Chapter 10: Prisoners Dilemma
"She left you."
"No. She was under fire, she didn't have a choice."
"Everyone has a choice, Kaldur."
"Maybe, but I don't blame her for hers."
The empty voice of the abyss made a small sigh. "The world isn't that selfless."
"Maybe, but that is only your perspective." Kaldur replied. "Where are the other two anyway?"
"Preoccupied."
"Where am I?"
"Take a look." The voice almost sounded smug.
Just like waking up from a dream, Kaldur opened his eyes. Where he stood was warm and damp, almost like the walls contained their own moisture within. To his right was a large metallic torch that was connected to the wall which lit the room he resided. The entire chamber was made of stone bricks save for the wooden door which rested shut in front of him. The floor itself was covered in puddles of water, and it seemed that as the water built on the ceiling, it dripped water onto the ground. Taking a step forward, Kaldur reeled in shock as his movements were stopped by a small pain in his shoulders. Looking up, Kaldur noticed that both of his arms were shackled to the wall by chains imbedded high into the ceiling, keeping his arms high above his head; it was only a small miracle that his feet were able to stay firmly on the ground to hold up his weight. As he looked down, it also became apparent that he was stripped of most of his clothes save for the cloth he used as an undergarment.
"Awake, magician?"
The voice was cold and rough, like steel scrapping rock. Kaldur turned his attention to the voice which rested in the far-left corner of the room. Due to the shadows, and his splitting headache, Kaldur didn't notice the man leaning against the walls on a small stool. Wearing a V split shaped tricorne hat containing a read feathered plume, the man was easily as big as Grend, if not bigger. With a bare chest and right arm, the man was covered in simple tattoos of light blue swirls that danced across his skin. Over his shoulders laid fish leather straps connected to his left arm which was entirely mechanical and covered in heavy armor as if it were made of steam induced metal. Containing only three fingers and a thumb, the metal arm held an orange while the other arm expertly sliced the skin off with a ragged cutlass. On the man's right hip, he wore the biggest flintlock pistol Kaldur had ever seen, which connected to the drapery of dark black and blue pants. Around his middle was a red sash and a large copper medallion that represented a predator's head with teeth. Behind his pants the figure had what looked like the bottom half of a sailors coat of twin tails decorated in blue and dark gold furnishings. The last major aspect of the pirate's appearance was the giant grey grizzly beard which was tied by red band near the base.
Kaldur paused for a moment at the sight of the man, then began to chuckle.
"So, who does your outfit?" Kaldur quipped, trying to keep the nagging fear he had from reaching his voice.
The man didn't respond for a moment, continuing to peel the orange in his hand. "A sense of humor, that's nice."
Kaldur raised an eyebrow. "So, it's like that, huh? Alright then pirate man, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
"Many know my name, the name of the king of Bilgewater; but for you, it will be a privilege earned."
Kaldur paused for a moment, wondering what this man had in store for him. Realizing that if he panicked, everything would be lost, Kaldur decided to make sure that he acted as much like himself as he could.
"Alright then, what do you want?" Kaldur began to charge his power within him, attempting to distract the man with conversation.
"Your power." Answered the man.
"And why would I give it to you?" At first, Kaldur felt his power build within his arms, but the moment it touched the shackles on his wrists, it dissipated.
"You misunderstand me, magician. I do not ask for anything, I take it. And I will have your power."
Taking a bite out of the freshly peeled orange, the man stood up, his hat brushing the top of the room. Taking a few steps forward to Kaldur, the man leaned forward till their faces almost touched. Kaldur could smell the reek of fish and rot intermixed with the smell of orange.
"Don't test me, boy. I will have your power, and I will have you give it to me willingly."
Leaning back and walking to the door, the man's metallic hand gripped the handle and tugged the screeching wood open.
"Those shackles will stop you from causing any problems; they are made of petricite. And when I am done with you, I will have my power, and take back what is mine."
The door slammed shut.
With the inconsistent drip of water on stone, Kaldur was left alone in the room, hanging from chains he couldn't break. Trying to think about what he could do to escape, Kaldur's mind drifted to Ahri and he began to wonder where she was. As if his thoughts swirled together all at once, Kaldur began to feel overwhelmed, and in that moment, he felt as if the world had just caved in on him.
"You are alone, Kaldur." Came the empty voice.
Kaldur refused to respond.
"You are alone, and powerless."
Taking a deep breath to clear whatever of his mind that he could, he focused on the image of the man from the void. In front of him, with a slight amount of intangibility, arrived the creature dressed in all purple satin, with the face like a ripple of water from a dark lake.
