Chapter Eighteen: The Bloodstone King
Arriving back at the Sanctuary Connor and the others gathered at the map table with Seth now joining them having recovered from his near-death illness.
"So, the house ended up burning down again?" Seth asked.
"Yup, right after Connor scolded some ghost brats who caused the whole Chesty curse thing," Kyler explained.
"That poor little girl, I am glad she found peace," Jaya smiled.
"So, what's next on our list of to-do's Gabriel?" Connor asked turning to the seer.
"Ask Tercero, there is a location he wishes to go to," Gabriel said still studying the book to locate the Avo sister's swords.
"Ey! Keep out my mind! Comprende?" Tercero growled not liking the idea Gabriel could be sticking his nose in their thoughts. (Comprende = Understand)
"I'm a seer, not a mind reader, Tercero, besides, I think going to Bloodstone will be beneficial for us," Gabriel smirked.
"Bloodstone?" Connor repeated turning to Tercero, "Why do you wanna go there, mate?"
"In case you forgot, I am an Asesino, the reason I came to Albion was for my Order, there are targets who must be dealt with, one of them being Reaver's son," Tercero explained.
"Wait you wanna try and kill Isaac Kingston?" Seth asked confused why someone that powerful in Reaver's circle was a target and not Reaver himself.
"Makes sense with their rules, kill corrupt officials, power-hungry men, anyone who would kick a puppy I would guess?" Kyler spoke seeing Tercero roll his eyes.
"Isaac runs Reaver's day-to-day operations while he does his Vice Presidential duties, Isaac was given the title of the Bloodstone King, rumors have it he's just as much of a piece of work as his father," Seth said turning to Tercero, "why not just go after Reaver though?"
"We have tried, many of my hermanos have died trying to take out that cabron," Tercero growled. (hermanos brethren/ Brothers, carbon = bastard)
"Tercero, are you honestly here because the Order sent you, or did you come here to seek revenge?" Roscoe asked getting the other's attention.
Staying silent Tercero looked away looking towards the map as Jaya spoke, "If you don't mind my asking, was the reason you came here because Reaver killed someone you cared about?"
Letting out a sigh Tercero nodded removing his hood to reveal his short brown hair but keeping his face mask on, "It was my older hermano, my brother."
"Oh man, so the Order didn't want you to come at all did they?" Kyler asked watching the other lean on a wall and cross his arms.
"No, when my brother was killed, I was so frustrado, frustrated? My master had sent my brother on a fool's quest and he died for it, this seal was his, I vowed to hunt down and kill Reaver at any cost, even disobeyed my master to come to Albion." Tercero spoke.
"He did not want you to walk down the path of vengeance and anger, revenge is a vicious cycle of retaliation," Gabriel explained.
"I made my choice, I will be expelled when I return, but I will not return until Reaver meets my blade," Tercero spoke touching the map and leaving.
"Tercero wait!" Connor yelled unable to stop the man from leaving, "dammit! He gonna get himself killed isn't he Gabriel?"
"If he continues this path, yes," Gabriel nodded.
"Well let's go after him and stop him!" Kyler spoke touching the map and following with the others.
Arriving in Bloodstone Connor looked around at the once Pirate run town now turned into a gambling paradise. Now home to four large casinos, two brothels, flashing neon-lit buildings, and ten liquor stores, Bloodstone had become a sinner paradise.
"Damn, where did he go?" Seth asked looking around and seeing nothing but crowds.
"Tercero!" Jaya called looking around, "Connor what's the plan?"
"Ok, Roscoe you're with me, hopefully, we can track his scent, Seth and Jaya you two try looking near the center of town, Kyler check near the casinos," Connor spoke splitting up the group.
Going through the back alley Connor followed Roscoe who sniffed the ground, "There are too many scents!"
"Come on Roscoe, I know you can find him," Connor encouraged following the hound whose ears perked up.
"I've got it! This way!" Roscoe yelled running down the alley with Connor following close behind.
Near the docks Kyler stepped out of liquor stole twisting off the cap of a bottle to take a swing, nearly spitting his drink out when he saw who was entering town and quickly ducked into an alley pulling up his hood.
Grabbing his seal, he held it close to his mouth like a walkie-talkie, "Connor! Do you hear me?"
"Yeah I read you, Roscoe got a lead on his scent, what did you find?" Connor asked.
Peeking from the alley Kyler narrowed his eyes seeing Reaver step off his yacht escorted by his security Guard Patrol, "it's Reaver! He just arrived in town."
With a glasses-wearing secretary at his side, she held up a clipboard, "After you've finished with your meeting with your son sir we have an appointment with your hairstylist."
