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Disclaimer: I do not condone what happened.
Chapter 20
Marco Darkly
XxXxXxXxX
"Whoa, what happened to you guys."
Dreadlocke, Lady Dread and Adder marched in the camp, shaking from head to toe, covered in gunpowder, mud, soot and blood, the three had emptied themselves off all ammunition on hand and Marco's supply.
"Oh, nothing much, Stud just took us to a park filled with illegal animals, rabid mutant and crossbreeds and chased by the park rangers."
Vixen laughed, "Sounds like fun~!"
"..." "..."
"…well, it was but Stud's jeep driving is terrible."
Marco coughed loudly and the three scampered away, "I wanted to teach you all a lesson, I'm glad for the assist but I can handle my personal business."
Adder yelled back, "Too much secrecy!" only to run into Ringo, who immediately put him in a headlock and dragged him away.
Marco shook his head before Vixen skipped forward, "You got a visitor~ why don't you clean up for her?"
The merc glanced down and hurriedly walked away.
Vixen watched Marco's backside for a moment before going to a tent to greet the said visitor.
She pushed through the canvas to see a very familiar girl sitting on cot, polishing her claymore, she tucked it away and stood up at the sight of Vixen.
"Ah, thanks for waiting, Marco just got back; right this way, Miss Girlfriend~!" Vixen chirped, Kelly blushed as she was led out and through the camp, the Warband Head Quarters.
"Mornin' ladies~" "Lookin' good!" "It's criminal to have those legs covered up!" hollered the triplets Raedd, Readd and Redda. Vixen laughed at the catcalls, once everyone knew each other these things were common, Kelly found her hand on her claymore and the trio took notice.
"Easy kiddos, this here StudMuffin's girl, mind your tongues~!"
"—or I'll cut it out." Growled Kelly, hoping to sound intimidating.
The three nodded vigorously and scampered away.
Vixen grinned.
More of the Warband greeted the two as they passed camps, tents and such in the HQ.
Dr. Dae and Peyton waved to them from the medical tent.
Ardde and Aeddr tended to the cook fires with Alzbeta. Epsilon discreetly took a drumstick.
Dared, Eradd and Dreadlocke busily sharpen knives, swords and bladed weapons, the latter winking at them.
Kelly smiled at them, they were a lot happier and better when she first met them, they were nearly skin and bones when Marco asked her to help get them on their feet with Vixen. It took some time for them to adjust to sympathy when they spent malicious months being tortured in the City of Malice.
And in a blink of an eye Marco turned the unruly lot into a prime fighting force within months.
And snagging him some Impossible Tasks along with jobs and bounties.
[Win a war: Accomplished]
[Win a revolution: Accomplished]
[Mastermind a revolution: Accomplished]
[Save a city: Accomplished]
[Vanquish a Nerco Dragon: Accomplished]
He made the former prisoners into mercenaries much like himself and Vixen, outfitting them with weapons, gear and training. He'd hoped after their training and getting back on their feet they would disperse however…
Most of them were unwilling to part with their newfound leader.
Kelly could hear them whine over the din of the camp's activities,
"StudMuffin where did you go?" Brooke asked.
"I wanted to loot the bodies!" Dreadster hooted.
"Why didn't I get to go, eh?" Dreda questioned.
"Enough, I didn't—"
Marco caught sight of Kelly then Vixen sauntering up to him, he blushed and gestured to move to a less populated area. Kelly followed the two mercs, she remembered watching Marco marshaling his newfound forces nervously, nowadays he was more confident albeit irritated at times as if he was marshaling a bunch of children…
"There is no 'we'. I already told you, the lot of you: you're free to go. You don't owe me a thing. You all have lives and families to go back to. Go back to them and we'll be even."
"Speak for yourself, Stud! You all owe shots! Each of you!" Vixen crowed.
Marco shook his head as Vixen grinned at the whines and complaints of the newly formed Warband, the prisoners were an odd 900, after he freed them only 700 remained. They were resolute to paying back for Marco's kindness, Vixen gave him all the credit seeing as he opened a portal AND wiped out the City of Malice single-handedly.
Marco was nervous about having so many lives under him but Vixen reassured him that the two of them would whip them to shape. Nothing they couldn't manage.
Marco decided to split them into 7 groups so they all could focus on something other than Combat, something they were all taught during their captivity as prisoners they were forced to fight everyday with cellmates for entertainment.
