Forgotten Freedom:25
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In Kithle's room, shortly after the meeting...
Kithle: Have you gone mad, woman?! What do you hope to accomplish with this foolishness?
Terra: Oh, believe me, I'm closer to sane than most of the crew. If all goes as planned, a thorn in our side will be removed and the next phase of my goal will be set in motion.
Kithle: Your goal?
Terra: Remember, I'm aiding you, I'm not working for you. But don't worry, my goal helps lead to yours.
Kithle: And if it doesn't work out, what will happen?
Terra: Oh, I don't plan to lose, but if it doesn't work... let's just say that by the time I reveal anything too big, it will be far too late. The consequences of losing I can deal with, the ones of not trying at all I cannot.
Kithle: ...very well.
Later that day, Terra approaches Michael on deck.
Terra: This whole feud between us has gone on long enough. Three draws due to supply shortages have accomplished nothing.
Michael: And you think we can just make up? Not likely.
Terra: No, no. I'm just suggesting a change of competition.
Michael: I'm listening...
Terra: A duel. You and me. No cheating, no help from anyone else, before or during.
Micheal: (holding back laughter) You're joking!
Terra: I'm quite serious. I'll even agree not to use Not-Walter against you.
Michael: Did you hit your head or something? Look at me! You can't beat me in melee combat!
Terra: Then this should be no problem for you. Are you in or out?
Michael: Fine, I'm in. When and where? I'd rather not get keelhauled, or worse, put at Volrath's mercy for fighting on deck.
Terra: (smirks knowingly) Tomorrow at dawn on the plains below us.
Michael: All right. Who makes sure neither of us cheat and determines the winner?
Terra: How about Ketler? He doesn't really have too much against either of us.
Michael: Agreed. Until then...
Michael walks off, laughing to himself.
Terra: Idiot.
Volrath is still in his room.
He begins a summoning ritual again, but this time inside of the husk of infinite worlds. Inside a hellfire wyrm appears.
Hellfire Wyrm: Why do you summon me?
Volrath: I need more allies and you are the only fiend whose true name I still know. They are performing the prophecy out of order and I can't dissuade them.
Hellfire Wyrm: I will serve you, but mark my words, soon I will rend you head and foot for this. The fiends are not to be trifled with.
Volrath: That's okay, Shniv'flin, for you will not be a fiend much longer.
Hellfire Wyrm: You wouldn't dare!
Volrath: Oh but I would!
As he says this Volrath pushes several cysts on the husk and screams of anguish erupt from it.
In Ketler's lab, Ketler is hammering a nail into a new golem arm.
Volrath sneaks up behind Ketler.
Volrath: BOO!
Ketler jumps and then turns around, still shaking a little bit.
Kelter: Yes?
Volrath: I wanted to help you in your goal to kidnap Jaela.
Ketler (cautiously): Why would you want to do that?
Volrath: Well partially to get revenge on Thrane for what they did to my family, but mostly I need your artificing skill to help my army. As an incentive the crew members I will be fighting claimed that Allen was a better artificer than you.
Ketler: Those bastards! Alright, I'll help.
Volrath returns to his lab, and approaches a vault lined with adamantite.
Volrath: Well, that went better than expected.
Looks thru a little peep hole in the vault. From it come slobbering sounds and roars.
Volrath: Be patient, Pholly, you will be able to feed when the time comes.
Devon: Damn, Silence has got some weird books. I mean, Volrath, Kithle, Kanatash, and Terra have weirder ones, but these look like I can actually read them. Hmmm... this one's in old Riedran. I know that one because my ex-girlfriend has a degree in... aah, who am I kidding?
He picks up the book.
Devon: Hmmm... This looks ******* complicated. Oh, cool! There's a set of instructions over in the margins in common! Hmmm... alright, so it's just a symbol in a five by five area.
Five minutes later...
Devon: AMON, VOID BEFORE THE ALTAR! I HAVE MADE YOUR SEAL AND NOW I CALL TO THEE! I hope I get laid because of this...
A fire starts in the center of the sigil, revealing a massive shadow burning in horrid flames. Demoniac horns curl past its brows, crowning a face past mentioning. Its eyes burn with a hellish intensity, defying reality to try and stop it, yet cowardly comsic laws stand by while this unmentionable abomination stares down at poor, poor Devon.
Devon: Don't hurt me...
Amon: HAhaHAHAHAHA! You amuse me little worm... I think we can make a deal...
Terra: Hey Sa'vor, grab Satnak, your codpiece, Slip, Kithle, Kanatash, Ajihazi, and as many sacrificial redshirts as possible, we got a thirteen alarm nightmare in Silence's room!
Silence: Whoa, now, what's in my room?
Terra: Some sort of extraplanar being that's giving Not-Walter a massive headache.
Silence: Look, this happens pretty regularly in my room, but usually only when I'm in it.
Terra: Uh, okay, but this is a little worse than usual...
About half of the crew is now crowded outside Silence's room, including all the important ones... when a large gust of smoke blows out of the quickly opened door.
Silence: If anyone read my diary, OMG I will sacrifice them to Tenebrous.
Sa'vor: Get a life.
Silence: Had one, then I sold it.
Sa'vor: This 'cause of your binding abilities or something?
