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Disclaimer: icky bits
Chapter 6
The Darken Knight Returns
XxXxXxXxX
Marco looked at the edge of the forest, the wind at his back and the sun surely setting, he felt the coming chill and with it all manner of beasts and dangers. He smiled and lifted his duffel bag and reached in pulling out his most favored blade, the Traitor's Sword. He snapped it on his back, pulling out more of his gear he laid it on the grass before tossing his clothes and setting them on fire.
He pulled out his jeans, grey shirt, red hoodie and brigandine and put them on, he kept his boots and began to strap and belt his gear on his bodice.
Throwing knives, a long dagger, a pistol and pouches of potions, ammunition and bombs. He didn't need to go overboard for such a simple mission, he raised another mud person and handed them his bag and they dived into the soil, safe from thievery.
He glanced to the forest, the sunlight giving a few desperate rays before night overtook it, he pulled his hood over and walked into the forest. The once wild trails it used to have were now gone, the paths were wider showing a great amount of use for at least months now. He looked at the path, seeing all sorts of prints from foot, paws, webbed, clawed and even wheels, he frowned and kept an eye out for any nasty surprises.
He kept walking the path until he saw lights in the distance, Marco leapt off the path and began to climb a tree and waited, listening.
Running water.
A distant hoot somewhere.
Slithering.
Rustling beneath him.
Marco still waited, hidden in the dark canopy. He pulled out his journal and began to map and write, he was at the edge of the forest and already he could already sense the place was heavily occupied. The natural obstacles plus the fact it's name would be excellent deterrents to do devious deeds beneath its foliage. Still, who could be hiding in the forest would be difficult to pin point, if Queen Moon was stumped then he would fare no better.
He looked through the leaves and branches, frowning as he saw hooded figure slowly entering the forest in every direction. Marco glanced down and saw some even passing just beneath him, he relaxed attuning himself to the ambience; anything out of the ordinary and these guys would surely sense and attack him. He silently counted the figures, only craning his neck to see where they were headed.
They began to split off, some even deliberately straying away from groups to be alone, Marco noted that they kept even their attire more or less the same with few variations, even talking in whispers as to not be overheard.
This must be a small community, but they don't openly trust each other…I wonder how they can coexist…hm, this place could be littered with hideouts…and all manner of places to hide.
Marco quietly slipped down the tree, his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and began to tread closer, hoping his disguise would work. He became keenly aware that he was armed to the teeth, feeling the familiar weight of his weapons on his body, he glanced around the path, hoping to find some suitable refuse to use. The cloak in his bag would stand out too much, he needed something common or inconspicuous to blend in.
His eyes fell on a tattered canvas, most likely a tent before, it had burn holes, cuts and threadbare but it could work. He moved to it, snatching it and threw on his person.
Marco pulled it off and immediately snapped it, sending bugs and critters flying from it, "Gah, procuring equipment on the field sucks…"
He threw it back on, hoping it would pass before he walked closer to the lights, his hood kept his face somewhat obscured, his mask would do nothing to help as it would just draw attention. He quickly glanced at the figures, some huddled by fires, others going into tents, Marco saw the place heavily camouflaged others made crudely with sticks and leaves.
He caught many glances but it was fleeting and they minded their business, Marco delved deeper into the hideaway community. The tents were soon were replaced with wooden shanties, he felt eyes on him but he ignored it. If he was such a threat, which he was since the mucky cloth only covered so much, the tail end of his weapons were exposed, he would find resistance.
It didn't take long for him to see another division, he glanced back and saw what he assumed was the middle ring then back forward: the structure constructions were more stout and concrete. Actual concrete. Brick and mortar. Torch and lighting.
Outer ring: fringe camps. Middle ring: shanties, buffer and lookout zone. Inner ring…what am I going to find?
He looked around then above, seeing a thick net and mesh criss-crossing and obscuring the night sky, but allowing the smoke to waft through and dispersing above the canopy like some sort of fog.
"Clever…"
Marco continued to walk through the path, seeing even a decent pavement was being made before he frowned, seeing mismatch materials, hmmm, either they are using alternative sources, reusing old ones from ruins or stealing them. I have to admit this could be a decent place given enough time…
He moved deeper but slowed when he saw further on was a guarded area, seeing hooded figures with weapons strapped openly. Marco felt their eyes and he moved towards an alley, the darkness quickly smothering him, he felt the walls, feeling the construction and began to scale it but before he reached the top he froze hearing low voices.
"Hey…where did he go?"
"…dunno he didn't show in the end."
Marco thanked the darkness, he was just a foot away from them, probably peering down directly at him. He made no move until he heard movement going to the right, still he waited before he pulled himself up.