1. Combat + Vanguard
2. Recon + Intelligence
3. Research and Development
4. Communication + Transport
5. Support Team
6. Medical Team
7. Head Quarters
Marco was pleased with the divisions allowing for his Warband to work efficiently however some teams were sorely lacking especially the Medical Team which only had a handful of skilled doctors, physicians and nurses.
Marco groaned when one group decided to make themselves the unofficial 8th Division in the Warband, dubbed the Dread Squad consisting of:
Adder, Dreadlocke, Lady Dread, Dread Master, Redda, Raedd, Readd, Dreda, Dreadbot, Deadr, Dr. Dae, Dreadster, Mr. Dreadful, Dared, Eradd, Lord Dread, Aeddr, Dread X, Weapon Dread, Iron Dread, Ardde, Dread Guy, Dread Beast, Dread & Bones, Dread or Dead, Dreadscar, Mildread.
They were the most rambunctious of the bunch, however their efficiency made them terrifying to even Vixen. There were all hell-bent in serving Marco, pledging their lives to him no matter the mission, no matter the danger…no matter the cost.
They also had the highest injury rate out of all of the divisions. That didn't deter them in the slightest, as if spurred by it they made themselves the de facto Elite Guard of StudMuffin as they ignored any and all orders that didn't come from Marco directly.
Even if it came from him they would ignore it, they were like zealots putting Marco's wellbeing especially in the field over theirs.
Marco was extremely uncomfortable with the steadfast loyalty of his devout members.
Especially when they went on missions that were for his own personal agenda, nothing to fill their pockets with gold or loot or gain something out of it. Marco could see the curiosity, when he tried to explain it the mercs just looked at him funny as the curse activated but responded nonetheless with,
"We don't understand the situation StudMuffin, but since it's important to you, it's important to us. After all: we live and die by your command, StudMuffin."
We live…and die…by your command, Studmuffin…
Vixen urged Marco to take his Dread Squad for these 'selfish' mission since they wouldn't speak of it to the rest of the Warband and the group quickly grew to be Marco's go-to squad, something the other Warband members begun to notice…
"So Kelly…what brings you here?" Marco asked, but knowing her she wanted to see what he was up to.
"Marco, you're such a busybody, do you know what's today?" Kelly laughed.
"Uh…"
Kelly gave him a reproachful look, Vixen looked intrigued,
"It's your birthday! Happy 16th birthday!"
"REALLY?!" Vixen exclaimed, "Yay! And you don't look a day older!"
Marco blinked, his mouth agape.
"R-Really, I thought—I mean…" time had totally slipped his mind, for some reason he wasn't as affected as he thought. He could tell time was passing but he looked the same as ever.
Kelly grabbed his hand, shaking him out of his thoughts and pulled him along, "C'mon, where do you want to go? Where do you want to do? It'll be my treat!"
Vixen smiled at the scene before she grabbed the two of them,
"Oh no, you two love birds aren't going anywhere~ if you skip out on the Warband; they'll make you pay!"
The two were hoisted by the merc and ran back to the camp, yelling at the top of her lungs what special day it was.
"WARBAND! GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!"
"…"
[cricket noises]
"Just tell us." Called out Davide, Vixen blew her tongue at them.
"IT'S STUDMUFFIN'S BIRTHDAY!" Vixen crowed, Marco saw the glint in everyone's eyes at the words and wrestled free. Kelly just laughed as Marco tried to flee from the camp from the flooding Warband.
Marco tried to run but the entire Warband descend upon him cornering him, he called the sword but Kelly quickly got loose and latched on to Marco, "C'mon Marco, have some fun with them! They'll love it! You'll love it!"
Marco was torn between running and Kelly's upbeat outlook.
He sighed and surrenders himself to the Warband.
And chaos ensued.
The birthday party was on such short notice, many members quickly ran groceries, others to a crafts store for decorations and the rest began to move and transform the camp for the birthday feast. Marco watched in fascination the speed of the Warband to party, Marco helped move things along as did Vixen and Kelly, with so much going on the Warband's emotions hit a record high for both positivity and ferocity.
"Hey does this banner look good?"
"Move that there, no, there! Damnit, are you blind, Cyrilo?!" "Are you, Dune?!"
"Is the barbecue done yet, Ardde?" "You ask me that again, Epsilon, I'm going to slather this here bullet in barbecue sauce and send you to Flavortown. Permanently."
