gave them acknowledgement as they simply stared at each other.
Etasose stood to the side. A black mist surrounded Lendicinae. A darkness of which consumed the light of the stars. While flames pushed back even the darkest of nights formed around Charlie’s father. Both locked eyes. An unstoppable force, and an unmovable object.
For a while, the Chiefess stared into the darkness. She wasn’t sure where the memories took her next. Again, the mist wrapped around her, before throwing her out into another unknown area. A realization hit her. She could understand what people were saying. It seemed being inside of his memories made it so that she was allowed to understand what he was saying.
She did not allow this to distract her though as she found herself in a dark room. Flashes of areas unknown to her fluttered around her. She felt her footing slip. She fell to the side, before dragging herself up, just to fly upwards. Light flooded into her eyes as she found herself on the edge of a building.
Steadying her stance, she placed her hands to the side to steady herself as she looked around. Small flames illuminated the room. More flames filled the room along the sides. A long hand-crafted table filled a room the size of which she had never seen. The greatness of his table was only overshadowed by the lush array of food on it.
Around the table, an unusual sort of people. First a loud woman. At the end of the table, she laughed and poured a drink into the cup of a nervous-looking man. The woman had dark skin like herself and tall Desert Crawler ears and tails. Three large tails flapped behind her as she cuddled against him.
“Markarious! Drink!” she said as she bit his neck. Squirming, the boy elbowed her slightly in the side. That name… Etasose’s eyes widened. Charlie’s father. To his other side, a blond woman batted away at the Wolvanticai.
His mother maybe? She recognised her, yet her eyes were different. They were soft, full of youthful delight. All seemed young. A strange sense of comradeship and kindness. There were about twenty more around the table. People of odd clothes and celebratory words. Her eyes fell onto a man though. A man which caused a sense of confusion and dread to swell in her. Wrench sat shoulder to shoulder with several men.
They laughed and cackled as Wrench stood and walked around the table. Wrapping his arm around Markarious, he dragged him to his feet.
“Oi! Come on! Be nice to him, the captain said we did well on the last mission, so we get to celebrate,” Wrench said, tapping him on the back as he tried to escort him from the two women. Both yelled their protests as Markarious began to try and rub the blush from his cheeks as the two women turned their bickering from about him onto each other.
Etasose had to keep at the back of her mind that this was Charlie’s father. Their faces were so similar it was amazing… Yet something was bugging her. Where was Charlie? Were these not his memories?
“Hey, let's step outside. I have some more of the medication from Lendicinae,” Wrench whispered to Markarious as they walked through Etasose. Shivering, she took in a deep breath before turning. The two men stood outside on a balcony. The stars shone down onto them as Wrench took him to the bannister.
“Look man, I don’t think I need those,” Markarious said with a chuckle. Wrench shook his head and reached onto his pocket. Pulling out a small brown paper bag, he pushed it against Markarious’ chest.
“You need this. Lendicinae knows what he is doing. He is a smart man,”
“I know the powers of the Angle’s blue blood make me… get over-excited,”
“Like on the beachhead?” Wrench said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, like that, but I am starting to feel better after taking in that demon blood,”
“Do you hear yourself Markarious?” Markarious leaned against the balcony and put his head back as he held the bag in his hands. His emerald eyes shone in the moonlight. He looked up to Wrench.
“I know man. I know. But it's true. There is merit to the worry of the captain…Yet I just don’t think he or Lendicinae are fully right on his. I feel more stable now. Less sporadic,”
“My, are you two talking about getting rid of my hubby’s sexy side?” Charlie’s mother said with a flirtatious voice as she came out onto the balcony.
“It is a sickness. I am amazed when he torched those Church dogs it didn’t flood back and hit me in the trees,” Wrench scoffed back.
“Hey, come on, let's relax and drink. We will do this another time,” Markarious said, throwing his hands up with a laugh. Wrench wrapped his arms around Markarious. Standing back and keeping his hands on his shoulders, Wrench stared him in the eyes.
