The Saltwood Chronicles (Closed) [R]

[Thenician]

[OOC: This story is R rated, nothing graphic, but may contain language.]

Thenician closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sounds all around him. Sounds of doors slamming shut. Sounds of a dozen armed soldiers scattering in several directions. The sounds of those same soldiers kicking open those same doors. Followed by the sounds of people inside their homes screaming. But trying to ignore them only seemed to make them louder, so he reopened his eyes and returned his attention to the mission.

It was early evening, so it wasn't as if they were barging in on people sleeping. Just barging in on people trying to keep them out. Thenician looked down the narrow dirt road of the village, small houses with broken doors on either side of it. A large house could be seen at the end of the road. Hardly a mansion by conventional standards, but given the size and complexity of the village, it was probably the mayor's or other wealthy leader. It was certainly the largest. As he looked at it he could feel the darkness within him swell and roar at it.

"My lord!" The voice of his adjutant snapped him back into focus and he turned to face him. He was a pale skinned young man named Jiiren Voss, probably in his early twenties, wearing the lightweight dark colored armor of Thenician's squad and a small black and purple band on his sleeve with the Bonelotus insignia. "Some of the villagers are escaping through back doors, shall I send the men after them?"

Thenician turned his head to try and look around the back of some of the houses, and sure enough people were running away. "There is no need." He said, turning his attention back to the big house at the end of the road. "She's in there. Call the men back."

Jiiren immediately pulled a flare gun from the holster on the small of his back, spun the cylinder until the correct charge was in place, and fired it into the sky. A bright blue light painted the sky and a single crack of thunder roared from it, and everything that could be seen glowed in shades of blue for a few brief seconds before returning to normal. The technology available to the Bonelotus still amazed Thenician, and he had to remind himself that he was older than he appeared, and times had changed.

He sighed, and smiled to himself before taking his first step in the direction of the house. A step that made all the little gears and gizmos in his suit of armor start whining faintly as they came to life. It was the clockwork suit of armor given to him by the Bonelotus for completing his first assignment. It was a necessity at first, since the dark power would take decades to restore the strength of his youth, and it would be risky to have an aging man in the field. He resented the suit, feeling that it only reminded him of the frailty he came to undo. But in time he came to appreciate the advantages it provided. The suit carried its own weight, so he could move as if completely unencumbered. It had great strength that was entirely at his disposal to do with as he pleased, and a great amount of magical augments he had added himself over the years.

Thinking of this, he held his right hand in front of him and looked at the palm of the gauntlet as he continued to march toward the house. The suit was made of a black metal, or at least tinted black by magical means, as were many things created by the Bonelotus, but the right hand gauntlet was a replacement Thenician added himself. A treasure from his past life, altered and made to fit in his new life. And in the center of the palm of this golden gauntlet was set a small bluish purple spherical gem. An even greater treasure, also altered so he could keep it with him. The thought awakened a sadness and resentment in him that made his inner darkness howl.

By the time Thenician arrived at the house, the rest of his squad had rejoined him. The dozen soldiers stood abreast behind him with only his adjutant to his left. He took one further step forward, reasserting his position as one who leads from the front.

"Reena Daystar!" He called out. "If you do not surrender, my men will destroy this village and every living soul belonging to it." Only silence seemed to follow the echo of his voice. Suddenly he felt the dark power within him trying to reach further behind the house, the around to the left, then finally up some. "A rooftop ambush?" He shouted sarcastically as he turned his head to face the direction of the nearest roof to the left. "So unseemly."

His attention was drawn immediately to her golden hair as it glowed fiery red in the setting sun and seemed to dance like an open flame in the wind. She wore a form fitted body suit that left little to the imagination but likely provided decent protection and excellent mobility. Against her shoulder, she rested a simple looking katana. It had no guard to speak of, and barely a handle, though it was just a dusty brown leather ribbon wrapped around the tang.

"You must be Thenician Dusk." She shouted cockily from the rooftop. "So they sent you after me this time? I wonder what they think and old fool like you can do to me?"

"Fifty years ago there would've been plenty I could do to you." He replied in the same cocky tone. "But today I'll have to settle for simply doing my job. So will you come without resistance? Or shall my men turn this village into a tiny burnt scab on the land?"

"It seems we have a problem then. I don't intend to let you harm a single person in this village. But I have no intention of going back with you either."

"That is a problem." Thenician replied. He could feel the dark power trying to claw its way to to try and strike her. "But I've always tried to think of myself as a bit of a diplomat. So I have a suggestion to solve our problem."

"Huh?" She muttered with a confused expression on her face.

"Trust me, you won't be able to resist." He said with an eager grin.

"Well out with it then, old man!"

"You will fight me, one on one. If you kill me, my men will become your men, and the next time the organization sends someone after you, you wont need to cower behind villagers."

"The fuck did you say!?" She shouted as she lunged from the roof to attack. The expression of offense clear on her face.

With a thought, Thenician activated the mechanism on his armor that released the huge sword on his back. It remained attached to a tiny mechanical arm that allowed it to swing down in such a way that the sword's handle would stop between his right hand and his hip. As soon as he grasped the sword, the mechanical arm released it and returned to its default position. So within a second of thinking it, his sword was between him and his attacker, ready to parry.

The sound of steel striking steel signaled the start of the fight. Thenician easily blocked Reena's attack with his sword, then quickly pushed her aside using the blocked position thanks to the immense strength awarded by his armor. "What are you trying to do?" He mocked. "Knock on old man down? Kids these days, I tell you."

"Shut up you old bastard!" She shouted, finally stabilizing her footing after being swatted away. "I'll take your damn deal."

Reena ran to attack again, and again she was blocked. When Thenician tried to swat her away again though, she parried under his sword and tried to thrust at his throat. Since the fight began he had only moved his right arm, now he had to quickly reach with his left to catch the blade. Grasping it, he quickly pulled it toward him while turning his sword in his right hand to point down as he thrust it into the ground between him and Reena. Reflexively, she released her sword and jumped back.

Thenician twirled the katana in his left hand around a little, which looked like a pencil compared to his sword, then planted it on the ground behind him and stepped slowly toward Reena.

"I see close combat with you is out of the question." She commented.

"After only two tries? You're a quick learner."

"I have alternatives." She quickly put her hands forward and began some complex motion while vocalizing the words to a spell. Thenician had just enough time to smile before being struck in the chest with a fireball. The fireball exploded, as they tend to do, and the flaming cloud vanished as quickly as it had materialized. Thenician stood there, exactly as he had been before the attack.

"A quick learner, indeed." He said, exhaling a cloud of black smoke.

(OOC: I have to go food shopping with the woman. Catch more on the next episode of Saltwood Chronicles.)

[rhatigan]

The sun seemed to take forever to set today. Rhatigan wiped a good amount of sweat from his brow on his bare arm. A fresh smudge of soil streaked across his forehead. Standing upright rhatigan climbed out of the hole he was digging and tossed his shovel to the ground. He sighed with his hands on his hips examining his work. He had dug four graves and it only took him a few hours. It would have been easier if the hot sun went down sooner. He squinted against the bright orange glare looking down into the dark pits he just excavated. "that'll do.... It better...." rhatigan said to himself as he turned away from the burning red. Orb out on the horizon of the saltwood bay.

He had removed his shirt long ago and a thin layer of dirt had clung to his entire sweaty torso. His hands and boots were heavily caked with dark smears. Rhatigan had dug the four graves near the edge of slilent island mere yards from a 30 foot drop down a cliff. The bay was calm and mirrored the sun as it sunk further down, painfully slow. A cool breeze washed over the island reaching rhatigan last as it blew off over the water. With a deep breath rhatigan sighed, picked up his shovel and went to go wash up. He was expecting company when the moon came up.

It was dark and quiet when the front door of a small south saltwood pub opened and a line of five men of assorted description filed out. The first two had their arms slung over one anothers shoulders and they came out singing in low tones. The three behind them were singing as well. A few lit up cigarettes as they slowly made their way drunkenly up the street. The men managed to get a few blocks before they passed a dark alleyway. South saltwood had such narrow streets and cramped buildings that every block seemed isolated by four dark alleys around it. The men were beckoned by a figure at the enterance of the alley and they stopped. "hey... You fellahs lookin to make some easy money?"

