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hudine · 8 months

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This one is something I’m working on. Not on AO3 yet because I want to have a good portion of the story already wrote. It’s about Jaskier and others becoming Witchers. In Jaskier’s case because his family is cursed that the second son ends up being taken for training to become Witchers. The only reason this never happened to Jaskier was because no one was making Witcher’s anymore. Also Jaskier’s father Alfred Pankratz isn’t exactly who Jaskier thought he was either. Working title atm is Second Son’s Legacy. Has potential to become a warlord AU just not the typical one with the typical characters and so on.

Warnings: Cannon? What’s Cannon?

Part 2

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Geralt was preparing to return to the path, planning to meet Jaskier in Oxenfurt in a few weeks. This would be the second year that the bard insisted on joining him since their fateful meeting in Posada. Last year, Jaskier had shown up uninvited after tracking Geralt down. This time, Geralt had decided to rendezvous with him intentionally, ostensibly to keep the bard from getting injured while searching for him. At least, that's what he kept telling himself—not that he actually enjoyed Jaskier's company.

"Wolf, grab your sword and come with me. A group is approaching the keep. The others are already taking their positions," Vesemir interrupted, pulling Geralt from his thoughts.

"What? How is that possible? The pass should be closed for another week," Geralt said, trailing behind Vesemir.

"I'm not sure, perhaps the weather's been milder than we thought. Just stand behind me and look intimidating," Vesemir advised.

They waited at the gate. Before long, they spotted a group walking up the path. One member held a long stick with a large pair of white ladies' bloomers tied to the top, serving as a makeshift white flag. Vesemir visibly relaxed as he seemed to recognize some faces.

"Do I even want to know where you found ladies' underwear up here, Alfie? It must be harder to locate those than an actual flag. Is that your younger brother Boris? And your nephew Derek? Ah, Gweld, Merck, good to see you're both alive, especially after going MIA since the sacking," Vesemir greeted them.

"We stepped away from the path… separately. We thought it was for the best," Merck mumbled, looking down.

"I don't care if you joined a traveling circus and became clowns," Vesemir retorted. "You could have at least sent word that you were alive. We've been mourning you."

"But we left the path," Gweld started, his voice trailing off at the stern look on Vesemir's face.

"Forget the bloody path! I've lost too many people to care about that as long as you're alive!" Vesemir exploded. "Now go run twenty laps for causing us all to worry."

"Twenty laps…" Merck began. Gweld, who was roughly the same age as Geralt and one of the few who had survived his training year, started moving. Merck, who was only a century younger than Vesemir, followed reluctantly.

"Don't make it thirty and an hour on the training dummies," Vesemir warned in a dangerously quiet voice.

"Yes, Master Vesemir," Gweld responded, pulling Merck along to start their laps.

"You haven't lost your touch, I see," said Alfie, who had been holding the makeshift flag.

"Just because you were one of our mages doesn't make you immune to drills," Vesemir shot back, still visibly annoyed.

"Sorry for my absence. I was hiding from the Brotherhood. They disliked that Witcher mages were outside their control. I arrived here like everyone else, but that year they wanted an apprentice mage more than a Witcher. So, I was trained by the mages at the keep. The Brotherhood also resented that we trained mages in-house, so they fanned the flames of discontent until the pogroms occurred," Alfie explained.

"At least tell me the children you portaled out with are safe," Vesemir said, his posture sagging. He had instructed Alfie to escape with the youngest children, those who hadn't undergone the Trial of the Grasses yet.

"Yes, they're safe, and I found good homes for them. Being the brother of a Duke has its advantages. He used his influence with the king to grant me a small holding in Kerack and even arranged a marriage for me. I was concerned about having a second son due to the Pankratz curse, which tends to turn second, sometimes third, sons into Witchers. Luckily, I ended up as one of the mages instead," Alfie continued.

"And did you have a second son?" Vesemir inquired.

"Yes, his name is Julian. We're a lot alike, and we don't always get along. Since no one is making Witchers anymore, he chose to become a bard. He's been following your pup Geralt," Alfie replied.

"Wait, Jaskier is Julian? I suspected he was nobility by his demeanour, but to think he's the son of one of our own mages," Geralt said, visibly stunned.

"He's also half-fae on his mother's side, which explains his talents as a bard. He has a fae's gift for charm and eloquence. He's technically a legitimised bastard. Surprisingly, my wife didn't mind when he showed up on our doorstep. She fell in love with him instantly. I suspect he might be her favourite, but let's keep that between us when we find him," Alfie confided.

"Find him?" Vesemir asked.

"He's gone missing. His friends at Oxenfurt have no idea where he is, either. He simply didn't show up to teach his classes one day. My eldest son's twin boys, who are ten, are also missing, along with my daughter's second son. In fact, everyone accompanying me here has missing family members who still maintain some connection to their family origins," Alfie elaborated.

"That explains why you have a few from the Cat, Bear, Crane, and Manticore schools with you," Vesemir concluded.

"We're here to find out if any of the Wolves or Griffins, since they reside here now, are still in contact with their families. We want to make sure everything's alright with them," Alfie confirmed.

"Alright, boys! Stand down and return to your tasks! It seems we don't have an attack on our hands," Vesemir called out. Up until that moment, only he and Geralt had been visible, but now Witchers began to emerge from their various hiding spots. Some were tucked away in clever alcoves, others had makeshift hideouts, and a few had even buried themselves in the snow. All told, there were around twenty.

Lambert cautiously approached, brushing snow off himself. "I still keep in touch with my sister. She says she's old now, especially since she became a grandmother. I visited my hometown a few decades ago, not to see family, but to hunt a vampire. She knocked the vampire out with a frying pan when it attacked her daughter. She then yelled at me, reminding me that I'm still her baby brother and should visit more often. I've been going back every year since."

Vesemir raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Seems like I chose the wrong child surprise from that house. A frying pan, you say?"

"I swear by Melitele it's true! I just hope the kids and their kids are safe. Do you have any idea what's happening to the victims?" Lambert inquired.

"We're not entirely sure, but we suspect someone is trying to create more Witchers. My research notes were stolen, and I believe Stregobor might be involved, possibly working with Nilfgaard," Alfie responded. "You see, just before the sacking, we had a breakthrough in understanding why some survive the Trials while others don't. It boils down to genetics and bloodlines."

"So that's why they're targeting Witchers’ families. But how could anyone trace that? Most of us were too young to remember where we came from," Geralt mused.

"You've never brought a child here, so you wouldn't know," Vesemir began.

"Even though we claim neutrality, our schools are on lands governed by some king or another. We're obligated to follow certain laws, including record-keeping. Most kingdoms required us to document the boys' origins—names, places, dates, and so on. The capital cities also kept copies of these ledgers. It was simply easier to comply than to defy a monarch and risk conflict," Alfie explained.

"Let's move this conversation inside. It's cold out here, and I'm sure our guests and mage would appreciate a warmer setting after their journey," Vesemir suggested, leading everyone into the keep.

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#the witcher #jaskier #geraskier #geralt x jaskier #geralt of rivia #fanfiction #fanfic #canon? what’s cannon?#no Ciri #im sorry #just this happens before the whole child surprise event so throws that off

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onceandfutureoshainspector · 2 years

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- took some more MED-X to survive the insane number of high-level SUPER MUTANTS i just encountered. got addicted for the first time in this timeline, but i used some ADDICTOL so i’m fine.

- more of concern is the fact that i’ve apparently had MOLERAT DISEASE this entire damn time and didn’t realise it because i never look at this part of the menu.

- i’m guessing i picked this up in VAULT 81? that would explain why there was that whole thing with the option for me to keep the PANACEA for myself. ten hitpoints really doesn’t seem like a whole lot though - not enough of a detriment to kill a kid over, unless it has effects not listed here.

- haven’t i already grabbed one of these for the BROTHERHOOD? i’m starting to think that these sidequests are probably infinite, i can just keep doing more of them as long as i keep the big boss happy. in that case i think i’ll finish this other one near the GLOWING SEA real quick and start doing something else for a while.

- Oh Good, More Friends :(

- wonder why an OVERLORD is outranked by a WARLORD? probably just SUPER MUTANTS not being very bright, but still.

- turns out i had nothing to worry about with getting this close to the GLOWING SEA, looking closer at my map tells me that i’ve actually already cleared this location - this is where i saw my first VERTIBIRD crash, right across the river from the ring girl’s treehouse.

- took no time at all to snipe the boss and finish the mission. it is taking considerably more time to hide until the underlings forget i exist and i can fast travel again.

- ah well, i can see a Thing of some description, may as well sneak up and check it out while i wait.

#i think it's like a statue or something #will keep y'all posted #FALLOUT 4: THE RESURRECTION OF OSHA #fallout 4

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niqhtlord01 · 3 years

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Humans are weird: The Hand of Andromeda Ch. 2 ( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps) (New chapters will be posted first to patreon and then moved here)

The Ageis system was not what one would consider a pinnacle world of civilization in an age of interstellar travel. At best it was a backwater system deep in unclaimed space between the Rylon Collective and Havatal Republic the system with only one habitable planet, Ageis Prime.

The planet itself was largely barren, consisting of entire continents of jagged rocks and acidic seas. Only a small belt of land near the equator was remotely capable of sustaining life and supported small clusters of forests isolated from the harsh surrounding landscape.

First development of the planet was made by the Xlaxon Mining Guild when a remote probe of theirs scanned the system and found valuable minerals scattered around the planet. Shortly after a group of indentured laborers were imported to the planet and a mining operation was established, initially consisting of a landing pad, machine shop, processing facility, and several other living quarters.

Just as the operation was about to get underway however the Xlaxon Mining Guild found itself drawn into what is now known as the “Guild Wars”, which were a series of escalating conflicts fought between rival mining organizations. To put it mildly the Xlaxon’s did not last long and were quickly consumed by a larger guild. In the confusion of the guild wars the newly establish mining operation on Ageis Prime was lost in paperwork and quickly became further isolated from the rest of the galaxy.

With no overseers left and a semi functional colony all to themselves the newly transplanted workers began to form their own society on the planet and carved out a small patch of the planet they could call their own. It was nothing to brag about, but given their limited resources they made due. Several years passed before the planet would encounter a small group of mercenaries that would change their destiny forever.

A group of mercenaries calling themselves “The Fishermen” landed on the planet, which had now grown into a dense urbanized city, looking to finally establish a base of operations. There was initial resentment from the inhabitants as the established ruler of the planet, a self-proclaimed warlord known as “Kevin the Heartless”, ordered his enforcers to drive off the mercenaries. The battle was swift and the better trained and armed mercenaries easily overpowered the enforcers with the struggle finally ending when the warlord himself had his head bitten off and spit out by the mercenary’s Predatorian leader.

The inhabitants were surprised to find their new overlord was much more merciful than they had expected. While the mercenaries did establish themselves on the planet they also brought with them a vast amount of wealth from numerous sources. The normal baggage train of any military group flocked to the planet and set up shop. Bars, brothels, weapons dealers, mechanic shops, and even an official branch of the intergalactic bank quickly set up as the mercenary band began to sell out their services. As their fame grew the group not only enriched themselves but oddly enough began investing in the planets community’s as well.

Schools and hospitals were built for the growing population, a new police force and government system was established for official recognition and participation by the people of Ageis Prime, and most beneficial of all were several terraforming towers that were installed around the planet which began replacing the harsh world with an increasingly comfortable climate. With all of these improvements the general population lauded the Fishermen and heaped praise after praise on to them.

In the span of three years Ageis Prime had gone from a forgotten backwater to the galactic hub of the dead zone of unclaimed space; a pillar of civilization in the dark void of forgotten space.

Yet for all their generosity, the Fishermen still controlled everything from the shadows. It was an unspoken law of the land that nothing of importance was done without their leader’s approval. Even to run in an election a nominee had to first come see their boss and present him or herself to see if they’d amuse the Predatorian; if he didn’t find them amusing than they were expected to drop out, lest an unfortunate accident befall them.

At any given time the mercenary group was contracted out between ten to fifteen jobs ranging from basic security details for high value personnel and facilities, to waging wars on distant planets on part of an ad hoc detachment. This abundance of work was rather common as both the Rylon Collective and Havatal Republic lacked the means to enforce their wills in the unclaimed systems between their two borders. This didn’t even come close to the dozen or so different criminal groups that inhabited this unclaimed space who were always in need of additional muscle.

There were of course rival organizations to the Fishermen such as the Abvara Syndicate, Pelpens Pirates, the Brotherhood of Orion, and the Band of the Hig who each had their own sizable forces; yet each of them were constantly switching between periods of stability and bloody internal struggles for leadership. This facet was not seen inside the Fishermen thanks not only to their structuring, but also to the visionary leader that formed and continued to lead the group even now.

Sitting at the very top of the organization was the Predatorian, a massive mound of raw muscle, sharpened teeth, and with a twisted sense of humor only psychopaths could fully appreciate. Rising from a former slave he had first formed the Fishermen from the same slaves he was freed alongside during a bloody slave uprising. After taking control of ship that had once held them captive he steered it to the nearest port and sold it off, then used the funds to train and equip the slaves into a standard fighting force.

His name was Mr. B.

No one in the organization knew if that was his real name or not but what they did know was not to mock it. The last person that did had their fingers bitten off one at a time by Mr. B before they were thrown out on to the street. Mr. B later said that hearing all their jokes about his name had made him hungry for some “finger food”. He was ruthlessly efficient in his work and he expected that from all those under him. His combat experience was rivaled only by the commando units of the galactic governments. Yet for all his combat talent and training he was not as skilled when it came to logistics and the day to day operations common for such a large group. Thus he was greatly benefited by his second in command who was aptly proficient in such matters at such a young age.

A nine and a half year old human child named Lizzy Stalwart.

If there was little known about Mr. B there was even less known about his adopted daughter Lizzy Stalwart. Freed from the same slave ship Mr. B had been previously held, she had been by his side ever since. Rumor was she had been the one to trigger the mass unlocking of cells on the ship which led to the ship wide revolt of slaves against their captors.

While Mr. B handled the military aspects of the group it was Lizzy that managed the books. She had a keen insight for numbers and was always able to keep the group well-armed and fed as they went contract to contract. A common saying among the grunts of the organization was that you’d never run out of blood with Mr. B, and never run out of bullets with Lizzy Stalwart.

