In Ruins Wake Part II

==Section Summaries==
* Unnatural Gathering
** Davus joins the party.
* Their Demons
** Sirius gains control of his body, casting out the Morton persona. The group prepares to part ways. Prince unleashes his Zombie horde.
* Reversal of Fortunes
** Sirius goes under Davus' control. The HCT group splits up, with one faction headed towards the Lake Battle.
*Still At Castle Town
** Tobias Be Chillin'
==Unnatural Gathering==
CONTINUES FROM In Ruins Wake Part I P#100
===Hylian High Command, Hidden Village War Room, Afternoon 1===
"We need to mobilize all of our forces at once! We cannot allow the Twili to advance any farther into Lanayru then they already have. If they want to move into Lake Hylia then we need to hit them with everything we have and send them fleeing back into the desert. Goddess willing that will allow us to route them during their retreat and end this war once and for all!" Major General Gendai proclaimed quiet loudly while pounding his fist on the conference table.
"All of our forces?" Lieutenant General Koseki questioned. "You want to march our entire army across Hyrule Field in the middle of the winter for a hail Mary offensive against a force of unknown size, on a FROZEN LAKE!?"
Gendai scoffed at the other General's skepticism, "Of course, anything less and we risk sending our men to the slaughter. Though I will admit we should leave at least a single brigade behind the guard the village, just in case."
Koseki's frustration was becoming palpable, and he was beginning to wonder how Gendai could have possibly made it to his current rank. "General Gendai, it is the middle of winter. Furthermore for the past 6 months our most productive food producing regions have either been under enemy control, frozen, or a front line. Not to mention the fall of the castle has hampered our abilities to repair and replace weapons, armor and cloths. Our men are half starved, half frozen and ill-equipped. They cannot march on Lake Hylia, they cannot march anywhere. To be honest I'm not even sure we can do anything except hold the Eldin Province."
Brigadier General Advocatus Diaboli quickly jumped into the conversation before Gendai could utter another blowharded response, "Significant logistical issues aside; we can't simply abandon Lake Hylia. Not only would be signing a death sentence to the battalion we have garrisoned there but it allow the Twili to take the rest of Lanayru and its roads. That would allow them to hit Faron form both sides rendering it undefended. The truth of the matter is if they take the lake they'll be marching against Eldin before the week is out."
"All the more reason we need to strike with everything we have!" General Gendai yelled having clearly place little value in the other General council.
"Have you ever fought a war in the winter General?" Seishi called out from the corner he was standing in."And before you answer I mean a real war. Not some war game or training drill you conducted on your own terms."
General Gendai was taken aback by the Paladin's accusation. He wasn't about to let a mere Field Grade officer call his service into question, "I'll have you know, Colonel, that we have manage to maintain an unprecedented level or peace in Hyrule since the Kasuto Rebellion several decades ago."
Seishi could barely hide his amusement at the Major Generals desperate attempt at clinging to his pride, "So no, you haven't. So I'm guessing aside from Phoenix and myself no one in this room as ever fought a war in the winter. In fact I'm willing to bet the only other person in the entire Hylian army with any experience in the matter is General Darrel. Well allow me to enlighten you General. I once spent 7 years fighting a nonstop war and each year our force lost a tenth of its men to cold, hunger and illness and that's without a major engagement. Hell there was a time during that war things were so bad I couldn't find enough food for myself, and that's when he only person higher ranking then me was Phoenix. The thing is though, General, as bad as those seven years were I'd take them over my first war any day. You see I fought my first war as a solder, a war that was started because of a drought. We started that war without enough to eat and when winter came it decimated our forces. To this day I wonder if I would have survived it if it wasn't for my name. The thing is, the problems didn't end with the winter. We were so desperate that the second the winter broke we did exactly what you're suggesting now. The entire 2nd Army Group marched against Lake Hylia. Bare and mind we only had two armies back then. The Zora and Gerudo ambushed us and killed all but myself and a single small platoon my aunt commanded. We lost half of our forces in a single battle. That was a gamble of desperation though, are you sure you want to do the same for the sake of your ego?"
Gendai's face turned to a fierce shade of red, “How dare you! Don’t think that just because you have Lord Phoenix’s favor you may speak out of turn here Colonel. Who do you think you are that you can question the judgment and intentions of your superiors?!”
“Enough.” General Blade demanded. “Gendai everyone in this meeting is here because I want them here. So who do you think you are to question my judgment and intentions?” The room fell silent as the Commander of the Hylian Army laid down the law. “Now that that’s settled what Diaboli said is correct, we can’t very well let the Twili march strait through Lanayru unopposed. So, does anyone have anyone how to repel them aside from marching in force?”
“We could use the ice as a trap,” the meek but cleaver Brigadier General Genio finally spoke up. “The forces present could lure them onto the lake bed, break the ice, and drown most of their forces. Those who manage to swim out would at the mercy of our archers. As a bit of a bonus I believe that should sink all of their golems.”
For a brief moment every seemed to like the plan but Koseki had to bring up the fatal flaw, “That plan hinges on being able to break the ice. The lake remained froze though the summer and autumn. I have my downs while be able to breaking with mere bombs and wedges. Though at the very least luring them onto the ice isn’t a bad idea. They’ll be in the open and on poor footing leaving them open to spells, catapults and arrows. It may even the numbers. Slightly.”
Genio nodded in acknowledge having already realized the problem, “Right, I’m sure we’ve all suspected it was one of those primordial mages. We have several of those on our own side correct. I believe Lord Phoenix and Colonel Ma handle them.”
Seishi let out a dispassioned sigh, “Well that was a good theory. Hell I’m damn sure I know exactly who’s responsible for freezing that lake. We have Light Magic users; we have Forest Magic, Ice Magic users, Spirit and Shadow Magic users. We have all kinds of psychics, white mages, people who can use binding spells and a guy who can summon the moon and the stars. What we lack is a single damn fire mage. The best we have are the single use fireball scrolls issues to all of the Special Forces troops. Those won’t be power enough though.”
“You know,” Phoenix spoke finally breaking the silence he’d hell all meeting, “that’s not entirely true. There is one fire mage around who may be able melt that ice.”
Seishi looked at Phoenix like was crazy, “Kinslayer!? He’s not exactly on our side.”
“He’s not exactly on the Twili’s side either. It may take some manipulation but if we can engage him in a battle over the lake we may be able to undo Taden’s handy work. Though I suppose that’s not something we can rely on for this battle. I do have something that may be of use, however. A new weapon meant for our ships but I think we may be able load the prototype are large cart. If you’ll excuse me,” the old warrior left to make arrangements for his plan.
“Well then, that’s that.” General Blade said somewhat disappointed. “Koseki I want you to take command of this operation. What forces can you muster?”
Koseki was quick the answer having already formed a plan even while he was arguing against the whole operation, “I have a single battalion that can mobilize within the hour. I can have another two mobilized by nightfall to provide reinforcements. Additionally I can keep them supplied for exactly 24 hours, if I can’t win this battle by then start reinforcing our defenses here.”
“I’ll have my adjutant brief you on those new weapons,” Admiral Starboard said, “That as side if that matter is settled there is one other thing that bares mention here.” The Admiral pauses slightly to wait for Blade acknowledgement, “Right, this morning I received a report for one of our patrol ships. Two days ago they spotted a mass of Twili ships on their way to reinforce their numbers here. Worse it seems they were escorted by what the ship’s captain described as some form of dragon. Sorry he couldn’t get a good look. Gentleman as it stands the Twili control every port in southern and western Hyrule. We do not have enough ships to blockade all of them, and I can’t bombard any of them while our people are still living by in them. I’ve already begun coordinating with Lord Phoenix before this meeting to remedy this problem but I cannot guarantee success. Generals, Colonel, we may soon find ourselves quiet outnumbered.”
Staging area overlook, One hour later
Seishi looked out as Koseki’s vanguard started their march towards Lake Hylia. The tap of Phoenix’s cane as he approached drew the Paladin from his silent contemplation, “It’s a forlorn hope, you know that right? We’re sacrificing most of these men,” He said with turning his gaze from the departing soldiers. “Its war I know and we don’t have a choice but… Well I guess it wouldn’t bother me so much if most of our officers didn’t have their head so far up there ass. They’re still trying to march against them with columns of pike-men and infantry hoping to pushes our numbers against there. A tried and true tactic from when our enemy was just as fleshy as us. With these damned Golems though. Our column breaks their column, they lose more forces then us and it looks like we one. Until the next day when the just rebuild half of their losses and we can only bury ours. It’s funny; this whole thing is making me miss Masa. She’d just dissolve all those damn things.”
Phoenix slowly sat down on a nearby bench as he point towards two large iron cylinders being hauled on wheeled pallets by a number of Gorons, horses and larger Hylians. “Well that’s why I had those made. They’re called cannons, I got the design last time I visited Termina. They use a bomb to launch a large iron ball at high speeds. It works a bit like your True Blade but a bit slower and with blunt force. They have numbers and magics we can’t comprehend, but at the very least we have technology now.”
“Well that’s something I guess.” Seishi fell silent but began anxiously tapping his finger on the railing. After stewing for a moment he finally asked the question Phoenix had been expecting. “Why am I not going? My men and I can easily flank the Twili and decimate their formation. I might even be able to crack that ice. Hell I’m sure I could do it if I can get the Sword of Light back from Ayala.”
Phoenix sighed heavily knowing full well how his old friend would react to the answer, “Darrel and Jaden will be taking on that role. General Blade has order you to remain here. He asked me to be the one to inform you since I’m the only one you’ll listen too.”
Seishi expectedly incised, “You’re the only one I’ll listen to because you’re the only one I report to. The Special Forces are separate from his command, just like the Shiekah, Navy, the Light Warriors and that damned Black Ops unit of yours. Since when does Blade get a say in want I do?”
“Since now. Polaris and Kae are still missing, we can’t exactly give orders to Chamder, I can only transform into my true for a few more times before this body gives out and I’m stuck that way, and worst of all, your wife just told me Ithan Chiaria is dead. As it stands you are the only reliable heavy hitter we have and Blade asked they you be placed under his command to defend the base.” Seishi was about to speak in protest but Phoenix stopped him before he could utter a word. “You still command the Special Forces still be directly under my in that capacity. It’s just now you’re also reporting the General Blade as commander of the Garrison. On the bright side this means after all these years you’ll get to whip the guard into shape.”