Rhatigan was hunched over squating down in the pitch black undernieth a south saltwood pier. With water dripping all around him, he chanted in a quiet and low voice while swirling a small puddle made from a tide pool with a stick. In the puddle was the freshly removed intrails of a fish. Rhatigan zoned out watching the patterns emerging from the stew. After a few moments a smirk slid up onto his face as he continued his chant. The signs told him what he wanted to hear. His premonitions were correct but it never hurt to double check.

Quickly standing up rhatigan headed back up unto the boardwalk that lined the south saltwood industrial zone. He walked fast. He followed a narrow pier to a lone rowboat. Quietly and calmly rhatigan rowed his way back through the fog that rolled in when the sun set, out to silent island. Once there he went to where he dug the four graves on the far end of the island and waited. While he waited he rolled himself two wierdroot cigarettes. the wierdroot would cause him to slightly halucinate as well as give his magic abilitys a temporary boost.

Rhatigan looked up out over to where the mouth of the bay would be and could only see through the grey veil of the fog for a few yards infront of him. hearing a single crow cawing rapidly rhatigan smirked. His company was coming. The crow was getting closer. Its caws sounded like an alarm. The crow swooped down and landed on a head stone behind rhatigan. "blood!" the bird seemed to skreech. It puffed its chest and cocked its head at rhatigan and growled "Blood.... Blood." rhatigan turned around and nodded. "thanks...." the crow watched him intently as rhatigan reached into his pocket. "I told you I would reward...." as rhatigan came closer to the head stone the crow hopped to the edge of it excitedly, "mine? Shiney?" the crow squaked as it ruffle the feathers under its throat. its eyes going from rhatigans face to the hand digging in his pocket. Rhatigan placed a small silver medallion on the stone and stepped back. "yours...." he said. The crow crooned in its chest. Picking the amulet up with its beak the crow let out a growl that sounded like a chuckle and flew away. Rhatigan watched the black bird go and lit one of his wierd root cigarettes. As the familiar rush came to him and his arcane powers swelled within him he visualized the out come of the evening, blowing pungent smelling smoke out into the fog. "oh the crow and his friggen shiney things." he smirked to himself getting ready to kill.

Rhatigan stood at the edge of silent island. He fineshed his wierdroot cigarette and threw the butt of it off the cliff. He could feel the stillness of silent island being broken by footsteps. The paths of the cemetery were laid with a dark colored gravel that made a lot of sound underfoot. The winds carried the soft mumble of wispers and hushed voices.

Rhatigan turned around to face the approaching men. They were still a good twenty yards away when one man raised a pistol and took a shot at rhatigan. The bullet wizzed harmlessly by. The man laughed as they got closer. There were five of them. His visions told him that only four die. Rhatigan could smell the drying blood all over their clothes. The crow didn't lie.

Every one of his sences were at magicly hightened states from the wierdroot and he could sence the death that these men surrounded themselves in. It also seemed to him that they hid their guilt behind a delutional honor to duty. These men had the stink of witchhunters about them. The particular smell of the incense they burn to pray. The smell of dried blood forgiven by blind deitys. "good boy..... Don't you fuckin' move." the man said as he kept the gun pointed at rhatigan. Rhatigan waited untill they all stoped a couple yards away before bowing his head slightly. "a good evening to you too. Can I ask what brings you out here so...." another shot rang out causing rhatigan to silence himself. The bullet came very close to hitting him. "keep it shut! Were onto you necromancer...." the man with the gun spat at rhatigans feet. "think you can hide on this island?... Been here 20 years and havnt aged a god damned day... Your doin somethin funny with the dead here. We know it." rhatigan stood upright, lifting his chin. "you insult my honor. I made a vow..." another man to rhatigans left cut him off. "fuck that. the mayor might buy into your lies, but we don't. How you been staying so young?" before he could answer a shorter man wearing clothes that were much too big for him shouted with a laugh. "doesn't matter much. He's goin down to join them dead folk before tonights done." another man laughed. "someones gonna have to dig HIM a grave."

the one man who didn't laugh or say anything was the man that rhatigan took to be the head of this. The man was a hard looking fellow with sharp features and a very contemplative glare in his cold blue eyes. Rhatigan took a deep breath in. "listen gentlemen, there's no need for threats... I would like for us all to walk away from this...." the man with the gun stepped closer raising the gun to rhatigans face. "your not going fuckin' anywhere... And we don't make threats... We make promisses. You're gonna fuckin' die." the man smiled sadisticly.

Rhatigan could see the quiet man examining the four open graves past him. Rhatigan snarled slightly. He never let any of saltwoods thugs push him around, he wasn't going to let these fanatics get away with anything. He dug those graves for the four men who would step right into them.

This was all wrong. It was as if this man known only as rhatigan had known that him and his men were coming. Reciting a small prayer in his mind the quiet man spoke up. "enough.... " he held up a hand and motioned for his men to take a step back. "My name is Charles St. Angel.... We represent the national wardens for heratical defence."

rhatigan quickly chimed in. "and I am under investigation. Correct?" he scoffed knowing that having the "wardens" looking for him was a sign that he was their target and nothing could change their minds. St. Angel nodded slowly. "Correct... We have come to check on your arrangement here in saltwood..." rhatigan interupted him. "but you didn't go through any of the usual politics.... You came on your own accord." the man behind St. Angel shouted and waved his gun at rhatigan. "you bet, we came for your ass, corpsetaker. We know...." "silence!" rhatigan shouted, his voice rolled across the cemetary like a crack of thunder. "that's the last insult I let drip from that shit hole on your face..." rhatigan pointed at the man with the pistol.

"the next words out of your mouth better be an apologie... You come with false accusations, insults and threats." rhatigan looked to each man surrounding him. "you attack me, arrest me, and try me on your own. Right now.... If you don't know the law around here... You should." rhatigan smirked. "the laws are in place for everyones protection, including your own." the men around him all started to speak up together. "screw your Laws" one said "were above the fuckin law..." rhatigan smirked. That was the answer he was looking for. "if you are beyond laws, I won't need laws to deal with you...." St. Angel took a step back shaking his head as his men stepped foreward to attack. "no... This is out of control..." he told himself.

[rhatigan]

The man glaring at rhatigan from behind his gun snarled. "I'm fuckin' done with all this talking shit." these were the words that started a domino effect. rhatigan could hear him squeesing the trigger slightly. Rhatigan lowered his head and darted foreward. It was fated to come to this. These men came for his blood and they will only find a place in the cold ground. Rhatigan had a hand on the mans wrist before he could squees out a single shot. The world moved in slow motion around him. Sliding behind the man rhatigan kept a grip on his pistol hand. Aiming the mans gun at the person next to him rhatigan casted a small spell of pain that shot through the mans entire nervous system causing him to pull the trigger twice and put two bullets into the chest and stomach of his team mate. "No! Cease fire!... Shit!.." St. Angel shouted taking a cautious step backwards. The other men started moving towards him and he spun his captive around in time for another man to pull a gun and empty half the gun into rhatigans human shield. Letting the man drop from his grip rhatigan sprang over him defying gravity. He smashed into the second man with a gun knocking him to the grass. Twisting the mans pistol hand up and around he put the gun right under the mans chin. With a finger through the trigger guard rhatigan pressed down just as the man realized his fatal mistake. The blast shot the mans brains and skull fragments across the grass. The last man standing was in shock. St. Angel was gone. He was all by himself with a man who he had seen move faster than humanly possible and kill three of the hardest men he had ever met. He stood blinking and dropped the hand axe he held down at his side. "listen..." the man out his hands up as rhatigan looked at him with a murderous scowl. "I.... I.... we... " rhatigan picked up one of the pistols lying on the grass and tossed it to the short witchhunter wearing clothes that were far too big for him. "you have one bullet in that...." he said and took a step foreward. Rhatigans eyes turned a solid black and his shoulders grew wider. He was seemingly growing in size and strength, his shadow standing a full two feet taller than the man shaking with a pistol in his hand. "make it count..." rhatigans voice was like a rumble in the air betwen them. the man quickly closed his eyes and put the gun up to the side of his head.