Despite his brutish demeanor, Mr. B had a natural soft spot for Lizzy and he had taken her under his fin so to speak and had come to see her as his daughter. The two of them were set to take on whatever the galaxy could throw at them, and they had an army behind them to throw it right back for payback.

The transport shuttle slowly descended to street level before killing the thrusters. The bus driver checked his systems and pulled open the door latch to the street.

“Fisher HQ!” they called out to the passengers behind them.

Vick grabbed his satchel bag and hefted it over his should as he stood up and made his way to the door.

“Let me guess,” the bus driver said as he finally reached the front; his eyes taking him in for a moment before he smirked, “trying to swim with the big boys?”

Vick smiled at the man as he got off but didn’t answer him. The shuttle thrusters kicked back on and the craft once again rose upwards into the air before speeding off down the road leaving Vick in the billowing cloud of dust it left behind.

He coughed several times and swiped the dust from his eyes before the cloud parted and revealed his final destination; the headquarters of the mercenary Fisherman.

It was a vast compound just outside of the city limits easily taking up nine city blocks in size. It held its own private landing pads, medical facilities, housing and training grounds, munition depots and manufactures... It was like an entire city itself dedicated to killing for money.

From the moment he had quit his dead end job as a dish washer of Veega Ce, Vick Novikov had thought of nothing but this moment. He had spent every credit he had ever saved to purchase his passage off world and the compact pistol strapped to his right thigh.

No longer would he be looked down on by those around him, no longer would people shove him out of their way as if he was garbage in the street, no longer would kids throw fucking rocks at him and laugh like the little shits they were.

Today Vick was going to become someone new, someone better, someone to be respected and feared.

Today, Vick was going to become a Fisherman.

#HUMANS ARE WEIRD #humans are insane #humans are space orcs #humans are space oddities #story #Hand of Andromeda

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vintagegeekculture · 4 years

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Who are the “Venoms Mob?”

Well, first things first: if you go to China and talk about the 5 Venoms, or the Venoms Mob, they’ll have absolutely no idea who you’re talking about there, because that’s a fandom-term among US Kung Fu cult movie fans.

In Hong Kong, the Venoms are known as director Chang Cheh’s Weapons Expert Troupe, a group of five lifelong friends, martial artists, bodybuilders, exotic weapons experts, and trained acrobats who did at least a dozen movies for manly man Kung Fu director Chang Cheh in the 1970s and 1980s. They were the real deal: they usually choreographed their own fight scenes, which often involved flips and crazy stunts due to their acrobat training, high-wire acts, and unusual and exotic weaponry not typically seen even in martial arts movies. It’s like every single one of them drank the Captain America potion. Their films tended to end in heroic sacrifices, and the Venoms, for all their athleticism and daring, tended to be identifiable people on the bottom end of the societal ladder: homeless drifters, refugees, itinerant hobos, traveling performers, or restaurant workers.

The Venoms were stars in the US, particularly among the black community who love Chinese martial arts movies, not just because of their truly breathtaking skill and choreography, but because they are how most people feel they are, secretly, deep down: rams among sheep. They are the poor, downtrodden, or average person who decides “not to take it anymore” after untold indignities. This is also why the Venoms are especially important to the black community. In fact, if you want to know how much the Venoms mean to their fans, just go up to nearly any Black Dad over 45+ and ask about the “5 Venoms.”

Chang Cheh, Director of the Venoms

The best way to describe the director and writer of the Venoms films, Chang Cheh is that he is basically Mac from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia if he decided to make Gladiator and loved Sergio Leone and Kurasawa.

The director and writer of the Venoms movies, and maybe the most significant name in the history of Kung Fu cinema apart from Bruce Lee, Chang Cheh was towering enough that Quentin Tarantino dedicated Kill Bill Part 2 to Chang Cheh in the closing credits. It would not be inaccurate to say he invented the Kung Fu movie as we know it, with its training montages, mentor-student relationships, all cut with themes of vengeance, noble self-sacrifice, and rebellion of poor and ordinary people against unjust authority.

Chang Cheh’s life story is fascinating. His father was a warlord during the Republican Era between the World Wars, which must have made for an interesting school career day. He started as a film critic and became a screenwriter, then from being a screenwriter, became a director. I wonder if that is the reason that Chang Cheh was so fascinated by themes of masculinity and male bonding, as the arty, openly gay movie critic son of a central Asian warlord had a nearly impossible standard of masculinity to live up to.

The two Western movies that are, thematically, the closest to Chang Cheh are Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan, and if you like both of those movies, you’ll probably like him. His heroes are often James Dean-like angry young men, poor and at the outskirts of society. His movies tend to end in heroic self-sacrifice for a noble cause, and tend to have themes of vengeance, arty blood red slaughter, and a distrust of authority and government of any kind. He loves bloodshed and thinks violence is beautiful; an image that comes up often is someone in an all white outfit that gets covered in blood, an arty view of violence similar to his two biggest influences, Sergio Leone and Kurosawa. Like the Shawshank Redemption, Chang Cheh movies are essentially ensemble pieces about the friendships and close comradely bonds of brotherhood between men. Very few women of any kind have extensive speaking parts in his movies.

Another movie that also summarizes Chang Cheh would be 300. Remember that Sarah Silverman bit where she said that “300 is the answer to the question, how gay is this movie on a scale of 1 to 10?” Not just because it is about an entirely male cast, or about finding fulfillment in noble self-sacrifice and heroism Alamo-style against desperate odds, but also because it’s about glorifying the male body, with tons of abs and pecs. I suppose I should mention here that Chang Cheh’s movies are profoundly homoerotic, and discussion of their homoeroticism is the major way film academics talk about these movies. How many scenes in Cheh’s movies are about dudes hanging out with their shirts off, flexing their muscles? Or about “brothers” who clasp each other on the shoulder while looking longingly into each other’s eyes in a shot-reverse shot? The only meaningful relationship in his movies are male ones. I dislike passing on cheap gossip, but by all accounts it’s actually an open secret in the Hong Kong film industry that Chang Cheh was homosexual and lived with other men.

Yi Kuang -Screenwriter of the Venoms

The screenwriter of nearly all the Venoms movies, much like Chang Cheh, Yi Kuang had an interesting life. He was a Communist Party officer who went to Inner Mongolia, where his primary job was writing death sentences for landlords. Once idealistic, he left disillusioned with the Chinese Communist Party, and a remained a die-hard anticommunist. Evil bureaucrats tend to show up in his stories often for that reason, and a common theme of his scripts is the anger of ordinary people against distant, unapproachable authorities. There’s no understanding Venoms films without their screenwriter. Chang Cheh started as a screenwriter and wrote his movies, but Yi Kuang was his most frequent partner.

Interestingly, Yi Kuang got famous long after for writing a series of supernatural and horror novels called the Mr. Wisely books, where a traditional Chinese medicine expert fights for sites of power charged with Feng Shui. It’s interesting to see his turn to the supernatural, sorcery, and ghosts as an overreaction to his distaste for Marxist materialism. Of all the Venoms films, the one that shows his influence the strongest was the one the Venoms fight an evil human sacrifice devil cult, Masked Avengers.

The Hero – Kuo Chui

A guy with a big smile and a body carved out of marble, Kuo Chui started as a circus acrobat before becoming a stuntman and then a leading actor. He was the Venom with the strongest and most natural screen presence, the one that was the most “movie star.” In fact, he was almost always the hero and central character of Venoms movies, usually playing the most levelheaded and strategic minded of the group.

Kuo Chui deserves some credit also for being the one Venom to actually direct a movie himself, Ninja in the Deadly Trap. This sounds like a heck of a leap, but in Hong Kong, nearly all choreographers also direct their fight scenes. It’s no surprise that a common career path in Hong Kong cinema is to go from choreographer to director (see also Chang Cheh’s ex-choreographers, Tang Chia and 36 Chambers director Liu Chia Liang)

The Bad Guy – Lu Feng

Every single movie, Lu Feng was the heel, the bad guy. I mean, heck, in Shaolin Rescuers, he even played the evil apprentice of the supreme supervillain of the martial arts, Pai Mei! But no matter what, Lu Feng was just so cool that you couldn’t help but root for him just a little bit. He was a character type common in pro wrestling: the arrogant “cool heel,” like Rick Flair and the Horsemen.

The Venoms tended to be workaday regular poor guys, but Lu Feng usually played a rich guy who oozed arrogance and menace, rather like the evil rich football player heel in college movies.

The Funny Guy – Chiang Sheng

A guy who usually played the funny young hero or a wisecracking comedy sidekick prone to wiseassery and pratfalls, Chiang Peng was the Venom who most benefited from the rise of Jackie Chan, and his introduction of silent film era inspired physical comedy into the otherwise stale Kung Fu film. Like Robin Williams, Chiang Shiang was someone who made everyone else laugh, but because he had a lot of darkness inside him, which ended up killing him. Chiang Sheng is the only Venom to not be with us, he drank himself to death after his divorce in 1991. Because of this, there can never really be a full Venoms reunion.

One of the most amazing things about Hong Kong cinema in the 70s is that the actors tended to have scraggly teeth that aren’t perfect and that seemed to be Chang Shieng’s defining trait. To be clear, I am not in any way mocking him for having bad teeth. In fact, I think it is rather winsome and endearing, like a teenager with braces.

The Tough Guy – Lo Meng

Known as the “Shaolin Hercules,” the person I’d compare Lo Meng to is Mr. Worf. Ultra-strong, humorless, intimidating, dead serious and never smiling, he was by far the most muscular and powerful of the Venoms, with tons of machismo and swagger, “big dick energy” as the kids say today. The camera tends to linger on his oiled up biceps and chest in extreme close-up…but was also, usually, the first to die in nearly all of these films. Much like how Worf was the toughest guy ever, but usually got beat up a lot so the writers could show that the situation was serious. In fact, Lo Meng, still in great shape, was in Ip Man 4, where, not one to break with a tradition, he was the first guy to get his ass beat in the film, even in a movie made in the Year of Our Lord 2020.

Lo Meng tends to be the “backup main hero” and was even the main character in films like 2 Champions of Shaolin. He had the most impressive “solo” film career apart from the other Venoms. Like Geri Halliwell, he left the Venoms to do his own thing, which is why the defining trait of the later Venom films is that he wasn’t there.

Lo Meng wasn’t Taiwanese like the other Venoms, and was a native of Hong Kong. In fact, he got his start in the film industry not as a stuntman or muscleman, but as an accountant for the Shaw Brothers studios, and he lifted weights and did Praying Mantis Kung Fu as a hobby. That’s…that’s hilarious. Reminds me of that fake Simpsons movie, Undercover Nerd with Renier Wolfcastle:

The Wild Card – Chun Shieng

Would YOU trust this man? I wouldn’t. He betrayed the Toad!

That’s Chun Shieng for you, the wild card Venom who could “go either way” and so wasn’t an entirely trustworthy ally.

Allow me to correct a misconception I’ve seen in a lot of places: Chun is sometimes known as “the one Korean Venom.” He isn’t Korean but Chinese, but he was trained in Korea and is a Tae Kwon Do expert, unlike the other Venoms, who studied Chinese Kung Fu and Peking Opera. And it certainly shows: he always fights with a kick-heavy Tae Kwon Do style that does not look much like any Kung Fu at all.

#kung fu #martial arts #shaw brothers #70s #5 venoms

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sepublic · 4 years

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Barraki

The Powers That Be are those Xians who reign above the rest. They are the most powerful of Xia’s elite, upper-class; Members of its upper-echelon of society who hold great dominion and control over various facets of Xian existence. These range from the duplicitous Roodaka, CEO of the all-powerful Vortixx Industries; To Turaga Dume, the powerful and authoritarian dictator of Artidax; And Nicron, the incredibly wealthy banker and economist of Stelt.

But amongst the Powers That Be, there exists a group of six individuals; Hidden beings elusive from the sight of the public and even most Xian nobles. These select six have had their faces hidden for millennia, and are the most powerful of the Powers That Be. Even the likes of Roodaka and Dume must bow before their absolute and total power, because these shadowed figures control the Codrex; The Eternal Engine and Xia’s primary source of power. No army could hope to match theirs if it doesn’t have any power to run on, and for this reason and more, these six individuals reign supreme as the most powerful Xians in existence, and arguably Xia’s true ‘kings’.

Their name? The Barraki- The warlords of Xian past, who led and fought their armies in the War of Six Kingdoms… Approximately eight-hundred years ago.

Centuries ago, before Xia began its industrial revolution, there existed six warlords of rising power; Pridak, Ehlek, Carapar, Kalmah, Mantax, and Takadox. These up-start conquerers succeeded in building empires larger than any other seen in Xian history, absorbing and assimilating neighboring kingdoms into their arsenal and establishing total control. Their famed visages were spread across their respective empires, with statues and offerings and other forms of tribute dedicated to them. The six Barraki were regarded as the most powerful Xians in all the land, and to some, were practically gods.

The Barraki were momentous, with all of Xia more or less gathered beneath at least one of them; Something never before seen with any other empires in history. A select few groups retained independence, such as the nomadic Skull Raiders or the northern kingdom of Iconox; But generally speaking, wherever one stepped, they would be within the borders of a Barraki’s empire.

Predictably, the Barraki were not sated with just a sixth of Xia; And upon encountering the empires of one another, declared war. Each hoped to have total control over the entire island, and be forever remembered throughout Xia as THE Xian Emperor. Thus ensued the War of Six Kingdoms, by far Xia’s bloodiest and most brutal conflict. Young soldiers were freshly-churned out and slaughtered, villages and cities erected before being burned down, as the Barraki directed the entirety of their kingdoms’ efforts towards conquest.

But one day, just as the War of Six Kingdoms began to reach a stalemate; The Barraki vanished, seemingly from thin air. Decapitated and leaderless, their empires collapsed as others attempted to take control in the ensuing vacuum of power. Six kingdoms fractured into many more, and eventually, the dust settled and Xia resumed its normal business prior to the creation and expansion of the Barraki.

