Note2: Not proofreaded
Note3: The word 'damn' is used once. Other than that, there is not a single curse.
Season One: The Four Factions
Chapter One: Awakening Powers
There is a land... A land where mythical creatures reside. Born from the humans' imagination, they founded a world to live in. The four factions, Ghil'Ift, T.U.R., Sig'Guond, and the Northern Pirates fight for control over it. Welcome to Haven, newbie. The most dangerous place you'll ever explore.
Jack D'Ark talked to the troll. "Are you sure you want to buy this piece of land?" he asked the troll. "It has a kid's playground on it."
"Ha! Stupid lawyer! Azukiarai so stupid! Me eat children, not other way round! Yes, me buy land!" the troll said. Jack D'Ark was in the backyard of the troll's mansion, next to a pool.
"Alright. Fifty-nine million gold coins, please. That was the minimum amount the seller would accept."
"Yes!" he gave the coins to Jack D'Ark. Jack was dismissed, and he left the property. Under his breath, he muttered;
"You scoundrel. Eating childrens... 'Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? shoki shoki,'" he said, chanting the spell that came with being an Azukiarai.
Later... Jack was listening to gossip. Eventually, the people got to the topic of the troll who, after buying a large piece of land, mysteriously drowned. Jack smiled.
Cas wandered by them,her huge,dark showy wings trailing behind her.She took little notice of the Jack or the Troll,she had her bow,she could take them out if they dared to threaten her.Despite how weak she appeared,she was deadly with the retched bow of hers.
Jack pondered the events of earlier. Someone had passed by him during his negotiations with the troll... And that creature looked... Weak. But yet, something screamed at him that the creature could be useful to his plan. Then he dismissed it. "That is not the job I was given..." he said to himself. "It was a very specific race that I need to find..."
Cas sat at a table,drinking coffee.The dark brown liquid having just appeared in front of her,as real as anything else.She recognized a man from earlier,the one who had been selling land to a troll.She grinned as word reached her ears of a troll drowned on his own newly bought land.The trickster dark her coffee in silence,wondering who and what the lawyer was.
Jack saw the very same creature drinking coffee. 'I might as well see if this creature will help us...' he thought. Jack grabbed a chair, and put it down at the table, sitting in it. "Do you ever wonder what is... Outside?" he said.
She looked up at him over the rim of her cup,setting it down on the table slowly,and wiped her face."Yes,i suppose,"she said,looking him up and down,her curiosity not quenched by the random question
Jack smiled. He had found someone... "Well, then... I suppose I need to know how good you are before telling you the Secrets. Why don't you go slay 5 imps, and come back with their heads." Jack knew he was being very confusing, asking this kind of stuff out of the blue, but that was only because he needed someone who knew how to handle random questions to join.
She raised her eyebrows to him,but all the same she shrugged off her bow,plucking arrows 5 arrows from her quiver.She raised herself from her chair,and began to walk away from the crowd,she notched an arrow,drawing her bow back to full draw and letting an arrow whistle off and slamming into a Imps eye,she repeated the action,each time it slammed into the eye,not injuring the body.
"Interesting..." he said. He scanned the crowd, and saw another imp. "I miscounted. There were six spies- er.. Imps in the crowd... "Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? shoki shoki," he said. The imp fell into a puddle, and couldn't get it's face out of the water, drowning. "Well, I'm off... If I where you, I would convert to Sig'Guound. T.U.R. is going to be attacked by Ghil'Ift tomorrow." Jack walked away, in a way that would confuse even the most levelheaded person, making them think 'what was the point of this?' If the person was smart, they would realize it is a test. Ghil'Ift is planning a raid, and it was up to the person to decide weather or not they would help T.U.R. As for how he knew she was in T.U.R, it was because the Northern Pirates weren't very active, and he knew everyone by heart in Sig'Guound and Ghil'Ift.
She tilted her head,"what do you mean?"she asked,roots sprouting out of the ground and trying to wrap around his legs.She walked slowly over to him,eyes looking at him hard,not liking how quickly he was about to leave."What was that about?The Imps you called spies,what were they doing?How did yo know i was part of T.U.R.?"she barked,the roots tightening their grip on his legs.
"If you hurt me, you hurt the Haven. I have connections. Sig'Guound is in a dangerous place right now, as if Ghil'Ift takes out T.U.R., we won't have our temporary allies to back us up anymore. I'm simply helping you. Decide to join Sig'Guound, and my country gets a good fighter, and you are safe from Ghil'Ift. If you stay in T.U.R., you can become a hero by stopping Ghil'Ift, and we get to keep our allies. It's a win-win situation. And as for the imps... The Northern Pirates may be inactive, but that doesn't mean their spies are. If you hurt me, Sig'Guound won't stay quiet, and, even though this place is one of the few designated as 'no-fight' points, that doesn't mean we won't invade it. Or... If you want to kill me, I can always do to you what I did to the imp." Jack was lying. He did not have enough power to take down someone of her level, but it was a decent bluff.
She smiled,patting his head,"Nice try,but im not leaving my country.Besides,why would i hurt you?I just had to catch you and scare you enough to get answers.But why is Ghil'Ift out for T.U.R.?I haven't heard of any problems lately."As she spoke the roots released his legs and were dragged back underground. She took a sip from her cup of coffee that had appeared in her hand.The young trickster kept a weary eye on him as she drank,tossing her cup in the air.It fell to grains of sand,which in turn was swept away by the wind.She didn't even seem to notice,just starring up at Jack,awaiting answers.
"Ghil'Ift, the country of malevolent creatures. That troll was one of them. That was half the reason I killed him. Ghil'Ift wants to become the one and only faction in Haven, and that automatically makes everyone else their enemies. The United Republic is no exception to that. In the current census, T.U.R. has the lowest population, aside from the Northern Pirates. The Northern Pirates have the greatest military, so Ghil'Ift automatically rules them out. Sig'Guound is their self-proclaimed archenemy, mainly because it is the only other faction that has it's name in the Language of the Crowned King of the Haven ((see Haven Mythology)). Now, I've told you all you need to know. "Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? shoki shoki," he said. Instantly, all lesser creatures in the area fell into water. "I will release them if you stop asking questions. Do you want the deaths of all these souls to be because of you?"
She shrugged,"So...Who and what are you?"she asked,"And don't threaten me!"
Through the forest, it was silent. Only two figures were there, one was a human, the hidden one, and the other a demon in plain sight. Sneaking up closer, the human drew his knife, drawing ever closer to the completely unaware demon. Suddenly, he pounced, covering the demons mouth with his hand and slitting his knife across the soft flesh of its throat, killing it instantly.
John let the body fall to the ground, kicking it aside and sheathing his knife after cleaning the blade. He smiled a bit to himself, that was one more demon down for him today. He spent his entire life in the hunting business...these kills were nothing by now. But they were getting smarter every day. The scar across his left eye reminded him of one battle with a demon in which he had not come out completely unscathed.
John really had no other purpose for his life now other than the revenge of so many deaths on the demons that had killed his family, his friends, his elders, and even his siblings. Now he wandered the entire Haven, searching for them and killing them off, one by one in hopes he would have a chance encounter with the one demon who slaughtered everyone he had once loved. But that day hadn't come, and John feared it never would. Still, he hunted vigorously each day for that one demon. John sighed and continued walking, back to his camp to pack up and head out of the forest...
Jack walked away, not answering anything, releasing the spell. He figured she might hold him again, but if she did... He would forget about getting her to join him, and would give her lies.
John strung an arrow on his bow, carefully aiming it at the rabbit that hopped around silently on the leafy forest floor in front of him. Aiming it carefully, he let the arrow go with a slight wing as it flew, impacting the little creature straight through the neck, killing it again instantly, like so many other things he had killed today. This would serve as his meal before he left the forest tonight, and set off for the mountain ridges. There he was sure he would find an entire encampment of demons which he had been tracking for some time now. He wanted to rush in there and slaughter them all so bad, but he knew that he couldn't do it alone, so he would have to find some friends...
John finished cleaning the rabbit, and put it in his game sack, and then hauled the sack back to camp, where he would eat and rest fitfully for about two hours before heading off into the night. John didn't stay long in any area; he had learned from past mistakes that if you stayed too long they began to find you more and more easily...
Sighing he sat down next to the small sputtering campfire and began to slowly cook the meat of the rabbit. Then, he unsheathed his knife and laid it next to him, along with his bow and quiver, and lay down on his back. He was going to lure another creature in and swiftly kill them as well, providing extra energy for the journey tonight. Closing his eyes and feigning death, John waited silently, his ears ever attentive to the nature noises around him.