St. Angel was just reaching the small boat him and his men came to silent island on when the last shot rang out. The silence afterward was ringing in his head as he looked over his shoulder to see rhatigan standing in the path under the large metal gates of the cemetary. Rhatigan let St. Angel get in the boat and start rowing away. He knew that the witchhunters would be back and with more numbers. "let them come... " rhatigan said to himself as he walked back across the island slowly. His mind was swirling from the flash of violence and the fading wierdroot high. He planned to bury the dead men with their weapons and any trace that they came to this place. St. Angels mind was rampant with fear. He would have to report the men he lost as well as his failure on this evening. Rhatigan was a man that he had seriously underestimated and paid for it. "Next time, necromancer", he vowed as the island drifted into the fog.

"Hear that, boss?!" Hardacker said as both men turned their heads to the harbor. "shots fired in a graveyard. that does not sound right." sherif Scarborough shook his head resting his hands on his pistol belt. "sure as hell don't..." Scarborough stuck his belly out thinking about what to make of a night of blood shed. "I'm gonna go out there and talk to that old boy.... What do they call em? Rhatigan?... give me a few rounds, will ya?" Scarborough pulled out his long barreled revolving pistol and checked his bullet count. He only had four shots with him. "didn't think I'd be needing em when I felt the house today." Hardacker handed him a handfull of bullets. "need a hand out there? Or should I go help out. Methias out with that mess in south town." Scarborough loaded up and pocketed the rest of the rounds. "Nah, I can handle silent island myself. I just hope the ferry is running still. You take my patrol. Keep your eyes sharp." hardacker nodded and started strolling away as Sherif Scarborough started down the hill towards the river. "fine night for a bit of crazy. If I didn't know any better I'd say it was a full moon..... Damn fog." he said to himself looking up at the streatching grey nothing all around him.

"Any body hear about the guns goin off? Over on the graves..." a dirty looking old bearded man asked through what looked like his last three teeth. He looked around checking for reactions. "nope but I'm sure your gonna tell us, right?" the bartender said while whiping a table down. The old man bristled as a few patrons of the tavern laughed. "yah, heard a fire fight through the fog at silent island tonight..... " he nodded matter of factly. There was only one person actualy listening and this was the man who the toothless old drunk focused his chatter at. "as sober as a bird... And as clear as a bell, heard about five or six pop, pop, pops. I can never mistake what a gun sounds like..." the man he ranted at was a lean man of average build, short brown hair and close cropped beard. He sipped a beer casualy listening to the old man pour over the side. "I heard the guy...." the old man hicupped. "...who the mayor put in charge of the whole island is one of them death wizards... I can't remember what they call em." the man listening chuckled. "death wizard, eh?" the old man bristled again. "oh yeah!..a black master I hear. He used to teach at the college of arcane when I was young. He looks as young as you to this day.... No lie." the man took a messy swig of his strong burbon. "buried my mother for me and twenty years later looks as good as ever." the bearded man smirked and nodded. "I take your word for it...." he took one last gulp of beer and stood up. Fixing his shirt and jacket he gave the old man a slight salute. "thanks for the tip old dog." he left the last sip of beer in the mug and walked to the door. The old man shouted after him. "you wouldn't be goin to bother em would ya? He likes to be felt as is I hear." the man left without looking back. This sounded like just the hint he had been staking out looking for. He had been in saltwood for three nights looking for any trace of a man said to be a phantom. Any tip on a death wizard was worth investigating. In a way he hoped it was a dead end, he didn't want to face a renegade necromancer. Especialy one better trained as a killer than anyone he had with him here in saltwood.

[rhatigan]

Sheriff James Scarborough had seen a lot in his days. He had worked with mages before but he never liked the way he felt around a black wizard. He walked down to the harbor and stoped. He couldn't find the ferry mans boat along its usualy wharf and stood waiting for a while. After a few minuts a small boat slowly slid through the fog. Scarborough paced down the pier slowly, his shoes thudding quietly on the old wood. He emediedly noticed that it wasn't the ferryman who was rowing the boat but a man he had never seen before. Scarborough stood far enough away not to be noticed by the man. with a squint the older sheriff studied the man. He was wearing an all black uniform with shiney silver buttons and a silver waist watch chain. As the man tied off the boat Scarborough wispered to himself. "what.. are YOU doing in my town?"It was the mans clothes that gave him away. The black, the pointy shoes, his demenor as he just walked away like the world was owed to him. Damn zealots. He emedietly made a connection. Why would a necromancer need a gun? Once the man was gone Scarborough found a boat with a small motor and started it up. As he cruised across the calm bay through the heavy, salty, fog he talked to himself. "I hope you feel like working with me tonight, pal... I don't want to see these crazy bastards around here...."

St angel strolled down the harbor. He would need to report and fast. He found a pay phone in a booth on a corner and droped a few coins into it. As he dialed the number he looked around to make sure he wasn't being spyed on.
"hello?.... Its Charles... Yes..." his tone quickly changed getting louder."No! Put De lourds on!...." while waiting for a few seconds St. Angel started tapping his foot. "Victor?!... Bad news..... Yes I know. yes. He is still at large." St. Angel pulled the phone reciever away from his ear as the man on the other line started shouting. ".... You sent me blood thirsty novices! What was I supposed to...... No, sir..... Thank you, sir. This time could you send me men who won't get themselves killed?...." he tapped his foot against the wall of the booth. "yes! He killed them.... I managed to get away.... No, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." hanging up the phone St. Angels head lowered. "damn it!....." he growled out of frustration and kicked the door to the phone booth open loudly. Walking down the street St angel moved fast cursing to himself the whole way.

"I think we got something...." the man had to yell over the dull roar of a croud. "allright, let's hear it". Both men stood up and shuffled past a row of spectators. Once back in the quiet halls of the underground arena they were able to talk. "ok. So I heard this drunk talkin about a death wizard...." the man he spoke with cut him off. "a fuckin drunk, Gus? Your taking tips from a fuckin drunk.... Don't waste my time with shit like this... I would have though you were smarter than this." the man went to walk away. "hang on... He says the black mage lives out on the cemetary island and hasn't aged a day in years....." these two men fit in perfectly amongst the croud. This was an underground and illegal fighting club. The club made a lot of money from the fighters and the fighters made a lot of money by having people bet for them. the man stopped and turned around. "you know what?... You wanna go chase after some fuckin winos halucinations that's fine... Haight's fighting next and I have some money down on him.... You should watch.." gus thought about it. "nah, i'll find you guys later.... But here." gus dug into a pocket and pulled out some money. "Put me down for two on haight to win..." these were just two men out of a special three man bone lotus team. Usualy a group of five, these men had found life in saltwood comfortable without their usualy larger numbers.

[Thenician]

As the smoky cloud dissipated, Thenician realized that Reena was no longer standing before him. Immediately he turned to where he had dropped her sword to see her there already ready to strike him with it. With a speed of reflex that can only come through a lifetime of close combat experience, he was able to swing his sword around quickly enough to make the girl think twice. Half way into her attack, Reena was forced to disengage and jump back so as to not be cleaved in half.

"You're quite talented." Thenician began. "But you are a child, and as such you lack the discipline and experience to defeat me."

"To beat an old windbag like you, talent alone is more than enough." Reena mocked just before launching herself into another attack. She attempted to cut him repeatedly from different angles, but each time she was thwarted with minimal effort. Thenician could see the frustration growing in his opponent each time he deflected her attacks. Each new attack was fiercer, although messier than the last. Even though Thenician had done nothing but defend so far, Reena's stamina was starting to give out, so she was forced to disengage again breathing heavily.