"Where are the others?" Asked Kaldur.
"Preoccupied."
"You said that already. Give me a specific answer." Kaldur began to seethe.
"Watch your temper, Kaldur. You are liable to lose control. But, to answer your question, they are busy keeping your mind safe."
"What does that mean?"
The empty figure shrugged. "It means, what it means."
"That doesn't answer my question!" Kaldur yelled, feeling his rage rise.
"It was not meant to."
The image in front of him vanished, and as soon the feeling of nothing vanished, so did the air in the room. For a moment Kaldur had trouble breathing, but with time it came back, and he could feel his lungs once more. Kaldur wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but he knew that whatever it was consisted of future pain. Leaning his back against the wall, Kaldur attempted to fall asleep.
It wasn't much of a rest for Kaldur as he awoke repeatedly. With his arms dangling high above him, Kaldur couldn't sleep with the pain, and whenever he dared to doze off he was greeted with a dull throbbing in his shoulders, and a sharp twist in his wrists.
For the next many hours this went on, till the opening of the door greeted him, and a face he had not wished to see came through. Without saying a word, the large pirate wandered into the room with a group of men following behind him, all hoisting a large cart with them.
"A gift, how thoughtful." Kaldur remarked.
Silent, the large pirate signaled for the men to remove themselves and close the door behind him. Reaching over to the cart, he removed the covering. Inside it was a large metal container filled with steaming heated rocks that glowed red like fire, enough to start one, and certainly enough to raise the temperature in the room.
Reaching his metal hand into the molten rocks, the man buried the three fingers into them for what seemed like a good long while before removing them. When the metal hand came up to the surface, it was glowing red hot.
"This will mark you as mine."
Kaldur swallowed, his fear rising.
The large pirate quickly swung around and grabbed Kaldur by the neck, pinning him to the wall. Kaldur began to struggle, but the more he did, the tighter was the grip on his neck. Taking his legs, Kaldur began to kick at the large man, but the moment he started, the pirate turned to his side as to prevent himself from being hit in any vital areas. With his molten left arm, the pirate plunged the palm onto Kaldurs right chest, searing the skin.
At first, Kaldur felt complete shock, then biting cold the longer the hand stood there; it was only a minute in when Kaldur actually felt the heat and the pain of being burned.
Screaming at the pain, Kaldur began to violently shake to remove himself from the larger man's grip, but to no success. The pain only lasted a minute, but in Kaldur's mind it felt like an eternity. After what seemed like forever, the large man removed his metal hand, and grip from Kaldur. Dropping to a dangle from the chains that held him upright, Kaldur shook as he struggled to look at the mark the man left on him. On his chest lay a burnt bloody handprint of only three fingers, and as the seared skin shriveled away, the thought that this was only the beginning crossed Kaldur's mind.
Closing the container and the cart itself, the large man turned to the door and opened it, pulling the cart with him.
"From now on," Began the pirate, stopping mid stride. "You will call me Master."
Kaldur faded out of consciousness.
Within his mind, Kaldur felt like time had passed infinitely. It was only after so long that he was greeted, once more, by the voice of the void.
"You could escape, if you used my power."
"Save it." Kaldur seethed. "This may hurt like nothing I have ever felt before, but I would rather be in control of myself, than be free in someone else's servitude."
"This man tries to do the same to you. He will break you."
Kaldur chuckled in his own mind. "You are a being of pure energy and you couldn't force your will on mine. He won't be able to do anything."
The void shook his head. "He will not force his will on you, he will make you wish you were his. He will take your own will and use it for his own gain."
"And that's different from you … how?"
"I offer power, the power to make your own wishes come true. He wishes for this power to be his."
"Still sounds the same to me." Kaldur scoffed.
The empty man shrugged once more. "That is your choice, but when the time comes, you will choose him. And I will be there to pick up what is broken."
Kaldur opened his eyes once more. The room was nearly pitch black as the torch had gone out. From what he could feel, the burn was still on his chest, and it was stinging as if salt were draped over it. Kaldur had no idea how long he had been out, but he felt like it was a long time. Struggling to stand, Kaldur's legs buckled beneath him and he fell once more, rattling the chains as his force pulled them.
Outside the chamber, footsteps echoed along the walls of his cell away from him. In his time here he hadn't been able to hear anything before, but now that he was alone in the dark, he could tell that the world outside of here was still busy. He knew he was still in Bilgewater, the self-proclaimed king wouldn't have left his area without a good cause, and he was sure he wasn't that important.
