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lil-melody-moon · 2 years

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Year Summary #3

It's nerd time today! *"Strange Days" by The Doors is playing in the background*

Perhaps I will start with the games I managed to finish this year. And I'll kick off the list with the one that took me a YEAR to finish.

Final Fantasy X - I bought it on the Christmas sale on Steam in 2021 and finished it in the last week. It wouldn't take that much if I didn't have to start a new save because you know what? Final Fantasy games loves to kick the player if said player doesn't explore everything they can :) And so, Jecht was unbeatable for me on the first save. On second one I've managed to beat him, but if not Tidus's ultimate weapon - for which I had to take part in that stupid Chocobo race :)))))))))))))) - I wouldn't be able to beat it. Still, besides this one problem - which I don't even consider a minus, I could enjoy the game much longer - I love it. Plot is very good, characters are likable, main villain is a specific guy, but I like him - plus the final theme of the final battle with him SLAPS. Which brings us to music... I can't say bad word about it, it's very good with a few tracks capable of being stuck in your head. "Silence Before the Storm" is my favorite, I even learned to play it on guitar. It's slow, but carries that mystery and melancholy along with magic in it. I love <3

Earthbound - annual replay. It's my favorite game of all, I am playing it each year and you see. This year isn't over yet and I'm already wanting to replay it again XD It's like that magical childhood adventure, which I wanted to go on as a child. I can literally lost myself in it because of the graphics - I love the pixel graphics <3 - and most of all, the music. God, is it good? It is amazing! "Smiles and Tears" always brings me to tears at the very end. It's that one title I just don't want to finish ;u; The plot is simple, really. You have a bunch of children who have to save the world before an alien. Simple as it might be, the entire world and the comedy makes up for the journey you're about to take, while pressing the start and creating a save. What is a little additional plus for me, you can name the characters however you want. And let's just say that in this year, I've made a little adventure in this game with members of System of A Down. Childish, I know, but fuck it! Ness, who was named Serj on this save, had so many critical hits that it's unbelievable for this character! Three in a row were freaking nothing - while usually Ness is the character with the smallest amount of critical hits. I don't know what happened, but it was so surprising for me XD

Secret of Monkey Island 1 and 2 - I've finally finished those two games! I got them back in 2016 I believe? And since then I only finished the first one. They are a point & click games, which is my second favorite genre of games, but daaaaaamn are they difficult! The first one isn't that bad. You can find your way for most of the time until you'll on the Monkey Island. No advice, no anything. You are on an island and you need to figure out stuff. First time I used a walkthrough in years! And then came the second game... I managed to deal with the Scabb Island just fine, but later? When the two other islands came around? Haha, it was as if I got and answer to me saying: "I will somehow deal with this!" from the game, and the answer was a "Fuck you". Literally, I had to read the walkthrough the entire time. Maybe I am stupid, but some of the puzzles were not so simple and I couldn't figure them out. That doesn't make the two games bad, not at all, they are amazing - Stan, you idiot, you're my favorite - and since I've played the remake version I gotta say that both soundtracks from old version and new one are equally good. The track playing on the ship in the first game is just <3

Kirby's Return to Dreamland on Wii - another annual playthrough. Second favorite game, the most favorite soundtrack of all Kirby games, the graphics are still so good for the eye - like an eye candy - and most of all, the mechanisms are still good. Not laggy, not anything. Sure, the plot is yet again simple, with a backstabbing villain - Magolor, you fucker, I still like you - and a heavy final boss theme. What could I want more? Maybe if the game was longer it would be nice, but I won't complain. The game is perfect. However, Galacta Knight's fight could not be so hidden. Trying to defeat him in a boss rush is a hell - although for the heavy metal remix of his theme it is worth everything -u-

Ace Attorney - I replayed it for the third time I believe? Still, the first game is as good as I remember watching a let's play from it in primary school. It's still fun to play as Phoenix and meet every character for the first time. I will replay the second and third game soonish, but when I feel like it. Nothing will beat the first game and its soundtrack. And the fifth case called "Rise from the Ashes" is still my favorite - Gant is still amazing, he always will be - and it won't change. Which reminds me, now that I think about the rest of the games, that I should finally watch to the end the Investigations 2 and probably replay the fifth Ace Attorney game to finish it and see the ending. But you know, not now. I have other games started XD

Osu! - I'm addicted to this game. It helped me learn how to listen to the rhythm of music and how to feel it. Then again, I'm playing on my second account, because I had to change style of playing - playing this game on mouse only is a NO. So perhaps I'll just tell you how many hours I spend in this game. Apparently it's 601 hours of gameplay since 2012 on both accounts. ...Told you, I'm addicted XD

1bitheart - I played this indie game for the first time in this year. It's so inspired by Danagnronpa, but in such a nice way. It didn't bring me to like the characters, but I enjoyed the plot and the mechanics. I'm not talking there about the friendship making - although I see why people love it - I'm talking about the mechanic of finding lies in the conversations and the sneaky way of pulling more information from the person you're talking with. This was probably the most Danganronpa thingy in the game and it works splendidly well.

Kirby's Epic Yarn - another replay, but not annual one. I just wanted to play a cute game and this one is perfect for it. Everything is made of yarn, the entire soundtrack is played on piano. This is a perfect game for relaxation - ya can't even die in this one!

Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love - another point & click game about a guy, American who thinks that USSR is the best thing that exists in this world and he literally gets a one way ticket behind the Irony Curtain. I'll say one thing about this game. It's a good satire, a very well made one with amazing writing, a good comedy here and there, while also showing how stupid people can be. Especially the ones who believe that USSR was a good thing - I live in a country where people like that live and believe in it. And they are politicians, you can imagine how this one little game hit in some aspects. It's a good one, play it if you want. There's no worries about being stuck, there is a nice system of hints in the game which helped me a lot at times.

Bad Dream: Fever - a short point & click game where the player actually fights the author of the game. The game has a nice drawing style - it's hand drawn if I'm not mistaken - and it has kind of a horror atmosphere. It's not as freaky as Bad Dream: Coma, which is also an amazing game, but still. I don't regret buying it. Short, but I had amazing time playing.

Mother 3 - replay of an amazing game with a plot nearly as good as from a good book. I can't say much about it, because if someone wants to play it, I'll spoil it XD But I have to say one thing. If you play it as a grown up, it hits much more and the battle mechanism has a rhythm game in it - fuck the fact that I can't nail any 16 combo, it's still a lot of fun. The main cast of characters is unforgettable and the sibling relationship? Oh God, help you if you don't know what to expect and you play the game for the first time. Still, if you have time, play it on emulator with English translation. It's worth it!

Okay, so now to the games I started and am still playing!

Rayman 2: The Great Escape - at times I need to play an old platformer. Although this game isn't my favorite from the series - the third Rayman game is! - I still enjoy it and see the magic it sparked in players back in the day when it came out. Though I have one big BUT and it's to the second temple. I'm yet AGAIN stuck at it and I think I will not finish the game again because of this stupid temple :)

Pokemon Moon - oh yes, I'm playing Pokemon games, because I love RPGs and I love the battle mechanics of Pokemon. It's a replay, sure, but each Pokemon game is different on each save. You catch other Pokemon and you feel like you would play an entire different game - at least I feel like it. Plus, the exploration seems to uncover more and more for you with each save. Or it was just me, rushing through the game on the first save. But hey! The EXP Share working for everyone in your team? A blessing!

Pokemon Emerald - the first Pokemon title I've played and never actually finished! XD I tried to finish it so many times, but I always stopped at one point, I don't even know why. This time I want to see the end credits though. I even went with my original starter, which was Torchic - I named him Lars and there's no regrets XD

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - this one is long. I actually only beat it once, gave up on the second save. I had erase the second one and start anew, which I kind of regret, because I've spend on it 70+ hours and now I gotta get everything again. But maybe I'll feel the joy of exploration once more. I love the game, but I gotta get used to the controls - plus ya can pick up puppies!!!

