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Gears of Blood, Prophecy of The the Curse.

S

Skhaal

Inactive Member
The next morning it was raining. Were the dark clouds a amon that something bad was about to take place this day or did it simply signify that death was approaching 1 novice crime lord and perhaps some others. Skhaal woke up into morning in bed with a incomplete yes crude robotic arm made with older variations of cybernetics and robotics which failed in comparison severly compared to Pete's complete cybernetics and robotic technology he was constructed with. He looked at the sad scrap of metal and creating the robot seemed far mare impossible everyday. He walked down stairs into the kitchen and called out for shade because it was time for him to bring him any reports of unusual activity outside the house but could find him no where in sight.

He sighed and decided maybe it was time for him to do the cooking. He was rather poor in cooking skills but he knew how to cook his meats. He began with fine srips of bacon and took out a pan and slapped them in and turned on the stove and began cooking the bacon as he pulled out a glazed ham and sliced a few slices off and began preparing the ham for supper. He thought and wondered what else there would be besides meat. He then set the table keeping his eye on the meat as he set the with 14 glases of orange juice, plates and silverware forgetting pete was a robot during that moment in time but it would come to him eventually.

He then set out the food for everyone and then as he waited for everyone to wake up he took out a book which contained a large assortment of traditions and superstitions as well os some old prophecies which have yet to occur and then found a rather old looking yet vague propheciy describing the day that a great champion of thaxaria would forever lose part of their soul in the flesh of their shins and living flesh and bone in their arm and would become a lamenting warrior searching for a way to ease the eternal pain. Skhaal smirked finding the prophecy rather archaic and frivilous. All chamnpions have gotten disfiguring wounds from battle todetermine new champions and retiring old ones.

He put the book away and hoped pete could get over whatever was keeping him from exacuting their rather dark dealings so they can get off the hell hole once and for all.
 
Pete had finished a while back, and had practised, at night, the procedures. He was now as competant at manipulating the Arachni's, all four at once, as he was as manipulating his own body. That is not to say he was comfortable doing it, or that it brought him any satisfactions. He grew to hate the arachni drones, whose existance, and the purpose he would have to put them too kept coming back to haunt him. He knew he could do it, he knew he could carry the operation of without a hitch. That did not however mean that he felt anything other than deepest dread about it. This morning he'd set his wake up procedure earlier than normal, and read through some books. Pete occasionaly saw it as ironic that he liked books more than electronic data and data-pads, which he could download much quiker. However Pete did not like to think he was retricted to electronics.

Dawn had had a quiet few days, as she normally did. She would wake up, Pete would bring her food, and she'd change after breakfast, spending the day usually in her room, reading or, increasingly, writing. She enjoyed pouring out her thoughts on paper, a luxury she simply did not have the time to do in her previous life. She still had not cured her innate distrust of people, other than Pete, and deep down was reasonably sure that this good luck streak would come to an end, leaving her back on the streets in some bar.

Sitting up this morning she wrote:

"Sometimes I ask myself what am I doing with my life? Staying in the same room day after day, occasionaly wondering around the house, sometimes even going into the garden, or into the city to buy goods, but most I just stay in my room. I certainly never go into the areas of the city where I grew up, where I lived. And although my new life is more comfortable, I am in luxury, and do not need to do anything, I feel I could be doing more. Helping others? I doubt it. Not here; where charity is abused, and entire charitable organisations are swallowed whole by con-men. Unless I want to be confronted by futlity everyday, that is no the path. Funky City isn't a place for anyone to live, we celebrate our freedom, that we can do what we wish, that the goverment does not restrict us, we may live as we want. Freedom of speech and action are meant to underpin are society. However it is only those who have power that can do what they want, because they don't want people under them to do what they want. See the paradox? I hear of Mr. Davis' reforms, and it's a good idea, that he can try, try to clean up our city. But I doubt he will suceed, this world is tainted. But why do I still feel for it? Savage, cruel Nepleslia yes, but never boring, never tipid, hor or cold, never lukewarm. I don't know, to be the truth. Nepleslia, the land of dreams and nightmares."

Then she lay back on her bed.
 
Skhaal's eyes shot up and he quickly reached over and grabbed his cloth sack of belongings and searched around and found 2 dozen small, light metal-weave bone shuriken daggers weighing next to nothing and were atleast as strong as steel if not stronger. He planned on giving them to everyone as a back up weapon and gifts for their loyalty and bravery especially dawn for he could only imagine wat she went through before they came along and let her stay in the house.