"Stud, what kind of music do you want?" "Should we get a DJ?" "I'm a great DJ!" "No, you're not Barley."
Marco watched as the Warband bicker but ultimately got the party nice and comfy, there were plenty tables, food, drinks courtesy of Agata and Josef's stash, a dance floor and such for the party. Vixen pulled Marco forward and the Warband wolf whistled and hollered at the leader, Marco was ready to leap out of his skin at the sight of so many people looking at him with the intensity of [insert comparison here].
"Ladies and gents, I use those terms loosely," the Warband jokingly booed Vixen, "This lovable guy thought he could get away with his birthday being unnoticed!"
"How could you, Stud?!" "For shame!" "SHOTS TILL YOU DROP!"
Vixen turned to Marco,
"Now you're gonna see how the Warband parties, and this birthday party is one thing you will never forget!"
Marco took the mic from Vixen, looking a little peeved,
"You talk as if I never seen you animals party before—I TAUGHT YOU HOW TO PARTY! REEEEEEEEEE!"
And the Warband went wild.
The next hours came to Marco like a blur as he was dragged all over the place, playing music, dancing, eating, drinking, singing, doing games and just being merry. They were particularly loud; in fact at one point Marco's hearing had gone out and he clapped his hands over his ears hoping to get it back.
When he did he was greeted to more music, his Warband laughing and singing, some were smoking and drinking the night away, others danced with each other sweating through their clothes, others stuffed their faces and many merely socialize, albeit more freely than ever.
Then he was pulled away from his musing,
"Shots for StudMuffin!" yelled Aodh, arm around Marco's shoulder, he held a bottle high as the members cheered. Marco looked around for an escape route, but to his dismay he was surrounded by his red face crew, Aodh gestured at some of the members forward.
"C'mon bitches, show me those titties!"
"Fuck off, only Stud can demand that!" Lady Dread, Mildread and Arabelle snarled. They however still undid their top and balanced a shot glass on their cleavage to which Aodh drunkenly spilled liquor over it.
"FUCK THAT'S COLD!" "HEY!" "ASSHOLE DON'T WASTE THE LIQUOR!"
The Warband hooted at the drenched racks presented, Marco felt his face redden as Aodh pushed him closer,
"DRINK BITCH!"
Marco didn't budge.
The Warband began to chant, Marco looked around frantically to see even Vixen and Kelly joining in their faces a scarlet hue. He sighed and leaned forward and tipped the glass so he could drink the strong liquor, the crowd cheered and he did so again and again.
He pulled back and his mouth burned and his vision swam, the scent of sweat and liquor heavy on his nose, but nonetheless he raised his arms up and the Warband cheered. Then Marco was introduced to three sweaty and sticky cleavages all over his face.
"Sing for us, Stud!"
"I'm not a great singer!"
Marco frowned as his vision was impaired already, he shook his head as he started to sing, using one of his Earthling songs.
"Old McDonald had a farm~"
"BOO!" "MOO!"
"Oh fine!
To the window, to the wall [to the wall]
To the sweat drip down my ball [my balls]
To all these bitches crawl [crawl]
To all skeet skeet motherfucker~ [motherfucker]
All skeet skeet got damn [got damn]!"
The Warband roared in approval and joined in and Marco sang until his voice was raw.
Then Despacito 2 came up.
He managed to leave the crowd and put some grub in his stomach and drink to soothe his parched throat before he was dragged away again.
"Lap dances for StudMuffin!" Bibi sang out to the Warband, Marco paused at the words.
"…okay, maybe—ow!"
A drunk Vixen glared at him, Kelly right behind her followed by Lady Dread, Arabelle, Mildread, Bryndis, Orly Bir, Zerline and Oliviane Foxbend.
"Sit-t your ass dow, Sud~!" slurred Vixen as the girls practically climbed all over him whilst he was on a chair before it promptly broke as all of them merely sat where they could.
There was no sexy lap dance.
Just hot sweaty women all over Marco…
Untangling himself, Marco wanted to scold them all, but seeing them laugh and help each other up Marco decided to let it slide and really let loose, uninhibited by his usual responsibilities and duties as leader…
Marco danced with every member of the Warband at least once before Vixen and Kelly decided to get him all to themselves, gyrating with him in the middle. Vixen had the advantage of being older and mature but Kelly stuck to him like glue, hanging off his back.