Seishi tried to hide the slight smirk that last comment gave him as he still had some problems with the new arrangement. “So while I’m suck building a defense, the unit of elite offensive soldiers I just spent the last six months training are just gonna sit on their asses.”
“Obviously not,” Phoenix said as if Seishi should have already figure out the situation. “You heard the Admiral’s brief didn’t you? Your men are part of the plan we came out with. You’ll send two platoons to South Port in Ordon to destroy the Twili shore defenses and evacuate the population so our ships can bombard the Twili’s fortification. You need to time this with the Lake assault though. I hoping one will provide a distraction for the other.”
“Great two platoons, exactly the amount of fully trained soldiers I can spare at the moment, if you count the ones in the forest. Except for the fact that I only have one other officer.” Seishi said as his anger fully subsided into minor annoyance.
Phoenix pulled out two pieces of paper and handed them to Seishi, “Now you have three. Just fill in the names on those commission papers and you’ll have two new 2nd Lieutenants, one for each platoon. And since Dren is a Captain now he can command the overall mission.”
“Well Ront probably the best choice assuming Dren can get him motivated. As for the second…” Seishi flipped to the second document and shot Phoenix an icy stare. “This one’s already filled out.”
“Politics,” Phoenix apologized, “merit promotions of commoners are still a trick issues so the second one had to be someone with noble blood. You only have two right now and re-promoting Crim Ridden is still a problem so that just leaves Ayala.”
“She’s not ready for it.” Seishi said in an emotionless tone.
“She’s ready enough,” Pheonix replied. “At least as much as anyone is. She’ll learn what she still needs to from her superiors and her Senior NCOs just like every other lieutenant. Of course that’s not really the problem here is it? You want to shield her from the harsher decisions officers have to make.”
Seishi glared back at Phoenix without saying a word. He didn’t want to admit it but his old friend had hit the nail on that head.
Phoenix sighed, “She’s not a child anymore Seishi, you and Senshi stop pretending she is. Besides this will be a good chance for her to grow.”
Both remained silent for a moment just long enough to become uncomfortable. Phoenix had made his point and had nothing else to say while Seishi had nothing he could say in response. Eventually Seishi changed the subject, though not to a happier matter, “So Ithan’s really dead?”
“That seems to be the case. Laynnei didn’t tell you?” Phoenix asked.
“She would have told me later. Right now she knows I’ve got other things on my mind.” He paused for a moment to once again look out at the mass of solders heading marching towards a battle he feared few would survive. “Damn, I was still holding out hope that he’d show up at some point and help turn the tide. Kinda like last time things got this bad. Then again, I guess we did lose that war.”
“No we won,” Phoenix quickly corrected, “the army and the light warriors were defeated but we held out long enough for our ace in the hole to arrive. Ganondorf army was all but destroyed at the point; we just needed those to kids for the final blow.”
“I guess that true,” Seishi replied though Phoenix’s words did little to lighten the mood. “Still, I can’t help but wish the others were still around. You, Chamder, Kokage, and me are the only ones left. The original Light Warriors are all fading away.”
===Isaac Telmar, Hyrule Castle Cathedral, Day One===
”Your rebirth will not be ended this day shadow... As ironic as it sounds, you have the Kinslayer to thank for that.” Polaris spat, before turning his attention back to Isaac. ”Take me to The Sword of the Sunrise, before I change my mind and decide to take this ones head.”
What had begun as a gambit, a roll of the dice afforded him by purest and most remarkable chance, yielded what Isaac could only label a success. And an opportunity. The eyes that stared back at him--dark, aquatic eyes--were not full of the self-righteous gleam of the delusion of honor. No, that was gone from the marine countenance, replaced by a look of wild madness bending toward murderous intent. It was a look that Isaac knew only too well.
As Polaris glanced past him, over to the shade-swathed figure lurking somewhere at Isaac's back, he could still feel the pulse in his cheek. The chaotic sickness rolled over him in waves, from before and behind alike. It still clung to the blood-smeared scales of the Red Ice General. The Warp. Polaris too must have come hence, perhaps simultaneous with the other, the unmoving, silent pit of darkness sharing with them the cathedral's dais. The realization placed the Zora warrior's mania in much needed and invaluable context.
He drew the charred-black haft of his glaive from Polaris' path. The Zora twitched, suddenly bereft of the barrier holding him from his quarry, but did not move to resume his assault.
"I know precisely where to find Mytura," Isaac replied. For a moment his gaze too shifted past the other to the titanic armored behemoth encased within sheets of red ice to Polaris' back. "And I suspect we should leave soon. Red ice is tough stuff, but I'm not sure even that will hold our friend there for long."
He ushered Polaris down the steps of the dais and found it surprising that the Red Ice General did nothing to resist. If provenance could be said to exist at all, and Isaac had never been a fan of the notion, then truly it had thrown its support behind him this day. He took two steps down, then paused for a moment to glance, for only the merest instant, back over his shoulder at the immobile, almost unyielding darkness now looming above.
I know who you are, he all but purred, sending the thought in a single, point-to-point telepathic burst. Shinigami stood in attendance, after all, and he had no interest in being overheard. I'll take this one off your hands for now, but know that you and I have business I intend to discuss in the near future.
And then he was down the last steps, wondering if the darkness would intercede, but suspecting it would not. Unpredictable a creature as she was, he doubted their goals were wholly at cross-purposes at so early a juncture. Instead, he followed Polaris down the center aisle between the pews, remembering to send the second private telepathic burst just as the Red Ice General cleared the final row.
Through the hole, where no door stood, came a flood of pallid, cadaverous bodies waiving emaciated limbs somehow still possessed of a surprising strength. Twenty strong, they surged through the threshold and toward Polaris and, soon enough, toward Shinigami himself, who lurked off to one side. Isaac, acting quickly, snagged Polaris by one arm and jerked him back a step, just enough for him to throw one hand out before him to unleash vicious gouts of flame into the tightly-gathered pack. He almost recoiled from himself, from his own power, when the conflagration flew forth a sickly reddish-violet, and spread through the mass of desiccated flesh with an almost virulent ferocity that swallowed corpses whole, even leaped across intervening paces to set fire to the nearest others.
He turned to meet Polaris' eyes, blinking in genuine surprise at what he'd summoned. A moment later, he looked to Shinigami.
"Looks like I've cleared the way for us," he said. Only then did he hear the click-clack of hundreds of bone on bone impacts further on. "We all better be moving on. You're a necromancer, Shinigami, what say you put those talents to good use?"
===Senshi, Hyrule Castle, Day One===
The situation had become so ridiculous Senshi couldn’t tell whether it was tragic or some form of divine comedy. The deaths of Harken and all the able bodied survivors were horrible enough, but Pepperwhistle abandoning everyone and Taur being free; in a place like this these were the makings of a realm true despair. On the other hand Polaris had returned to them, though he was apparently off balanced enough to except an offer of friendship from Kinslayer of all people.
The absurdity of the situation didn’t come from Kinslayer’s offer or aid or Polaris’ acceptances of it; it has how casually Kinslayer assumed Senshi would be willing to play along. That the Pyro-philic Pit Fighter would just assume the one Light Warrior he knew had experience in playing the other side would except such a thing with open arms was downright humorous. Senshi expected this kind of thing from Taden, but for Kinslayer this was a new trick.
"We all better be moving on. You're a necromancer, Shinigami, what say you put those talents to good use?" Kinslayer said with absolute certainty in Senshi’s compliance, though such a thing was far from reality.
“Who is this ‘we’ you’re referring to Kinslayer,” Senshi replied showing now concern for the approaching undead. “I don’t know why Eridanus trusts you all the sudden but I sure as hell don’t. I also don’t see why would need your help to find Mytura. I know the way to him as well and unlike you I can navigate the forest without Tsukiakari attacking me.”
Senshi slowing reached for the Shadow Shard in his pouch making sure the other couldn’t tell if he was doing so with the intent in fighting Telmar or the approaching skeletons he’d thus far ignored. “On the other hand, trying to fight you here over the matter would be pointless. I think we could both agree we’d just waist our time and energy only to end in a stalemate. So here’s the deal, there are several refugee’s still stuck living in the castle. I’m sure you figure out by now that I’ve been trying to help keep them alive these past few months but I haven’t been able to secure an escape route. Well thanks to whatever lead to the pile of corpses were standing in right now it seems they’re out of time. You help me get these people out of the castle and I’ll pretend to trust you long enough to get us to Mytura’s camp. I’ll even help you get through the wood unmolested.”
Senshi quickly spun around, forming his scythe and slamming hit but into the ground. A wave of purple magic surged through the floor locking the undead hoard’s legs in place seconds before they were about to pounce. “Do we have a deal?”
===Umbra, Day One, Hyrule Castle===
Shadows coalesced. Well, they were more than shadows, really. A half-darkness of True Twilight. She inhaled the sickly air of Hyrule, tainted as it was by the Goddesses who were once worshiped in this foul cathedral. Only the duskblooded gore that smattered the walls and ceilings gave it any bare semblance of acceptability. That, and the sweet stench of Polaris Eridanus mingled with the spicy subtle odour of Isaac Telmar. How wonderful that marked man was present to see her birth into this realm.
Oh, and what festivities they had, too! Fireworks and the threat of the bloodshed. How this place had so fallen apart since Maydni's invasion. The chaos was tangible, and delicious. And dear old Kinslayer was so kind in his thoughts.
I know who you are. I'll take this one off your hands for now, but know that you and I have business I intend to discuss in the near future.
Umbra chuckled lowly to herself. How coy.
"Kinslayer. Kingslayer. Manslayer. Bondslayer. Demonslayer, perhaps one day. Dreamslayer."
She strode forward, following the trio as they began to depart.
"I know you. You were marked for me, as another marked you. Do you really think such oaths can be abandoned so lightly?" Her hand lifted to caress her cheek, in the same spot where Isaac's was marked by a swarthy palm. She could feel the pulse of his blood in her own cheek. Such luscious blood, so fiery. That mere glimpse of the raging inferno coiled within him was enough to make her quiver. But not enough to distract her. She wiped her hand from her cheek, and the mark on Isaac's face began to fade.
