The Rockaverse

"Call," Kuchillo laughed, turning to face Mama Lewd once more. "That's understandable. Not always the best to dwell on such things." He then elbowed, Syra, pointing towards Mama Lewd. "Mama Lewd here, has made history. She was among the first group of Ulfirans to settle on the Rock. They laid a big claim to patch of land out east."

The smell of melting skin filled the air as Horik felt her own skin become warm and uncomfortable. She could see the crowd around her and a familiar face among them. Otis was pointing to her and his lips were moving but Horik's heartbeat drowned out whatever he said. Even the vision of him began to be drowned in colors and strange shapes.

Just as Longwank, the world began to melt. Horik began screaming desperately and clawed into her skin without hesitation. Those who had stepped forward to apprehend her now froze. Horik's nails digged into her skin and began to drag themselves along it, pulling up skin and blood. Her arms and stomach. Her face. She began to claw into her face and eyes and that's when people sprinted forward.

They tried to pull her arms away but there was an unnatural strength within her fragile limbs. Nothing could stop her. Nothing.

~*~

The place was huge. The commotion Horik caused was contained to one area as staff rushed forward, trying to keep the distressing view from patrons elsewhere. Even outside, no shrieks or views of running staff were seen. In fact, it was a quiet and peaceful night. Too quiet and peaceful for a giant worm to be outside among the crowds.

The worm was in another place waiting. Inside the carriage, a much smaller worm was wrapped up around something. Its body hugged it tightly but it made sure there was enough room in case it needed to move or air. The thick white coating had hardened around the worm's body and acted as a cool blanket to not overheat the body within its coils.

Soft purring lulled the body into sleep and it was so unaware of the chaos elsewhere. The chaos its other half caused.

~*~

Talideth could see the bumbling idiots all around and turned to Qunith with a smile. She raised a hand, an obsidian pipe in her hand. It wasn't the same quality as Qunith's gold one but it was something. Qunith however knew that Talideth had never had such a thing before.

"You know, I feel this is a rather opportune situation, Quni," Talideth smiled. "Maybe we should take advantage of it? Inebriated people are rather careless, both with their possessions and information.

~*~

Blood and melted skin covered the ground. The patrons had dispersed and Otis remained to see Horik dragged off, leaving bits of herself behind. However, of Otis looked long enough, he would notice her hair getting lighter to a light brown as she was dragged away. But perhaps, that was just a trick of the light.

~*~

The worm lifted its head and stayed still for a long time. It was like it was hearing something off in the distance. But when the sound stopped, it gave a low, deep rumble. Movement began within its coils and a hand reached out. Another hand and Horik pulled herself up from among the coils of the worm. She looked half asleep and even, a bit older.

"Oh," Mild blinked as he saw the woman rip herself apart before getting dragged away by a giant worm. He looked at Horik. Then he looked at the horrified guests. He raised his hands and pleaded. "This facility is closed for the time being...Sorry, about the disturbance folks, well try our hardest to get to the bottom of this..."

Staff ushered out the panicked customers out of the building as Mild shrugged at Otis, "I can honestly say in all my years here, that I've never seen uh...that before. I hope she's alright. She didn't seem entirely aware of what happened herself..."

Mild then narrowed his eyes and spotted a trail of slime. "At least there's a trail. You ready?" He asked the young Sorillian.

"Sure," Otis said cheerfully. "But first I'm going to puke."

And he did.

Wiping his mouth, Otis nodded, smiled and marched out the door after the worm.

Mild had the wind carry him, following the trail the creature had left behind, whilst ordering several security officials to, "Section this trail off! I don't want anyone to step in....that," he frowned. Eventually the trail led the two towards the carriage.

"This...this is one of Arubak's carriage. Wait, this..." Mild scratched his chin, recalling this as the carriage Arubak had left the Rock in to pursue the Waste Witch and Otis' instant recognition of the woman. "Wait, don't tell me...she was with you?" He asked, reaching for the carriage handle.....before the thought better of it.

Instead he blew a cool breeze onto the carriage door, the wind decreasing in temperature a until formed into a thin layer of ice surrounding the door. Such action, Otis could possibly note are indicative of one practiced in Phoenix wizardry.

Mild then gave the frozen door a stern knock, causing it to gently shatter to the gound, revealing what lay inside...

"Aaaaaaah!" Otis screamed, just in case it was something horrific.