Final Fantasy X-II - I started playing it right after I finished Final Fantasy X. This game is so different. There's climbing and jumping in an RPG, what the heck is this? XD The battle system and experience one is different as well, I was confused while seeing it for the first time. Being only at the very beginning of the game, I have only one big BUT about it. And it's how they handled the tutorial. I don't like reading everything while not being able to see how it works or practice on my own. And they did that there ;;

Undertale - I just felt the urge to replay it on Christmas and so I started playing it. I'm almost finished with Snowdin, but the thing is... The game kicks in on the Waterfall field for me and I can't wait to get there. Also, it's my favorite track from the game and hearing that "Quiet Water" is a slowed down version of "Waterfall" in this year was amazing ouo Although "Spider Dance" is a second favorite. I always fight Muffet, even if I can skip the battle. I luv it <3

So that's it. The big nerd had spoken XD I hope you've enjoyed my summaries and thank you for reading <3 I hope to do the same thing in the next year! ouo

#loooooong and kind of personal #but enjoy <3 #talking corner

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theadventurerslog · 10 months

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The Curse of Monkey Island | Part 1

The Adventurer's Log

Release Date: 1997

This is a special one! Today, November 23, as of posting this, marks a year since creating The Adventurer's Log. I didn't know whether I'd manage to stick with this or not, and now here I am. To celebrate my first anniversary I decided to play a game very dear to my heart. The Curse of Monkey Island was my first point and click game played at the tender age of seven or eight, although, I didn't finish it until I was around 11 or 12.

It was a game our parents had gotten for Christmas if I remember right. I think we might have also played a demo, but the memory is vague enough I'm not certain. I seem to recall getting to the end of Part 1 and not being able to progress. And I remember some excitement when we got the game in full which I assume was because of the demo. Otherwise, unless it was just new game excitement, I can't think why I would have been excited. Either way I certainly remember repeatedly going back to the game and asking dad if I could use the computer to play it. One way or another it caught me and caught me good.

I have an incredible amount of nostalgia for this game. Even when I wasn't playing it, it was still something in my life. I remember catching bits of our parents playing it together. Dad had taped the intro and main theme as well another song later in the game and it was on one of the tapes we'd use when driving. I have memories of sitting in the car listening to Guybrush's intro monologue and laughing at the chicken bit. I have memories of listening to the pirate song and dad singing along to some of the lines or us just laughing at it. This was just part of the rotation.

The game led me to eventually playing The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge in my late teen years and all of these served as the foundation for my interest in adventure games, but this game was the start.

I have played it many times over the years. Naturally, this won't be even remotely a blind play; I could probably write a basic walk-through off the top of my head by this point. It's one of those game I like to revisit every now and then. It's comfort food. So, while I'll be logging my play-through as I normally do, I'll also be sharing memories and anecdotes as I go. I'll possibly be making the occasional reference to the first two games as it comes up as well, but the game works fine as a stand-alone. At least it did for me for a long time.

Let's hop in!

The game opens with two difficulty settings: an easier mode and Mega-Monkey, the harder mode; Monkey Island 2 did the same thing, though I think that option was removed in the special edition. I'm playing Mega-Monkey. Mega-Monkey has more puzzles, or rather more steps to some of the puzzles and I'll point out the differences, at least the ones I remember. I used to play the easier version and I'm glad I did because beyond still getting stuck a lot then, it also gave me new things when I did play Mega-Monkey for the first time.

Then it dives in with a CMI parody of the THX logo and "The Monkeys are listening...". Then the LucasArts logo.

I wouldn't normally show logos like this but the map is so cool! We've got the titular Monkey Island in the bottom left. Melee Island in the bottom centre, where The Secret of Monkey Island starts. Up in the left is the Tri-Island area from Monkey Island 2, Scabb, Phatt and Booty. Then we're teased with the new islands of this game in the top right corner...

The map blows away into our introduction which is also cool and still, despite how many times I've played it by this point, this intro gives me a little thrill. I don't know if this game's version of the series main theme is my favourite or not--they're all great--but it's the one I'm most familiar with and I love it so much.

With the map blown away, Monkey Island is revealed.

This game also introduced the curly clouds that have become a mainstay of the series even being in the remakes of the first two games and continued into Return. It's just neat having this little thing retained despite all the different art styles throughout the series.

The camera sweeps to the right and we see Guybrush Threepwood himself riding a bumper car (courtesy of the events of MI2) and we get our starting explanatory monologue.

"My quest for the fabulous treasure called Big Whoop has left me in this sorry state. I thought it would bring me fame and glory. Instead, it delivered me into the clutches of my enemy, the zombie-pirate LeChuck. I had thwarted his evil plot to marry Elaine and he was after revenge."

A tidy summation of the past two games. Then he goes on to lament his lack of food and water and wistfully thinks of different kinds.

The chicken floating by on a barrel of grog buking all the while gets me every time.

He wonders if he's doomed and if he'll ever see Elaine again only to drift into the middle of a full scale battle.

And into a gorgeous title screen! This game is still flipping beautiful.

Credits roll with cool illustrations which is where my banner images for these posts are from. Then the cinematic continues, introducing Elaine and LeChuck as they're leading this battle against each other.

Elaine is not remotely impressed with LeChuck's repeated attempts to take her as his bride.

LeChuck is nothing if not stubborn.

Guybrush stares at Elaine realizing who she is and basically spends the rest of this altercation looking kinda smitten. Elaine and LeChuck have some back and forth and Elaine notes all the foulness LeChuck has committed including taking from her the only man she'd ever loved: Guybrush Threepwood. Cue Guybrush looking very smitten.

LeChuck spots him and with a handcannon blows out his bumper car and has one of his skeleton crew fish him out.

Hand cannon! Arm cannon? Portable anyway.

LeChuck threatens him, not knowing how Guybrush escaped his carnival of the damned, but goes to get him with his sword only for Elaine to shoot it out of his grasp.

LeChuck orders Guybrush to be brought down into the hold and for his men to prepare the voodoo flaming cannon ball.

And so we come to Part 1. "The Demise of the Zombie Pirate LeChuck"

I love the title screens for each part too. This game is just so good to look at and has so much character.

And now we start the game. Guybrush is locked in the hold with another small pirate and I needed to find a way out while the pirate is firing a cannon and calling out various threats and exclamations to the battle.

Of course I always have to look around first. This game uses a three verb system: hand, eyes and mouth and they're represented on a coin that pops up when you hold the mouse button to do a thing.

It's still one of my favourite ways of doing things. I like having a few verbs to play and mess around with instead of a single cursor to do everything. And only being three, it's less overwhelming than having a lot of verbs. There are keyboard controls as well but I've never used them.

The door is locked and you can yell at it for any evil undead out there, or anyone really, to no reply. And you can look through the keyhole for some sarcasm:

"I see a diaroma of the world living in peace and freedom. No, wait. It can't be that."

It was something I didn't do until some replay, and I was happy to find new stuff at the time, so it's stuck with me. I want to say I found it while playing it on dad's laptop, sitting at the kitchen table. It's funny what sticks with you.

There was a ramrod on the wall that I scooped. The cannon and its restraint rope can both be examined, but there isn't anything to be done with them at the moment. So then I finally talked to our pirate buddy here.

