"I sank a ship like this once." Slats and I were being marched down a metal hallway having to duck through doorways every once in a while, I'm sure they were some kind of ship construction, all I knew was they were annoying.
"Really how did you do that?"
"With a lot of fire." Slats laughed and the guard behind me hit me with the butt of his rifle to move us forward. I didn't think we were delaying but you know how dicks with authority are every little thing to show you who's in charge. Eventually we came into a large room with a bunch of maps and a man dressed like Oshujon stood in front of the maps.
"Sit them down please." There were a couple chairs with arm restraints bolted to the deck, our captors placed us roughly into them. Now it had been a while since I'd last seen Oshujon, but I could already tell from voice and body language this guy was not him.
"I'll be with you both in a moment, leading a war is very difficult you understand." His voice was of a higher class than the guttural way of speaking Oshujon in the past had used, he was also of a slighter build which could just mean maybe he spent time in prison like me!
"I don't think this guy is who he claims to be." I was talking to Slats who looked at me funny.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah its been a while but there are far too many differences here to be the same guy." Not Oshujon finished what he was doing and turned around he definately was not the Oshujon I remembered, no scar, lighter skin, different eyes, completely wrong guy.
"Are you Trezlan Lorentino?" He seemed almost excited to ask, and I had to admit it was nice to be wanted.
"You don't know old friend?" I could see the look on his face change with the realization that I knew he was not the real deal.
"Of course Trezlan of course, I've been looking for you!" It didn't surprise me he'd be looking for me, well it did, but I had to not look surprised fake Oshujon was looking for me. I was about to question why when Slat started laughing, a lot. Like uncomfortably so, I could tell his laughter unnerved the fake Oshujon, and I'll be honest it unnerved me as well.
"WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!" The fake Oshujon was clearly furious.
"Because I've wasted my time and this amuses me." Slats voice had changed, and I knew the voice it had become. He snapped his fingers and the chair he was in was erased, his boyd also changed going from muscular and tatted transformed to thin and wearing a suit.
"Hanlon." I said in a hushed tone.
"At your service Mr. Lorentino." And then all kinds of issues just broke loose.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
I Don't Feel Lucky!
"You both are very lucky, we normally execute prisoners." It would make sense of course that if they were being lead by Oshujon he would use his former methods of dealing with law breakers for dealing with prisoners. The truck driver thought it would be helpful to mention this to us as some kind of cheering up after being detained.
"I feel lucky, don't you feel lucky Slats?"
"Extremely lucky." We were seated in the back of a truck that ordinarily probably carried troops, on either side of us were armed guards.
"Whatever you idiots, when we rule this land you'll come to appreciate this kindness."
"You've been stuck on this beach how long? I'm just saying if you guys are going to be ruling anything it'll be a pock marked beach full of your own dead." It seemed like a fair assessment of the situation as best I knew it. Which of course prompted the guard on my right to hit me in the eye, people love being reminded of their failures, ask my non existent girlfriends.
"I thought that was a fair assessment Trezlan." Slats offered his condolences, when they popped him in the eye he didn't appear hurt, I remember at the time writing it off that he was just a tough guy, I was of course wrong.
"You easterners are all the same, stupid and childish."
"Don't forget good looking." That also got me a pop in the eye, I started to not feel so lucky (and started to have issues seeing). Thankfully we arrived at the docks and then were unceremoniously dumped on a boat. The driver who called us lucky stayed behind, the man who had hit me in the eye of course kept going back to whatever he was doing.
"What an entirely unpleasant person." Slats summed up my feelings well.
"Yeah I tell you soldiers for the enemy are kind of dicks." And so we moved on from our small boat to a gigantic steel behemoth in the middle of the harbor. It was rather impressive in a terrifying way. Even Slats thought so. Me I just figured somehow I was going to have to blow it up, thankfully I was wrong, well I didn't end up having to blow it up. Yeah just think about that one for a bit!
"I feel lucky, don't you feel lucky Slats?"
"Extremely lucky." We were seated in the back of a truck that ordinarily probably carried troops, on either side of us were armed guards.
"Whatever you idiots, when we rule this land you'll come to appreciate this kindness."
"You've been stuck on this beach how long? I'm just saying if you guys are going to be ruling anything it'll be a pock marked beach full of your own dead." It seemed like a fair assessment of the situation as best I knew it. Which of course prompted the guard on my right to hit me in the eye, people love being reminded of their failures, ask my non existent girlfriends.
"I thought that was a fair assessment Trezlan." Slats offered his condolences, when they popped him in the eye he didn't appear hurt, I remember at the time writing it off that he was just a tough guy, I was of course wrong.
"You easterners are all the same, stupid and childish."
