"Everyone take a step back; if this doesn't work, then we'll have to figure something else out," Fallensteller warned as she strode into the room, training her pistol on the creature inhabiting Weber's body. "I have no use for any creature on this ship that won't serve the Lord," she said plainly, jamming the barrel into the back of the creature's head and pulling the trigger, sending a pure silver bullet into its cranium.
---
Mesahri wanted to speak to the ancestor but didn't know what to say. She stood there, frozen in awe, and fearing the implications of this meeting. When the ancestor didn't speak, she finally forced herself to address him. "[What's happening? ...Who are you? And Why am I here?]" she asked him.
Jäger took Yarah's hands and shook his head. "This relation of ours don't need to be that of a master and servant. Look me in the eyes and you know my words are true," he said while gently touching her neck. Jäger sighed.
"Let's forget about everything else for a moment. I can reschedule my meetings. There's something we need to do..."
Jäger let Yarah go and walked up to the door. He opened it and looked at the guard outside. He was one of twenty guards stationed in close proximity in anticipation for the meeting with Fallensteller.
"Go to my quarters. There's a set of uniform fatigues next to it alongside a pair of boots, a belt and a holster. Bring it to me. Afterwards you and your men have the day off."
The soldier nodded, saluted and rushed off.
Five minutes later he returned, carrying the requested items. Jäger nodded and closed the door. He walked up to Yarah and placed the clothing on the table. "Put this on. You will need a uniform for what we're going to do. Trust me."
Dobbs brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed his eyes. "Bloody hell." he spoke, the only words that would come to his mind at the moment. He leaned back in his seat to ponder this information while Lonstray spoke up.
"Sir, if I may... can we expect this to continue as we go along the expedition? More and more dieties popping up and influencing personnel on ships throughout the fleet?" Lonstray asked with a curious look on his face towards Mannfred.
---
"Alright, that's all of us. Let's go!" Nita said loudly as she began to lead the way to the docks. As they group moved, she brought Kitta in close to speak. "I'm so happy you decided to come with us!" she whispered to her. "It's gonna be a lot of fun, promise!"
Tobey shook his head slightly. The little girl Silke Neustadt seemed to have much more dominant personality lying in wait under the surface.
It seemed that the chain of events had just enabled it to emerge. Tobey reasoned that it would be simpler to just return her to the Zuflucht than keeping her on the Boon.
After all, if her new character had any more outbursts it would be on their hide and not his, and Sabine would without a doubt keep him informed about how the transformation would progress.
"You're certain you want to return to the Zuflucht?" he asked in his usual dry tone.
---
Ben raised both eyebrows from behind his flask as he took another swig while he listened intently to Fontaine.
"Well god damn, Mistah Fahntaine. Always knew them tawlheads aint no good, but what ya sayins just right wicked."
Cattapoli, Eissenstrasse
Kyndreth examined Krantz's room with a critical eye. Since they were on an airship, there weren't many entrances and exits that needed to be watched other than the main door. The possibility of assassins entering through a window or balcony wasn't something to be worried about. She strode quietly around the room, checking the bathroom and even under some of the furniture.
"I only require three hours of sleep within a day and night period. My Mother-Superior is an expert in meditation. She has passed on her skills to my sisters and I, so we are able to rest with out senses still attuned as if we were awake. So long as I eat well, I will have enough energy to perform my duties to your utmost satisfaction," the demon explained as she grabbed the chair from Krantz's desk and set it before his bed. She positioned it so that it was facing the door.
"I will sit and rest here. Blankets and laying down is only a hindrance to my mobility."
Cattapoli, Blitzwave
Yarah looked Jager in the eyes, though her expression was a mixture of exhaustion and wryness. She looked like she had a smart remark to make, but she remained silent as Jager headed for the door and ordered a uniform to be brought in.
"Whats this drab stuff for?" She asked as it finally arrived.
The demon picked up the jacket and frowned at it, feeling the fabric between her fingers before tossing it back down. She pulled the straps of her sundress aside and tugged on it a little, allowing it to fall down around her feet before grabbing the jacket and pulling it on. The pants and boots went on next.
"This is peasant clothing, can't I wear something prettier?"
Cattapoli, Revenant
"That is indeed quite likely, Mr. Lonstray. You can imagine this sea as a dark room, and we are a lantern. Moths are attracted to us. Except in this case, the lantern grows brighter as more moths arrive. The very presence of gods and demons will attract attention. It is somewhat of a snowball effect. I think the Messenger understood this. His arrival heralded in this mess we are in now, and all he had to do was talk," Mannfred explained.
"Of course, there are precious little deities left who could arrive. The only living ones I know of are already in our midst - Shalo, Farryn, and Veritas. The painter goddess Margaretta may actually have been summoned aboard the Problem Child by Monsieur Yves, but if this is the case then she is to be left alone for now. She is a frail woman who sticks to her paintings, and would likely flee if we approached her now. She is most certainly not a danger, but could be an excellent asset. Other than those four, Raum is in the process of being resurrected. The rest are truly dead or wounded in a similar fashion like Farryn."