He was kind of sad still that she still did not trust them after so long but they did make a pretty bad reputation for themselves but figured it was just how these people were. He finally finished marking them and made small, well crafted leather sheaths for them and put them next to the plates and then calkled out "Alright breakfast is served!" He called oiut at the top of his lungs.

In a remote part of the house some dark plans were being concocted by one trusted thaxarian by the name of Shardax aka Shade. He took out a rolled up paper that appeared to have some type of plan written out on it in Thaxarian Sanscript which was forbidden and among the hardest languages to read and write. Shade looked around and put it away "In three days I must strike...or I will have failed genesis..." he said and then proceeding to the dining room as did the rest of the thaxarians that accompanied Skhaal
 
Pete was in a rather strange situation. Normally he'd have something to do with breakfast, since it was up to him to prepare it, and to serve it, but this morning, Skhaal had made the breakfast, and it seemed to be a get your own food affair, which meant that he had no duties to perform. Worse, he didn't eat, which means he couldn't even participate in the meal properly, his lack of a mouth meant that he couldn't really even go through the motions. Nothing for him to do here. He went back to his book, the works of a rather obscure Nepleslian philosopher, on the joy of being what he called 'a couch potato'.

Dawn didn't eat with everyone else, she waited for Pete to take up her meal later. It was no longer that she didn't trust the Thaxarians, just ... it was a bit of a custom, and she preffered her own company, always had done. At that moment she had gotten into the bed, and was enjoying the soft covers.
 
Skhaal sighed and finished up the last two or so daggers and set them on the table and shouted out "Pete, Could you bring Dawn a plate of food for me since we all know well enough that she doesn't trust andyone but you in this house and I have a gift for everyone so if you could, please come and collect the gift from me later if you can. Thanks Pete" As he was about to finish the thaxarians entered the room and took their seats and Skhaal spoke to them all "And don't you forget to praise Viashinox for the luck he has bestowed onto us to keep on going this long..." He said and each of them began praying. Shade entered and sat down and began praying as well but not to viashinox and Skhaal had taken notice but said nothing "Alright let us dig in my friends." They nodded simultaneously and bgan to enjoy the food before them without any complaining for burnt pieces and such.
 
Pete nodded, "Very well sir." He took a plate, and quickly gathered a breakfast from it, carefully removing all of the burnt bits, and then took it into the kitchen, where he put it on a tray, along with a rack of toast, a glass of orange juice and a coffee pot as well as a cup for it to go in. Then, balancing it perfectly, he went upstairs, and knocked gently on Dawn's door.

Despite what Skhaal thought, it really wasn't that she didn't not trust the Thaxarians, she was very gratefull for the room they'd allowed her to stay in, and the luxury in which she lived. It's just ... she had always been a bit of a recluse, and she'd spent almost no time with the Thaxarians, and the Thaxarians had spent little time trying to talk to her. It seemed to work out. Pete was different. "Come in." She called, knowing that it was Pete, and thus not worrying about being in bed. No-one else ever came to the door.

Pete was surprised the door was not locked, it usually was, but he didn't let that effect his demeanor, "Thank you miss, I have brought you your breakfast, this morning direct from the kitchen of Mr. Skhaal. It may be a little ... different from what your use to ma'am, but I can get you something else if you prefer." He placed the tray on her bedside table, and poured out the coffee for her.

"Thank you. No Pete, I don't think that'll be neccesary, this will be just ... fine." She looked at the food suspiciously, before having a fork full and swallowing it. Her face betrayed her surprise, "You know it's not half bad. Not as good as yours, but certainly not bad." She took anoter forkfull.

Pete inclined his head, smiling in soul if not in body. Well ... not soul. He didn't have a soul, but ... in the heart he did not have he smiled, "Thank you for saying so miss. Do you have any plans for today? I get the impression that Mr. Skhaal is plotting something, not sure what."

"Uhm, I'm not sure Pete, I might just stay here, or I might do something adventurous, go for a walk or something." Dawn replied, looking thoughtfull. She hadn't left her room for quite some time now.
 
Skhaal then finished his meal and looked around and began closing his eyes suddenly he remembered the other custom that came with the delivering of the ceremonial bone daggers, which required the maker or owner to deliver them, themself. He then picked up the one made for dawn and placed it in a small and long, Tin box with the Thaxarian symbol carved in it with Dawn's name inscribed on the lid and He walked towards the stairs and began walking toward the second story and towards Dawn's Room.

