Chapter XLI - Old Acquaintance? Never Forgotten ~Multehx

Nictem exhaled through his teeth as he held his wine glass out. "Waiter! Another round please." he called.

Reuben, a Yoshi, the father of “Lich” Thanatos von Kippo and owner of the Navel Falls View took the glass, and stated, "Well, I'm not so sure. After all...sir...you've had three tankards of our strongest wine and are still sober! How do y-"

Nictem glared.

"Never you mind! Just get me another round!" he snapped, handing over his glass.

He hesitated, and gave the Yoshi a silver coin, then a gold one for his troubles; both of some odd design.

Reuben was about to object, but something in Nictem's eye convinced him not to complain of the odd currency. He muttered his thanks and hurried back to the bar. NecronimusII looked at the Twilighter, and Nictem smirked, shrugging and taking his glass as Reuben returned momentarily. He took a sip, then looked thoughtful.

"Necro?"

"Eh?"

"You know, this wine has an odd taste to it..."

"It does?"

"Yes, it has a...well...'twinge' to it. Almost tart. Rather odd, but addictive brand."

NecronimusII nodded and looked out the window.

"Don't you think we should get back to out task? I think I might know where to look..."

Nictem quirked a brow. "You do? But that kid didn't tell us anything!"

NecronimusII grinned, and laid a cloth picture on the table.

Nictem studied it as he spoke, "It's some sort of map of this land, and by the underlined word, which is Pandoran for 'Potos', I think we might find something there..."

Nictem snickered and polished off his glass with a deep swallow. He sat it down on the table, thinking aloud, "You know, I think it might be best if we took some time and looked around. After all, when was the last time either of us had a break from work?"

NecronimusII nodded slowly and rose.

"You have a point. It has been some time...in fact, forever for me, and the idea is appealing." Nictem stood up and put his arms akimbo.

"So then, let's explore this hole of a town."

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Rumpil looked up from the counter. He rubbed his eyes and looked up again. He had seen some strange clientele, but these two were just odd. They browsed the racks until the red-skinned fellow happened upon a candy bar and picked it up. He looked confused.

"What is this?" he asked aloud.

"Pakkun Candy," Rumpil replied.

Nictem tore off a bit of the wrapping and took a bite. He immediately and rather violently spit it out, dropping the bar to the floor. He looked to the shopkeeper, obviously angry.

"You call THIS 'candy'?! It's not worthy of being called sweetened horseradish back home!"

He looked around, then picked a Cup of Wishes from the rack. Rumpil complained as he pocketed it. Nictem looked over calmly.

"Pay? But, shopkeeper, I take that for being subjected to that...'candy'."

Rumpil still wasn't at ease, so Nictem sighed and went on.

"When you're forced to undergo some unpleasantry, you want compensation, do you not?" Nictem paused, but continued before he had a response. "And, being forced to stand the taste of that awful...thing, I do believe I was entitled to some compensation. Now, you can see how that's fair, right?"

Rumpil thought it over. The fellow had a point. True, something deep inside told him he should be arguing over it, but it seemed to make sense, didn't it? Before he could say a word, though, Nictem patted him on the shoulder and he and NecronimusII strolled out.

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(Ten Minutes previous)

Ian frowned. He had just stepped out from behind the Spectrum, fixing a dent or two in the engine's side, when he saw two people rush off.

"Necronimus…" he muttered, recognizing the larger.

True, he didn't know who the smaller fellow was, but the lack of a nose was all too familiar to give a species too.

Priming the Quicksilver, he took a breath before pursuing the two. He ran as far as he could on the small peninsula before the water blocked any further path, and saw no sign of the two. No ripples in the water, no footprints on the soft earth. Perplexed, he leaned on an odd misplaced stone structure slightly off line front a row of them. There was a loud "ZING!" and he found himself standing on a red pentagram in the midst of a misty forest. Adjusting his cloak, he was off and after the two again.

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(Present time again)

The two walked back into the inn.

Reuben glanced up, asking, "What can I do for you?"

Nictem smiled. "I'd like a nice tankard of your finest wine for the road. Quite a likable taste."

"Yes, then it'll be-"

Nictem's smile vanished. "I said, I'd like one. I won't be paying a cent; it shall be given."

The Yoshi walked out from behind the counter and nervously stammered, "Y-you c-c-can't just barge in and order f-folks around!"

The Twilighter put a hand on his right shoulder, and it felt red hot to the touch. Nictem still looked highly annoyed.

"What was that, again?" he asked softly.

Reuben winced in pain.

"I...said you can't j-" he began, but was cut off as the heat from the gloved hand grew in intensity greatly. Kara chose that moment to waltz in cheerily, and, putting two and two together, realized that these gents weren't of savory intentions. So, she did the normal thing: she froze, shaking like a leaf.

Nictem slightly raised one eyebrow.

"Never tell me what I can and can't do..." he said calmly, increasing the heat his hand radiated, causing the Yoshi to moan in pain. Kara took this moment to rush forth, in effort to stop her husband's tormenter, but was grabbed from behind by the large robot, and turned to face Nictem. He grinned slightly, keeping his hand on Reuben's shoulder.

"The little lady wishes to defend her man...how amusing."

He drew his left, and was going to backhand her, but before his hand made contact with her face, it was caught by another gloved hand; one belonging to a man about 7'5", wearing a strange brown chestplate, brown pants, black suede boots, with fiery orange eyes, and white hair, with gold highlights. He wore a bandanna covering his mouth and lower face.

"It's not polite to hit a lady..." he growled, his eyes narrowing.