Cattapoli, Felis' House of Wine
Kitta gave a smile to Nita, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. It was more of a polite gesture than anything. A benefit for her more cheery friend, though it may not have been easy for the young shaman to realize this.
"Yeah... I'm sure it will be. If its only for a few months, I guess I can't complain. But aren't you worried about the danger? These humans are so obsessed with these gods and their weapons. Does it not bother you?"
Cattapoli, Zuflucht
The creature was still thrashing about in the bed, trying to free its other arm as Fallensteller approached and leveled her pistol against its head. Weber's facial muscles had already been torn by the possession's exertion, causing his mouth to hang open in a slack grin. Whatever was behind his eyes regarded Fallensteller with an arrogant hatred as she fired the first shot into its head.
A point blank delivery of this nature was messy, and the bullet tore through the skull and existed out the other end in a splattering of bone shards, blood, and similar gore. The body stopped moving instantly and the creature went silent.
Several lights in the infirmary shattered, raining down shards of glass. A few metallic utensils rattled again in irritation and the air felt heavy with static. Fallensteller's long hair rose up around her, along with anyone else nearby with hair similar to hers. While the now dim light wasn't an issue for her, it was for some of the others. The room also had an undeniably eerie feel to it, like something was loose inside of it. Perhaps there was. She could see a vagueness, an almost invisible shadow, drift quickly across the room.
One of the other soon-to-be test subjects began screaming. They hadn't been strapped to their cot yet as they were still weak from the forced blood-letting, so they had the ability to clasp their hands over their eyes. Their wild shrieking only got louder as it became fast apparent they were gouging out their own eyes, which caused blood to stream up around their fingers and down their face. Their back arched upwards violently and unnaturally, and it looked as if their spine was at its breaking point. Their pale skin bulged and writhed as the bones and muscle were being broken or otherwise changed, not unlike what had happened to Weber's body before he was shot.
The volume of their pained screams was remarkably loud.
"Its in my head, its in my head!" They managed to yell somewhat coherently, though by this point their voice was hoarse from the intensity of the constant screaming. Their body was trembling and they tumbled off the side of the bed and onto the floor with a loud thunk, but finally the screaming had stopped.
The person who was laying in the cot next to them scrambled up out of the bed and out of their covers, trying to get away from this madness, but they only got a few feet away from the cot before something grabbed their ankle from beneath their bed - and pulled them down to the floor. Now they were the one screaming as they were dragged into the darkness beneath the cots.
Something was loose.
---
["I am Kojo, dear child,"] he said in a soft voice becoming of his age. He gently reached out for her hand and took it in both of his, bowing his head slightly as he did so.
["There was a time when we Um'brisa were even fewer than they are now."] His tone was solemn, and Mesahri's ears couldn't help but perk up at hearing such an old term for their kind. ["There were but four clans in those days. The Yasam, Ameyo, Kwasnadi, and Kelah. I was the father of the Kelah, whose children have gone on to raise countless other clans. Many of which have ended and now only exist in long closed crypts. You, my dear child, are the remaining daughter of my lineage."]
If he was telling the truth, then that meant Kojo was her great-grandfather - by centuries. The names of the clans he mentioned were known in myth and folklore, if spoken differently now, but most considered the four clans to be just legend. Their true beginnings were unclear. After numerous periods of death and migration, even conflict, some oral traditions had been forgotten or otherwise not passed on. Most bat clans today were really just mixtures of different clans, and those who lived in the same caves or nearby were loyal to each other. Loyalty was by home, not blood, and the folk tales of one cave across the island could be quite different than another's.
["It brings my heart great joy to meet you. You are strong of heart, I can see this,"] he said, though his expression was pained. ["But something fiendish desires you. Your spirit - your connection to our people - is being severed."]
He turned her hand over so that her wrist was facing up, and he placed his hand over it. It was the cut she had been forced to make for Raum. She had forgotten about it until this moment, and now it burned like a scalding iron.
Jäger chuckled. "Just put it on." He gestured towards the greh uniform, black leather boots and the brown belt and holster. "We're going to the firing range. A dress will only get in the way."
He sat down against the table. "We'll start easy. Some basic training with handguns. If you're a natural we can try some rifles. Regardless you need to know ways of defending yourself that doesn't involve goring someone in close range."
"Fascinating..." Lonstray muttered as he digested this information.
"Can you think of any other gods or entities we expect any others that might be friend or foe to appear in our midst?" Dobbs asked quickly.
---
"Trust me, danger is nothing when we're gonna travel together. Sure they're... weird with their beliefs. But so what? We have our own beliefs out here, like how Uncle Vuni and the others believe in the Lady of the Woods. Trust me, I'm sure we'll get used to being around these weirdos soon enough."
"I will sit and rest here. Blankets and laying down is only a hindrance to my mobility."
"Understood. If you need anything, don't hesitate to wake me." responded Krantz. She takes her job VERY seriously. Its rare to see that kind of dedication anymore. Not long afterwards, Krantz changed clothes and slipped into bed. He had marked his forehead like the group had been instructed to before. He didn't go to sleep right away, though. Instead, he watched Kyndreth. This really was an odd feeling, considering they weren't on a battlefield.