Shortly afterwards, Xia’s industrial revolution began. Inventors and engineers began devising brilliant schematics for powerful machines that could change the face of Xian industry, mechanizing the process of mass-production. Factories were built and devised, and complex technology and lights spread that relied on electricity and other intricate forms of energy to be fueled. Xia itself became engulfed in this wave of technology, reliant on the machines that made up the island itself; And in turn, the entire island of Xia became dependent on the Codrex, the Eternal Engine that powered it all.

Despite conspiracy theories, the Barraki did not die; If anything, they ascended. Rumors of a massive ‘treasure’ at the core of Xia, a secret worth dying over, reached their ears. Eager for an advantage over the others, the Barraki set out in the dead of night with a small group of their most trusted followers and attendants, and explored the caverns below Xia. There, they came across one another, and after a brief conflict, the six Barraki headed off alone to Xia’s core.

There, they found a titanic, metallic sphere; An ancient machination potentially older than Xia itself, located within its heart. Entranced, the six Barraki recognized that they had found something larger and grander than even all of them combined; And so they reached out and touched it.

Like the Great Forge of Okoto, the Codrex activated –or perhaps reactivated- at the touch of six, powerful souls. In a burst of energy, the Codrex’s mechanisms began to turn, generating pure energy that had no outlet to go, building up.

Upon being struck by the flash of energy, the Barraki were changed. Like the Mask Makers who awakened the Great Forge, they were imbued with pure Life energy that rendered them immortal beings with superhuman qualities and attributes. Feeling the raw power coursing through their veins, the Barraki realized they had found Xia’s greatest secret; And like any secret, it would cease to be a secret if everyone knew of it.

A quiet agreement was made over blood that night, signed with the massacre of all their nearby attendees and servants to keep quiet. The six immortal Barraki agreed to go into hiding; It seemed that the best way to rule Xia with the Codrex was to do it from the shadows. If their subjects saw them last eternally throughout the decades without aging, inevitably people would try to find out the truth of their immortality; And in turn, they would learn of the Codrex. Thus, the Barraki must remain hidden, to the chagrin of some like Pridak or Kalmah- Although Mantax and Takadox were perfectly fine with this.

Through proxies and puppets, they contacted engineers and inventors. By analyzing the Codrex’s ancient mechanisms, these inventors were able to reverse-engineer the Eternal Engine and create advanced forms of technology. A great city was established and founded, right above the Codrex, and its powerful machines and factories all got their power from massive underground cables connected to the Eternal Engine below. The Barraki began to rule through proxy, puppet-leaders, often assassinating minions once they had reached their usefulness and trading them out for fresh blood; No one could truly be trusted at this point.

And as that famous city of legend grew and expanded, the knowledge of its technology spread. The rest of Xia began to industrialize, and more cities allied with that City of Legends, sharing in its massive swathes of infinite energy, none the wiser as to its source. All of Xia became rooted in technology, separating further into a strict lower and upper-class. To compete with anyone else, a Xian must have powerful technology; But that technology was useless without an energy source. And by controlling Xia’s main source of energy, the Barraki had total dominion over the entire island…

Since then, the Barraki have ruled from the shadows, guiding Xian politics, economics, and so forth. They have influenced and swayed Xian culture from the shadows, directing upper-class nobles and elites from the darkness. Only the most esteemed of the Powers That Be know of their existence, and it is a true privilege to meet the Barraki first-hand and learn of the six who control all of Xia.

Xia became more or less ‘conquered’, save for the district of Zakaz; But that needed to remain lawless, so as to create a thriving wartime industry. Inevitably, the Barraki found themselves bored, having found total control, but being unable to flaunt it. They wished for more lands to conquer, but there was nothing beyond Xia except the endless oceans and their raging hurricanes.

Then came Kratakal, the Rahkshi from Okoto. Through the son of Makuta, the Barraki learned of another land out there; The mythical island of Okoto, a natural paradise of spirits, elements, and power. It was a land brimming with life-energy, the very thing that the Codrex generated, the very power that made the Barraki immortal. They saw the reality-warping abilities of the Kraata and became obsessed. Plans were discussed of launching a Xian invasion of Okoto, so the Barraki could relive their old glory-days as warlords and conquerers.

Alas, it was not meant to be; The massive hurricanes beyond Xia ensured that travel between islands would be nearly impossible. A small, sleek canister could make the voyage, but ultimately it would be an impractical venture. The likes of Pridak were incensed, not caring about the cost because to the warlords Okoto was THEIR right, as kings entitled to ruling. If it weren’t for that blasted ocean, they could easily invade Okoto; The Brotherhood of Makuta and its swarms of Skull Spiders would be no match for them, they reasoned!

Once again, it seems as if fate smiled upon the Barraki. The Shadowed One, leader of the Dark Hunters, succeeded in hijacking the Codrex right beneath their noses. This would normally be a disaster; But with Makuta’s Mask of Life, The Shadowed One transported the entire island of Xia right next to Okoto, before being foiled by an Okotan expedition and slain by his own lieutenant Lariska. With the Codrex back beneath the Barraki’s control, the island of Okoto was now just beyond the shores of Xia, barely even a few miles away…

Since then, the Barraki have mobilized their armies. They have begun to exercise their authority, pulling together nations, governers, and soldiers to invade Xia. The six warlords, eager to conquer Okoto after all this time, have now kickstarted the Xian-Okotan War. Now, their forces clash with the Okotan Alliance, who stands against their mindless expansion and conquest.

On the side, a Xian rebellion, a revolution unlike any other has begun to brew. With Xians seeing that a better life IS possible through Okoto, many have had enough are choosing to rebel. Thanks to the Okotans, knowledge of the Codrex and its role as Xia’s primary energy-source has spread throughout both lands. Now a rising rebellion is forming across the island, hoping to overthrow the Powers That Be, and leading them is the Order of Mata Nui; a secrective organization that has recently revealed itself and hopes to defeat the Barraki.

With all bets off the table, the Barraki have revealed themselves. And while many question how these six warlords are alive after all this time –with some theorizing them to just be impostors- there are those who know the truth. The Mask Makers Ekimu and Makuta recognize the effects that an ancient machination has had on those six, having felt identical immortality themselves.

While the Barraki lead a war against the Okotan Alliance, they also lead a war against the rebellion; The Core War, named after the primary objective of the Eternal Engine. Whoever controls the Codrex, controls Xia’s power and thus the entire island by consequence. The Barraki are incensed by the blatant insolence of their subjects, and hope to suppress them. In the process, they have formed a tenuous alliance with the Brotherhood of Makuta. The Barraki know that Makuta is not to be trusted, and likely intends to betray them (they have their own plans vice-versa)… But regardless, the Brotherhood wants the Okotan Alliance gone, and so do the Barraki.

These aligning interests are for the best; With the Brotherhood’s capture and execution of Kratakal, they now control the Kraata and the means of creating them. And without Kraata, the Barraki can’t power their Exo-Toa armies. Thus, the Brotherhood and Barraki are allied, and under Makuta’s orders, Roodaka is producing Exo-Toa and various other war machines for the six warlords at a fraction of the cost. Together, the Barraki will take over Okoto; And in time, they will prepare for Makuta’s inevitable betrayal, and deal with the Mask Hoarder later.

After all, that fool couldn’t even conquer an entire island! Meanwhile the Barraki have control over Xia, AND will soon dominate Okoto. Soon… for now, they are secretly paying the Nynrah Ghosts and other engineers to create ‘bootleg’ forms of Kraata energy and wave-lengths, hoping to find a way of powering the Exo-Toa without the Power Serpents. Kraata are simply life-energy, and the Codrex produces this constantly; All they need to do is replicate that special wavelength, and perhaps they’ll be able to power their Exo-Toa without need of the Brotherhood!

Once THAT happens… They’ll be prepared to eventually betray Makuta. But for the timebeing, that upstart failure has his uses.

There are six Barraki warlords;

Pridak is the self-appointed leader of the Barraki, a title that means little practically-speaking. Easily the proudest and arrogant of them all, Pridak believes it his divine right to rule and conquer, having clawed his way from the bottom and arriving at the top. Thus, he believes all his victories are earned, and that more are due to him. Pridak is a ruthless, vicious individual with a penchant for bloodshed and a love for battle. He is hot-headed and can kill subordinates on a whim before perceieved slights against his godly honor. Nevertheless, he can still manage to be practical… It frustrated him when he couldn’t invade Okoto at first, but he nevertheless listened to reason. How else could he be such a brilliant tactician, having created the largest empire of the Barraki?

Suave, confident, and charismatic- These all describe Pridak. He believes himself to be the peak and pinnacle of physical being, and it is not hard to see why; He loves posing for paintings and sculptures. A few parties have seen him roam around entirely naked for guests to enjoy his beautiful, sculpted physique. Pridak is terrifying and intense, and demands total loyalty from guests and minions; Once, he ordered a noble to kill her husband to prove her loyalty to him, reasoning that words meant little without actions to back them up. Pridak is entertained in combat and loves to personally participate in it, enjoying a good fight as well as brutally tearing apart his enemies.

Takadox is a beautiful, dazzling Barraki. Once a pharaoh in the deserts of Zakaz, even before he found the Codrex he had scarlet eyes; Enchanting eyes of psychedelic beauty, like staring into a kaleidoscope of colors. Since his beginnings, Takadox has had the unique ability to hypnotize others, and since becoming immortal those abilities have become even more powerful. Through hypnosis, clever manipulation, and ruling through proxies, Takadox was able to back-stab his way to the top.

He is an incredibly charming and distracting individual, with a beautiful voice like a siren’s. Takadox is musically-gifted, and it is considered the greatest honor to listen to him sing. Takadox is both a composer and a conductor, having penned brilliant works of music before leading orchestras of the most skilled musicians into playing them. Much pressure is put upon performers to convey his music, and failure can mean execution.

Takadox loves to treat others as puppets, toys, and play-things, utilizing his hypnosis to completely control servants. He has employed it upon performers to better control them, and he greatly enjoys forcing people to do things they never would through hypnosis; It makes Takadox feel powerful and superior. He is a natural sadist, making his slaves do his bidding and exhausting them to the point of death, knowing they can’t refuse, and has had many he has hypnotized –ranging from servants to nobles that have angered him- dance for his amusement. Takadox has used his hypnosis to access the secrets of others, and values total control over anything else. A master-manipulator, he doesn’t need to be flashy, and is fine with pulling the strings from the shadows.

Ehlek is a Lekara; A race of aquatic beings found both on Xia and Okoto. Ehlek succeeded in uniting the Lekara clans scattered around Xia’s shores, rivers, and lakes, uniting them beneath his banner and controlling most of the island’s water-source. By controlling the waterways, transport between his empire was the fastest and most efficient, making up for a geographically smaller size; Ehlek managed to expand his armies beyond the shores by inducting kingdoms bordering him, but regardless it seems his specialty was in the water.

Ehlek is aware of his outsider-status as a non-human among the Barraki, and knows that they underestimate him for allegedly being limited to the water. However, Ehlek understands that water is also the essence of life, and far-outdwarfs the land with its oceans; He believes that in the end, HIS armies will rule, expanding into the vast oceans while his fellow Barraki remain isolated on comparatively tiny islands.

He is a high-strung, short-tempered individual, capable of bearing grudges eternally. Ehlek has a tendency to lash out bitterly at those he perceieves as having wronged him, or even just for having things that he does not. Since his ascension as an immortal Barraki, his temper has cooled; But he can nevertheless be an impulsive, wrathful leader, and he has employed incredibly brutal executions in the past, being a person with little trust.

Hailing from darker regions of Xia, Mantax and his people were taught by necessity to hide and lurk in the shadows, striking rapidly and concisely. A master of stealth and assassination, Mantax led an army of samurai against his rivals, with his own personal clans of shinobi to perform murders on select individuals. Mantax is a stern, secretive individual; He is the least socially-inclined of the Barraki and not much for small-talk, always keeping an eye out for danger. For everyone he meets, he makes sure to understand exactly how to kill them should the need arise; To Mantax, he has no friends or allies, merely enemies he hasn’t killed yet.

Easily the most elusive of the Barraki, Mantax is an incredibly patient and cautious warlord. He knows when to cut his losses and retreat, and prefers subtlety and being unknown. He appears the least to nobles in formal events, instead using his time gathering information on others, surveying Xia, and training his own fighting skills. Information and secrets are the key to victory for Mantax, and he is always vigilant and keeping a close-eye on is fellow Barraki. To call him paranoid may not be entirely correct, as it would imply that Mantax’s wariness is unfounded.

Carapar is a loud, boisterous, and seemingly-agreeable individual. He hailed from the steppes and plains of Xia, leading nomadic tribes on horseback as he swiftly raided, conquered, and pillaged his enemies’ settlements. Carapar is proud of his raw, physical strength and prowess, being the largest of the Barraki. Unlike the others, he likes to be seen as approachable and amicable, like a friendly politician who will gladly shake one’s hand and brightly smile at them. But beware- Carapar is at heart a treacherous, cunning individual with a mind for dirty tactics. He has no honor, and will resort to any trick in order to win; Once, he violated the rules of parlay with an enemy tribe, poisoning the food at their feast to ensure his victory. Yes, there were also children present at that feast; But he does not care.

While his tactics can be subtle, by the end of the day Carapar is a brute in how he considers others. Since his rise to power as an immortal Barraki, Carapar has often visited subordinates unprompted, hoping to charismatically pull them into his circle of supposed trust. He has led frequent hunts with honored guests, occasionally heading into Nynrah to kill Vorox and take them as trophies; He has a penchant for displaying the heads of creatures, and even sapient enemies, that he has slain. Sometimes a servant will exceed his patience, and Carapar will drop the façade entirely before bluntly getting his point across.

Kalmah is a hedonist, an emperor who once led legions of centurions to conquest. Now, he throws the most lavish, extravagant parties; According to him, he fought for the right to be a king, so it only makes sense that he lives like one. Kalmah prizes luxury, wearing the finest threads, all while greedily hoarding wealth. The flashiest of the Barraki, Kalmah suffers from frequent boredom and will hold brutal games and gladiator matches in the Coliseum Atero, all for his personal amusement.