"Don't forget good looking." That also got me a pop in the eye, I started to not feel so lucky (and started to have issues seeing). Thankfully we arrived at the docks and then were unceremoniously dumped on a boat. The driver who called us lucky stayed behind, the man who had hit me in the eye of course kept going back to whatever he was doing.
"What an entirely unpleasant person." Slats summed up my feelings well.
"Yeah I tell you soldiers for the enemy are kind of dicks." And so we moved on from our small boat to a gigantic steel behemoth in the middle of the harbor. It was rather impressive in a terrifying way. Even Slats thought so. Me I just figured somehow I was going to have to blow it up, thankfully I was wrong, well I didn't end up having to blow it up. Yeah just think about that one for a bit!
Friday, March 7, 2014
Oshuwho?
"Caught these two behind the lines, they were obviously part of the larger force that dropped in." I've skipped past the capture as it was all about my bravery and sacrificing myself to try and save Slats and we end up getting captured, and not the two of us literally falling into a group of soldiers. Totally. I was shackled though I saw enough of those magical eating devices around to make that not entirely necessary.
"Do we know who sent them?" The commanding officer had a variety of facial tattoos, which was mildly odd looking for someone in charge (yes I judge people with facial tattoos DEAL WITH IT!).
"Hanlon, I recognize the larger one as a merc known for working with them, I'm going to guess Lorentino is directly interfering now instead of just shipping her weapons as she had been doing." We were in a hastily dug bunker, concrete dirt and smell held it all together.
"And the other one?"
"Magical from the look of him, we caught word an outpost got wiped out, and another group ran across two people who fit this description, one of them used magic I'd guess the non merc." It was so polite to be discussed so openly. The commanding officer looked me over and then shrugged.
"Well if he's magic I'm sure Oshujon will want to see him he's been looking for someone as of late." My ears perked up at Oshujon's name, I figured it couldn't possibly have been the marked one I knew oh how wrong I was.
"What do I do with the merc?"
"Send him with the bald one, he might prove useful for some kind of tactical knowledge." We were taken from the bunker and loaded up on a truck. Slats was at least a bit more pleased with this development, because and I would come to learn this later this was all part of the other Lorentino's plan. Yes Shadelia is a lot better at this kind of thing than I am. I'm man enough to admit that now that I'm not about to be executed or sitting in a prison cell for years on end.
"Do we know who sent them?" The commanding officer had a variety of facial tattoos, which was mildly odd looking for someone in charge (yes I judge people with facial tattoos DEAL WITH IT!).
"Hanlon, I recognize the larger one as a merc known for working with them, I'm going to guess Lorentino is directly interfering now instead of just shipping her weapons as she had been doing." We were in a hastily dug bunker, concrete dirt and smell held it all together.
"And the other one?"
"Magical from the look of him, we caught word an outpost got wiped out, and another group ran across two people who fit this description, one of them used magic I'd guess the non merc." It was so polite to be discussed so openly. The commanding officer looked me over and then shrugged.
"Well if he's magic I'm sure Oshujon will want to see him he's been looking for someone as of late." My ears perked up at Oshujon's name, I figured it couldn't possibly have been the marked one I knew oh how wrong I was.
"What do I do with the merc?"
"Send him with the bald one, he might prove useful for some kind of tactical knowledge." We were taken from the bunker and loaded up on a truck. Slats was at least a bit more pleased with this development, because and I would come to learn this later this was all part of the other Lorentino's plan. Yes Shadelia is a lot better at this kind of thing than I am. I'm man enough to admit that now that I'm not about to be executed or sitting in a prison cell for years on end.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
To Be Fair This is Not Entirely My Fault Like Most Things
"Halt!" Why do people tell you to halt? This is a question that has arisen many times since I've been back in circulation. I mean I guess with the rise of ranged weaponry telling people to stop moving is a smarter move so you can better shoot them, but why would they want to do that for you? "Oh hey yeah I'll stop moving I hate to be a bother for all the shooting." Slats to my dismay followed orders. I tell you its like most of these young people don't understand the concept of resistance to authority! I turned to face our accusers and tried to blow them up as I had done before. Slats attempted to stop me, but since magic is basically me causing something to happen stopping it is impossible. Well or so I thought, because instead of my enemies bullets exploding nothing happened at first, and then a huge gout of flame exploded back towards me and Slats.
I guess in my time out magic while diminishing had also been contained as of sorts, there were devices used now that can "swallow" magic and then release it in highly destructive ways. They aren't really directed devices, more like a mirror, so its not exactly a weapon you can utilize directly, but in my case it did almost roast my silly ass. I really need to start paying attention to those command briefings, though to be fair to me (as I always am) this wasn't covered in the command briefing. At least the fire gout allowed slats and I to evade our halting overlords.