Inside, Mild and Otis saw a much smaller version of the worm Otis knew and loved. Worm was coiled up and a hand rested on top of the coils. Sitting next to it, was Horik, completely unharmed. She wasn't even wearing the same dress of earlier. Instead, she had her trademark jumpsuit but in a different color. Horik quickly shoved the hand within the worm and turned to look at the two intruders. She raised an eyebrow at Otis.

"Is uh, is something wrong?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah, I just watched you rip your face off," Otis said. "And then the worm dragged you off and apparently juiced you into life again. I don't know. Do you want me to just pretend I didn't see anything? Good? Great." Otis pointed at Horik. "But if you end up having worm egg babies coming out of your lady parts, don't look at me."

"......" Mild nodded as he immediately slapped handcuffs on Horik.

"Why would I have worm babies?!" Horik shouted before the cuffs came down on her wrists. "WHY AM I BEING ARRESTED? "

"I'd like to take you in for questioning, maam...a-a lot of questions," Mild noted. "I hope your....friend doesn't mind," he breathed warily.

Worm had raised his flared out head, pointing its tip directly at Mild. Horik sighed and glanced back at it, mumbling, "She did it. I'll handle it."

Horik then glared at Otis before turning to Mild, "I can't promise I'll have all the answers but I can try to answer what I can. So long as you let me go if there's nothing you got to hold me for."

"You seem... different than earlier," Otis said, shaking his head. "Is that because of the worm?"

Otis eyed the worm, wondering how many more weird creatures he would have to avoid having their fluids injected into him.

Lifting her up with the wind, Mild brought Horik along, leading her and Otis towards The Holy Land's jailhouse. "I promise we won't hold you long....if you're innocent. I only want to understand...just what the heck whatever that was."

Opening the door to to the jailhouse, Mild was somewhat surprised to find Arubak himself, along with Caenna. Caenna had her shotgun in hand, whilst Arubak was clutching an elderly man's neck, holding him up against one of the jail cells.

The old man sported a pinstripe suit, and a close cut gray hair. His skin was weathered and wrinkled and he sported red-tinted sunglasses that nearly dangled off his nose. On his hands, now clutching and his neck, trying to break free of Arubak's grasp, sported fingers covered in jewelry while a golden gleam came from his mouth. He had a gold tooth, several in fact.

"I had it up to hear with yer bullshit, old man!" Arubak snarled. "You done pulled yer last trick!"

"Arubak..." Caenna calmly touched the Warlord's shoulder, staring between him and the old man with concern.

"It wasn't a trick...wasn't a trick..." the old man gasped. His accent was Sorillian. "I've never done ya wrong. Everything I've done...is all for you, son. Always...always has been."

"I ain't yer goddamn son, old timer!" Arubak spat, tightening his grip. "You better talk real quick, if you wanna live out the rest of yer miserable life! Why'd you take my ring to that waste witch, old man!?"

"Arubak!" Mild finally exclaimed. "The man can't tell you anything if you can't breathe."

Arubak turned around, noticing Mild's prescence for the first time along with Otis and....a handcuffed Horik. "Mild Man...just what the hell is goin' on?"

"There was an incident in the Pearly Gates...some sort of worm-"

"God help me..." Arubak pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But what's all this...what did pops do this time?" Mild asked, concern clear in his voice.

Arubak sighed and motioned towards Caenna. She nodded and opened the cell they stood in front of and Arubak roughly tossed the old man in. "You, Caenna and me. We'll talk outside..." he ordered, as he and the shotgun wielding woman, stepped passed Mild and the two Lords of Rocks, and walked out the door.

Mild gave a heavy sigh and asked Otis, "Can you...watch her for a bit? Hopefully, I'll be back shortly." He opened the cell door, the same one the old man was tossed in and motioned for Otis to lock Horik in as well...for the time being.

Otis shut the cell door but didn't bother locking it. He knew Horik wasn't a criminal. At least, he believed she wouldn't do anything wrong intentionally. And... whatever the worm was, it seemed to be protecting Horik. For now, he would let it be.

Otis wanted to trust his group. They may have different opinions, but they were in this together.

Ash took a quiet sip of his drink as he stared up at the stage, his gaze looking millions of miles away, years apart in any direction. "You know Rob, we used to have a story in Sommer. A parable if you will. I don't remember the whole thing word for word, but the gist is about an nasty hunter who moves to the woods. He's a rather unpleasant fellow; kills for fun, tortures the animals, tosses his trash all around the beautiful landscape, even dams up a river. This hunter hasn't a care in the world, loving his life of wanton and abandon. One day, when the hunter was particularly liquored, he stepped outside his cabin for a smoke." Ash paused as he picked up his pipe again, tilting it towards Rob as though it were a prop.