Luckily, Jack was able to walk away. He traveled out of the neutral territory. While he walked through the rocky mountains, a golem jumped out of hiding and attacked him. Jack gracefully dodged the attack. He scanned the area, and saw no water, making his ability useless. He drew his rusty sword. "Run or die, fiend," he said. The golem swung its fists at him, but Jack dodged the blow again. Jack swung his sword at the golem. It hit its waist, and snapped in half. The sword snapped, that is. Not the golem. Jack looked up at the golem with a guilty face. "I was kinda hoping you wouldn't call my bluff..." he said. The golem swung again, and Jack jumped backwards. "Let's see what will happen if I... Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" the Golem fell to it's knees. It's head started banging against the ground, and eventually the ground cracked. A small spring of water spurted forth. The Golem kept banging its head, and eventually the spring grew big enough to drown the golem. When it was done, Jack leaned back and took a deep breath. "Don't mess with an Azukiarai..."
Meanwhile...
The Golem King, leader of the small clan of golems, watched from the top of the mountain besides the rocky trail. That Azukiarai had killed the golem. There was no forgiving it. The Golem King issued an order to the other golems. 'Get the Azukiarai, and bring it to me.'
Cas snorted,turning and walking off,seeing smoke she feared it would be yet another odd man from another country.She couldn't help herself,she walked into the woods,following the smell of burning wood until she spotted light in the distance.She looked closer to see John sitting close by. 'Figures....',She thought bitterly,but now she knew she was right,and couldn't just leave it at that.She ducked behind a large maple tree,shrugging her bow off.She swiftly notched it with an arrow from her quiver and held it low.She dashed closer to get a better look.Once she was sure it was no demon,she hesitated.Was it a monster?A creature such as herself?or a human?As a million thoughts whirled through her head,she hadn't realized she was moving forward,now only feet from the clearing.
Jack stayed by the water, just in case the golems came. Jack had a very logical mind, and he figured the golems would attack him. If he waited two days, they might calm down.
Cas had almost broken the foliage between herself and the mortal,when her senses returned,she froze in mid strid.
John heard the snap of a twig and was alert, reaching his hand over to his knife and bow quickly and silently. He grasped the cold blade of the knife in his hand.
Sitting up swiftly, he flung the knife toward the direction of the twig snap and notched an arrow on the bow string, firing it faster than ever in the same direction. The knife would provide distraction, and then the arrow would finish the creature off, whatever it was...
Cas had seen the daggers direction and knew it wouldn't hit her.But then the arrows rained down on her and she had barley enough time to shot the first arrow to ricochet it away from herself and dance out of the way of the rest of the volley.She was notched an arrow and drew,so close she was sure not to miss,aiming at the side of his head."Who are you?"she barked the question ruffly.As she spoke,a tree branch swung forward,aiming to hit him in the gut,just hard enough to make him loose his footing.She remained emotionless,or at least looked the part.On the inside she was cursing her subconsciousness for locking her inside herself.She lessened her draw slightly,her finger beginning to ache.In no mood for games,though,she bit her tongue and returned to full draw,glaring daggers at John.
John was taken aback by the swift movements of the creature who was attacking him. Or rather, who he had attacked. Looking at the strange creature, he noticed that it wasn't a primitive animal, but instead a sentient being, and he immediately felt like an idiot. She was only mad because he had attacked her, and he was only shocked because he thought she was an animal. John picked up the knife that lay on the ground, slowly and casually and said calmly.
"Thought you were an animal. Clearly not edible." then he sheathed his knife and walked back to his camp without another word.
She glared at him,lowering her bow,she picked up his dagger that had found a way into a tree."You want this?"She called.As she waited for an answer she replaced her arrow in her quiver.She brushed her snowy hair out of her icy blue eyes.She slung the bow across her chest and made to follow him.
Jack was bold, and decided to immediately run away from the spring as soon as he no longer felt like he was being watched. He made it to a lake, where an unfortunate golem guard attacked him, and, well... Followed the way of the first. Jack then turned and looked at the lake carefully. Why would a golem be there of all places. Surely they would know he was invincible near water, unless an opponent of great strength were to attack him. He looked up, and saw a cave in the mountain. On the top was a newly placed magical ward that stopped racial abilities when near it. The golems lived there. It was an ambush. A rain of arrows came down on him. He dove into the water. Being a race based on water, he was able to hold his breath longer than most, but it was not forever. Right before he ran out of air, the arrows stopped, and two golems came down to see if he was still alive. He chanted his spell, quickly taking a breath of air before diving underwater again. The arrows started up again, and he frantically looked for an escape route. There was an underwater tunnel leading to Ghil'Ift territory. It was a dangerous risk, but one that needed to be taken. He swam through it as fast as he could, hoping to get to the end. It took a long time, but eventually he saw the surface again. He poked his head above water. He had come out of an underground lake, and was in a cavern deep underground, the only exit being a small hole that let the light in many yards above him. There was another figure in the cave. It was a woman. She was staring at him blankly. "Azuki-" the woman started. Jack quickly realized she was a fellow Azukiarai.
"No! I'm one of you!!! Don't do it!" he said.
"Oh... So, I guess that means you like beans, then," the woman said.
"Yes, I do. But, more importantly, who are you?"
"I am a half-breed. Yukionna and Azukiarai. Friends call me Azukionna."
"Um... Okay. I'm Jack D'Ark. Can you tell me where I am, Azukionna?"
"Ghil'Ift. Where else?"
"Um... I kinda came from Sig'Guound territory, right next to one of the neutral places."
"Sig'Guoundian... You're a Sig'Guoundian?" For a scary moment, Jack thought she was going to kill him.
"Yeah... Kinda..." he said.
"That's great! You can lead the rebellion!"
"Uh... What?"
"A village of Yukionna and Azukiarai live above. We used to be part of Sig'Guound, but then Ghil'Ift conquered our lands. We were waiting for Sig'Guound to help us, but I guess Azukiarais and Yukionnas don't matter much to them." Jack would normally have walked away. He had more important things to do. But, this time it was different. There were golems on one side of him, and his only other option was to save his species. Which one would you choose?
"Do you have a hawk, by any chance?" he asked. Azukionna nodded, and then walked deep into the cave. She then came back, a hawk on her arm.
"Here you go."
"Thanks." Jack pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, and started writing.
'To the Almighty King Rain,
I have become sidetracked on my mission for various reasons. By chance, I came across one of my kind, who calls herself Azukionna. Azukionna told me of a village of Azukiarai and Yukionna that is enslaved by Ghil'Ift, and I have decided to help them. It was my choice, and it is not up for debate. I will return to your palace after I complete your mission, and my personal quest.
Sincerely, Jack D'Ark.'
He sent the hawk off to give the message. "So, what's your plan for this 'rebellion'?"
"The Ghil'Iftians have built a large tower in the center of our town. If we take out the guards and the nobleman assigned to 'lead' us, it will become a strategic spot to have when the Ghil'Iftians send reinforcements. In fact, the hardest part will be getting inside and up the tower. After that, if we could get some Sig'Guoundians on our side... Well, you could also use this as a staging point for taking down Ghil'Ift. That would benefit Sig'Guound greatly." Jack thought for a bit. It was amazing how this chance encounter could help him with his mission so much. His mission; Find a T.U.R. of the Three Races, namely either an elf, human, or troll. Then he had to convince them to join Sig'Guound, and try to promote piece through both countries. They are already allies, so the next step would be a merge. Merging the two countries would bring benefits to all. King Rain planned to step down from royalty if the merge goes through, which would make sure there are no conflicts. Then, they would gang up to take down Ghil'Ift. By taking down Ghil'Ift, it would only his side vs. Northern Pirates, and, with the combined power of the converted army of Ghil'Ift, and the merged armies of Sig'Guound and T.U.R., they could take the pirates down, and finally bring peace to the Haven. But the plan did not stop there. From that point, it was planned that people explore the outside of the Haven, promoting piece throughout the whole world.
"Alright. Take me up to the town above. We'll start immediately." Azukionna smiled. Using the powers of a Yukionna, she froze the water. She then controlled the ice to make stairs to the hole in the ceiling. "I have one question, though."
"What is it?" Azukionna asked.
"Why were you down here in the first place?"
"That is because this is planned to be the place where we evacuate those who cannot fight in the rebellion to. I was supposed to check out where the water went."
"The truth, please. Why would you have a hawk down here?"
"Prophecies are interesting, even the minor ones. They cause you to do things you wouldn't normally do." Jack got the point that all this had been arranged somehow, and followed silently up the stairs.
When they made it to the surface, Jack was surprised. It was a small village, with a huge tower in the middle. All the residents where scrawny. "It was better before we were captured," Azukionna said. "The tyrants in the tower only allow us to have 1/10 of the food we grow, and the soil is pretty bad here."