He kept himself low, surprised the building wasn't rickety and he looked around: no one was around. He pushed forward until he was at the edge of the building, he looked at the place that was being guarded before looking around it, no other building was barricaded as such.
He looked at the place, a crumbling ruin, moss and vines nearly obscuring it if not for the torches around it, he bit his lip before he heard someone dully speak underneath him, "Feck…all that racket yesterday…for some pottery? I hope they keep digging so whatever underneath there eats 'em!"
Marco frowned but hearing how angry new voices concur he began to scale the building down, that was not the place he wanted to risk exploring. Not just yet. He walked around the hidden community, noting it mirror some of the aspect of outside society: taverns, smithies, bruisers and watchmen, lumberjacks, trappers, hunters, stores and houses. He put his hand into his pocket, figuring his money might not earn him anything in the place if they ran their own currency.
He walked by a rather loud house, imprints of hands and bodies pressed against the window glass, before he moved towards what he assumed the commercial district. Marco walked to a street vendor who manned a wheel stand. A hooded figure looked at him as he looked at the dried meat wares among other wares, Marco pulled out a silver coin,
"How much would this get me?"
"…on your right."
Marco put the coin on the counter and reached out to take the purplish jerky, the vendor grabbed his wrist.
"This isn't a meat parlor, boy…it's a poison hand." The figure hissed, Marco wretch his arm back and the vendor looked at him, at least he assumed it was, "You're not from around here…aren't you."
"No. But I heard too much to stay away."
The vendor merely stood back up and gestured him to the side, "Look kid, leave if you know what's good for you. Seek your thrills elsewhere, this is a respectable place, a respectable community. We want nothing disturbing it."
Marco narrowed his eyes, "And selling your wares in the open, doesn't that seem…contradicting?"
The figure sized him up, "I guess you're not some snot nose brat…you a rogue?" "Try mercenary."
The vendor gave a nod as if that was the most normal thing it heard, "Ah, right, right. So what do you want from my fine establishment?" Marco noted its change in tune.
Marco glanced around, seeing no one in particular looking at him, he put a few more coins on the counter, silver and a lone gold one.
"I got questions."
"I have answers."
"Answer in order: how welcomed are mercenaries here, how often do they pass through, what's population here, who should I avoid and why the damn hoods?"
The vendor looked at the coins before shaking its head, "That's primo information for chump change."
Marco put another gold coin; it shook its head.
Marco paused before putting another gold coin and cocking his pistol underneath his cloak, the vendor nodded its head, "Good. Now you know that strength is king here: might makes right."
"Not a good system, your leader could be an asshole."
"Ah, but then a new one kills the old one, the hierarchy learns from trial and error to be want it needs not what it wants. Until the next asshat comes around."
"...fuck your system. Answers. NOW."
The vendor swept the coins away to a drawer before folding its scaly hands, "…mercs are always welcome in any wild place, skilled ones especially, I give them…exotic remedies from time to time. They come here aplenty, troubled times have come to Mewni, I trust more…lively events will follow. The numbers…I can't say exactly but this forest can hold at least, eh, maybe 400 – 500? Before it's too crowded, right now we're borderline 300. The camps you found walking in, I'm not counting, those scavengers just hole up here, they don't live here. Remember the hierarchy? Yes, there are plenty of hard hitters here, keep your head down when throw their weight around, you'll know them when you see 'em. No marks, colors or name yet, they know each other though. The hoods are universal, no one wants to be noticed unless they got a death wish."
"How about that place in the middle?"
The vendor glanced at the direction, "Dunno. They just beat whoever comes snooping."
Marco nodded, satisfied with what he heard, "Where's the best bar?"
"That one." The vendor nodded behind him.
"Where's the bar where the drinks ain't piss."
The vendor chuckled, "Guy. Every bar here is piss. Sometimes the liquor is piss."
Marco sighed before he walked to the bar designated; he glanced back to the vendor, seeing it wheeled away back into the darkness of an alleyway. He walked up to the bar pushing the door open being welcome to the sight of more hoods. Joy.
He walked up to the bar and took a seat, the barkeep walking over, "What'll be stranger."
"Your weakest most expensive drink."
"…yeah, let me piss in this cup, smart ass."
The barkeep shook its hood and walked over to another patron, he looked at the shelf seeing wine bottles, champagne, liquor and a stout barrel. He used the shiny tin mirror to recon the place, sturdily built and big enough to accommodate to be the local drinking hole. The wood finish was dark, a couple round tables with chairs, a pool table at the end and lighting fixtures snaking above in the ceiling, he saw a flight of stairs leading up.
He waited for the barkeep to do his rounds before he asked again, "Alright, smart ass, what'll be."
"What's your grub?"
"Other than actual grub? Hm, ain't much just dried meat, dried berries, you came on a drought."