Nictem tried to pull his hand away, but couldn't free it from the grasp of this stranger. He took his other hand from Reuben's shoulder and tried to use it to aid his struggling, but to no avail. The stranger seemed to be sizing him up, before backhanding him so hard, it would have broken Nictem's nose if he had one. The Twilighter growled, and forced his hand free with a forceful kick. The Twilighter backed off, and cued NecronimusII to step in.

As the robot did so, the man drew a slender broadsword, with the end broken off, from a hidden sheath under his brown cloak, and managed to use it to block a punch of the robot's. There was a second clash of metal, and it blocked a kick aimed for his chest. He raised a brow slightly, as if to say with his eyes, "I'm not impressed."

Necronimus charged, throwing a deep right hook, but the man leapt up, plunged his sword into the ceiling, swung with it, withdrew it, landed behind the robot, and sweep kicked him to the floor. As NecronimusII got up, the door opened and Ian stepped into the room. All eyes were on him, but he didn't seem to react in the least to the attention.

The strange man simply nodded, while NecronimusII had a puzzled look on his face. He seemed to sniff the air deeply a few times, then glared at the boy.

"Your scent...that reek tells me who you are..."

Ian smirked, aiming the gun, resting the barrel on his arm. "Glad to be remembered."

NecronimusII glared, and Nictem scratched his head. He looked to Ian, curiously.

"I...don't know who you are...but you're giving me some...strange vibes..."

NecronimusII got to his feet, and aimed a punch for the young boy, who nimbly sidestepped it, and hit the robot on the back of the head with a loud "CLANG!" with his pistol. The robot fell to the floor, catching himself, shaking his head to rid him of the daze.

"Boy! The demon!" the man yelled just as Nictem threw out a hand, and a poison-tipped dart that had been concealed in his sleeve. Ian pulled a chair from a nearby table over and lifted it just in time for the dart to embed in it, still vibrating slightly. The robot growled and hurried out the door. Nictem snarled and ran off too.

"We'll be back!!" he called back.

Ian looked back over, pocketing the gun. The man was sitting down at a table.

"Fancy meeting you here, sir," he said.

The man looked over. "Strange things have been known to happen, boy."

Ian leaned on the doorpost and furrowed his brow in thought.

"Just...what are you doing out here anyway? Quite a ways from back home..."

The man smiled and folded his arms.

"True, but I go where the action is, and I felt these guys could provide some entertainment."

Ian nodded again, closing his eyes.

"Who are these guys…anyhow?" the man rubbed his chin.

"Eh...call themselves...the Twilighter Council...if I remember right."

He paused, then grinned, turning back to the table.

"How is he; Scilas, I mean?"

"Doing quite well, quite well really."

There was a moment of silence, then Ian glanced to his wrist watch and frowned.

"Can't be letting the rogues get this much of a head start. I must be going. It was a pleasure meeting again."

"Aye, likewise, boy. But before you go, I 'ave one more question."

Ian turned in the open doorway. "What's that?"

"What're you going by nowadays? Like this?"

The boy grinned slightly and replied, "Ian."

The man nodded, closing his eyes. "Ian...nice title to go by."

The boy shrugged. "I only use the best, Jaded."

And the man was left with his thoughts within the minute.

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NecronimusII and Nictem had been through quite a bit. Rushing from Kippo, then hearing a few travelers talking about the Guardian of the Cyan Arc, and the Ebony Lance being in Pandora, they chose the safer route, and splashed across the shallow river. A bit more running and they were at the gate to Potos.

They walked into the town square, drawing quite a bit of attention. Numerous villagers formed a circle around them, and an elderly man, who probably ran things if their guesses were right, approached them. He thoughtfully studied them.

"What purpose do you boys have here?" he asked.

"We're looking for something important." Nictem responded.

The man grinned and waved a hand around. "Important, eh? Importance is everywhere! The forest! The air! In a pretty face that sets the soul on fire! In-"

NecronimusII snorted impatiently, "We were talking about a powerful weapon."

Several of the villagers backed away, and the old man glared.

"'Ey, there's no need of folks looking for troublesome things for probably more troublesome purposes. I suggest you two leave now."

Nictem and NecronimusII glanced to other. They answered promptly. Necronimus pointed a hand, and a wind ball plowed through a row of houses, destroying their supports and toppling them. Nictem sent out a ring of fire, which burned most of the crowd alive. The survivors ran, but didn't get too far before being struck down by unholy black light blasts from behind. The old man tried using the forces of the elemental Dryad against them; throwing explosions of condensed Mana and intoxicating flora their way.

This stopped neither as a mighty armored hand knocked the man on his back, out cold. The two snickered, and proceeded through the village, and out the north-western exit. A short trip through the forest and they were at a stream bordered on both sides by rocks. In the middle sat an old but shiny sword, embedded in a stone.

Hopping over the barrier, the two proceeded up to it, and stopped on either side of it. Necronimus frowned.

"Is this the thing?"

Nictem breathed deeply, smiling. "Yes...it is. I can feel its power...breathe in the scent of pure energy it's giving off."

NecronimusII nodded and grabbed it by the hilt. Nictem slapped a hand hurriedly on his, stopping him.

"Wait!" he ordered. "Take the stone it's in with it. We don't want to damage such a weapon removing it."

Necronimus nodded, bent at the waist, and dug his fingers into the soft streambed. Groaning in straining, he pulled. The bed cracked deeply. The robot ripped out the sword, and a rather large sized piece of land. He exhaled, getting his bearings from his labor.

Nictem laughed triumphantly, "We have the first weapon! This is a very positive sign! Let us return it to the council."

With that, Nictem vanished in a golden beam of light, and NecronimusII with the sword, still in an immense rock, also did so in a green cloud of smoke. Ian arrived on the scene a moment later, cursed, and headed back for the Spectrum, entering and going back to his "job" instantly as he heard voices growing closer.