"Ah yes! It's so hard to book with Roman, don't worry this will be quick, I just need to check in on a little task my dear son failed to get done," Reaver spoke walking up the road.
"If it a matter of 'that' I could find you a volunteer to deliver it for you sir, I have a list of beautiful aspiring models eager for their debut," she suggested.
"Not necessary my dear, this is more of a family matter now, if my son going to run my empire in my absence, I expect him to follow all my rules to the tee, failure needs a punishment after all," Reaver spoke as his entourage walked past the alley Kyler stood in.
Following Roscoe Connor saw the hound stop to look up a wall and sniff, "What the? The scent goes up there!"
Looking up Connor realized Tercero must have scaled this large building to get an eagle-eye view from the high roofs, "Seriously Tercero?! Okay, Roscoe, stay low and go find Kyler, I'm climbing."
Starting the climb up the building he was not aware Tercero stood at the top walking to the edge where he looked down to the town below using his Eagle Sense to scout the area till he spotted Reaver.
Crouching down Tercero made his hidden blade come out, it would all be about timing, once Reaver was close enough to the building he would jump and make his attack, given the security forces with him Tercero suspected he would not escape unharmed, possibly die in the process.
Slowly standing up he was getting ready to jump while Connor grunted climbing onto the roof and spotted Tercero.
"Hasta pronto, mi hermano," Tercero spoke aloud pulling up his hood over his head. (Hasta pronto, mi hermano = see you soon, my brother)
Quickly getting onto the roof Connor ran just as Tercero was about to jump and grab the assassin by the back of his hood and yanked him back to the ground with him.
Looking up Reaver had thought he saw something in the corner of his eye, seeing nothing on the roofs above the man shrugged and continued to make his way towards what used to be his mansion now turned into the largest casino in Bloodstone, Reaver's Love House Casino.
On the roof, Connor and Tercero fought with the assassin trying to get free and elbowing Connor hard in his side, "idiota! Get off me! You ruined my only chance!"
"I'm the idiot?! I just saved your life, you moron!" Connor yelled rolling on the ground still struggling to keep Tercero pinned, "Do you think you're the only one who tried to kill him?!"
"Qué? What do you mean?" Tercero grunted.
"Everyone knows Reaver has been around for a long time! We all know he using some kind of dark magic! Seth and I tried everything with the Resistance to kill him! Bombs, poisons, a bloody snipper! He was the former Hero of Skill! He didn't get that title because he could be easily killed!" Connor yelled rolling on the ground again only this time he managed to pin Tercero's arms above him.
"Listen to me! I know you're angry! I know you want to avenge your brother! I won't deny you that! However, we need a plan! Reaver may seem immortal but he bleeds like any other person, use your Eagle Sense, and listen to my words when I promise we will make Reaver and Tirich pay!" Connor yelled panting when Tercero stopped struggling.
Sighing Tercero kicked Connor off and stared up at the sky, "I don't need my Eagle Sense for that Connor, I've known from day one that you're an honesto person."
Rubbing his chest while glaring with annoyance Connor sat and looked at his companion, "I don't know how you assassins do things but you're a part of our team now, you don't have to do this alone."
Standing up Connor approached and held out a hand to his companion, "After all, we're friends now, aren't we?"
"Si, we are indeed mi amigo," Tercero chuckled taking Connor's hand and standing up.
"Ok everyone, let's regroup," Connor spoke into his seal and noticed Tercero run and jump towards another building, "Tercero?! What the hell!?"
"Trust me, I am going to get us ears on their meeting," Tercero spoke taking off and making his way to Reaver's Casino.
Climbing the side of the high building Tercero made his way to the penthouse level where he snuck onto the balcony, looking down at the 400-foot building Tercero kept low and peeking around the corner of the window where he saw a man at a desk typing away on a laptop.
One could say if they first looked at Isaac they would mistake him for his father, with neatly combed dark brown hair, long sleeve white shirt rolled up at the elbows, a black and red vest with fur trailing up the lapel and collar, Isaac even had a mole right cheek mirroring Reaver's heart tattoo.
Sighing the young man adjusted his glasses when an intercom on his desk went off, "Mr. Kingston you have a visitor," his secretary said.
"Turn them away Janet, I am not seeing anyone today," Isaac spoke still typing and checking the numbers and profits of the Reaver Entertainment Industries.
"Sir, it's your father," Janet spoke making the man stop typing for a moment before he resumed.
"Then tell him to jump in the ocean," Isaac replied coldly.
While Isaac did look like a younger less pale version of Reaver it would seem to Tercero they were very different people, with his Eagle Sense he could see Isaac was glowing blue, a possible ally perhaps? This could be their ticket to kill Reaver if his son hates his father.