The situation only deteriorated further. "What have you done?" Pfeiffer rasped at Fallensteller and Keseberg, more rhetorically than genuine. "Gods damn you both for eternity!"
Fallensteller's disgust became far more visible as she hastily removed the cartridge from her pistol and ejected the next round from the chamber, placing the silver bullets in her pocket. "Did you not hear what I just said?" Fallensteller hissed as she reloaded her handgun with conventional ammunition. It, too, was a rhetorical question. She shot Pfeiffer in the gut before shoving her gun back into its holster and reaching for the Necrolan. Keseberg jumped, unsure if he should provide aid to the Reverend, but Fallensteller shouted at him. "Leave him! He's served his purpose. Now..." she said flicking open its pages as she stepped toward Pfeiffer, who was still moaning in pain on the floor.
She rubbed her hand in the blood pooling around his body. "Lord, please accept this sacrifice from your loyal servant," she whispered before smearing a portion of it inside the pages of the spell book, "and let us banish this foul intruder to someplace beyond return, forevermore."
---
Mesahri gripped her wrist and cried out. "[What does it mean?]" she pleaded. "[I still don't understand it all... she told me I'm a servant now, but how can one little cut mean anything? How does it affect my spirit?]"
---
You're certain you want to return to the Zuflucht?
Neustadt lifted her arms briefly as if to place them on Tobey, but with a twitch she put them back down. Instead, she nodded, her eyes clearly begging Captain Tobey to allow her to return to what had been home in this hateful ocean.
Lars considered saying something but chose to smile and nod instead. He went over a couple of books briefly before looking up. "Tell me, where do you come from? Is it a world like ours or a realm beyond our imagination?"
Outside the door Fallstrom and Gavrilov chatted in a low tone. They knew they were going to be there for a while.
Therasmus' expression seems to shift subtly, something of a twitch to reflect a change in his thought pattern that was enough to stop his study-induced trance. The pages of the numerous books around him stopped turning, and he actually cocked his head toward Lars for the first time throughout the conversation. "That is a complicated question, yet one I can answer in some capacity I believe. Possibly? Yes." he starts with a nod.
"The realm I was born in I have very little recollection of, I do not even fully recall the form I had taken when I resided in my home plane. I was cognitive yet in a trance, sentient but autonomous in that thoughts I had were likely not my own. A collection of thought, almost a... miasma of it. Yet I am getting off-subject. It is easier to describe myself at that time than that realm because I did not have the capacity to process it - I was still learning and perhaps... evolving? Yes. That realm was perhaps suited to that nature I had, spacious and almost... heavenly." he explained, starting to look down at the ground beneath him in what was perhaps a solemn, nostalgic fashion.
"The events of the war between gods left me displaced, and I found myself plunged into the realm known as the Abyss. Which brings us to answering your question; that realm is both familiar and unfamiliar, all at once. The events of the past have left the dimension in flux, countless other entities like me take refuge there either by force or of their own volition. As a result it is in a constant dimensional flux, some regions warped by scars torn in space and time themselves, yet others are more... practical, adhering to natural order. Well, natural as far as that realm is concerned. There are the familiar towers and homes of artifice, crafted by creatures and inhabited by them, but there are also turbulent and chaotic regions capable of assailing and destroying the minds of lesser creatures. A land of wonder and great horror all at once..."
Cattapoli, Blitzwave
Yarah unhappily tugged at her uniform once it was fully on. It looked a little big on her, not quite matching her frame properly, and the belt was pinned nearly at the last loop.
"I've worn worse," she grimaced. "The boots are kind of nice, but the rest of this is pretty dull. Don't know what I expected from a bunch of soldiers, though."
She followed along behind Jager as he led her out of the room, taking her to the shooting range. It was important that she learned how to use a firearm - or at the very least, know how they worked up close. Her method of fighting from what Jager could tell involved a lot of stabbing and cutting. Even then, she didn't seem like much of a fighter. Anything that was quick and simple seemed to fit her style.
"Couldn't we do something more fun? Like, attend a play or something?"
Cattapoli, City Streets
Kitta didn't look entirely convinced as the young bovine shaman continued to talk. Her friend's enthusiasm was clearly much higher than hers. She wasn't entirely sure if Nita fully understood what they may be getting in to, but realized she didn't know what to expect either. There were plenty of tales of terrible sea creatures and hostile outsiders, such as the Nadeshi who skirmished with their ships far out at sea on occasion. If the humans had traveled here so well armed, then clearly it meant they expected some serious danger.
"I suppose you are right, but don't you think the humans are a little more... um, serious, in their beliefs? Don't you remember those men the admiral burned at the stake? I mean of course we've had cultists and stuff, but sometimes these humans are pretty scary."
It had been many years ago, but Nita could somewhat recall the story of some humans being burned at the stake on some tidal rocks not far off shore. No one had seen it very well despite a crowd having gathered on the beach to try and observe. She didn't even see it herself, nor had most people. But if Kitta was right on something, it was that the humans did seem pretty strong in their convictions. After all, the beastfolk didn't burn people at the stake. Beheadings were simple and easy.