"Well, we will change that. Sig'Guound will reclaim this place, I promise," Jack said.
John shook his head. "Keep it. Easily made." he said briefly and began to walk off, picking up his small sack of belongings and hauling it out of camp.
Cas sighed,turning around,back to where she had initially come from.She saw that Jack had evacuated from the area,having half a mind to follow his trail,or to just poof there.Over and over she rolled it in her mind whether or not she should.Finally she began to follow the tracks of a heavy-set man,slowly and cautiously at first. She kept a weary eye out for danger,but then saw the spring and a body of a Golem,and had the feeling in her gut to flee.That feeling turned to shock then a arrow whistled past her ear.As of secound nature she disappeared before they had a chance to rain down on her.Places flashed before her,since she hadn't thought of a pacific place,she was thrown out into the first place in mind,some cave,somersaulting a few times,then slamming down on her back.She gasped for breath,since the stop had knocked it out of her.She cursed her indecision,and sat up.Her electric blue eyes darted around.She shifted her appearance,short black hair and dark purple eyes with a pale complexion,a form she was somewhat proud of.She stood slowly,looking around,not sure where she was.She then remembered what was her last though before the world spinning.The end of the trail.She twisted and turned around,looking for any sign of life.
Azukionna gathered two yukionnas and another azukiarai. The yukionna's names were George and Joe, which was freaky because they were both female. The azukiarai's name was Susan, which didn't really fit someone with 'Azuki' in their name, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that these where the elite of the elite in this village, the ones chosen to charge on ahead with little backup. Jack had been hoping he would be part of the backup, but there was no chance of that happening now that he had sworn to help them.
Cas paced in the cave.Flashing back to the neutral zone,still pacing,with nothing better to do now that her little wanna be adventure was dead.
The five approached the doors of the tower. "Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" Jack said. No one fell out of the tower into the lake below. That told him that every single creature in there was stronger than him.
Cas continued to pace.Now she was bored,and tired,and curious,all in one.She was thinking of going to the random guy who assaulted and attempted to kill her.But that seemed to easy to just do poof and find his trail,she wanted a challenge,something that didn't go poof.By now,poof was boring,and she was plain out bored.So she walked aimlessly into the woods,her wings trailing behind her,playing with the dagger,till she cut her hand.She slid it into her boot and continued on her short,5 minuet journey. Once more she peeked around a tree into the lighted clearing.Wondering where he was she stepped out into the flickering light,looking left and right.Then she was leaning against a tree,drinking coffee."hello?"she called once she was done.
John stopped packing, looking up to face Cas. He nodded and looked back down again. "You." he said softly. "What do you want?" he asked plainly, not bothering to wait for her answer and returning to packing. He had no idea what this creature was, or what it wanted, but he suddenly had an idea. His skills with talking and speech weren't very good, but he had a few things he could offer...
But he would wait for a reply first. John looked up at the strange creature looming over his campsite and waited patiently like a hunter waiting for his target to move. His deep green eyes bore into the creature as he calmly spoke again. "Well?"
At the top of the tower...
The homonculus looked down at the five. He was the noble that ruled this tower. "Pathetic fools. Gegenees, attack!" he said. Ten Gegenees ran down their tower on their way to attack the newcomers.
Cas sighed and rolled her eyes,"now this is what it is like to be the other person..."She growled to herself.She stood and curtseyed,like a good little girl."I'm hear cause im bored,simple as that."She grunted,the cup going up in purple dust. "And since i know exactly what you are thinking cause im magical,I'm Castiel.Castiel Black,a Trickster"she said,snapping her fingers.All at once,the clearing in the trees became a castles dinning hall.She smiled at him,sitting in the throne sideways.Long curly white hair,and blind,grey eyes.She was twirling a crown on her finger,then it returned to as it was."an illusionist if you may"she said,simply putting it.
The five ran up the tower. Through improvisation, Jack managed to get a malevolent half-elf to jump out a window, but he knew he was dead when the gegenees came. One gegenees swung its fist at him, and George jumped in front of Jack to protect him. George was slammed against the wall of the tower.
"George!" Jack shouted.
"It's okay... I'm able to live... Through the power of love!" George got up and started fighting the gegenees again, leaving Jack feeling very confused.
John was shocked by the performance, but looked around slightly. Nodding, he turned back to her. "An illusionist eh?" he said, begging to form an idea in his mind and quickly erasing it, remembering that she could read his mind.
John decided to go for it. "I need help." he said, putting it flat. "I need a set of skills like yours, and someone who can fight well; you seem to possess both." he nodded, smiling a bit to himself. "What do you say? Help me out?" he asked. He wasn't sure if that was exactly the way that you asked people for help, but he was sure this creature was smart enough to realize the rewards he could give her if she helped him.
George gave Jack her sword. Together, the five fought the gegenees. George and Joe got knocked aside by the gegenees, crashing through the wall. Before they hit the ground, George shouted "I will survive through the power of lo-" SPLAT! That left Jack, Susan, and Azukionna to fight the gegenees. Jack cut one down, while Azukionna and Susan froze some. Eventually, only one was left. It tried attacking them, but Jack stabbed it in the back, literally. With the gegenees gone, Susan, Azukionna, and Jack climbed to the top. Awaiting them was what looked like a human. "Who are you?" Jack asked.
"My name is Fluffy. If anyone needs to know why I murdered my creators, that's the answer. Getting back to the point, I am a homonculus -A being made by mortals-. Oh, backup's here!" the human, now revealed to be a homonculus, said. Susan and Azukionna started fighting more gegenees, the 'reinforcements'. Down below, an army of gegenees was attacking the village. It was pandemonium.
Jack, who was not fighting the gegenees, tried to settle the situation peacefully, because he had no choice. "So... I hear you're working the yukionnas and the azukiarais like slaves. Let's make a deal. You let this village off the hook. They remain part of your empire, but they get equal rites. If so, the citizens will stop fighting you, and will work extra hard to produce food and other resources for you."
"You're just an azukiarai. A lowly bean washer. Your kind should just grow beans! It suits you perfectly! Working in the hot sun all day, planting and harvesting the beans while the yukionnas are working on their own things, incapable of cooling you down!" Fluffy said.
"By any chance, do you like beans?" Jack said.
"What?"
"Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" Jack said. Fluffy laughed.
"You're not strong enough to drown me!" he said. Then Fluffy felt a tugging sensation. He felt he was being pulled towards the lake. "Who are you?" he asked, astonished that an azukiarai had the power to even give him a tug towards water.
"Jack D'ark," Jack said, smugly, concentrating on pulling Fluffy to the water through his power. Fluffy easily resisted.
"I mean who are you really. None of the azukiarai in this village have the power to do so."
"I guess you've caught me. Jack D'Ark. Jack de Ark. Jack of Ark. I think you know what that means."
"I am thinking of you differently... We could use an Ark on our side. Join us, and your powers will be used to unite Haven under the rule of our one and only Pheonix Emperor!"
"No thanks. In fact, I think it will be the Sig'Guoundians who do so. Look below you," Jack said, even more smugly. Below the tower, the army of Sig'Guound was fighting the gegenees. The hawk had given King Rain the letter, and the king had mobilized an army to help him.
Down below...
George and Joe, the female yukionnas, got up. They were a bloody mess, but were alive, presumably through the power of love. You see, the power of love is very strong. It consists of saying you will survive through love, and thinking of the person you love the most. For George and Joe, that would be Georgeanna and Josephine, male azukiarais.
A gegenees swung at them, but was shot down by an elf. The elf ran towards them. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"What's going on? Are you Sig'Guoundians?" Joe asked.
"Yes. We received word from Ark_7 that there was a rebellion that could greatly help Haven peace, so we sent an army to support him," the elf said, while shooting another few.
"Ark_7? Do you mean the D'Ark guy?" George asked.
"Ark_7 is more important than you realize, as are his predecessors and successors. You do know the story of the Ark, right?"
"No, we don't," Joe answered.
"I guess I should recite the Greater Prophecy... It is as follows;
The 100 Arks
If gathered on one of the Sacred Marks
Shall bring chaos from Seth
A god whom none have ever met.
If this starts
It shall break all hearts,
Yet it shall save
Some lowly knave
And bring an end,
Of which will never mend,
To the guardian raven
Of the oh-so-great Haven.
Now, all this is great
For evil shall dissipate,
At the cost of a few,
Of whom history never knew,
And those who the victor will decide
SHALL FINALLY GET OUTSIDE," the elf recited.
At the top of the tower...
Fluffy, who was looking in horror at the scene below, screamed. "You're one of the hundred!!! If Sig'Guound has you on their side...!"
