Forgotten Freedom:29
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Klaz and Vrin walk up the secret stairs and peek out the secret door. They see the aberrations. They glance at each other. They carefully close the door and walk back down.
Lucky: I predict good times ahead.
Klaz: Okay, who let the sheila at the dreamlily. On this ship, peace never lasts for long. Hey, Roosevelt, where'd you get all that cash?
Roosevelt just chuckles meniacally.
Roosevelt: Splinters. I even amaze myself sometimes. That'll teach that little walking disaster to mess with chemicals against instructions.
Terra: Hey, Kithle. (sees the new tattoos) Whoa, freaky.
Kithle: It takes a bit of getting used to. What did you need?
Terra: I'm still concerned. I really think you've underestimated Volrath. Perhaps Sa'vor had something to do with it, but that couldn't have been Volrath's entire force. I've known him longer than any of you besides Muradin, and I'm telling you, that was too easy.
Kithle: Easy? You call all that easy?
Terra: I know, but remember what he is. I don't think he's as down and out as you believe. He's probably already recovered from your punishment.
Kithle: That IS something...
Terra: Also, I've met his father. That is one SCARY guy. If Volrath goes to him for aid, we, and probably most of Eberron, are screwed.
Kithle: He's that powerful?
Terra: He destroys worlds for fun and profit, so yeah. But I do think I have an idea of how to calm Volrath down...
Kithle: Care to share it?
Terra whispers in his ear, and a look of amused disbelief comes across his face.
Kithle: You're JOKING!!!
Terra: No. Totally serious.
(later)
Volrath: All that hard work, down the drain. If Sa'vor wasn't absolutely necessary, I'd...
As Terra walks in, the brain in the jar pleads for help.
Brain: Please, kill me...
Terra: (to the brain) Hey, Wayne.
Upon hearing her voice, Volrath spins around and yells at her furiously.
Volrath: YOU!!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!!! YOU SCREWED EVERYTHING UP!!!
Terra: I did, didn't I? However, I couldn't just sit by and watch you kill off my best customers, regardless of your intentions.
Volrath is pouting in the corner, giving Terra evil looks.
Terra: But considering that that was still quite underhanded, even for me, I have a present for you.
Volrath hears a soft squeaking noise and perks up immediately when Terra holds out her hands.
Volrath: Is... is that ?
Terra: Yep.
Volrath: A BUNNY!!!!!
He runs over and scoops up the little rabbit, cuddling it lovingly.
Volrath: (sing-song) Bun-ny! Bun-ny!
(previously)
Kithle: That little terror likes bunnies!
Terra: Hard to believe, isn't it? You remember the goblin brain he keeps in his room? I helped Volrath capture the little bastard. During the raid, we came across their stock room, and it was filled with bunny meat. Volrath was despondent for a week.
Kanatash: We have a situation.
Savor: Again?
Kanatash: Yes, I have been checking all the copies of me that Volrath destroyed and the original was not among them. He's not on the ship either.
Kithle: That's bad isn't it.
Kanatash: Ooooohhh yeah. If I know me, he's been asembling an army of clones of epic proportions and he'll be back with that army about say... (a massive explosion comes from the deck) Now.
The entire crew assembles on the deck as litterally hundreds of thousands of Kanatashes float off it's side.
Jarlot: Anyone got a plan here?
Kanatash: We need to eliminate the original. After he is dead, all the others should revert. However if you can kill as many copies as possible it should make it easier to kill the duplicate.
Jarlot: Well, you heard the sociopathic crime against nature. ATTACK!
A battle of massive proportions commences with Kithle and Sa'vor unleashing magical and psionc strikes that destroy swaths of foes. Andrea commands her legions of undead out. Volrath sends forth the remainder of his aberration army. Terra summons forth various creatures to hold back the copies. Satnak is going on a killing spree with her arm while Norbaz uses the last of his chili to vaporize swaths of copies. Lisa and the other goody-goody crew members blast the copies with holy power and any copy approaching within ten feet of Aerith spontaneously combusts from the sheer happiness she exudes. Despite all this, the Kanatashes are simply too many. The crew has been weakend from all the recent confilict and they are slowly being driven back.