"A blessing can be revoked, my dearest. Or it can turn to a curse." She slipped past Polaris, giving him a flirtatious smirk as she brushed across his body. Funny, that. The General's rage burned hotter than anything Isaac held in him at the moment. His makhaira's lifted, but a quick tisk and wag of the finger held him from action. Visions of madness rolled through his mind, a reminder of his time spent with her that left him momentarily paralyzed. She turned back to Isaac, hand raised without a threat toward him.
"You need me more than I need you, Isaac Telmar. But what luck. Despite not needing you, I want you. Polaris... well, take him off my hands, if that's what you call it. You'll come back for me. I'm not the jealous type, not when it comes to something I know I already own. You'll come back to me. You'll have to."
Her hand slid lovingly over his cheek, returning the Duskmark to full bloom.
"Hell," she said with a laugh, "I'd come with you, and what fun we'd have. But I don't think your new friends would much approve of little old me." She leaned to his ear, whispering closely, "Too biased and bigoted."
Than Umbra retreated from the pyromancer, casting a glance at Shinigami. "Though you could benefit so much from my help, sweetling. Just as this one did." She smiled sweetly at Isaac before returning her attention to the troubled young man. "Tell me, Shadowcaster, that you wouldn't like supreme mastery over darkness.
"Oh, and how is your little friend, Misha? Or, no, is it Mikhail at the moment?"
===Senshi, Hyrule Castle, Day One===
That being he had sense before had finally started to make its move. At the moment it wasn’t acting overtly hostile but was instead more inclined to try and seduce or taunt them. He was more concerned with how it knew them all so well. Senshi wanted to just chalk it up to hit being a mind read since he no longer had a defense against such a thing but it was far too familiar with Kinslayer while at the same time reading Senshi completely wrong.
The creature turned its attention to Senshi one it was done toying with the others, “though you could benefit so much from my help, sweetling. Just as this one did. Tell me, Shadowcaster, that you wouldn't like supreme mastery over darkness. Oh, and how is your little friend, Misha? Or, no, is it Mikhail at the moment?"
“No, I really don’t,” Senshi replied as he raised his hand causing all the pews in the Cathedral to rise into the air. “Oh and Misha fine, thanks you asking.” He clucked his fist tight and all of the heavy wooded church benches suddenly flew at Umbra with the full force of Senshi’s telekinetic might.
The problem seemingly dealt with for the moment Senshi turned back to the others, “Now, can we go?”
===Polaris Eridanus, Hyrule Castle Cathedral, First Day​===
So, the shadow speaks.
Polaris glared from her to Senshi and Isaac and back and found himself annoyed as they walked, yet he struggled to focus. To remain master of the silence, and not to saw her dusk blighted face off with a jagged piece of rock.
When finally the trio found themselves at the doorway Polaris was breathing heavily, but they were almost clear of the cathedral. A few more steps and they’d be on their way. Moving was good. It kept his mind active and alert and drew the focus away from the silence. He was still master of the silence, but a storm raged in his subconscious.
Polaris was so focused on not killing everyone in the room that, Senshi halted the progress of yet another gaggle of those just left of deceased and presented his offer once more before he’d even noticed they’d stopped moving forward
“Do we have a deal?”
However, before either Polaris or Isaac had a chance to respond, that bitch chimed in again. The saccharine soaked simpering was starting to wear thin on his nerves. Polaris could feel himself losing his grip, the silence was mastering him. It was deafening. Without realizing what he was doing, a thin layer of hoarfrost began to spider out from where he stood, climbing up and over crumbled stone and slithering up blackened walls.
And then Senshi flung a row of pews at the scintillatingly shadowed whench and Polaris smirked. He always liked Shinigami.
“Now, can we go?”
A bolt of crimson lightning shot down from on high, striking Polaris’ drawn blades. He didn’t remember pulling the makhaira from their sheaths again. The lightning hissed and crackled as it snaked its way around his body before leaping from his blades and striking the center of the undead horde immobilized before them, outright disintegrating the majority of them and leaving the rest useless.
”Well, I don’t see why not. Please. Lead the way.”
===Davus, The Mental Landscape of Eridanus===
There was no tiring of Polaris dream death. For Davus that would never cease to bring pleasure. It seemed, most beneficially, that Polaris had even developed a strange stockholm syndrome, mixed with symbiotic elements. He had actually acquired a tiny bit of what defined Davus. Powers and attitude.
Polaris use of the lightning was fascinating to Davus. He felt a strange a sense of pride, seeing the almost feral Zora compose himself and then call upon the heavens.
Soon, Davus would have a possible way out of Polaris’ mind. He could sense it. Now that they were back in the realm of Hyrule, it meant reaching Ratnis would be that much simpler. Davus simply had to hope that his master had completed enough of his plan to be able to escape prison.
He could sense Ratnis though. A small fragment of him, though it did not contain a unique persona like Davus. And it had inferior powers, though still lightning based. Ratnis must have found a body, perhaps the corpse of the man that was once Davus’ brother, Sirius.
Davus had not been paying attention to the details of what Polaris was seeing, since inhabiting his mind at such a high level might catch the Zora’s attention, and even Davus didn’t know what that might mean. He decided to focus in anyway, and caught the last bit of what Polaris was saying.
”Well, I don’t see why not. Please. Lead the way.”
(“Kill.”) Davus sent the message rattling throughout Polaris mind. The Zora might resist it, or he might not. He didn’t know. (“Kill, and escape this place. Seek the darkness.”) Davus opened himself completely to Polaris mind. The red general would know in an instant what was happening, and would likely report it to his allies. He needed to push him away in the chaos. Davus linked his mind, letting Polaris also sense the distant presence of Ratnis, hoping it would draw the attention of the Zora.
===Morton, En Route to HCT, Afternoon 1===
Morton felt it. Davus had reached out to him. He had to be relatively close for that to be possible. The lightning mage knew he was here. He seemed muffled, trapped. It was the Zora, without question. Ratnis knew. When Polaris had killed Davus so many centuries ago, his soul was cleaved in two. One half was retrieved by Ratnis, carefully preserved and used to hatch a new version of Davus. But the second half had remained with Polaris, somehow self regenerating, effectively resurrecting Davus Fulmen.
Finding Davus meant Morton would have the strength to reclaim all of Ratnis, all of himself. Then he could cast aside this body, stop calling himself Morton, and destroy Sirius. Then the real work would begin.
(“I’m not all for this plan.”) Sirius telepathic voice said, reading Morton’s thoughts with ease. (“You see, that’s MY body, as we have discussed before. I will be needing it back very soon. We both know that your full form doesn’t require a vessel to possess.”)
“Correct.” Morton muttered. “Neither I nor Davus truly need vessels, though Davus likely does not realize this yet.”
===Isaac Telmar, Hyrule Castle Cathedral, Day One===
"You need me more than I need you, Isaac Telmar. But what luck. Despite not needing you, I want you. Polaris... well, take him off my hands, if that's what you call it. You'll come back for me. I'm not the jealous type, not when it comes to something I know I already own. You'll come back to me. You'll have to."
Her hand slid lovingly over his cheek, returning the Duskmark to full bloom.
"Hell," she said with a laugh, "I'd come with you, and what fun we'd have. But I don't think your new friends would much approve of little old me." She leaned to his ear, whispering closely, "Too biased and bigoted."
We'd paint this whole city red, sweet-cheeks. The two of us would waste this whole blighted land in fire and darkness. Alas, our time will have to wait for now.
Isaac could spend little more time on this business. The wasted, exsanguinous dead were naught but ash, and Isaac could do little but look on as the two ancient Light Warriors made moves of their own.
“Now, can we go?”
Between them, Senshi and Polaris simultaneously immobilized and obliterated the skeletal dead that were fast approaching.
"Well, I don’t see why not. Please. Lead the way."
Isaac complied, taking several deliberate steps back out into the open, out of the cathedral, over the rubble of the collapsed wall.
"You got it, General," Isaac replied without another glance toward Shinigami. The necromancer didn't trust him, and who could blame him for that? "Not that the denizens here have been much of a hindrance, but I've found it expedient to come in and out through the sewers. I'll take us out that way." He directed this time a pointed glance in Shinigami's direction. "I'm not asking you to trust me, Shinigami. We're about six hundred years too late to un-ring that particular bell, but I'm not trying to double-cross you either. The situation... it's complicated, but if you're willing to play along until we have time for explanations, I'll do the same."
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and headed back out the way he'd come. He knew somewhere ahead there would be more ravenous hordes of the undead lurking in every dark crevasse and dimly lit corner. A part of him welcomed the distraction, but another part wondered at the cost.
Kill.
He stopped short, swiveled on one heel and came face to face with Polaris. This time, Isaac didn't just note the madness in the Zora's eyes, he probed into it. Without permission, he lacked the psychic strength to delve into another strong mind, even one as fractured as the Red Ice General's, but he knew what he'd heard. What he felt.
He felt power, of an all too familiar sort. The question... was how? And given all of the strange circumstances surrounding his abilities of late, could Isaac even trust his intuitions?
"Come on..." he murmured, turning back to the road ahead as it passed through broken outer walls and descended into the ruined city anon. He would give no sign now of what he'd felt. He needed time. Time to know. "We'll be good to go, as soon as we find sewer access."
===Senshi, Hyrule Castle, Day 1===
With the numerous distractions finally been dealt with Kinslayer claimed he was willing to play ball, "I'm not asking you to trust me, Shinigami. We're about six hundred years too late to un-ring that particular bell, but I'm not trying to double-cross you either. The situation... it's complicated, but if you're willing to play along until we have time for explanations, I'll do the same."
Kinslayer’s comment amused Senshi but he made sure to hide his smirk behind his mantels collar. What the fire mage didn’t realize was that despite his past allegiances and violent demeanor he was still far more trust worth than the kind of people he’d been helping with the castle refugees so far. Of course Senshi wasn’t about to tell him as much, but he knew Telmar needed some kind of response, “Kinslayer I think throughout history I’ve more than shown myself to be the one Light Warrior who understands the ends justify the means. Who I have to ally myself with is irrelevant as long as I can help the people I’m out to protect.”
The trio slogged there way though the abhorrent gauntlet that the haunted roads of castle town had turned into as they traveled to refugee camp. The trek was made all the more painful by the desperate need to minimize combat for the sake of not drawing attention to their destination as well as Senshi unwillingness to play the Sun Song and reveal his secret possession to the still untrustable Kinslayer.