"Yep. We're one step closer to seeing the outside, and uniting the Haven... But, in the meantime... Let's power myself up, okay? Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" Jack said. Fluffy felt himself being pulled.
"No! You can't beat me!!! YOU CAN'T BEAT ME!!! I'm an almighty H-O-M-O-N-C-U-L-U-S!" Fluffy screamed. He put his hand on his face, and seemed to rip off his skin. Underneath was a form that looked like it was flesh sloppily sewn together with eyes and a mouth added on. Fluffy continued to peel off his skin until he was just a humanoid blob of flesh.
"You shouldn't have done that..." Jack muttered. "Now I feel like barfing."
"WELL, GOOD! YOU DESERVE TO DIE REGURGITATING!" Fluffy charged at Jack, but he innocently sidestepped the attack while whistling. Jack wasn't the best 1v1 fighter, but he was nimble and fast, so he could dodge well.
"Now now, Fluffy. Go play with the bunnies," Jack taunted. Fluffy chose the wrong moment to attack. At that very moment, Azukionna and Susan finished battling the gegenees. Susan used her powers over ice to slow Fluffy down, with the help of Azukionna, but Fluffy was strong enough to not be very affected. What his true fatal mistake was that Azukionna and Jack both chanted 'Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!' at the same time. Fluffy felt a great tug, but managed to hold his ground. Jack and Azukionna started chanting louder. "Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki! Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki! AZUKI TOGOU KA, HITO TOTTE KUOU KA? SHOKI" Fluffy was pulled back an inch, but he managed to hold his ground. Jack then shouted the last word of the spell; "SHOKI!!!" Fluffy's feet slipped, and he fell to the water. Jack fell to his knees from exhaustion.
Meanwhile, in a land outside the Haven...
Two humans in black watched the battle unfold on a security camera's screen. "Interesting..." one of them said. "We didn't expect this. They might be a threat."
"No. We will not terminate the project. The future of mankind lies on the outcome of what goes on in Haven," the other said. "In fact, I want you to DOUBLE the strength of the boundaries of the Haven."
Back in Haven, at it's boundaries...
The southern exit:
The cyclones blocking the way out grew larger.
The norther exit:
The hundred-mile wide chasm started growing, doubling in length.
The western exit:
The gigantic mountain range's mountains grew twice as tall and trecherous, with a thuderstorm on top to prevent sky exits,
The eastern exit:
The desert changed to 125 degrees Celcius, and more carnivorous creatures made their dwellings there.
Later, after the battle that would come to be known as the Battle of Yukiarai Village...
Jack woke up in a bed with a groan. He scanned the area, and saw a human standing in front of him. The human was very muscular, but the hair that went down to his ankles kind of ruined his image. Jack immediately knew who it was. "King Rain!" he said. "I am honored to be in your presence." Jack tried to bow, but that's not easy when you've got broken ribs and are lying down. It's like doing a situp with a knife in your stomach.
"Be quiet, Ark_7. You and I both know that you are only just below me in the hierarchy. No need to be so respectful. Anyways, I'll soon be replaced with T.U.R.'s president, if the plan works.
"So... What happened? The last I remember, Fluffy plummeted to his death."
"What? My cat died?" King Rain said.
"No, the homonculus. Wait, you named your cat-"
"Nevermind," King Rain interrupted. "Well, the army was victorious, and Yukiarai was saved. Azukionna disappeared, though. It was very mysterious. She left a note, saying that when you had improved your drowning skills, to visit her in the capitol of Ghil'Ift. I don't know what kind of person leads a rebellion against a nation, and then lives in its capitol! That took some guts."
"What's that sound?" Jack asked.
"We're still in Yukiarai. The residents are singing our national anthom to celebrate the victory. Listen."
"O, dicere potest te videre aurora scriptor mane lumen
Quod ita superbe nos appellatus in crepusculum ultimum lucidus?
Cuius lata plagis et clara sidera ictus discrimen,
Per vallo nos observabant ita inpigre passis?
Et eruca scriptor rubrum invadam, in bombs rumpitur in aere,
Dedit argumentum per nocte quod vexillum adhuc ibi.
O, dicere facit quod stella-spangled vexillum tamen unda
Trucem campum et domum fortis liber?
Litore aenigmate per nebulas videntur abyssi
Ubi hostem scriptor superbus militiae in terrore silentio quiescit,
Quid est, quod auras, per ardua praeruptaque
Ut incerto ictus, dimidium celat, dimidiam detegit?
Nunc conprehendam nitor mane primum trabem,
In gloria reflectitur nunc lucet in flumine:
Exerces in stella-spangled vexillum! O diu eam elevabit
Trucem campum et domum fortium liberi!
Et ubi est quod cohortis qui ita GLORIOSE iuravit
Quod stragemque bellum et bellum scriptor confusionem,
Domus et patria nostra non relinqueret;
De sanguine abluit foeda vestigia coinquinationis.
Non refugium posset nisi mercenarii et servus
Terror ex fuga tenebras inferi
Et stella-spangled vexillum in triumphum facit elevabit
Trucem campum et domum fortium liberi!
O! sic semper, cum liber stare
Inter dilexit domum et belli solitudinem!
Benedicta cum victoria et pacem, ut in coeli eripuit terra
Laudate populi potestatem fecit: et custodivit nos.
Ergo vincere oportet, cum causa est,
Et hoc esse dictum: «In Deo est spes.
Et stella-spangled vexillum in triumphum elevabit
Trucem campum et domum fortium liberi!
O, dicere potest te videre aurora scriptor mane lumen
Quod ita superbe nos appellatus in crepusculum ultimum lucidus?
Cuius lata plagis et clara sidera ictus discrimen,
Per vallo nos observabant ita inpigre passis?
Et eruca scriptor rubrum invadam, in bombs rumpitur in aere,
Dedit argumentum per nocte quod vexillum adhuc ibi.
O, dicere facit quod stella-spangled vexillum tamen unda
Trucem campum et domum fortis liber?
Litore aenigmate per nebulas videntur abyssi
Ubi hostem scriptor superbus militiae in terrore silentio quiescit,
Quid est, quod auras, per ardua praeruptaque
Ut incerto ictus, dimidium celat, dimidiam detegit?
Nunc conprehendam nitor mane primum trabem,
In gloria reflectitur nunc lucet in flumine:
Exerces in stella-spangled vexillum! O diu eam elevabit
Trucem campum et domum fortium liberi!
Et ubi est quod cohortis qui ita GLORIOSE iuravit
Quod stragemque bellum et bellum scriptor confusionem,
Domus et patria nostra non relinqueret;
De sanguine abluit foeda vestigia coinquinationis.
Non refugium posset nisi mercenarii et servus
Terror ex fuga tenebras inferi
Et stella-spangled vexillum in triumphum facit elevabit
Trucem campum et domum fortium liberi!
O! sic semper, cum liber stare
Inter dilexit domum et belli solitudinem!
Benedicta cum victoria et pacem, ut in coeli eripuit terra
Laudate populi potestatem fecit: et custodivit nos.
Ergo vincere oportet, cum causa est,
Et hoc esse dictum: «In Deo est spes.
Et stella-spangled vexillum in triumphum elevabit
Trucem campum et domum fortium liberi!" came the chanting.
"I'm glad to hear that everyone's so happy," Jack said.
"I know that you need rest, but more troubles have come," King Rain said. "In order for you to become a TRUE Ark, you need to have quiet the combat experience. Luckily, because the golems that have made their home in our territory are attacking us, we can use you to take them down and gain combat experience."
"Ugh... So, when do I have to do this?"
"A yukionna will be coming in to freeze your ribs. It is a horrible substitute for actual healing, and, in extreme cases, may start to turn you into a yukionna. It's such a cliché though that that probably won't happen."
"So... Translated, that means I have to do this right away, right?"
"Yep."
The yukionna walked in. After his ribs where frozen, Jack felt immense pain. Suddenly, he blacked out, which was, surprisingly, not a normal side-effect of the freezing.
Inside Jack's mind...
Jack was in a dark room. Before him was an almost exact mirror reflection of himself, the only difference being that the top left of his head was encased in ice. The ice went as far down as his left eye. "Who are you?" he asked.
"A cliché... Not exactly the same as how your so-called king put it, but a cliché nonetheless. In fact, call me Cliché!" the reflection said.
"Interesting... Who are you really?"
"Well, seeing as I was just born, I am really Cliché. If you mean what are you, the answer to that lies in your ribs. I'm living there."
"So you really are a cliché," Jack said bluntly.
"Yes! Though, unlike the usual that comes with something like me, at the moment I can really only give you advice. Or freeze you to death by turning off your internal heating system, but that would kill me too, so I won't do that."