Cattapoli, Eissenstrasse
Krantz watched Kyndreth quietly as she sat on the chair, watching the door as if expecting an enemy to approach at any second. She had her feet firmly on the ground to help spring herself up if needed, and her sword was out and pointed down against the floor. Her hands were folded over the pommel of the hilt. From behind, she couldn't see Krantz watching her, but every once in a while when there was a creak or strange noise she would glance over and examine it. Her hearing seemed pretty sharp.
It was clear that her dedication to her position was uncompromising. Even normal bodyguards had to sleep and rest at times, but she hardly needed it. Her entire role was simply to protect him. She asked not for a book, or something to pass the time. She was at full attention.
Cattapoli, Revenant
"Non-dietal entities? There will most certainly be plenty of that nature. Demons and devils, specters and ghosts. Deadly sea creatures. Unexplainable anomalies. We are a beacon in the darkness, Vice Admiral. All of which that doesn't flee will approach. Some more cautiously than others," Mannfred explained simply. "Are there any that you have particular... concerns about?"
Cattapoli, Zuflucht
The other "patients" who had been gathered were beginning to panic more after it was clear some terrible creature was on the loose, and the sudden gunshot which brought down Pfeiffer sent up more cries of alarm. Fallensteller could feel a powerful sense of static in their air, and everything she touched it felt as if a spark would pop. Her hair hadn't yet settled down and it still floated wildly around her, along with anyone else with long enough hair.
The Necrolan seemed to purr in her hands like a malicious cat as she paged quickly through it. She hadn't yet had time to study it closely, but some of the pages caught her eye and just felt right. It had the soul of a necromancer bound within it, so perhaps the book itself had atleast a modicum of intelligence to do as she demanded. Pfeiffer's blood was already pooling out on the floor as he laid there weakly, and she knew very well that his blood was as good as any right now. It was warm to the touch and feeling it smeared on her fingers sent a thrill through her body. Without hesitation, she painted some of it onto the open pages of the book.
Another couple of lights shattered from the altering pressure in the air, though these were further back. The room continued to fall into darkness. The others couldn't see it, but Fallensteller caught a glimpse of the creature in its new body crawling across the floor under one of the cots, splattered in the blood of its last victim whom it had dragged under. Its limbs appeared broken and it was dragging itself at an awkward angle, but it was quick. The skittering of fingernails and thud of flesh on the floor was loud enough that all knew when it was moving, even if they couldn't see it.
She glanced back down at the book and could see that the blood she wiped in it had turned into black ink, as if it had been written there before she even opened the book. Pfeiffer suddenly let out another startled grown as black ink began to bubble up in the puddle of blood surrounding him. She was already familiar with this kind of event, but it seemed more enticing since the man was still alive while it was happening.
Symbols flashed violently in her mind. It was so forceful and powerful that it nearly knocked her off her feet, and she knew immediately that something wanted her to draw them on the floor. They were strange, like letters and numbers mixed together but without any familiarity of her own alphabet - or any that she knew. Some were just geometric shapes, but others were clearly some kind of infernal lettering.
There was plenty of blood available, but the ink was also still bubbling up around Pfeiffer like crude oil. He had yet to go under into the ink, and from the sound of it the creature was skittering around some more as it crashed against tables, knocking medical instruments aside.
---
Kojo grimaced as he held his hand over the cut on Mesahri's wrist. In that moment, the pain began to cool and subside, though deep down she could still feel a prickle of it lurking within her.
["Our people are not so attuned to the magicks of the beyond. We are, in fact, almost blinded to it unless exposed. Just as the blind cannot see that which stands around them, they can still tell dark from light, or the warmth of a fire upon their face. But just because they cannot see the the cliff before them does not mean they cannot plummet over it."]
["Life is the most powerful thing in existence, and there are things in this world which pervert this power. That take advantage of it and deface it for their own cruel purposes. An evil spirit which preys on life is trying to take yours away from you, my child. Once the beast has tasted blood... it will never be sated. That is what this little cut has done. It has been fed to a monster which now covets your soul. And because our kind are weak to these influences, it is... difficult to try and stop it. Neither of us alone can stop it. You must be aware of its influences, for if you start to succumb to its ways, then there will be no way for you to be saved."]
Fallensteller clutched the side of her head with her bloody hand as the symbols flashed through her mind's eye, letting out a wickedly joyous laugh of her own. She took a knee, fingers twitching as she felt the urge to scrawl, but she was confronted with a choice; Mannfred had drawn in his own blood at Campo Diablo, and so she knew that it was an appropriate medium for rituals, and yet the black ink resulting from her human sacrifice was equally enticing. There would be plenty of chances to test ordinary blood in the future, as it was... abundant. For now, she would take a smear of that pitch black substance pooling around Pfeiffer and conduct yet another experiment.
---
Neither of us alone can stop it.
Mesahri listened to the elder's words and shivered. It wasn't the first warning she had been given about the dark forces surrounding Captain Fallensteller; Yarah had tried to tell her: run away, or else she, too, would wind up a slave. Mesahri hadn't taken it seriously- why would she? What was the price of one dark affiliation? What was the price of a verbal contract when gods are involved? What was the price of one little cut on the arm?