"What in the gods was that?" I was not particularly happy about being almost roasted.
"Magic reflector, I haven't worked with someone magical before didn't even think to mention it."
"Thanks Slats you're a pal." He frowned at me, it wasn't his fault, even if he worked with magical people normally they'd have been more aware of the device. Which did raise the question of how lucky I got that the group we landed in originally apparently didn't have their own magic reflector, probably because we landed in a base and not a patrol, still happy to be alive as usual even if it was by dumb luck (my preferred way of doing things).
Slats and I were doing decently, making good time outside of that one patrol, of course in the light of the early morning we found out how wrong we were. Apparently our drop had gone disastrously off course and not only were we far away from the rally point, we were in the middle of the entire enemy army. Because my life sucks and apparently airship pilots are idiots.
I guess in my time out magic while diminishing had also been contained as of sorts, there were devices used now that can "swallow" magic and then release it in highly destructive ways. They aren't really directed devices, more like a mirror, so its not exactly a weapon you can utilize directly, but in my case it did almost roast my silly ass. I really need to start paying attention to those command briefings, though to be fair to me (as I always am) this wasn't covered in the command briefing. At least the fire gout allowed slats and I to evade our halting overlords.
"What in the gods was that?" I was not particularly happy about being almost roasted.
"Magic reflector, I haven't worked with someone magical before didn't even think to mention it."
"Thanks Slats you're a pal." He frowned at me, it wasn't his fault, even if he worked with magical people normally they'd have been more aware of the device. Which did raise the question of how lucky I got that the group we landed in originally apparently didn't have their own magic reflector, probably because we landed in a base and not a patrol, still happy to be alive as usual even if it was by dumb luck (my preferred way of doing things).
Slats and I were doing decently, making good time outside of that one patrol, of course in the light of the early morning we found out how wrong we were. Apparently our drop had gone disastrously off course and not only were we far away from the rally point, we were in the middle of the entire enemy army. Because my life sucks and apparently airship pilots are idiots.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Really Should Pay Attention To Those Briefings
Battlefields in the modern era were a lot more terrifying than battlefields of my day (which day? all of them). I mean sure back in the day there were huge beasts, or magical traps or something like that, but these pock marked explosion fests were a lot worse! If only because it felt like at anytime something could and would explode on me just for standing in the area! Which is a nice way of saying I spent the night with Slats running from one ruined crater to the next.
It was actually a nice use of my legs which had previous only been running in places in my prison cell (have to keep healthy while incarcerated!). I would have been accelerated if I wasn't so afraid of being exploded. Slats for all his muscles sadly seemed out of shape by a lot. I don't know the exact reason for it, but I made sure to tell him he really needs more cardio in his work outs (he made an obscene gesture towards me at that suggestion). I could see some other men fighting as we went, but Slats informed me that we weren't there to just fight in the random and we should make our way to the rally point. Something I had no idea about!
It became clear to me how badly informed I was currently. Like I'd assumed I could just pick up the conflict on the fly as I had always done (which is sad to admit) but it was clear I was way out of my element. Between the whole new idea of people wearing outfits that don't announce what side they are on, and the modern weaponry the battle was gigantic showing that I was very old and all of my old way of doing things was completely lost.
All the more highlighted when we ran across something that can eat magic. Oh yeah that happened... next entry obviously because I'm a jerk and the ribbon just broke on my typewriter (I upgraded recently from hand writing, I'm sure you noticed!).
It was actually a nice use of my legs which had previous only been running in places in my prison cell (have to keep healthy while incarcerated!). I would have been accelerated if I wasn't so afraid of being exploded. Slats for all his muscles sadly seemed out of shape by a lot. I don't know the exact reason for it, but I made sure to tell him he really needs more cardio in his work outs (he made an obscene gesture towards me at that suggestion). I could see some other men fighting as we went, but Slats informed me that we weren't there to just fight in the random and we should make our way to the rally point. Something I had no idea about!
It became clear to me how badly informed I was currently. Like I'd assumed I could just pick up the conflict on the fly as I had always done (which is sad to admit) but it was clear I was way out of my element. Between the whole new idea of people wearing outfits that don't announce what side they are on, and the modern weaponry the battle was gigantic showing that I was very old and all of my old way of doing things was completely lost.
All the more highlighted when we ran across something that can eat magic. Oh yeah that happened... next entry obviously because I'm a jerk and the ribbon just broke on my typewriter (I upgraded recently from hand writing, I'm sure you noticed!).