“You take those fucking pills! You are like a brother to me, and I don’t want you snapping one day,”
Shaking his head before beginning to walk back inside, Wrench scoffed at Charlie’s mother as he passed her.
“I know they say Pirates are stubborn, but who knows it extended to your own bloody health,”
She returned the glare as Wrench returned to the party. Charlie’s mother draped herself over Markarious and nuzzled her face against his shoulder.
“Ignore him… this is war, we must do what we have to do,” she muttered. Markarious nodded and placed his arms around her.
“I know, but he has a good point,” Placing her hand onto his cheek, she made him turn to her.
“HE as well as Lendicinae are just as paranoid as little birds,” she said with a giggle as she placed a kiss onto his cheek, “and what you did at the beach… well you know I like it when you are crazy,” she again kissed him with a little giggle. Placing his hands onto her, he gently pushed her away before walking inside.
“He’s the closest I have to a brother,” his smile was warm, if not with a douse of awkwardness as several from inside laughed and joked as they saw her kiss him.
The Wolvanticai from inside barged past Wrench and to his side. Immediately her bickering with the girl began again. Etasose wanted to speak. She wanted to know why or what she was seeing. But she knew these shadows of the past could not hear her. Staring at the tables, she saw something that caught her eye.
Masks. Many masks, all of which strongly resembled that of Wrench. But again, the mists around her swirled.
It was dark as the mist formed. The only light came from emerald flames. As the scene before her expanded, she saw a city ablaze. Tall, odd tubes towered over buildings. Chimneys, but that was not known to her. But she still recognised them. Wrench’s town. Splayed against a wall, Wrench lay. Both his arms were nothing but twisted and mangled flesh, and his body riddled in blackened scorch marks.
Half his mask was shattered, and his soft blue eye looked up to her. A voice from behind Etasose sent shivers down her spine. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Charlie’s father. His eyes were different, his face aged by a couple years. Harsh emerald flames fluttered around him as he stared to move forward.
Simply he passed through her until he stood before Wrench.
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” Markarious said, a flaming hand extending to Wrench. Squinted eyes glared at Markarious.
“Traitor…” he muttered.
“You know I didn’t want it this way. But it is the way that it is. We all want change but leaving it to the kids…” Markarious looked to the side. There was a glimmer humanity in his eyes. Shaking his head, he placed onto his hands onto his face, the flames moving as his hand touched his face. Wrench glared to Markarious.
“We…We do not deserve a good life. They are far, far too powerful…” Wrench said.
“THEY ARE NOT!” Markarious roared down at Wrench.
“THEN WHY HAVE SO MANY DIED!” Markarious roared back. Wrench was silent.
“I know why,” Markarious muttered, lowering his hand from his faces. Small tears dripped down his cheeks, “it is because you refuse to do what is necessary. Take the fucking gloves off Wrench and fight!”
Again, Wrench stayed silent. Blood dribbled from his mouth.
“We can not fight this battle. There is no hope for us…”
“So, you want to push our burdens onto our Children?” Markarious’ voice rang down the street.
“Look at reality Markarious! The Church are a million we are thirty. There is no hope for us, but there can be for those after. They can stand were we fell. Learn from us, and if we are just harsh enough. If we could train them… they may just be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” His voice was soft as his wounds began to leak with blood. Pools were now beginning to form on the ground.
Markarious looked away before turning his glare back to Wrench.
“We can’t stay so good… I will be honest, I stopped taking those pills Lendicinae gave me on the advice of my wife. At first, I just took them in secret as not to anger her. But only in small amounts. But then I slowly realised something,” he crouched and stared to weakening Wrench in the eyes.
“I can think clearer. So, I started taking less and less, and as expected I thought clearer and clearer. Then I had an epiphany. All we were doing was wrong. Well, I mean the idea is good. But we were going about it wrong…”
“So, you slaughtered us like sheep?”