Now she knew.
The message was no longer "run while you can." It was too late for that, now. She would have to live with the beast, to know its evil and resist it actively. But how?
"[If I can't fight it alone, then what should I do?]"
Jäger kept quiet when Yarah got dressed. He continued to ignore her remarks during the short walk through the corridor. Eventually they entered the firing range.
It was a large rectangular room with a long bench near the door stretching from one side to the other. Several wooden targets littered the area infront of the bench coupled with fake walls, debris and other means of cover. The wooden targets had figures painted on the front to resemble enemy soldiers charging, aiming, crouching and crawling.
Aside from a lone man collecting shell casings and a man in uniform standing nearby the range was empty.
"Couldn't we do something more fun? Like, attend a play or something?"
Jäger chuckled and grinned. "Trust me, you'll love this."
A soldier dressed in uniform pants and a simple white tunic approached Jäger. He saluted. "Good to have you, Captain. How many shooters?"
"Two," replied Jäger. He motioned towards Yarah. "This is Yarah. Yarah this is the Rangemaster. Stefan."
Stefan nodded. "Miss." He then looked at Jäger. "Her first time?"
Jäger nodded. "Indeed. Bring up the usual."
Stefan nodded and turned around. Jäger and Yarah followed him over to a medium-sized desk that looked alot like the desk of a shop. Two reinforced safes standing against the wall were openee up and Stefan placed a 7mm handgun, a 7mm SMG and a 7mm semi-automatic rifle on the table.
"There you go. Ammo is at the bench."
Jäger thanked Stefan and motioned for Yarah to follow. He grabbed the guns and walked up to the firing bench. Dozens of thin wooden walls divided the bench into sections where two people- shooter and instructor- could speak and shoot without distractions.
Once at the bench Jäger placed his hands on Yarah's hips to move her to the center of the section. "Sorry," he said with a sly grin.
He then took up position next to Yarah and grabbed the pistol. "We'll go over this once more. First rule of firearms: treat every firearm as if they are loaded. No finger on the trigger unless you see an enemy combatant. No pointing the gun everywhere either. If there's no targets it should be holstered or aimed downwards. If you suspect that someone is about to become hostile you may grab the gun and keep it in a ready position at which point the muzzle-" Jäger tapped the muzzle "- should be pointing towards their knees."
Jäger grabbed a magazine and inserted it. He pulled back the top to chamber a round and aimed down. Instead of firing he lowered the weapon, ejected the magazine onto the bench and removed the bullet from the chamber. He pulled the trigger, causing the gun to click.
"That's how you load and clear a gun. Now it's your turn. Remember what I said."
Jäger grabbed the pistol by the barrel and offered it to Yarah with the grip first. He then gave her the magazine.
While Yarah got ready Jäger adjusted her posture. Like the night before the task required him to stand very close to Yarah while adjusting her arms and legs.
"Squeeze the trigger gently. The shot should come as a surprise. Don't drop the gun. There will be a kickback and it will be loud. Don't forget to breathe.
We'll start with one shot. Load and fire when ready."
Nita pondered this for a moment, clearly thinking it over. "Yeah... burning isn't a fun way to go." she said, remembering the cultists she had set ablaze. She looked ahead to see the docks appearing in the distance, growing ever closer as they moved forward. "Alright, we're here. How do we get on board?" Nita muttered.
---
Dobbs shifted uncomfortably when the Admiral asked his question. He did indeed have one particular effect in mind. "Perhaps any that could... influence the minds of sailors? Make people hear voices or whatnot? Make them think they're going crazy?"
After watching Kyndreth for a few minutes, Krantz finally shifted a bit and went to sleep. Morning would come soon enough.
-----
Von Strauss yawned yet again, then noticed a group of individuals down below the airship. They were clustered together, heading towards the dock in the direction of the Eisenstrasse. Hmm, who could this be? She requested a pair of binoculars, before peering at them.
It seemed to be the vagabonds from before, along with a few others. I wonder, are they going to try and slip aboard again? She smiled. Why sneak aboard when she could simply allow them aboard? She glanced to an officer nearby. "Bring me Ephraim. Quietly." she said, and the officer nodded in response before departing in search of the wandering hobo.
Lars listened to Therasmus in silence. Once the demon had finished he spoke up. "The Abyss sounds like a horrifying place."
Therasmus rocks back and forth sligtly, hands behind his back. "Horrifying? Hmmh. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Harrowing is more apt. Much like these waters so long that one is armed with the knowledge to navigate it, the Abyss can be traversed like any other realm."
"What other beings exist within? More demons? Are there any civilizations?" Asked Lars, now focusing entirely on Therasmus.
"There are indeed civilizations - though I cannot tell you the specifics of them. I am one who tended to... work on the outskirts of such places. As for the creatures of the Abyss; they vary from complete outsiders like myself to more... contemporary demons." he explains, peering back at one of the books.
