Hello faithful readers! I'll be honest, I've mostly used all my greetings at this point so don't know how to introduce the chapters with the same... pizazz as I used to. Oh well, I'm sure we'll all survive. Speaking of surviving, I am, like, 90% manflu free so can I get a WOOP WOOP!
Snowhelm: I just want to start off by saying that you guys are all so suspicious, every theory has pointed to it being a shapeshifter of some description. There are big cats that eat people when offered the chance y'know. Dramatic? ME? Well, I never :P
KC Pendragon: Hey there, not sure how far you got after the review but essentially... that's the story.
Oh, I should probably mention... This chapter is laden with strong curse words, violence and partial nudity. Viewer discretion is advised.
Chapter 25: Fun For The Whole Family
"FUCK YOU!" I yell at the skeleton archer as I launch a roaring fireball at him. His bones turn to ash as I pant slightly. Fucking archers. Come at me with a sword, that's fine. You'll be dead(er) by the time you're within spitting distance. But fucking archers, they just have to shoot you from across the fucking room when you're fucking dealing with their fucking friends and you try to fucking dodge but there's fucking skeletons and fucking swords fucking everywhere.
I remember my ambitions to be an archer briefly, but my annoyance quickly squashes it. The surreal feeling of skeletons shooting me out of a window with panda decorated curtains helps.
The Fade fucking sucks.
I mean, I've been walking around in a bloody circle for like an hour now and there's just skeletons and skeletons and shades and more bloody skeletons. The street cuts off, forcing me to take a right and as I turn I see a green knight. The fireball's already in my hand before I can fully register the spirit. My head cocks as the knight stares at me like granite. He's standing next to a streetlight, and seems to have been inspecting it before I turned up. It's orange hue distorts the street, letting the shadows sink in just a tad ominously.
"Hello," I say, somewhat awkwardly. I try to hide the fireball behind my back and quench the flames discreetly. I only hope the spirit can find it in it's... uh... heart doesn't work, but I hope it pretends I wasn't about to kill it.
"Greetings," the spirit answers solemnly, nodding it's head. I suck in a breath through my teeth before sighing and scratching my head. There's a knight on the street staring at street lights. Sounds like a bad song title.
You know what? Fuck it. Moving on.
"You're the first thing out here that hasn't tried to kill me on sight," I say honestly with an embarrassed smile and I find it funny that the spirit nods. It must get that a lot. "You wouldn't happen to know what direction I'm supposed to be going in would you?"
The spirit raises and arm and points down the road ahead. It seems to stop being suburban concrete roads and moves into the country dirt tracks I remember. "The demon you seek lies down this path. But be warned, you will be deceived. You may not survive."
"Yeah, I figured that would happen at some point," I say almost to myself as I look down the road. No street lights there. Just darkness. Darkness, death and demons, how ominous. "Any idea what I'm up against?"
"A powerful demon awaits you, eager for your end. You may not survive." the spirit warns darkly and my mouth tightens.
"Had to say powerful didn't you? Couldn't just say, 'Listen mate, it won't be the easiest thing but you'll be fine'. What kind of spirit are you anyway?" I ask, holding an exasperated hand out to him. I'm killing time, not a clever idea with a Templar ready to stick me with a murder knife topside, but I'd rather not face whatever beastie awaits me. It being so powerful and all.
"Compassion."
My eyes widen and I look away, laughing. I try to cover it up with a cough but end up bent double, giggling silently. I take a deep breath but when I look at the faceless spirit I just keep laughing. It takes me a few minutes to get under control.
"Wow. Ugh, sorry. I haven't laughed like that for years. Compassion huh?" I giggle, but clear my throat. "You might want to work on that a bit more. Your bedside manner definitely needs improving."
"I shall endeavour to uphold my name," the Spirit says with a nod. I let out a bark of laughter and wave over my shoulder, beginning my walk towards the end of the road.
"You take care. Oh, and the next time someone comes along, remember what I said," I laugh as I walk away. Funny little guy.
"Lives in a house, a very big house in the country," I murmur under my breath. I'm bored. It's not to reassure myself. I'm not nervous. I am a manly man and manly men don't get nervous by creepy forests.
The concrete road disappeared quickly, giving way to a dirt road full of dust and potholes. The trees cover the sides, thick and impossible to see through. The light green day has given way to a deep emerald night, with a sickly yellow moon casting it's glow and lighting my path. Totally not eerie, I think as an impossible wind shakes the trees around me, so that only the rustling of leaves and the whistling can be heard.