It would have been great if it wasn't for the fact he was dead drunk by then, taking gulps from a bottle and only standing up by the two sandwiching him. When they parted, he promptly crashed into the ground and blacked out.
.
Marco blinked blurry, he looked around seeing himself in a darken tent, he mumbled something before he winced feeling as if his head was crushed like a soda can. He blinked mercifully for a minute before things reorient itself, he saw that Kelly was passed out on the cot next to him. Her fluffy green hair tucked and she was turned to her side, a drool on her lip.
He sniffed, leaned over and puked, he blinked when he saw he was adding to the mess already on the floor.
"Oh goodie, you're awake." "V-Vixen?"
He could see her outline move towards him, she lit a nearby lantern and he was taken back: she was in the nude.
"Happy Birthday, big boy~"
"Vixen…you…"
She grinned and quickly took off the blanket and began to unzip his clothes, he tried to stop her but she muscled through until he was naked and helpless.
"Now Marco…you're all mine~" "Kelly is…right there…" Vixen shrugged.
"She can watch her boyfriend get ridden on by a real woman. Honestly, I thought you'd be older but…a young man will just have to do."
"Kelly is not…my girlfriend."
"Oh? Then who is she?"
Marco looked sorrowful for a moment, "She's my friend." "After tonight? That's a hard friend zone move."
"…it's for her safety…if I made her…who knows what the curse would do…I'm afflicted, branded, I don't deserve happiness until I lift this curse off me."
Vixen stared at him, her eyes trained on him.
"That curse again…I don't care. I want you, Marco. Every since I was a child, I dreamt of you. I want to stand by your side. And now that I can…doesn't that mean anything?"
Marco could see Vixen's face, it was beautiful…and sad.
He couldn't muster the words to comfort her.
She looked away, her hair curtaining her face as she continued to whisper, this wasn't the confident second in command Vixen…this was a Vixen waiting for Marco to return, but he never did. She sat there as if collecting her thoughts before she put it into words, he could feel the tremble in them.
"I thought…when I would go looking for you, you'd be older. Much older than me. I was just a wee child and you already a seasoned merc…I'd hope you'd be single, I dared to hope since you're such a ladies man, and I was right…dragging her along. But…I always hoped there would be room for me…even if the years did pass me by…"
That bit was true, Marco hardly looked a day older while the adventuring aged everyone else.
It gnawed at him why he evaded advancing aging in the dimensions, but it seemed it did a toll on Vixen.
"But instead it's me whose older than you…" Vixen inhaled shakily, as if saying it out loud brought her to her senses, "Gosh look at me, I'm straddling a teenager. Of course you'd want to date someone your age, not someone whose older, I'll be a hag before you're an adult, gods why didn't I see this before?"
Marco just laid there like a brick, unsure what to do, he clumsily reached out for her but she quickly turned away, trying to cheerfully laugh to mask her sadness and revelations.
"Hahaha…hah…sorry Marco I shouldn't have undress you…or you know, made you a man before you're ready…this is just a really lucid dream, I never did this, Marco. Please forget about it."
Vixen hopped off him but he was resolute this time and caught her hand, she stopped feeling his hand over her pulse that thrummed rapidly,
"Vixen, wait I—"
"Don't. Marco, I'll follow you like I promise."
"Vixen—"
"But don't fabricate feelings for me because I said this…I shouldn't have said anything, but I can't lie to myself anymore, I can't just pretend I don't have passionate feelings…just know Marco…I love you; I mean that. Everyone in this Warband loves you, adores you, respects you…we all do. You gave them a chance…especially when you didn't have one."
Marco's grip slacken and she pulled herself free.
Vixen dressed herself then him and walked out of the tent.
Alone in the tent with a sleeping Kelly. He remained sitting up as the lantern ran out of oil and flicker, outside the tent the party was still booming albeit less than before. Marco sat in the darkness, his mind muddled with drink and confession.
"…I'm…just a coward."
You are a coward. And a gutless one at that.
Marco touched his chest, he breathed shakily, he could feel the Roman Numeral 2…
And the rate he was going, he would never get rid of Monster Arm.
Or complete the Unbinding.
The next day, after a mean hangover and some birthday cake Marco went about the Warband business, Vixen was the same as ever, super cheerful and super clingy. The events of the night before didn't seem to slow her down in the slightest.
That's because she's bidding her time…dumbass.