Upon finally returning to camp the inhabitants that still had the energy to notice were a bit alarmed to see Senshi return with two strangers but without the raid party. The old man that was in charge in Harken’s absence was approached the group, “What’s going on, where’s Harken, who are these people?”
“The raid was a failure, Zeiss is dead. So is just about everyone else. Dagnir’s alive but Pepperwhistle lost control of him and I’m positive that will only make the situation here worse. As for Pepperwhistle, I’m not sure he might be on his way back here or he might have run off. Either way get everyone to pack up whatever they carry, these two are going to help get you all out of here,” Senshi quickly explained, though likely to fast for the old man to have time to process any of it.
Senshi had quickly scanned the area while he waited for the man’s mind to catch up to his ears and became concerned with what he didn’t see, “where the hell is Mikhail?”
“Who?” the man asked completely overwhelmed at this point.
“The medic kid I left here, where is he!?” Senshi yelled barely able to contain his panic.
The old man stumbled to pull his thoughts together, “Oh yeah, he started talking to himself then ran off. It was kind of weird.”
“What do you mean he ran off!? Wait,” Senshi suddenly realized that the old man probably had actually overheard Misha’s two personalities talking to each other. “Tell me what was he talking about?”
“I don’t know stories his grandfather told him or something,” the confused man answered. “No wait, books and I think something about elements. By the way I think the boy might actually be a girl.”
Senshi ignored the additional comment once he’d figured where Misha had run off to. “You get these people out of here. I’ll catch up as soon as I can.” Senshi started to run off but quickly shouted back one last thing before disappearing into the tunnels, “and don’t kill anyone that isn’t already dead!”
===Senshi, Hyrule Castle Library, Day 1===
The Castle Library, once a reservoir of knowledge that had been collected through all of the kingdoms history, was now a decapitated ruin. Most the books had been torn apart or set a blaze by a massive bolder that had been catapulted into the chamber during the battle six months ago. Just one random shot had destroyed centuries of knowledge that may never be recovered. Now the room held little but a few shambling undead and a few decaying bodies that were too mangled to have been reanimated.
Not everything was lost however. There was another chamber to the library, one behind reinforced wall and sealed with a secret door. Behind it was hidden all that which deemed "unsuitable" for the population to know about out. Forbidden forms of magic, historical transcripts of Hyrule of the darker actions taken in war, records of primordial wizards of great power and the fewer who could stand up to them, even some legends that may lead those who would look to closely to the means of destroying society. Only a few people were allowed to know the room existed such as the King, the Sheikah Chieftan, The Grand Librarian, Phoenix, and of course the Hylian Black ops that had filled it.
Now that secret chamber that had been six months undisturbed was slowly filling with redeads. A girl who'd been paying in there from a very young age as her adoptive grandfather worked had returned and in the rush of emotional memories neglected to seal herself in. The girl thumbed through the pages searching for a vague memory. A memory of a story her grandfather use to read to her, one that seemed critical that she recalled. However the focus she need to process the ancient text prevented her from noticing the looming threat that approached. 
It was the blood curdling screech that finally alerted her to the zombie’s presence but at that point it was too late. The Redead's gaze had paralyzed her leaving her helpless to stop the undead horde from slowing rending body it’s an unrecognizable pile of meat and blood. She struggled to move, far too stubborn to give up the vain hope that at the last second but deep down she could only curse herself for her foolish mistake. She teetered back and forth between struggling to survive and resignation of her fate until finally, as if a miracle; she was able to move again. She quickly drew a dagger and spun around to combat her attackers before quickly pausing once she saw there was no need. The redead had all been frozen in place and covered with a pale white hue. In her paralyzed state she must note had heard the song but now she could clearly the man in the door way with his blue ocarina.
"Just what the hell were you thinking!?" Senshi yelled has he used his telekinesis to throw the redeads out of the room and force the chamber shut. "I said help the refugees not run off to find a book!"
Misha was still too much in shock to reply. In fact just standing was proving to be a challenge as all the girl could do in response was stumble backwards until falling back unto a bookshelf and slowly sliding to the floor.
Senshi picked up the book she had been reading to see what this whole escapade was about, "The Grey Warriors, by Citrine Ten. This is why you ran off and nearly got yourself eaten?"
The girl tried her best to explain the books importance while still completely numb, "Mikhail made me remember it. He just needed me to get us here and find the book then he could read it, but we had trouble switching back and, and..." The numbness slowly gave way to tears as the pain she'd been bottling up all these months had finally been set free, "my grandfather use to read that to me when ever he'd take a break for his work in here. It was the one book here with stories of heroes that were form so long ago that it was ok for me to know about. There was this one woman who was a street rat and an orphan just like me but she ended being a great hero and a secret agent. She even had a team of other outcasts and orphans and they all helped save Hyrule. She... she even turned into a beautiful Angel once I think, I don't remember. I'm having trouble remembering anything."
That last part caught Senshi's attention. He finally understood what this was about but decided to let Misha finish, "I don't know what, but I remember something. I remember that there's something important in that book. Something you'd want to know, if I could just remember it."
Senshi reached out his hand to help Misha up and even though he already knew she was in tears it was when she finally looked up at him with the soaked face that he's suddenly realized something important. It was only ever Mikhail that showed emotion, it was only ever Mikhail that was willing to tell him things like this, but right now this was Misha was talking to. Maybe there was a chance of healing her after all. "Come on kid, let’s get out of here."
==Their Demons==
===Morton, HCT Outer Edge, Later Afternoon to Early Evening 1===
Morton pushed through the rubble of Hyrule Castle Town, cursing to himself all the while, furious with the endless chatter of Sirius.
(“And then I went to the store, but they were out of ember seed synthetics, so I had to go across town. And then across town I of course ran into someone named - get this - Bob. Like who the hell is named Bob? It’s ridiculous. By the way, your assumed name of Morton Waypost means Dead Sign. Way to be obvious. Also I think you’re an idiot for taking on a new name just because you are possessing a corpse. Just complicates things.”)
“Would you shut up!” Morton shouted the words, realizing that he was so loud that anyone in the general vicinity of castle town would have heard. Especially the nearby encampment that was decidedly not of Twili origin. He hadn’t found the Twili as hoped, but he had found his new target, Polaris Eridanus, who now resided in the camp.
The homing signal that Morton felt was stronger than ever. Davus Fulmen’s spirit was locked inside Polaris Eridanus’ body, just like how Ratnis spirit now resided in Sirius Fulmaren’s body. Totally not confusing.
(“Yeah, definitely not confusing.”) Sirius commented.
As Morton closed the distance, he saw a familiar looking figure running off into the tunnels. Senshi. He’d get a chance to talk with that particular fool later. Morton decided the best approach was the direct one.
“Polaris Eridanus, show yourself!” Morton shouted in the general direction of the camp.
(“Surprise!”) The lunar notebook emerged from Morton’s robes, slamming itself against his face with a strange and powerful adhesive. (“I’m not letting this go your way so easily! I want my body back, and this little piece of Ratnis is going bye bye.”)
Morton began to convulse, most likely looking absurd to any observers. After all, it’s hard to take a man in robes with a book on his face very seriously. Especially one having an active conversation with that book. After mere seconds, a black cloud of gas was ejected from his body, in such a way to look as if he had eaten a rough meal the night before.
A cloud of dark matter hovered just to the left of the convulsing Morton, and the lunar notebook sat upon the ground. Morton stopped shaking after a few moments, long enough for the residents of the camp to finally react. The first to step forward, naturally, was Polaris.
“Sirius.” He said in a single word. He recognized the body of Morton as Sirius, since they were one and the same. Morton was no longer Morton. With the dark demon expelled from his body, he was once again Sirius Fulmaren in mind, body, and soul.
“Yes, Hello. One moment please.” The body that had moments before referred to itself as Morton picked up the dusty notebook and looked at the dark cloud to his left. “So this-” He pointed to the cloud. “Is a concentrated cloud of demonic evil. I just exorcised it from this body, and returned my own mind to it. So I’m now once again in control of my own body.” Sirius paused. “Are you getting all this?” He asked with a deranged smile. Polaris didn’t seem amused.
The cloud of dark matter spoke with a disembodied voice.
“You have not defeated me yet, Sirius. My true form waits to be freed, waits to feed on your soul and consume it fully. No more tricks, no more hiding in books. This piece of me will scatter onto the wind soon, but there is another piece of me that is much stronger, capable of sustaining itself without a body. Ask the Zora, he knows.” The dark cloud, otherwise known as Ratnis of the Ma, referred to the spirit of Davus Fulmen, as it resided inside Polaris. Sirius was successful in stealing his own body back, but the battle was not yet won, not completely.
To pretty much anyone but Polaris, the entire scene would have been a confusing mess of voices, bodies, and declarations of evil. Even Sirius was growing tired of the complexity.
“I’m really getting tired of this complexity.” Sirius said. Polaris cocked his head to the side, looking ready to speak. But fate took its turn first, freezing the Zora’s body in place as it too began to spew darkness, this time from the mouth instead of elsewhere.
Lightning began to strike the earth from literally no point of origin. Clouds swirled around Polaris himself, and the ancient foreboding laugh of Davus Fulmen the thunder mage shook the land.
“Shit shit shit shit.” Sirius muttered. He ran up to Polaris, picked up the Lunar notebook, and smacked the Zora in the face with it. Polaris briefly looked as if he was expecting something to happen, but nothing did aside from continued lightning. “That….was never going to work anyway, not sure why I thought it would.” Sirius backed away from Polaris and smiled. “Uh, so that dark cloud proclaiming that Davus was free to leave your body, he was completely right about that." Sirius backed off and Polaris seemed to regain control of his body.
The lightning focused into a single massive strike, leaving in its wake a humanoid. Davus Fulmen had escaped Polaris' body and now stood free. Though he took humanoid form, he was capable of changing back at any time. A deadly force to be reckoned with.
===Polaris Eridanus, Outskirts of Hyrule Castle Town, Evening of the First===
”Sirius.”
Polaris, Isaac and few of the camps inhabitants had rushed to find and silence whatever the commotion was. Noise brought attention in a place like this. Attention in place like this brought death. What Polaris did NOT expect happen upon was the seizing body of his sometime friend, sometime enemy and eternally linked cohort.