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Yes This is Why I was Invited
The hardest part about this more modern combat situation is its difficult to tell what side you are on! Back when I used to fight in wars between idiots both sides would wear garish outfits that easily defined who was fighting who (or one side would use horrific magic incantations and the other regular weaponry, again people were defined!). So when Slats and I landed among a group of men, I almost thought they were our own camp (I mean we were supposed to be dropping in, I had no idea we were part of an invasion force that had already failed to take this area, I guess if I paid attention to the commander of this outfit I'd have known that, but that would require me to pay attention and we all know how that won't happen!) Slats somehow could determine we were in the wrong group though because he raised his weapon.
"Well shit." His weapon raising was greeted by the westerners raising theirs, "You going to do something old man?"
"Oh these aren't our guys?"
"No, no they are not." I could see they too like Slats wore bullets on their bodies out in the open, children I believe I have mentioned this is dangerous around someone like myself before.
"Duck." And I did and Slats to his credit did as well. I ignited the powder in the bullets. Terrified soldiers were killed by their weapons, and their friends as suddenly inert ammunition became deadly projectiles. Slats looked at me with a weird sort of awe. When it was all said and done there was a nice blast radius of dead people.
"Good gods, what are you?" I dusted myself off as I am want to do.
"Late for a meeting with your fellows Slats I figure." I didn't want to go into it, I would come to find out in my absence magic had steadily decreased in the world (I knew why and it was something awful, but I'll get to that), and because of that it was weird for someone to use an open display of it. But I didn't care because under the usual Lorentino plan of "Do anything to survive." I was out to do exactly that.
"Well shit." His weapon raising was greeted by the westerners raising theirs, "You going to do something old man?"
"Oh these aren't our guys?"
"No, no they are not." I could see they too like Slats wore bullets on their bodies out in the open, children I believe I have mentioned this is dangerous around someone like myself before.
"Duck." And I did and Slats to his credit did as well. I ignited the powder in the bullets. Terrified soldiers were killed by their weapons, and their friends as suddenly inert ammunition became deadly projectiles. Slats looked at me with a weird sort of awe. When it was all said and done there was a nice blast radius of dead people.
"Good gods, what are you?" I dusted myself off as I am want to do.
"Late for a meeting with your fellows Slats I figure." I didn't want to go into it, I would come to find out in my absence magic had steadily decreased in the world (I knew why and it was something awful, but I'll get to that), and because of that it was weird for someone to use an open display of it. But I didn't care because under the usual Lorentino plan of "Do anything to survive." I was out to do exactly that.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Unpleasant Method Of Travel
Ok I lied I wasn't entirely asleep when I was thrown roughly from the airship. You can't sleep through flak (canisters loaded in artillery fired into the air to explode flying aircraft, its kind of like duck hunting except you know with people in airships). The banging and rattling alone would wake anyone up. Well that and the fire and the screaming. Yeah apparently airships are not super mobile, or impossible to hit with flack. When all of a sudden the ship I was on went from flying to crashing I figured out right quick what that backpack I'd put on really was.
Slats was yelling at me as the cabin was on fire and parts of people who were people moments before they exploded were coating us. I couldn't exactly make out what he was saying but when he threw me through the flames and into the open air I thought for a brief moment I had finally been killed in a way that I could not in any way shape or form stop (I mean I can steal the life out of someone, I can burn the world, but I can't stop myself from falling to my death). Thankfully slats who had some how caught up to me yelled at me to pull the little cord across my chest. I did so and the backpack expanded into a cloth drag (also known as a parachute, no I have no idea why) it did let me see the world as a very pretty place that was exploding all around me with other people in parachutes falling in the night sky (did I mention it was night? it was night, bam mentioned!). While I was watching the carnage around me I noticed that flak guns had another purpose outside of anti aircraft as one can imagine (here's a hint it began raining that night and it wasn't water).
Terrified of becoming splattered I was really happy when Slats and I hit the ground safely. Until I realized we landed in the middle of an enemy encampment. Because of course we did.
Slats was yelling at me as the cabin was on fire and parts of people who were people moments before they exploded were coating us. I couldn't exactly make out what he was saying but when he threw me through the flames and into the open air I thought for a brief moment I had finally been killed in a way that I could not in any way shape or form stop (I mean I can steal the life out of someone, I can burn the world, but I can't stop myself from falling to my death). Thankfully slats who had some how caught up to me yelled at me to pull the little cord across my chest. I did so and the backpack expanded into a cloth drag (also known as a parachute, no I have no idea why) it did let me see the world as a very pretty place that was exploding all around me with other people in parachutes falling in the night sky (did I mention it was night? it was night, bam mentioned!). While I was watching the carnage around me I noticed that flak guns had another purpose outside of anti aircraft as one can imagine (here's a hint it began raining that night and it wasn't water).
Terrified of becoming splattered I was really happy when Slats and I hit the ground safely. Until I realized we landed in the middle of an enemy encampment. Because of course we did.
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