Hey. Shut up. Just shut up.
Oh? You're upset? GOOD. I haven't eaten in a while. Too much happiness gives me indigestion.
Despite Vixen's feelings revealed, she didn't let it affect the dynamics between them; and the Warband continued to take jobs and Marco attempting to do Impossible Tasks.
[Skin the legendary draco bunny: Accomplished]
[Lift a curse bond: Accomplished]
[Besiege the Carrion Castle: Accomplished]
Not all of the jobs and bounties Marco took involved fighting, some jobs require them to do agricultural and construction jobs, search and rescue missions, negotiations and the like. StudMuffin would have scoffed at the jobs he took, but unlike his mentor Marco wanted his Warband to learn to take jobs that didn't need bloodshed, so if they wished they could go to a life without being a mercenary.
A way out.
With Marco skillfully teaching his Warband and with the way they were organized, the small but elite group began to make waves through the Mercenary Circle, many of which found irritable due to more competition. However, when they found out the fearsome 'StudMuffin' was leading them only a brave few would dare openly defy the budding merc group.
Marco was tentative on bringing new blood, especially since the Warband were former prisoners and came from a City of Malice, who knows if there were bounties on their heads. So the group took to themselves, not openly mingling with other groups; many of the other merc groups took to it as secretive and suspicious. The Warband wouldn't be turned away but they were not welcome everywhere due to the precautions that had to be taken, only gaining a painfully few allies.
But that mattered little to the merry Warband, so long there were jobs to do, so long there were cold drinks and hot food, so long as they could live as they pleased, they followed Marco wherever he tread. Be it the battlefield or the super market, it was never a dull moment with their leader, StudMuffin.
And life for the Warband continued.
And with a good streak of Accomplished Impossible Tasks, Marco wrote down himself a list of potential tasks to complete, he was still ways to go but he was confident he would make it before he was too old.
He kept a vigilant eye out too for tales or legends of something akin to an Impossible Task, often going to libraries, talking to chiefs or the elderly for information, sometimes-questionable shops. Like the dragon he slew, Impossible Tasks would come from strange places and sometimes it was blatantly obvious.
So when Marco heard hushed whispering of a mirror that killed its victim and the mirror itself could not be destroyed, he discreetly gathered as much information as possible for its location. Marco pulled the hood down, assuring himself it was an Impossible Task, however this one in particular…felt foreboding.
"Can't be destroyed, huh? That won't be a problem for you." Marco glanced at the sword as it grew some sharp teeth at his words. The sword had begun to act funny since he started the Impossible Tasks, sometimes it acted out on its own.
Marco tried to put it out of his mind as he tracked down the murder mirror, slipping away from the Warband, Epsilon saw him but after a bribe of Snookers Bar, he shut up. Marco was relieved; as luck would turn out that the mirror was near the Warband's encampment, give or take a couple klicks.
Marco took his bike and drove off to a rather distant part of the land, scaling down a cliff and into a damp cave, however it seemingly had a staircase carved out of the stone. Marco cautiously walked down the flight, the rocks around him giving an eerie blue glow but he lit his sword aflame anyways and got to the bottom. There were no other passages and it led into a wide room with the said mirror stretching across one side, polished and pristine despite being around for years.
The Dark Knight held the sword aloft as he walked closer, unsure how the mirror killed its victims.
All he saw was himself walking closer to the mirror, the flaming sword reflecting upon it; stalagmites and stalactites here and there in the strange hidden cave.
He looked at himself, seeing his young but distraught face mired with his past hardships, his deeds weighing heavily on his shoulders. He was even slouching, his neck bending lower
Marco spun, his sword flaring out as the abomination creeping behind him shriek in the mirror but none was actually behind him.
The cave room shook, as if angry it could not fell its prey, Marco spun and sent the flames across the room illuminating it: there were bony remains of past victims, some severed limbs and fingers…lucky ones. Marco turned back to the mirror, this time his reflection was obscured by a black smoky image of a person,
Ah, the Traitor still lives! Pity that…
Marco frowned at the venom words, "I see my reputation precedes me."
I wasn't talking to you, insignificant speck.
I'm talking to that Traitor.
Marco felt the sword grow teeth and chatter, drool dripping from the blade itself.
"This is the Sword of Pendragon, the Traitor's Sword."
An apt name! the image sneered.
"What are you. Who are you."