As he gained his feet, Sirius ranted about evil demon clouds and the like, usual Fulmaren fare really. When the voice issued forth from the as yet unnoticed black cloud, that’s when Polaris’ skin prickled. Something in that voice resonated with him and also WITHIN him. Polaris had been warring with the storm for some time now. Knowing that he knew and actually acknowledging that he knew what he knew were two different things. Polaris made a birdlike movement, cocking his head jerkily to the side as a thought occurred to him.
There was no chance to elaborate though, as a plague ridden black storm cloud burst forth from Polaris’ gullet. His body was wracked with a searing pain as Davus was extricated and Polaris’ very soul felt like it was being purged. Lightning flashed in the rabid general’s eyes before it flashed and struck the ground before them. Polaris was focused on a singular point in space. All was black and contained within himself and he stayed there for what could have been an eternity, but was really mere seconds. He held posture there until he felt the storm within calm and an icy wind begin to howl. For the first time in a millennium, when he raised his head to look upon he who stood before him, Polaris looked through his eyes alone.
The place stank of sulfur and the air still hummed with static as the electricity began to dissipate. Standing there with living lightning writhing its way around his limbs and torso was Davus Fulmen, his laughter booming across the land.
The remnants of smoke and mist were still swirling as all gathered hung in the moment, the two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity and Polaris steeled himself for battle. Seemingly of its own accord the mist undulated its way to the General, in doing so it tinged crimson. And for one brief moment, Polaris was himself in full.
Drawing Winters Tide, Polaris stepped forward, leveling the named blade with the business end directed at Fulmen, Polaris’ eyes flashed dark and he began to laugh. A raspy, throaty laugh that scraped against the ear like two stones rubbed together. As his laughter melded with that of The Feared, the swirling crimson shot with paisley and the look of the deranged set in once more.
Blade unwaveringly aimed at Fulmen, Polaris looked from Sirius to Isaac and back to Davus, smiling, Polaris raised his free hand and tapped at his temple as he chuckled.
”Getting crowded in there. Hope you enjoyed the Warp as much as I did.”
===Sirius, Castle Town Skirt Shop, Night 1===
Sirius had to wrack his brain to determine what era this Polaris was from. He thought as hard as he could, and for the moment, came up with nothing.
“Well, I tried.” He muttered to himself. He’d just have to act as natural as possible and say yes if Polaris asked him if he remembered anything in particular. Davus on the other hand, he had to be from the Epoch era, given that was when he died.
“Oh wait, so then Polaris must be from that Era too.” Sirius said that a bit louder, catching the confused attention of the warriors around him. “Ignore me!” He waved his hands about, “I’m just an old man that can’t remember things clearly!”
While Sirius wasn’t outright ignored, most attention was squarely on Davus Fulmen, his personality well known to all those present. As was the way of the mad scientist -
“That’s offensive.” Sirius realized he was responding to his own inner monologue and quickly ceased the activity.
As was the way of the mad scientist, Sirius had planned for the return of Davus for centuries, always hoping to try out his heavily theorized lightning in a bottle experiment. It had taken painstaking research, and lots of begging to his dimension hopping wife, Vera, who had at last acquiesced and procured for him some very rare minish based magic from the minish realm, or at least, a minish realm.
“If it pleases the court.” Sirius announced, this time deliberately trying to gain attention from the rest. “I say we shackle this storm, and put it to some better use. I know many of you see me as a villain, but-” Sirius stopped once he noticed all the glares upon him. Villain or friend, his talking was most obviously not welcome. “I will fight alongside anyone here to detain this creature. He is too dangerous to be allowed beyond this encounter.”
Sirius reached inside his pockets, ensuring his trump card was in place. Satisfied, he waited for a response from the group that Davus was to be attacked in unison. He knew that Davus had already been given more than enough time to prepare. Sirius just hoped the number of opponents would be enough.
===Polaris Eridanus, Outskirts of Hyrule Castle Town, First Night===
Polaris chuckled, Sirius and his schemes and concerns for eras and the continuity of things, blade still unwaveringly leveled at the corporeal Fulmen the Feared Polaris addressed Sirius directly.
”Yes, I’m from that era Sirius, but before I went there, I was here. A cruel twist of fate sent me on that journey of enlightenment brother, and yes, you’re as close to that to me as any of my clutch mates were at this point, I traveled through hell and the Dusk Warp to stand back here now.”
The crimson mist that had wound its way around the general all through the conversation began to take on a serpentine form as the head of a crimson dragon, mirroring that of the one on the hilt of Winters Tide, formed in the haze above Polaris’ head.
”I’m really not sure what game you’re playing here Sirius, but I’ll play it.”
The mist dragon reared its head in a silent roar as it bolted forward over Polaris’ head, solidifying into a massive crimson battering ram.
As the frozen dragon fist barreled toward Fulmens chest, Polaris lost hold entirely of his magic and a dusk tinged crimson hoarfrost spread wildly and sporadically across the ground. Places froze over in a completely scattershot pattern as Polaris drew Winters Tide back in a defensive posture as he awaited Davus’ response to his first volley.
===Sirius Fulmaren, Castle Town Outskirts, Night 1===
”I’m really not sure what game you’re playing here Sirius, but I’ll play it.”
Sirius squinted, convinced it helped him think harder. Probably one of his only beliefs that had no real data behind it, aside from anecdotal evidence and the absolutely certainty of an old man.
Polaris had just attacked Davus, and everyone watched as Davus calmly blinked out of existence, rematerializing a few paces away. The ice fist rushed by, and the rest of the battle attendees were left to avoid the collateral waves of hoarfrost spreading across the ground.
“No games today, Eridanus. Only experiments.” Sirius stood still as the waves of frost spread across the ground beside him. “By the way, did you ever hear what happened to your great-great-whatever-grandpa Kaimu?” Sirius grinned. “He’s all about the dragon thing these days, but looking a little bony, I have to say. I think he actually plans to find you. Something about destroying his descendents to help save lives. Could that mean you?” Sirius kept his tone playful but not without force, for the words he spoke were the truth, for once.
Davus waiting this long to let Sirius talk was unusual. The storm mage had relatively easily dodged Polaris’ incoming strike but mysteriously had not taken further action. It didn’t make sense since he would only be doing that if he needed to build up energy for a larger strike against everyone at once.
“Oh.” Sirius barely had time to yell instructions before the storm hit. “Take cover!” Sirius dove behind some rubble, expecting deadly strikes of lightning to soon begin raining down. And indeed his expectations were met with a thunderous explosion, a jet of rocks and debris blew past where Sirius had been standing, and no doubt towards the others as well, though for the moment Sirius could see nothing but the ground and the bomb-like object in his hand.
“This better work.” Sirius touched the mini-bomb to his forehead and then his notebook, before pulling out a tiny piece of it, and throwing it in the center of the battle arena, where the blast radius would engulf both the warriors, and any foolish civilians that were still too close to the action. The bomb flashed very brightly and then vanished, but made no other sound nor seemed to cause any immediate harm. But then, after a few seconds has passed, its effect took hold.
"(RUSH THE THUNDER MAGE!)"
A telepathic command blasted into the minds of everyone present, or so Sirius hoped. He heard it in his own mind, given that the command originated in his mind, but he expected anyone within fifty feet would hear the message, regardless of telepathic ability. The question now was whether the command was strong enough to work, or if it would simply create confusion.
===Isaac Telmar, Hyrule Castle Town Outskirts, Night One===
Rush the Thunder Mage!
The thought was itself thunder in his mind, momentarily blurring his senses. Had Isaac ever been struck, been crushed, by such a powerful psychic command?
He stood some distance away, watching with keen eyes, brushing aside the waves of hoarfrost that threatened to wash over him. Crimson mist hung in the air and lightning crackled in dense black clouds swirling high above.
He who was called Kinslayer had followed all the rest out of the tunnels and back into the fringe street blocks, chasing a sound that was truly audible and threatened to bring waves of the demonic undead down upon their heads. The storm that now raged was a blessing in disguise, grim and turbulent and loud enough to conceal the commotion. However, what came with it was a maelstrom of confusion, half-clever comments, and frankly, a whole rasher of vendettas and personal shit that didn't really excite Isaac too greatly, but for the implications he saw in it all. Polaris knew this man, this aged authority, this geriatric genius. The Red Ice General shared past experiences with him, and it was clear that their relationship was a complicated one.
His relationship with Davus, though, was all too clear. It was not difficult to discern. Davus was an entity of pure chaos, dark and cruel, capricious in his violence as was his stormy mantle. He attracted enemies like iron attracted his element, like Isaac himself did, and some few others in the long centuries.
The compulsion to obey the psychic command was remarkably strong, but Isaac stood firm. How many centuries had he spent heeding such commands in the vaults of his mind, bidding him attack, bidding him spill blood? He itched to attack, yearned to loose the rage of the Scour, and had two directions in which he could move. Polaris had himself once brought lightning and thunder to bear in battle. Did he choose his erstwhile ally, or did he sway off his present path? Was momentary satisfaction more alluring to him now than the promise of greater, rapturous gratification in the future? Still he stood, considering.
But he felt still the echoes and reverberations of the thought bomb in his head, and the answer was clear. Heat rose in him, the heat of anger and the calescence of his power building, awaiting release. Finally he pushed himself from where he'd leaned with his arms folded over his chest, and stepped into the cluster.
"Nice shot, friend," he said with a wry shrug toward Polaris. "But fighting Fulmen the Feared in the midst of a thunderstorm is no easy thing. Maybe I'm crazy, but what say we dispense with the bullshit and get right to it. To hell with the choices, with the compulsions, with the commands. The violence I commit is mine!"
And thus, rather than turn right to hurl himself into the teeth of the storm, or left into the face of the Red Ice General, Isaac lunged straight.
Straight toward the one called Sirius. His blade flashed from its sheath. He swept it across his body as he surged forward. Waves of flame, bright white and dark violet, surging with a pernicious, demonic toxicity through every ember, lashed in a half-moon out before him. The wave rose up, pursued closely behind by Isaac and his gleaming blade, and crashed like a wave down toward the scientist who dared try to put new chains about the Kinslayer's neck.
===Tobias Pepperwhistle, Outskirts of Hyrule Castle Town, Night of the First===
Having raided the castle larders and creeping out through a ruined wall, the gory remains of his rebel squad still dripped from his bestubbled face and ran down the front of his chainmail vest, staining the gilded links pink.