He introduces himself as the wicked pirate, Bloodnose. After a bit of back and forth it's revealed, through noticing his fake hook, or fake beard, or monocle under his eye-patch--I went for the eye-patch option which I don't normally do--that he's actually Wally the cartographer from the previous game. He'd been scooped into LeChuck's army. There are some more options to discuss piracy or the education thereof, such as the set of audio books-on-parrot, motivational lectures and seminars and you can get some pamphlets off him. Fun stuff. You can also learn that LeChuck has some sort of scheme involving an incredibly powerful cannonball.

But he won't help the escape and things escalate into attempted threats.

One of the options to reply is simply "Peep." Then when he says "One more word" etc, another option is "Word." while Guybrush sounds sort of annoyed and exasperated. It's the option I usually take because it's just so petty. I tried a different one this time, but it wasn't as fun.

The resistance easily breaks Wally though because he's really not a pirate:

"I'm not ferocious, or bloodthirsty, or hateful, or anything! I'm not even... I'm not even unpleasant!"

Then he throws off his hook and starts crying, poor soul. I grabbed the hook though.

That also leaves the cannon free to use, so it was time to start doing some firing of our own at the four boats of skeletons out there.

They start complaining as you fire toward them and say things like, "cutting it a little close there, pal" if you have a near miss. If you hit the fort at all Guybrush will say different apologies and oops moments. Once you've sunk all four boats you get back into the hold, Guybrush notes that all the bones and things are floating toward the ship.

That's the cue to look out through the cannon bay window to find a very important character.

But first, a skeleton arm. The skull can wait; he'll simply keep yammering on in the background. It's all good.

Attach the hook to the ramrod to make a gaff.

I'm fond of this inventory chest too...

Then use the gaff to fish out the skeleton arm to the skull's annoyance as its his arm. The arm still had a sword in its hand, so it's a two for one deal.

Then I chatted with the skull who is none other than Murray the mighty demonic skull! He's become a recurring character.

It's just a fun conversation while Murray oscillates between trying to be threatening, getting some comfort from Guybrush over his loss of everything, getting teased by Guybrush, and Guybrush really not taking him remotely seriously. Now you could just leave here. Or, you can be a jerk and do one more thing: knock Murray into the ocean with the gaff.

I tried to catch the swing but was a second too late and got this squishy Murray instead and you know what? That's better.

Then I went back inside to put the sword to use. "Taste cold steel, feeble cannon restraint rope!"

With the rope gone, using the cannon is a rather more dangerous affair, but that's just what we're gonna do. The kickback knocks it and Guybrush through the door.

Meanwhile on deck, LeChuck is gloating over his voodoo cannonball.

"That'll show her how much I truly care."

I didn't notice until a replay that the cannonball has a heart with LC + EM on it. How sweet?

However, the cannon knock-back violently rocks the boat and causes LeChuck to drop the cannon ball which then explodes.

LeChuck goes up in creepy skull-like smoke and the ship capsizes.

That leaves Guybrush in an upside down hold full of treasure, which would be great if there was an escape route or way to get to the gaping hole above.

There is a lot of stuff to examine in here. Just a few highlights but this isn't everything and it's all good. The portrait of LeChuck: "It's LeChuck in all his gory. Err, glory." A flotation device: no self-respecting pirate would be seen wearing that." Uh huh...

There was also a champagne bottle. This bottle is completely unimportant but a good example and involves a more recent discovery. There are some things in the game that change reactions depending on what you do first. Normally I examine this champagne bottle first to find out what it really is. I tend to examine all things first. But if you try to drink from it before examining it you get a different line. As far as I can remember anyway I had never gotten this line before and only found out about it a couple years ago.

"No. Champagne makes me all giggly." His delivery of this line is adorable.

However, if you examine the bottle first, you'll find out it's a "bottle of sparkling formaldehyde. Good year, too." And then it's labelled Chateau Embalm and if you try to drink it he just says one of his standard 'no' responses. "Hmmm, no." It's a nice little detail and hid a cute line from me for years.

Anyhoo, the important thing in here is a bag of wooden nickels "some treasure" but once you pick it up, it turns out there was a huge diamond ring under it and both get added to the inventory.

If you look out the porthole, he'll note the ocean floor, but if you knocked Murray into the water you get an extra comment: "And there's a really angry-looking skull floating around out there." Sorry,y Murray.

I remember getting stuck here as a kid. I'm pretty sure dad gave a nudge though I don't recall what that nudge was. You have to use the diamond ring to cut the glass on the porthole.

Then the water bursts in, flooding the hold and letting Guybrush float to the gaping hole at the top.

In the flotation device. Couldn't escape it after all.

Elaine is standing on the shore of the island and then we see Guybrush come swimming toward her. They have a happy if awkward reunion and Guybrush gets babble-y until Elaine tells him to hush and he gets to his point. Which is, with his newly found diamond ring, to propose to her!

Elaine accepts and there's the start of a sweet moment before Wally pops up, having been thrown clear of the ship and now safe. He compliments the ring but notes it looks just like the one from LeChuck's treasure hold.

The ring with a ghastly, disfiguring voodoo curse on it. Of course he's sure Guybrush wouldn't have given her THAT ring. Then he heads off on his business.

Elaine does know Guybrush though, and does know that's exactly what he'd do and Guybrush's nervy stammering does nothing to help his cause. She starts to wind up a punch but it's too late and the curse takes effect.

Turning her into a solid gold statue. And now we have our plot and goal: to undo this mess.

Next time we start exploring this new island and learn how to save Elaine in Part 2: The Curse Gets Worse.

#monkey island #the curse of monkey island #CMI #CMI_Log #adventure games #LucasArts

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arjaandsimoni · 1 year

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Inishmore

Years ago, the Lands Under the Hill

He had a name once, he no longer recalled it. Try as he might, he couldn’t remember. The Lord of Owls had ripped it away from him and sent it scurrying away across the fields of his land like a terrified mouse, then taken flight as his guards held him and forced him to watch.

The fae lord had caught his name in his talons, then swallowed it whole, and that had been the end of his time as a free mortal being.

Since then, he had belonged to the Lord of Owls. He had no choice. He had no name. His name was now a part of his Lord, and because of it, he could not resist his commands… though he wished he could.

When his lord ordered him to march into the mortal realm with his fellow guardsmen, he did so.

When his lord ordered him to kick down the doors of the mortals who tried to hide, he could not disobey.

When his lord told him to whip them so they would flee through the fields for his amusement, his hand moved as if not his own.

It was like a living nightmare. He could do as he would otherwise… but when his lord spoke, his body obeyed… and he had to watch. He saw what his Lord saw. He saw the terror in their eyes as black wings blotted out the moonlight, as the screech of a hungry bird of prey echoed in their ears, as the shape in the clouds swooped down like a vengeful angel, and as sharp talons bit into soft flesh…

For years and years and years and years… until…

“… that damnable creature outbid me again at auction tonight…” hissed the Lord of Owls angrily, standing in his castle, which was a tree tall enough to reach to the heavens, the only tree in his lands… all else left to scurry and hide in bushes and tall grass below. His realm was lit only by the light of the moon, no stars shone in his sky. They would only see him as a shape against the night until it was Too Late.

In his realm, the time was always Too Late.

“… yes M’lord.” replied the man who was once a Fullmoon.

“She vexes me greatly slave. However… I heard of something that may end her annoyance.” he mused. He could not smile, his face didn’t have the right shape, but if he could he would. “A legendary blade lost in the mortal realm that can defeat any foe… I desire this sword slave. Go, fetch it for me at once.”

“Where shall I search, M’lord?” he asked, hating himself as he did so… but his Lord commanded it… he could not disobey him.

“My scryers say it is in a cave in the realm known as the Hymalayas… but that they cannot see inside it. They know it is there because they cannot see inside it… I will of course not be going into any cave my eyes cannot penetrate, so you will go instead slave.” replied the Lord of Owls.