Sa'vor: If anyone has some bright ideas, now would be a good time!
Ketler: Well, I guess it's time to unleash my secret weapon. (reveals a small red button hidden in the butt of his crossbow.) ALL UNITS MOVE OUT!
A small army stormtroopers, yes those stormtroopers, spills out onto the deck and they being firing upon the masses of clopies.
Kanatash: (looking at the army of stormtroopers) If we survive this, I promise to see you suffer indescribable pain for this.
Ketler: (chuckles) Begun this clone war has.
Doog: That's nice, Yoda. Now grab a crossbow and keep shooting.
The battle continues with the crew now making slow progress. Suddenly, however, a single Kanatash separates himself from the mass. He practically glows with power and as he spreads his arms above his head, a globe of absolute darkness begins to grow above him.
Kanatash: Thats him! The original duplicate! If he can strike this ship with that sphere he will bring about the end of the universe!
The entire crew follows up with a volley of their most powerful attacks but as they approch they are simply drawn into the globe and absorbed.
Savor: This isn't working!
Kanatash: Leave him to me.
Kanatash darts towards the duplicate, clearing a swath of copies in his wake. The two engage each other in a flurry of martial and mental attacks that defies words. Neither seems to be gaining an advantage and the sphere has begun to drift in the direction of the ship. Finaly Kanatash manages to grapple his duplicate and hold him in place in midair as the sphere is about to reach the ship.
Kanatash: John! Bigby's crushing tatical nuke NOW! Target me!
John: But...
Kanatash: DO IT!!!
The nuclear blast engulfs Kanatash and a shockwave rocks the entire ship. Suddenly the sphere of blackness winks out as if it were never there. All the Kanatash copies also return to their original form. Unfortunately most of them were floating off the deck of the Forgotten Freedom and they have just enough time to recognize their freedom before they are liquefied by their impact with the ground.
Aerith: Oh wow. That was really noble of him. He sacraficed himself to save us all.
Jarlot: Uh, wow. I guess he kind of did. Never saw that coming.
Kanatash: (teleporting in behind him) Or not. You can't get rid of me that easily.
Lisa: How on earth did you survive that?!
Kanatash: Hmph, do you really think I would live on a ship with someone who could blast away a small continent and not have some contingencies to protect against having that power turned against me. Oh, and I'm not going to tell you how I survived, I won't reveal my secrets to YOU.
Lisa: Fine, so what now.
Kanatash: Well everything should go back to being as normal as one could hope for on this ship. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to see an artificer about a promise.
Dol Dorn: Oh hell... the Forgotten Freedom saved the world.
Arawai: Oh no... you know what that means....
Dol Dorn: Yes...
Dol Arrah: They're automatically getting a pass on all previous sinful behavior...
Kol Korn: That COMPLETELY throws the kharmic balance out of whack....
Dol Dorn: I guess this means Lisa's off the hook from the Silver Flame....
Norbaz stands quietly in the kitchen over his cutting board. Below are various vegetables he is slowly and methodically cutting.
How did she know. And why are her words still echoing in my head. Its as if she automatically assumed I was the raping and pillaging type, and that it was special of me to do what I did... No... no that's not it at all. I just, I'm just a professional. I'm paid to kill and that's all. I just happen to keep a personal code of honor. I don't ask any of the others to conform to it as much as they would have me conform to their own... but.
Damn it. She saw right through me.
Tiredly, Norbaz cleans off the knife and returns it to cabinet before dumping to contents of the cutting board into a pot for a generic stew for tonight's meal.
The sun breaks over the hills as Terra and Michael prepare to face off. It had rained the night before, and the ground was still a little damp. All the non-severely injured crew has gathered to watch the spectacle. Tabitha prepares to mediate, as she was the only one they could agree on.
Tabitha: (addressing Terra and Michael) All right, just to recap. Neither of you are allowed outside assistance, and that includes summoning, Michael cannot sunder any equipment, and Not-Walter is not allowed to participate in this battle.