Isidora lowered her waving hand, seeing how excited Nita was, as the vagabond group arrived at Felis'. After Nita stated that they were still waiting for her friend, Isidora gave her a smirk and nodded, before introducing the rest of the hobos to the bovine. By the time she had finished introducing them, the Niakoman arrived, looking slightly exasperated. With Nita's loud exclamation, the whole group began making their way towards the docks. As Nita pulled Kitta in closer to speak with, the destitute faction began to chatter amongst themselves. It was clear that they weren't really listening to the two in front, respecting their private space. Soon enough, they were arriving at the docks, and one of the Umae noted Nita's muttering, patting Isidora on the back and getting her to speak up. She rushed to the front.
"Well! When we came here, one of the kobolds on board noticed us and came down to see what we wanted. I think we could guess the same could happen now!" Isidora told Nita and Kitta, despite what time it was.
---
Ephraim was still up, having just finished speaking with Lanzo about his fishing experiences, when an officer approached the vagabond fisherman. Quietly, he was told that Von Strauss had asked for him, and Brose nodded, following the officer to see what she needed at this time.
Cattapoli, Blitzwave
Yarah-kei remained stolidly uninterested as Jager brought her into the shooting range. She turned her nose up at everything around her, even frowning at the guns and rangemaster because she imagined better things to do with her time. Still it could have been worse, she rationalized, since all Jager wanted to do was show off his toys. Hardly something to get too worked up about, but if this was what passed for entertainment around here then she might die of boredom.
She took up the pistol in her hands somewhat awkwardly, taking the magazine and pushing it into the gun with not enough force, making her half to wiggle it out and then slam it in a little harder. Her finger was off the trigger as she grasped the slide and tried to pull it back. Once more, she didn't put enough strength into it at first so she fumbled with it for a second before getting it right. Yarah didn't seem particularly weak, but it was clear she didn't know what to expect from the device.
"I've shot a crossbow before, I'll have you know," she huffed as Jager adjusted her limbs again. "If there's kickback, it would be a shame for me to elbow you in the face."
She readied the gun and pointed it down the range. Slowly, she squeezed the trigger before the gun fired. The smoke and small blast in the confines of the range caused her to cough and shaker her head.
"Ugh... its loud and ugly. Reminds me of you."
Cattapoli, Revenant
Admiral Mannfred studied Dobbs for a moment. "Plenty, actually," he said almost dryly. "Most things here prey on the mind rather than body, at least first. Auditory hallucinations may be alarming, but they are certainly one of the weakest and more... normal... effects to target people. Sometimes there is no identifiable source. It may very well be the Sea which causes such conditions to assault the mind."
Cattapoli, Eissenstrasse
Krantz finally settled into bed and closed his eyes, falling asleep before too long. The demon who was now his guardian remained studiously quiet and focused on her surroundings. It was a good feeling to know that you were protected in such a way, and that if anything got past her, then you probably wouldn't have been able to stop it yourself anyways. Still, it was a little curious to be in this state of protection considering it was more common while in the field - not while on your own ship. It would probably take a few days to get used to the arrangement fully.
---
Below the ship, the vagabond gang had finally arrived and were loitering about. It was later in the evening now, nearing seven o'clock as the sun made its way towards the horizon. Lanterns were already being lit all around the docks, and marines and sailors stationed here were making their shift rotations already.
Kitta stood beside the bovine shaman with her arms crossed, gazing up at the airship. "Well, they're you're friends now, don't you know how to like... summon them down or something? Do you wave at them?"
Cattapoli, Zuflucht
Fallensteller dabbed her hands into the bubbling dark pitch that surrounded the dying reverend. It was cold like the waters of the arctic, sending a biting chill into her bones, though the pain was rather... pleasurable in this state. Had she been alive it may have been more concerning, but in her current undeath it was quite alluring. So much which was unnatural was like that these days for her. Even the feral creature rampaging around the clinic was a curiosity she felt drawn too, despite it being a danger and not aligned to Raum.
The book continued its cruel purring and her eyes nearly rolled back into her head as it fed more information to her without having read any of it herself. These symbols were various sizes, and not all would fit in the book. That much was clear. The floor, however, was spacious and clean enough beside her to be a canvas for these particular runes. Like an artisan, she drew her fingers along the floor in motions that seemed the most natural to her, as if she had done this a million times before. There was a powerful energy to these painted characters, and the more she drew, the more feverish she became in their construction. She almost didn't realize when she was done that she had painted an esoteric and arcane mural on the floor. It was more than just scattered letters, but an entire circle filled with shapes and swirling lines. She could remember that it looked much more intricate and different than the small sign the admiral had drawn at Campo Diablo, which made her feel proud in her own work.
One last mark was missing and it burned warmly in her mind. An activator. A key. A check mark. All it was was a simple dash, a single stroke to be added to the magic circle to activate it. She stuck her fingers into the ink once more to renew it and made the mark.
The remaining lights in the clinic exploded into shatters of glass as the circle she had created came alive with purplish-black flame, illuminating herself and the area around her. Seeing the room plunge into such darkness with the ink around Pfeiffer pooling up reminded her of being in the Abyss, though she clearly wasn't - she still had her dark vision and could see the terrified faces of the people around her as she conducted her arcane ritual.