Silence: No. I'm an economics major.
(Devon walks out in the cloud, coughing)
(As the cload disapates, it becomes clear that Devon isn't quite what he used to be... For one thing his eyes are glowing red, and he's grown ram's horns above his eyes.")
Devon: Hello, everybody! Good to see you, I think you'll look lovely roasting over a slow fire on a spit. Especially the fat captain...
Terra: Well, crap. Looks like we'll have to postpone our duel.
Michael: No ****!
"Muahahaha!" Allen laughs evilly, from deep within the Forgotten Freedom, in his lab. He was hard at work on something... Using his trusty homunculus to get some of the rarer ingredients he couldn't make or didn't have.
Chalky: Okay, I have been waiting so long for Devon to loose it. ALL YOUR KNEECAPS ARE BELONG TO US.
Devon: ARRRRRRGHHHHH MY ARM!! Give that back, you son of a wolf and a doppleganger.
Chalky: (mouth full of ripped arm) 'ake me *yoink*
Devon: Come back here. *pursuit*
Satnak: This aughta be funny, Chalky knows this ship better then most anyone else, he has practice dodging through the tight spaces from chasing Squishy, and he has that whole shapeshifting mastery thing to boot. Norbaz, get me some chili, the show is starting.
Dooj: Remind me not to get Chalky ******.
Michael: Yeah he ripped out the whole shoulder joint.
CRASH BANG SPLASH
Jarlot: Who authorized the Sovereign paint landmines, in pastel purple no less. More importantly where are the rest
Crash bang splash
... of them (Jarlot is now sporting a nice robin's egg blue) Hurry up and help me before the paint dries.
Norbaz: Here you go Satnak, this is a new blend, I made it up to fourteen alarm successfully without making it a weapons grade dish... Oh, Captain, a question.
Jarlot: Shoot.
Norbaz: When was the last time we committed an act of Piracy? It's been a while, nothing but everyone plotting behind each other's backs and dark gods or demons being summoned. Also, Pholly hasn't shown up for KP duty in a week.
Jarlot: Point. Time to sack something simple... like Zilargo.
About this time Kanatash floats into the room.
Kanatash: Oh, about Pholly, I'll be bringing him back tomorrow.
Norbaz: What, why do you have Pholly?
Kanatash: Well, somebody decided to douse me with a batch of ghost touch alchemist's fire. At the time I was rather ******, so I went for the most obvious suspect.
Norbaz: Um, I'm not sure I want to know, but what did you do with him.
Kanatash: I did sent him on a trip to Xoriat...
Norbaz: Thats all? It seems rather uninspired for you.
Kanatash: Let me finish. I sent him to Xoriat to spend a week with the Michael Jackson Daelkyr. You ever notice how Gnomes resemble, say, ten year old boys?
Norbaz: Wow, that is evil.
Kanatash: I know. However I fear I was a little rash in my judgement, Pholly doesn't have the motive or stones to attack me. (glances towards the door) I do have some alternate suspects however. (calling out) Doog, Micheal, come out from behind the door. I know you're there and I know what you did, Michael.
Doog: (from behind the door) Run dude! For the love of Jaela, run! (rapidly retreating footsteps sound in the distance)
Kanatash: If you'll excuse me now, I have some business to attend to.
Norbaz: (shivering) Uh, just remind me never to **** you off, okay?
Kanatash simply smiles and floats out of the room. The air is soon filled with malevolent laughter which is followed shortly by Michael's screams.
As Michael's screams permeate the room.
Norbaz: That reminds me, I need to speak with Michael and Dooj before the day is out. Hope they're still in mostly one piece... now then, what to do about Devon. No one throws a roast on this ship without my consent, standing rule or not. (Hefts Goliath Hammer) Time to join in on the Tenderizing, I'm sure Chalky won't mind the help, make the meat taste sweeter, after all.
Shortly thereafter, Michael is recuperating in his room. There is, unfortunately, a shortage of cure liquors, and it'll be a day or so before the remaining wounds heal. This gives him time to think.
"Urgh. Devon's not gonna take more than a day or so. Satnak'll solve it. Gotta figure out how to deal with Terra.
"I'm stronger than her. If it's a just a plain fight, I'll win. Obviously.
"She has to know that. So how is she going to cheat? Did she suborn Ketler or something? I could go grab Jaela, trade her to Ketler to even things out.
"But is it Ketler? Or does she have something planned that he won't be able to tell?
"Damn but I hate plotting.
"I need a good killin' to clear my head. Been way too long since we pillaged anywhere. Soon as I'm out of bed I'm goin' to grab Dooj and slaughter a town or something."
Norbaz: Ah, Michael, you're awake. I was wondering if you and Dooj would like to assist me in a side project when the ship comes to port tonight.
Michael: And what would that be.
Norbaz: Assisting in a commission I'm taking, I am an assassin by secondary trade to being a cook.
Volrath : Kanatash, I have Pholly, or what was once him, you must have someone else. Who, I wonder.
(Feels reality shredding)
Silence : Oh no, it's....
Entire Crew : A CONTINUITY ERROR! WHAT SHALL WE DO?
Sa'vor : We make up a character, duh...
Michael : So, now there's two Phollies?
Sa'vor : Weeeellll... Pretty much, yeah.
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