“Yes M’lord.” he replied, turning on his heel, and wanting to vomit… but he couldn’t stop himself. The Lord of Owls still had his name… and he would have it until the end of days.

The Hymalayas, Years Ago

The man who was once a Fullmoon shook the snow from his shoulders as he entered the cave, looking around. He needed no torch or lamp, his time enslaved to his Lord had given him excellent night vision… but then if one did not learn to see by moonlight in the realm of one such as the Lord of Owls, one may as well be struck blind.

He trudged inside, a curved blade at his hip. All the guards of the Lord of Owls carried one, fashioned to resemble their master’s beak. It was said he could taste the blood and flesh it cut, and that the flavor pleased him… he hated even looking at it.

The cave was in a lost part of the mountains, too high and far from any paths for any mortal explorers to find… and as he wound his way deeper he walked past a museum’s worth of treasures from all across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Chinese Armor, shields decorated in the tribal symbols of long forgotten African peoples, mountains of gold and jewels, and statuary from as far south as Sri Lanka… until… hidden deep in the cave, he found what his Lord sought.

A blade rested on a stone table cut from the mountainside, not hidden by any scabbard, not covered by any cloth, laying as bare and naked as the moment it came out of the forge… and yet… it looked wrong to his eyes.

Like… it wasn’t really there, a gaping hole in reality where the blade should be.

The man who was once a Fullmoon reached out, his Lord demanded the sword, and by his Lordship’s command he would have the blade.

His hand closed around the hilt… and a scream echoed through the caverns, out into the snow outside…

The coast of Ireland, Present Day

A large motorboat slowly approached the island under the early morning fog. Several figures were on it.

Nelen Fullmoon sat at the rudder, guiding it towards the beach. Next to him sat Aisha DeLane, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Next to her sat Arja and Simoni Barjar, holding each other’s hands nervously. They could feel the prison even though they couldn’t see it… and the wrongness of it hurt them.

Dawn was next to them, the feline letting out a low mrowling sound as her tail swished, and next to her was John ‘Tex’ Smith, shuffling the Very Useful Deck anxiously. Opposite them all was Drusilla, the massive cyclops weighing so much that if they didn’t all sit on the other side to weigh out the boat the entire thing would capsize.

Inishmore Island didn’t look threatening at all really. It was actually a popular tourist destination. History buffs and lore fanatics would frequent the island, it had lovely bike paths and was downright gorgeous in the summertime… but they all knew full well that appearances could deceive. Clan Fullmoon made use of that. Nobody mortal suspected the island of anything, and their prison was just one more ruin among others. They kept two men standing near it at all times to warn tourists away of course, telling them that the ruins ahead were unstable and could collapse, that trespassing in them was prohibited by law… and if that wasn’t enough to stop someone… well… two Fullmoon men could be very intimidating when they needed to be.

Nelen docked the boat, then nodded to the others, “Remember. The second that we go in assume Franklin and the rest of the Clan will know we’re here.” he warned. “We need to be fast. Get in, get Terri and my mom, and get the HELL off the Island. I can’t summon the Wulfshead door outside of a city, and there’s no settlements on the island big enough. We need to get back to the mainland or else we’re trapped here.” he nodded.

The others nodded back wordlessly. They knew how serious this was. This wasn’t just some random group of Fullmoon agents they were dealing with this time… it was one of their strongholds. The odds of this going against them were extremely high.

… but the alternative was that Simoni and Nelen’s mother would stay imprisoned.

Nelen finished tying the boat up, and they went ahead into the island, Dawn turning invisible and scouting ahead as they did so.

Eventually… they saw the location ahead, and Nelen held up a hand. The men guarding it were both larger than other men, one was smoking a cigarette, the other just seemed to be looking annoyed as if he’d rather be doing something else.

Nelen glanced at the others, then whispered to Dawn. “Go for the eyes, I’ll back you up.” he said.

Timothy and John Fullmoon were annoyed, neither of them liked guard duty and the weather had been cold and foggy the entire shift so far, soaking into their fake guard uniforms and making them miserable. It had even taken Tim several tries to light his cigarette and the damn thing kept going out.

“At least the bloody shift is over soon… fancy a burger afterwards?” asked John.

Tim grunted and shrugged, then looked up. “OI! Sorry girl, ye gotta turn around. This ruin is restricted, in danger of collapse. Ye cannae go in.” he said.

The girl, a redheaded kid with dusky skin wearing baggy jeans, a sock hat, aviator sunglasses, and a teeshirt that said ‘Don’t let anyone drive you crazy, its right over there and the walk will do you good’ just grinned. “Reaaaaaaaaally? Ya sure its not some big dark dungeon full of spoopy monsters and shit?” she asked.

The two guards glanced at each other, then John chuckled. “You play too many video games kid, go on back to your parents…” he replied.

“Nah, but if its video games you want…” she smirked, then whipped off her glasses.

The two started as a pair of glowing yellow feline eyes stared at them. “Bloody hell! THAT’S NELEN TH’ WARLOCK’S PARTNER!” he exclaimed, his hand flying to the gun at his belt. When Nelen’s mother had been arrested the guards had all been given a dossier on the abilities of those who may attempt a rescue. He pulled the gun free, then a yellow glow blazed out and suddenly an army of gigantic pig-men in leather armor were charging them down, a bunch of red octopus-like monsters spitting boulders their way.

“SHIT! SHIT SHIT! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?! WHERE DID THESE THINGS COME FROM?!” screamed John, pulling his own gun and firing indiscriminately until the clip ran dry.

Timothy closed his eyes, “JOHN! REMEMBER THE REPORT ON HER! SHE CAN USE ILLUSION MAGIC! THEY’RE NOT REAL!” he shouted, then heard a loud slam and a grunt. “JOHN?! JOHN?!” he called out as he opened his eyes just in time to see a massive fist flying towards his face, “Its not real its not real…” he tried to convince himself.

… unfortunately for him, the fist belonged to Drusilla.

Nelen glanced down at Dawn, recoiling Merihim’s tendril from where he lifted up John and slammed him into the stone pillar. “… soooo…”

Dawn grinned, “They wanted video games, thought a bunch of Moblins and Octorocks would be good.”

Nelen sighed, “You could have picked something that wouldn’t make him panic and start shooting everywhere…” he frowned.

Dawn shrugged in an exaggerated way, “Well excuuuuuuuuuse me, princess…” then yowled as Nelen smacked her upside the head, “… yeah okay, even I think I deserved that one.” she muttered, rubbing the back of her head.

Nelen shook his head, then nodded to Drusilla and Aisha, “Get going. We’ll hold off reinforcements as long as we can, but the main thing is find our people and get them out!” he said.

Drusilla nodded, then gripped the iron gate with both hands and grunted. A minute later the hinges gave way with a loud screech of metal.

Catherine Fullmoon sat up as alarms blared throughout the cavern, guards rushing past her.

“OUTSIDE! GET OUTSIDE! WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” she heard one of them shout, the men rushing past carrying military grade rifles. Swords were at their hips as well, but most things that could be stabbed could be shot too, and the guns meant they wouldn’t have to get close.

She got to the edge of the cell and peered out into the cavernous prison. She could see most of the other cells from her’s, the entire inside lit brightly at all times. Some of the creatures in the cells found darkness rather useful even with their powers sealed by the cave’s nature.

Suddenly a loud roar echoed through the cavern, then gunfire echoed along the halls, cut off suddenly as one of the men flew back past her cell… well… most of him anyways, she didn’t know where his arm had gotten to.

Catherine smirked in a satisfied way. “Ah, that must be that Sicilian girl my son was talking about…” she chuckled.

She sat back, satisfied that if nothing else she was likely to see some people get a kicking who greatly deserved it, and waited for rescue to arrive.