A bouquet of hands emerged from the center of the circle she had created, smeared with the same black ink she had drawn in. The pitch seemed to constantly drip from their skin without removing any from them, and the six hands fumbled around as if they were trying to grab something in the dark. Then, almost like hounds, they turned their attention to the rampaging creature which was on the far side of the room which had apparently been trying to escape.
All six hands shot out of the circle, with arms attached to them. Impossibly long, rope like arms that never ended. They flew across the room, going over and under cots, knocking aside anything which had been left standing, as they all went for the creature.
---
["You must deepen your connection to your ancestors. To the spirits which watch over you from the world beyond,"] Kojo said firmly. He reached for the necklace he had around his neck, which was an assortment of dyed wooden beads and carved bone. He held it so that she could see and inspect it.
["This does not look like much, but it is one tool you must construct for yourself that will help you."] Mesahri knew what it was immediately, for she had seen several before amonst the elders - Mama Koli included. A spirit ring. They were always said to bring the wearer closer to the ancestor spirits, though few believed it. It was just a necklace, after all. Whatever power it apparently had was always vague and unclear. It just seemed like a piece of decoration for those who felt attuned to the dead, or were otherwise old enough to be in that state of mind.
["You are entering a world that is unlike our own, my child. We are without magic and pomp, but the souls you now travel with cannot live without such things. They are irresistibly drawn to these trinkets which radiate power. You must not stride into such place naked,"] Kojo explained, placing the necklace back around his neck.
Bone and dyed beads. How ever was she supposed to construct something like this?
As the hands reached out of the fiery maw of the ritual circle she had created, Fallensteller grinned madly, feeling the exhilaration of raw power like never before. This was the wrath of God, the one true God, striking fear into a creature which had blasphemed Him and degraded His followers. "Hear me, you vermin!" she called out to the spirit, her voice dripping with heartless cruelty. "Raum is returning, and the misfortune you've suffered already will be dwarfed tenfold by the agony He will inflict on you and your kind for crossing his loyal followers here today!"
---
How was she supposed to construct something like this?
Mesahri felt she understood what Kojo was trying to tell her. The humans were drawn to corruption and evil influence, and now that she had entangled herself within their ways and rituals, it was only through the collective assistance of her ancestors that she would avoid giving in to that siren's song of the abyss. Wood was easy enough to acquire, since the Zuflucht had plenty to spare in its repair supply stockpile, and she figured it wouldn't be difficult to request a technician to machine her some beads to work with. Her own job, working in the ship's laundry and tailoring rooms, would be a great place to get some good quality thread to hold it together.
The real problem was finding suitable bones. What meaning would the item hold if it were constructed from the bones of just anything? No, if this was about paying tribute to the ancestors, it would need to be bones of her own kind, to show that she held her past and cultural identity close to herself. But without returning to shore, there was only one source of bone that fit her needs: the cursed skull currently stowed in a wooden box in the Captain's quarters. There was no way of knowing whether Fallensteller would let her come in contact with that dreadful thing again, much less if she would let her smash it into small pieces, but in a way it felt almost like a calling. That horrible thing needed to be destroyed, and from its fragments, she would construct something which honored those it had previously disgraced.
She nodded. "[I'll do my best... I- I don't want to be a slave to a human god. And I'm scared of what might happen to the others who came with me; they wouldn't believe all the things I've seen and heard since yesterday. They wouldn't believe me if I told them about this meeting we're having. But even if they decided to come along on their own, I was still the one who invited Fallensteller into our village. I feel like it's all my fault...]"
Lars grunted. "I see." He paused for a moment. "Do cities exist in the Abyss?"
---
Jäger sighed. "What do I need to do for you to feel a little bit enthusiastic about this?" He took half a step back and watched Yarah with a disgruntled look.
When Ephraim finally arrived on the bridge, Von Strauss motioned him over. "I'd like for you to take a look down at that group on the docks below. You should recognize them." said Von Strauss with a smile, before handing the binoculars off to him. "Don't worry, I'm not angry at you. I'm actually interested in that group. Do you think they would make good members of our crew?" she added, as she folded her arms and glanced back down at the group below.
Ephraim seemed a tad surprise to see the group back again, as he had thought that they'd just return to their usual lives once more. He did however notice two figures standing in front of them that he didn't recognize. Before he could mention this fact, Von Strauss asked him the question. He lowered the binoculars and stroked his mustache in thought, before answering.
"Well, they've all got experience, at least according to what they've told us. Some more than others, but enough that they'd probably be able to adapt to their new surroundings, and they seem respectful enough. Though it did seem like a few of them had some underlying tension with one another. Being homeless can induce that, especially if one person's infamous for any given reason," he spoke confidently, apparent that he recognized much in them from his own times in the city.
"But, you see those two at the front?" he said, as he handed back the binoculars to Von Strauss, "They weren't with them earlier, and I'm sure you don't remember them either. With the way the group behind them is walking," he started, not wanting to specify that they are concealing something beneath their clothes, "I'm guessing those two have something to do with them returning. Maybe they're interested in joining? With how excited they were when we showed them the ship, they may have talked about it loudly, leading to those two overhearing them and wanting them to help them get on board. Or maybe it's something more sinister," Ephraim shrugged.