"Wait... If you can turn of my internal heating system... This could be useful. What if every day you slowly turned it off, and eventually I would develop an extreme resistance to the cold!"
"It's a little more complicated then that... Eventually we'd hit a point where you wouldn't build any more resistance... And to a point where licking a lollipop would have the same effect as licking a pole."
"Well, wouldn't it make my tongue loose moisture, leading to it NOT getting stuck instead? Well, I would loose the use of my tastebuds, but..."
"Congradulations! Here's a lollipop for knowing about ice!" Cliché held out a lollipop. Jack looked at it, and thought.
"Ummm... No thanks. I half expect you to be pulling a trick, and that my tongue will get stuck..."
"Oh well. Waste of a perfectly good lollipop..." Cliché threw the lollipop in the air, and swallowed it in one gulp when it landed in his open mouth.
"So... What am I supposed to be doing?" Jack asked.
"Oh, yeah, I suppose I should let you return to the waking world. I will do the internal heating system thingamajig, so I hope you're under a lot of blankets!"
"Wait! Let's start small! Small! No need to set it to freezing immedia-" before Jack could finish, he woke up. He looked around, and realized that nobody was in the room. King Rain probably wasn't worried about him, as he knew he would be fine. The second thing he realized was that he was freezing cold.
Meanwhile...
Azukionna strolled through the capitol of Ghil'Ift casually. She had disguised herself as a troll (which wasn't hard, she just had to paint her skin green). "Annoikuza!" an ogre called her fake name as she passed by. "You have not payed your rent!"
"Phew! I almost had a heart attack! I thought you had discovered I was a Sig'Guoundian!" she said, not realizing her mistake.
"Wait... What?" the ogre said.
"Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki," she said casually, realizing her mistake. The ogre flew threw the air, being pulled towards the nearest body of water.
Back at Jack...
He got up, put his tie on, grabbed the sword George gave him, and went to golem territory. The journey was long, trecherous, and cold. Actually it would normally be quite warm, but because of Cliché, Jack was freezing. Soon, he heard chanting.
"Scitis me amas, curabis scio
Iustus clamare quoties, et erit ibi
Es amica mea tu es
Et non semper, semper sine
Sunt nos item? Puella, quieti playin '
"Sumus iustus amicis," quid sayin '?
Inquit 'illic' alius 'et vidi iustum coram me
Primus amor primum infracto animo
Et sicut infantem infantem parvulum o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Tu velim, quae fit
Et non potest credere sumus hic simul
Et volo ludere eam frigus, sed sum losin 'te
Ego emere tibi, ego buy vobis anulum
Nullam et conciderunt fige me infans
Et iustus movebit me 'vsque te vigilemus me a mali somnium
Ego ultrices 'descendit, descendit, descendit, descendit
Et non solum non credo, primus amor gyro
Et sum sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Cum XIII, erat primus amor
Erat nemo quod ad meum infantem
Et nemo venit inter nos qui umquam supra
Ipsa me insanit, o ego erat starstruck
Illa suscitaverunt me quotidie, non opus non Starbucks
Illa cor libras
Ego omit a pulsu cum eam in platea
Et ad schola in THEATRUM
Sed vere wanna eam in volutpat vestibulum
Illa scire dominae me dazin '' causa erat ita amazin '
Et nunc cor est breakin 'sed iustus custodiam in sayin'
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Ego omnes abiit
Nunc omnes abiit
Nunc omnes abiit
Nunc Omnes declinaverunt, abiit, abiit abiit
Sum abiit," the chanting went. It was a religous ritual featuring sacrificing a golem infant to 'appease the gods'.
Jack drew his sword, and prepared for battle. He jumped into the clearing to see seven golems doing a tap dancing ritual, with one baby on a basket held over a fire. It may have been a golem baby, but Jack still didn't want it to die. "Stop, golems, and you shall live!" he said.
The golems turned to look at him. For a moment, they did nothing, and then they ran towards Jack, ready for battle.
"Wait! Let me say my last words!" Jack said, putting down his sword. "Is that okay? Then you may kill me."
"Uh..." the golems grunted, looking at each other. Then they nodded.
"Thanks! My last words are; Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" he said. It took the golems only a moment to realize they had been toyed with, and then their bodies were dragged to a lake just a few yards away from the clearing. Jack pulled the baby out of the basket, away from the fire.
The baby cried, so Jack tried to quiet it. "It's okay... You're safe..." Then Jack realized the baby wasn't crying because it was scared, but because Jack's body was literally walking ice. Jack put the baby down. "Okay, umm..." Jack saw a bush, and put the baby under it. "I'll be right back! Please be quiet!"
Jack then ran off to the golem base, confident in his powers of drowning.
Jack heard a patrol of seven golems walking around. He knew that a patrol that big would have an experienced fighter in it, and that he wasn't strong enough to drown it. So he improvised. He grabbed some dirt and rubbed it on his face and limbs. He then chanted;
"Scitis me amas, curabis scio
Iustus clamare quoties, et erit ibi
Es amica mea tu es
Et non semper, semper sine
Sunt nos item? Puella, quieti playin '
"Sumus iustus amicis," quid sayin '?
Inquit 'illic' alius 'et vidi iustum coram me
Primus amor primum infracto animo
Et sicut infantem infantem parvulum o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Tu velim, quae fit
Et non potest credere sumus hic simul
Et volo ludere eam frigus, sed sum losin 'te
Ego emere tibi, ego buy vobis anulum
Nullam et conciderunt fige me infans
Et iustus movebit me 'vsque te vigilemus me a mali somnium
Ego ultrices 'descendit, descendit, descendit, descendit
Et non solum non credo, primus amor gyro
Et sum sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Cum XIII, erat primus amor
Erat nemo quod ad meum infantem
Et nemo venit inter nos qui umquam supra
Ipsa me insanit, o ego erat starstruck
Illa suscitaverunt me quotidie, non opus non Starbucks
Illa cor libras
Ego omit a pulsu cum eam in platea
Et ad schola in THEATRUM
Sed vere wanna eam in volutpat vestibulum
Illa scire dominae me dazin '' causa erat ita amazin '
Et nunc cor est breakin 'sed iustus custodiam in sayin'
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, non
Sicut infantem, infantem, infantem, o
Ego youd semper mei, mea
Ego omnes abiit
Nunc omnes abiit
Nunc omnes abiit
Nunc Omnes declinaverunt, abiit, abiit abiit
Sum abiit." it was not because he had exceptional memory that he was able to chant it, but because his mother's uncle's wife had married to a golem before, and he had been taught the ways of the golem by the ex-husband of his mother's uncle's wife, who is now on her seventh husband.
This seemed to get the patrol to leave, so he took a big breath of relief.
He ran to the base of the golems. He didn't know exactly what to do, so he planned to improvise if the negotiations stage doesn't work. He boldly walked into their base at the top of a mountain. The strange thing was, nobody was there. "Hello?" he asked.
"So you did come..." came a voice from the darkness.
"Who is this?" Jack asked.
"Golems taste quite good. You should try one. There are a few patrols that don't know I've eaten their family yet..." the voice said again.
"Who is this?" Jack asked.
A giant foot came out of the darkness. Then a figure appeared, a large, wide figure. So wide that it had to bend down to walk through the cave. It was dressed in armor from head to toe. "I am Phyndilwind... A Garmar Soul."
"A... A... A... Garmar Soul?" Jack said.
"That's right. One of the strongest creatures in Haven. I would kill you, but I'm full, so I'll just leave. Perhaps you and I will see each other again," the Garmar Soul said. It then ran passed Jack, which was pretty hard to do considering it was hunching over, and out of the cave, it's wings spread apart, allowing it to fly.
Jack watched in awe and terror. Phyndilwind... He would remember that name. Not because he wanted to fight it, but because he was in fear of it. He walked out of the cave, and looked into the sky. "I guess I should report this to King Rain..." he muttered to himself, unknowing that he had just made himself an archenemy.
She shrugged"sure,aint got nothin better to do."she said,"now why might you need someone like me?"she asked,falling back against a tree.Once again,a cup of coffee gasped in her hands.
Finally, after bringing the baby back with him for many miles, he was able to get to the place, getting the rest he deserved. On the way, he had slain 10 stray golems, and had broken an arm. He did not want a yukionna to heal it this time, so he waited for a priest to come.
Cas sat down,drinking her coffee on the ground.She finished her cup and shrugged off her bow,going to do some quick target practice.She shot a wild boar and dragged it back,but then it changed to a can of salted meat.In her other hand was her back filled with wild berries,mostly black and blue berries.