Marco rolled the words before slipping a gold coin out, the barkeep took it discreetly, "Buuut what I can't feed you I can fill your cup."
"On the job, need something neither wine nor spirit."
He nodded before he came back with a soda can, "Smuggled in from dimension over yonder, uses fizz water, food dye and high fructose corn syrup. A classic vintage."
Marco cracked open the cold one, "Best thing I've heard all day."
"On the job, huh…rogue?"
He smirked and put the can down, "Yep, heard about this place…thought I can lend my services…"
The barkeep nodded before jerking a thumb over to the bounty wall, "You'll find plenty of work there."
Marco fiddled out another gold coin, lowering his voice, "I'm actually looking for another job. A specific one."
The barkeep hesitated to take it, he glanced down the counter making sure the patrons were sufficiently drunk, "Such as?"
"Raids."
The barkeep shook his head, "That's just asking for trouble, yer better off with those jobs, least their honest work."
Marco nodded slowly before hopping off the barstool and walked over to the board and scanning over the many parchments tacked on: help wanted, bounties, deliveries, pest control.
He frowned, these were like chores, he shook his head, alright, alright…even in a place like this…it must have a deeper underbelly…this is comparable to day society...
He walked back to his barstool the barkeep sensing his disappointment, "Nothing you like?" "If I was green I would snatch all those. I'm no stranger to getting my hands dirty."
The barkeep's posture showed how uneasy he was, "Sorry, friend." "You sure you can't…point me in the right direction?"
This time he put yet another gold coin, the barkeep gulped, still not taking it, "It might be best you be on yer way, rogue."
Marco glanced at the tin mirror and saw two hoods looking at him, he nodded before taking the coins and slipped of the barstool and walked outside, the evening air seemingly more frigid. Not 13 paces did the bar door open, he glanced back as two hoods walked up to him,
"Heard you're lookin' into a raid."
"…"
Males. Had to be.
"I am. Looking to…participate in one."
The two glanced at each other, "Ain't no one just join, yer hired to. Only professionals."
Marco cocked his head before nodding, his body tensing, "So…do I have to knock your teeth out to get in?"
The two laughed, "As if." "Big talk."
He shrugged, "I'll do it anyways."
The first hood, Marco managed to drive his entire foot into his gut sending him flying, the other drew a knife and thrust forward. Twisting his body, the blade nicked cloth before he caught his arm, twisting the knife free, delivering a chop to the neck before kicking the hood from underneath, toppled to the ground.
He looked at the two before dragging their bodies and propping them against the bar building. Marco debated looting them but decided against it, he had class after all.
That and karma points.
Marco walked away from the scene, looking for other places to search for information, however his assault on the two didn't go unnoticed, hoods started to look in his direction.
Then stares.
Then whisper and pointing.
Then some began to follow.
Marco frowned, maybe causing a scene wasn't the best thing to do…
He walked, as did the hoods, he decided running wasn't a good idea and looked for a wide place, if he was going to fight, it had to be in the open. He glanced back and saw he managed to rally up a mob, damn I really kicked the hornet's nest.
He stopped and spun around.
"Alright unless we're all going to the same place, I suggest y'all back the fuck up." Marco decided to confront them; he glanced around making sure he adequate space in the square.
They stood there looking at him and he waited for them to make the first move, otherwise he couldn't pin the blame on them later.
"Outsider."
"Rogue."
"You stink."
"Fuck you, I can smell your shame and what humped you yesterday from here." Marco made an exaggerated sniffing, earning some snickers, "And I see you brought your cheerleaders with you, too."
"Hey, you take that back!"
Marco and the hoods did a double take when a rather feminine voice rang out.
"Just beat him up already!"
Marco feint running forward before leaping back, the hoods moved back before he grabbed a handful of smoke bombs in his pouch and threw it in the air. He crouched just as the bombs went off, making a thick plume of smoke, he darted to the right and grabbed a hood they barreled into an alley his hand over his mouth.
"Mmmmppphhhff!"
Marco held the hood before throwing him over his shoulder, bodily slamming the hood into the wall, dazing him before he ripped his hood off and threw him his own.
"Owww…fuck…are you looting me?"
"…"
Marco threw the hood over himself, he glanced at the smoke as it was slowly dispersing, the other hoods looking around, he dusted it, ready to blend in again by walking out of the other end.
"Asshole…did you just…dab—" he punched him unconscious before making his way to the exit of the alleyway.
Only to run into the poison hand vendor,
"Been busy?"
"Yeah, I have. You set me up."
The hood nodded before leaning over the counter, Marco glanced behind him, sooner or later they would investigate here.
"What's to gain for double crossing me?"
The hood shrugged before throwing the hood back, even in the low light Marco felt his blood boil at the sight, the hood took a dagger and slid it over the poison meat before walking forward.