Castle Fullmoon

The door to Franklin’s office burst open, his aide rushing in. “Patriarch! Sir! We’ve received a distress signal from Inishmore! The prison is under siege!” he said.

Franklin stood from his desk, his eyebrows rising. “Situation report, now. What do we know?” he nodded firmly.

“We believe it’s a group led by Nelen, and… reports from the site are saying that Arja and Stephanie are with them! They… they’re able to use magic again Sir!” he said.

Franklin’s teeth gritted as he narrowed his eyes, “Is the special squad in position in India?” he asked, his voice cold as ice despite his fury.

“Yes Sir. They can move on your command. But…” he began, but Franklin cut him off.

“Good. Send them the signal to Initiate Plan B. Command code: three two seven zero alpha.” he replied.

The aide hesitated, “S-sir… that will draw international attention!” he gasped, “Are you s-…” he started.

Franklin’s fist came down hard enough on the desk to crack the wood. “I GAVE YOU AN ORDER MAN! DO IT!”

The aide stumbled back, then nodded and rushed out of the office.

Franklin stood, then changed from his suit into fatigues, putting a Kevlar vest on over them and strapping Claiomh Darcodas’ sheath to his back, then pushed the call button on his phone, contacting the armory. “Captain, Inishmore is under siege. Ready a helicopter and a heavy squad, I’m going to oversee this operation personally.”

“Yes Sir.” came the reply.

Franklin Fullmoon cut the line and stormed from his office, murder in his eyes.

Inishmore Island

Inishmore Prison was just the main garrison, but the truth was there were several groups of Fullmoon Agents living in secret on the island, hidden among the populace. The prison was meant to hold all those that the clan could deal with no other way, they’d be fools to leave it unguarded… and right now…

“The warlock is HERE! I repeat, Nelen Fullmoon is leading the attack on Inishmore prison!” shouted an agent into a smartphone, “He is accompanied by Arja Barjar, Stephanie Fullmoon, the creature Dawn, and an unknown boy using an artifact believed to be of Arcadian origin! Two of his allies have entered the prison! A jailbreak could be imminent! Inishmore Prison is in danger of jailbreak!”

As he did a feline figure appeared before him and snatched away his phone, then he saw a golden flash, and suddenly snakes, so many snakes! EVERYWHERE SNAKES!

Dawn put the phone to her ear, “Eeeeeh, yanno, on second thought, cancel the pizza. I’m gonna get Chinese instead.” she said, the operator shouting ‘What?!’ just before she hung up, then threw it hard against a rock and vanished again as the Fullmoon agent screamed and flailed, trying to brush off the vipers that he saw crawling all over his body.

Nelen was standing atop the path towards the prison, lashing out with tendrils from both hands as Arja and Simoni soared above the battlefield, dropping fire like grenades upon the Fullmoon defenders.

“Nelen! We got incoming! That guy was calling the Castle!” shouted Dawn over the sounds of battle.

“Shit…” he growled, sweat beading on his forehead from the effort of directing Merihim. Nearby the Ace of Clubs and the Nine of Hearts had combined into a shotgun that seemed to shoot strange glowing bullets… but whatever they were they worked just as good as regular buckshot… though after seeing the effect it had on one of the men Tex was having issues firing again. It was different when the enemy was a bloodthirsty vampire like back at the ranch, but he wasn’t raised in a hunter family like Stephy had been.

“Bit harder when your enemy is human eh kid?” called Nelen, glancing at Tex as the young man nodded hesitantly. “Just stay down and try not to get shot!”

Inside the Prison

The last of the Fullmoon guards unloaded his gun, screaming incoherently, as Drusilla grabbed the barrel and bent it back, the bullet jamming and causing the gun to explode! He stumbled backwards as the cyclops’ hand grabbed him, the woman smirking, “At least SOME of you have the balls to stand your ground!” she said, “Picked a shit time to do it though.” she shrugged, then slammed him firmly against the wall before looking at Aisha. “Right, so which ones then?” she asked.

The girl looked at her in confusion, then pointed to her ear and shrugged.

Drusilla blinked, “I said which…” she started, then Aisha said something, and she realized that she couldn’t understand her! “Ah shit… right! Nelen’s magic ear thing doesn’t work in here!” she said, or rather “Skatá... sostá! To magikó aftí tis Nelen den leitourgeí edó mésa!” The magic-cancelling effects of the cave had stopped the ear clip from translating for her! She couldn’t speak or understand anything but Greek again! That Fullmoon she’d just throttled hadn’t been incoherent, she just couldn’t understand him anymore!

Aisha looked up though as someone called out in what Drusilla thought sounded English, the swordswoman running ahead of her. She saw her reaching through the bars of one of the cells as another woman reached back, Aisha smiling at the sight… and followed along behind her, looking in.

“… sis… ter?” she asked, trying to remember the right way to say it in English.

Aisha looked up at her, then nodded.

Drusilla grinned, then pushed Aisha out of the way and grabbed the bars, letting out a loud roar as her muscles strained… but the prison had been built for things that would lose their powers! She didn’t have anything to fear there! There was a tremendous scream of metal, and the door was wrenched free, the woman inside rushing out to embrace Aisha.

Drusilla didn’t understand what they said, but she could tell they were happy, then Aisha and her sister looked up and she saw a redheaded woman. Aisha pointed frantically at her, then mimed pulling at Drusilla.

“I get it I get it!” she said in Greek, going over and wrenching the bars free on Catherine Fullmoon’s cell too. The redhead walked out, then grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

As she did Drusilla looked around, then grinned. “… lotta cells left…” she nodded slowly, “Bet those cowardly little humans would REALLY hate it if I opened a few more…”

The three women looked at each other, then tried to shout something up at her as they worked out what she was intending…

As Drusilla moved to the next cell, the three shared a look, then all bolted for the exit.

As soon as they got outside Terri DeLane stumbled, then grinned as she heard a whisper in her mind.

Ah there’s mah girl! Thought we lost ya’ll fer a bit there…

She smirked, then twirled her fingers, and with a snap Kalfu’s cane appeared in her hand, “Not yet ol’ man, ain’t ready ta hang my hat today. Lets go show these boys what happens when ya’ll mess with our crowd…”

A laugh came from inside her head, then the reply followed. This be why I like you Terri! Lets go dancin’ now, you and I! and Terri’s eyes shone with moonlight as she strode out into the fighting.

As Terri DeLane unleashed Kalfu’s wrath upon the remaining defenders both Aisha and Catherine ran towards Nelen.

“NELEN! HEY! SON!” shouted Catherine, “We got a big problem!” she called out.

Nelen looked up, then grinned, “Mom! Thank gods, we’ve got a boat docked nearby, lets get you the hell outta here!” he nodded.

She shook her head, “NO! Listen to me! That cyclops girl, she’s still in the cave!” she shouted over the fighting.

Nelen blinked, “What? Whats she…” he started, then a loud roar echoed across the battlefield as a massive dark shape burst out of the cave, a huge, winged creature soaring off above Inishmore as the remaining Fullmoons saw it, then began to fall back. “That… that wasn’t… oh fuck, she’s letting the OTHER prisoners free?!” he shouted.

Aisha nodded frantically, “We tried to stop her, but once we got in the cave we couldn’t understand each other anymore! She was, I dunno, speaking some different language or something. We tried to stop her, but she just ignored us!”

Nelen stared, “Fuck… fuck fuck fuck! The ear clips! She’s only normally fluent in Greek! Without their magic she can’t understand English!” As he did another loud roar echoed and something else, something far too tall with too long limbs squeezed out of the hole and ran cackling into the distance towards the ocean, its hair waving like tentacles. A minute later a creature ran out that looked like a tall man carrying its head under its arm. It cackled, then snapped its fingers and a skeletal horse wreathed in black flames appeared, which it leapt astride and rode off into the night.