Jack lay in his bed, pondering over the events of the day. He had fought a war, found a male yukionna ((which is an oxymoron)) inside of him, and met a creature that would later become one of his archenemies. He asked for another blanket, still freezing from the yukionna's internal heating change,
Cas ate some of the meat,having nothing better to do.To her it wasn't half bad,but could be better.
When Jack finally fell asleep, he was not comforted by the good feeling of rest. Instead, he was back in his mind.
"Ugh... Cliché, are you there?" he asked. Cliché, the oxymoronic yukionna appeared in front of him.
"Yep! The ol' King Rain asked me to train you," Cliché said.
"How did he manage to-"
"Psychic humans are amazing..."
"Wait... King Rain is psychic?"
"Nope."
"But you said..."
"Moving on, I am supposed to train your skills. So... Yeah. Try to drown me."
John shook his head, looking back at Cas. "I need your help tricking a bunch of demons." he said quietly.
Then, he upped and notched his bow, firing an arrow through the trees and piercing his targets neck, an invisible demon. The demon fell to the ground, lifeless.
John looked down at the body and then up to Cas, restringing his bow around his shoulder.
"Like this one." he said plainly, kicking the body.
She raised an eyebrow to him,shaking her head,yet grinning,"i like it,"she said.A bottle of kerosene and matches appearing in her hands.She soaked it in the fluid then tossed a match at it,watching it go up in flames."dont leave the bodies,they are easy to track."she grunted,then the flames vanished,leaving nothing but a pile of ash"Or tracks,thats how i found you,"she said,"if you have a place in mind,i can just poof us there."Cas stated casually,shrugging as if it were nothing.
"Azuki..." Jack started, but then stopped. "This isn't going to work, is it."
"Nope. There's no water around (not counting the ice on my head, of course). But I can help you make some."
"What do you mean?"
"Yukionnas create ice. Figure it out. Don't forget that I'm inside of you!" Cliché then snapped his fingers and disappeared.
Suddenly, ten golems appeared in front of Jack. They were not real, but Jack figured that Cliché was so mischevious that he would make it so that their attacks hurt him.
"Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" he said. The golems didn't get pulled anywhere, but instead charged towards him. Jack thought of how to get himself out of this situation. If the yukionna was inside of him, and yukionnas created ice... "Cliché! Create some ice please!" Jack then got really cold. "Cliché! Ice!!! On THEM, not ME!" Jack stopped being cold. A small icicle formed on top of a golem's head. "Azuki togou ka, hito totte kuou ka? Shoki shoki!" Jack said. The icicle got really hot, turned into water, and went into the golems lungs. When the golem could breath no longer, it went to the next one. And the next... And the next... And the next... And etc.
Cliché reappeared. "That's all you can control for now... Later you'll get stronger, though." Jack woke up.
Cas leaned back against the tree,listening closely to the sounds"get up,string your bow"she barked softly,shrugging and notching her own,aiming to the trees.Her arm tensed,waiting for it.There was the soft crunch of dry leaves,then the smell of wet dog hit her,and she knew what it was.At the first sight of it,she fired the arrow,it ripped through the massive grey wolf's throat.She keeled down near if,taking out the knife John had given to her,putting it out of its gasping misery in a single slash.One more look at it confirmed her assumption,"Hantu Demon...."she whispered.She shot up when she saw the flash of light brown and saw it pause,hesitating.She shot the cougar,wasting no time.She felt bad for the creature,it just happened to be the victim of the demon.She made sure to make it fast for them.She stood up from her kneeling position over the body of the wolf.She sighed,burning the bodies as she had done with the demons.
In some dark corner of Ghil'Ift... A.k.a. the capitol...
"So, shall I gather the Army of Homonculi?" asked Stuart Pid, an ogre that was a Lieutenant-General of the Ghil'Ift army.
"Yes... Yes you shall. When would they be ready to hit T.U.R.?" asked the Pheonix Emperor.
"In 10 posts..." Stuart said.
"Posts?"
"Oh, I mean hours. Sorry, Lord. I've been quiet tired lately..."
"It's okay. Just get over there as quickly as you can!"
Meanwhile...
Jack, who had been healed by a priest, headed out to T.U.R. King Rain had assigned him to protecting T.U.R., but had forgot to assign him an army. That meant he would have to gather a militia over at T.U.R. to fight Ghil'Ift, who were on their way to T.U.R. to destroy it.
Cas sighed,leaning back against a tree.
Jack sprinted to T.U.R. He was thirty miles away, but he figured in about 6 or 7 hours he could do it.
Cas looked at the bodies.
John nodded. This...creature was clearly a very skilled archer, like himself.
"There is a specific place, actually." he said, thinking hard. "Do you know the mountain ridges? There is a small gap between two of them in a valley called Death Valley; in the middle of that valley is where we will find an encampment of demons that I have been tracking for some time now." he paused before going on. "The demons stay on the move, but they aren't smart enough to cover their tracks, and they leave tonight. I have been watching them for some time now, and we have to strike tonight if we are to strike at all." he took in a breath and went on. "So, if you could 'poof' us near there, that would be great." he grinned a bit at his own humor. He had actually made a joke!
John waited patiently for Cas to respond.
Cas smiled"sure,"she said,grinning.She placed her finger on his forehead and then closed her eyes,think of where he had told her,the world spun quickly,then they were standing about 100 yards from the camp.
Jack had been running for hours. He had stopped only once, and that was not to take a breath, but to go to the 'little man's room'. Having a yukionna inside of you really helped your stamina.
John nodded his approval at the exact spot where they had landed. Immediately, he headed into the bushes nearby, searching for a small clearing of sorts or something of the likes. He laughed a bit as he realized how easily they had gotten through the dangerous Death Valley.
"You know," he started, "Death Valley is said to be nearly impenetrable. Not by you though." he laughed a bit. Another joke...he had made another one. John's personality seemed to be shifting...at least around his new found friend. He thought about it for a moment and decided they weren't exactly "friends" yet. He found an ideal site and began to set up camp. "We wait for nightfall now, keeping an eye on them. When they start to stir, we strike. Got it? I'll go over the in depth plan details once night is nigh. For now, we rest and eat." he said bluntly, focusing on getting camp set up.
The army approached the border of T.U.R. They were almost ready.
Stuart showed the army the map. "There's this valley we have to
pass through," Stuart explained. "We may stop for negotiations with the
inhabitants, so don't shoot on sight like you normally would."Jack stopped to take a breath, and then continued looking for a place to ambush the army. They should be there any minute, so there was no time to gather a militia.
Cas grinned"watcha want?i can make anything....literally"she said.As she spoke,a small purple fire sprang up in the middle of the clearing."wild berries and salted meat should be fine."she said,making it appear in small metal cans. She sat down Indian style,eating it quickly.She smiled,her angel side hated the demons,mostly just because they were demons.Cast from heaven,banished from hell,sent to Haven.It just made your time with them more unbearable.But only she knew,no one else,her memory wiped from those who knew her formally.But a demon hunter?How would he feel about an angel?An Archangel at that,who was about as close to being a demon as you can get without being one.She looked up at him,a small smirk crossing her face.'I'll be fine....'She thought.
The Outpost of Fliginwiggenstiggenheim was a peaceful place. Jack, on his way to find an ambush site, ran through the outpost, shouting "The Ghil'Iftians are coming! The Ghil'Iftians are coming!" while running through the city.
John shook his head. "Light food is fine. We want to stay fit." he said plainly, eating the same quick way.
He looked up at the sky and leaned back a bit, closing his eyes and resting his head on the ground.
He sat up quickly. "You know, I never apologized for trying to kill you earlier," he said curtly, "So...I'm sorry, alright?" he smiled a bit. He had an easier time getting along with this...creature since she had been so eager to help him, but he was no fool. He knew people, and he knew she would want something in return. But what mystified him the most was that he had no idea what kind of creature she really was, he had never seen anything like her before...
Cas shrugged"its fine,I've had people kill me before,"she said,grinning."Of coarse they got the wrong me and all."she added."so i would assume you are human?"she asked,leaning against a tree,drinking water for the first time in a while."So have at it,you have questions,i know better.You have them and now you can ask away,I'm an open book"she said.Raising her eyes over the rim of the cup.
Jack was sitting on top of a cliff overlooking the valley. He looked below him, and saw the army of homonculi marching below him. Back at Fliggenwiggenstiggenheim, he had recruited an army of thirty dwarves. When the army passed directly below him, he gave the order to attack. They jumped off the cliff and into the middle of the army. As Jack landed, he cut down three of them. He knew that he did not have enough power to use his spell on them, so he was resorting to physical strength.