After a few hours lost in thought, Kaldur's stomach began to growl, eating itself. Shaking his head at the thought of food, Kaldur tried to concentrate on his magic. While it wasn't allowed to effect the area around him, nor enhance himself further, he knew that it could slowly heal himself over a long period of time if he could focus on it. It wouldn't be like his combat training with Lee Sin where he could heal small wounds after a sparring session, but it was better than nothing, and that was what Kaldur was counting on.
Within the flow of his magic, Kaldur again lost track of time. It was only when the door opened once more did he realize that he had gone through so many hours within the trance. Walking in through the door once more came the large pirate and the cart full of hot rocks. Shutting the door, lighting the torch, and striding up to the dangling prisoner, the pirate stopped and observed his earlier handiwork.
"So, you can still heal, even a little bit."
Kaldur's gaze followed to the mark on his chest. It was still mangled like it had been before, but it looked far more manageable and had stopped bleeding and cracking. Even though he could heal the wound, it was still going to leave a scar, something which bothered Kaldur at the thought.
Taking a bite into another citrus fruit that he had within his hand, the large man pressed the opening juices onto the open would of Kaldur's flesh, making him wince in pain. After the pirate removed it, he took another bite into the fruit and tossed it into the corner.
Uncovering the cart once more to reveal the hot stones, Kaldur jerked at the heat as it filled the room. Drawing his sword, the pirate dipped the tip into the stones for a good minute before removing it, revealing a red-hot tip.
"Now, you are going to tell me all you know about the Vastayan you were with."
Kaldur paused. "The who da what now?"
Reaching across, the large man pressed the hot tip of the sword into Kaldur's ribs. Screaming in pain, Kaldur tried to clench his teeth to resist it. After a minute, the sword was removed, and when Kaldur was given a small reprieve, the pirate asked once more.
"The Vastayan."
Kaldur was almost tempted to tell him, but inside he knew that this man was dangerous to Ahri. Closing his mouth, Kaldur looked up at the grey eyes of his torturer, defiance reigning supreme.
The large man smirked with a crocked curl on the end of his lip. "Thought you might."
Kaldur screamed again.
Many days went like this, enough that Kaldur lost count somewhere around ten. The large pirate would come into the room, bringing his tools for torture, and ask Kaldur a single question. Whether that question was about Ahri, his powers, or something else, changed day by day, but it was always one. Some days, Kaldur would try to rebuttal the question with clever quips. Others he would just remain quiet and stare the man in the eyes; yet he always managed to resist for the day. Using whatever magic he could muster, Kaldur tried to heal whatever wounds were inflicted. Some went away with no more than a scar to mark them, while others were far harder to remove.
Even though the large gang leader, as Kaldur had surmised, wanted to torture him into a stupor, he wasn't yet willing to have Kaldur die on him. During these moment, food and drink were brought to him, and instead a novice mage would sit quietly with him. The mage differed between a few men, but it was always the same thing: one would sit at the stool in the corner without talking, Kaldur would try to start a conversation to no avail, and the mage would leave after a couple hours, normally with a scowl on his face.
The only company he had during this time were the entities of the world rune within him. And while the young girl had yet to make an appearance, it was a good day when the barbarian would show instead of the void messenger.
"His name is Gangplank, if I can recall." Came the barbarian. "He used to run Bilgewater."
"How do you know this?" Kaldur asked, his breath taken away by the days torture.
"The man who put me here knew a few things."
"Well now I have a name. Why are you helping me anyway? Last time we met you tried to force your will on me with a raging voice."
The barbarian shrugged. "Been hanging with the kid too long."
Kaldur shook his head. "Well at least it's not mister 'I am the void'. Guy needs another hobby. Where have you been by the way?"
"Preventing those crackpot mages from entering your mind. We all do the same thing when your girlfriend tries to take your memories; only, she is a hundred times stronger."
"Wait… They have been trying to get in my head? But they have only been in the room the last few days."
"Maybe they think getting closer would give them a better chance. Though they stand no chance against me."
The image of the barbarian wandered over to the stool and sat down, it looked very real.
"For right now it's the void masters turn. While the rune itself may be all powerful, if you are weak than the amount that can be used is diminished."
Kaldur cocked his head to the side, looking at the image of the large man in the black armor. "You are a lot nicer than before."
The barbarian laughed. "Kaldur, we are images constructed by your subconscious. Our desires are still the same as they have ever been, you can't change our nature, but it doesn't mean that we can't attempt different methods to manipulate you."