He has a penchant for the finer things in life, such as delicious cuisine, and he has a zoo of exotic animals and beasts, many of whom are the last of their king, and others from Okoto itself. Unfortunately, Kalmah is also a sadist, and he enjoys subjecting his pets to cruelty. Sometimes he’ll feed others to them, or force nobles or servants that have displeased them into facing off against beasts in the arena. Kalmah can be loud and spoiled about what he wants, and believes himself worthy of praise. He enjoys parades, and would rather not dirty his own hands, being displeased with the ‘lesser’ facets of life and preferring servants do the deed for him. Kalmah is highly possessive of his wealth, and to have his own possessions dirtied is a personal insult to him by extension in his eyes.

The six Barraki wielded armor and weaponry in the past; Since their ascension amongst the Powers That Be, they have since taken to wearing more modern clothing. Nevertheless, they’ll still dress up every now and then, either to show off or train and hone their combat skills, ensuring they remain sharp as ever. And with the recent Xian-Okotan War, the Barraki have begun to don and wield their old armor and weapons like the good old times…

In combat, Pridak wields his Shark Tooth Blades; A pair of incredibly-sharp swords, said to be crafted from hundreds of carefully-compressed shark teeth. They are of a beautiful craftsmanship, and capable of scarring even Protosteel; Weapons befitting of a king, in Pridak’s eyes. Pridak’s Shark Tooth Blades of a beautiful ivory that is stark-white, an identical coloration to his armor.

Takadox wields a pair of long, thin blades that are slightly-curved at the end; He prefers to hold them upside-down, as part of his confusing, dance-like fighting style. Ehlek has a pair of Protosteel tri-talons that he attaches to either hand, to shred opponents with. Mantax wields a long sword, but also prefers daggers and hooks. Carpar has a wide, dual-edged blade, while Kalmah relies on a pair of whips in combat, as well as a crossbow, preferring to keep his opponents at arms-length.

As a whole, the Barraki jointly-rule Xia as part of the League of Six Kingdoms. They hold the most wealth and stocks in just about every property and company out there, and their authority is absolute. With a snap of their fingers, they could rend an entire city razed, and there is no one who is permitted to disobey them. Even incredibly secure locations like the Archives must fully-yield to the authority of a Barraki, who is immune to rules that are normally uniform amongst all.

The Barraki have orchestrated Xian politics to ensure an oligarcy with them at the top, keeping workers in line while having a select group of nobles for their upper-class. Xia is structured to leech as much power and wealth as possible from the island and its inhabitants, with even a war-time economy established in the district of Zakaz. To those that know them, they are truly the most terrifying people in existence; Servants are usually dominated by the most advanced and loyal of machines.

Those who ARE alive are tied to their masters for life, with their living quarters established upon the various properties, mansions, and villas that the Barraki own. They regularly trade out servants and puppet-leaders, but the pay from them is also very good at least. Each of them have quarters in the Coliseum Atero’s tower, and at its peak is a meeting room for war-strategies and other important events. Among those who know them, the Barraki often host extravagant events to flaunt their power and wealth, and will occasionally sharpen their skills in combat against desperate slaves and the like. Just about every powerful Xian on the island answers to them, and is vulnerable to their control over the island’s power-supply.

#bionicle #bionicle rae #barraki #pridak #kalmah #takadox #ehlek #mantax #carapar #xia #lekara

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creativerogues · 5 years

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31 Things to Think About When Creating a Mercenary Company...

How many people are in the Mercenary Company?

How did the Company get its Name?

How much influence does this Mercenary Company have? (Can they influence the Local Region? The Continent? The World?)

What typical jobs and contracts does the Mercenary Company take?

Would the Mercenary Company ever work for someone?

Do they have a Headquarters? Do people know of its location? (If the villains know where the headquarters are, has the headquarters ever been attacked?)

Who leads the Company? Is it 1 Person or a Council? Does it even have a Leader?

If there is a Leader, are they voted in? (Or have they just become the most influential and so are seen as the Leader by people outside the Company...)

Who is second-in-command? If the Leader (if there is one) dies, what would happen?

Are specific roles given to members of the company? (Such as Commander, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Weaponsmith, Weaponmaster, Treasurer, Surgeon, Arcanist and Etc...)

Has the Company's exploits been recorded in any way? (Is there a big history book all about them? Do they keep a list of the fallen members of the Company?)

Is the Company religious in any way? Is there a common God/Goddess/Patron/Deity that many Company Members worship? Do they even care if a fellow member of the Company worships a so-called "evil" power?

Do they have a Symbol of the Company? (Is it something they wear? A specific salute associated with the Company? A tattoo or brand of some kind? A piece (or specific color) of clothing?)

How does the Company keep secrets? (Do they have their own language (like Thieve's Cant) or do they use code of any kind? Or do they simply work in the open?)

Do the Company have any notable allies (or sponsors)? (Archmages, Warlords, Barons and Baronesses, Dukes, Counts, Royals, Nobles and Etc...)

Does the Company have any specific military composition? (Do they have a Unit of Archers, Cavalry, Infantry, Magic-Users and Etc...?)

How does the Company gain recruits? (Do they go around asking people to join? Or do the people come to them for their own reasons...?)

What kind of people would join the Company? (Do people go to them seeking a better life? Do they seek money? Do they seek fame and influence over others? Do they wish to understand the Company more so they can exploit people easier...?)

Where do new recruits come from? (Do they come from the local region or do they travel entire seas, continents and across planes just to join the Company?)

How do members of the Company see each other? How would they look upon new recruits? (Are they like a family? A brotherhood? A ragtag bunch of a-holes? Do they work with each other because they have to or because they want to?)

Is there a ceremony or initiation for new recruits? (If someone wishes to join the Company, how do they do it? Do they sign a couple of papers, or take an oath, or do they go through a trial to be considered 'good enough' to join the Company?)

If someone wishes to leave or retire from the Company, how would they do it? (Do they just walk away, never to be seen again? Has anyone in the Company ever lived long enough to retire?)

What's the average lifespan of a Company Member? (Days? Weeks? Months? Decades maybe?)

How was the Mercenary Company founded? (By who? And by what means?)

Would anyone ever betray the Company? And for what reason?

What was the Company's greatest success? What was the Company's greatest failure?

What was the Company's most recent victory or achievement? What was the Company's most recent failure?

How well known are certain members of the Company? How often do they interact with higher or lower ranking members of the Company? (Do they have Titles? Nicknames maybe?)

How often do members of the Company interact with people outside the Company? (Outside of business, how often do members talk to people?)

What do Company Members do when they’re not doing business?

Why can't members of the Company 'Go Home'? And if they can, why don't they?

My Short Example - The Wards of the Badger

"They're not Bad People, they're not Good People, they're just Assholes..."

- Fear, Tiefling Fighter, Describing "The Wards of the Badger", a Mercenary Company.

The Wards of the Badger is a mercenary company consisting of over 120 known members. Their contracts and commissions take them across seas, continents and all over the known world, even across entire planes of existence at times.

They are respected (though not highly respected, more simply tolerated or even feared) by their allies and their foes alike...

How many people are in the Mercenary Company? Over 120.

How did the Company get its Name? Because the Honey Badger don't give no sh*ts! They don't care about nothin'!

How do members of the Company see each other? Mostly family, but a family of assholes...

Do they have a Symbol of the Company? An Angry Honey Badger. Wearing it like a Badge of Honor! (A Circular Badge made of Black Iron, with the image of the small badger on its face.)

What kind of people would join the Company? Mostly Assholes, but they're tempered by the occasional good person...

#Questions #Quiz #adventuring #worldbuilding

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rebuiltbionicle · 5 years

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Toa Empire

Greg sure did go overboard with those dozens of alternate universes. I want to clear them out, but I think we can all agree that if there’s one alternate universe that deserves to remain in canon, it’s the Toa Empire.

Toa Nidhiki was a focal point for a very important moment that would decide the destiny of the universe. Confronting Toa Tuyet, Nidikhi had sided with his loyal friend Lhikan, putting a premature end to Toa Tuyet’s ideas of how the Toa should operate. But what if Nidikhi has sided with Tuyet? Indeed, in one timeline that is exactly what happened, and that universe went to hell in a handbasket.

After disposing of Lhikan, Tuyet unveiled her plans to the rest of the Toa Mangaia. They chose their sides, and those four that opposed her were drained of their Toa power with the Nui Stone and turned into Turaga. Tuyet had her allied select several amiable Matoran to receive that power and become Toa. Since a single Toa has enough power to create six Toa, the Toa Mangaia now numbered twenty-eight.

Irritated by their inability to capture the Nui Stone, and acting on their ambitions to take control of Metru Nui, the Dark Hunters rallied their troops and landed on Metru Nui’s shores for a direct conquest. The Toa Mangaia met them much better than they had in the prime universe, but were still forced to barricade themselves in the Coliseum. The war progressed like it did in the prime universe; Naho fled to retrieve reinforcements and a hundred Toa came to fight. Tuyet’s leadership was far more brutal and militaristic than Lhikan’s had been in the prime universe. Nidhiki’s betrayal was never noticed; his leading of a Toa army into an ambush in the final battle was brushed off by Tuyet as an honest mistake. Tuyet also did not spare the Dark Hunters as Lhikan would have: she instead chose to demonstrate the power of the Nui Stone (charged from the Toa army but not draining them into Turaga) giving herself the power to drown the entire Dark Hunter army single-handedly.

The political repercussions were massive. Many Toa were upset at the murder Tuyet had committed, claiming that if she were so powerful she could have merely demonstrated this power to force the Dark Hunters to surrender. Tuyet now made her plans clear. She told the Toa of her vision where the Toa let go of their limitations and were more proactive in maintaining peace. Where Toa would preemptively destroy threats to the Matoran, and ensure the Matoran laboured obediently to the Great Spirit. A vote was held, and the dissenters were drained of their power to give to a new generation of loyal Toa. The Empire was born, officially “The Empire of the Great Spirit.” Lands watching this were unsure what to make of it. The Brotherhood of Makuta, for one, was shocked and panicked at what a Toa Empire portended to the point that Makuta released his virus to plunge Mata Nui into slumber significantly earlier.

In the meantime Toa Tuyet, the Founding Empress, was beginning the expansion of the Toa Empire. Her Toa army swept down into the central dome and from there into the island chain domes. Most Matoran, having a heroic view of Toa, immediately declared allegiance to what they saw as a utopian protection project. Populations of other species had somewhat differing perspectives and tried to resist. The Toa’s relatively low population concerned Tuyet and made her institute harsh policies to sure up the numbers. Dissident and enemy Toa would be drained of their Toa power, which would be given to six dissident/enemy Matoran, and those resulting Toa would be drained to create thirty-six loyal Toa.

Xia was completely leveled and its Toa Team made to create two-hundred and sixteen new Toa. Stelt surrendered and offered up its Napa legions as allies to the Empire, which Tuyet scoffed at. Zakaz reduced the Toa invasion force to ribbons, and Tuyet chose to wait until the larger prey had been dealt with before attacking Zakaz. Odina was seized and the Shadowed One forced to flee south, returning to his homeland of Suhitu. Makuta Teridax insisted that once he had taken control of the Great Spirit Robot none of this would matter, but many of the Makuta cracked under the fear of the Empire and sided with Makuta Icarax in leading a Brotherhood-Empire War. The Visorak Horde was brought in to fight, revealing its allegiance to the Makuta and losing the Brotherhood a PR war long before the combat had decided anything.

Ensuring no stone could hide a resistance movement, Tuyet had an expedition thoroughly examine the strange island immediately to the south of Metru Nui, and there found Karzahni. She made a secret deal with Karzahni; the Toa would stage a heroic and completely scripted rescue of the Matoran (winning their loyalty to the Empire and making them decent recruits for Toa) while Karzahni would be allowed to remain in command of his realm and would receive plenty more dissidents to rule over. He also divulged the existance and location of Artakha, though Tuyet chose to leave his realm be until she had defeated the Brotherhood.

At this stage Mata Nui fell asleep, their pleas in the sky going ignored as Ko-Metru was made a propaganda ministry rather than a place of scholarship and divination. The Great Cataclysm did not occur, as the GSR was still a long distance from any celestial body. The Empire figured out it was the Makuta and used to to galvanise much of the population of the Matoran Universe into siding with the Empire over the Brotherhood. The Order of Mata Nui began making acts against the Brotherhood in retaliation for their crimes against the Great Spirit. The Empire found out about the Order and Tuyet demanded a dialogue with them. Helryx considered what Tuyet had to say, and agreed that the Empire was the most efficient at carrying out the Great Spirit’s will and made the Order an agency for the Empire.

By this time the Toa Mata had launched from Karda Nui and were magnetically drawn (since they were in space) towards the airlocks that led to Metru Nui. There the Empire found them and were able to indoctrinate them to Imperial beliefs. By then the true nature of the Makuta’s plan, to seize control of the Great Spirit Robot, had been exposed, so the Order held back on sending the Toa Mata to Karda Nui to reawaken Mata Nui.

The Brotherhood had lost its footing and collapsed under the Toa onslaught. Destral was besieged, and most of the Makuta died during the most bloody battle either universe would ever see. Empress Tuyet herself had to use the power of the Nui Stone to break the Brotherhood’s lines and penetrate the fortress. When the island was taken many Makuta attempted to flee and were captured and killed by the Toa, until the Brotherhood was composed solely of Teridax, Vamprah, and Krika. Miserix and Spiriah were also still alive.

With the Brotherhood defeated, the Empire continued expansion to those regions it had been saving for the defeat of the Brotherhood. Artakha was besieged and sacked. Traveling south, the Toa discovered the Shadowed One had created a fledgling Lanotu kingdom overrunning the neighbouring domes, though it failed to stand up to the Empire. Zakaz was another matter entirely. While the second invasion made significantly further inroads than the first, their conquest did nothing but defeat the warlord Nektann’s rivals and place the Skakdi species under his sole control. Now unified, the Skakdi were able to repel their Toa invaders and push beyond Zakaz to conquer other lands.

After some time drifting through space, Mata Nui finally collided with Aqua Magna, somewhat later than it had in the prime universe. The Great Cataclysm shattered the Imperial economy at the worst time. They had to repair an entire empire of infrastructure while the Skakdi continued expanding undisturbed. By the time things had been rebuilt, the Skakdi had full control of the Northern Continent, the north shore of the Southern Continent, and all islands in between the continents and Zakaz. The Empire, now back on its feet, attempted to lead a counter-invasion of the dome, but the Skakdi were in too deep. Even a personal intervention by Tuyet and the Nui Stone was useless, as she could only be in one place at once and the Skakdi would conquer Imperial possessions while she was trying to retake others.