"You helped kill Toffee…blood begets blood." The Lizard hissed, fork tongue apparent.
"And you told no one that I was here? Stupide move." Marco pulling his sword free, the lizard laughed, "This is my vengeance…I will not let another steal my prize."
Marco leveled the sword, "I see…then there's no talking around this then."
The lizard smirked, before he closed the distance, Marco darted forward locking blades sending an echoing ding, the Traitor Sword awoke and began to nibble on the dagger, jagged teeth appearing. The lizard flinched and leapt back, "Demon sword! No…what is that!?"
The dagger had its edge bitten and gnawed, the lizard tossed it aside, claws were next and tail.
Marco fell into a stance, gotta be quick and deal with this pissant before more of them show up.
The lizard became very weary of him, suddenly revenge seemed like a faraway thought Marco read the body language and knew he was gonna run for it. The moment the poison hand lizard turned, Marco flung himself forward, he cursed when the lizard leapt on his stand and toppled it down his path.
SLYPH!
Marco felt the familiar sensation of wind on his heels and he leapt over it, the lizard turned his head focused on him and tried to hypnotize him, but he smiled feral at the lack of potency. It was weaker than Buttercup's.
So focused however Marco nearly caved when the tail came crashing into him, but he grabbed it and using the wind and his body, leveraged himself and flung the lizard into the stand.
The sound of flesh and bone snapping, Marco cursed again, the lizard broke it's tail off.
The lizard gleefully ran for the alleyway exit, Marco spun in the air and flung the sword embedding itself through the lizard's stomach. He coughed feeling the blade and pulled it free, blinking at the searing pain.
A minor setback, he would heal.
He took three steps before he fell into the dirt. The lizard blinked feeling the hole not heal. He felt his gut plunge and the sickening sensation of it coiling out of the hole.
"Yeah. Try to heal that." Marco bent down and grabbed his sword, dusting it.
"Is this…some kind…of poison?"
Marco grabbed him by the leg and dragged him deeper into the alleyway, "Worse. You're not getting up from that. Ever."
He propped him against the wall and looked at the lizard, it blinked before coughing up blood, "How did you know it was me?"
"Marco 'Fuck Boi' Diaz…you're a legend here…fighting a kingdom…putting down royalties and deities…they kiss the ground you walk on…but not me, I know you're nothing more than a killer."
Marco leveled the sword on him, "HOW DID YOU RECOGNIZE ME." "…human, you smell different from mewmans…I got a good nose…so when I saw you fight… your strength and skill…I knew."
"…"
The lizard chuckle, "I knew…I couldn't beat you…" "Then why fight me?"
The lizard looked confused for a second, "…when the Lizards fell out of grace…from that whore bug queen…we hid…it's not right…we were so strong…done in by a child…soon we had infighting and turmoil…I never amounted to anything before our fall and even…lesser now…but in the very least…I fell to the Darkest Knight…Mewni has ever created…"
Marco narrowed his eyes, "Did you know Toffee?"
"…a little…I admired him…but I never knew him like a brother…or a friend…I felt his death…unjust…how could he just…die? Darker Knight…end me…alrea—"
Marco plunged the sword into his heart, twisting it, the lizard gasped before he slumped, blood oozing out of his mouth.
"…you could have lived."
Marco closed his eyes before walking away, tossing his hood up.
His commotion got the Inner Ring riled up so he sneaked away to the Middle, hoping to ride out the storm. The shanties denizens looked at him, some miserable and others with indifference.
He walked for what he assumed was a tavern, he pushed his way in and saw it deserted, he looked around before walking up to the counter, the wall shelf lined with empty bottles.
Marco knocked on the wood.
A voice rang out, tired,
"Ain't nothing to serve ya…dried out."
"I don't want drink, I want information."
Marco frowned when the barkeep came from the back room, again with a hood, carrying a bottle.
"Wha cha want?"
Marco slammed a gold coin on the counter, "Who has been conducting raids?"
The barkeep leaned against the counter, "That's a fecking tone you're taking with me…who the feck are you?"
Marco threw his hood back, his angry face made the barkeep flinched, and he made a gesture befitting warding misfortune, "Feck! You're the Dark Knight, Marco Diaz! Shite, yous got hangars coming here…"
The barkeep's surprise evaporated fairly quickly, Marco frowned and looked at him, "Those raids."
The barkeep tentatively moved his arm. Marco scoffed, "If I wanted you dead: you'd be dead. Keep your little knife out of this."
The barkeep paused before stepping back from the counter, "S-sorry if I don't believe ya…I heard stories yous were 7 feet tall, had horns, a crown of flame, carrying a thousand swords and armor so dark that even the night sky found unsettling herald by a herd of flaming black stallions straight from the Pit…"
Marco stared at him then gestured to his face, "How are you picturing that and connecting it to this face?" "They said you wore human skin and human suits."