Hearing the private elevator to his room activate Isaac sighed again before he opened a large desk drawer pulling out two glasses and an aged whisky and began to pour the glasses.
Hearing the ding the elevator doors opened allowing Reaver and his assistant into Isaac's penthouse suite, "my, my, I simply love what you've done with the place," Reaver spoke strolling in and approached the desk where Isaac took a swig of his glass.
Inside the master suite were fine fur rugs, a large fish tank with exotic-looking fish swimming around, a big screen TV, and the finest oak furniture.
"What do you want? In case you haven't noticed, I've been busy running YOUR company and successfully keeping it afloat mind you, managing your fibreless expenses isn't easy," Isaac said narrowing his eyes and adjusting his glasses while watching his father pick up the glass he poured and took a swig.
"Now my dear son, is that any way to treat your loving father?" Reaver smiled taking a seat on one of the two empty chairs in front of his desk while his assistant took the other.
Isaac knew this smile all too well, fake, just like this act of being a loving father, "we have very different definitions of loving, 'father,' now what do you want?"
"Oh such a sharp tongue, surely you didn't inherit that from me, the looks I'll take full credit for, the apple does not fall too far from the tree you know," Reaver spoke using his cane to smack an unopened package on Isaac desk, "I do wanna know why this hasn't been dealt yet."
"You know what, I'm glad you came, that way I can hand this back to you because it's going to be a very cold day in hell before I force anyone into that horrible place," Isaac glared shoving the package towards Reaver's assistant, "I will NEVER get involved with that wretched place again!"
"Oh, come now, don't tell me you're still not over the last sacrifice, that was ages ago, she was of no real importance," Reaver waved off making Isaac almost turn red with anger who stood up and slammed his hands on the desk.
"Of no real importance?!" Isaac repeated, "Her name was Jasmine Emily Kingston! My bloody mother! If you think for one bloody second, I am going to make someone else suffer the way she has then you wasted your trip here!"
"Oh that's where you're wrong my good lad, you see I found out about that little shelter in Bowerstone she is being taken care of at, not to mention your daily visits," Reaver spoke seeing Isaac raise his brow questioning.
"What did you do?!" Isaac growled.
"Nothing, yet, right now as of this moment I have a man ready to storm in, on my command, and given strict orders to blow her brains out," Reaver smirked snapping his fingers so his assistant could show Isaac her tablet where a video of his mother in a retirement home was being pushed in a wheelchair during a live feed.
"You wouldn't dare!" Isaac growled clenching his fist.
"Oh but I would," Reaver said pulling out his phone, "it's just a phone call away, shall I dial now?"
"NO!" Isaac yelled sinking in his seat defeated, "what do you want?"
"You have one year to find me a suitable sacrifice, beautiful youthful, like your beloved mummy was, send my lovely assistant the details on the lucky lady or gent," Reaver smirked standing up and approaching a wall where many pictures hung, one of which was a child Isaac with a little girl a few years younger than him, "now then, lets us talk about our beloved Renee."
"What you plan to sacrifice your daughter too?!" Isaac growled catching Tercero's attention.
'A daughter?! I didn't know he also had a daughter,' Tercero thought and kept listening.
"Oh no, she is far too intriguing to do that, her Skill with firearms is almost as brilliant as mine, well almost, she has been insisting on living here with you, you are to call her and tell her to keep far away from you," Reaver spoke picking up the picture.
"You can't do that! I am all the family she has!" Isaac yelled watching his father drop their family picture letting it break on the ground.
"You will, or dear mummy will have an unfortunate 'accident' You don't want her death to be because of you do you, son?" Reaver smiled.
'Cold hearted cabrón,' Tercero thought watching Isaac's body shake in anger, his clenched fist starting to drip blood.
"She will be expecting a call tomorrow, I will be listening in if you try anything funny," Reaver said walking towards the elevator with his assistant both stepping in as he waved, "tatey bye."
Once the doors closed Isaac grabbed the expensive bottle of scotch from his desk and screamed throwing it at a nearby wall smashing the bottle and sending the liquid all over the wall and floor.
Grabbing his glass on the desk Isaac smashed that on the floor before opening the doors to the balcony combing his hands through his neat dark brown hair and messing it up in the process in an attempt to calm down.
After taking a breath Isaac made it look like he was looking for a pack of cigarettes but pulled out a pistol and pointed it to where Tercero was hiding, "you think you're the first hitman to try and take me out? Who paid you? One of my father's scorn lovers? A rival or very stupid business owner?"
Stepping out with his hands up Tercero made no sudden movements, "I am not here to kill you, it's your padre whose life I want."
