It hurt. It really, really hurt. Something came through me, and left a trail of destruction.
“Marcos… Sandrovoca…!!”, I managed to grit through my teeth.
Blood. Blood everywhere. I think there’s a hole where my chest is supposed to be.
I can’t breath…
Marcos… He’s saying something. He’s laughing! That bastard… That bastard is laughing at me! He’s… HE DARES TO MOCK ME? I swear… even from beyond death, I’ll curse you, Marcos!
My eyes won’t stay open.
A breeze flows through the hole in my chest. Fire…
…
"Ugh, I hope the corpse isn’t covered in flames yet. That’d put a wrench in my plans…"
Huh? I hear someone.
“Oh! It worked! Boss, do you hear that?”
Boss? Who…? Am I alive? Who does she work for? What’s happening…?
“… Right. I’m sorry. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
“Wait! Please! I’m sorry!”
I hear a blood curdling scream. It sounded like someone was getting burned alive. The shock is enough for me to stand up. I’m breathing.
Where’s the hole?
I see a girl in front of me, coughing blood. Who did this to her? I didn’t hear anyone leave… Was it another mage?
She’s wearing all black.
“I don’t have any healing potions…”
“Huh? Oh. You’re awake. Please, don’t mind me. I-”, said the girl. She stopped herself from speaking anymore, and gave me a friendly smile.
Or was it a grin? Her eyes… are purple.
“Yes, I understand. I am your savior.”
She saved me…? That would explain everything, but somethng really, really isn’t right. I can’t help but feel uneasy. I saw that man smirking at me, I felt the wind go through me, and I know I huffed my last breath as I fell unconcious.
No. Something isn’t right. Something isn’t right, and I know it and I know she knows something.
Right… this is more like me. Stay intuitive. I shouldn’t trust her yet. But I have some inevitable questons…
“How. Tell me how. I know I died. I know I did! So how?”
She doesn’t say anything.
Suddenly, she nods her head and her nose starts bleeding. She gives me the same suspicious smile.
“I know who you are, Ingrid. I know what you want. You want him to die, don’t you? You want to see it happen, don’t you? You want to do it… don’t you?”, said the girl, finally.
“I don’t know you. Answer my question, how did you heal me? I HAD A HOLE THROUGH MY CHEST. My heart and lungs should have been obliterated.”
“Ah… but I know you so well, Ingrid. Don’t you remember Father Azrud?”, she asks, keeping the same friendly smile on her face.
She won’t answer my question or even give me a quizzical answer. She knows something.
‘I’m your savior’. Did she… revive me? I need to get out of here.
“Oh, well. I suppose it doesn’t matter. We need your power, Ingrid. If you help us, we will help you.”, said the girl. Looking at her more closely, she looks young, but she speaks very politely. I’m probably older than her.
I guess I’ll just lie.
“…I have some demands. How are you going to help me?”
“Your brother… you’re looking for him, right?”, answered the girl.
Huh?
My brother? They know about him?
I don’t answer for a few seconds. I have to admit, it shocked me.
“He is alive, and we know where he is as well as how to revert his curse. After all… it is a curse.”
Ah! The beautifulness of FREEDOM!
The woman who helped me out when I was in a pickle calls herself Adjutori. I remember her.
I would have told her not to hold on to that act of kindness I did… but oh well. I have everything to benefit from accepting her “help” as of now.
I remember I had a job on some dark wizard around her town. The man had a hefty bounty. All I did was send my men after him, and they never bothered her village again. She joined my ranks and rose quickly after hearing it was my doing.
Guess she doesn’t know that I wouldn’t a done it if there wasn’t any cash money.
And right now, we’re heading for a Gravy base to mess some shit up!
Or…
We were supposed to. Looks like a huge Gravy warship is blocking our path.
“Marcos Sandrovoca! Please exit the boat and board our ship. We aren’t going to arrest you!”
“Hey, woman. Hide your weapons. Never trust the blue bloods.”
“Yes, sir.”, she says, as she hides her sword behind her hair.
As I board the ship, I feel hundreds of stink eyes right on my noggin’.
“Marcos Sandrovoca… You killed my father!”, says a chore boy. He fumbles for his gun, when Adjutori swiftly cuts him in two, bones and all!
She cut him so well that the blood hadn’t even spilt from his body. I didn’t know that was physically possible, but hey, it’s a wonderful world, ain’t it?
“Woah! That was diabolical!”
Suddenly, the Gravy soldiers aim all their guns at me and Adjutori.
“That’s… A bit much, don’tcha think?”
Adjutori grips her sword tightly. I have to admit, I’m lucky I found a loyal one like her.
“Boys, boys. Please lower your weapons and escort Mr. Sandrovoca to my office.”, says a big shot-looking Gravy man. From the look of his shoulder plates, he’s gotta be a high rank Gravy soldier.
“Finally, some respect around here.”, I say, snickering.
Adjutori follows close behind me.
“Ah. Just Mr. Sandrovoca.”
“…”, says Adjutori. She looks worried. Probably because she’s surrounded by guys with guns that want me, and her(guilty by association :P) dead.
As I enter the office, I notice a ton of Sandrovoca™ certified souvenirs. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a collector.
The Plushies look at me anxiously. Some of em’ look determined, I’d say.
Heh. What’s a little plushy gonna do?
“Mr. Sandrovoca, I’m sure you remember your deal with the Gravy.”, said the big-shot.
“My name is Lieutenant Banks. I’m here to reinstate your deal.”
Now, we really are back in business.
“I accept-”
Suddenly, I hear the nose of a cannon being shot.
And it wasn’t necessarily nearby.
The noise of a cannon soaring through the sky gets louder… and louder…
And louder.
“Oh, shit, here we go again.”
…
It was a diabolical sight. The warship got a cannon straight onto its floor, but since it’s a Gravy ship, it didn’t do much damage. What was truly marvelous was the speed the Gravy marines started moving to prepare the cannons.
Adjutori busts the door down.
“SIR! We’re surrounded by pirates!”
3 of em shoot through the windows.
“…Filth.”, mutters the Lieutenant. I didn’t think it was that serious, but looks like once again I won’t have to do anything.
I hear bullets firing and quickly duck onto the ground. I guess they ran outta bullets, because now I hear swords clashing and magic charging.
Adjutori looks like she’s having a field day, lacerating people, really anyone, left and right. She really doesn’t discriminate.
Diabolical, I say!
The Lieutenant starts tossing huge Glass Magic shards at the ships. Cannons shots start exchanging.
7 ships versus one Gravy ship. The battle was decided before it even started.
“PLEASE! SPARE ME!”, said a sorry looking pirate.
Adjutori swiftly cleaved him in half.
“Ugh. Look at this mess. Ah, about that deal, Mr. Sandrovoca. I trust you’ll be accepting, right?”, said the Lieutenant, spitting into the ocean.
“You know me, of course I will.”
…
So now, Marcos Sandrovoca is back! I executed most of my workforce(don’t you dare betray me :P), but I hired many more in the snap of a finger.
Hey, don’t point at me. I’m not really a bad guy, it’s just business.
Plushy Business.