“So, I tried to bring you to reason! We can’t just fight the Church in these little shadow wars. The empire is also wrong, maybe even more than them. We need to bring this war into the dark into the light,”
“Slaughter a couple tens of thousands, butcher the innocent and maybe they may start to listen?” Markarious shook his head.
“You do not understand Saclith! These Politics and attacks on corrupt lords can only get us so far… We need to take the gloves off and fight. You hold sway over the hearts of the working class here in the cities of the south. Follow me Saclith, and I can give your region, your son, the world they deserve,” again Markarious extended his hand.
“Markarious the monster. It has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?” Markarious’ eyes fell solum as he turned his palm to Saclith.
“I am so sorry it has come to this…”
“Spare me your pity. Rather pity what is to happen to you…” he glanced to his side. From a street Corner, a woman sat and stared. A small boy in her arms. His eyes a bright blue and hair a deathly black.
“I am simply a small spark for a much, much brighter flames,” Turning, Markarious put his hand out to the boy and girl. Emerald flames began to move around his hand. If there was even the slightest chance that his son was even slightly trained by his father, let alone had is potential, was going to be a threat.
“One last chance Saclith,” Only laughs came from the man. Lifting his bloody stump of an arm to his face, he removed his mask.
“You know something, the world is like a machine. But a very much messy one. Little cogs sometimes do more damage than good. And a strong wrench is needed to put them back in their place,” he gave warm smile to the boy as he threw the mask over to him.
“Don’t let Lendicinae name him! Give him something good…” his eyes fell onto his son, “Be a good little Wrench for me, and keep the machine of hope going. Just don’t sink to his level,”
He turned back to Markarious.
“Don’t let those voices consume you anymore…please, keep just a little of your humanity,” he muttered as he stared into the glowing emerald eyes of Markarious.
Emerald flames flooded over Saclith. His smile melting as the flesh melted. Within seconds he was ash. For a moment Etasose stared in shock, slowly processing the information. The man was not Wrench, but rather his father.
From the arms of the mother, the boy she now assumed to be Wrench screamed and threw his fists towards Markarious. Emotionless, he again fired flames towards them. Just as the flames began to form, Markarious found his vision fall to the ground as feet slammed down onto his hand. A black trench coat fluttered in front of him as the flash of a black mask like that of his own and Saclith shone in the moonlight.
Leaping back, he saw a man before him. His eyes widened.
“Where is Nackyanu?” Markarious muttered.
“The Wolvanticai is dead,” The man answered cruelly. Markarious stood stunned, his eyes widening as tears dripped down his cheek.
The other man leapt to the side of the wife of Saclith and Wrench. Standing over them, sheathed sword in hand. Surveying the scene, he saw the shattered mask of Saclith and a scorch mark which resembled that of a person. Lifting his hand, he removed his mask. Passing it back, he shoved it into the arms of Wrench.
“It may not be your father’s, but it will help,” black mist wrapped around the shattered mask. What remained of it floated into the empty hand of the man. Passing it to Wrench, he smiled.
“Taking the crystal at the back, place it into the inside of the mask, then you can have the memories of your father. Or at least what the mask has gathered over the years. I pray it helps. Now go,” his smile was warm, but the fear in his eyes could be seen by even the blind.
“Lendicinae…” the wife of Saclith muttered as she stared at the golden eyes of the man.
“I am a doctor,” he looked to Markarious, “This was my patient, but it seems it is now a virus,” lifting his word, he gripped the handle and drew it, “it is my sworn duty, my oath, to eradicate sickness,”
Wrapping Wrench in her arms, she turned and began to sprint, “THANK YOU!” she screamed back through tears. All the while the small boy cried, “I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!”
Neither man gave them acknowledgement as they simply stared at each other.
Etasose stood to the side. A black mist surrounded Lendicinae. A darkness of which consumed the light of the stars. While flames pushed back even the darkest of nights formed around Charlie’s father. Both locked eyes. An unstoppable force, and an unmovable object.