She opened her mouth wider as if she was about to say something, but she didn't get the chance as Thenician took the opportunity to begin an attack of his own. He took a wide step toward her and swung his heavy sword at her once with a speed only made possible by the strength of his clockwork armor. Reena jumped back reflexively, but even as she sailed backwards through the air she knew that she hadn't dodged in time. She had clearly seen Thenician's sword swing past her and had felt the impact on her abdomen even before she could leap away.

As soon as she landed, she frantically examined her midsection where she felt the attack hit. The wound was deep and though not immediately fatal, she was bleeding heavily and would be unable to fight. She dropped her sword and covered her wound with both arms. Looking up to face her enemy, Reena staggered back and bumped into something. As she turned to see what she hit, she saw one of the lightly armored soldiers from Thenician's squad just staring at her, his face clear of any emotion. Backing away from him now, she looked at the other soldiers, still standing in a row, all looking at her with the same blank expression.

Thenician watched the girl stagger away from him, then away from his men, and finally her back was against the wall of one of the houses along the road. He could see that panic had set in and she was practically helpless now. Slowly he approached her, locking his sword in place on his back as he got closer.

"Giving up?" He asked, stopping in front of her. With her back against the wall, she let herself slide down to the ground, still clutching her stomach tightly. Suddenly the look of panic on the girl's face changed to a cocky grin and she looked up to face Thenician. Just then he noticed a small metal tube stuck to her arm. He felt the dark entity within urge him away from Reena, and moments later he too could feel the dangerous aura forming around her. He took a careful step back as he watched her eyes start to glaze over and her breathing become erratic.

Suddenly, Reena raised both arms and pointed her hands toward Thenician, without any delay a massive bolt of lightning shot from her hands and pierced through his entire body. There was no complex gestures or vocalizations, only raw arcane power. Before he could recover, Reena was already leaping over his head, he had only a moment to see her wound had fully closed before she landed on his back and tore the giant sword from the mechanism on his back with her bare hands. With his sword in her hands, she jumped off his back and landed several yards behind him. The force of the assault had brought Thenician to one knee, but he barely had time to steal one breath before he heard her resuming her charge behind him.

He stood and turned quickly to see the girl run toward him wielding his own sword as easily as he could. She was upon him in a heartbeat, swinging the huge sword wildly, her expression slowly becoming more warped as the effect of whatever drug she used strengthened. All Thenician could do was dodge in an attempt to gain some distance to prepare a counterattack, all the while the dark force inside him was beginning to rage, apparently feeding off Reena's bloodlust.

Even though Thenician was able to evade Reena's attacks with relative ease, she was not allowing him any ground. Finally he saw an opening, a wide arcing swing aimed high. He dove under it, dropping to a knee and reaching up with his left hand to grab her right wrist to slow any possible counterattack. Immediately, he threw a right jab into her abdomen, the force of the punch amplified by the power of the clockwork armor sent the girl hurtling back away from him. Though through her drug induced prowess, she merely tumbled on the ground once before bouncing back into the air, impaling the sword deep into the compact soil of the dirt road, and using her momentum to swing her lightweight body around the weapon to redirect herself back toward Thenician, pulling the sword from the ground behind her as she charged again.

Thenician watched his opponent in amazement. Drug induced or otherwise, she would be unable to do such things if her body didn't have the latent ability in the first place. As she charged toward him again, he knew it was time to put an end to this. He held his right hand up before him again, this time allowing the dark power to flow into the golden gauntlet. As the darkness merged with the magical energy of the gauntlet, it became a visible shadowy mist around his hand.

"Forgive me child." He sighed at Reena as he clenched his fist, strangling the mixed energy with his fingers. "I take no joy in ending your life."

Just as she was in range to swing, Thenician plunged his fist into the ground at his feet. At that very instant, the ground beneath Reena opened up, waves of loose soil wrapped around her to restrain her as four massive jagged boulders, each one the size of her body, rose up to imprison her further. Within seconds she was completely buried within a small mountain of stone, and only a muffled scream could be heard just before it was silenced by the sound of bones being crushed under a massive weight.

[rhatigan]

Rhatigan lit his second wierdroot cigarette and quickly walked to where he left the four witchhunters laying. He smoked casualy as he stood looking at the four graves before him but his face was grim. He thought long and hard about how his life was going to change now that some one had found him. As he stood, the dead bodies of the four men behind him jerkily sat upright. Each of them all together stood up, bent down to pick up what ever weapons they had brought with them from the grass and started walking towards rhatigans back. He put the cigarette between his lips and turned around. Holding out his hands he spoke through pinched lips "now get into them holes.... poor fucks. This is where you belong." as each man walked slowly by, they placed their weapon into rhatigans hand as he talked to them. "you started digging these graves from miles away....As soon as the winds turned you in my direction." he felt the need to remind them as he started pacing up and down the small line of graves as two of the men jumped down into the hole and layed down on their backs. They layed down in the order they died and the man that rhatigan had caused to shoot his friend was the one to pick up the shovel. He was the one to bury them.

Rhatigan examined the well crafted guns, hefting them in his hands. He emptied the remaining bullets into his hand and pocketed them. He looked up to the zombie witchhunter. As the dead man heaved shovels full of dirt onto his partners rhatigan chuckled. "let's go.... i don't have all friggen night...." he tossed the guns into the hole and took the shovel from the standing corpse. Rhatigan shoved the man into an open hole and started packing down soil the witchhunter had already layed with the flat of the shovel. Rhatigan quickly filled the remaining graves in. It suddenly occurred to him that the gun shots could have been heard from the mainland and it could draw the attention of the local law enforcers. He never had any problems with the sheriffs. They knew who and what he was and that all he wanted was to be left alone. Gun shots mean trouble and trouble was always investigated.

Rhatigan stood upright. He looked through the fog to the other side of the island. "I hate it when I'm right all the fuckin time....." he felt his magic barriers being crossed by a single pair of feet. One man? Wouldn't be the witchhunter. He would never face rhatigan alone if he could help it. Had to be a cop. Rhatigan tossed the shovel and started walking towards the dark gravel path. He brushed his hands off on the seat of his pants and picked up speed. He took a single long haul on his now tiny wierdroot cigarette and tossed it. Exhaling the smoke rhatigans form transformed into a rolling wisp of blackness. He remained on the footpath as he soared across the ground at an incredable speed. He could see the heavier outline of thick man as he zoomed through the cemetary. A familiar walk. Lit cigarette. Rhatigan was relieved to see a friend ahead of him. He changed back to his normal form and slowed down.

James Scarborough grunted as he climbed out of the small motor boat he commandered. He walked down the small pier on eastern silent island and started on his way to the catacombs. James talked to himself a lot when he was alone and he was always glad to get good answers from the silence. "if your alive necromancer.... Save me some time, will ya? Do that thing you do where you just appear..... " Scarborough lit up a cigarette and kept to the path. He found a familiar and smaller pathway and took a right turn. A few rows down he stopped and knelt before a light grey marble headstone carved into the shape of a piano top stuck into the grass standing up. With his cigarette burning down at his side, James' face was blank. After a long silent minut Scarborough stood up and while still looking down at the head stone he spoke quietly "I'm out here on account of them shots...." he took a slow pull of his cigarette and let the smoke roll around his face. "sounded fierce from where I stood up on the hill. Care to tell me about it?"

Rhatigan smirked. It was as though he could tell he was standing there each time. With a soft chuckled rhatigan spoke at the volume level Scarborough used. "I asumed correctly... " rhatigan knew James wasn't a man he should play games with but he couldn't help himself. "would you believe me if I told you that I saw a friggen witchhunter coming from out here..... I automaticly linked him to the shots and wondered where the weasels back up was..." James said without turning. rhatigan chuckled. "would you believe me if I told you that I buried four of em out of self defence?...." James finaly turned around to face rhatigan. His face had a few more lines than rhatigan remembered. "that I believe." James nodded. "I believe that they had it coming as well.....". He nodded to rhatigan as he took a pull of his cigarette. "what did you do with them old boys and how many were there?" he asked plainly. Rhatigan took a second to answer and James laughed. "in case they file a report... I need to know how many died. I'm with you on your self defence, so don't you worrie none." rhatigan smirked "four of em, and I buried em..... Not out of guilt.... come on out sheriff, I'll show em to you." Scarborough nodded. He was glad rhatigan was cooperating. "just call me Jim..... Now I know they were armed. What did you do with their weapons?" they talked as rhatigan lead the way across the island. Rhatigan handed Scarborough the bullets he took from the witchhunters guns. "buried them as well...." James let out a surprised whistle. "look at that caliber!...." he held one of the wardens bullets next to one of his own. The bullets the witchhunters used were larger and with a hollow tip for piercing armour. "these old boys wanted you out of the picture...."