Zeiss was dead. Several of their… his now, several of HIS best men were lost as well. And perhaps worst of all, his trump card was in another deck. The axe wielding Twili mountain in his coal black armor was, by all intents and purposes Tobias’ number one enemy.
The camp would need moving. Plans would need changed and by the Four those bloody light warriors needed to win this war so he could start to profit from all of this do gooding.
Stopping in his tracks, Tobias recoiled and threw up defenses as something brushed against his consciousness. Looking around, he saw neither man, woman or otherwise and shook his head before starting off towards the camp once.
As he was putting his thoughts back in order about how to best relocate the camp, he felt the foreign touch at the edges of his consciousness once more and, out of sheer frustration dropped his defenses.
("RUSH THE THUNDER MAGE!")
The clarion call carried with it a nigh irresistible force, urging him.. no, ALL to action.
“Bollocks.”
Tobias rounded the corner and as the camp came into view, he dropped the large meat filled sack which had been slung over his shoulder. The bloody red zora and his companion stood stock still with lightning raining down around him as all of those gathered rushed mindlessly to violence. 
“Bloody ‘ell.”
===Polaris Eridanus===
The exchange had been brief, but many things happened before the fighting began. Polaris was disappointed that his attack failed to hit home, but on the whole he was unsurprised. And when Kinslayer lunged toward the Lunar mage, Polaris chuckled, more to himself than anything, but still as he stood unphased and with lightning raining down around him, he spoke loud enough for all those gathered to hear.
”My folly will be no greater than yours, friend. Besting Sirius Fulmaren in the moonlight will be no short order.”
The General reminded himself to keep an eye for Kaimu. He’d need to ask Sirius about that after he and Isaac made nice. With a flick of his crimson wrist, Winters Tide elongated, growing seemingly of its own volition as the blade morphed into a wickedly curved knife, a twin blade took form in Polaris’ off hand. The lightning struck chains emerged, pushing their way up through Polaris’ scaly flesh, gleaming as bright as the day they were forged a thousand years ago. Bonds rattling, Polaris made to move forward and was cut short as a tide of humanity pushed their way toward Davus.
Polaris hesitated. These were men and women. Refugees in their own homes. And yet they idiotically rushed to their own deaths. Surging towards The Feared with reckless abandon.
His eyes held a paisley gleam as Polaris shrugged and marched forward, blades flashing as his crimson rime continued to spread. More than he bothered to count fell to his element as the ice roiled outwards from him. He had eyes only for Davus, anyone else was a hindrance and thus, he didn’t bother to hold back the red ice to spare the wave of fodder that rushed before him.
”Your greatest weapon is of no use here Fulmen. You’ve spent enough time in my mind to know. I may be broken,” Polaris tapped the side of his cheek with two fingers, flashing a charming smile and sharing a knowing wink as he continued to advance, ”But there is no fear in my heart.”
Polaris finally joined the charge, in two long strides he was at full speed, after a few more he was nearly outstripping the rush so he slowed and fell into the midst of the refugees, violence in his eyes in the middle of the pack. As those at the fore came into range Davus’ range, screaming and lunging at the mage, Polaris rose up above the fray on a tide of crimson and leapt forward, blades whipping wildly before him in the hopes that the rush of bodies would be enough to distract his foe long enough for his blades to find their mark.
==Reversal of Fortunes==
===Sirius, Castle Town Outskirts, Night 1===
Sirius plan was to let the others attack Davus, and then he would force a special collar upon the ancient evil, subduing and controlling it. His plan had been meticulously pieced together for years, research on Davus, research on Polaris, and research on what the future held, gathered from his time spent in the ancient caverns that contained murals of past, present, and possible future.
The possible part was the one that seemed to trip him up, and now, Isaac proved to be the first errant point of data in a previously foolproof plan. Oh how Sirius longed for the annoyed voice of Bernard to help break the tension of his very deadly mistake.
Ratnis remained imprisoned, and the creature known as Morton was gone, so that plan had succeeded. But putting a leash on Davus was evidently going to take some improvising.
Sirius had died in a pit of fire worse than the attack Isaac leveraged against him, though he wasn’t eager to experience burning death again so soon. Rather than put on some age defying display of agility, Sirius scrambled to his feet and ran away, putting several meters worth of distance between himself and Isaacs attack.
“Okay look I wasn’t really trying to control you, just...influence you a little. It’s an experiment.” Sirius half explained, half pleaded with Isaac. He was a genius to be sure, and powerful in his own right, but getting caught up in an elemental battle shortly after his own revival from death was a little taxing. Sirius kept backing away, expecting Isaac to pursue. He shoved his hands into his robes and pulled out a collar. It was spiked although the tips were not overly sharp, instead functioning like tiny lightning rods.
The plan had been to shove the collar on Davus after the group rushed, but Isaac’s very presence screwed that beyond recovery.
Sirius could sense something unpleasant was about to happen, but didn’t dare break his stare with Isaac. He was about to begin running again, when he felt a great force push him down, and the collar was ripped from his hands. Then, nothing.
===Davus Fulmen, Night 1, Outskirts of Castle Town===
Davus stood his ground as Polaris approached.
”Your greatest weapon is of no use here Fulmen. You’ve spent enough time in my mind to know. I may be broken,” Polaris tapped the side of his cheek with two fingers, flashing a charming smile and sharing a knowing wink as he continued to advance, ”But there is no fear in my heart.”
Polaris seemed particularly confident in his knowledge of Davus, but it was not something to be surprised by. Given that the last time the two had entered into combat, the fight was finished with Davus in two pieces, body and soul. So as Polaris arrogantly claimed that he had no fear for Fulmen, the very same Fulmen broke tactic, broke expectation. No shows of power just yet.
Polaris too was predictable, though still challenging. Sometimes knowing what your foe will do simply isn’t enough on its own. Davus had little trouble keeping his focus on the Zora, while he put distance between them, and simultaneously closed the distance between himself and Sirius.
Polaris seemed intent on pursuit, and Isaac likewise was not going to stop his assault on Sirius. There was no time. Davus saw Sirius pull out a collar, and he knew what kind of device it had to be. This wasn’t the first time the mad scientist had tried to put Davus in a collar. And it wouldn’t be the first time he succeeded either.
Davus reluctantly dematerialized and then rematerialized next to Sirius, but in order to do so without weakening himself, he had to reduce the storm vastly, absorbing its energy. He wouldn’t be pulling that trick again anytime soon. Sirius looked up at him, obviously caught off guard by how differently events had played out than expected. Davus didn’t say a word, didn’t offer a single hint. He just snatched the collar, and shoved it onto Sirius, feeling it lock itself once around the old man’s neck. It activated, and Sirius instantly went limp. Davus felt something painful in his head, something he could not ignore.
It wasn’t language, but whatever he felt in his mind was teaching him something. Changing his mind somehow. He knew. He had a connection to the collar, and to whomever the collar controlled.
("Get Up")
Davus ordered Sirius up telepathically. Sirius stood.
("You’re mine now.")
Sirius had no response. He appeared to be mute, a positive side effect to an already positive experience. Davus grinned, control was his. No hiding in the mind of another. Able to take and maintain physical form. Greatest irritation of his life under control. It was turning out to be a good day.
Davus commanded Sirius to his side, and dispersed the storm.
“Do you dare take the risk of 5 more of those thought bombs going off? How resilient do you consider yourselves to be? I’m sure Sirius has plenty of hidden tools left that I can use.” Davus warned the attackers, hoping to slow their advance.
===Isaac Telmar, Hyrule Castle Town Outskirts, Night One===
Isaac skidded to a stop as the collar clicked into place around the mad scientist's throat. Davus stood at Sirius' side, grinning at the completion of what could only be seen as a power move, a decisive victory. Isaac could read the body language, the tones, and the expressions of those present to know that the leashing of this Sirius was a development of great significance to all.
“Do you dare take the risk of 5 more of those thought bombs going off? How resilient do you consider yourselves to be? I’m sure Sirius has plenty of hidden tools left that I can use.” Davus spoke the challenge high and clear, drawing both Isaac and Polaris to a halt.
"Oh how sweet is the wyrm's turn."
Isaac looked from Davus' face to the slack expression on Sirius' own. The slaver, suddenly a slave. It was a remarkable time in Hyrule. A time for such twists of fate. Isaac knew it only too well.
"There's enough history between us, Fulmen, for you to know that I rarely shy away from such a challenge," he drawled. He began idly twirling his enormous dagger through the fingers of his right hand. Unblooded. Abatheras would never have allowed him to return it to its sheath without claiming a life. To have done so in the past would have brought on the pain, like being burned alive, like the blood of his veins turning to molten lead. "But I have other important matters to attend to, and I'm guessing you do too, else you'd have used those weapons without a warning to forestall us. And besides, seeing that one collared... I could have asked for no better end to this business."
He looked to Polaris. The Red Ice General had a history with Davus that Isaac could not fathom, and he could see easily enough how he strained against prudence, yearning to attack. Still, he did not face Davus alone, now, and Isaac knew little of what Sirius could do. It was clear, though, that Polaris did.
Somewhere in the distance, far beyond the boundaries of the city, the echo of an explosion shattered the sudden silence of the night. In his periphery, Isaac could see distant flashes, eruptions of light.
Off toward the lake.
"What say you, General?"
===Senshi, Hyrule Castle, Night 1===
"Wait, why are we heading back to the camp? I though you said everyone was already on the move." Misha asked as she and Senshi sped through the castle ruins.
"Everyone's still at the camp for some reason. Something must be wrong; we should pick up the pace." Senshi answered as he started to run faster.
Misha struggled to keep up with her shorter stride but that didn't stop her from continuing to question what was going on, "Wait, how could you possible know that?"
Senshi was initially reluctant to answer but finally replayed after a long pause, "I can sense it."
The answer just farther baffled the girl, "what? How, I thought you couldn't use your telepathy?"
"It's complicated," Senshi answered unsatisfactorily and then suddenly motioned for Misha stop where she was. "Go around the back path. I need you to try and get all the refugees attention and sneak them out. Make sure no one else notices."
Misha's confusion grew by the second, "No one else, who else is in there? What's going on?"
"Just do it!" Senshi barked, "And whatever you do don't get drawn into that fight."