I am the Murdering Mirror, the Phantom Mirror…all these names of your kind, but I am truly called—[PHaGe].
Marco narrowed his eyes, the name seemed…unnatural, he could understand it but the way the words reached him. No…it spoke directly into his mind, that's why it seemed so inhuman to him.
Now. What do you want here, worm. If you think there be treasure like your foolish kind thought up then you're dreadfully mistaken…no treasure to be had: only death at the hands of an Immortal. You should be honored.
Marco paused at the words.
"Immortal. What is that exactly—I know you can't die of old age, shut up. But what is an Immortal exactly."
The image glared at him for being cut off so suddenly,
An Immortal is your better. We existed long before any of your kind came to be. In fact…we made you all, tiny insignificant things you are.
"If you're all powerful, why are you in a mirror." Marco spat.
The Immortal looked pleased at the insult,
Hmph, it was frowned upon by my fellows to kill lesser beings, even if they are our creation—our children per se. I saw fit to slaughter dimensions filled with rubbish, you were taking up space in MY universe, I would make better creations—better children in my image. Alas, my brothers and sisters did not take kindly to my ways and banished me here…inside this mirror.
Marco gripped the sword,
"Good to know that not all Immortals are assholes."
Heh, I was merely getting in the way, they were doing the exact same thing as I.
Marco cocked his arm and threw the sword, but the sword skidded off the ground as something from the far corner of the mirror smashed into Marco sending him flying. The image roared and dived for Marco and he felt the oppressive titanic force on him throat, he summoned the sword back to him and swung; the Immortal image leapt from him and backed away, surprised that the sword was called back.
Marco rolled to his feet, his eyes darkening, the Immortal backed away further cursing that the mirror was the furthest it could go,
Stay that blade, it will give you no joy slaying an Immortal.
Marco smiled malicious at the frighten Immortal,
"That's where you're wrong."
Marco flung the sword at the mirror with all his might, the Immortal leapt aside and went for Marco but to its surprise, Marco raced for it and crashed into it and flinging the Immortal to where the sword embed itself and it screamed as Marco hit the cold stone.
And screamed and screamed.
The entire place shook from the volume and Marco sincerely hoped it didn't cause a cave-in.
Then there was silence.
Marco cautiously remove his hands; feeling suddenly drained from tangling with something comparable with a God. He looked around the room, not seeing the blasted image of the Immortal. He grunted as he got to his feet and grabbed the sword,
You dare…LAY A HAND ON AN IMMORTAL!?
Marco held the sword, ready to rend the image where ever it appeared.
He slowly looked at the mirror surface and behold two eyes, burning with loathing and vindication even as the sword held it in place.
The price of victory will be a steep…heh heh HAH HAH HAAHAHAAHA!
Marco felt an unnatural pull and he felt as if his reflection was pulled forward. Without warning the sword lights up just as Marco falls into the mirror splitting in half. Immediately on the other side he is thrashed by the enraged Immortal. Neither of them aware of what truly happened.
YOU WILL DIE IN MY PRISON!
"NO!" Marco fought back but the Immortal even in its death throes, refused to die so easily.
The sword brilliantly lit up again, Immortal screamed in unholy agony as the very sword purged it with divine punishment as it held up Marco, disintegrating.
[Destroy the Phantasm Mirror: Accomplished]
[Kill a malicious Immortal: Accomplished]
Marco slammed hard on the stone floor, he rolled himself to face the other side, his vision darken as he saw two figures looking at him before he succumbed to darkness…
Marco felt something hard pressed against his chest, groaning he reached inside and pulled out the dented pocket watch, his first merc payment. He looked at carefully before he blinked, seeing something on the tarnished reflection, he slowly looked up and pressed his hand forward.
His hand pressed against something flat and solid.
His eyes drifted towards two eerie figures before him, one in dark ornate armor and the other in blood stained robes, one held a flaming sword the other a frost covered blade.
"Ah. He is conscious."
"Good timing to~!"
Marco slowly stood up as two figures threw back their hoods revealing two Marcos staring back at him from the other side of the mirror. They looked eerily similar to him, like his own reflections but there was something…off about them.
One grinned too widely, as if he was waiting for this moment.
The other wasn't at all expressive, in fact his face was blank to the situation presented.
"…what the fuck happened? Who are you?"
The two looked at him before they spoke, despite their identical appearance their voice and tone differ greatly,
"Introductions are in order. Well met, Marco Diaz. I am Ocram Zaid of Frigid Logic."