"Yeah? Well get in bloody line, you and the rest of Albion all want him dead, myself included, if you have no more business with me, climb back the way you came before I call security," Isaac growled heading back inside.
"Wait we can help each other," Tercero spoke following Isaac who pressed the intercom button.
"Janet could you send some cleaners in an hour please," Isaac spoke taking a seat back at his desk.
"Yes sir!" Janet replied while Tercero stepped over the broken glass and sat across from Isaac at his desk.
"I thought I said to climb back down," Isaac spoke typing away at his computer trying to ignore the assassin.
Removing his Guild Seal Tercero set it on the table making Isaac glance over to the small gold piece before looking back to his computer, "ok? What is this a poor attempt at a bribe?"
"That is an original Guild Seal from the time when the Heroes Guild once stood, it transformed when the age of the new Heroes began, when a Hero returned to Albion," Tercero explained.
"What are you getting at assassin?" Isaac asked still typing away.
"The true heir to Albion's throne has returned, someone who can help us kill Reaver," Tercero spoke getting Isaac's attention when he looked away from his computer.
"Oh really? You're telling me an heir of the Great Hero King himself, is alive and walking around out there in Albion?" Isaac asked adjusting his glasses.
"Si, he's the real thing, if you want proof, I can set up a meet-up so you can see for yourself if he is truly the Great King's heir," Tercero spoke piquing Isaac's interest a bit.
"Ok, I do have a little test to determine if he is the true heir," Isaac spoke closing his laptop and standing up leading Tercero to the balcony and pointing to the dock, "at the edge of the docks by the rocks is a cave, the locals call it the 'Sinkhole' within it lies the ship the Marianne, the Great Hero King himself used this ship on many oversea journeys, there it waits for one of his heir to claim, meet me there at midnight and we shall see for ourselves if he is truly the hero we need in these times."
"Very well," Tercero spoke hopping onto the edge and looking down before doing an eagle dive.
"What the?!" Isaac yelled looking over the edge to see the other fall into a large stack of hay and climb out safely, rolling his eyes he muttered heading back inside, "suicidal assassins."
At a tavern Connor and the others waited in the back when they saw Tercero enter with his hood up and made his way towards their table taking a seat, Kyler being the first to speak, "ok? So, what happened?"
"Isaac may be a possible ally, he wants us to meet him at midnight," Tercero explained.
"Gaining Isaac as an ally will help us greatly, having access to his dark seal can help us to form a plan to stop Reaver," Gabriel spoke.
"I was going to ask you about that Gabriel, Reaver talked about sacrifices," Tercero spoke getting the other's attention.
"Sacrifices? Like part of some twisted dark magic ritual?" Jaya whispered.
"I will explain more once we meet with Isaac," Gabriel spoke.
"Also, lo siento, for making you worry my friends," Tercero apologized. (lo siento = I'm sorry)
"I get it man, I probably would have acted the same if I saw the bitch who killed my father," Kyler spoke with a smile, "we are all in this together, right? We're a team!"
"Damn right we are," Seth smirked petting Roscoe's head then looked at Tercero and Jaya's shoulders, "by the way, are you two open to getting tattoos?"
Raising an eyebrow Jaya surged, "What kind are we talking about here?"
Later that night Tercero and Jaya sported the guild seal tattoos proudly on their arms before the group made their way to the cave.
Getting through all the traps and obstacles Connor and the others found the large ship hidden away all these years.
"Wow," Connor smiled running down towards the side of the ship before climbing aboard, "look at this ship!"
"I see a lot of potential here," Kyler spoke studying the ship, and approached the main cabin door seeing it open and Isaac stepped out adjusting his glasses.
"About damn time, which one of you is the 'heir' I heard so much about?" Isaac asked seeing the others all point to Connor, "him? The one with the fancy gloves?"
"Their gauntlets," the others corrected.
"Whatever, follow me," Isaac spoke walking up the steps to the helm of the ship, "it has been said and been proven that this ship possesses magical traits and that the blood of the Great Hero King at his touch made the ship sail on its own."
"Really? That's brilliant!" Connor grinned approaching the helm.
"If what the assassin said is true, and so that I am not wasting my time here, if you are the true descendant of the Great Hero King himself and the ship should, in theory, respond to your touch only, if it does then I will try to aid you when I can, if not and this ends up being a complete waste of my time," Isaac spoke pulling out his pistol the latest Dragonstomper model and pointed it at Connor's head, "I will shoot every one of you."
"What are the odds we can avoid his bullets?" Kyler whispered to Seth.
"Seeing that he is the son of the former Hero of Skill odds are he never misses a shot either," Seth whispered back.