Makuta Spiriah reemerged from hiding with an army of Zyglak allies and made a sneak attack on Zakaz. He killed Nektann and set up a fortress for himself on Zakaz. The Skakdi nearly withdrew to try and kill him, but Spiriah was able to convince them that he was a much stronger leader than any of them and that what he did to them was a gift that had allowed them to survive the Toa Empire. This reasoning resonated with the Skakdi and they accepted him as their master. Learning this, Tuyet struck at Zakaz, but Spiriah had learned how to remain hidden. He would strike at the front lines against Toa when they least expected him, turning several battles into Skakdi victories and serving a lesser equivalent to Tuyet with the Nui Stone for the Skakdi.

Takanuva, from the prime universe, arrived in Metru Nui, and in only a few days managed to instigate an uprising against the Empire at its very capital and had Empress Tuyet rather gruesomely bisected. The Empire was plunged into chaos. Toa Nidihki was able to mobilise forces to suppress the rebellions and retake Metru Nui, but the Skakdi had used the opportunity to take the bulk of the central dome. With Empress Tuyet dead, leadership had to befall to one of her two confidants: Nidihki or Helryx. Helryx had the backing of the Order, so Nidihki stood down to remain head of the army and play the long game. Helryx was made ruler and was christened the Firstborn Empress.

The Skakdi Horde wouldn’t be spared such a crisis. Makuta Teridax, fled from Metru Nui and having lost track of Makutas Krika and Vamprah, came to Spiriah and challenged him to a duel from control of the Skakdi. Spiriah agreed to a one-on-one duel across Zakaz to decide which Makuta would take control of the Horde. Neither honoured this arrangement and each brought an army to deal with the other. Spiriah had been expecting Teridax’s treachery though Teridax had underestimated Spiriah’s intelligence, and the Skakdi and Zyglak attack caught him off guard. He was able to survive Spiriah’s sneak attack and nearly managed to kill Spiriah before Spiriah fled. Teridax attempted to take control of the Skakdi, but Spiriah had already loaded the Skakdi and Zyglak minds of propaganda warning them of the other Makuta. Teridax would have to return with Spiriah’s head to take control of the Horde. He tracked Spiriah south to the island of Artidax, where Spiriah had set up his contingency plan. A Zyglak taskforce had occupied the island and were ready to release Miserix on Spiriah’s orders. Unaware of Spiriah’s presence but fully aware of Teridax, a dreadful duel between the two Brotherhood leaders took place, nearly destroying the island. Spiriah, taking the form of a Lanotu, informed the Toa Empire of what was happening. Teridax had killed Miserix, but had completely drained himself of power to do so, and was no match for the taskforce that confronted him then. Teridax was dead, and Spiriah now had no rivals to the rule of the Skakdi.

The universe now had another issue. Mata Nui’s life had begun to decline. Ko-Metru scholars (allowed to look at stars again under Helryx’s reign) discovered this and deciphered the necessary information to keep Mata Nui from dying. An army of Toa, led by Nidihki, marched on Voya Nui (which had suffered greatly from the cataclysm but did not dislodge out of the Matoran Universe) to retrieve the Kanohi Ignika. Makuta Spiriah was unaware of any of this, and saw the movement as the latest Imperial move against him and moved to counter them. Toa and Skakdi clashed over the centre of the Southern Continent and across Voya Nui. The newly discovered Matoran of Voya Nui were transformed into Toa to counter the Skakdi and retrieve the Ignika. It was the Skakdi who discovered the Ignika first, though it passed between their hands and the Toa numerous times. Once Spiriah pieced together what was happening he ordered them to withdraw and leave the Ignika for the Toa. A few rebel Skakdi disobeyed and delayed the Toa’s mission further.

Mata Nui died before the Toa could reach Karda Nui with the mask. Although Matoro had went ahead anyway and restored Mata Nui’s life in the prime universe, in this universe the Toa immediately gave up on Mata Nui’s death. Empress Helryx from there organised the Great Evacuation, helping the entire universe (Makuta and Skakdi excluded) up through the Maze of Shadows and onto the island that had formed over the Great Spirit Robot’s face. Though immensely crowded, they were able to gather up most of the universe and build a great city there under the protective hand of the Toa Empire. Helryx, while organising evacuations, was assassinated by Nidikhi. Officially she lost her life heroically trying to save latecomers. Nidikhi took her place with the backing of the military he had won the loyalty of, and implemented a new regime of reduced work hours and far more relaxation amenities. He became known as the People’s Emperor.

Meanwhile, on Bara Magna, without Mata Nui to rally the tribes together, the Skrall Empire and their Bone Hunter allies conquered the entire planet. They moved their capital from Roxtus to Tajun, putting as much distance between themselves and the Baterra as possible.

In the dead husk of the Great Spirit Robot, Spiriah tried to put his Skakdi to work trying to restore and manually operate life support systems. The Kestora were still present trying to run a dead universe, and Spiriah was able to use them to power some bare systems to keep a universe running. However, he had bigger problems. The Kanohi Ignika was preparing to drain the life of the entire universe (himself, the Skakdi, Kestora, and the undiscovered denizens to the south). Spiriah led a taskforce into the long abandoned Karda Nui and into the Codrex, where they attempted to start the energy storms up again. It was a great struggle without any Toa, but the Skakdi’s power was able to be adapted for use and Karda Nui started up again. Spiriah had withdrawn before that had happened, leaving the Skakdi team and the Ignika to be destroyed in the energy storms. With Karda Nui started up again the life support resumed operation, which Spiriah used as an opportunity to create backup power systems. Since there was no spirit occupying the GSR, Karda Nui inevitably shut down again. Spiriah managed to create enough independent life support to keep the central dome livable, at least.

On the surface, Emperor Nidihki had been working to alleviate the main problems of his island empire. He had been having the Toa of Stone extend the landmass of the island, but there was only so much to be done. In the sky above them they could see two other celestial bodies; Bara Magna and Bota Magna. The Emperor organised a mission to colonise these two bodies: they would create a great cannon, operated by several Toa of several elements to create as much thrust as possible to launch a pod with an unbelievably long cable to the other worlds. Fa-Toa would use their magnetic powers to tow cable cars between the planets themselves. A colony was set up at the impact points of both Bara Magna and Bota Magna.

These colonies naturally attracted the natives of both planets. The Toa made their intentions to take control of these worlds quite clear and war broke out on both worlds. Bota Magna burned in the conflict. Initially the Toa made a ruthless advance, but once the Elemental Lady of Earth became involved she utilised her immense powers to snap their capable and wipe out the Toa invasion. On Bara Magna the Toa were far more successful. The Skrall met them to the best of their ability, but creatures of mere flesh and blood had no ability to go toe to toe with the biomechanicals. The Toa Empire seized a massive chunk of Bara Magna before the hidden Great Beings activated the Marendar, wiping the invasion force off the face of the planet leaving the Toa Empire back at square one minus the legions they had lost.

The Great Beings have been forced out of hiding by the Skrall and are now uploading Skrall minds into new biomechanical bodies. An interplanetary conflict is now inevitable.

#bionicle #bionicle rebuilt #locations

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medu-nefer · 5 years

Text

Dragged Away - Ilun & Vrek

Another wave of black flashes filled the sky, seeking any living beings to feed off their quintessence. The effect of the Komar, just on much smaller scale.

Not small enough, though. They were still being struck, dying in their dozens as they fought for themselves, for their brothers and sisters, and the brotherhood itself.

But despite their extraordinary skill and drive, the Blade of Marmora were falling too fast to the Druids' dirty ways. They were taking those masked bastards out but at a horrible cost.

Bodies of both Druids and Blades littered the ground, with the majority belonging to the latter.

(read it on ao3)

Vrek flinched when a net of black flashes cut through the air at his head's level, merely a pace from him. His head snapped towards the source just to see about a dozen Blades throwing themselves at the Druid at the same moment. He watched as at least five were struck, three dead before they hit the ground. But enough luxite blades tore into his body and the Druid imploded.

A hand landed on his shoulder and immediately squeezed, letting him know it was Ilun. He glanced over his shoulder at her, noting the numerous scratches and dents in her armour.

'We need to get to Kolivan,' Ilun said, pointing in the direction where their leader has been last seen about half a varga ago.

Vrek nodded, a grim expression settling on his face. It was hard enough out there, a good distance away from the focal point of the assault.

They began their trek through the rubble, their aching limbs feeling too heavy and heavier still every time they aided their siblings in their battles.

Vrek wasn't sure if they had any real chances of winning. But, whether he liked it or not, it was their best chance. And dying at his trusted companions' side was preferable to being picked out one by one, no doubts about that.

But his heart was still heavy with his grief and desperation. They had worked so hard to get to where they did. They had kept their existence a secret for so many deca-phoebs, even under Zarkon's own nose. And now they could very well all die here, on this planet.

Not for the first time, he wondered what happened to Voltron, and a shadow of a doubt sneaked into his heart. If Voltron was gone, the Coalition was in shambles, and now they were wiped out, there would be no one left to fight.

Sendak, all the little warlords, and the Druids would bring chaos and destruction to the universe.

Perhaps it was better they were so likely to die here. Seeing all they had worked for so hard being reduced to ashes had been painful enough as it was. Losing even more would be a devastating blow.

Still, if they did survive this hell, they could rebuild. They had created the underground once and would do so again.

It would really make things easier if Kolivan was alive, though. They needed to find him and ensure his safety. Well, survival. Vrek was perfectly fine with survival.

Finally, one they climbed a lone standing wall of a fallen building, they managed to locate the Marmoran leader. He was cut and tired, but very much leading the defence still.

In Vrek's opinion, Kolivan would have made a great Paladin. Not that he'd be pleased with their leader leaving to pilot one of the Lions. No. Definitely not pleased at all.

'I'm worried about the left flank.'

Vrek tilted his head to one side and looked in the proper direction at the sound of Ilun's voice. It did seem to weaken there. It still held but reinforcing seemed like a good idea.

Vrek motioned to Ilun to follow him and started to slip down the wall.

In the end, what they had seen didn't even matter. There was a shivering travelling through the wall, a loud cracking noise, and the structure exploded in a rain of debris, laced through with Druid magic, the twisted black fingers reaching for any who dared come close enough.

Still falling, Vrek felt how a big piece of the structure hit him square in the chest, denting his armour to the point where horrible pain exploded in his ribcage.

The next thing he knew, he was hitting the ground in a heap of limbs. Hard.

Then came the black.

The pain was extraordinary, he decided, when something tugged at his back, his legs dragging over a mass of bricks and chipped stones.

His head was spinning and his vision swam as nausea swept through him. He could taste the sour taste of blood on his tongue and his breathing was laboured.

Bumping into things below and behind him definitely didn't help.

He managed to twist his head a little and saw the underside of Ilun's chin. Her mask was disabled and the thin fur covering her face was matted with blood and dust. There was a big tear in the arm of her suit and she was limping.

And yet she still dragged him away from the site of the explosion.

He could barely move, his energy completely reduced to almost nothing. It seemed like a Druid had landed at least one actual hit.

He disabled his mask, catching Ilun's attention. He gave her a tiny smile that she tried to mirror but was interrupted by a coughing fit that had wreaked through Vrek's body and dragged a trickle of blood down the corner of his mouth.

It was terrifyingly quiet. Not silent, not quite yet, but the sounds were muffled and distant, as if a lot of the fighting had ceased. It was hard to say how much time had passed or whose numbers were greater.

They were getting away from the battlefield and a flicker of anger burned hot inside his chest, even if just for a tick.

Of course Ilun was getting them away, she had no choice. They were in no fit state to fight, obviously. His ribs were broken at best, and he could be haemorrhaging internally at worst. If he was, he was as good as dead. No medics, no medical equipment. If one suffered a critical injury, they were already dead. It was as simple as that.

He could only hope Ilun wasn't seriously wounded. She might just be the only Blade remaining.

With a heavy sigh, Vrek resigned himself to his fate, be it death or an unwinnable fight against all too powerful foes.

He wasn't sure which one he dreaded more.

#whumptober2019 #no.4 #ilun #vrek #blade of marmora #voltron #vld #wow i'm still doing this

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lamujerarana · 5 years

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Was Reed’s dad shitty?

Oh, he is INCREDIBLY shitty. But it’s important to understand the specific type of shitty Nathaniel is because a lot of who Reed chooses to be as a father and husband is in direct opposition to Nathaniel and his truly terrible parenting choices. If Nathaniel ever has to choose between the greater good and his own son/his son’s emotional well-being, he’ll always choose the greater good. So Reed is determined to be a great, present, caring dad and husband and to always put his family first because he knows how much it fucking hurts when your dad DOESN’T put you first. This is why it annoys me so much when people try to argue that Reed cares more about science and the greater good than his wife and kids....no. That is his father. Reed goes to great lengths NOT to treat his wife and kids that way because he knows firsthand how much it hurts. For Reed, family comes first, before anything. And he has ACTUALLY SAID that his dad is why in canon, in this letter he wrote to Sue the day he became a father:

I want to be a good father, Susan. The best! I want to have a close and loving relationship with my son. The kind I could never quite achieve with my own father! But I’m going to need help. You’ve always been the stronger and more focused one of us, and I’ll forever count on you to keep me on track.

Fantastic Four: The Legend (x)

It annoys me when people ignore this. But anyway, time for:

THE STORY OF NATHANIEL RICHARDS, AKA HOW TO CONSTANTLY ABANDON, DISAPPOINT, AND ALIENATE YOUR FAMILY

Reed’s mother died when he was about seven years old. Meaning that Nathaniel is Reed’s only surviving parent, for all the good it’s done him. Nathaniel stuck around for a couple of years after his wife’s death, but then he began his lifelong habit of abandoning his son when he joined the Brotherhood of the Shield and ran off to protect time and the universe with Howard Stark, another shitty dad (although Howard just straight-up faked his death and said he was never coming back while Nathaniel at least felt bad about abandoning his teenage son...but also he still abandoned him). Nathaniel gives Reed a bullshit speech before he goes about how he wants Reed to be a better man and father than he is, which basically boils down to “do as I say, not as I do, aka I know abandoning you to protect the world is wrong but I’m gonna do it anyway.” UGH. Little Reed clearly is not okay with his dad leaving, possibly forever. His dad goes anyway. From Fantastic Four v1 #572:

Hickman’s Nathaniel, for the record, is largely considered the best/nicest version, and look at him...HE IS STILL AN ASSHOLE.