I swear, all I need is a...
A wolf howls, a long and low sound, and I fucking leap out of my skin. I look around quickly before casting a fireball and hurling it down the road to illuminate my path. It flies along the long, dusty road before it lands on the ground, sending up a small wave of fire and chunks of flaming mud.
So... Nothing there. I start walking again, ignoring the fact that wherever this demon is he's fucking with me. There's no wolves about in these woods.
Something darts from the trees and hurtles across the road. I've got a moment to see brown and grey fur before it collides with the opposite row of tree's, disappearing with hardly a sound.
"Oh you're a bastard," I growl angrily after a few moments. I take a few more cautious steps, feeling like I've just walked on planet Vogon. I try to keep my mind blank, but as in Ghostbusters, a little thought creeps in.
I'm sure I've seen that wolf before...
I hear a yelp of excitement and spin, ready to freeze the bitch into oblivion but my hand thaws immediately at the wolf dog before me. My power, fuelled by hatred, is no match against love.
"Flint," I say in disbelief as I crouch down, my dog lapping at my face furiously as I throw my up in a half hearted defence. After a few moments I feel the tears falling down my face at the utter joy I'm feeling. "Oh my god Flint!" I yell happily, laughing loudly as he barks and yelps the same way he always did when I came home. I calm him down and he looks at me playfully, tongue hanging out his mouth by a few inches. I stroke his head and scratch his muzzle.
"Good boy," I say, choking up on my tears. Because now my joy has faded. Now my anger is rising. Because this is not my dog. This is a demonic facsimile. And the more I look at him, the more his playful eyes are becoming mocking. I rise to my feet, a fearful expression on my face at what this might mean.
It's a desire demon then. It's looking in my head, and it's looking at my soul. Flint's just the warm up. This is gonna get rough quickly.
I turn around quickly and nearly leap back in shock.
"She's waiting for you," my brother says, hands in his hoodie pockets as he thumbs through his phone. I feel like a knife is driven into my heart. It's just how I remember him, with his short hair and spotty cheeks and braces and black and chrome rimmed glasses. He hasn't aged at all. It's like it hasn't been over a year since I've seen him. But it hurts like it's been a millenium.
"Brenden..." I wheeze, feeling literally winded. He glances at me through his designer glasses and sighs.
"What," he shouts in annoyance, pulling one of his head phones loose roughly. "She's down there." He stares at me pointedly, gesturing down the way.
"Nothing," I say quickly. "Sorry mate. Thanks." Brenden tsk's me - and I'm sure I hear a mutter of "Smh" - and puts his headphones in, playing his music far too loud. He'll knacker his ears if he isn't careful.
I move away from him, down the way he pointed. Flint walks to his leg and butts his thigh, like he always does. But when they come into contact they both burst into ash. I unconsciously reach out when they're gone, before drawing my hand back. My fists clench. My eyes burn.
Give me anything. Give me the River Styx and a thousand tortured souls. Give me Satan with a pitchfork to ram up my ass. Hell, give me Justin Bieber's "greatest" hits. You do NOT USE MY FAMILY!
"You always did have a temper," comes a voice from behind me and I clench. "Mind you, you were alright at keeping a lid on it. But when you reached your breaking point..." There's a long whistle as my father chuckles to himself.
"I wonder where he got that from," another voice chimes in and I literally fall to my knees, clutching my head in emotional agony. "At least he got my wicked wit," my mum cackles.
"Don't forget your snoring Mum," my sister Josie says and I fall on my side, tears flowing like rivers of pain. The phantom pain hurts me more than anything I've ever felt before. All the agonies, all the tortures I've faced pale in comparison to the raw and unadulterated sorrow ripping me apart.
"Stop it stop it stop it," I say, rocking slightly. "You're not here. You're not real."
"Good thing too isn't it?" Brendan says mockingly.
"Our brother the wizard," Josie says in a high voice.
"My son the badass," my father says, making fake spooky noises.
"My son, the killer," my mum says sadly, and I can practically hear her shaking her head.
"STOP IT!" I yell, fire flaring in my hand as I turn to the voices... and find no one there. I look around expectantly, waiting for something else, someone else.
I shakily rise to my feet. I brush myself off. I wipe my eyes and rub my face, sweeping my hands over my fuzzy head. Sniff a few times. I clear my throat. Crack my neck. Take a deep breath.