"No. All human. None of that bullshit."
"…that's actually kinda disappointing."
He narrowed his eyes and the barkeep got the point, "Telling ya the truth Dark Knight…are dem folks in the center are yer culprits…we lived here long before they came."
"Why live here?"
The barkeep sighed, slouching and leaning against the counter he took the blade and struck it to the shelf, "When your kingdom fails you, who can you turn to? People dying, starving, ya couldn't even rise above yer station, you just had to muck all yer life? Tis a miserable life, I tell you. We came here, hoping to make a better one, taking friends and family and building a home. We did struggle at first, but we banded together and life was tolerable, at least. Monsters and mewmans coexist…somewhat. We respect and tolerate each other here, friction t'was at the minimum.
"But this little haven…attracted others. Of course, we could have oust them, we did at first…but then they came with more and we suffered…they took what they wanted and moved deeper…doing who knows what?"
"So you don't go to the center? Why not?"
The barkeep shook his head, "There be mischief there, not safe for anyone…maybe even for you. We continued to live here, no other place to go. So long as we kept to ourselves the ones in the center paid us no mind…most of the time."
Marco rolled the words around, "So your saying the raids were conducted by those in the center…I've been there, they built a community, something akin to a kingdom. Can't tell if mewman or monster in control though."
"The hoods are good for keeping everyone from lashing out because of race. Also bugs, plenty of them here so we wear them for that too."
"You must have seen who led the raid, it was 6 months ago, a wagon most likely was transporting the goods."
The barkeep folded his arms, "Plenty of wagons carry goods through to center…seem like any other day."
Marco sighed, knowing his information was lacking but at least he knew that the Middle and Inner were at odds with each other. He turned to leave, the barkeep talking the coin.
"But there was some strange outside of here nights ago…was by the creek north-east from here and saw a hood carrying supplies to fallen shed."
"And that's strange?"
The barkeep shrugged, "The hood made many trips, what they brought would never fit in such a tiny shed."
Marco paused before putting more coins on the counter, "Use that to buy more stock…this place could use more customers."
The barkeep sighed, "Aye, it would. Why don't you be a patron for this fine establishment?"
Marco chuckled and put another stack of gold coins surprising the barkeep, "Fine. Keep those lips sealed."
The barkeep stared at coins and quickly scooped them into a drawer, Marco threw his hood up and walked out. He looked around before heading for the direction of the creek, finding a trail most likely made by the barkeep.
He followed, glancing behind him to see the community inside of the Forest of Certain Death, seeing their lights and outlines of buildings.
"I doubt all of those guys in the Inner Ring are asshats…but until I know which are the pissants I can't deal with them." He murmured underneath his breath.
He found the creek some time later, he scanned the area before shaking his head, he knelt down, touching the beaten soil, "It's too dark and I can't risk using light to give away my position."
GNOME!
He punched the beaten soil and a slight tremor shot from his fist, going in all direction, he closed his eyes and attuned himself sensing massive rocks, tangling tree roots, subterranean creatures, tons of soil and everything in between.
He did it again, trying to sift through the information he was getting and on the fifth one he finally home in on something strange: a rigid structure underground, the formation was unlike a cave or a reservoir. It felt too unnatural; it had to be manmade.
Marco crossed the brook and crouched, stealthily moving, every so often he would punch the ground and send a ripple, sensing the shed the barkeep had seen. He moved closer and closer before he frowned when he happen upon it: wooden shed had been abandoned. Moss and vines grew all over it, the wood dark and water logged, if it was day time he doubt he would have been able to see it.
He pushed the door open and it was just pitch black, he glanced around and chance it, sending a tiny fire orb, enough to be mistaken as a firefly.
It promptly died.
Something hit the ground.
Without warning something black smacked into his face and he controlled himself from yelling. He pulled it free and it took off, breathing rapidly, Marco pulled himself up and used a bigger flame this time. He shook his head seeing a lone thorn bat on the floor, a hole burned through its gut.
He picked it up, wrapping it with a strip of cloth he cut from the hem of the hood before putting it in his pouch, sorry…I won't let your resting place be in a forsaken forest like this.
He put the orb of fire above his head as he searched the barren shed, he frowned seeing nothing at first, the wall shelves were empty and nothing in the ceiling. But that didn't deter him, he searched every inch of the structure before he felt his foot step on something solid. He stepped again, feeling the resistance, his other foot sinking into the moist soil.