Kaldur raised an eyebrow. "I take it the 'nice guy' act is a method?"
"Only partly. You still have no idea what we are, and are not, capable of. Keep that in mind."
Kaldur shook his head. "Whatever. For right now, I need to focus on getting out of here. Got any tips?"
The barbarian shrugged again. "That is up to you, I can give you knowledge and power, not ideas."
With that, the days continued as they always did; only the method of torture shifted day to day. Some were far more riveting as when Kaldur revealed that he knew Gangplanks name. During this excursion, Gangplank even humored the thought of removing Kaldur's tongue; but as it would prevent him from getting information, and with the fact that some magic is cast through chants, he dismissed it, saying there were other ways.
By the time Gangplank had run out of differing methods, Kaldur was at his limit. It became a struggle for him to even stay awake some days, and others were greeted by Gangplank finding every way to keep him alive while making sure he was destroyed. While his energy healed him at times, Gangplank ordered a few of his own mages to heal him, not enough to reverse the effects of the days torture, but enough to keep him conscious and alive.
It was a nightmare.
With weeks, or even longer, having gone by, Kaldur was weak beyond measure. His wrists were torn, rubbed raw by the petricite shackles that held him in place. His muscles had deteriorated, and whatever fat he had on him was now nonexistent. With scars lining his body from places where things didn't properly heal, Kaldur was done. At first, he thought his mind would hold him in place, that his will would keep him going. But with Gangplanks methods, and the voices in his head, every fiber of his being fought to seek an outlet.
"Do you want my power?" The void would ask. And every day, Kaldur would say no, just to be harassed a second time the same day.
He wanted out, he wanted to see Ahri, he wanted to go home; but the more he looked at the empty spaces of his prison, the more hopeless it became.
"Do you want my power?" The void asked, returning once more after Kaldur had woken.
"Where is the barbarian? I want to talk with him."
"He is busy defending your mind, which is becoming increasingly more difficult."
"Ha. Having trouble keeping it up?" Kaldur reacted without thinking.
Instead of a dismal sigh, and a sweeping response, the void's image moved closer to Kaldur, laying his nearly dead hand on his cheek. "You want out, don't you?"
Kaldur raised his eyebrow. The void knew this already, why he would be asking was a new one, but Kaldur felt too tired to think about it.
"Yes, I do."
"You want to see Ahri?"
"Yes."
"And you want to go home."
"Yes, I do."
Even though Kaldur could not tell what the empty figure was thinking, nor feeling, something in him made it seem like the void was smiling.
"Then take my power."
Kaldur hesitated, but his mind was too far muddled to react again. Instead, looking up at the void he cocked his head to the side, absorbing his eyes into its watery face like a mirror.
"I … I…" Kaldur began.
The door to his cell opened, spewing rays of torchlight into it and casting his mind from the vision of the empty creature within his mind. Once the void had retreated, Kaldur looked upon the face of Gangplank as he entered the room followed by two of his mages. As the large man walked into the center of the room, the mages began to heal Kaldur, chanting in a slow low hum that made very little sense to him. At first, he could feel nothing, but soon the euphoria of health began to overwhelm him.
"The Vastayan."
Kaldur looked back up at him. "I won't let you hurt her."
"I'm not going to hurt her." Gangplank said.
Kaldur raised an eyebrow, then looked around the room. There were no devices that he brought in with him, there was nothing; it was just him and the mages.
"What are you talking about?" Kaldur asked, murmuring his words.
"I want to help her, boy." Gangplank replied.
Kaldur's eyes widened. "Really?" he asked. In his mind, this man was an enemy, but his words seemed to have a way of reaching him despite every other part of him telling him that something was wrong.
"She is a slave, to a woman. A bounty hunter called Miss Fortune."
Kaldur shook his head. "She wouldn't be a slave to anyone."
The first time in the entirety of Kaldur being here, he had never seen Gangplank kneel, yet here he was, kneeling in front of Kaldur. Placing his good hand on Kaldur's shoulder, Gangplank looked into his eyes.
"You can help save her. I just need your power."
Kaldur felt even more groggy than before, his mind was muddled and he didn't know why. He wanted to save Ahri, more than anything; but something was telling him that this was wrong.
"I… I can't trust you." Kaldur said, shaking his head.
Gangplank smiled. "You need not trust me boy, but you can trust this." Reaching into his pocket, Gangplank produced what looked to be a jewel in the form of a swirling half-moon.
It was Ahri's.
In an instant, Kaldur's mind left him, he looked at Gangplank and no longer saw his torturer, but a friend; a man who would help him save Ahri.