Michael: Why did I agree to 'no sundering' again?
Terra: Because you cheap shotted me with that Hellbrew, and I promised to rip out your spleen while you slept if you didn't.
Michael: Oh yeah...
Michael has gone all out. He is decked out in full platemail and helmet, both colored black, and carries a dual-handed longsword surrounded by a dark glow. Terra remains in her usual robes, carrying only her Treebrother staff, also glowing magically.
The crew stands on a small hill overlooking the plain. Terra and Michael ready themselves below as Tabitha prepares to start the match.
Terra: With everything that's happened, I'm glad you didn't take off. You remember the deal?
Michael: Yeah, yeah. You win, no more plotting and I leave you alone. I win, one night with you, without Not-Walter, and no killing me in my sleep...
At the signal, Michael charges, only to miss badly when Terra dodges to the side. Again he attacks, this time she parrys the blow, knocking the swing to her left side and causing him to loose his balance. With Michael wide open, Terra strikes quickly at his right shoulder and hops away.
Jarlot: (whistles) I thought this would be over quickly, but it seems I may have been mistaken.
Kanatash: True, it does look one sided at first glance. But Terra's elven dexterity and smaller frame make hitting her a bit of a challenge, especially with all that armor weighing Michael down. However, because of that armor, she can't do much damage.
The two trade blows repeatedly as Terra continues with hit and run tactics. After a while, Michael begins to time her, finally landing a blow, clipping her left arm and drawing blood. Terra flips away, landing several feet from him.
Terra: (smirking as she mockingly licks the wound) It's about time you hit me.
The battle continues to rage in this manner for over an hour, with neither side gaining the upper hand. After several lucky strikes by Michael, Terra had been forced to use a few Cure Moderate Wounds on the run. By this time, Michael's armor is quite dented, making it more difficult for him to move. Terra had also managed to knock off his helmet about halfway through.
Kithle: Most intriguing...
Jarlot: What is? I don't see any end to this.
Kithle: You're only counting damage. Look at the ground beneath them.
Jarlot notices that several lines have appeared since the start of battle. Deep foot prints, gouges in the ground from Michael's misses, and Terra scraping the damp ground with her staff as she moved have come together to form a nearly complete symbol.
Jarlot: What is that?
Kithle: An arcane sigil. I'm not entirely sure what she plans to do with it, but I have an idea. We'll see soon enough.
Volrath: (to himself) Show off...
The two of them clash again, but the battle has been slowing down as they exhaust themselves.
Sa'vor: It's almost over...
Jarlot: Yeah, looks like another draw.
Sa'vor: On the contrary, the victor has never really been in doubt.
Jarlot: Huh?
Sa'vor: Terra's been leading him by the nose this whole time. Directing his blows to help create the sigil, slowing him down, even giving him the illusion of winning by letting him hit her.
Jarlot: How can you possibly tell all this?
Sa'vor: I spent 20 years on the outer planes. Picking up stuff like this is child's play.
Jarlot: ...remind me never to **** either of you off.
Sa'vor looks at Jarlot oddly.
Jarlot: Er... for more than one reason.
With a swing, Michael finally succeeds in knocking Terra's staff away. She dodges the following upward slash with a backflip, landing on her hands and then flipping again. She lands on her feet further away, only to fall to her knees, apparently out of exhaustion.
Kithle: And thus, the trap is set.
Before he can ask, Jarlot's attention is drawn back to the fight as Michael goes for the coup de grace.
Sa'vor: (smiling) I almost feel sorry for him.
As Michael nears the area Terra landed on in her backflip, she touches the ground and says a quick incantation. The grass glows, growing quickly, and the seeds she placed at the spot currently beneath Michael grow violently into vines.
Terra: Game...
The vines ensnare Michael easily, lifting him off the ground.
Michael: Son of a *****!!!
From his slightly higher vantage point, Michael notices the pattern in the ground, as well as the fact that he is currently in the center.
Terra: Set...
The sigil glows brightly as Terra chants, and a look of disbelief crosses Michael's face.
Terra: Match...