"Now this hunter, he had no care for these lands, never did anything to look after them, never bothered to use the wisdom of those who knew how to live off the land. When he finishes off his cigarette, he tosses it into the grass, and goes back inside to go to sleep. His dreams are restless, uncomfortable. He keeps waking up during the night, feeling hot and sweaty. This continues until finally, he wakes from his sleep feeling an almost burning sensation on his skin. He almost thought it was a fever, until he noticed the cracks of light shining through his cabin walls, and the thick smell of smoke. Before he knows it, there's a huge crash! His roof collapses in, he can now see that his home in engulfed in flames! Well the hunter, he's truly panicking now, so he rushes to the door, bursts through it... And immediately stops in place. The whole forest is engulfed in fire. Everything around his is searing hot, burning him just from being close. He has nowhere to go, nowhere to run. The hunter is about to run back into the cabin, but now the whole cabin has collapsed behind him. The hunter stands there maybe another minute or two, and then he too is engulfed in flames."

Ash looked uncomfortably up to the stage again as he thumbed the glass in his hand. "When you disrespect the forest, the forest will find a way to turn against you, and to devour you. Even the tiniest blades of grass can fuel the most unstoppable forces. If I'm being honest with you Rob... I've always seen myself as a blade of grass in this story, waiting to devour the wicked in a sea of flames." He looked back to the Ulfirian for a moment, his gaze steely, but pained. "I'm sure you know as well as I do... The universe has a few too many terrible people in it."

Qunith examined the item. The duo moved forward, Qunith casually laying a hand on the back of a pink-faced, white haired gambling Skylander as he bet his money away. They removed it lined with the diamond studs of his shoulder pads. "Still, we've been dispossessed of our items once. Forgive me if the idea of getting more things to be confiscated by our overlords does not fill me with joy. Hey, Naraati."

A man with a curled, devil-like goatee turned from the bar he sat at, exhaling smoke from his nostrils furiously.

"Tobacco, nightshade or hemp?"

"What is it to you?" The man replied.

"If it's hemp you're selling sell, hemp I'll buy," Qunith clarified, revealing a handful of the diamonds studs.

***

Qunith and Talideth emerged beneath the orange sun, it now hanging lower in the sky. Qunith exhaled a long breath of smoke from their newly gifted pipe. "It was a weird thing our jailors said, no thralls within the walls of the Holy Land." Qunith glanced at Talideth. "This place is an insult to the will of the gods and this land may one day be brought down with fire and hollows, nevertheless it may hold the key to our further ambitions."

Qunith handed Talideth the pipe. "Perhaps we can buy freedom from those lords of rock. Make a legal claim on mother's treasure while we are here. Gold and money rule all in this land. Talideth, find the most sparkling summit in the townscape." Qunith grinned. "And let's rob it blind."

Horik watched Otis carefully and raised an eyebrow when he didn't lock the cell. She walked forward and placed her hands on the cell door. She tested it slightly and found that it was indeed unlocked.

"You, uh, you got something planned here Otis?" Horik asked, unable to hear his internal thoughts.

~*~

Talideth looked around and surveyed the landscape. The buildings were all grand and luxurious, many people mulling about in fine threads and adorned with the likes of metal their mother would have adored. Taking a drag from the pipe, there was one building in particular that stood out to her. It looked ornate to the point of tackiness and there was a servant or two heading towards it.

"That one, perhaps?" Talideth mused as she passed the pipe back to Qunith.

"Maybe," Otis said, leaning back against a table. "Horik, you want to get off this planet don't you? That's... your goal, right?"

***

Rob sighed heavily. "Listen, Ash, you might be fine killing yourself for your revenge, but in that story, you're not the only one who burns to kill the hunter. The forest dies." Rob leaned forward, his eyes dark. "But I have a different ending for you. The same premise - a hunter who defiles the forest he lives in. But here's where your ideals differ from mine.

"See, there's animals that live in the forest - a wolf, a falcon, a bear," Rob said, a strange light appearing in his eyes. "The falcon watches from above, and sees the sins of the hunter. The wolf smells the trash, tastes the poisoned river. The bear sees the animals left broken in the hunter's wake. The hunter, one day, goes out as he normally does, to hunt. He sees the wolf, and wishes to kill it. He chases it, but the falcon pesters him, tearing out his eyes. Now blinded, the wolf easily tears out his throat. Then the bear comes, and eats the remains."