They made it to where rhatigan had buried the four men and he pointed out the four mounds. "there they lay.....". Jim nodded. "true enough...." he rested his hands on his gun belt. "don't you worrie.... I'm going to put in my report that you were out here shooting for no reason.... Don't tell no body about this and I won't.... You got me, son?" rhatigan smirked and nodded. It was funny being called "son" seeing that he was a full century older than the man he spoke with. "I got cha.... Thanks Jim." James laughed and shook rhatigans hand. "feel like driving me back to south town? I hate boats...." rhatigan smirked again. "wouldn't be a problem...."

[Thenician]

Thenician watched the magically activated earth settle back into its natural state, taking the body of the girl with it. "My lord." He heard Jiiren call from beside him.

"We're leaving, Mister Voss." Thenician ordered. "Signal the withdrawal."

With the same efficiency as before, Jiiren drew his flare gun, cycled the chambers until he had the charge he wanted and fired into the sky again. This time the light was a much fainter green, it made no sound as the glowing orb drifted across the sky and lasted three times longer than the blue one.

As soon as the glow faded, another identical flare glowed in the sky to the east. Jiiren acknowledged the signal in the distance and turned back to Thenician.

"My lord, the Locust is approaching from the east. It should arrive in moments."

"Thank you, Mister Voss." Thenician sighed. "Also, I am your commander, not your king. Sir will suffice."

"Of course, sir." Jiiren replied nervously, adding a salute for good measure.

"We're returning to the landing zone." Thenician ordered. "Move out!"

Within moments a deep buzzing sound could be heard in the distance, and before long it grew loud enough to drown out any other sound as the small airship flew overhead. Though small by airship standards, it was still far too large to land anywhere inside the village, so it was forced to land down the road to the west, just outside the village. The same place it had landed to deploy them in the first place.

Both the squad and the airship arrived at the landing zone almost simultaneously, so boarding took barely a minute. The two vertical propellers that kept the Locust aloft barely had time to slow down before they were pushed back to full speed. Less than two minutes after landing, it was airborne again.

The Locust was Thenician's preferred method of moving small groups of soldiers short distances. Its light weight and small size made it perform well at low altitudes. Though much less stealthy than its dirigible counterparts, it was also much faster and a lot harder to shoot down. The passenger area had seats for fifty, but no extra room for heavy equipment. The lightweight limitation of the airship meant it could carry troops and whatever they could carry on themselves, there was no additional storage or cargo space.

As the men strapped themselves in, Thenician moved past the passenger bay and into the pilothouse. The Locust's pilothouse was simple, yet elegant. The pilot himself sat at a station with all the controls for flying the airship within easy reach. The station was on a platform that extended from the pilothouse deck, with nothing else around it other than a half-bubble of glass windows, affording the pilot an unrivaled view of his surroundings. There was also a navigator's station to the right side of the deck, though it was little more than a table covered in charts, maps, and an assortment of navigation instruments. In the middle of the deck was a single large chair, for when a command officer was aboard. The left wall of the pilothouse deck was lined with lockers containing many maps, charts, and other logistical information necessary for airship travel.

"Good evening, Mister Castle, Miss Miles." Thenician said to the pilot and navigator as he sat in the command chair.

"Good evening, sir." They replied in unison from their respective stations. Only the navigator saluted, as the pilot had both hands full.

"Do we have a destination, sir?" The navigator, Miles, asked.

"We're returning to Aurora." Thenician answered after a moment. Immediately, Miles turned to her table and began calculating a course. A minute later she turned back to Thenician.

"I'm afraid that's impossible at the moment, sir." She said hesitantly. "The detour to Roah Village burned more fuel than expected, we need to refuel before we can rendezvous with Aurora."

"What's the nearest city with adequate facilities?"

Miles turned back to her charts for a moment before answering. "Saltwood is two hours from here, bearing one-one-four."

"Mister Castle." Thenician ordered subtly.

"Aye, sir." He replied. Immediately the Locust lurched ever so slightly to the side as it began turning to the correct course.

[rhatigan]

"AAAaand our first fighter!" the announcer shouted into a microphone. His voice amplified through out the packed underground auditorium. Its bowl like seating surrounded a thinly caged fighting ring. The anouncer stood in the center of the ring with a spotlight on him and the microphone hanging by its wire from the cieling. "he is a hurricane of piss and vinegar! He is!....Rick.... The knuckles!... Tiberious. " the croud gave him a fairly decent ovation. Cheering as the man in the ring raised his arms. With his fist in the air, Tiberious spit onto the mat of the ring. Keeping his arms raised he turned in a circle so the whole croud could see him. "AAAaaand his opponent! The teeth-taking, bone-breaking, one man massacre himself! He is Haight!....The Monster!..... McBrrrroken!!!" the entire underground stadium thundered with the cheering of the excited croud. Haight raised a single fist only for a second, he glared across the ring at the man that they put infront of him. The croud knew that when the bell started they should be paying full attention so they quickly quieted down and took their seat.

Haight snarled and pointed to the man holding a small hammer outside the cage. "ring it.... Let's fuckin do this..." the man quickly struck a small bell a few times loudly to signal the start of the fight. Haight brought his bare fists up besides his head and darted into the center of the ring. Knuckles put his hands up and started to circle. Where tiberious was relaxed and moving around smoothly, haight was tight coiled and ready to explode. Rick Tiberious was a full head taller than haight but he kept his distance, probing with his left jab every so often. After a few seconds haight decided he had enough feeling out and dashed forward launching a low looping hook. Knuckles brought his elbows up to guard his head anticipating a head shot from haight. Mcbrokens fist smacked into tiberious' liver causing him to jump back with an audible "oof". The one second where knuckles dropped his guard was the one second haight needed. He grinned with a maniac snarl and threw a heavy strieght right across knuckles chin. It struck with a resounding smack and toppled tiberious over. Before the bigger mans shoulders hit the mat haight threw the same punch again to punctuate. The ref came over between haight, who had droped his hands and walked backwards while grinning and rick the knuckles who was uncontious and breathing shallow. "he's out...." he waved his arms over his head then held up haight hand. "winner". The anouncer came into the ring as his microphone was lowered. "here is your winner.... In 45 seconds of the very first round.... Haight! The monster! Mcbroooken!...." haight snarled and walked to the door of the cage as a crew of men came in to check on Tiberious. Haights face was locked in a disapointed scowl. He left the ring and found the fight promoter. "what the fuck, Tom?! You said he would put up a fight.... Fuckin nance! Couldn't even take two shots.... " the promoter was a scruffy looking guy in a bad suit. "calm down monster...." the guy said putting his hands up. He expected haight to hit him. "I only told you what the guys manager told me.... Next time I'm'a find you a real bruiser to cut your fist on... Promiss". Haight growled and walked away. "yah what-the-fuck-ever! You told me that last time..." he let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the dispersing crouds in the seats. He spotted his general collecting and handing out money to the people who bet on his fight. From what he could see Morgan krane was collecting more money than he was giving out. Haight almost smiled. "gettin drunk tonight.....". He walked to the backstage changing rooms punching the walls casualy as he went down the dark tunnel leading from the ring.