He paused feeling the difference before he kicked at the floor, the dirt being tossed and saw it was a trapdoor. Marco could feel a slight draft and he pried his sword free and began to trace the edges before he found the hinge. He pushed against it before using the sword again to find the lock,
FIREBRAND
The locking mechanism bubbled and he sawed through it, before pulling it open, he saw it pitch black again. He punch against the trapdoor frame and attuned himself again, he felt the passage, the carved layout, the supports.
Someone built this…
Marco threw the fireball and it revealed a narrow staircase downward, he prepared himself and walked down, softening his steps as ventured deeper, carefully closing the trapdoor behind him. The fireball flickered as the moist air came into contact with it, the earthy smell was pungent almost unbearable, Marco crinkled his nose.
He continued to walk down the flight before dismissing the fireball, there was light ahead, he pressed himself against the narrow passage and peek around the corner.
The light was from a lantern.
Lanterns.
Marco saw them dangled from the ceiling, one by a table. He studied the place, his eyes adjusting to the lighting, seeing the illuminations of bars on the wall, no…bars to a cell.
The cells seemed to be carved out, bars set to keep whatever in. He held his breath and listened, ignoring his heartbeat and throb in his ears.
"..."
It was low, but he could hear a rasp inhaling and exhaling, it sounded weak.
He relaxed before taking the scene into account, trying to figure out if it could be booby-trapped somehow. He thought of using Gnome again but being this close, he would give away his position, instead he felt around the wall and began to make a mud man, feeling soil and form underneath his palm.
"Who are you?"
Marco tumbled forward getting in between the cells, his sword flashing in the light, suddenly very aware someone was with him. He looked around frantically, unable to comprehend how someone managed to get behind him.
He tensed when his opponent walked forward into the light, he frowned: another hooded figure.
"Hood…figures."
"It's all the rage." It drawled, the voice echoing.
Marco narrowed his eyes, "What's in the cages."
"Oh? We're on speaking terms? INTRUDER. Hmmm, I'll answer those questions when I get some of mine answered first."
Marco sidestep when the hood immediately raised its hand and metal dart came flying out, it flew and struck something wooden behind him. He moved back to the center before he felt a sudden sting on his arm, he blinked and saw a thin near-clear wire. It cut through the hood, his jacket and bit his skin.
"Don't worry…that wire is just serrated a hundred times over…every inch of it when taunt." It chuckled, Marco frowned and cut it with his sword. He noted the distance, the hood let its arms fold again, Marco leveled the sword at his foe.
"Last warning: what's in the cage."
Marco didn't wait for a reply and lunged forward, the hood threw more darts but he undid his hood and threw it, tangling it in midair and slamming into his foe. Marco's blade skitter as the hood pulled out a dagger and deflected it, Marco growled and grabbed the hood and tore it off before rolling away, darts being thrown at him.
Breathing heavily and the lack of light making depth perception and distance harder, Marco readied himself for another attack. He flicked around him, cutting the nearly invisible wires as his opponent got to its feet, hissing.
Marco held back his surprise as he faced off with spider humanoid in a sleeveless jerkin and trousers, barefoot. His eyes traveled to its hands and saw the metal darts circled its wrist like a bracelet with what he assumed was a puckered asshole spewing web on the middle of its palm, its fingers long.
Marco felt its eight eyes on him, studying him, "Ah…finally a worthy opponent: Dark Knight Marco Diaz. What brings you back to Mewni?"
"…"
It laughed before taking its fallen dagger, watching him, "I heard of your feats…very inspirational, I admit I wanted to be just like you…but stronger! C'mon Marco Diaz, a fan is fawning over you, at least have the modesty to blush!"
"What's in the cages."
The spider humanoid fell, "You can call me, Slink. And those are just some test subjects and play things. It would look bad if we just started using our kind, wouldn't it?"
Marco looked into one cell, he could see a shivering outline in the very back, he looked at the spider, "Mewmans…what have you done to them? Did you kidnap them from kingdoms?"
"We worked our way up to that…from a village here…a town there…the homeless…the destitute…the desperate…the unwary…" each word that spilled from Slink's mouth made Marco's grip tighter, it smiled at him.
"At first we were so afraid that the Dark Knight would be employed, but when we heard you were gone…well, how could we not take the opportunity? These mewmans were a lot better than the fodder we had last time: strong, disciplined and tenacious. Ooh, how I wished you could have seen the death matches…mewman killing mewman with their bare hands…just like how they did to us…then we moved on to better parts of our agenda, we made breakthroughs you wouldn't believe, Marco Diaz…"
Marco glared at Slink, "I can tell half of the shit that came out of your orifice you call a mouth is bullshit."