I take another step and Amy appears before me, wearing that dazzling smile. My step falters. I slump, captivated. Oh god. I... I didn't know how much I missed them. I didn't know how much I'd missed her. I'd forgotten how long my brothers hair was. How deep my father's voice was. The wicked lilt to my mothers. The sarky tone of my sister. I'd forgotten Amy's eyes.
But it's not them. It's a mind game. I clench my jaw and straighten my back. "Move," I command angrily.
"Alright Mr Grumpy," she says with a confused face as I continue on my path. After a few moments I'm aware of her walking next to me. I ignore her. "What are you doing?" I remain silent, my face taunt and my rage swirling through me like a hurricane.
"Have I done something wrong?" she asks, fear in her voice. Like she ever could. Like there was even a second I stopped-
"Stop it," I growl angrily. I shake my head, hoping that'll take of the memory before me. But she's still there.
"I, I'm sorry Scruffy," she says, and I can hear the tears in her voice. "I didn't mean to upset you," he says, her words hitching on the last note. I clench my teeth so hard I'm surprised they don't shatter. "I'm sorry I'm such a fuck up, I'm sorry I wasn't good enough. You deserved better."
I come to a halt and the apparition of a lost love flits in front of me. Tears are streaming from her face. "I didn't mean it, please, I'll do anything just please talk to me." Her hand reaches out to caress my face and I feel my neck twisting, arching to lean into her velvet touch... Just to forget, even just for a minute, the months since I've been home.
My fist darts out like a bullet and strikes her in the sternum. She staggers back, hands leaping to her chest which now can't inflate with breath. The look of betrayal on her face sends icy shards into my chest, but the burn of my wrath melts them before they can tear me apart.
"Shall we get a few things straight?" I ask in a deadly calm voice as the apparition splutters convincingly. "Numero uno, I'm not that stupid. Did you honestly expect me to be fooled by all of this for long? Really, this is what I see every night in my dreams where I'm powerless to stop it. Here, I have more control, lucidity. Here, I can tear you apart." I snap my fingers and the world is suddenly ablaze, the trees that surrounded me becoming inferno's of fire as I allow my Will to lash out angrily, focused solely on destruction. 'Amy' stops spulltering and glares at me. "Numero duo, my family would never crucify me for what I've done. We're a unit. We look out for each other. Anyone messes with my brother, it's my sister and I's mission to annihilate them. And if any of us fuck it, it's my mum and dads job to pick our asses out of the fire. And third..." I smile darkly as the desire demon rises, no longer wearing the skin of my ex to disguise its motives. "Amy would never wear that shade of lipstick, you scarlet whore."
I push my arm out and Will the world under my heel. The Fade is shaped by Will. And it has never seen mine before. I feel the drain as the air around me glitters and glows. The sparkles take shape and become tangible, spectral blades. Lots of blades. The demons looks to me uncertainly before hissing ferociously. I flick my wrist and the blades leap towards the demon, perforating her with an intensity that would make a normal man blanch.
I grin with satisfaction.
There's no blood, which I find unsettling and after the final blade enters it's body it falls to the ground before dissipating into a putrid purple pus.
"Some sluts just can't take a gang bang," I quip before setting my eyes ahead. That was too easy to see through, too easy to beat. Yeah, psychological scars aside it wasn't exactly life threatening. The whore didn't even put up a fight! Which means that the demon I'm after is still ahead.
After a few minutes, I see a streetlight ahead and almost let out a sigh of relief. Then the annoyance slickers through me. I've already spent far too long in this place, I can't afford to be going in any more circles. I can even see the Compassion spirit, staring at me.
"How goes the day?" it asks as I draw near. I grunt in response, looking past it and hoping the demon I'm supposed to face pops out holding a sign saying "kill me kill me now".
"Where is the fucking demon?" I bark angrily.
"Did you not vanquish the Desire demon?" the spirit enquires in a monotone. That complete lack of emotion pisses me off more than any amount of quips.
"Yeah, like that was the fucking test. Any idiot with half a brain could see past all of that," I say waving my hand dismissively in the direction of where I left the demon pus. "And if that was the test, I wouldn't still be here. So, there's another motherfucker around here waiting for me to kick it's ass."
"You seem confident in your abilities," the spirit observes. I glare at it, stalking forward so I'm mere centimetres away from it's incorporeal form.
"I'm too pissed off not to be mate. Point me in the direction and step out of my way," I take a few steps back, arms wide. "When I see it's ugly mug, I am going to leather shit out of it!"
"Despite my warnings of it's power, you still see yourself greater than a demon in it's home?" the spirit says with a small scoff.