Cut for length.

Reed didn’t see Nathaniel again until he was in college and about 20 years old. Nathaniel was gone at least 6-7 years from Reed’s pov. God knows how long it was for Nathaniel. During his absence, Nathaniel, during a fight with Nikola Tesla, had become both immortal and a time traveler. This happened in every universe, so Immortus, who is Nathaniel’s direct descendant, ordered that every Nathaniel in the multiverse had to kill every other until only one was left. At this point, 616 Nathaniel is one of only two. Nathaniel tells Reed this, so of course, Reed, who always puts family first, tells him that he’s going to help him, no matter what, because he’s not losing his father again. From Fantastic Four v1 #581:

Reed talks Victor into helping, and Victor kills AU Nathaniel. And then it turns out it was all for nothing because Reed loses Nathaniel anyway. Reed again doesn’t want his dad to go, but Nathaniel again ignores him and leaves anyway. From Fantastic Four v1 #582:

Reed did not, in fact, see Nathaniel again soon. The next time Reed saw Nathaniel was about twenty years later. Nathaniel, an immortal time traveler who has all of time at his disposal, did not bother to show up for his son’s college graduation, wedding, the birth of his grandson, or the birth of his granddaughter. Nothing.

During Byrne’s run in the 1980s, which is actually when Nathaniel was first introduced, Reed realizes that his dad, who disappeared twenty years ago, had been experimenting with time-travel and accidentally gotten stuck in an alternate universe, where he was known as the Benefactor, a warlord and dictator. But it turned out that the dictator was really Nathaniel’s wife and Nathaniel was totally oblivious as to the violence that was being committed in his name and with his technology beyond the walls of his castle. Nathaniel also had a child with his brutal dictator wife who became the ancestor of Nathaniel Richards of the 30th century, more commonly known as Kang the Conqueror. Nathaniel opted to stay behind and help fix what he’d broken.

The next time we see Nathaniel is in the 1990s when he shows up randomly -- never a good sign -- and ends up violently abducting his own 4yo grandson. Who then reappears moments later as a teenage boy. Because Nathaniel took him to Elsewhen and raised him himself. Without his son’s permission. Reed and Sue are completely devastated at realizing that they missed out on seeing their son grow up.

Nathaniel did it because he believed it was the only way to prevent the future we saw in Days of Future Past from happening.

Reed dies a few issues later. Or seems to. Sue is devastated and convinced that Victor didn’t really murder Reed and that Reed’s still alive somewhere. Ben and Johnny mourn Reed. Nathaniel watches the whole thing. Doesn’t say a goddamn word, despite the fact that he knows that Reed is alive. And where Reed is. And that they could have gone to rescue Reed at any moment. From Fantastic Four v1 #407:

Reed, by the way, was trapped in the distant past of an alien planet. Isolated. Deeply traumatized. Totally broken. And Nathaniel let it happen when it didn’t need to happen at all. From Fantastic Four v1 #414:

I AM STILL NOT OVER THE FACT THAT HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE REED WAS THE WHOLE TIME AND JUST DID NOTHING. FOR MONTHS. WHILE HIS SON SUFFERED. Nathaniel has no faith that Reed and the FF can win against Hyperstorm, who, it turns out, is Reed and Sue’s grandson from the timeline he’s been trying to prevent, so he says nothing. Reed beats Hyperstorm in about one issue once he knows the truth about him, so if Nathaniel had been upfront with Reed and Sue about everything, one hell of a lot of pain and suffering could have been avoided. But he’s always a shady, manipulative secret keeper who should not be trusted.

Nathaniel also, during this time period, pretends to be Victor Von Doom, because he says that one of his descendants is the iron-fisted dictator of Latveria. Sue thinks at first that he means that Victor is Nathaniel’s son, but no. Nathaniel is talking about Kristoff Vernard, Victor’s adopted son, who is actually Nathaniel’s son and Reed’s half-brother. Reed, to this day, as far as I know, does not know that Kristoff is his brother because Nathaniel has never bothered telling him. Nathaniel also has a daughter -- Huntara, aka Tara Richards -- who he never bothered telling Reed about. Reed’s one and only meeting with her involves her stabbing him through the chest. She also, for the record, does not like or trust their father. From Fantastic Force: v1 #9:

Nathaniel also once tried to murder teen Franklin, his own grandson who he personally raised, when Franklin refused to side with him. From Fantastic Force: v1 #9:

The timeline is later altered by Hyperstorm, Franklin’s son, and Franklin is restored to the 4yo child he was originally.

And then Reed and the rest of the FF “die” in Onslaught, and YOU WOULD THINK that this would be a good time for Nathaniel to stick around and take care of his deeply traumatized 4yo grandson who had just been abducted by a supervillain and used as a battery to try to destroy the planet and also just lost his entire fucking family, but does he? No. No. He fobs Franklin off on the X-Men and fucks off again. From Generation X v1 #20:

Nice way of rationalizing abandoning your grandson the way you’ve been abandoning your son his whole life, Nathaniel, you ass. At least Reed was a teenager the first time Nathaniel ditched him. Franklin is a four-year-old orphan, and Nathaniel, his only family, just leaves him. That is horrifying.

The next time we see Nathaniel is in the Divine Time arc from Marvel Knights 4 #15-18, when he shows up to help the FF defeat Ramades, who is Kang’s son and, yes, Nathaniel’s descendant. Reed begs Nathaniel to stay AGAIN, but does Nathaniel, for once, stick around? Nope.

I like that Nathaniel acknowledges that he has NOT, in fact, been anything resembling a father to Reed.

And then Hickman’s run happens, and Nathaniel sticks around for a while to help Future Franklin and Valeria save Reed’s life. Reed is mostly overjoyed that his father is actually sticking around this time, and Nathaniel enjoys pretending that he’s an actual father to Reed:

YOU KNOW WHEN THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL, NATHANIEL? WHEN REED WAS AN ACTUAL CHILD INSTEAD OF A 40YO MAN.

Sue doesn’t trust him much, and understandably so. From FF v1 #8:

Frankly, I think that Sue, Ben, and Franklin are WAY too forgiving and trusting of Nathaniel in Hickman’s run given their histories with him. I buy that Reed would be because Reed has desperately wanted his dad in his life for, well, his whole life and Reed is a very forgiving person, but...Sue and Ben are not. And they have no real love for Nathaniel.

But yeah...Nathaniel leaves at the end of that arc, and that’s the last we’ve seen of him. He’s bound to make an appearance sooner or later.

#fantastic four #nathaniel richards #reed richards #marvel #comics #asks #long post #Anonymous

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the12thnightproject · 1 year

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Congrats on your milestone - I look forward to seeing more of your stories ^_^ I so love this idea. Your card images and text are great!

If it's not too late - I'd love to get Masamune, World's Fair in Chicago (1893)! The name is Yozzie and it does not need to be seasonal.

To @ikeromantic

Hi Yozzie ! Thank you for the congratulations, and what a fun ask! I slightly made this an AU (I know that H.H. Holmes wasn't arrested until 1894 - in another city- but it was too much of a temptation not to at least have Masamune encounter him.... sort of).

Anyway... once again, thank you for the ask! The 12th Night Postal service has a delivery for you - it smells of caramel and chocolate, and maybe slightly of lakeshore breezes.

#200 followers #asks #answered #the brotherhood of the travelling warlords #ikemen sengoku #masamune date #ikesen masamune

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booksofsalih · 6 years

Text

Desert Heat

The battle was like one thick, black mass of locusts, shifting to the left and right down the valley. The archers on the hills on either side could only shoot at their equivalents across from them; they could not discern their fellows on the battlefield below. It seemed as if it would never end, at least not until there were no warriors left on either side. These were the kinds of battles that men into gods and gods into distant memories.

One man, named Salih, was in the middle of the fight. He was commanding the lesser of the two armies, dressed in chain mail covered with loose clothing suited for his desert home. His dark hair was loose, as it always was; helmets held him back. Though he was outnumbered two to one, his men had fought valiantly to all but even the odds. This had come at a price, however, as his men began to tire. He saw a few stricken down on either side of them. If he did not do something quick, they would all be slain.

He raised his head from striking down a particularly difficult opponent to see his biggest problem. The general of the other army mowed through men with a giant club. The other general was massive and heavily armored. If he could be stopped, the tide would change in Salih’s favor. If he could not, there would be no hope of victory.

One advantage Salih had in battle was magic. He was known far and wide, not only as a fearsome fighter, but as a world-class conjurer. He leaped into the air, jumping above the din directly in front of the opposing general. As he landed, a wave of fire threw everyone out of its path, ending up as a blazing ring, about one hundred yards in diameter. His opponent was hardly phased by the heat, but they were now the only two left in the arena. Salih was not a large man, nor was he very muscular, but he was smart, vicious, and hated losing. The big man shouted at Salih in a loud, guttural tone. Salih couldn’t understand what the man was saying, but he figured it was the traditional round of pre-skirmish insults. “I’m sure you’re trying to curse me sir, but whatever it is that you’re wishing on me or my mother, you have something much worse coming your way.” Salih threw a volley of fireballs from his hands. They were stopped by the man’s thick, metal armor. The giant gave a loud bellow of a laugh. It was obviously not effective.

“Well,” Salih thought to himself, “if heat doesn’t hurt him, maybe the opposite will.” The general came at Salih with his huge metal club, swinging wildly. Salih dodged his clumsy flailing with ease. As he ran to the other side of the ring, Salih laid down a thick sheet of ice. Even in the scorching desert, he was able to lower the temperate enough to sustain the glassy surface, for the moment. His opponent paused to asses the situation. Salih took the time to get his insults in. “Your mother is a goat! YOUR MOTHER IS A GOAT!” He never claimed to be very good at his insults. They did not need to be elaborate; they only needed to do the job. His message was not received well, and his opponent charged straight for him, just like Salih planned. What Salih had not planned was for the giant’s weight to crush the ice. Every step crashed through the thin sheet, and Salih was met with a smack to the body that sent him flying.

As he sailed through the air, Salih knew he had only a moment to think of a solution. The fiery ring that separated them from the armies was fading. He flipped and landed, crouched and ready to attack. He was impeded by the hit, but not fatally. As opposed to thinking through the situation, it seemed better to him that he act on his rage. He reached into the pouch on his side, pulling out a heavy, stone hunting disc. He hurled it with all of his frustration. It ripped into the soldier’s armor, sinking deep into his left shoulder. The big man’s roar shook the battlefield. His arm was limp, but he was still determined to squish Salih like a spider. The magician had bought himself some time.

“So, heat didn’t seem to phase him,” he thought. “Maybe it wasn’t hot enough.” With all of his focus, he spewed flames from his palms at his opponent’s feet. Fire swirled around the giant, immobilizing him, as well as blocking his vision. Salih did not let up, pouring his soul into his magic. With a final burst of energy, He rushed forward, plunging his sword blindly into the flames. As the smoke subsided, the giant fell to his back with the magician on his chest. The sword had found its way through the now-soft armor and through the man’s sternum. A hush fell over the crowd, all of them gawking at the fallen warrior and his destroyer. Having everyone’s attention, Salih raised his sword, calling a lightning bolt from a clear sky to strike him.

Immediately, the enemy army began to flee. Salih’s men shouted and chased them, taking many more lives in the retreat. Salih himself, collapsed from exhaustion. He was hoping that last show of strength would do the trick.

…

After the battle, the remainder of the enemy had either been slain or scattered. Salih set up a tent on the ridge of the reclaimed valley so that he could consider his next battle strategy as well as get some much-deserved rest. He was good at what he was paid to do: win. But no matter what comforts his lucrative pay bought him, he never felt fulfilled after a job well done. This was firstly due to the fact that the nation he fought for were not his own. It was true that they were closely “related”, but he was a mercenary, and he could never shake the feeling that any soldier under his control feared him. He was not a part of their brotherhood. Secondly, he hated war. He was a teacher: a builder of wisdom. This mindless destruction sickened him. But it allowed him to live when he couldn’t teach, and those who feared him left him alone.

Mahraj, one of Salih’s officers lifted the flap to the tent as the general was poring over the map on his table. “General Salih, put that away! It is time to celebrate!” It was clear to the magician that his officer had already been celebrating for some time. Two scantily-clad women entered the room. It was clear that they were there for Salih’s enjoyment, but he seemed more annoyed than anything. Mahraj seemed annoyed himself. “Come now, sir. You’ve had a hard day’s work! Enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

“I appraciate the gesture, Mahraj,” Salih said, looking back at the table, “but I do not wish to be bothered.” He turned to the ladies. “You can go now.”

“Suit yourself, camelwax,” Mahraj said, as he stumbled out of the tent with the two ladies. He may not have been the most stable person, but Mahraj was the closest thing Salih had to a friend, and he knew that, when it mattered, he could be counted on in a pinch.

Salih rubbed his eyes in frustration as he went back to the battle plans. He was tired, and the last thing he wanted to do was plan more pointless battles. He heard another rustle at the entrance to his tent. Without looking up, he proclaimed in an annoyed tone, “Mahraj, I told you that I wanted to be left alone.” He then heard an unfamiliar clearing of the throat. When he raised his head, he saw a young male knight in very strange armor standing tall with several scrolls under his arm. It was clear that he was not from anywhere around these deserts. Salih himself straightened up, apologizing: “I’m sorry sir, forgive my rudeness.”

“No offense taken, general. My name is Stetz. I am a messanger from King Hoffun of Veristek, who requests your presence at his castle in the northern mountains.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s quite impossible. I’m in the middle of a war, if you haven’t noticed.”

The knight pulled one of the papers out from under his arm. “That is why I secured your release from your employer.” Salih read the document, and it was as he said. “Your signature on the document is all that is needed. Your payment, if you choose to sign, will be waiting for you at the castle.” The king had bought off the warlord Salih was working for.