Nelen watched it go, his eyes twitching, “… how many cells were in there?” he asked weakly.

Catherine replied in a worried tone, “A lot…”

Inside the Prison

Drusilla watched the occupant of the last cell she tore open slither their way towards the exit on a mass of tentacles, grinning as they went, then moved on. “You’re the last one huh?” she grinned, peering inside… and seeing something unexpected.

An old woman with a huge shock of white hair stood before her, the woman’s face lined with wrinkles, her skin like fine parchment.

“What the hell? You’re just an old lady! What did they put you down here for?” she asked.

The elderly woman shrugged, then grinned toothlessly and tapped her ear.

“Ah, yeah, can’t understand me… well I bet you’ll understand this.” she smirked, then gripped the bars and wrenched them free too, letting her out.

The woman clapped her bony hands and smiled, nodding to Drusilla, then began to toddle her way up the path to the exit as the cyclops watched her go. “Heh, all those things loose should really make those cowardly Fullmoons shit themselves. Many-scars is gonna be thrilled!” she grinned, walking up the path to the exit.

Every single cell in Inishmore now lay empty… though in a few hours it wouldn’t matter if the occupant of the last one had any say.

A bit later, on the surface…

“WHY ARE YOU SO DAMN ANGRY?!” demanded Drusilla.

“THE PLAN WAS TO FREE TERRI AND MY MOTHER! NOT TO OPEN EVERY SINGLE GODSDAMN CELL!” shouted back a frantic Nelen. Most of the things that had been let free had scattered to the four winds the first chance they’d gotten, but the elderly woman had stayed, merely content to sit on the grass with a funny little grin. “Yes FRANKLIN used the prison for his own gain, but Clan Fullmoon as a whole used it to imprison things that were too dangerous to be let free!” he shouted. “THIS IS CATASTROPHIC DRUS! THOSE THINGS WILL CAUSE CHAOS WHEREVER THEY WIND UP!” he yelled at her, his eyes rimming with bloody red.

A few feet away however a rather awkward reunion was occurring.

Catherine stood before her daughter, who of course looked nothing of the sort anymore. A tall red haired pale skinned woman stood before a small black haired dark skinned girl in silence.

Finally…

“MOM! I’m sorry I-…”

“STEFFI! Its all my fa-…”

They both paused, then said, “You first.” at approximately the same time.

After another awkward silence, Arja finally said, “Well, um, I’m happy to finally meet you at least.” she shrugged.

Catherine gave her a small nod, “Likewise dear.” she replied, then turned back to Simoni. “Steffi, you see why?” she finally said, “You see why I was so scared of what could happen to you? Look at this. I didn’t even break the magic ban and he chucked me in here, my own damn father. I screwed up, I admit it. I could have locked your stuff away, I could have just grounded you for the rest of the summer… I was afraid for your life girl…” she sighed.

Simoni nodded, “I… I know… I’m sorry mom… I shouldn’t have ran away like that… I…” she sniffled, then Arja put a hand on her shoulder.

“Simoni, I’m glad you did.” she said.

Simoni paused at her words, turning to look at her.

“My grandfather, Akul, owes you his life. I couldn’t have gotten the lotus away from Vritra without your help. If you hadn’t been there when the Naga attacked, he would have died and my people would have lost our leader.” she nodded, “If we hadn’t met you guys, then dad wouldn’t have known about that auction in Romania and Natasha, Lupe, or both of them would have been executed by their prince. Drusilla’s village might have been wiped out, and if she wasn’t there Stephy’s dad probably would have killed him, Tex, and Tara.”

Simoni nodded slowly, looking down as her mind worked over what Arja said. Some of it may have been different, the naga had attacked because of Franklin’s sword stealing their powers, but Arja had said before that the naga had tried to kill her and her parents in the past already… it may have happened regardless.

“Yeah, you made a mistake, but a lot of good came of it. It’s like karma; you can’t erase the bad, you can just hope the good balances it out.” she grinned, “I think the scales are looking pretty good for you so far, eh?” she asked.

Catherine listened to it all, then raised her eyebrow, “Sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure kiddo.” she huffed.

Simoni giggled a bit weakly, “You could say that, yeah…” she replied.

She shrugged, “Well, you can tell me about it later if we all survive this insanity.” she smirked, glancing at Arja, “I daresay she would probably be more at home in India now, and I’m pretty sure those changes are irreversible anyways, but if I don’t see my girl this Christmas at least I don’t care what king you’re descended from, you’re getting the kind of earful only a Fullmoon witch can give.”

Arja chuckled a bit, “Noted.” she replied, giving Simoni’s hand a squeeze.

Then they heard many feet approaching them, and Arja’s blood ran cold as she looked towards the path back to the beach.

Franklin Fullmoon was heading towards them, and this time he was not alone. No less than a dozen armed Fullmoon Agents stood behind him, weapons at the ready. Claiomh Dorcadas was already unsheathed, and his face showed raw hatred as he glared at the group.

‘If we survive this insanity’ just got a lot less likely.

Drusilla was there in an instant, the cyclops moving between the oncoming army and the rest, Aisha standing next to her with her sword out. Terri hung back with the other magic users, having been warned about Franklin’s weapon once the fighting died down.

“You… bloody… damned… fools…” hissed Franklin through his teeth, “Do you know what you have DONE?!” he shouted. “Over a thousand years’ worth of monsters, demons, and freaks loose upon the world again!”

Drusilla grinned, “Yeah! Pisses you off doesn’t it you cowardly old man?” she grinned.

He glared at her, “They will rain death and misery upon any land they visit, and it will be on your heads when they do. This… right here… is why I need to clean up this whole bloody planet, and this sword is what will allow it.” he snarled.

“Go ahead and try me! That thing is just a hunk of metal to a cyclops!” she shot back.

At that however, Franklin gestured, and a dozen guns were aimed towards Drusilla. “I know, that’s what they’re for.” he snorted, “Kill the cyclops, then the rest.” he said.

The guns held steady, a dozen laser sights covering Drusilla’s torso over her heart… then suddenly two of the gunmen just… fell apart.

They screamed out as a burst of dark energies erupted from inside their bodies, their flesh melting right off their bones as their fat boiled from within them, their organs rotting and putrefying before they even fell. What landed on the ground was a pair of skeletons, boiled clean of any blood.

Franklin stared at the corpses, as did the other Fullmoon agents. So did most of the others, except for Tex, who was throwing up in a nearby bush. Seeing someone’s insides suddenly become their outsides before the whole thing becomes slurry can do terrible things to a young man.

All eyes turned to Nelen. “THAT WASN’T ME! Merihim can’t do THAT!” he insisted.

A few turned to Terri. “Kalfu says that wasn’t him either, but he is impressed…” she said.

After a few moments one of the Fullmoon Agents cleared their throat, then said, “Patriarch Franklin, Sir… if neither the warlock or the mambo did it… what did?” he asked.

A chuckle came from nearby, where the elderly woman had been sitting, “Patriarch? So, a man rules Clan Fullmoon now?” she asked, raising her head… and her eyes were like dark gaping holes. “I’d so hoped to lock horns with a witch proper… but… I suppose you will do.” she grinned like a serpent, her body seeming to swirl with shadows as her hair slowly turned darker, her features turning younger.

Nelen stared, then looked at Drusilla, “Druuuus… what cell was she in?” he asked.

Drusilla stepped back, “Bottom one, I think.” she replied.

Nelen stared. “Run. RUN! RUN GODSDAMMIT RUN!” he shouted, and then the world exploded. Everyone, Fullmoon and others, all ran for cover. Only Franklin stood his ground, raising Claiomh Dorcadas just in time to block a blast of purest darkness erupting from within the swirling maelstrom that the woman had become.