"One thing I know for sure though, and so do you, is that they don't speak Gren. It'd be complicated to have Kass be the only one to speak both their language and ours, especially with that many. We'd need to teach at least a few Gren," the hobo concluded, finishing off with a half-yawn.
"One thing I know for sure though, and so do you, is that they don't speak Gren. It'd be complicated to have Kass be the only one to speak both their language and ours, especially with that many. We'd need to teach at least a few Gren," the hobo concluded, finishing off with a half-yawn.
"Yes, we also need to teach the other kobolds Gren too...It will be a group effort. Regardless, lets bring them aboard and give them a home, shall we? Take Kass, if you can locate him, and bring them up. If anyone asks, I gave you permission." she stated, turning to Ephraim.
A moment later, she noticed one of them was waving. She waved back, but didn't rightly know if they could see it from where they were.
Ephraim stretched a bit before replying with a nod. This was going to get interesting, he thought, and no doubt his buddies will be excited. He gave her a quick salute, and left the bridge to find Kass.
Therasmus puts a knuckle to his chin, pondering the question for a moment. "Possibly. Potentially. Certainly... In certain contexts. There are no doubt remains of cities in the Abyss, but whether or not they are inhabited or functioning as cities is something I did not personally experience or investigate. It is a vast realm, and if anyone would claim to be an expert on it in its entirety well... Let's say they're quite untruthful." the demon concludes.
Cattapoli, Zuflucht
The summoned demonic hands cared little for whatever was in their way. Their query was their sole concern. Several of the cots were knocked violently aside as the hands traveled quickly and without caution. Whatever the feral creature was which had killed Weber and possessed another, it had been trying to flee from Fallensteller shortly after she arrived. It spoke highly of killing them all, but in the face of adversity it clearly wasn't up to stick around. It had retreated nearly as far as it could in the room, searching for an exit, before the six hands found it.
Its subsequent screeching was mind-numbingly loud, even for an undead like Fallensteller. In fact, the noise seemed to be some form of psychic ability, as her vision swam with fractured colors from the sorcery bleeding into the airwaves. Her head was throbbing from both the audible and visual assault, while the other humans were incapacitated by the noise. Dimly aware, Fallensteller realized that the sound was probably heard elsewhere nearby. It wasn't clear how a sound like that traveled through the walls, but it was undeniably loud.
The screaming was quickly cut off with vicious choking as the creature was being dragged across the floor. Two hands had closed in around its throat squeezing it so hard its eyes were bulging, while the others were holding its flailing limbs. Its body was already shattered and broken in ways that no human could have survived, and it looked more like a straw puppet being pulled along the floor. Blood smeared across the ground from its wounds and the blood of its victim - one of the other patients it had dragged under a cot and killed, who was laying dead under one of the cots.
It dug its nails into the floor and managed to leave scratch marks behind as it was dragged along by the demonic hands. Fallensteller preached loudly to it which caused it to struggle even more, but the hands did not falter once. They were utterly resolute in their grasp. With a broken neck and throat, the creature had no way to respond to the captain as it was brought into the circle. As it was, more hands came up out of the runic circle and began to pull the feral monster down into the inky black depths of the Abyss. Its violent struggling was mesmerizing as its entire body simply thrashed and vibrated. However, after only a few more seconds, it was gone - pulled into the Abyss to an unknown fate.
The resulting quiet was deafening. All illumination in the room was now gone, both from the artificial lights and the magic circle. Some of the patients had been knocked unconscious from scream, while others were quietly groaning in pain and shock. Pfeiffer was simply gone, with only a black ink puddle left where he had been laying. He, too, had probably be dragged into the Abyss when she wasn't looking.
Surveying the damage, Fallensteller noticed the Necrolan was not where she left it on the floor. It was, in fact, slowly dragging itself across the floor to one of the patients who had fallen on the floor. The Necrolan was pages-down, inching along the floor like a caterpillar as it pushed down with its cover to drag itself along. Hardly a fast or articulate method of travel, but a book moving by itself in such a fashion was curious enough.
She could easily stop it and retrieve it, but the Messenger's words echoed in her mind - don't forget to feed it.
---
["You mustn't blame yourself, my child. None could have foretold what leaving the cave and joining with these humans would have meant. They also stand near the precipice to danger, but it is you whom the darkness desires. If you fall to it, they shall undoubtedly follow,"] Kojo explained grimly.
The same fire embers from earlier which had brought Kojo along were reappearing, swirling back around their feet in a miniature whirlwind. Kojo sighed as he glanced downwards.
["I haven't much more time to speak with you, child. Even in the beyond the power of our kind is still weak."]
Cattapoli, Blitzwave
"Feel enthusiastic about what? These guns?" She asked, shaking the pistol but keeping it pointed down range, thankfully. "I don't know, don't you have something... like, fun to shoot at? Shalo used prisoners for target practice, don't you have any of them locked up somewhere? At least it makes this more fun. You can put an apple on their head and try to shoot it. I've seen some archers do that, before. Or try to pin their arms to the wall, or take out their eyes, stuff like that, you know?"
It didn't seem like Yarah was quite kidding, either, though her tone remained as it usually did.
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