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Post by James Morte on Jan 19, 2013 19:33:55 GMT -5
As I shambled down the hot dirt of the volcano, through my drunken vision I saw a group of men surrounding two women beside a log.
The bastards had thrown down a sack and demanded them to fill it with their valuables, I've seen this many times before now and the first few times I had stopped and helped, but after a couple of years and many gashes and bruises I gave up, for I felt like the trouble was no longer worth the reward.
So I had every intention of just walking past them, but curiosity had gotten the better of me, when I gave them a second look I swear my heart skipped a beat, standing surrounded by a group of thieves was my former allies, Alessia and Nia, I stood dumbfounded for a moment as memories of the Saints flooded back to me, they were memories that I have tried my best to forget, most importantly Alessia's betrayal.
I continued to walk pass them, trying my best to forget I ever saw them again, I was determined to leave without helping when I stopped and clenched my fist, I still felt some distant loyalty to them so I turned around, giving a sign of defeat before I brought out a knife from my belt, and stumbled towards them.
"ey' jackasses," I mumbled as I grabbed a hold of one of them by the scruff of the neck, and shoved the blade through the pudgy flesh of his neck, "didn't yer mom tell ya never to pick on women...?" I yanked the knife out of his neck, blood splattering onto my wrist.
"Now," I stumbled back a step, "All of ya bandits, who don't wanna end up like him. step away." I of course knew the wouldn't step away, Bandits are usually the dumb sort of men who think the have nothing left to lose.
So I wasn't surprised when they ran towards me, I planted my foot deeper into the soil, and readied my blade, with a yell one of the thugs came at me with a stab motion, which a smacked away with my dagger, and in a swift strike I brought my blade towards his dirt caked forehead. Two others took this chance to try and get a back stab, which I avoided by grabbing the dead guys sword, blocked both blades and with a mighty push I sent them stumbling backwards. Than with a quick slice to the neck, followed by a couple of stabs to the other guy's gut, I killed them.
The other eight stepped backwards, "C'mo-(hic)C'mon, don't tell me you guys are-are scared." I slurred out, the leader belted out an order of retreat, they tripped on there way out, "And I was just getting warmed up." It was a hollowed statement, but it did its job.
I sheathed my dagger and looked down and spoke to the women, "Nia, Alessia." I gave a slight bow, well more like a lurch forward, I felt a little throw up coming, "What are you doin' here...?"
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Post by Alessia on Jan 19, 2013 21:13:34 GMT -5
Alessia probably looked like she had seen a ghost, because as far as she had known, James died in the Tower of Salvation at the hands of Mark Fri.
"'W-What are we doing here?'" Alessia repeated, simply stunned at this entire situation. She had to take a couple deeps breaths before even saying to him, "I thought you were dead, James! How are you alive?"
She wanted to hug him, or slap him, really she wanted to do anything but stand there and play with the dark sleeves of her cloak while looking completely dumbfounded by his appearance. Did Nia know about this? Alessia doubted that, she was sure Nia would've told her by now, anyway.
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Post by James Morte on Jan 19, 2013 22:47:14 GMT -5
What was I doing here? I ask myself the same question every night while I'm drinking in some sweaty hell hole of a bar, drowning my sorrows in the cheapest alcoholic beverage they got, sitting there stirring the self pity of my life with my finger wondering how I had gone from a proud knight fighting for what I believed in, to a pathetic shadow of a man in a matter of hours, of course we all know how, I was killed by Mark Fri he was more of a fighter than I had expected, he sent me flying off the tower and every presumed I was dead, hell, they're were not that far off.
I didn't know what I was doing here there was no use trying to answer that question, I chose to explain what happened, I scratched the stubble on my chin idly, and spoke in a mumbled slur,
"When I was blown off that tower I thought for sure I was dead, I fell into a pool of water that softened the blow, but knocked me unconscious, when I awoke days later I was nursed to health by a fishing family, for a long time I wanted revenge on Mark, but...my plans got derailed..."
Derailed, yeah, nice one James, good phrasing, I got DRUNK, and I have been getting drunk ever since,I had falling so far down that I couldn't see the light at the end of this twisted tunnel, and it's funny in a sick way, I used to have a purpose, it used to be that my purpose in life was to help people, but now my purpose is to stumble around looking for beer money so I don't have to go a night sober...damn it James, change the subject.
"Now, what are you doin' here?" I turned this back on her, lying about what I've been doing this whole time was bringing down further into this dark pit of my life.