Senshi's expression gave Misha cause for concern. She'd never seen him that tense before. Not even their capture at the Twili camp or the later escape seemed to faze him as much as whatever was going on in the refugee camp seemed to. Nevertheless she finally just nodded and head off to sneak around to the back of the camp.
Senshi moved quietly towards the main entrance and finally peaked around to confirm his suspicions. Kinslayer and Polaris were fighting Davus. Even worse, Sirius was there as well. "Damn it, I thought he was supposed to be dead. I was sure that's what Tsukiakari was planning."
"What do you mean he got better?" Senshi whispered aloud as if responding to an unheard voice, "never mind, I suppose it doesn't matter. It's Fulmen I have to worry about. One bolt of chain lightning and all those people are dead."
It was then the Senshi finally realized that something was off. Why hadn't Davus killed everyone yet? On top of that why was everyone just standing there? Normally he'd assume it was because Sirius was prattling on about something but he was being uncharacteristically silent. Of course it was to everyone benefit that over powered titans present weren't in the process of destroying the fragile ruins around them, it also meant sneaking everyone out unnoticed would be that much harder.
"I suppose that would work. I'm just not sure I can pull it off." Senshi once again said to seemingly no one. "Not that I have a choice." He held at his arm to help himself focus his powers. Slowly every nearby piece of medal started to gain a barely visible green glow. Every broken beam, every dropped fork, lost needle and random broken weapon shard started to levitate into the air. That battlefield had now been filled with dozens of floating lightning rods.
===Davus Fulmen, Outside Castle, Night 1===
The collar around Sirius’ neck was not just a control device, it was linked to other minds, the minds of a group of Zora. Davus could hear their voices, but it did not seem like they had sensed his mind yet.
“Senshi.” Davus gave an almost friendly smile. Long time enemies were just as good as friends to him. “It’s so thoughtful of you to remember my weaknesses.” Davus made no effort to attack or to bring back the storm he’d dissipated moments before. He didn’t see his enemy, but knew him to be there. He was the only possible candidate that would be so prepared for Fulmen.
“I know you’re out there.”
Davus felt thrilled with the situation. Polaris and Isaac giving him a pass, and Senshi choosing to threaten rather than attack. And all the while, in the back of his mind, he felt even stranger matters going on. The telepathic link to the Zora was strengthening, and now it was like a small part of him had traveled elsewhere physically. He was awake outside the castle, yet his mind’s eye could clearly see the crystal clear lakeshore that the group of Zora’s swam in. It wasn’t real of course, just a mental representation of a meeting place.
Davus had been able to fight Polaris in such projections, and damage the creatures psyche. Now he had a direct line to even more Zora’s that Sirius had tampered with, it was irresistible.
Davus addressed Senshi again. “You might find this impossible to comprehend, but I do not seek a fight. I’ve discovered a greater conquest than killing the inferior. My time within Polaris has been very educating.”
He stalled for time to give just a little more focus to his psychic link. He counted 30 total Zora, but two of them were different. One sat further than the rest, and seemed unable to come much closer, like his link was weak. The other was barely visible, and covered in shadows. A sign of something else unknown.
Davus felt his own presence at the lake. His feet were on its telepathic shores. He tried to run towards the Zora that was on the edge. He found it surprisingly easy, and as his mind got closer to the Zora’s, he gained the strong impression that this creature was not so far from him physically, either.
===Polaris Eridanus, Outskirts of Hyrule Castle Town, First Night===
A storm raged within Polaris’ being, that which he would will to be fought against that which was, the worst part of it being that Isaac and Davus, The Kinslayer and The Feared, these two entities of chaos were acting as beacons of tranquility. It unnerved him. Where Polaris struggled with inner demons borne of the Dusk Warp that urged him to wreak havoc upon his thunderous nemesis and all those gathered, this real life demon stood before him and diverted his arms. It was baffling to behold. He was convinced that there was an angle here, but he failed to see it. 
Whatever the ruse, Polaris felt compelled to follow Isaac’s lead. That was rich. Kinslayers lead. A path of smoldering corpses lay in his wake across the annals and here and now, today, he seemed to urge restraint. Non-violence.
Polaris closed his eyes, shaking his head. The crimson dais upon which he had raised himself shrunk until Polaris once more strode upon The cracked cobbles. The writhing hoar receded just as the cold snap abated and those provoked by Sirius began to come to their senses. Polaris sheathed Winters Tide, weaving his way through the dispersing crowd and towards the primordial beings, sizing up both for what seemed the first time today.
”I’m loathe to admit it, but in this, Telmar is in the right.” Polaris sighed. ”Now is not the time for this fight.”
Polaris shoved past the two and Sirius, making his way towards the Castle Town exit even as the ragged cockney gangster began to herd up the refugees. Stopping closer to the path that would ultimately lead to the lake, Polaris paused, surveying the scene.
”Don’t break your new toy Fulmen, I still need him.” Polaris’ sole purpose now was to leave. Put as much space between himself and this farce as he could. That was how best he could wrap his head around all of… of this. There was an under riding itch that clawed beneath his skin threatening to overpower his resolve. If he stayed much longer he would fight, of that much he was sure. He would rage and fight and kill. Maybe Davus would fall. Or Sirius. Or Isaac or even himself, but of thing he was convinced, many an innocent Hylian would perish if he did not relent.
To Sirius, slackjawed and expressionless as he was, Polaris now turned, ”There’s still a reckoning to be had old friend, for that I need you among the living.” His words appeared to fall on deaf ears. No twinkling of understanding or recognition tolled in Fulmarens gaze, but what was said, had had to be said.
”Okay Telmar. Shinigami. I think it's high time we get to the lake.”
===Isaac Telmar, Hyrule Castle Town Gates, Night One===
Isaac suppressed a smirk as he disengaged from what had been a cauldron on the edge of boiling over, and instead affected a solemn expression as he brushed past Fulmen and the collared Fulmaren. He should have been tense, but the Feared had showed his hand already. There would be no battle here in the streets of the Castle Town desolation.
He followed a few steps behind the Red Ice General for a time, watching him. He'd seen the tension in Eridanus' limbs as they'd quivered with barely restrained violence. He'd seen the storm raging behind those dark fish's eyes, and had known it for what it was: the madness of blood lust. If not for the confusion of the situation, Polaris might have unleashed arctic hell, might have strayed beyond the bounds of honor and into a realm that had long been occupied by the Kinslayer himself.
Isaac perceived an opening.
"Polaris..." he said in low tones as he jogged forward and fell into step beside the anxious warrior, "I do not know through what you suffered prior to your appearance here, though I can guess. But I can see the scars, even if they're not apparent on the flesh. I can see the will to slaughter in you. I know it well."
They passed through gates that had been smashed open by Twili golems more than six months ago. Remnants lay strewn across the cobbles, though the corpses of the slain had long since risen and shambled off at the behest of one master or another. In the distance, some tumult could be seen off toward the lake. What transpired there? Flashes of radiance lit the sky, now clear of Fulmen's storm clouds.
"It doesn't get easier," he continued, the softness of his voice like a bolt of velvet drawn taut over the edge of a knife. "I know. For six hundred years I was a slave without knowing, and the psychic madness of my captor was my chain. I wreaked bloody slaughter because not only was I bid to, but because of that psychic bond, I wanted to. Six hundred years.
"I am a slave no longer, but the will to violence remains, and it is strong when it is all you know. I cannot leash it, and that fact sickens me." He took several steps out in front of the general and then turned, veering into his path, forcing the crimson Zora to stop short. He met the eyes and saw the madness in them again, the madness of a man who no longer knew who he was. "Men like you and I, General... we can't hope to change what has been brought out in us. The best we can hope for is to find a worthy way to channel it. That's what I'm trying to find now, by standing with Hyrule against the Interlopers. That's what you need to find, before the savagery in you loses the concept of 'friend' and 'foe', and you let it turn you into something you've never been.
"Something like me."
===Prince, Necropolis Nexus, Day-Night 1===
He clapped his hands together once as he paced back and forth, considering the offer. As his zombified ally mentioned previously, he was still quite sore about the unwarranted betrayal he had suffered not too long ago. Still, unlike that last asshole, Prince had already styled all over Vykos’ Skeletor-Ass, so he knew there was at least a little fear there…Right? Of course he was right.
“Well…That doesn’t sound like it helps me as much as I was hoping…’ he said to himself, though loud enough for all to hear in the echoing room, ‘…But I get the feeling it’s as fair a deal as I’m getting, but...”
Prince thoughtlessly tossed the ring box into the darkness of a corner behind the throne that he stood before as he considered it further, trying to think of a way that could help him in the longer run. It was only then he had remembered a small detail that had passed through his hivemind not too long ago. He wasn’t sure who or where, but one of the many individuals his mother had passed down to him seemed to have elementary grasp on the history of Hyrule…Most of the information this person knew was all pointless, except for one thing.
The Legendary Ocarina Of Time…The Twili Child knew nothing about such a thing, but it sure sounded important; That was enough for him. He hyped himself up about the possibility as he revisited the idea whilst pacing more on Vykos’ carpet, paying little mind to the fact that he was tracking Farore knows what into it, soiling the brilliant color it used to be. If he could get a hold of something that was powerful enough to be called such a thing, he didn’t need to worry about the bodies he was limited to in this era when he had every era at his fingertips. Sounds like a good time, really; Fuck, he could even eventually use it one day to screw over King Rattles in front of him. Yeah…That sounds fun. Let’s do that. He couldn’t contain the twisted, yet genuine smile that stretched across his face as he looked back into where Vykos’ eyes would have been, if he had any; Prince wasn’t honestly sure, so he put that insult away for later. The Twili pointed at him with a single finger before waggling it as he finally finished his sentence.
“…I think I’m going to sweeten the deal here, for the sake of establishing a ‘scratch your back, you scratch mine’ situation here. My shambling horde won’t be fleshies forever and will eventually rot away to bone, right?’ He asked, gesturing at Eustice, who though only dead for a few days was looking mildly rotted already. ‘…So even if we’re gritting our teeth and calling truce, you win anyway, right? At least, after a while you will.”
He snapped his fingers, calling Eustace over before grabbing the zombie’s arm.
“I know you’ll say ‘yay’ to that, so I’mma stop wasting your time. Besides, one of my stragglers out there apparently caught a glimpse of a big fight on top of some lake to the West of here. Sounds like a jackpot for moi, so lets get ‘em, aye!” 