Skhaal hadn't really been on the 2nd floor that often and it gave him a uneasy and unpleasant feeling as he walked towards the door to her room, soft and stealth like and set the box in front of her door and snuck off to the first story and let out a sigh and relief as the unpleasant feeling had vanished.

He then went back to his room and looked at his schematics and plans but as he did he felt less...Thaxarian, He felt out of touch with his home and culture and knew this wasn't hat thaxarians did yet it felt so right... He quickly shrugged it off and put them to the side and pulled out a clean sheet of parchment or paper and a writing utensil and began etching a picture of a fabled beast known as a dragon which may have once existed on Thaxaria.
 
"Miss Dawn, I do believe someone was just outside the door and put something down." Pete said, "With your leave."

Dawn simply nodded, the idea of giving Pete permission for doing something as simple as checking outside the door alien to her. Having a servant, even one that wasn't really a servant like Pete was ... alien. Almost as alien as the Thaxarians.

Pete opened the door, and picked up the case, "This would most likely be intended for you, unless one of the Thaxarians has decided to give me a gift, and decided to rename me Dawn, which I doubt one way or another." He said, and passed the box over.

"Oh ... how thoughtful." Dawn said, looking at the tin box, with its strange symbols, and her name calved on it. She opened the box and looked shocked as she saw the ceremonial daggers. strange enough in itself, but made from what looked to be bone ... spooky, "Pete, you don't think the Thaxarians are part of some cult do you?"

"No miss, they have there ceremonial observations, as do most people. But I have seen nothing to suggest ceremonial killing, which you are possibly considering they might do. Most likely this is a tradition of there's I sincerely doubt that bone is human."

"Well that's good then." Dawn thought it was a lovely present, and was honoured by it, but could not escape from the fact she had been given a bone ceremonial dagger, among people she trusted, but not with her life.
 
Skhaal found himself in Shadeox's Study and found it very strange that he would write such words in the Thaxarian language. It was unprovoked and Although otherwise he would respect Shadeox's privacy...He seemed abit odd and knew he had seen this before. After rummaging he found what looked like plans. His eyes widened as he realized what his comrade was planning and also found him to be a traitor of the worst kind. He knew something was off about the Thaxarian. He then pocketed the plans and exitted the room.

Something told him this was going to chain react something bad. He then knocked on dawn's door "Pete we need to discuss something...It's kinda important..." He said in a melancholy voice and then added "Meet me in my study downstairs" He then went downstairs and into his study waiting for Pete.
 
"If you will excuse me Miss, I am obliged to meet Master Skhaal in his study. As long as I survive that terrible endeavor I will return with your lunch, or when you next feel that you require me." Pete stood for a moment, waiting for Dawn's reply.

"Alright Pete, I was hoping to get down to some more writing anyway. Come whenever you want Pete, I do like talking to you." Dawn replied, reaching for her pad of paper and pen.

"Very good miss." Pete bowed fluidly, and walked backwards out the door. Closing the door silently behind him he continued downstairs to Skhaals study, where he knocked politely on the door, "Sir, it is Zenelrox here to see you as you requested." Pete shuddered silently as he named himself by the abomination that the Thaxarians had given him.
 
Skhaal almost forgot that he named Pete Zenelrox but then shrugged because it did not matter "Zenelrox or...pete or whatever I believe one of the most trusted of the thaxarians is planning on killing me and overtaking thaxaria, your the only one I could trust ironically and I think we might need to return to thaxaria after confronting Shardiax. I think it might be important one Thaxaria needs me and two...you and dawn need to see Thaxaria so you two can understand what it's like. Call it a...um a rare experience for you will be the only outlanders that have set foot on Thaxaria for Aeon's since the Slaver war that happend a long time ago.

Im just not sure how we will get there, but I assure you if we do we will be able to walk more freely without any of the fears that are held on this dark pit of a planet.

He sighed quietly and there was a knock at the door Skhaal called out "Who is it?" A thaxarian replied from behind the door "It's time for you to rest, You havn't selpt all night..." Skhaal sighed and stood up "Listen pete Im afraid Shardiax might have Cerebral Demonatus so you should stay with dawn at all times. He is actually insane so don't ever let him in, Is that clear?"
 
"It shall be as you say sir," Pete said, thinking, "Just don't allow the heavily armed psychotic warrior into a room." before resuming his conversation, "I shall prepare Miss Dawn's lunch, and explain to her the situation as you see it." Of course he had no idea what Cerebral Demonatus meant, but he didn't really think it was his position to ask, or feel particularly motivated to. He bowed his head, and waited to be dismissed.
 