Salih’s brow furrowed. “Just what does King Hoffun want with me anyway?” He knew that it must be something very important to the king if he was going to go through with all of this trouble.

The knight continued, “The king is in need of a teacher for his daughter, the future queen. He is off at war himself, and needs a scholar with your qualifications to teach the princess.”

Salih became more interested. He might finally be able to get away from the fighting for a while. “And just what are my qualifications, Stetz?”

The man smirked. “You don’t need to be modest with me, Master Salih. Someone with the wisdom, experience, and skills that you have does not go unnoticed. The king would not have any teacher but the best.” He pulled out the other paper from under his arm. “I’m sure you’ll find the compensation to be satisfactory.”

Salih grabbed the quill that he had on the table and began to sign the papers without looking at the numbers. He was sick of war, and knew this was his chance to get away from the bloodshed. “When do we leave?”

“Immediately, sir, but you should know that the way is treacherous. We have three others coming with us to ensure our safety. I will go make sure they are ready to go.”

“Make that four others, Stetz. I will go make sure my companion is ready as well.”

…

The next day they were in the middle of the desert with little to go by but the sun for direction. It was going to be a long trek, and that meant that it could go one of two ways; it could either be a painfully awkward slog, or they could get to know one another. Salih enjoyed silence, but he would rather know a little bit more about his other travelling companions than he already did, which, at the outset, was nothing.

The knight Stetz was the one leading the pack. The other three were all hired mercenaries who knew the path well enough to make travel safe. The one female of the group, Lady Kabayt, was born into a wealthy family, but chose a life of adventure over the comforts of home. The other two hired guards were brothers who had wandered the desert all their lives, Mal and Tajul. Mal enjoyed making small talk and joking, though often his humor trended toward the morbid side. Tajul kept to himself.

Salih rode after these four, rising and falling in rhythm with his transport. Behind him was Mahraj, who he had insisted on bringing for his own safety. Mahraj was concerned, as he had not had any say in this matter. “Um, Master Salih, I do not wish to question your methods, but how is it that you secured my release from the military?” Mahraj knew that the penalty for desertion of his own people was execution.

“Simple, my friend,” Salih said with an air of confidence. “I simply requested that a portion of my reward be paid in conjunction with what they paid for me.”

Mahraj was still sweating, and not only from the desert sun. “And what if the warlord does not think the price is acceptable, or if he doesn’t take kindly to two of his officers leaving at once?”

“You’re a resourceful man, Mahraj. I’m sure you’ll think of something. I also hear that the mountains of Veristek are a beautiful place to settle down.” Salih turned back to face the head of the line to hide his smile. The donation he gave in Mahraj’s place was more than sizeable.

Mahraj was not amused. “Uh-huh…” He said in an unsure tone.

The going was slow and boring. Though the path would get more dangerous near the end of their journey, the main trouble now was allocation of resopurces, namely water. They went on several days and nights without running into any springs. “There are oases we could find, sirs,” Mal told them, “but I understand that your time, as well as mine, is valuable, and we have brought along with us enough water to take the most direct route.” Though he could not produce water out of sand, Salih could muster a gentle breeze as they went, which made the sun much more bearable. He knew to be careful, however; a strong wind would start a dust storm, which might porve disastrous for the group.

On the fifth day without a spring, Salih began to be concerned. Their water supplies were running dangerously low, and if they did not reach fresh water soon, they would be in more danger than just dehydration. The lack of water would make them weak and unable to concentrate, making them more succeptable to creatures, sicknesses, and whatever else the wasteland would throw at them.

“At least we haven’t run into any other complications,” Mahraj said with a sad chuckle.

Stetz proclaimed from ahead, “Don’t speak so soon.” There was a small dust cloud rising in the distance.

“That doesn’t look like a sandstorm,” Lady Kabayt observed.

“Doesn’t sound like one, either,” Salih agreed. A rumbling through the earth could be heard. The danger was much easier to see now. A small war party, about twenty-five, was headed straight for them. They did not look like they had any plans of diplomacy. The desert was flat, and there was nowhere to escape. They would have to fight.

Salih urged his camel to the front of the group to face the attackers. Though he could not detect any sign of mercy or wishing to talk matters over first, he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. He waved his hand, and a layer of glass carpeted the sand in front of the small group a ways off.

“Ready your arrows,” Stetz commanded evenly.

“Don’t fire until they do,” Salih added. Though he was a war general for hire, he would do anything to keep his conscience as clean as possible, and would not be held responsible for a massacre if he could have prevent it. The six did not have to wait long as several arrows arced through the air toward them. Salih burned them before they neared his companions. “I believe that’s our cue.”

Kabayt, Tajul, and Mal sent a small volley of arrows in the direction of the quickly aproaching cloud. A rider fell from his camel. Mahraj pulled up next to Salih as he dismounted. As the general streched out an open palm, Mahraj placed a stone disc in it. Salih heated the disc, then hurled it. As it slammed another raider into the ground, Mahraj passed him another.

By the time the pack reached the stream of glass that separated them, the attackers were fewer, but still outnumbered them two to one. Swords were drawn on both sides as the defending party drew their swords and dismounted, ready to strike. As the first few camels started crossing the glass, they stumbled and threw their riders. Salih touched the glass with his sword, shattering it. Screams of pain tore through the air as the men fell on the shards. The rest dismounted and began to quickly, but carefully, make their way though the river of shattered glass, having no concern for their fallen comrades. They were desperate to kill, and that became more and more apparent to the six.

Salih smirked as the last marauder left his camel. He walked back behind the line of five others who were close together, ready for war. The first few attackers finally made it to their huddle and the fighting began. Mahraj could hear mumbling behind him. After dispatching an attacker he quickly turned to see Salih sitting in the sand. “Excuse me sir,” he said in a panicked tone, “but we’re busy dying over here!” As the words were leaving his lips, Salih’s hands raised to the air, and a fearsome growl silenced the battle cries. From nowhere, a glowing tiger ran through the river of glass, mauling every invader in its wake. The ones who were near the front lines of battle quickly turned to return to their mounts. It was no use. The tiger stood watching, waiting for one of them to move. With everyone else frozen in fear, Stetz saw his opportunity to strike. Starting with the man nearest him, he began to lay into the frightened warriors. Salih also caught the cue. Whatever warriors were not struck down by Salih or Stetz, ran into the waiting claws of the spectrous beast. With all of their enemy slain, the tiger turned to the general and pounced, ready to gut him. Salih simply reached out his hand, and the animal turned into dust.

He turned to his companions. “I’m sure their camels will have some sustainance for us. They will be helpful in bargaining if we run into an outpost.”

“You heard the magician,” Kabayt said dryly with a smug look on her face, “We have water.” The others, not quite sure of what had just happened, but too dumbfounded to object, followed his advice and rounded up some of the enemy camels. They were finally able to have the nourishment they had been lacking for some days. Kabayt was clearly impressed by Salih’s skills, though she tried to hide it. The others were just happy to survive the ordeal and drink some fresh water.

As the caravan went on, they came across a large group of tents belonging to a nomadic tribe. A pair of guards came out while they were still a ways off to greet them.

After speaking with them, Stetz had been able to make a deal: the nomads would let them stay in some of their own tents in exchange for a camel.

“We are lucky these aren’t their camels,” Stetz buzzed. “I don’t know if we would be so lucky as earlier today.

…

The desert sun set upon their backs as they entered the nomads’ camp. Thankfully, this particular encampment put high priority on hospitality. The party dispersed into a few different tents that were set up for them in the middle of the camp. Despite the friendliness, the crew knew their placement was tactical. A singular guard could see each tent entrance, and if they were to try anything, the camp’s warriors would immediately be upon them.

Kabayt picked the tent on one end, which was a little further away from the others. She hoped that if she chose quickly that the others would take the hint that she wanted to be alone. It seems that they did. As she lifted the entrance flap, she saw that she would be staying in relative comfort to the blanket on sand she had been used to recently. It was a small space, but the tent walls were thick to protect from any dust storm that may occur. In the middle was a soft mattress. It was stuffed with straw, but she knew it would feel like the palace couches she knew as a child.

Before she dove into the bed, she took off her helmet, armor, and riding pants, laying them nearby. She was tired enough drop off right away, but she had a feeling that it would be a misstep to sleep immediately. She sat on the bed in her undergarments and meditated. Being the only woman on this trek was okay with her (as she preferred the company of men), but she still craved time with herself. Before she finished her meditation, she heard the rustling of material at the entrance to her tent.

"Lady Kabayt?” came a familiar voice. It was the enchanter, Salih. Normally, a woman in her position would be in a scramble to cover up, but she felt a peace about her current state that she could not explain. Salih was shocked, and his face became red as he stared at her. He did not continue speaking.

She looked him up and down, and with a laugh said, “Do you typically make it a point to enter a woman’s quarters unannounced?”

“… N… no…” he stammered, continuing to eye her shapely figure. Then, looking at the ground, replied, “I don’t often find myself in such places.”

She smirked. I could have some fun with him, she thought to herself. “Come, now,” she said aloud, “A magician such as yourself should have no problem conjuring up a lady now and again.”

“On the contrary,” Salih looked in her eyes. “My personality is not conducive to friendship with the fairer sex. I don’t like to share, and that has pushed many a maiden away,” he half-chuckled.

Kabayt sat on the edge of the bed and spread her legs. “You like to have them all to yourself, do you? I bet that sort of man makes a passionate lover.”

Salih’s face grew red again, and he looked away. Trying to change the subject, he gasped, “I was just making sure everyone was alright. There weren’t enough beds, so I thought I would watch our tents.”

“That sounds quite lonely,” she said, with a little pout in her voice. “Before you do, you should take a moment to rest.” As she saw him open his jaw to object, she quickly blurted, “Sit down. I insist. Right here.” She pointed to a spot on the rug between her legs. For a moment they said nothing, but she stared into his eyes with a lustful look. He was not the only one who knew how to enchant.

Before he knew it, he was sitting himself down between her legs, facing away. She lifted his mail and shirt over his head and tossed it aside. She began to massage his shoulders. It all felt so natural to both of them. There were no words for some time as the massage continued. “That was a wonderful show today,” she complimented, “when you conjured that tiger out of thin air.”

“Magic is fueld by emotion. With the right will and the right science reality will bend to just about any shape.”

“Science?” Kabayt scoffed, momentarily stopping her caressing of his body. It startled him. He did not want her to take her hands off.

“Absolutely. I can’t just think something into existence. I’m sorry to ruin the illusion, but magic is a lot less mystical than you think. It takes discipline in training and studying. It doesn’t create reality. It bends the fabric of the elements and of space and time.” He caught himself rambling, but she much enjoyed the way he spoke with authority. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to bore you.”

“Much the opposite. Knowledge is the greatest weapon.” She moved her hands down to his chest. She could feel the energy in the tent building. Perhaps it was emotion, perhaps it was magic. Maybe it was a little of both.

Salih laid his head back in the lady’s lap, eyes closed, and let out a sigh. She continued rubbing his body down. As she moved her hands over his chest she could feel his heart beginning to race. Like a flash he was turned around and upon her, forcing her down on the bed by the wrist. She did not fight back, nor did she speak; she only gazed into his eyes with fire and passion.

Salih did not know what had come over him. At first he looked confused, but after a moment he knew what he wanted. He began kissing her neck softly. Kabayt slowly wrapped her legs around his waist, turning her neck to make it more accessible. He whispered into her ear something she could hardly hear and could not understand. Before she could ask him to repeat himself she felt a cooling sensation all throughout her body. Even in such a frenzied state he was in complete control of the elements. She was pleasantly surprised. Though her body was cool, inside she could feel a heat that could not be brought by the desert sun; one she had not felt in some time. This would be a night neither would ever forget.

…

In the morning, all of the party were brought to an open gazebo to meet with the nomad captain. He was not yet present, but one of his guards stood at each corner of the tent. The travelers had an understanding that the nature of the trip and even their names should remain as unshared as possible. Any address between them would require eye contact to distinguish which “sir” was being addressed.

Stetz, Salih, Mahraj, Tajul, and Mal had already sat at the table to eat breakfast with some aromatic, strong coffee. They all looked well-rested and ready for the day’s journey, something they had not looked since their outset. After some time, Lady Kabayt approached the tent. They all stared as she alighted on one end of the large, low table, laying her legs to the side. She had consistently been the most alert at all times on this trip. This morning it looked as if she had not slept in days. Mahraj was thinking of making a joke, but decided that he could go without such a personal health risk. Mal gave a stifled chuckle.

Just then the nomadic leader approached the tent accompanied by a single guard. He walked around the table, sitting on a large pillow positioned at the head of the table. The men bowed their heads politely.

“Good morning, sirs,” he said, placing a cloth on his lap and digging into breakfast.

Stetz piped up. “And to you, sir. We are very grateful for your hospitality.”

“But of course. If I had not had the hospitality of strangers, I would probably not be alive today.”

A few moments passed in silent chewing.

“So, what brings you through this desert? You are not what I would call the usual traveling party,” he snickered as he scanned the mismatched group.

Stetz spoke up. “Indeed we are. In fact, as to the answer to you question, we ourselves do not know how each other would answer.”

The leader’s brow furrowed in confusion, then raised in intrigue. Salih continued the knight’s thought, “We ran into each other on our journeys and decided it was safer to travel together than alone.”

“We made a pact between us, but agreed not to tell nor ask each others’ business; not even our names are known to each other,” Mal stated. “All we know is that we’re headed in the same direction: north.”

The chieftain squinted in confusion but nodded his head as all hummed and nodded in agreement. All, that is, except Kabayt. She was staring off into her breakfast until she realized everyone was staring at her. Abruptly, she chimed in with, “Indeed.”

“How very odd…” the important man muttered.

Breakfast continued in tense silence. They hurried to eat, except the lady who ate quite slowly. When most of them were nearing the end of their meal, Stetz broke the silence with, “Thank you so much, sir, for your hospitality. If you will excuse us, we must be on our way before the sun reaches zenith. Please take our excess camels in thanks for feeding us this feast and giving us a place to bed down.”

This seemed to please the man, and he motioned with his hand, dismissing them from the table. They got up and hastened to grab their things and leave.