"And I am the devilish Warco Diaz, the Passionate Flame of Instinct~" He said confidently before doing a dual pistol finger at him
Marco could only stare at the two.
Unsure if he was hallucinating.
"What the…what are you?"
The two glanced at each other and at the same time looked back at him.
"We are you."
"Half of you anyways, it seems that fucking git of a mirror split you in the last instance! It took you prisoner but the sword must have interfered in an unexpected way~"
Marco looked at them: one spoke in bored monotone, the other expressive down to his choice of words. He shook his head slowly, not comprehending what had happened.
…am I so simple? To be bisect by emotion and logic so easily…?
"Wait—what how long have I been here!?"
Warco bent over laughing, Ocram merely stood there,
"You were gone for a week, so your Warband has been frantically searching for you to no avail. They are on the verge of splintering. And with no leadership and no one to turn to—"
"They've gone raiding nearby towns for answers. Some of them are considering to go rogue, gonna have to put them down otherwise~"
Marco's head swirled with the news, he was unconscious and missing for a week? His Warband going rogue? Him being split in two?
"GET ME OUT OF HERE! RIGHT NOW!"
The two looked back at him, unperturbed by the demand,
"We will, however…you have to understand what we did in the meantime." Warco said somewhat somberly, Ocram robotically nodded.
Marco narrowed his eyes despite feeling a pit in his stomach at the words.
"…what did you do."
"We know about the Impossible Tasks, Marco. After all we are you, whatever you know: we know. Warco and myself are two sides of you: fiery emotion and cold logic."
Marco just stared at them.
The two shrugged indifferently.
"We completed 50 Impossible Tasks while you slept. 4 years apiece for the two of us." They didn't look a day older than him.
"And if the Goddess only chooses to honor half well, we still did 50 for you~"
Marco's felt as if something smacked him with a sack of bricks,
"There are tasks that require you to do despicable things! Which ones did you do!?"
Warco smiled sinisterly while Ocram shrugged,
"ALL OF THEM."
Marco felt light headed.
If they said was true…then half of them would have been for naught. Useless. Unnecessary.
"WHY!?"
Warco glared at him.
Ocram's stoic face actually hardens.
"Because we will not shy away from what must be done."
"You want out. We want out as well. More so than you."
"At the cost of—!"
"Don't you start preaching!" Warco roared, "Especially to yourself!"
Marco stared at Warco, his brown eyes turning violent red, Ocram faced him and told him flatly,
"While exploring your internal struggles would be insightful, we simply do not have the time to indulge it, Marco."
"…" Marco felt the combined fury of the two however contrasting one another; one of fiery feelings, the other cold calculation,
"…what have I done."
"A great slew of many things, pull down your hood if you can stomach it~!" Warco sneered.
"As have I." Ocram intoned.
Marco thickly swallowed and pulled his hood before a comprehensive list came crashing over his vision,
[Incite a war with a peaceful nation: Accomplished]
[Incite a revolution with a prosperous nation: Accomplished]
[Incite a rebellion with a nation: Accomplished]
[End a family line: Accomplished]
[Destroy a benevolent organization: Accomplished]
[Track down and kill the deserters: Accomplished]
[Slay an Innocent: Accomplished]
[Lead a Massacre: Accomplished]
[Uphold Absolute Law: Accomplished]
[Judge the Innocent: Accomplished]
[Judge the good intention: Accomplished]
[Deliver swift justice: Accomplished]
[Build an unyielding government system: Accomplished]
[Beat a rigged tournament: Accomplished]
[Beat the system: Accomplished]
[Do Nothing: Accomplished]
And a multitude of Tasks he specially avoided.
Marco threw the hood back and collapsed to his feet, breathing heavily, cold sweat all over him.
He couldn't…he didn't want to see what those Impossible Tasks cost.
The two said nothing and merely grabbed hold of the Traitor's Sword.
Gesturing for him to do the same, he slowly touched the blade.
"Judge us. Hate us. But do not deny we did what; we did for our sake."
And the two pulled.
"OhbythewayIsawHekapoogoshshewasthiccimquitedisappointedthatyouneverhititoffwithheragainwhatiswrongwithyouohbythewayifsomebitchescomeaskingaboutmejustsaidiwenthometheymightmistakeyouwithmethoughbythebygotmydicksuckedascompensationacoupletimesthoughtyoushouldknowaboutthat."