"I will do whatever you ask." Kaldur said, not sure where the words came from.
Standing up, Gangplank looked at Kaldur with a large grin. "We will, boy, we will. Now, who do you belong to?"
"I belong to you. I am your power; the power to save Ahri."
Gangplank beckoned the mages to stop their current task, removing the restraints placed on Kaldur. Dropping to the floor, Kaldur struck it hard, but in his mind, it was nothing compared to what he thought Ahri must be going through. Crawling on the floor, Kaldur aimed for the door.
"Ahri..."
Gangplank rested his metal hand on Kaldur, halting his advance.
"Soon son. Soon."
Feeling the relaxing cool of the metal hand, and how tired he was, Kaldur slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep on the floor. It was better than he ever imagined.
Opening his eyes once more, Kaldur came face to face with a clean room. Wooden furnishings lined the walls and corners while a window to the outside marked a smooth breeze though it. Sitting up, Kaldur looked around to see that this place was well decorated with trophies from the sea, and a bed for a king that he lay in, bedded with golden and blue patterns. At first, when Kaldur saw the window, his urges beckoned him to escape through it; but the longer he sat there, the longer he remembered that he no longer needed to escape, he was with his master.
Sliding out of the furnished coverings, Kaldur tried to stand up, buck naked in the cool breeze; but the moment his feet touched the floor, his legs shook with how week they were. Looking over to a small chair next to him sat a set of clothes. With a pair of dark leather boots, a blue fish skin pant, and a red sash for a belt, it was clear in Kaldur's mind why there would be no need for a shirt.
Reaching over, with a little effort, Kaldur slipped on the clothing and tried once more to stand up. At first his legs still refused to work, but the more he pushed, the farther he went, till he was leaning on the railing of his bed.
"Easy there, son." Came a ragged voice from the door.
Kaldur looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see Gangplank standing in the doorway.
"Master."
Gangplank made a crooked smile, taking a few steps over to him the large pirate placed a welcoming hand onto his shoulder.
"The clothes fit nice."
Kaldur made a weary smile. "They are from you, Master. I could not refuse."
"Good, good. Now, son, there are a couple things I must tell you; but you need to rest first. After, we will work on getting that body back to normal."
Just like a flash of pain, Kaldur's mind went through all the things that had happened to him over the past many weeks. But instead of blaming the man who had caused it, all Kaldur could think of were the words his torturer had spoken to him the other day. He did not blame anyone else other than himself for the pain he endured. It was his fault for not telling Gangplank about Ahri, and it was his fault for not listening to his master.
"Yes, master."
Taking Gangplanks advice at hand, Kaldur returned to bed, and for the next couple of days he healed physically. It was only when Gangplank had decided he was ready did he leave the confines of his room, and when he did, he was greeted by nothing more than a sneering crowd of ruffians. From what he could gather, Kaldur was near the higher echelon of Bilgewater's city structure; and while he was not at the top, he was definitely high enough to see the entire Slaughter Docks which stored giant ships and massive beasts. Far above Butchers Bridge and the cove that lay beneath it, it was far more peaceful up here than Kaldur cared to mind.
While the companions of his master were less than hospitable, Kaldur barely focused on their actions, and instead followed Gangplanks instructions to continue his training as before, and keep his attention on trying to free Ahri. Kaldur never questioned anything that happened around him. While the actions of the crew that surrounded him were less than savory, Kaldur didn't care; and as it became a far more frequent occurrence, Kaldur found many ways to just avoid it.
The housing of his room was far more elaborate than his own simple abode. While it lay on the protruding edge of a rocky cliff face, one connected by wooden pillars to the city below, it was very large, enough to house all of the crew that lay within its ship wood walls. Aside from the simple hallways that carried with it the smell of smoke, tobacco, and fish, the internal structure was very much designed to house people in luxury. With a center area like a tavern, and rooms to hold dozens of people, this place was a haven for late night play. At first, Kaldur never left the side of his master, preferring to practice in his room or not at all whenever Gangplank was present. As the days stretched on, and Kaldur began to feel familiarity in his muscles again, Gangplank led Kaldur to a yard of reeds that blew in the wind on the top of one of the long clifftops. Out here Kaldur would practice, assuming he hadn't already, and whenever Gangplank would come to watch, he always brought along a challenge.
"Kaldur."