John laughed heartily at that. "Yes...plain old human. But a good marksman, trained by my father before he...died." he looked down with a saddened expression for a moment, but looked back up, shaking his head. "Nevermind that," he said plainly, "I'm curious as to what you are...I've never seen anything or anybody like your kind before, and you have an interesting set of skills..." he gestured around with his hands "I mean, I've seen some crazy stuff too; ogres and golems taller than the finest tower! But never anything like you..." he smiled. "I must sound like a 4 year old child who just received a new toy." he laughed at his own joke...
The 30 warriors of Fliggenwiggenstiggenheim and Jack D'Ark, who, due to unforeseen circumstances, had to come into battle without anybody prepared beforehand, fought bravely.
She smirked"nice,im a toy."she asked.But laughed softly to show she was kidding."Thanks.....i think....But i told you,I'm a Trickster,a type of Demi-God.We can make stuff appear,and its as real as anything else,then we can make it vanish just as easy."she said,whisking away the cup of water.She leaned back,grinning."not many humans either,least i haven't seen one in a while..."she said,smirking.
Jack was about to die. A homonculi swung its sword at Jack... But then... A miracle happened. Jack burped. The homonculi stopped swinging, and then tried to blow the smell away, giving Jack a chance to survive.
Cas poked John."Hello?You alive?"she squeaked.
John had zoned out for a minute, but Cas' touch shocked him back into reality. "Yes!" he yelled suddenly "Yes, I'm alive...sorry for the shock." he stood up quickly. "Look at the time fly...it's almost time for the raid to begin. Guess we better get ready..." He seemed...different. Acting stranger...but John had no idea what had changed with him. He quickly began to go through the errands of packing up camp.
Cas shrugged,all she had to do was look at it and it vanished,only a small brown leather bag was there,she smirked,throwing it over her shoulder."Ready?"she asked,putting out the fire with her foot.
John nodded solemnly. "Ready..." he spoke softly and a chill ran down his back, making him shudder. He looked back to her. "As long as you're ready of course..." he smiled. Then he sighed and looked past the trees at the encampment of the demons. They were all asleep for now...but they would be up and moving soon enough. He nodded again. "Tonight is going to be one heck of a night..." he muttered silently to himself. He quickly picked up his bow, stringing it around his shoulder and sheathed his knives. "Now I'm ready..." he spoke softly as he slipped through the bushes, heading closer to the demon encampment.
He stopped at a small rock outcropping, that was just large enough to hide him from view of the camp. He waited patiently for Cas to follow.
Cas sighed,poofing into a tree,standing lightly over the camp.She was concealed by the foliage,so she quickly notched an arrow on her bow.She looked to the side to see John ready as well,but waited for him to give her some sort of sign to shoot.
John raised his hand a bit, crouching next to the rock. He waited for the first of the demons to stir...they were all sleeping soundly, and he could hear the sound of the nearest tent full of them, breathing heavily in an out in deep shuddering breaths. John shuddered at the sounds of them, in a way, some part of him felt bad for them. Two people were about to slaughter some innocent demons because one of them wanted revenge on one certain demon. John looked over the camp, noticing a large tent in the center. The tent was draped in human skins, and skulls stood on posts out front. The inside was covered by the tents shroud, and John couldn't see inside. But he could hear one in there, and if needed, he could shoot an arrow through the thin tent skin and pierce the sleeping target that lay within. John looked back to Cas, searching for her, and spotting her in a tree nearby. He nodded up to her, and began to crawl toward the camp, the demons were stirring, and he was aiming his sights on one of the ones rising up earlier than the others. With some luck, he could kill it before it could stand and make it look like it was still sleeping. Gulping carefully, and notching an arrow, he let it fly toward his targets neck. The arrow whizzed and landed, piercing the demons neck and instantly killing the spawn. The other demons were awakening now...
John looked back to Cas, nodded and began to notch another arrow, signaling it was time for the fun to begin at last.
Cas nodded back,standing from her crouch,letting a volley of arrow fly towards their targets quickly.She always made sure to aim for immediate kills,so that they were either asleep or dead and couldn't warn others.She took out a small tent closest to her,then leaped from the tree,landing lightly on her feet,when she noticed what the other,smaller tents were made of.Dark,soft,feathers littered the inside,while 2-4 huge wings made up the tent skeleton.She dragged her fingers along it,knowing that it was the wings of dead angels.She took out another small tent,only having 3-5 in each,she stole their knives and daggers,the only thing that could kill an angel was its own blade.She glared at the bodies,her actions were now justified.She gritted her teeth together she she peeked into another smaller tent,moving her fallen comrades wings to the side and killing the 5 swiftly.
John and Cas continued to raid the camp. The demons were now aware, some of them at least, that they were under attack. John kept notching arrows and killing the runners before they could escape. Some of the tents were decorated with gruesome decorations, but he ignored them, advancing ever further toward the middle tent. What he didn't know was that a demon had already slipped inside the tent and was now waking the other demons within in hopes of a last stand fight. There was also one demon he was waking in order to win this...
John notched more arrows, firing them left and right, killing the rushing demons. He leaped onto ones back and slit his knife across the soft flesh of its throat, killing it as well, and then leaping off silently.
John looked quickly around for Cas, but he couldn't see her anywhere. He began to panic, but rushing demons shocked him back into focus. He killed the rushers, and then the camp fell silent. A great roar signaled out, and sent a shiver down John's spine. He looked for Cas, spotting her by one of the tents, he walked over and stood next to her, holding out his hand to cease fire on the camp. The tent in the middle shuddered, and a large and nasty looking demon with long and curly horns emerged from the tent. John gasped...
Y walked forward, and barked at the two who were standing in front of him, not too far, but out of reach for him to hit them with his blade. "Why do you hurt us so? You slaughter us in our sleep! You humiliate us! Why?!" he bellowed. John gulped quietly.
"I want revenge for what your kind has done to me!" he yelled, his anger rising. "You slaughtered everyone I knew, everyone I ever loved!" he was now raising his voice even higher, and in a desperate maneuver, he rushed forward, drawing his knives, and bringing them across the demons face, raking them down hard.
John jumped backwards, but the demon roared with rage and punched John across the face, sending him skidding backwards. Both of them leaked blood from wounds now, but the demon was up and on its feet quicker than John, and stood towering above him, raising its blade. "I'll teach you to mess with my kind, puny human!" he growled, bringing the blade down. But John's reflexes told him to move, or maybe it was the sheer fact he didn't want to have his head sliced off. He rolled out of the way of the blade, and stood again, notching an arrow quickly and firing it into the demons eye. The demon laughed. "Really?" he laughed, picking out the arrow. "This is what you're going to kill me with? These pathetic little pieces of wood?"
John steeled his nerve, and rushed forward, leaping high into the air and drawing his knives for an aerial strike, but the demon was faster, swatting John out of the air, sending him sailing back to Cas. Now, the demon lord noticed Cas too, and he gasped. "You...a trickster? an Angel? Maybe even a demon?" he asked curiously. But he shook his head. "Nevermind, forget it." he growled. "Unless you're debating attacking me too?" he threatened. But he ran to John, picking him up, limp as he was. The demons fingers seized John's neck, and John began to grasp at his throat. The demon laughed, this was a pathetic human.
Suddenly, silence fell. Time stopped, and John was floating, alone in air. No one was moving, not even him. But he wasn't dying. John became aware of a presence next to him. Looking over, he saw a small figure of orange light. A voice spoke to him from the light. "John...you are destined for great things, now is not your time to die...you will find some happiness in this battle, but sadness and eternal regret as well. Now, this is all I can do for you." the figure tossed a blade to John, who somehow managed to catch it even though his hands weren't free. It sheathed at his side.
Time started to speed up again, coming back to normal. John felt the grip around his throat again, and heard the demon laugh. The demon gasped suddenly, dropping John. He had been so busy focusing...he hadn't even seen the mark. John dropped from his grasp, sucking in air and standing up quickly. The demon backed up, looking at John's neck. John looked at him. "What?" he asked stupidly. The demon shook his head. "You..." and then he laughed. "Hah! You say you want revenge? Then why don't you kill yourself...Joras!" John was shocked. What had the demon just called him? Then he felt the pain, felt his skin boil the horns, the eyes...he felt himself turn. Into what?
The demon gasped. "Joras...it's really you. You are back...how did you get stuck in there?" he asked. John's new body spoke against his will.
"It does not matter. This vessel will serve as a fine subject while I recover. Y, have you done all that needed to be done for the preparations?" Joras asked.
"Yes, my lord. We were leaving tonight, before that vessel of yours attacked us. He caused quite a trouble, but I see you've got him under control now." Y, the demon, spoke.