Slink laughed, clapping its hands, "You're right! No death matches, no 'avenging' our monster brethren, us being afraid of you…hmph, I guess I can't fool you into believing that horseshit. I sincerely hoped you dashed forward to kill me…tangling you in my razor web would have been delightful. But then you must know the rest is true…taking mewmans flesh and merging it with monsters or vice versa. Since Eclipsa's Escape we've heard of the miracle she made…we wish to recreate it but in our desired way…we needed a lot of material fodder. We've ran into a lot of snags, frankly the results are disgusting."
Marco gritted his teeth before placing his sword against the bars, Slink shrugged carelessly, "Go ahead, free them if you want, Marco. They are not viable to us anymore, in fact I was just about to put them out of their misery. I think we left them to starve for days, if not weeks, ooh I can't seem to remember."
Marco sensed movement and he glanced at the cell, gaunt fingers wrapped around the bars, sunken eyes and a lean beaten face peered at him, Marco's stony face crumbled,
"M-Marco…?" crack bleeding lips whispered.
"Oh god…Higgs?"
Her skeletal face looked at him, patches of her skin were black and blue with bruises and if it wasn't it was grime obscuring her cute freckles. Her orange hair were reduced to mere strands, there was barely enough to even see it as orange. Her clothes hung so loosely on her starved weaken body she could have slip out of it by tucking in one arm.
Marco felt the sudden urge to puke, the smell of the earth masked the smell of urine and feces littering the inside of the cell. The smell of dead came next.
"Are you feeling alright Marco? Do you want a seat? Some water? SOME REVENGE?" Slink smiled cruelly at him.
It fell when Marco appeared all over it eyes. Slink immediately pulled the wires up, nice and taunt, waiting for Marco to split into ribbons all over
Something spun past
Suddenly fear exploded all over and Slink dissolved into a thousand minute spiders as Marco appeared behind, slashing into the body and then stomping on the minute spiders.
However they scurried into the darkness even as Marco swung his sword aflame, they got away in crevice and burrowing into the dirt.
Marco roared in unbridled fury, his eyes darken for a moment standing there in the darkness, letting his anger simmer and cool. He cursed loudly before he went to the cells and slashes them open, some of them were holding on to life, the others…he got his mud man to carry the corpses away while he freed the cells, pulling the darts free from the ground and all over. Using his flames he lit the place till no shadow remained, seeing it was a simple corridor with a door at the end.
He cut open Higg's cell and carried her out, she weakly blinked at him, he didn't know how to feel about the entire situation.
"Where's Sir Lavabo?"
She only coughed, her breathing faint. He carried her as he looked around, another mud man joining him and taking his pistol and dagger, the third watched over the living ones.
He cut open another cell.
Dead. Unrecognizable.
He went to another.
Dead. A kitchen patch in his fist.
He went to the next.
Alive.
The following one.
Alive. The person was painfully thin. He could barely speak.
"M-Marco…"
He knelt down and looked at Lavabo, he was in a worse state than Higgs, he had oozing scars on him, rats and critters were nibbling on him. His eyes sunken into his skull, the skin painfully pulled over it, his face and body beaten with bruises, his strong frame starved, his hair and mustache pulled or fallen off. He was sitting in a puddle of his own urine and feces.
"I'm here, I'll get you out, I promise."
"…"
Marco held back his tears at the fate that befell a good knight.
.
The door was kicked open, the mud man taking point as fireballs swam into the room, it was a simple study and barren too. Marco looked over the desk drawers and shelves.
Empty.
Marco kicked it over.
Higgs shivered.
Marco stared at the room, he glanced at the walls and floor and even ceiling, whoever was here cleared up. Slink was telling the truth, the mewmans here were going to be left to die.
He looked at Higgs, she was so weak, so frail, he had to know, "Higgs, I know you're tired…but please tell me what happened here."
She was mute and just shook in his arms.
He gave the room another look before turning to leave, then froze.
The back of the door had a parchment tacked to it, he pulled the door and looked at it.
A giant red spade.
On fire.
With chains behind it in an 'X' fashion.
Marco tore it off and stuffed it into his pouch before walking out. He saw the mud men had finished their job and he walked up the stairs and out of the shed, the living mewmans shivered against the evening cold. The corpses were placed in a row, Marco looked at them sadly before he put a hand on the ground, "I've been using you a lot lately…"
GNOME!
STONE COFFIN!
The ground rumbled and a rectangular stone box appeared, Marc pushed the lid open and set the corpse inside. He put the thorn bat as well.
"I'm sorry, I only have one coffin, you'll have to share for the time being." Once he was done he got it to return back to the soil, he gestured one of his mud men to push it subterranean back to the Butterfly Kingdom and it sank into the soil too. He took Higgs and the living Mewmans back to the tavern he visited. He needed answers.
The barkeep was aghast at the sight of Marco, dirty and so many nearly dead Mewmans at his doorstep.