Arcane power surrounds him, closing in as Terra continues the spell.
Michael: OHCRAPOHCRAPOHCRAPOHCRAP!!!!!
Encircled by the Imprisonment spell, he disappears in a flash of light.
Terra: Suck on that, b**ch...
Stillness falls over the field, broken only by Kithle's clapping.
Kithle: Absolutely magnificent, my dear!
Sa'vor: (amused) Yes, most impressive.
Jarlot: (incredulous) HOLD IT!!!! I'm no expert in magic, but I know DAMN well that Druids can't cast arcane spells, much less level nine ones!!
Kanatash: I think we're all a little confused on that point...
Terra dusts herself off and turns to them.
Terra: You are correct, Captain. However, I am not limited to Druidic spells.
Jarlot: ?
Terra: As a Druid, I can draw power from my companion animal. And as you know, Not-Walter is no normal animal. He is fully sentient and, as you probably do not know, quite proficient in Arcane magic.
Tabitha: You cheated!
Terra: Not quite. Not-Walter did nothing, as promised, I simply drew off his powers. I guess the best way to describe it is that I channeled his abilities.
Tabitha opens her mouth to protest, but closes it again as she thinks. A few minutes pass, and she finally responds.
Tabitha: ...have you ever considered accounting? Or maybe law?
Terra: Yeah, it's not for me.
After a few minutes rest, Terra turns to Sa'vor.
Terra: Hey, Sa'vor? It's been about fifteen minutes. I think he's had enough.
Sa'vor: (disappointed) Very well...
Sa'vor casts Freedom, releasing Michael from his magical prison. He reappears, pale, sweating, wide eyed and shaking in terror. When he sees Terra grinning at him, he cringes and begins sobbing.
Jarlot: (looking at Michael) Yikes... (turning to Terra) Why did you need the sigil?
Terra: As you said before, Imprisonment is not a natural spell for me, so I needed something to help me control it. The sigil kept it from going wild and possibly swallowing me as well.
Jarlot: And that's why you haven't done this before?
Terra nods, then stumbles slightly as exhaustion finally overcomes her.
Terra: *sigh* Channeling also takes quite a toll on me physically and mentally. That's only the third time I've ever done something like that.
A little ways away, Kithle and Sa'vor converse telepathically.
Kithle: Heh, she was holding back the whole time. She owned him far more than we thought she would.
Sa'vor: Indeed. Letting go of her weapon like that was the perfect bait. How could he possibly resist? And that last maneuver was particularly interesting...
Kithle: Whoever Not-Walter really is, he's a force to be reckoned with. Michael will never live this down, but the overconfident little puke deserved it.
Jarlot: Ah Lisa, it's a sad, sad, sad, day that you'll be leaving us.
(has already packed all of her stuff for her)
Lisa: FINALLY! At last, recalled to the Church of the Silver Flame by Pontiff Jaela!
Jarlot: Yes, don't let the door hit you on the way out. After all we have another holier than thou replacement for you in Aerith
Lisa: You do realize I intend to come after you.
Jarlot: I'm sure I'm quaking in my boots after having faced a million Kanatashes, flying through Xoriat, and living next to a horrible monstrosity.
Cool Cthulhu: Hmmm?
Aerith: Well my mission is done. I guess it's time to go as well.
Jarlot: OH HELLLLLLL NO!
Aerith: I'm sorry, Captain, but I was here on the Orders of Pontiff Jaela to go help Lisa overcome her awful circumstances in order to rejoin with the Church of the Silver Flame.
Lisa: free... free... free... MUHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA.
Jarlot:
Aerith: I want you to know that I've baked some cookies for your crew though... with a pharmacy of Prozac though plus also mended all of your Redshirts' pain and suffering. Plus I want to give you this Cherry Snapple Case of Healing for your time with me.
(she handed over the case then to Jarlot)
Jarlot: But... but... I want.... you... here...
Aerith: I know that I will miss one crew member more than anyone else I've ever met, this is true... Oooohhhh...
Jarlot: Oh Aerith, I...