Kaldur stopped mid-swing and turned with a low bow to his master. The outside was calm tonight as he stood atop the cliff, watching the city and waves below with the stars shining above. As Kaldur lifted his head, he saw not only Gangplank, but another man with him, one that was just as built and with a far more menacing grin attached to his face. With dark skin and a shaved head, the huge man wore a bandana around his neck and a set of fish leather in straps to make his shirt and pants. It was here Kaldur noticed the large spear the man carried.
"Fight him." Gangplank ordered, gesturing to the smiling man.
Kaldur didn't hesitate.
Diving in to close the gap, Kaldur brought up his sword, energy flowing in its creation. With a quick underhanded swing, the sword slashed through the surprised man's chest and up to his face, stopping just short of the opponent's eyes. With a small twist, Kaldur pulled the sword out and turned around to face the open sky, leaving no mark on the man's body.
It took only a moment for the man to fall to the floor, unconscious as always. Gangplank didn't make a move as he watched the man fall to the floor. Turning to look at Kaldur, a small smirk passed over his face.
"I think it's time."
Taking Kaldur to the lower levels of the tavern, Gangplank introduced him to a group of people who lounged around near one of the smuggler entrances he had seen in passing. The room was littered with crates both open and sealed. Some, from what Kaldur could see, were filled with fruits of various assortments, while others contained weapons and barrels of gunpowder.
"Who's this scrawny bastard?" came a voice from on high.
Looking up, Kaldur could see that three members, each of varying shapes, were resting on top of the piles of crates, casting vicious glances at him. The first member was a hulking man, one who dwarfed Gangplank in comparison. Carrying a large hook shot on his back, the man was covered in black hair and straps of leather which covered his important sections. The second person was a woman who kept a crossbow as a weapon. With dark skin and frizzy orange hair, she was the only one tattooed from head to toe. Next to her, was a man absorbed in his own little device, one that looked like a staff but had an odd contraption, complete with glowing crystal, on top of it. Sporting a hood and a cloak of dark grey, the man was the hardest to see, but it was clear from his vacant expression that he was not one to boast his opinions. With brighter skin, brown hair, and eyes as grey as his cloak, the man had a small go-tee which looked stricken with the grey of is cloak. To Kaldur, the man reeked of depression.
"Your new crewmate." Gangplank answered.
The woman stood up atop the crates, searing with anger. "What, you think that now one of us is gone we need to be replaced?"
"Dian." Came the soft voice of the hooded man. "Captain's orders."
"I don't give a bearded lady, who's orders they are." Dian rebutted. "That scrawny piece of trash will never be one of us. I mean, he's not even a Jagged Hook!"
The large man jumped down from his perch on top of the crates and came over to Kaldur, looking him over.
"What you do to him capn'? Not that I be disagreein', but I can see what Dian be sayin'."
Gangplank didn't even look at the big man before he snapped his fingers together. "Just the leg, Kaldur."
Kaldur understood completely, and while the larger man was focused on Gangplank, Kaldur formed his sword, swung, and retreated before there was even a reaction. The larger man paused for a moment and then turned to look at Kaldur before he was falling on his rear.
"I can't feel ma leg!" The man screamed, clutching it.
It seemed like the room held its breath for a moment as Gangplank towered over the larger man.
"I think I made my point Hagrif. Dian, Mosh, down here, now."
Obeying, the other two members made their way to the front of their captain. Dian reached over and hoisted up Hagrif onto her shoulder so that he could stand on his good leg.
"It will wear off." Gangplank explained. "Now, Kaldur will be on your crew for as long as I allow it. I want you three to show him the ropes, get him used to what we do here. Kaldur?"
Kaldur turned his attention away from the three members to Gangplank. Taking his metal hand, Gangplank rested it on Kaldur's shoulder once more.
"I want you to do whatever they order. When you return, I want you to report everything that happened to me."
"Yes, master." Kaldur responded.
Mosh cocked his head to the side. "I haven't seen you do this to anyone in years."
"It was needed." Gangplank responded. "He was hard to break."
Removing his hand, Gangplank made a small gesture with it and the three members began dragging Kaldur with them through the door. The night air was warm, and while the stars shown bright in the sky, the sight of the small fires that lit the city of Bilgewater was still welcoming. Descending down the stone and wooden steps towards the busy walkways, the ragged crew wound its way through the people, all the while with Dian carrying Hagrif by her shoulders as he limped.
Glaring back at him, she made a small huffing sound when she noticed Kaldur looking back.
"This is your fault, y'know." She remarked.
Kaldur raised a small eyebrow at the look and then shook his head.