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Post by genericvillain on Jan 20, 2013 22:30:03 GMT -5
Before James had shown up Nia had to actively try to keep herself calm and force slow, steady breathing while she flexed her hands at her sides and think of a way to take care of the bandits. When he stumbled in and somehow through drunken threats and bullying them around scared off the attackers she was...well, quite surprised. It was impressive how a man so clearly intoxicated could throw off a gang like that.
That was also when she realized this was James Morte, the man who Alessia was the first to call out, dead. How did...? Seriously? He survived that?!
"F-f-f...t-t-th-th-th...."
Nia tried to keep herself under control, the shock and anger she felt towards him exciting her to the point that she felt her fists clenched and as much as she tried to numb her thoughts, she felt her whole body jitter and shake uncontrollably.
"BOTHER!" she shrieked during Alessia and James's exchange of words, "bother bother b-b-b-bother!!"
She bit down on her lip hard as her body rattled, glaring up at James and she tried to find a coherent way or arranging her thoughts.
"W-why would...y-you did..." Nia shook her head fiercely as she shouted, "how could you show up now a-after all this time?!"
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Post by James Morte on Jan 20, 2013 23:55:15 GMT -5
Bother..., brings back memories (scoff) those damn memories rushed to my throbbing head, memories about the Saints, good memories, happy memories, or maybe that's just nostalgia talking. Messing with reality, things I know to be true, or maybe it's the alcohol glazing my thoughts with a pretty coating, which I know is full of crap. How could I know, they're both equally twisted... augh, shut up James, focus on the matter at hand.
She screamed and shook her head at me, it made my skull feel like a freakin' merry go round.
"Calm down Nia." For my sake, "I didn't mean to meet back up with you like this."
I didn't plan on meeting back up at all, I'm embarrassed, embarrassed about who I became: an un-shaven bastard who developed a round belly and an appetite for cheap booze.
"I'm sorry," what else could I say? As I said before I never planned on meeting back up with any of them.
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Post by genericvillain on Jan 21, 2013 0:09:39 GMT -5
Nia threw her hands to her sides and let out a frustrated sigh. It was bad enough that he was 'killed' in the tower, but...really, was it something she should be angry over? Him never showing his face to them in the last year or was she more grateful that he was actually alive? They'd lost a few Saints already, she was almost ashamed of herself to realize that for a moment she would have preferred James dead than alive...
Tears welled up in her eyes, then. She hated herself for letting her emotions get to her like this, frustrated that while she was doing so well her teachings from the fire monks weren't helping her even right now...maybe leaving the monastery was a bad idea. The only thing that made her feel she had to leave them at all was because she'd heard Roxa and Alessia were to be married, and the lives of her fellow Saints from all parts of the world were still very much important to her.
They were all stuck in this...future, together, whether they liked it or not. Somehow, anyway.
"I-I-I'm sorry..." she sighed again, her voice quiet and sad, "I...I can't say I've been any much better...I'm just glad you're alright afterall..."
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Post by Alessia on Jan 21, 2013 0:17:23 GMT -5
Nia was starting to cry... now Alessia had to be the strong one. Here was the problem: Nia was the strong one right now and Alessia was always at the edge of falling down a emotional cliff.
Alessia basically fell off the emotional cliff. Tears started to build in her eyes as she held that fruit even closer to chest, "W-We're all just so happy you're alive, James!"
She dropped the fruit and suddenly hugged the former knight, squeezing him as hard as her thins arms could possible handle...
It's been a rough couple of weeks for Alessia. Give her a break.
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Post by James Morte on Jan 21, 2013 12:48:33 GMT -5
Nice one James, now you've caused these women to cry and it's all your fault. I could try and justify it, say it's not my fault and women are just to emotional but like every drunk man who has a brief moment of insight I knew I was full of it. Goddammit I was bad with women when I was sober, now that I'm drunk, well they're in for crappy treat.
Alessia threw herself against me, I felt more awkward than a sinner in church, without enough decency to return a full hug, I patted her back with as much sincerity as a boyfriend who's just about to break up with his girlfriend would.
They both said they were happy to see me, that they are glad I'm alive, if so, they'd be the only two.
"Now, why the hell are you down here instead of with Roxa?" for a drunk I managed to keep up with the daily happenings, or so I thought...
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Post by Alessia on Jan 21, 2013 13:03:58 GMT -5
What could she possibly say? Any attempt for Alessia to explain it would probably fly right past the drunk's head...
She opened her mouth as if to try and explain it, unable to come to any words Alessia pulled out the only thing that could perhaps help explain the situation:
Alessia grabbed James's hand and forced something into the palm of it, the item that Alessia showed James was the ring that was given to her at her wedding... expect instead of it being a symbol of the love between Roxa and Alessia is was a symbol of a return - Duo's return. That ring was unique, it was something every Saint would recognize.