“FIFTEEN. HUNDRED. YEARS.” came the voice from within it, “You Fullmoon dogs had the audacity to seal me away in there, coming to my temple while the Romans took the islands to the south… but now I will have my revenge! I WILL REDUCE THE MAVEN’S CHOSEN TO BONES AND DRINK THEIR TEARS!” she cackled.

Nelen, Dawn, Arja, Simoni, and Catherine wound up hiding behind the same bit of ruined wall as lightning arced out from the swirling vortex of energy, the clouds above boiling and flashing with energy as a storm began to descend. Nelen gasped, grabbing his arm, then looked at it, “SERIOUSLY?! THAT’S WHAT THAT IS?!” he shouted, “Oh fucking hells Drusillaaaaa…” he growled.

“Who is it?!” shouted Simoni over the wind.

“That’s…” he winced, rubbing his arm, “I HEAR YOU MERIHIM! STOP SCREAMING!” he snarled, “He says he remembers her! That woman is Carman, the Celtic Goddess of Evil Magic!” he shouted.

The tempest finally swirled away, and a woman stood there. Her hair was as black as night, her eyes two holes in her face, and her lips the red of fresh blood. She stood wearing a long dress the purple of a fresh bruise, and around her waist was a belt of human fingerbones, a deer skull resting on her head, its antlers holding the teeth of children on strings. “At last…” she hissed, “Morrigan thought to seal me away… I’ll slaughter her chosen, and then I’ll come for her... and the world shall cower at my return!” she cackled, electricity arcing from her fingers.

Franklin stood ready however, glaring at her as he held Claiomh Dorcadas in his hands.

“… oh? You think to stand against me boy? With the Sword of Darkness, no less?” she laughed, “Fool, I AM DARKNESS INCARNATE! Even that blade cannot hinder one such as myself!” she snarled, lashing out, a wave of force blasting towards him. He held the blade flat, his free hand against it, and was still pushed back several feet before the sword could absorb it all!

Franklin swore, “This is the Patriarch speaking. Fall back to the helicopter and make ready to flee. I’m going to attempt to use Claiomh Dorcadas to seal her… should I fail, abandon the island as lost and make ready to evacuate Castle Fullmoon.” he said into the communicator on his collar.

Arja stared at the two from the hillside they took shelter behind, her eyes huge. “Did… did I just see that? That’s the same sword he used on us, right?!” she asked.

Nelen growled, “Yeah… see, THIS is one of the reasons Inishmore’s prison existed! There’s some things that are just too damn powerful to kill!” he snarled.

Arja shook her head, “We can’t just let her escape! She’ll take apart the entire UK! I mean sure I’d like to see the royal family get that melty thing… BUT NOT EVERYONE ELSE! … okay Boris and several Torries too but… WELL YOU GET WHAT I MEAN!” she shouted.

Nelen looked at her as if she’d just suggested going skinny dipping inside a volcano, “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND?! That’s not just some powerful mage over there kid! That’s a GOD, capital-G GOD! You’ll be blown to smithereens!” he snarled.

Simoni stared at him. “Isn’t there something we can do?” asked Simoni, looking back at the dark goddess began to battle Franklin Fullmoon, the Mundane Blade seeming to only be able to hold her back!

Nelen shook his head, “All we can do is get the hell off the Island and hope either Franklin can somehow use Claiomh Dorcadas to kill her, or they kill each other.” he nodded. “Dawn! Help gather up the others, quick!” he said. The Cheshire nodded, then vanished.

A few hundred yards away from the battlefield, Aisha DeLane sat up, shaking her head. The shockwave had sent her flying, knocking the wind out of her. “Uuuugh… dammit, where’s my sword…” she grumbled, looking around, but seeing no sign of her scimitar anywhere.

“If it’s a sword ye need, ye can borrow mine lass.” came a voice from behind her.

She turned around to find an Irishwoman standing there, calm as anything. She was dressed in a green tee-shirt with a motif of a black raven sitting on a tree branch infront of a full moon, a pair of black leather pants, and military boots, and tucked under one arm was a long, package wrapped in brown leather. The woman had red hair tied back into a tight bun and shining green eyes.

“Who are you?” she asked, stepping back suspiciously.

The woman smirked, “I’m th’ woman with a spare sword.” she replied, cocking her hip and resting her free hand on it.

Aisha frowned, taking a step back as the woman walked around her, sighing in annoyance as she did.

“I dinnae want ta reveal m’self this early… but Carman be forcin’ me hand… acts o’ Gods kinda require this… not ah ton that can balance ‘em out y’see…” she frowned, “I’d have preferred ta give this ta one o’ me own lads, but that idiot Frank made ah right mess o’ th’ Clan. Yeh gots th’ blood o’ one that sat wit’ ol’ Arthur ‘n Merlin, so… eh, feck it, ye’ll do.” she nodded, untucking the package. “This’ll put the ‘urt right on ‘er.” she smirked, undoing the leather to reveal a sword, still in it’s scabbard, and something about it seemed to draw Aisha’s eyes.

Aisha reached for it, but the woman stepped back and held it out of her reach. “Ah. Nae so fast lass. Got a coupla’ conditions fer ye.” she smirked. “Condition one, ye gotta stick with that lot ye came here with. They’ll be needin’ yer help in the near future… trust me on this.” she winked with one eye, and for a brief second Aisha almost thought her other eye changed, reflecting a star-filled stretch of night sky, but then she looked again and it was just the same as always, “… second…” she pursed her lips, “In aboot… oh… early next year… Ah’ll come ta retrieve me sword. So, keep it safe fer me, okay?” she asked, “Ye agree ta me terms?”

Aisha narrowed her eyes at her, “How do ya know all this? Who the hell are you?” she asked.

The woman just smirked, “Ask Jeannie, or Nelen. They’ll know.” she chuckled. “Now, yea or nay gel? I ain’t handin’ over this ol’ pig sticker without ah clear answer!” she nodded firmly.

Behind her the storm intensified, lightning crashing down around where Carman and Franklin clashed.

She hesitated… but… she had started being a hunter to save people, she didn’t want to just leave that thing to run amok! “FINE! YES! GIVE!” she shouted.

The woman smirked, “Then we got a compact lass.” she replied, tossing the sword to her, “Be seein’ ye soon.” she nodded, and then Aisha blinked, and when she looked again a large raven sat where the woman had been standing. It cawed at her, then spread its wings and shot up into the sky, flapping away.

Aisha watched it go, then unsheathed the sword… and her face lit up, as did everything else nearby.

Back Near the Prison Entrance

Nelen and the others would be preparing to escape, save for one minor detail.

“WE AIN’T LEAVIN’ WITHOUT MY DAMN SISTER!” shouted Terri.

“I KNOW WE’RE NOT!” Nelen shouted back, “Dawn, you can’t find her ANYwhere?!” he asked.

Dawn shook her head, “No! I swear I was all over the place, but I couldn’t find her! Maybe she took cover back in the cave?” she tried.

Drusilla shook her head, “She didn’t. I checked. Only thing in there is a buncha dead guys.” she nodded.

Nelen growled, looking around. “We’ll wait as long as we can… but… once she finishes off Franklin, anyone else on this island even connected to Clan Fullmoon will be her next target.” he warned.

Dawn however looked up, then raised her sunglasses, then winced and put them back down. “Uh, guys? I found her, but I think Obi Wan’s ghost did first?” she said, pointing towards the hill past the prison entrance.

Aisha was running towards Carmen and Franklin, and in her grip was a sword that appeared to be made of light.