Joras nodded. "Yes. I can influence him now, and maybe even take control of him now and then, but the mortals body needs to be kept alive, for he is an important part in the plan I have. He has a great spirit within him..." Joras trailed off.
"You mean...him?" Y asked.
Joras nodded. "Yes, I got signals of another presence within him, and I've been watching them...they radiate exactly like the signs of him." he said.
Y nodded. "We will need him. But we need a trigger first..." Y spoke.
"Enough of this." Joras said., standing up. He pointed at Cas. "You, go now. What you have heard here is to be spread across the world. Tell the world of the horrors witnessed today. Go, flee now." he said menacingly. And then, as Joras turned back to Y, the eyes faded, the skin returned to normal, and the body was John's again. John collapsed on the ground, exhausted and mentally scarred. He looked up, but Y looked down at him. "Since I can't hurt you..." he said "I'll just send you to the Eight Demension. That should be a fitting place for your soul to stay while Joras and I prepare. Begone, human!" Y spoke as a held out his hand, sending a ball of dark energy at John, which impacted with his chest, right where his heart was. It swirled there for a moment, and John felt his body losing energy. His soul was literally being sucked from his body. John felt his soul give way, and his body fell limp to the ground, leaving him floating there. Then, a large black portal opened around him and sucked him in...
Castiel glared at the demon,the Archangel's shadowy wings raised."I don't take orders from some lowlife demon!"she spat,eyes rolling back into her head,a dagger appearing in her hand.It's blade was obsidian,something she had taken with her to h*ll and back.She advanced on the demon,her other hand flexed,letting roots aim to coil around his ankles.The angels blade gave off a faint white glow."Your kind dragged me to hell,I didn't rip my grace out to be sent down there.You know who got me out?Me.You know how?I clawed my way out.i was there for hundreds of years,and when 4 months feels like 40 years?Oh but you should know exactly what its like.And you know what?If you don't i will drag you back down there myself."she snarled.She with each word she slashed her blade out in front of her,aiming to hit him in any way she could.She was furious.What demon dared to challenge a Archangel?A stupid one."Let the boy go,or i swear i will shred your nasty little pelt just as you have done to my brothers and sisters!"She screamed.She continued to advance,slashing and jabbing at the demon.She was not going to let him or any other demon get away from this camp,no a single damn one.Her eyes remained rolled back inside her head,making them completely white,the black bladed dagger clamped firmly in her hands.
Y laughed. "Kill me and you won't ever see him again. As for freeing him, that is only possible if Joras sees it fit, and that would require obtaining a Soul Jar and traveling through 7 other demensions just to get to him. It's not worth it, let his soul rot until Joras can take over his human form. For now, I'll take the body with me, it will serve as the demon kings body after all, once he is ready, so it will have to stay alive." Y spoke calmly, lifting John's lifeless body from the ground and slinging it onto his shoulder. Then, he turned back to Cas. "So kill me if you like, but if you ever want to see your boyfriend again, you'll have to let me live." he laughed again, turning to face the camp.
"So much destruction...oh well. I'll find a new army." he said calmly and walked back inside the tent he had emerged from.
She glared at him,clenching the dagger in her hand.Her eyes rolled back,showing the pale blue eyes once more.
Cas glared at him,aiming to stab him in the back,not enough to kill him,just enough to have pain shoot through his body.She twisted it(assuming she did hit him) she ripped it out.She aimed to slam her foot into his calf,then turned and grabbed the collar of John's shirt,trying to drag the body away.Then she literally went up in smoke.When the spinning stopped she was standing in a market,deep in T.U.R.She looked around for her house.It looked like a tiny hut,once she entered it gave way to a huge castle like interior.
A homonculi laughed, easily dodging Jack's attacks. "I heard what you did to Fluffy... I think you might want to hear this, though; He was really only a Second Lieutenant. He got the job of guarding the city through connections to the higher ups." The homonculi dodged another stroke.
"Well, what are you?" Jack said, trying to land another blow.
"That depends on what you are."
"People like me don't get given ranks, although I am usually able to beat Sergeant ranks in Sig'Guound."
"Oh. Good for me! Sergeant First Class in the Ghil'Iftian Western Army, at your service!" The homonculi stopped fighting Jack, and instead attacked another homonculi coming up behind Jack.
"What? Why are you killing your own ally?"
"I have my reasons. Although me helping you does not mean I'm on the good side. The name's Ghulikur, of the Northern Pirates, although I was a spy in the Ghil'Iftian Western Army." The homonculi took out another homonculi.
"Why are you helping me?"
"As I said, I have my reasons... Although, I can tell you this; My job was to make allies with Sig'Guound," Ghulikur said as Jack took out a homonculi.
"And why would you want to do that?"
"We are an evil side. I am fully aware of that. When this alliance, if I am able to make it, ends, we will probably attack you guys instantly. The reason we need an alliance now, though, is because there are 78 Arks discovered. We have 8, T.U.R. has 15, Sig'Guound has 24, and Ghil'Ift has 31. If you merge with T.U.R.-"
"How did you know we were planning to do that?" Jack interrupted.
"Spies, obviously. Anyways, if you merge with T.U.R., you will have 39. That means that you are now in the lead with the number of Arks. If we ally with you, then we three as a whole have 47. Since you now control 3 times as much territory under the tri-leadership that will most likely be set up, your chance of discovering new people with the power of the Ark is 3/4. Out of the 22 remaining, 16.5 will come to us. Now we have 63, not counting the 50% probability of another coming. Then, we take out Sig'Guound with our combined power, use the Arks to get out of the Haven, have a dance party, and then the Northern Pirates will most likely betray you two."
Suddenly, a loud voice came out from the battle. "Incompetent FOOLS!" it said. Jack looked around to see where the voice had come from. He noticed there were only a few homonculi left.
"The 30 Warriors of Fliggenwiggenstiggenheim couldn't have done this..." he muttered to himself. Then he looked harder, and noticed there were hundreds of warriors bearing the crest of T.U.R. The Fliggenwiggenstiggenheimiens must have alerted them!
The maker of the voice came over to Jack. It was Stuart Pid, a giant ocean troll. It drew a sword. "So, you're the person who got this army, huh? And Ghulikur... You traitor. I'm hungry, so I think I'll drown you, to make seafood." Stuart raised his arm into the sky, and it started raining.
"RUN!" Ghulikur shouted. "Just RUN!" Jack wouldn't have run, if he hadn't noticed that the rain drops that had landed where slowly gathering together.
"RUN!" Jack shouted, to tell the T.U.R.ians. As they ran, the water gathered around Stuart. It then hardened on him, like armor. The rain kept falling, but this time directly in a circle around Stuart. Soon, it formed a tornado, not of wind, but of water.
"You can't run away forever... Your kind disgusts me. JUST DIE!" Stuart shouted. The tornado of water then became large enough to be considered a tropical storm... And then a hurricane. Even though the army ran, they felt themselves getting pulled in by the wind. Half the army lost their footing, and where pulled into the hurricane. Jack hear shrieks coming from it, as if they were being eaten. Jack closed his eyes, and cursed. Then, he stopped running, and let him self get pulled into the hurricane. Inside, he saw Stuart, with a gigantic mouth. It swam over to him, and tried to bite him. Jack new the azukiarai racial spell would not work, so he tried something different.
"Oh Cliché, the yukionna inside of me. Give me power. Please give this sword power!" Jack said. Right before Stuart could get him, Jack threw the sword into him. As the sword passed threw it's mouth, it started freezing. It pierced the back of Stuart's mouth, and went through it's brain. Stuart gave one last shriek, and died. Jack fainted.
Phyndilwind looked down on the carnage that the hurricane had caused. It flapped it's wings once, and then flew away. Before it did so, it muttered; "Good. Things are going according to plan. Once they acquire all the Arks, I can get outside too. I can return to my home.
In a place outside Haven...
"This battle has set important things in motion..." a man dressed in black said while looking at a monitor.
"Soon they will be outside... How should we greet them?" another agent asked.
"With hostility," the first responded.
"You're right... You never know what the creatures in Haven are capable of..."
A man dressed in a white suit then walked in. "Status report," the man demanded.
"The Northern Pirates want in on the T.U.R.-Sig'Guound alliance. Also, Ghil'Ift's invasion has been fended off."
"We must be ready, then. We can't have our important 'actors' truly escaping. We want the show to have a good ending, and the best ending is for them to escape. But, after that, the show will stop... And when the show stops, I like to imagine the main characters dying tragic deaths..."
THE END OF CHAPTER 1
This is LONG...
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ReplyDeleteHey Mew, make me an Admin? ;)
ReplyDeleteYes...this is Gal. Instead of changing names once again, I decided to go with the name related to the board this blog is based off of. XD
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