As the crew wandered the walkways, all the while hovering above the dreaded drop into the ocean, they finally greeted the entrance into a large tavern bustling with voices. Releasing Hagrif, Dian marched straight into the door covered by a rusty cloth, drawing her crossbow. Followed behind by Mosh and then Hagrif, Kaldur swept the cloth aside and stepped into the den. It was much like what he imagined a bar would be like at this time period, with tables of people playing games, and many sitting at the bar itself with people drinking and singing songs in a language he couldn't understand.
Standing next to Dian, he watched as she pointed to a group in the crowd.
"They are our targets. Stay here and make sure they don't leave the building."
Kaldur sat still and watched as the three crew members, Hagrif limping, marched towards the table. The targets were a few people of questionable character, each playing a version of liar's dice, but they all looked normal in comparison to his team of people. At first, the small band didn't notice that Mosh, Dian, and Hagrif surrounded their table, weapons ready; but the moment the first person looked up, he dove from the table, drawing a pistol.
Mosh was the first to react, slamming the butt of his hextech spear into the ground, which caused a small explosion of magical energy to circle him, striking the first man and two of his companions. In an instant, the three struck members froze in place, and only the last person was able to move. Taking advantage of his freedom, the man dove across the bar back, landing into the area with the bartender. Everyone in the room who didn't have a weapon panicked and ran screaming from the tavern. Chairs were flipped, and tables propped up as defensive structures, whenever people dashed in all different directions.
Those with weapons drew them, and as Kaldur noticed, some of them refused to shoot at his companions, instead choosing to either run in fear or aid by firing at those with weapons against Dian and the rest. Taking cover from the incoming fire, Dian fired multiple bolts, in rapid succession, into the wrists of the three stunned members of Mosh's doing; pinning them into the nearest hard surface. Hagrif, instead of taking cover, turned to face multiple people, and fired his large hook into the nearest person. The target that was struck flew multiple feet at the sheer force of the harpoon gun. Landing on the floor, the man had barely any time to register that he was a pin cushion before Hagrif grabbed the attached rope and begun to swing the hooked man into another three, knocking them all over.
Mosh stood still for the most part, only moving when a shot was about to come his way. Once it did, he raised his staff towards the attacking person and cast a small bolt of magical energy towards them, tossing them away.
Kaldur, while not the target of any person's arms, waited by the door, and kept an eye on the person who had dashed behind the bar table. At first, he thought the man was going to wait there till the commotion died down, but he wasn't surprised to be wrong when the man crawled his way towards the door after removing himself from his cover.
A few feet from the door, the young sailor stood up and dove for the door, trying to leave. The moment he closed the distance Kaldur, who had his arms crossed leaning against the doorframe, summoned his sword and caught the man in the chest much like running into a clothesline.
Gasping for breath, the young sailor looked up at Kaldur with wide eyes.
"You … Yo… you're … with … them!?"
The man was gasping between words, and while Kaldur felt a pang of pain for the man, it soon disappeared as the commotion came his way. Grabbing the man and hoisting him out of the way, Kaldur watched as Hagrif, still limping, shoved a group of three men out the door with a simple table. At first, Kaldur thought the men would come back in the moment the table was removed, but as he heard the falling screams of the men outside, he remembered that the door was facing a sheer drop if one took a step too far from the walkway.
Setting the table down, and watching the remaining opponents surrender, Hagrif directed his attention to Kaldur who was still carrying one of the targets.
"Guess them scars ain't for notin'." He remarked. "Dian, Kaldurs' got the last one!"
"Good. He can do his job." She snarked, placing a foot on the chest of the man pinned to the floor.
"Where are the good's Jerreff?" She asked.
Something in the back of Kaldur's mind found recognition in that name, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before.
"Don't know what yer talkin' about lady." The large man grunted.
"Well, if you won't tell us, I guess we are gonna have to show you what we mean."
Looking around the room, Dian's gaze fell upon Kaldur and a mischievous grin fell upon her face.
"Kaldur, bring that man over here."
With the young sailor propped over his shoulder, Kaldur moved to where the big man in leather lay. Putting the young sailor in a kneeling position before the big man, he looked at Dian to wait for his next orders.
"You!" exclaimed Jerreff.
Kaldur looked down to see that the big man's eyes were large with recognition, but still, Kaldur couldn't recall where he had seen the man before.
Dian stepped on Jerreff's wound, making the man grunt in pain.
"I didn't say you could talk. Now, where are the goods Jerreff? If I have to ask you again, Kaldur here is going to slice the pretty little throat of your crew mate."