"come on, come on.... Don't make me send your bookie after you..." krane held out a hand as money was counted into it. He grinned as if he just won the fight himself. "what did I tell you?.... It wouldn't leave the first round...." the man grumbled and walked off as another man took his spot. Krane laughed "there's my man..." he counted out a stack of bills and handed it to the man. "there you go, good doin business.... Our boy is unstopable, eh?" the man nodded counting the money he made on the bet. "yeah.... Ever thought about having him take a dive? Lotta folks betting against him....with him being undefeated." Morgan laughed as he counted out another stack of money. Folding the bills and putting the roll in his pocket he patted the man on the shoulder. "I don't think he'll like that idea too much but I'll ask him.... See ya later, pal." krane said sarcasticly as he collected his last bet and disapeared into the croud to look for haight.

Through the thick rolling fog Gus Candle stepped out into the chilly moist air. He exhaled a thick plume of steam and started walking. The air inside the underground fight stadium was stagnant. Filling his lungs with the salty air gus sighed. He injoyed the freedom that Kranes neglect bought him. Any other general and him and haight would be working day and night on trying to find their target. Gus felt hesitant. He didn't know how rhatigan would react seeing him. Rhatigan knew that the bonelotus wouldn't let him rest. Gus was torn. He had loyaltys to the bonelotus, but rhatigan had saved his life countless times. Rhatigan was one of the best generals that gus had ever worked under. He was also one of the best skilled and most powerfull battle mage he had ever seen. Some of the bonelotus wizards never left their libraries. Walking slowly gus could hear someone yelling. Looking up the street he noticed a witchhunter on a pay phone. Staying hidden, gus smirked. "a fuckin warden?...." gus stood far enough away so that he could hear the mans conversation. As the witchhunter stormed off down the street Gus stepped out into the streetlight. "looking for the same as me, mr. Warden? I hope you find what your looking for before we do...." further down the water front Gus came to a large pier and decided to sit down. He had seen the graveyard island out in the bay from up on the hills durring the sunny days. He figured that if he sat and thought to himself long enough a path to his goal would present itself. He was right.

Rhatigan drove the motorized boat back to the south saltwood docks with his row boat in tow behind. Him and sheriff Scarborough made small talk the whole way. As they pulled up to the dock where Scarborough found the boat they shook hands. "word travels fast around here. I'm gonna stop by a pub and spin a story for the gossiping drunkards." rhatigan smirked. "thanks.... Tell em that I was out there practicing for shooting at tresspassers." James stepped off the boat and nodded. "sounds good to me.... Take care Rhatigan... " the sherif walked off with a slight salute and rhatigan changed boats. Before he could sit down and row back into the fog a very familiar and unexpected voice called out from the dock. "....that you crow man?..."

[rhatigan]

Rhatigan stood almost frozen. That voice was one he thought he would never hear again. It was a voice that he was glad to hear at the same time it filled him with dread. "never gonna be the same here...." he said to himself silently then forced a smile on his face. "that's right, Mister Candle.. Y'got me...." rhatigan stayed standing in the boat unsure of Gus' intentions. "its been too long... " gus smiled as he steppedd into the orange pool of light from a hanging lamp on the pier. "your right... Way too long...."rhatigan agreed. Gus Candle was a hard man to read. Seeing him smile through his poker face was rare. But rhatigan knew the man long enough to tell that it was a genuine smile. "I've been looking for ya.... People in this town don't give up secrets willingly do they?..." gus slid his hands into the front pockets of his puffy vest. Rhatigan raised his head and smirked. "now when you say "you've been looking for me" do you mean just "you"?.... Or the lotus?" gus puckered his lips. "to be honest, its the bonelotus. I was hoping to find you before them.... Or that witchhunter. I'm not gonna rat you out..... Care to take a walk? I need to hit up an apothicary... " rhatigan sighed and stepped. out of his boat onto the dock. "sure.... But you are following me...." rhatigan tied off his boat and looked at his old second in command. "you look good..... Who are you working under these days?". Gus lowered his head and chuckled, "Krane... They asigned him to finding you and figured that your old men knew you best and could find you easily.... Turns out its takes almost a decade to pick the right city and another two months to find you in it.... " rhatigan steped up onto the dock and extended a hand for Gus to shake. If gus was going to attack him he would have done it already. As gus shook rhatigans hand rhatigan smirked "what took ya so long?...." rhatigan started walking and Gus followed along side. Gus groaned. "friggen krane and haight..... Krane found a way to make money off of haight in a semi reasonable fasion.... " rhatigan smirked at the mention of haight mcbroken. If haight was in saltwood he would already be aquainted with the cities underground culture. "what's that? Mugging people?" rhatigan joked but gus answered anyway. "bare knuckle boxing.... I believe I've been the only agent from the bonelotus to be activly tracking you....." rhatigan patted Gus on the shoulder. "makes me feel special...." gus nodded. "strange as it may seem, the bone lotus may have forgotten about you.... Just so long as ass-wipe and Haight stay distracted."

Rhatigan took gus on a winding route up through the southern town. The reached the huge rod iron bridge that crossed the river. There were two lanes for vehicles and a pedestrian lane. Within 25 minuts they came into north town. "now I wonder...." rhatigan said as he looked up at the steeper hill of the north side. "you've obviously figured a way around the black lotus powder. How else could you guys be in this town and not tearing it apart looking for me? I know you Gus. You've got a way....." gus was hesitant. But smirked seeing rhatigan staring right at him. "yeah. I got a way..." gus said after a moment. "Hah!" Rhatigan stood upright and laughed. "were not going any further untill you tell me how..." Gus nodded and took a deep breath in. "I used wierdroot for a while to try and combat the scratching in my skull that I felt while taking the serum they give us after each compleated mission." as Gus talked he ran a hand through the hair on the back of head "and it just made me crazy.... So I detoxed myself for a while. After a week on mixture I created for my self it seemed that although I could still feel the black lotus powder in my chest and viens It wasn't numbing me any more.... I tryed to isolate the main active ingredients over a period of time and found just what worked.... I was taking small amounts of dicloralorna (dy-klora-lore-na) with a dose of amnesiol (am-nes-ee-all) that wouldn't get even get a four year old to forget its name.... No one noticed... So I kept taking them and created a perfect antidote... Haights been taking it for years and he's like a new man... Just as dangerous but free thinking and a lot more pleasant to live with."

rhatigan expected nothing less. "I knew it. When I looked up and saw you just sitting there I knew something was up." rhatigan shook his hand a second time. "good to have you back friend...." as he started walking again rhatigan motioned Gus to follow him up an empty steep street."I don't suppose you care to share your secret on how you look the same as you do." rhatigan laughed at Gus' question. "Magic..... And wierdroot." he admited. "the lotus beat this mantra into my head and every night when the world around me is calming down the mantra starts in my head and I draw black energy to myself subcontiously." rhatigan walked backwards up the hill while facing Gus and explaining. Gus didn't seem to have any difficulty with the steep street "the wierdroot and this jacket keep me from overwhelming myself... Being on silent island helps too." gus slapped rhatigan on the shoulder. "so essentialy your living off death?" rhatigan chuckled but then shook his head. "if you had enough time exposed to the black wind, like anything you understand it better. Its not just death magic. Its what all other energys become once they are spent. Like the chill after a fire goes out." rhatigan could tell that gus was listening, but he was also memorizing the path they took up through north saltwood. "so how are you going to keep the bonelotus prophets from reading your mind?" rhatigan asked as they turned down a narrow ally. gus shrugged. "I suppose that I could take a bunch of amnesiol.... Wipe my head clean of tonight." rhatigan smirked. "good... Because were here..." rhatigan stoped Gus and turned him. "listen to me... If any thing happens to this man after tonight I'm going to come kill you and any one you brought with you...got it?" gus was suprised but nodded. "ok... Then I'm going to take more amnesiol.... You have my word."