As they exited the camp one by one, Salih looked one of the outer guards in the eye. The man squinted at him, as an acquaintance that could not quite put a name to a face. His expression turned from confusion to realization. He hurriedly left his post and ran into the camp without a word.

Salih whispered, “I think we’ve been found out. Let’s get out of here!”

They all urged their camels on into a gallop. Into the blank desert they raced. Salih stayed in the back, causing short gusts to try and cover their tracks the best they could. Mal took the lead. “There’s a large rock formation not far from here, if I have my stars from last night right,” he shouted. “If we make it there, we can stage some sort of defense from attackers… Not that I don’t have faith in our mage’s fighting prowess.”

Salih called from the rear, “I would rather all our fates not always rest on my shoulders, either… Not that I also lack the utmost confidence in my abilities!”

Salih figured if the chieftain heard that he had been in the camp last night, their host would have asked for more. Perhaps he would want any cargo – whether that be riches or important person to keep for ransom – for himself, or to exact revenge for some relative Salih had slain in battle, or related tribe he had humbled. Whatever the reason, the guard’s look told him that the chieftain would have more to “discuss” with him, knowing his identity.

It was not long until the group saw a dust cloud rising behind them. Their hosts were not finished with their hospitality, and they were making a good pace.

“There it is!” The mercenary called back as a large dune in front of them slowly revealed a fortress of stone.

Stetz shouted, “Is there a way to take our camels up into that place?” If there was no way to take the camels up, they would have no way of escaping the stronghold.

“Follow me!” Mal led the group past the side of the formation around to the back of it where there was a steep but sandy path that led higher into their new outpost. The trail was partially hidden by jutting stone. They climbed as quickly as they could into the maze of rock. Once they had taken a minute to settle in, they noticed that this “castle” was actually quite easily defensible. One could see for miles in any direction while being obscured from potential attackers by jutting stone.

Tajul, Mal, and Kabayt took positions at the front of the formation with bows ready. Stetz stood at the back of the outpost to guard from anyone coming up the sandy trail should it be found. Salih took the highest point, ready to maneuver wherever his skills might be needed most. There was a clearing in the middle near the top of the formation where the camels were kept.

Mahraj was with the camels. “Stuck with the dirty animals again,” he muttered. Two of the beasts spat on him. He let out a cry of disgust, trying to muffle his cursing.

It was not long before the soldiers arrived. Kabayt counted thirty-three. They stopped a ways off so as not to draw arrow fire. The mass began to spread a thin circle around the outcropping. They knew the group was hiding there. Two of the search party came forward. One began shouting.

“Deliver to us the war criminal Salih, and the rest of you are free to go.” “War criminal” was their name for someone who had defeated them in battle.

“Who did you kill this time?” Mahraj jeered.

Mal motioned to the other two archers. A small volley of arrows flew forth, striking both of the riders that approached: killing one, knocking the other off his camel. He fell to the sand, injured. Another well-placed shot ended him. Mal whispered, “I know it was only two, but we will probably need to pick them off slowly to get out of here.

Thus the standoff began. Neither side had the numbers to stage a successful full-scale attack on the other; this would be a waiting game. As night fell, they arranged watches. One of them would be stationed in the front, the other in the back at the entrance. The rest were to get as much sleep as they could on the stone floor of their new home.

…

As the new day dawned, the waiting continued. The six returned to their stations and watched the unmoving ring surrounding them. Salih’s mind had been working all night. This was a siege. The war party’s strategy would be to wear them down until the six were without any water. At that point, the group would have to either surrender or be slaughtered.

Salih squatted next to the knight Stetz, wordlessly watching the enemy. Stetz quietly spoke after a sigh. "You’re probably wondering what you got yourself into. A man travels weeks to find you on a battlefield to hire you as a teacher far away from your homeland, and there’s nothing but trouble all along the way.”

Salih gave a wry smile. “It’s not so strange. Conflict seems to follow me. Besides, I’ve been through Veristek before; it has been a three or four decades, though.”

Stetz turned his head around in curiosity. “Are the legends about you really true, sir?”

The magician snickered. “Which legends?”

Stetz continued, “That you’re as old as time itself: maybe even a deity lost and wandering the planet.” Stetz lit up. He had wanted to ask Salih since their journey had started, but wished to retain the formalities of his position. He could no longer help himself.

“Well, I’m not quite that old; though I do think the centuries have been kind to my appearance.” Both laughed. Though Salih looked quite young, myths of him dated back at least a hundred years. “But I am no deity. Just lost.”

Stetz chuckled for a moment until he saw the seriousness in the magician’s face. He coughed. They sat in silence for a time.

Motioning in the direction of their foes, Salih finally broke the quiet. “The problem is drawing them to us in waves. If they come to us now in a few bunches, we will be able to fight our way out. If they stage an all-out attack, it’s likely at least a few of us will die.”

Stetz squinted in thought. “I think I have a plan.”

…

It was quiet on the desert.

Then it wasn’t.

A violent wind began to blow, kicking up dust. The surrounding troupe yelled to each other to take cover. A flash sandstorm had descended. It lasted a half hour or so, then died as suddenly as it had appeared. Watchmen peered into the mass of rock. There were no signs of people or camels anywhere.

A cry came from a portion of the ring. The criminals’ camels were escaping, galloping wildly past the troops. A small detachment peeled off to recapture them. Another troupe of seven was sent to the outcropping to take their prisoners, if they were to be found there. The rock was completely lifeless.

The rest of the marauders waited for a signal from the reconnaissance party. There was none. Finally, they exited the fortress as they had gone in: single file. They slowly returned toward the circle to report their findings, but something was off. They were headed to the opposite side from whence they came, and there was one fewer.

As soon as the inconsistency was noticed, a horn sounded to attack. This was all the head start the travelers needed. Bows were drawn and arrows loosed, felling enemy after enemy, and opening a hole in their foe’s defenses. They now had a path of escape, but they needed to mortally wound the war party to secure their safety down the road. With the enemy now spread out, they split up, three making their way down one side of the ring, three going the other way.

Arrows flew, swords clashed, and fire flashed as the outnumbered team laid waste to its opponents. After a good number of the enemy had fallen, their comrades turned from attacking to fleeing. Salih’s friends took this chance to make their exit as well. They rode off in one direction, but changed their angle of departure after a time to make themselves all but impossible to follow.

“Masterful plan, Sir Stetz,” Salih congratulated the warrior on his strategy.

The knight beamed back as they plodded on.

…

Going for the next stretch was relatively easy. The bottomless sand became sand with the occasional slab of weathered rock peeking through it. Rocky outcroppings became more frequent, breaking up the bland dunes with ebony obelisks. Everything had been said, so the group remained all but silent as the camels plodded on.

Finally, mountains could be made out on the very distant horizon, and the first signs of civilization (albeit ancient and extinct) sprung up about them. As the sun went down they made camp amidst busted up ruins half-covered in sand. Giant heads of formidable statues made in the likeness of long-forgotten warriors and nobles lie cracked on the floors of leveled abodes.

Sleeping rolls were among the few supplies the group still possessed after the change in animals. They spread out in a semicircle around a campfire Tajul had started with some nearby brush.

Rubbing his eyes, Mal yawned, “I know it’s my shift for first watch, but, Master Salih, if you don’t mind…”

“No problem. We’re all tired, but I think I’m the most awake. I’ll wake you in a few hours.”

A grin slowly creeped across his face. “I am forever in your debt, good sir,” he bowed.

…

The environment they found themselves in now was very different. There was much more to pay attention to, but not every moving thing was a threat. They were coming closer to their destination, and they were on the cusp of several kingdoms. There were bandits in the area, to be sure, but there would be just as many, if not more, passers by and travelers.

Salih watched from a slightly tilted pillar sticking out of the ruins, scanning the plains on all sides. There were so many hiding places. He started to second-guess the wisdom of bedding down in such a place.

He had taken a double shift to let the others get more rest; they needed it more, and he owed it to them for ensuring his safety all this time. At the end of his shift, Tajul approached him, allowing him to head back to his sleeping place. His spot was between Mahraj and Mal. Stetz was on the other side of Mal, and Kabayt on the other side of him. The fire they positioned themselves around had long gone out. His head had no sooner hit the pillow than he was out.

…

Salih woke from his dead sleep to the sound of a short, strained yell. The blade was inches from his throat. He grabbed and tossed his assailant through the air, turning to see Stetz struggling across the pit with a larger foe, back pressed against the cobblestones. Salih smacked his hand down on Mahraj’s bed, whacking him in the side.

“HUH? WHA?” he started, lost as to the chaos happening around him. He quickly saw what Salih did. Mal and Tajul had plotted to murder them all in their sleep. The former had positioned himself over the magician to slit his throat, while the latter murdered Stetz. Once they had been taken care of Mahraj, the heaviest sleeper, would be easy to take care of last.

Salih leaped across the charred wood to Stetz’s aid, while Mahraj scrambled to his feet to defend against Mal. Salih wrapped his arms around the bigger man, flinging him over his back in a suplex. The loud crack made it clear that the assailant was, at the very least, knocked out for some time. As Salih turned to check on Mahraj, he saw him on the assassin’s back, just plunging his knife into his side.

Stetz staggered to his knees, crawling toward the larger, incapacitated foe. He reached for a nearby rope with which to tie up his legs. The way the knight moved made it clear that he was injured, but determined to bind his attacker.

In a worried tone, Mahraj hissed, “Where’s the other one?”

“Kabayt?” Stetz grunted. “She must’ve ran at the first sign of trouble. I doubt she had anything to do with this.” After he finished tying the knot, he used a nearby hatchet to cleave off the scum’s hand. “For treachery against the king.” He slumped backward.

…

When they reached the first outpost on the far side of the ruins, the three traded in the five camels for three horses. Though Stetz was injured, they passed through the next two spread-out towns without stopping. It was unlikely anyone followed, but they took the extra precaution to put distance between themselves and all their enemies to the south. The terrain had quickly changed to green hills, then the hills grew to mountains. All the while, the air got cooler: a welcome change from the exhausting heat of the wasteland. The path was lined with purple and red flowers. They had crossed the borders into Veristek.

They finally found rest in a quaint mountain town inn. Stetz had his wounds examined by the local doctor; it would be a fortnight before he made a full recovery. “Your ribs are bruised badly. Riding will continue to be extremely painful if you don’t wait it out.”

Stetz’s head fell back on the bed on which they had placed him with a frustrated snort. Salih smiled and grabbed his shoulder. “Hey, any other soldier would be thankful for this kind of medical leave.”

“I’ve got a package to deliver, and it’s already late.”

“The castle can’t be far from here, can it?”

“That’s the most frustrating thing. Two days further north.”

“Those are safe roads aren’t they?”

Stetz scowled. “You can’t be thinking of going by yourself. With all the bad luck we’ve had this far…”

“Calm down,” Salih interrupted. “I’m not in a rush. I do think it would be wise to send word to let them know what has happened.”

“No, you’re right.” Deflated, he shook his head. “All this trouble is my fault.”

“Trust me, any time spent with me is going to be filled with bad luck. It didn’t matter who you hired or what route we took; we were bound to run into trouble.”

Stetz smirked, half-convinced as Salih left the room.

Mahraj was waiting outside the door, listening in. “So we have to wait another week in this frozen hell-hole?” He was bundled up in a mound of blankets. Salih held in a laugh at his companion’s pitiful state. “If I would have known I would die of frostbite, I never would have come in the first place.”

Salih raised his brows, incredulous. “The cold is the worst thing that’s happened on this trip? Not the armies we fought or the traitors that tried to slit our throats?”

“At least they all had eyes you could look into, so you could face them man-to-man. There’s something truly sinister about a faceless enemy. I still don’t understand why they tried to kill us when they did.”

“They needed us all worn down, where our defenses were at their lowest. Also, I’m sure that they wanted to get as close as possible to their customer before they started lugging around my dead body… Or at least my head.”

His companion shivered. “Well, they got what was coming to them. Still can’t believe Lady Kabayt deserted.”

“I don’t blame her. She was just looking out for herself. She couldn’t risk picking the losing side.”

“Do they have hot springs around here?” Mahraj was too cold to think about their past perils any longer.

…

Word returned to them on the fifth day by a pair of horsemen leading a third horse. Stetz was brought out to the porch of the inn. “We’ve come to escort Master Salih to the estate of the Princess Charity of Veristek.”

Stetz nodded his head in a frown, still disappointed that he was unable to see his mission to the end. Leaning against a post, he stuck out his hand to Salih. Salih took and shook his arm firmly. “A swift recovery to you, Stetz.”

“Thank you, Salih.”

Mahraj cleared his throat loudly from inside his multi-colored quilt bundle. He looked like a bizarre, rainbow, insect hive bouncing up and down.

“There is the matter of payment for my companion.” Salih tried not to laugh as he made his request.

One of the messengers removed a full saddle bag from the third horse. He first attempted to hand it to Mahraj, but the swaddled man was not about to release hold on his blankets, so the man plopped the bag over the nearby railing.

“I suppose this is goodbye, my dear friend,” the general smiled.

“I should be so lucky.” They quickly embraced. “I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that we will meet again all too soon.”

With a smile, he mounted the third horse. Waving to his companions, now with his small escort party, Salih rode off toward the end of the journey.

*F A D E T O W H I T E*

–Bizz

#Desert Heat #fiction #romance #fantasy #adventure #Salih #adventures of Salih #ya

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re2bal · 3 years

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"Guan-Yu & Red Hare"🐴Guan-Yu is the second of the legendary trio that swore brotherhood in the peach garden. Many say this "oath" marked the start of the great three kingdoms era of China. 🐴His horse, The Red Hare (capable of travelling 1,000 miles a day), First Belonged to Lu-bu, the legendary warlord of the later Han Dynasty. However, after the latter was defeated by the crafty (some say Villain) Cao-Cao, he gifted the Red Hare to Guan-Yu to gain his favor, and perhaps his loyalty. 🐴Guan-Yu, who was a hero of his time was not the kind of man to switch sides. And only For Cao-Cao knew this of him, he insisted that the horse belongs to him. "a match made in heaven" If you don't know the story, then you're missing out man! Come on! See the "romance of the three kingdoms"

https://linktr.ee/Re2bal

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weirdbananasblog · 3 years

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