A bald-headed zombie in the streets of Hyrule shambled along through the main district, directionless and confused about what to do. It was then, alone with its thoughts, it began to ponder…And remember who it used to be in life. As the memories came flooding back, he remembered his name and family back in an old town out in one of the forest’s clearings. It wasn’t too far from here, but out of the way of everything, hopefully untouched by the chaos of war. Despite his horrible, rotting and shambling body, concern for his daughter’s well being flooded his conscience as he immediately turned his crooked gait to the Castle Gates. He knew he’d be struck down the moment he was seen, but still needed to try; G’Raldio needed to know if his little Isabelle was oka-Prince and Eustace exploded from a mess of gore and blood and continued to walk where G’Raldio once stood. The smile on the Twili boy’s face was gone as they briskly walked towards his castle, whispering to one another.
“…Surely you realize he’s going to backstab you the moment it befits him, my liege.” Eustice grumbled with an unimpressed tone.
“Of course he will, Eustace. Everyone does eventually.’ He grumpily responded, before a small grin appeared, ‘…But if I can figure out what the heck is about that blue potato looking thing I saw in the thoughts of one of you guys, I’ll have plenty of time to do him before he does me.”
Eustace stifled a laugh.
Pretty sure that “potato” isn’t going to work how you want it, Master…
Stop doubting me, you shit. Also, I can hear your thoughts, so stop thinking about potato salad and start thinking on how we can find the blue one.
Hehe…
Also, send some dudes over to that lake. Like, a thousand of 'em.
Of course, they're already halfway there.
Prince closed his eyes, focusing hard as he sent a message to all of his 'slivers' at once.
"Listen up every single one of you! Anyone who isn't currently enjoying a meal, pack your intestines back in and leave town. We've got more victims to find and a blue potato to hunt down. Whoever finds either gets promoted from Useless to Expendable. Let's hustle!"
===Prince, HCT, Night 1===
The town had grown quiet as his numbers within the walls of his kingdom thinned, spilling out into the country beyond. He wasn't really used to the silence, but it was a refreshing change nonetheless. His naked feet splashed through the blood and mud that caked the floor of the once-proud city's battlements as he paced back and forth; Watching impatiently as his army rushed forth into Hyrule Field to lay waste. He muttered to himself about how he was going to spend his time now that he had fewer immediately available playthings which, lets be honest, was only slightly less important that finding more bodies to add to his numbers. It wasn't long until Eustace broke the relative silence, pointing out into the distance.
"M'Lord...Look..."
Prince looked up from his childish pout of boredom to see what was up. His small body made climbing up onto a cannon to get a good look mildly difficult, but he managed after a few moments of clumsy grunting and slipping a few times. Mounting the cannon, he peered hard through the morning light into the direction he was instructed. What seemed to be some third party messing with his horde flew above and around them as they spilled into the landscape. After a few moments, after he had lost sight of the troublemaker, Prince was met with the sight of a massive amount of his currently visible zombies lighting ablaze in a burning orange glow. Their inhuman screams of agony shattered the silence of the morning calm, echoing through the air for miles. The Twili boy could only smile, which caused Eustace to bury his face in his hands in a mixture of despair and incredulity.
"Heh...Nice."
==Still at Castle Town==
===Davus Fulmen, Outside Castle Town, Night 1===
After being left alone outside Hyrule Castle Town, Davus found himself with unexpected questions to answer. Jeskai was rampaging, and Sirius was catatonic. Davus was left to make his next big move. His next kill, next conquest.
Why?
Killing did not bring him guilt. And once upon a time, it even brought satisfaction. But now the only way he had killed in a millennia was by making a Zora lose control of himself and then THAT Zora rallied others to fight, and possibly kill. Quite a stretch just to attain murder that Davus once would have relished executing with his own hands.
Suspicion overwhelmed Davus. Was Sirius really under control. Did he - even now - still have some trick up his sleeve? Davus commanded Sirius telepathically to hurl himself into the dirt, assault himself. Then stand, turn left, turn right. He gave more complex instructions, asking Sirius to move in patterns that would give Davus certainty that the man was under his control.
Certainty couldn’t be had. All Davus could do was be vigilant, find signs that he was being tricked. Perhaps Sirius’ greatest victory was the constant sense of doubt he put upon others. Questioning him, questioning themselves, but always questions.
Why? Davus wasn’t asking the right question. He knew why. Ratnis made him in his image, his humanoid one at least. Davus was a murder delivery system, a long distance way to deal with enemies in the most personal way possible. Davus pondered his semi-corporeal form. A mainstay of his creation, he had always held human form, bled like one, yet still contained the ability to disperse into lightning storms. He had always wondered, would he die if he became incapacitated or drained of energy while in a storm? Would Ratnis have then simply created a new Davus? Had he already?
Davus made Sirius hug the dirt once again, anger now growing inside him with each additional question. But the gates had broken, and all Davus could do was ponder. He would have to probe inside Sirius mind, take the risk of diving into the unknown.
It was a seamless transition. The moment Davus shut his eyes he was walking down the virtual halls of Sirius’ mind. Fittingly, a recreation of Bernard Kotaro appeared to be the guide to Sirius memories, energetically but silently guiding Davus to the first door. The question Davus wanted answered was printed on the door, but he knew better than to think it would be so easy.
He pushed the door open, and found that he could not enter the doorway, but merely look upon what lied beyond it. It was the battle where Davus had died. This was not Sirius’ memory, it was his own. The first trick of the madman. He decided to watch anyway, see the final moments again where Polaris cut him down and unwittingly fused their souls together.
It was impressive. Davus had been soundly defeated, cut in two, quite literally. One half had been retrieved by Ratnis, and infused with new energy, leading to the end of a circular path through time, where Davus death led to his birth. That alone was a question he could not answer - where in time did he originate? If Ratnis created him, but used his dying form to do it, how did he create him in the first place? The only answer he had is that both events always happened, and that was it.
But when Davus died, and was split in two, the second half of his split soul was the one fused with Polaris, traveling with him into hell for millenia.
The memory ended and Davus pulled himself out of Sirius mind, or whatever trick that had been played on him. He sent a telepathic command to Jeskai to retreat from the Twili Encampments and meet Davus at his next destination, the southern forest regions.
CONTINUES ON Lab Experiments - Self Doubt P#166
===Tobias Pepperwhistle, Castle Town Ruins, First Night===
Tobias had observed from a distance with a deceptively calm air despite the fact that he was seething. It took every ounce of his prodigious resolve to sit idly by whilst his charges rushed mindlessly to their deaths, it was difficult that is, until it dawned on him, that, every grimy bastard who fell to the frigid red fish and the other blokes, was one less mouth he had to feed. After that delightful morsel, Pepperwhistle hefted his sack of food and lugged his way to the hideout whistling a jaunty tune all the way.
Dropping the overlarge pack onto the central table, Tobias slapped his cook, “‘Ello Meat, it’s nah much, but it’ll ‘ave ta do until as I’m able ta find more us more ‘ospitable surroundins’.” The obese cook with his saggy jowls licked his chops and wiped greasy palms on his bloody apron, Tobias shuddered and tried not to ask what exactly it was Meat had been cutting up. The answer was always the same anyway, but he couldn’t help himself.
“‘Ey Meat.”
“Mmm?”
“Wha’s fer dinner Meat?”
“Meat.”
“Wha’s tha’ green stuff o’er there Meat?”
“Meat.”
“Why’s it green?”
With a confused shrug and a conspiratorial grin, “Meat.”
“Uh, yeah. I’ll be on me way then. Right ‘o.”
Hustling down the hall, Tobias made his way into the dusty central chamber of the ramshackle compound and resolved himself to eat more salads. The closer he came to the commons, the more the stench of human sweat and otherwise offended his nostrils. Pulling out a grimy handkerchief, he wrinkled his nose and tossed it aside as he stood in the middle of the jumble of humanity for which he was responsible, put his fingers to his lips and let out an ear piercing whistle.
“Oy!! You lot. Yeah. You nitwits. Lissen up. ‘Ark is dead. Right ate it ‘e did. Some twisted ‘appenins’ up at teh big ‘ouse tere. I’ma fine us a more suitable livin’ space. Whilst I’ma doin tha’ I’ll need a second in command as it were. Ta replace Zeiss yeh see.”
Tobias stood for a full 10 seconds before slapping his hand against his forehead and drawing it down his face with a groan. ”Bloody duffers. The ‘ole lot of yeh. Damned barmy gits. Are there any takers? Any at all?”
Realization dawned on the faces of a few, but still none made a move to volunteer so Tobias picked a youngish man at random, strapping lad he seemed and called him forward.
“Ello and wha’s yer name?”
The boy made to talk, but Tobias cut him off before he uttered a sound, leaving him with a sort of surprised “O” look on his face. “Never mind. I dun wanna know yer name. Doesn’ matter anyway. Keep an eye on these dogs will yeh? Don’ let ‘em tear each udder apar’ whilst I’m out abou’ business eh?”
Without another word, Tobias spun on his heel and made for the door. The newly appointed second coughed and cleared his throat overly loud before addressing those gathered.
“Well now, you all heard Toby, we have to keep this pla…”
His voice trailed off as he saw the horrorstruck faces before him. Tobias Pepperwhistle had stopped mid stride and wheeled around. “Wha’ exactly did yeh call me?” The gangster rolled up his sleeves, flexing his fists, sparks flying from the blackened joints of the gold tinged blast knuckles. The boy stuttered something wholly incoherent and stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet in hasty retreat. As he fell, an old codger with a stained eye patch and a gnarled staff caught him and in the same motion shoved him towards Tobias who, without hesitation punched the boy in the side of his head, his head snapped back violently and the bones in his neck cracked audibly while more than a fair portion of the fools skull caved in at the temple in the process in in the process.
The fool crumpled in a heap at Tobias’ feet with a smoking and disfigured skull, and Tobias pointed at the old man who had shoved him, sealing his fate.
“You. Codger. Wha’ the ‘ell is yer name?”
The old man shambled forward, his gnarled staff clomping on the shoddy wooden floor. “Names Bartholomew Kettleburn…” Tobias frowned and the old man spat out a gobule of phlegm, “Eh, Bart.”
Tobias clapped his hands, “Alrigh’ then Bart. Keep em in line for me will yeh?”
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