"I … I don't know. After Miss Fortune broke the arena, most of my wares have gone missing as well." Jerreff was terrified, but still he looked to Kaldur.
"You won't kill him. You didn't kill in the arena."
Mosh shook his head. Dian catching the movement made another grin to the big man.
"Oh? So, you think this is the same man that refused to kill in that glory pit you call an arena? Ha! Look at the scars all over his body, old man. This isn't the same man you knew then, our captain got to him; and now, he belongs to us."
"Kaldur!" Yelled Dian, looking straight at Kaldur. "Slit his throat." She ordered.
Kaldur created his sword and placed it over the young man's throat, looking into his dark eyes.
"Don't!" Yelled Jerreff. "Don't kill ma boy! He's all I got left."
Kaldur stopped.
Dian looked at Kaldur, fuming. "Did I say you could stop? Kill him!"
Kaldur tried once more, manifesting the blade as physical as he could, enough to kill; but the moment he tried to slice, his hand wouldn't move.
"What are you doing!?" Shouted Dian.
"I can't." Kaldur apologized. "My body won't move."
Dain marched over, raising her fist to strike at Kaldur.
"Wait." Mosh called, halting Dian's blow. "This isn't something he can control, nor something you can fix. It has to do with who he was before our Captain had his way."
"Then what the hell are we supposed to do with him!?"
"The Captain will deal with it. For now, he can still fight. Kill all those who he makes unconscious."
Dian made another huffed sound before she spun around, sticking a knife into the young sailors' throat. Kaldur backed away; at first, he felt horrified, but soon his mind disappeared again, and he felt nothing.
"NOOO!" screamed Jerreff. Reaching over, he tried to remove the bolt that held his arm to the floor.
"I wouldn't do that mate." Hagrif said, holding his harpoon to Jerreff's neck and stopping the man's actions.
"I'll ask you one last time Jerreff. Where is the cargo?"
Jerreff looked defiantly at Dian. "You're gettin' nothin' from me."
Taking his harpoon gun, Hagrif aimed at Jerreff's head and fired, impaling it.
"Anyone else want to test me tonight?" Dian said, looking at the remaining two figures pinned to the table.
Shaking their heads, Mosh moved over and began speaking, making sure to get the information needed. When all was said and done, the crew had managed to finish their mission, and with the goods in hand, they made their way back to the large tavern on the cliffside. After the crates were put away, Kaldur removed himself from the others in an attempt to find his master. After searching the place, he managed to find Gangplank in his study, sitting next to his fire and pouring over sea charts with many pins in designated areas.
"Come in, son." He said, removing himself from the chair and walking over to the door.
Kaldur stepped in and took a knee. "We succeeded in gathering the merchandise from Jerreff and his crew. He and his son were killed during interrogation."
"Good, good. You may take your leave tonight. Get some rest, I will need you at day break."
Kaldur hesitated for a moment. "Master?"
"Hmm?"
"I … I can't kill."
Gangplank paused for a moment, his back facing Kaulder. "Go, on."
"I can fight, making those I strike unconscious, but my body freezes the moment I intend to kill."
Gangplank made a strenuous sigh. "So, it didn't fully work."
"Master?" Kaldur asked expectantly.
"Nothing, boy. You may leave."
"But, master, how will I …"
"I said leave, or I will think of a punishment for you that you have not yet tasted."
Kaldur immediately left the room, constantly wondering what he had done wrong. Making his way to his chamber, he finally collapsed on the bed, distressed and tired from the day's exercises. At first, he felt his body begin to sink into the elaborate covers, but as it did he felt his breathing begin to shallow. Standing up, Kaldur moved to the window, breathing in the fresh air and looking upon the scenery.
His world and vision felt muddled, much like he wasn't where he was supposed to be. Yet gazing out onto the buildings below with their firelit lanterns, something was there that was clearer than anything he had seen before.
Ahri.
Standing near the corner of a low-lit house on the wooden walkway, was the nine tailed fox herself; and what was more, she was looking at him. Shaking his head, Kaldur looked back to see if he was dreaming. She was still there. Kaldur wanted nothing more than to reach out to her, to leave and meet her; but the words of his master kept forbidding him from going. She was a prisoner, Gangplank had said, she was a slave; she needed to be saved.
Watching her, Kaldur wanted to leave and tell his master, but he couldn't look away. As he watched he noticed that two men were wandering out of the door from the building in which she stood next to. She had seen it too, and with one last look into each other's eyes, Ahri disappeared from view.
Kaldur had finally seen her, and now that he had, nothing was going to stop him from doing what his master promised.