"Ok, no pressure or anything," Connor said sarcastically slowly reaching out and placing his hand on the helm, "huh? It has the same aura as my weapons when I wielded them for the first time."
'Is this ship a transforming weapon?' Connor thought.
Hearing the sails above begin to unroll themselves the others all looked around watching the ship begin to glow and transform before their very eyes, the once rotting wood becoming replaced with shinny clean splitterless boards.
The old dirty white sails glowed and became clean again the very ship itself transforming into a whole new ship almost as if it was built for the modern era.
"What amazing magic!" Jaya said in awe watching the cannons on the deck transform from rusted to brand new.
"Guys! With a ship like this we could easily sail to the other nations not on the Map table yet," Seth smiled turning to Connor who looked to Isaac.
"So, it's true, you are the last member of the royal bloodline, my Prince," Isaac bowed, "the Marianne is yours to do as you please."
"Hey guys let's continue this conversation in the Captain Quarters we have a few questions in regards to Reaver," Seth suggested.
"Agreed," Isaac spoke heading down with the others where he opened a sealed package before tossing a large black seal similar to their seal but much bigger and had a strange symbol on it onto the table before the group.
Growling Roscoe's hair stood up and he took a step back from the seal on the table, "That thing has an evil aura!"
"Did that dog just...you know what never mind," Isaac spoke going back to focusing on the seal, "do you wanna know how my father has managed to stay young for all these centuries? This is seal is how he did it, this is the Dark Seal."
Looking at the seal Connor could feel the evil aura Roscoe spoke of, "What is this thing?"
"Allow me to fill in that part," Gabriel spoke appearing, "since Isaac himself does not know the origins of Wraithmarsh."
"How did-ugh forget it, I know as much as the next person, a cursed land infested with dangerous creatures that only a person with a death wish would venture into, or in my case someone who has to deliver this thing to the Shadow Court," Isaac growled pointing to the seal.
"A long time ago, Reaver was a reckless young youth who made a deal with the Shadow Court, the cost of this contract was his entire village, destroyed, this village was Oakvale," Gabriel explained telling the story.
"Oakvale? That was our ancestor's home originally," Connor spoke seeing Gabriel nod.
"Every ten years Reaver must sacrifice a soul youth and beauty to retain his, this is the bargain made," Gabriel explained.
"All those poor people, that whole region, destroyed because of him, so he can keep something as shallow as his looks? What a horrid man!" Jaya growled looking to Isaac, "What is your story then? How many have you been forced to sacrifice?"
"I didn't, my father tried to trade my youth and beauty," Isaac spoke crossing his arms, "it was a few years ago, I was maybe eighteen or so? A foolish boy who wanted to win his father's approval, to make him proud? He gave me this seal and told me to prove myself and face the dangers in Wraithmarsh to return this seal where it belongs."
Glaring at the seal Isaac turned around and walked away to stare at a painting, "so I went, little did I know it was a trick, upon entering the Shadow Court tomb I realized I had been tricked but then my mother showed up, she heard from one of the servants what father did and raced to stop me, but Shadow Court demanded payment, and so..."
"She sacrificed her youth and beauty to protect her child," Gabriel finished.
"Oh Isaac, that is horrible! I am so sorry," Jaya said sad for the man before her.
"I learned two things that day, the first being that man is an evil cold-hearted bastard who would sacrifice his own family for his selfish reasons!" Isaac growled clenching his fist.
"What is the second thing?" Roscoe asked watching Isaac turn to them.
"That my sister and I will never be free or safe from my father, not until he is dead and eight feet in the bloody ground!" Isaac spoke approaching the table again, "The due date is fast approaching, three years from now he must sacrifice another soul, I have a year to have a sacrifice line up for my father's liking."
"First thing first we need to save your madre, we can't have that cabrón harm her any more than she has already," Tercero spoke. (made = mother)
"Wait your mother in danger?! Ok guys let's do this! Let's figure out where we can hide Isaac's mother," Connor spoke grabbing a map that hung on the wall and placing it over the Dark Seal on the table.
"We could take her to the Warrior Monk Temple? That where we took the Edgeland villagers?" Kyler suggested.
"Wait hold on! My mother needs twenty-four-hour medical attention," Isaac spoke getting Seth to go into thought to try and come up with a plan.
Thinking on it Tercero let out a sigh, "I know where we can take her where Reaver can never find her."
"Okay point to where in Albion we gotta take her," Seth spoke watching Tercero shake his head.
"The location isn't on this map, we must take her to one of my Order's hidden locations, in my home country, LeDorada," Tercero said crossing his arms.