"Look, I will get into a pissing match with anyone right now, I don't want it to be a Compassion! So just..." I stop myself, my eyes staring off past the spirit form before I scowl. "You really are a shit Compassion spirit," I growl angrily.
The knight says silent.
"You know, I don't think you've even said a single compassionate thing." I state as I stamp forward. "If you know what the desire demon put me through, and it's very likely you do you twisted fuck, you'd at least say something nice or encouraging. Fuck, I'd even take a manly punch to the shoulder followed by a sharp, understanding nod. But no, you wouldn't know how to be compassionate if it kicked you up the arse now would you? So what are you really?"
The spirit nods before it's form twists and shifts, solidifying and changing.
And then it's me.
But it's not me. Not the me now. The Me I used to be.
Clear skin. Glittering greeny grey eyes, full of laughter. A cocky smirk. Long, shoulder length brown hair. Not as tall. Not as skinny. God, I'd forgotten how many freckles I had. A pathetic goatee, the only beard I could grow back then. I was so proud of it. That's the boy I used to be. That's the guy who woke up in Thedas. That's the guy who died here.
"I'm very intelligent for one," the other me says with a wink. "I could run circles around you matey."
"Oh, look who it is. I might get some decent conversation," I say tersely. There's something else in the other me's eyes. Something that I'm not sure I've seen before on my face, but familiar all the same. And I don't like it.
"But then again, all those conflicting emotions... Delusions of grandeur and crippling insecurity, all wrapped up in one package," the demon mocks as it begins to pace to the side. I stand my ground, not letting it see any weakness. "How you even manage to function is an amazement."
"I have my moments," I growl. "Is there a point you're getting at or are you content to re iterate everything I already know?"
"But of course, this is your mind isn't it?" the demon asks, spinning in a slow circle as it spreads it's arms, gesturing all around us. "This is the Fade a la... Oh, you've stopped using that name now haven't you? It's Jack Sparrow now. How quaint."
I stay silent, watching it from the corner of my eye, getting my hand ready to burn the bastard. "Why stop using that name? It was the name given to you after all by your dear mammy?" The demon turns to face me. It's unsettling seeing my own face like this, not a reflection. I don't think my face has ever been that filled with mocking, with spite. I wonder if everyone else has such strong urges to crack me. The demon's face wiggles it's eyebrows, and it brings it's hands together. "You don't want people to know who you are do you? You don't want them to remember you. Or is it a way to distance yourself? The kid you were before was sweet and kind and full of laughter. Sparrow is grim and broody and looks at the bigger picture. Two very different names, two very different people. Maybe it's because you can distance the shame. It wasn't you, it was Sparrow."
The demon cackles madly, the way I would after a particularly wicked joke. "The best part is, you don't even believe that one! You know there's no difference between who you were and who you are. You know you aren't gonna walk out of this place and flick a switch and suddenly Jack Sparrow's a distant memory." The demon walks up and places it's hand on my chest as I glare at it through narrowed eyes. "The blood, the darkness, the Taint... It's a part of you now, and your soul is never getting the stains out."
It stands there, staring at me with a manic grin. "You done?" I ask in a bored voice, though even I hear the strain behind my words.
"HA!" the demon exclaims, skipping backwards. "Even now you're arrogant! You think you're better than me? I'm you!" The demon laughs and I shrug.
"You're a demon wearing my face. Nothing more. By definition I'm better than you. And you're wearing my old face, I must be older and wiser by this point," I say with a forced smirk. "We can sit here and psychoanalyse me all night, but I really have better things to be doing. So if we can get a move on..."
"Woooh, he used a big word," the demon says, throwing it's arms up in defence. "Step back bitches, we got a badass over here." Seeing it ellicits no response, the demon wearing my face shrugs and tosses me a stage wink before spinning, it's shape shifting once more.
After a few moments, a tall, spiky grey Pride demon stands before me. My lips curls back into a silent snarl.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," I say in a dark voice.
"Yes, you were so trusting," the demon mocks and I have to clench my fist to make sure I don't summon a fireball or freeze the cunt. I'm only seconds away from summoning the ghost swords when it adds "But you saw the deception, eventually, and so pass the test. Well done mageling," it adds sarcastically.
"I swear if I ever see you again..." I leave my threat hanging but the spirit of Pride laughs it off.
"I'm sure you will act as an insect on my boot," the demon taunts as once again the world blackens and I feel like I'm falling...
What to do: Review. Then I shall move through, and give you another chapter too