The sword was polished metal, though she didn’t know what kind. It was engraved with what looked like some kind of old runes, though she couldn’t read them. But what she did know was that it was good. Whatever it was, that monster would HATE it.

Aisha charged forward, sword held down at her side, ready to swing upwards, as her boots tore up the grass, the beads on her cornrows clattering against each other from the wind rushing past, and as she drew near Carman looked up from Franklin and snarled in fury.

Carman’s appearance had become less and less human. Her face now resembled a massive human skull, and her hands were like claws. She loomed over the Fullmoon patriarch, truly appearing as nothing more than a manifestation of all the evils that magic could be used for.

"THAT SWORD!” she hissed, aiming a claw that was more like a talon now, her mouth stretched into a too-wide grin, and lashed out with a beam of pure shadow, cutting through the air towards her.

Aisha’s hands moved in a blur, and the blade caught it, the beam shattering on impact into stray motes of darkness as she ran through them, her eyes locked onto the evil goddess, and Carmen snarled, ignoring Franklin, and turning to her. “STAY BACK!” she roared, lashing out again and again, but each time the bursts of evil magic were intercepted by the glowing blade, shattering on impact. It was more like the sword itself was alive and moving to intercept them.

As she drew close Carman raised her hands, a sphere of crackling nothingness appearing between them, and Aisha felt a chill. If that hit her, it wouldn’t just kill her, it would unmake her. There would be nothing left, body or soul!

Then the sphere broke apart as Carman screamed, and the tip of Claiomh Dorcadas burst through her stomach.

“YOU THERE!” came the voice of Franklin Fullmoon, “Your sword is her bane! Her heart! AIM FOR HER HEART!” he shouted over Carman’s voice, the goddess screaming curses as her arms tried to reach for Franklin, attempting to claw him away.

Aisha nodded, then ran towards Carman. The woman had swollen in height to even taller than Drusilla now, and she ran right up her! She leapt up as the goddess’ clawed hands tried to grab her legs, then with a loud cry she dropped, holding the blade of her sword down… and Franklin’s head jerked back just in time as the shining metal burst out through her back.

Carman’s eyes erupted with light, her mouth wide and screaming as the blade tore away at the source of her magic, until finally she fell still, and her body slowly began to fall.

Franklin and Aisha pulled their weapons free, then quickly stepped back from each other, holding them ready.

Aisha’s eyes glanced from her sword to his. “Huh… light ‘n dark… how ‘bout that…” she smirked.

Franklin said nothing, then stood, “Hmph… that just made my life a lot easier…” he grinned, “Do you know what happens when a god dies?” he asked.

Aisha paused, then shook her head, “… no.”

Franklin sneered, “Ask Atlantis.” he said, then he turned and fled towards his helicopter, yelling into the lapel, “Carman is down, dying! Make ready to takeoff NOW! WE MAY HAVE ONLY MINUTES!”

Aisha started after him, then paused as she noticed something. Carman’s body was twitching… and then her chest started to swell, and darkness began seeping from her wounds. “… oh fuck.” she whispered, looking around, then spotting her own allies. She quickly sheathed her sword, then ran towards them as fast as she could!

A distance away Nelen stared in shock, jaw slack, as he saw Carman fall, “Holy shit they actually won?” he chuckled, his knees feeling a little weak. “They… actually fucking won… what the hells has my life become anymore?” he asked.

Aisha slowed as she got close to them, out of breath from tearing across the island like that, but she managed to get out, “We gotta go… Franklin tore out of here the second he realized she was down, he asked me if I knew what happens when a god dies…” she gasped, gulping down air.

Nelen blinked, “What happens wh- OH HOLY FUCK!” he gasped, his arm suddenly snapping out and spasming as every vein on it glowed red. “FUCK FUCK OW FUCK!” he jammed it back down to his side with his free arm, “I’M LISTENING GODSDAMMIT! SAY IT SLOW…er…” his eyes widened, then he looked back at Carman’s corpse.

“… Merihim says a god is essentially a being made of pure magical energy, like a sun in the shape of a person… and when they die all that energy… oh fuck… DAWN!” he shouted, “GET US TO THE BOAT! NOW!”

Carmen’s corpse was starting to swell, blackness leaking out from inside.

Dawn collapsed on the beach, coughing. Teleporting everyone at once like that had strained her power to the limit, and she couldn’t even stand now. Nelen pulled her up into him and climbed into the boat, “ON! EVERYONE ON!” he shouted.

“Nelen! There’s too many! We won’t all fit!” shouted back Aisha.

“Fuck! Fuckfuckfuck…” he cursed, looking around, “Okay! Simoni, Mom! Transform! Arja, Tex! Go with them! Get as far away from the island as you can! Try to aim towards the mainland but either way just fucking GO!” he shouted!

The boat was filled with all who would fit, and after a moment of panic with the knot Aisha drew her sword and sliced through the rope, then the engine was started and they pushed out as quickly as it could go, Drusilla even leaning over to help paddle as hard as she could. Simoni and Catherine took to the skies, Tex riding on the older woman’s back while Arja took up her usual spot on Simoni’s, and as fast as they could they made their way away from the island.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, midway out to sea… Carman died.

Gods are among the most powerful magical beings in existence. Whether they truly created the world we stand on or simply shaped parts of it to their own aesthetics none can say. They are beings of pure magical energy, each one like a living sun in their own right.

And there is a term for when a sun dies.

That term is ‘supernova.’

The explosion was loud, too loud, it shouldn’t be possible to be that loud! The boat rocked in the waves and was shoved forward so fast it almost capsized, but by sheer luck it managed to ride the wave and land with a tremendous splash, soaking the occupants… but otherwise remained afloat.

Simoni and Catherine were knocked forwards by the shockwave but were able to catch themselves in time before they hit the water… though Tex almost fell off. Arja and Simoni however had just outrun Vritra and had learned a few things for emergency manuvers.

Everyone looked back once the sound and light had died down however… and what they saw…

For a long while, everyone was silent… then Simoni finally spoke. “Its… gone…” she whispered.

Inishmore was a decently sized island, a long stretch of land off the coast of Ireland with many historic ruins, vacation spots, and other attractions.

Now however… it was a patch of ocean. The power unleashed by Carman’s death had obliterated the entire landmass down below sea level. The waters rushed in, and now there was nothing to show the island had ever been save for some random bits of floatsam that had managed by some strange miracle to survive the goddess’s death throes.

The group all stared in amazement at the sheer destructive force that had been unleashed, even Dawn was silent, her eyes huge with shock at the enormity of what happened.

After a bit Nelen restarted the boat’s engine, and they made for the mainland.

The group entered the Wulfshead, all but four of them soaking wet. Dawn being very vocal about it now.

“Its SEAWATER!” she hissed, “I’m gonna itch for days! Salt is the WORST To get out of fur!” she grumped, wringing out her long orange hair.

“Hair.” grunted Nelen, glad that his bag was at least waterproof.

“Ya sure ya can’t come back home sis?” asked Terri to Aisha, frowning a bit at her. “Mom is gonna be pissed if I didn’t at least TRY to bring ya back.”

Aisha shook her head, her beads rattling against each other, “Sorry sis, but part of the conditions for this thing…” she patted the sword at her hip, “I gotta stick with these guys fer now.” she said, “Ya’ll give mom my love tho.” she grinned.

They opened the door to New Orleans and Aisha gave her sister a quick (and wet) hug goodbye, then the door closed again. “At least that’s over with…” he muttered, “Looking forward to getting back to the mansion and taking a nice hot…” he opened the door.

The road back to the manor was blocked off, and part of one of the walls had collapsed, all around it were police cars, lights flashing, and smoke was rising from the hole where the wall was. “… shit.” whispered Nelen.

#supernatural adventures #lgbtq #modern fantasy #fiction

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