Rob leaned back. "The forest recovers. And soldiers like you and me... we rest easy."

Qunith inhaled the last of the bud until the pipe contained only grey ash. They held it deep within their throat for a moment before releasing it. "Okay," Qunith nodded, emptying the ash on the pavement before strutting forward across the street. The estate was massive, signage for it's various entrances outside. One was simply labelled depository- but it was locked tight, a guard stood in front.

Instead Qunith simply moved forward toward the main entrance, where servants milled too and fro from the open entrance. Qunith stepped into the ground house, violins playing as a party seemed to be on the way- and of course, a party in the Holy Land was nothing without drinking and gambling. "Let's see if we can find the owner," Qunith said, squinting across the candle-lit hall and the richly dressed guests who occupied it.

Ash paused in thought for a moment. He looked over to Rob once more, and soon a small smile appeared on his face as he chuckled slightly. "Perhaps I should find some bears, wolves, and falcons then." The Captain nodded along, agreeing with the sentiments of Rob. "I see your point though. And I'm not particularly looking to cast myself into the flames. Nor am I looking to burn down any forests." He took another sip of his drink, exhaling a sigh as the burning liquid seemed to finally leave its mark in his mouth.

"The forest never did anything wrong, nor the animals. Just the hunters. The tyrants." Ash paused again to let the thoughts sink into him, and to take in what Rob had said. "Well, what are your plans now that you're a wealthy man Rob? Do you intend to live a more quiet life here in the 'Holy Land', or do you have something else in mind?"

The old Sorillian looked up and blinked as Otis and Horik spoke, simply thankful that he could once again breathe. But as Otis mentioned Horik wanting to leave the planet, the man's eyes widened in surprise, although he said nothing.

Syra smiled slyly as she pulled the money toward her after winning the first round. "I do plan to continue winning, Mr. Price, and cleaning some of these people out may just be the medicine they need to humble themselves."


The bet came round and Syra put her 1000 on the table, as she did she felt Kuchillo's elbow in her rib. "Mama Lewd here, has made history. She was among the first group of Ulfirans to settle on the Rock. They laid a big claim to a patch of land out east."

"Oh?" Syra began, "So she's old money, from when the war ended? Took a liking to a backwater world and decided to "settle" it? I mean, people were living here before so can her moving from Ulfire really be considered, history?" She paused for a second, giving Kuchillo a second to think about what she'd said, "Call," she added, ready to continue the game, and hopefully her winning streak.

"I have been thinking about leaving the Rock," Rob said slowly. "It's a wild land, this place. A hard place to stay alive, at least with any sort of moral dignity. But wealth here isn't the same as wealth out there, and it's a hard thing to start over. Especially at my age." Rob smiled, his eyes focusing inward for a moment, then back at Ash. "Well, soldier, I think I've taken up enough of your time. Thanks for chatting with me this night."

Rob extended a hand for Ash to shake. "If you see me around again, make sure to give me a holler. And if you ever need help, just send word back here. I'll find you."

***

"The bet has been set. Mr. Price, please play your first card," Freddy said, nodding to the mentioned player.

Steppenwolf chuckled a little bit to Syra's response. "You know Miss Syra, I've always been of the mind that Freedom is the greatest medicine anyone can have. So perhaps you'll be doing all these good folks a favor be freeing them of some of their burdensome wealth!" He chuckled again as he took another puff of his cigarette. Price nodded to Freddy and checked his cards. "Still, I don't plan on going easy on you Miss. No fun if there's no challenge! Let's start off with the Nine of Spades."

_____________________________________________________________________

Ash took the man's hand and shook it, both holding the firm grip of a soldier. "I wish you luck in starting over soldier, not many get that chance, so I hope you can make the most of it." Ash smiled sympathetically. "I appreciate the conversation Rob, it's always good to talk with someone who understands the life of a soldier." The last things the old soldier said to Ash surprised him a bit, and intrigued him as well. "And thank you Rob, I look forward to crossing paths with you again one day." He smiled and watched as the older man took his leave and exited the building. Ash felt a little saddened almost. It was strange, he obviously had never met the old soldier before, and yet he felt so familiar, so much like an old friend. Perhaps that was part of the lives of soldiers.