She held her breath deep inside her before finally letting out the confirming words, "He's back, James!"
It didn't explain why she wasn't with Roxa, and that part of the story was complicated at best. But this would help explain the things that she couldn't.
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Post by James Morte on Jan 21, 2013 14:19:16 GMT -5
I made an audible groan in an attempt to relieve some frustration, the more information I absorbed made my head hurt all that much worse, now more then ever I wanted to get back to a half-baked night of getting my ass thrown out of bars. Not only has two ghosts from my not-so-happy past decide to show up, but now Duo, the man the Saints went after and lost, is back.
"...Ha...hahaha!" Yeah, that's right, keep laughing you jerk, "Are you kidding me?!"
I turned around a muttered some of my favorite words in the English vocabulary. The drunk stupor I was in was out the window and for the first time in a long time, I was wide awake, I knew life would bite me in the ass sooner or later.
"You're messing with me right?" I snapped, opening my pack and searched for a flask, no dice, you picked a great time not to stock up; dumbass.
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Post by genericvillain on Jan 22, 2013 11:11:43 GMT -5
Nia wiped away at her tears as Alessia broke into sobs as well. So much for being the strong one that Alessia thought Nia was...
And as James laughed at the thought, the very PROOF Duo was back, she couldn't help but feel a little angry at him again. Going missing on them was one thing, but this was serious!
"James!" the small girl shouted, digging deep in her courage well, "I-it's not funny! He attacked us, he attacked Roccia, that's why we came here!"
She turned a devastated look to Alessia as she added in, "And Alessia can't go home until we do something about it...look at her...s-she's got a family who needs her!"
She felt tears coming back to her eyes as she spoke, though she fought them back as she bit her lip again. This was a fine mess, wasn't it?
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Post by James Morte on Jan 22, 2013 13:30:49 GMT -5
He attacked them...No, I don't care, and why should I? neither of these women came looking for my sorry ass, but my heart, that damn thing, made me care swirled up my old feelings like a crappy cocktail and forced me to drink it.
I felt Sympathy for Alessia, she had two kids and husband who needed her like I needed booze.
It made me feel worried, more worried than a man whose about to get the axe would, and that over protectiveness came rushing back up like bad food, followed by the need to break some poor saps nose.
"He attacked you....?" I sounded pathetic, "Did he hurt any of you?" I hid my sad pathetic eyes by looking down, right now I need booze more than ever.
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Post by Alessia on Jan 22, 2013 13:44:47 GMT -5
"We were chased for awhile," Alessia said as she finally got herself under control. Her sadness began to slowly drip away and was quickly being replaced by a rage that was hardly a foreign feeling, "But he won't stop, James. He won't stop until we're all dead."
The tattoo on her back began to glow a little bit along with her eyes beginning to shine as she spoke. Clear indications that her frustration was rising, "Which is why we need to find a way to kill him and you're going to help us!"
She had that look of determination, it was the look of 'not gonna take no for an answer'. James was a powerful and with experience fighting Duo he was vital to any attempt the two had to finding a way to kill the god.
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Post by James Morte on Jan 22, 2013 15:26:19 GMT -5
No... All I would have to say is no, then I could be on my way, drinking til I'm numb and not give a damn again. All I'd have to do is say no...It be so easy, just say no.
but I couldn't, I can't say no, because deep inside I knew Alessia was right, I knew that he wouldn't stop unless were all dead, and I can't stand by idly twiddling a empty glass of beer, and complaining to no one about how my life got this bad, while everyone else is out fighting.
"...Okay."
This is good James, it's a fresh start, I'm excited about this, yeah no, really, I'm excited...be excited...
"I'll help."
You were a fighter, you can do this, this is what I needed, don't hesitate, it's time to move on James...move on.
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Post by genericvillain on Jan 22, 2013 15:50:15 GMT -5
Nia smiled while watching Alessia and James, it seemed like determination had been newly found in all three of them. She swatted away whatever tears sat in her eyes and balled up her fists.
She wasn't as strong as her master yet, she wasn't as strong as his more adept monks under him, but this reunion with Alessia and James maybe was for the good. She could use this, it'd be the perfect practice to try to keep her cool and overcome her earlier mental blocks that prevented her from doing anything otherwise.
"T-then up the volcano we go?!" she blurted out, turning to Alessia and hoping the girl was still willing to do the walk, though now she kinda worried about James swaggering about. Was that really healthy?
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