"Inside, hurry! C'mon!" he whispered urgently, Marco went to cover the windows as the barkeep took them to the back, they shivered uncontrollably, "They're cold, they need to warm up! Where did you find them?"
"Let's get them comfortable first."
The barkeep threw his hood off, surprising Marco, he was a mewman albeit in the older years. They worked around each other, wiping them down and wrapping them in cloth, Marco gave the barkeep coins and asked him to buy more supplies while he worked.
Marco washed the mewmans noting they were only starved but with Lavabo...he cleaned his wounds and dress him. He turned to Higgs, she blinked demurely at him, he blinked back.
"Higgs, c'mon gotta get you clean."
Her eyes wandered to the others before Marco nodded, he carried her to the side so she would have some privacy, he put a tub of warm water and a bar of soap. She blinked at him again, looking at the things before shaking her head weakly.
Marco's face tinge before he pulled her top off, "I'll have to wash you then."
She was quiet the entire time, he was easy in drizzling water over her and lathering her up, running hands down her skinny frame. He felt scabs and sores on her back, wrists, knees and feet, she weakly cried when the soap stung her. He poured the water over her, afraid to see what the soap suds would be hiding, a trickle of water joined the murky water. Marco merely poured more water, flushing it away, Higgs's pale face tinged with red.
The barkeep came back with ointment, bandages, clothes [that weren't hoods, gawd!] and foodstuff to feed the weak mewmans. He looked all over the floor and the smell, Marco waved it off, "I'll clean it up myself."
Marco got them situated in one of the rooms afterwards, taking blankets and pillows from the other room so they didn't need to lay on the cold floor. After he fed them some soup, they promptly fell asleep, however Lavabo and Higgs tried to remain awake, Marco shook his head and reluctantly closed their eyes. He waited for a few minutes before he walked out of the room and into the barkeep, he handed him a mop and Marco followed him to the back and began to clean.
"…how long are you planning to stay here?"
"Maybe leave at the first light…I need a wagon if you got one."
He looked at him.
"I have money." "I know you do…it's just…risky helping you this much, Dark Knight. Sooner or later someone is going to accuse me of helping you."
Marco flushed water down the floor and pushed it to a grate, "…I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this."
The barkeep sighed, he began to put away the buckets, tub and things, "I think it's just a matter of time before those cretins in the center come here and just take this haven away from us."
"They won't. After I get these mewmans back home, I'm coming back here and dealing with these people. Maybe kick down an apple stand."
"Yeah, that'll teach 'em."
Marco chuckled as did the barkeep, he sighed, "You're not like the stories tell about you, Dark Knight. Yer kind. Honorable."
"Really? What do I do then?"
"Pillage, marauder, arson, lead revolutions, take princesses and wenches where ever you go, slay thousands in your wake. Kingdoms weep at your coming."
"Eh, maybe just one is true."
The barkeep laughed, "People are using yer actions for their own means…sometimes twisting it to justify their mischief. But you inspire some good…just not a lot."
Marco nodded slowly before taking out the sheet he found and showing it, "Does this look familiar?"
"No. Looks like a brand."
"Probably a bad one. I'm going to keep those poor mewmans company."
"…I'll try to get you a wagon, but no promises."
Marco nodded, "That's more than enough. Thank you."
Going back to the room, locking the door behind him, Marco looked over his gear, reloading his pistol and looking over his weapons. Satisfied, he took his sword and slashed a portal to a familiar hideout of his, he glanced at the sleeping mewmans. He shrugged and began to carry them over, they awoke alarmed but he made a gesture to keep quiet. He continued and finally heft Lavabo and Higgs up as the door began to jiggle someone was trying to jimmy the lock. He quickly hopped through the portal and closed it behind just as the door swung open.
The barkeep looked inside, not at all surprised it was empty, he snarled for a second dropping the knife in his hand. He scratched at himself, drawing blood on his face and neck before opening his mouth as a flood of spiders came gushing out, he convulsed before falling over until every spider was free.
They quickly formed into Slink, who looked around, sniffing the air before he turn and left, kicking the body of the mewman as he left.
XxXxXxXxX
Marco was referred as a Knight in four different capacities in this fanfic.
Yup, now we know the fates of those who were kidnapped and it's not pretty. Especially what happened to Lavabo and Higgs, almost painful to write, but at least I didn't kill them off... ◉‿◉ Well, except that one guy.
The full extent of the journey is yet to be complete. Marco still needs to get back to the Butterfly Kingdom, but he is in no real rush. Taking care of Higgs and Lavabo is his real priority right now.
Yup, this is just one piece of the crisis Mewni is experiencing, now that the entire dimension knows Marco is back, how will everyone react? Will it bring joy? Or devastation? Or worse?
Ciao,
I AM NRG
END OF TRANSMISSION