[rhatigan]

Rhatigan stoped at a door in the narrow ally and took another look at Gus. "I'm dead serious about this..." gus cut him off. "I get it rhatigan.... Damn.... This secret is safe. I have no idea how we got here anyway." gus said looking up the ally with an uneasy look on his face. Gus hated not knowing things and rhatigan knew it. They stood for a moment then a series of knocks came from the inside of the door. Gus' face showed his suprise with a look of question. "there he is...." rhatigan knocked back and a small eye hole slid open. "ah... Rhatigan!" an excited yet old and withered voice came from behind the door. Close to half a dozen locks and latches began to click and the door swung open just a crack. "I knew you had someone with you.... Who's that?" gus couldn't believe it. "turtles? Holy shit....." the door opened more and an old bald head on a long skinny neck popped out. "Gus Candle!. As I live and breath. Come in... Come in." once they were inside the old man became serious as he started locking the door. "now wait.... You still with the lotus?" gus sighed and admited. "I am...." turtles looked at rhatigan with a look of disbelief. "you brought him here? They're going to read his thoughts... Trace us both here. You've doomed me...."

Before rhatigan could answer gus pulled a small glass bottle from his vest and held it up between him and turtles. Turtles was a shrunken old man, with a slight hunch back. His beak like nose stuck out of his drawn and gaunt face at a downward slant. His bushy eyebrows raised as he quicky took the bottle. Turtles looked at gus glaringly as he opened the bottle and smelled it. "amnesiol?.." he asked smelling the bottle a second time. gus nodded. "For me.".

Turtles personality started to shine after they explained things and he was the same cantankerous old man with the same habit of laughing loudly at his own jokes that Gus remembered. Turtles shop was a converted basement with wooden shelves. On every inch of space were jars, bottles and small boxes. Turtles took a bottle from a shelf and filled the smaller bottle gus brought with him. "why on earth you willingly take amnesiol.... Is beyond me Gus. But..."turtles closed both bottles and handed Gus back his own bottle. "More power to you." he motioned them to follow him while waving a finger at rhatigan. "I know why YOU'RE here... " turtles suddenly remembered something and turned to face rhatigan once they reached a back door. "you know something, son?... I had this strange halucination. And your bird friend was in it. I could tell it was him because his damn laugh.... "heh"." turtles imitated the crow with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I was doing that uh,... That uh, that whole divination thing you showed me. And that fuckin' crow rhatigan." turtles stood upright and poked a finger at rhatigan. "Would you belive he set the whole street on fire and when I caught eyes with him he just laughed and took off." as the old man spoke of what he saw he was looking into the empty air as if he were watching it again while using his hands to paint movements. "this strain is damn potent I tell ya. Next time you come back you let me know if you see any thing strange." he nodded to rhatigan as he turned to unlock the back door.

Turtles led them up a flight of stairs into a large greenhouse. It was an entire backyard between the surounding buildings remade with a pyramid of glass installed over the entire space. "you and your green thumb..." gus remarked seeing the tall rows of countless plant types. Turtles had assembled and maintained a massive herb garden, both medicinal and narcotic. Turtles motioned for them to stay. "I don't want you both to trample my garden. Hold tight...." as turtles tiptoed to a tall wierdroot plant he asked over the rows of herbs. "did you both come here only for some amnesiol and root?" he picked off a large stem with mature buds. The plant itself had a crystal like shimmer to it. "got any dicloralorna?" turtles thought for a moment then laughed as he came back to hand rhatigan the wierdroot. "amnesiol and dicloralorna? Gus.... What the hell are you doing to yourself?"

[Thenician]

The flight seemed to last an eternity. The two hour trip was turned into nearly three by strong headwinds which left the Locust practically running on fumes by the time Saltwood came into view. On the positive side though, the wind had cleared out much of the higher altitude smog from the city, making the elevated airship fueling platforms easier to spot at a distance.

"Sir." The voice of Jiiren Voss alerted Thenician as he entered the pilothouse.

"Yes, Mister Voss?" He acknowledged without turning to face him.

"I was just going through some of our mission documentation." Voss began. "I thought you would be interested to know that there should be other Bonelotus assets present in Saltwood at the moment."

"Do we have need of these assets?"

"No sir." He replied. "But they may have need of us. They are a small group led by a man named Morgan Krane."

Thenician's eyes opened wide as he heard the name. The sudden realization of everything that was about to unfold forming in his mind.

"Apparently they are on a mission-"

"Enough!" Thenician interrupted loudly. "Return to your seat, Mister Voss."

"Sir." Voss replied and left the pilothouse without hesitation.

"He was only doing his job, sir." Francesca commented from her station after Voss left.

"I'm aware." He sighed. "In this particular case, however, I wish he had been a little less diligent."

Thenician was well aware of Morgan's current assignment. It was one he himself had been avoiding for years. Keeping himself busy and the Bonelotus appeased with minor assignments all over the continent. But now that was all over. He would be forced to contact Morgan, and if he had any information, he would be forced to deliver it back to Aurora. He stopped his train of thought there, hoping that maybe Morgan's investigation hadn't uncovered anything yet, and knowing him, he was probably distracted by every brothel and basement casino along the way. Both of which there were plenty of in Saltwood.

"Mister Castle, how much longer?" Thenician asked.

"They are signaling us into one of the North Town platforms right now, sir." He answered. "Should be docked in less than three minutes."

"Good." He sighed before turning to Francesca. "Miss Miles, it seems we will be staying a short while. Would you please make arrangements."

"Sir." She saluted an acknowledgement.

__________________________________________________________________________________________


Within the span of one hour after docking, Thenician, Jiiren, Francesca, and three nameless goons had all changed into civilian clothes and moved from the Locust to the Tin Crown Inn in South Town near the warehouse district. According to Jiiren's sources, this was the place that Morgan and his group were using as their base of operations. Thenician found the place to be small and dingy, and though life with the Bonelotus had spoiled him quite a bit, he remembered spending much of his youth in places just like it. The look on Francesca's face revealed that she had no such prior experience though, as she seemed to be holding in the urge to vomit each time one of the locals made a pass at her. Thenician decided to let Jiiren handle talking to the innkeeper to find out which rooms Morgan was using and arrange for their own rooms as well.

"The innkeeper says he hasn't seen Krane since early this evening when he went out." Jiiren began. "But I explained we were family and he told me which room is his."

"Well done, Mister Voss." Thenician said approvingly. "I want you to take turns in pairs with the men and watch from the bar over there." He pointed at a small bar which at this time of night had a fairly big crowd around it. "It's already late and I'm sure Krane will return by dawn if not before. When you see him, tell him 'the Captain would like a word', hopefully he'll still remember what that means. Go with him to his room and send for me."

"Aye, sir." He saluted.

"And don't salute me when we're disguised as civilians." Thenician sighed as he turned to head to his room.

[rhatigan]

"Hey!" a familiar voice sounded from a few yards away. "what the fuck are you doing out here?...." it was morning on saltwood south side facing the harbor. The grey fog clung to the entire harbor as usual. Only the high noon sun could cause it to finaly disapate. "Gus!.. Wake the fuck up!" Gus Candle sat on a small docking crate on the edge of a wharf facing the few feet of water he could see through the thick fog. His face was pitched into a look of deep confusion. He shook it off and answered over his shoulder. "haight!...." Gus' voice sounded suprised. "c'm over here." Haight had his black hood up over his head and his hands buried in the front pockets. He nudged Gus on the shoulder as he came upon him. "the fuck, man? You been sitting here all morning.?" gus held up a hand to silence haight. "I think I've been sitting here since last night. But wait...." gus didn't take his eyes away from the empty greyness at the end of the wharf. Pointing a finger out over the water as if he were trying to figure some thing out gus talked without looking away. "you ever see that island out there?" haight answered quicky. His voice sounded annoyed allready. "yah, its a fuckin graveyard...so what?" Gus looked at haight and smirked. "I think we should check over there.." haight groaned and pulled Gus by the sleeve. "what the fuck is wrong with you? Let's go.... I've been walking this whole fuckin town.... All fuckin night.... looking for YOUR ass." gus followed haight knowing better than annoying him further. "that's just it haight.... I can't remember last night after leaving your fight.... But I obviosly took some of this.... I was all out of it last I remembered...." he showed haight his bottle of amnesiol that was now full with the exemption of a few doses. "I was following a lead and then its blank.... " gus was staring ahead trying to remember the night before. He woke up at dawn and was trying to remember as if trying to recall a dream. "I think I was with rhatigan but.... Its blank.... Its a friggen blank." gus laughed and patted haight on the arm. "and turtles.... I think I saw turtles." haight snarled. "I hated that old fuck. Glad he died..." gus laughed again. "he's not dead! I saw him last night...." haight stopped walking and put up his hands. "OK!... What the fuck is wrong with you?... You are freaking out and its freaking me out. You're supposed to be the voice of reason here!... Start at the beginning... And if you keep freaking me out, I'm gonna hit you....." haight threatened gus with a fist. Taking a deep breath in Gus put on his poker face knowing it would calm haight down. "ok....so I was talking to this drunk....."