Skhaal nodded for Pete to be dismissed. Pete exitted the room along with Skhaal and they parted in seperate directions. Later that night most of the thaxarians rested except one. Shardiax wandered around and went into the basement and retrieved one of the thaxarians blades and examined it "This should do nicely..."
 
Pete walked up the familiar stairs to Dawn's room silently. It was one of his little pleasures to be able to move without disturbing anyone, and it had been a simple thing to analyse the floor through trial and error and to know where to step, and how hard, to be able to walk silently. His mind was troubled given the message that Skhaal had told him to pass on, it was certainly a big change from the schedule his life, and Dawns, had taken over the last few months.

He reached the door, balancing a plate of finely cut ham sandwich's, which he knew Dawn enjoyed, on his hand, and knocked, measuring the strength of the knock as so to only be as loud as needed, "It is Pete miss, I have brought you up what might be termed as a Brunch, or in less uncouth terms an early lunch, but have also been asked to pass on a message from Master Skhaal.â€
 
All of a sudden a crashing noise came from Skhaal's quarter's, It appeared Skhaal was prepared for the attack even though he was previously sound asleep. The sound of heavy footsteps and heavy blows came out of the room and into the hallway and a conversation could be heard "Come on, you traitorous Son of a Bitch!" which seemed to come from skhaal with a great magnitude of anger.

And a blow hit Skhaal into the wall and a hissing, snake like voice came from Shardiax "What's the matter? Im just doing what your too fearful of doing, Imperial Dog!" suddenly another blow hit Skhaal and Shardiax grabbed his blade "I can't kill you but Im going to further wound your soul by taking the life of the girl, the one you showed kindness to. That will show you for showing kindnes to strangers! He said as he ran down the hall, Skhaal getter up quickly and following after him. The thaxarian cut through the door with the amazing sharpness of the blade. He then spun around Pete and Skhaal did the same around the other side of pete in time to catch the blade with his shoulder.

His arm then fell to the floor and the Thaxarians finally had woken up and came up the stirs. Shardiax glared "Well, maybe next time I will kill you if the bloodloss doesn't..." He then ran down the hallway and leaped out the window leaving Skhaal clenching his arm in trembling pain. The thaxarian Medic pulled out some herbs and jammed them in the wound and then wrapped it as Skhaal blacked out. He had sacrificed an arm to protect Dawn, It was a great act of Self-lessness.
 
As soon as the fight started, Dawn did the one thing that made any sense to her in this circumstance, jumped behind the bed and crouched down praying to an unspecified God, quite a popular prayer in Nepleslia really, going like, "Not me, not me, don't see me, leave me alone." And so on. Conveniently she'd glanced over the edge of the bed when Skhaals arm had been cut off, and had the dubious of honour of being hit by some of the blood. To her credit she didn't scream, screaming brought attention to you, and that was really not what a woman needed to do on Nepleslia. After the fight was finished, she just stared at Skhaal, he had sacrificed himself, or at least a part of himself to protect Pete, and that brought his position in her eyes up greatly.

Pete had not moved throughout the commotion mainly because it would have obscured Skhaal as much as Shardiax with any movement. He did think it very unfortunate that Skhaal thought it was necessary go get in the way of the sword: Pete being an android meant that the sword was very unlikely to kill him, even if it had sliced through a considerable amount of his body. "Thank you for your intervention sir." Pete said after the whole situation had finished, and Skhaal had lost his arm.
 
Before Skhaal passed out he was able to utter a few words "I lost an arm to save two comrades..." Also there appeared to be something strange with the blade Shardiax had it seemed to have some kind of barrier running down the blade that made the blood roll off. It was Shardiax's personal blade and it appeared to be technologically enhanced with a energy weave overlaying the blade making it able to pierce metal quite easily but his target wasn't pete but Dawn.

Skhaal woke up days later and he was shocked to discoved her know had a intracate and very endurant Darksteel Prostetic Arm. He moved the fingers and arm wiht he remaining nerves and muscles that were drivven into artificial ones made of flexible metal that overlay a artificilal metal internal bone and all of it was wrapped up by thick shell plating.

Skhaal decided to get up, against the wishes of his comrades which said he still needed rest but he simply pushed them out of the way. He looked around for Pete but the just called out "Pete? Where are you?"
 
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