(Aerith snuggles Cool Cthulhu)
Cool Cthulhu: I love you too.
Jarlot: ****
Aerith: Captain, is something wrong?
Jarlot: ...
Lisa: I'm sure he's fine, Lisa. There's no problem, I'm sure.
Jarlot: ...
Cool Cthulhu: Aerith, if you want...I could come with you.
Aerith: Oh? COULD YOU!?
Jarlot: ...
(The three then headed off together)
Jarlot: ...
Ketler: Ummm....Captain? Uhhh...if you'd like to go drinking. I'm sure that it'll take the edge off.
Jarlot: No thank you. I don't think I'm in the mood to drink anymore.
Ketler: Oh... hell.
Jarlot: No... I... other things to think on.
In the Dimension of the Quori
Nyzzshar: Everything is proceeding as planned.
Hashtar: Yesssssssss....
Korthos: Let us continue our plot...
Kithle: Godsdamnit, do I ever get any peace. I can feel you bastards, I know your up to something, you twits. I'm a mortal human (originally at least) psychic who sleeps and dreams. I can freaking hear you. LEAVE MY HOME ALONE, YOU TWITS, OR I'LL TEACH SATNAK HOW TO TRAVEL TO YOUR REALM FOR REAL INSTEAD OF JUST DREAM STATE.
Satnak: Huh? tired... need chili... *GLARE*
Quori: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH RUN AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAA AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.
Kithle: *shudders* even her dream self is scary before breakfast.
Phollie, Smig, Klaz, Vrin, and Ninja Jaela are showing Silence around their abode. It's basically part of the cargo hold that the group of them have curtained off into little rooms.
Vrin: Yeah, Jarlot kicked us out of our rooms because, well, more dangerous people wanted them pretty much...
Silence: OMG! That so suxxorz! Authority is teh lozerz...
Smig: The infernal crimes against nature shall be punished for the indignies they have piled upon me, oh yes they shall...
Klaz: You say that every five minutes, mate.
Smig: That doesn't make it less true!
Phollie: ANYWAY, moving on. Hoybee, Devon, Chalky, Ketler, and Ajihazi still have their rooms for various reasons.
Silence: Uh... why? I mean, you've gotten more screen time than Ajihazi has in the last couple of pages...
Klaz: Well, Ajihazi has the potential to take down Kanatash, so Jarlot keeps him around for insurance, Devon's room is too emo for anyone else to live in, entering Hoybee's room is just plain dangerous; I mean, he uses Devon's poetry for his spell book, and well mate, Chalky's room is just plain disgusting.
Silence: Er... okay.
Vrin: So pretty much we play poker, generally of the strip variety because we have no money, and keep our heads down so they don't get chopped off.
Klaz: No, it's more a long the lines that he has no money, so he can only play in the occasional strip poker game. Look missy, he's possibly the worst poker player that the world has ever been graced with, and he has the worst luck besides poor Sheila over here *winks at Lucky d'Medani, who rolls her eyes*.
Lucky: Thank you sooo much, Klaz
Phollie: Yeah, and I have my alchemy lab in the corner, and the awakened toilet's grave is over there. Doog killed it for talking back at him.
Silence: So, let me get this straight, basically you're disenfranchised, living in a shantytown, below the poverty line, discriminated against, and like, completely quiet about it ?! OMG, it's pathetic! Why don't you leave?
Klaz: Most of us have at some point or another, Smig, V, Myself and Ajihazi tried the whole adventurer on our own, failed miserably and headed back. I don't think that Trolanport wil ever forgive us for that loose lightning monolith...
Smig: It's what they deserve for tinkering with the natural order!
Lucky: Look, Silence is it? Well I suggest getting the hell out of here. Most of us are on the run and this is just about the only place in Eberron where we can find sanctuary, primarily because there isn't any law enforcement in the world that's dumb enough to attack this much evil head on.
Silence: Well, I think I'll fit in fine around here! I'm a depressed, angsty, emo goth girl with extensive daddy issues and a hair trigger. And I can summon things from beyond mortal comprehension and control them.
Ninja Jaela: Club go join.
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