All around were intence flames pouring from every door and window. Hellish gouts of black smoke rose up into the early morning haze. Rhatigan stood in the center of the narrow street staring down into a burning alley connecting to a crumbled building just beyond a small patch of still standing bricks. His face was blank. The intence heat didn't phase him. The lack of oxygen didn't matter. The only sensation rhatigan felt was regret. He couldn't understand what led him to trusting his former soldier. The bone lotus was predictable. But rhatigan still blamed himself. Turtles had a haluciation about rhatigans crow. Maybe it was a glimps into the future and the bird was rhatigan himself. It didn't matter. Rhatigan told gus what would happen. They had to go. There was no room for the bone lotus in saltwood. None that rhatigan could see. Just as rhatigan was about to cast a spell to take him from this living nightmare a voice sounded from down the street."I know what you're thinking....." Turning his head rhatigan emediety made out the shape of a witchhunter standing with a fat black bird perched on his hand. the voice belonged to Charles St Angel. "some one had to pay... And plenty have yet to give their due." st angel threw the bird off into the heated air and the bird quickly flew from the inferno with something dangling from his beak. In the firelight the diamonds in the amulet it carried shone and with a croaking laugh the bird was gone. "you're going to pay necromancer. Pay for my men... Pay for your men..... This whole town is going to be better off without you. that crook you met with at the dock is next for questioning." st angel walked towards rhatigan and drew a gun. "I knew this would lead you here after hearing you talk with him." rhatigan drew his dreadfang dagger from his belt and flipped it over in his grip. "then you obviosly heard my threat to him..... " rhatigan snarled "I'm killing you and any one you brought to my town" st angel laughed bringing the gun up to aim at rhatigan. "now that we've both made our threats.... Let's make good on them." st angel said with a slight shrug and opened fire. In the blink of an eye rhatigan dodged the first two bullets with a simple shadow walking spell causing him to dart in and out of existence. The spell was actualy very hard for rhatigan to cast in the middle of such a blazing inferno. The fire all around blocked the black wind from reaching him. Just as rhatigan started to move foreward one of st angels bullets struck him in the center of his chest. The jacket rhatigan always wore magicly protected him. A flash of energy was triggered by the impact of the bullet and it pulsed through rhatigan faster than lightning. His entire body was forced backwards by the small blast and his jacket caused him to cast a spell on impulse. As rhatigans body fell back, his entire form disintegrated down to a writhing pile of cockroaches. The street was compleately covered in a writhing layer of shiney backed insects. Many excaped down into the sewers and once more than half of them were gone the rest disapeared in tiny whisps of black smoke. St angel stood with his gun raised and ready for another attack but none came. Rhatigan was gone and he was left alone to the roaring flames surrounding him. With a wispered curse St angel marched out of the blaze when he heard the wail of the saltwood fire brigade approaching. As he walked up to the large red truck that made a slowed stop he held up a hand. "I couldn't find any survivors.... Its a sight from hell..." st angel faked a cough and kept walking past the men who started to battle the fire. St angel walked in a beam of the morning sun down a street on the hill talking to himself. "I will bring hell to this entire town if it means getting you...."

[rhatigan]

"Where.... Exactly did you find him?...." a very annoyed looking Morgan krane asked as he leaned against the door way of the Tin crown inn. "like I said. The fuckin docks.... Just sitting there." haight shoved a still lost looking Gus Candle towards the inn. "he keeps goin on about rhatigan... He might have seen him." Morgans face pinched down into a scowl. "might have?" he said stepping closer to get in Gus' face. "I don't like this shit Gus! Get it together. Did you see him or not?" gus simply shook his head. "I can't clearly remember." Morgan emedietly snapped back. "can't clearly remember?! Gus! what kind of unacceptable answer is that?" krane took a step back and looked at Gus with a face of puzzlement. "I'm worried about you, Candle. All this time and you now start to slip?..." gus remained speechless. Morgan sighed and spoke to both haight and Gus. "I want you both to go clean up. Put on something nice. We're to report to a roving general as soon as we can. He's just arrived in town. We can save this matter for later." krane turned and walked back into the inn and haight followed him. Gus took a look around the street to see if anyone around saw him being repromanded. His stomach jumped as he saw the all black uniform of a warden. He remembered seeing that same warden the night before. Ducking quickly into the inn gus closed the front door and headed upstairs. A few memories started coming back to him but he was preoccupied with the anxiety that the warden had followed him and haight. The wardens of heratical defence were a foe that the bonelotus had been avoiding for centurys. For them to be discovered by the wardens brought the fear of punishment by the bonelotus to the front of Gus' mind. "McBroken!..." he shouted pushing open the door to haights room. Haight was getting dressed but quickly drew a gun. Gus never used his last name unless something was terribly wrong. "damnit, what now?" haight asked as gus ran through the room to the window. "I think a fuckin witchhunter followed us....look." gus said waving haight over. haight came to the window and took a deep breath in. He suddenly exclaimed as his eyes fell on St Angel standing across the street. "fuck!... " haight tapped the barrel of his gun again his own nose. His face locked with suprised contemplation. "I fuckin hate witchhunters." haight snarled from behind his gun. gus lowered the curtain and pulled haight away from the window. "just lay low and play it cool. If we kill him, fifty more will take his place...all looking for who plugged their friend.... When we leave to meet with this general that krane was talking about, we just have to make sure he doesn't see us...." haight let out a frustrated sigh and nodded. "Gus. I'm glad that you know how I think... Just lay off the amnesiol for me..." gus nodded with a smirk and left haights room.

Rhatigan wasn't the type of man that let things bother him but this witchhunter crossed the line. Down in a open chamber deep in the sewers of saltwood rhatigan paced back and forth in the damp musky darkness. Rhatigan did more than pace. He was performing a sort of moving meditation that he created using the movements of spell casting combined with swift physical attack movements and smooth flowing hand motions. He was charging himself using the black wind of magic, drawing it to fill the room around him. As rhatigan got deeper into his meditation his movements became faster and more fierce. he was weaving shadows into a thick Smokey material around himself and his limbs began to crackle with an arcane energy. The time he spent doing this cleared his mind compleatly. He wasn't concerned with the wardens or the bonelotus. The world above didn't phase him, matter or even exist to him after close to 10 solid minuts of this intence meditation He let the churning and roaring blackness slow itself Down and settle to remain in the dank and moist air. Both of rhatigans hands were glowing with a pale blue light and crackling with small flickers of blue electricity. Raising a single pointer finger rhatigan opened his eyes. His glowing hand illuminated a constellation of slowly moving orbs of light that lit up through out the inky dark. He shuffled around chanting silently to himself, Pulling the blue orbs to his palms and absorbing them one by one. This part didn't do much other than keep rhatigans mind occupied. He didn't want to formulate a revenge plan just yet. Maybe talking to Scarborough again would answer a few questions. As rhatigan absorbed the lights in the chamber his thoughts slowly drifted back. When the last orb remained he stood before it for a long second. Its cold blue light occasionsly eclipsed by clouds and dark whisps of black smoke. Upon extinguishing the final light rhatigan took off like a shot. He morphed into a dart of pure darkness and bolted through the sewers. The thick cloud of blackness was sucked out of the chamber behind him. He needed to get to silent island and wait for his next move as well as arm himself. He was recharged and determined to pay St angel back.