"You know he'll remember everything we did right. Why bother spilling it now. By the by, all the profit I earned is in a chest somewhere in the Wasteland."
The two of them began to twist and meld into a single body as did the swords that the two held began to twist together. Marco seemingly seeped through the Traitor's sword and appeared on the other side. And all the experiences from the two came crashing upon the Dark Knight, all the carnage they wrought...all the lives they took...Marco stumbled back weakly pulling out the Traitor's Sword free and the twisted sword still in his other hand. The memories were like sudden flares, some were distinct other blurry, but the cacophony of cries, screams and yells made whose memories indistinguishable.
He get to dwell on the memories for long as the combined weight of the armor and gear of Warco and Ocram became too much to bear. He pulled it free off himself as the additional weight; the pieces of armor and such clatter on the stone floor. Once he was free he gasped feeling as if time had restarted for him and his body, feeling the absences of water, food and sleep of a week's worth came down on him hard.
Weakly, he fell to his knees before opting to crawl for the steps, leaving both swords and things behind.
Crawling a couple feet nearly caused him to black out but still he persisted. He looked above him, seeing the blurry flight of steps he gritted his teeth for the inevitable climb, he agonized the first few before he could hear someone rushing down the steps, he tiredly called his sword back to him, ready to fight with sword in hand even if it meant he was flat on his stomach.
"Marco?! MARCO!"
"Whose Marco?!"
"Stud!" "STUDMUFFIN!"
He winced at the volume as Kelly and Vixen came into view, they were disheveled from their hair to their attire. Next came in the Dread Squad, looking every bit distraught but their faces lit up to see Marco, they quickly hoisted him up. Dreadlocke ran and picked up his second fallen sword followed by Adder and Eradd when he gestured to his things as they carried him to the sunlight.
But even in the arms of his Warband, his friends…Marco couldn't shake off the chill that Warco and Ocram had done and said to him. What he would be capable of…if he let himself be driven solely by Warco or Ocram, he'd be a remorseless killing machine.
A forgotten snide voice rang out in his delirium,
The next time you hear a voice in your head, Marco…think about it: could it be really your own?
.
Back in the camp, the Warband were relieved with Marco's reappearance before they yelled at him at the top of their lungs at being abandoned without notice. Vixen tried to quell their distress and hold them together until he returned to no avail; Kelly fared no better especially when many saw her as just one of Stud's many groupies. Normally, him being gone for a week wasn't an issue, but their camp this time was in less than friendly territory and with no one to turn to nor allies to lean on they became desperate and weary.
Once the Warband went looking for StudMuffin and asking questions, word spreads fast…and some took the golden opportunity.
Kelly got Marco to rest in his tent while Vixen and the Dread Squad stood guard, right now the tension was high in the Warband with Marco always mysteriously leaving for his agenda and recent events. Many of them thinking it was something underhand, but did not voice it seeing as Stud were their leader and savior.
But now…embers of unrest had formed.
Kelly drapes a moist rag on Marco's brow before feeding him some hearty soup, weakly slurping the spoonful. Kelly looked at him, her face marred with worry,
"Marco…I can't stand seeing you do this, it's bad enough I think you're unwell but when you get yourself like this…you're torturing yourself with these—these Impossible Task! You have to stop, please!"
"…I can't…I can't…you know I can't or I'll can be free…"
"You're obsessed…what will it take for you to stop?" Kelly questioned him.
"…I don't know anymore."
Kelly reached out and held Marco, unbeknownst to them, their words reached a silent audience who couldn't help but listen in to Marco's woes.
Tears dripping down their faces…
XxXxXxXxX
[Read the disclaimer]
Whew. Almost there, just one more Flashback Chapter and I'll be good with Marco's character development Arc. God the editing :-(
I originally planned for Ocram and Warco to fight over Marco after he killed the mirror and lock him up in the mirror, but I had to heavily revise my drafts to make things work. The two did a many despicable things to get things done, leading Marco to have nightmares and other issues.
Songs in order of appearance:
Old Mcdonald had a Farm
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz : Get Low
I know this part of the fanfic hasn't been for everyone, but it just had to happen.
The chapter after the next will be Hestia's time to shine.
Next Chapter:
The Warband
tu ne me reconnaiss pas?
I AM NRG
END OF TRANSMISSION