Resilience: LXXXV
"Where?" Markos whispered. He was tired, where the hell was Asher? What was this new cult up to? Had they been pulling the strings all along? In an attempt to get something?
"The Windmill in the Southern Ward; Geargrinder." Vaelle answered. The party was silent, the words of Renaer still ringing in their heads from all that time ago. It all made sense now. Every little detail. "That's where we were supposed to deliver something. I was.. Going through something.. Not always aware of what it was.. But.. yeah." It hung over all of them. But especially Markos, he felt that he knew how much responsibility he had.
"Isn't this cult thing time sensitive?" Vestus criticized. Markos wished he would be silent for even one second. He kneeled on the floor keeping his eyes closed in a desperate attempt to concentrate. Usually, it wasn't this hard.
"We have a cultist in our party." Alekzandr interrupted. He sounded a bit squashed but overall just as smart as ever. "Who seems to be praying." The drunk made a choking sound mocking him. Markos didn't care. He wanted answers and guidance.
"Hephestus help us.." Vestus muttered. 'Oh.. we don't need Hephestus..' Markos thought.
"-ian, guide feer e quen attempt nae teshuel bren.." He chanted, for a split second it felt as if his hair was drifting upward, getting lighter. His limbs felt tighter and more constricted; the air smelled like sea water while his mind corroded like iron in the sea. "Sen nha it quen mist dao." The room quickly grew silent. He felt his cloak begin to rise; he chanted the names like they were a fond memory, however they were anything but. He felt the connection break and his body seemed to grow heavy once again. Markos opened his eyes and stood up. Prayers were rarely answered, especially for him.
"Selune guides us." Andraste announced she held up her right hand revealing an odd looking tattoo. It seemed to be in the shape of a crescent moon, yet at its center between the crest was a small bead. He was confused.
"Nice.. tat?" he tried, Andraste seemed to roll her eyes.
"It's a blessing. A favor from our god." She looked over at Riu with a smile. The two of them had a small conversation with their eyes. "A favor.. A deity marks you with a task and grants you a small favour.. In the heat of battle you may be able to move faster than you would or-"
"AGH!" Markos screamed collapsing to the ground. A cold writhing sensation surrounded him like the very depths of the ocean. Slime touched his skin and ice cubes were being shoved into his open brain. He chattered his teeth, willing himself to scream, yet no noise came whatsoever. A fog of madness began to spread across his brain like fire through a wheat field. His vision felt a bit red like some had placed lenses over his eyes. Infinity once again enveloping him.
'I hear these thoughts..' The voice slithered through his mind. He felt as if a squid was collapsing itself to crawl through each and every crack. 'There is.. Greater chaos then me out there. A reckoning. If I am to rise.. You must find it.' Markos shook with fear, feeling the cold wet sensation start to ungrasp.
He had no time to recover. 'Don't forget Enah.. he's listening..' Markos lowered his eyes and nodded destroyed from the inside out until he was nothing more than a servant once again. His right hand burned in pain.
"Markos?!" Herod was clutching his sides holding him like he was a child. "Markos can you hear me?!" He snapped his head around and began nodding, warmth spread back to his body. The clutches of envelopment disappeared.
"H-how long was I out?"
"Out?" Alekzandr peered. "You.. Just stood there for a second and collapsed. Are you alright?" He thought about what those voices meant.. He answered.. The old fucker actually answered. That meant this was serious.
"We have to go." He replied. Completely waving away Alekzandr's question. Of course he isn't alright. He was owned, body.. Mind.. and soul. Herod threw the door open letting all of them file out. Markos reached over clutching his friend's side taking deep rapid breaths.
"You heard something. Didn't you?" He was thankful for Herod, he placed a hand on Markos's; shoulder it was comforting in a way. "Markos.. We.." He knew what Herod was talking about, those nights ago they talked about their shared experience with Ant'tran, now.. It just felt.. Closer. He nodded, holding up his right hand he unwrapped the cloth that surrounded it, makeshift gloves. "Oh.." Herod whispered. He didn't want to look at it but he knew he had to. The small black outline was oddly out of place regardless of his cultist past, his insane ramblings and strange history. It was in the shape of a black bar with three descending swirling lines. The mark of Cthulhu. 'Kinda boring.' Markos thought. 'I have a better one.'
"Yeah.. oh." Markos whispered happily. He felt a tad.. Warm? He'd never received a message from his god like this. Never had he received a favor so this would be interesting. "Any message?" He inquired looking over at Herod. The warlock smirked and nodded. Markos tried to look at his hand to see if he had any visible favors; nothing was there.
"I get replies, not visible favors, I'm a champion, Markos." Herod responded. "Now everyone." The warlock stood up holding his sword over his head. "I do believe we have some cultists to kill."
"Vestus." Alekzandr interrupted. "You look off, or.. Maybe upset, you look odd." The giant stood up with a somber expression on his face. Markos wondered if perhaps he was still dealing with the potential loss of Asher. "What did your god say?" Vestus began to chuckle, reaching behind him he pulled free an enormous great axe befit a giant.
"Hephestus said.. Deal with it." The giant responded cynically. His ugly face just started to smile, and he nodded like he couldn't even be angry with that response.
"H-hold on." Riu interjected a tad bit of concern on her tongue. "All.. of our gods responded?" The room paused, stopping Alekzandr burped in the middle of it all. "Do you have any idea how large of a threat it takes for that many gods to respond? We.. have no idea how massi-" Markos ran over to the door, every second they wasted here was time that could be better allocated at the actual fight.
"Let's go!" He screamed. The party ran for the door, Vaelle in tow behind them they had no idea how long these guys could be there so time was of the essence.
He Found himself staring at the new woman; Vaelle, trying to study her hazel eyes for ill intent. "I gave you directions, is there something you need?" The girl noticed while they ran.
"Uh, no. I just really don't trust cultists. Um.. which yeah bla bla, but yeah."
The girl clenched her teeth and nodded, like she had suddenly begun to think of it like him. "To be fair.." She whispered with a pursed lip, "I don't trust myself after all this either. I can understand.. But, do you not trust yourself?" Markos licked his teeth in irritation, he felt like that was obvious.
"Of course not, I make terrible decisions everyday, hell I started World war one." She had no reply.
It had just crossed afternoon, the location they were heading to was far further than he would have liked.
"I'm taking that, is the windmill?" Vestus asked. The site could only be described as an old fashioned windmill, made for farms and such, however this one looked to be crumbling; its large fans were now only exposed skeleton wood. The surface of the windmill looked cone shaped pushing into the sky roughly eighty feet high. Along the top were a series of windows. The grassy land was old and dry. It probably hasn't been watered in a fortnight. The building itself was falling apart covered in various insignias and other graffiti. It definitely looked like a meeting place for a cult. Old buildings like this often became overlooked by the guards as they would eventually give up throwing people out.
"Yes.." Vaelle whispered she sounded out of breath probably never having to run like that in her life he assumed, well jokes were on her when you're in a cult you gotta get used to running like a bitch! Wait.. "This is where we were supposed to deliver the stone.. But I don't know who to."
'Let's run in and piss on the carpets! Wait, no eat the carpets!'
"Let's knock it down." Vestus growled. The father looked furious, probably prepared to do whatever it took to take down those cultists. "Find some load bearing beams and-"
"There, there and there." Markos pointed his finger towards various locations on the windmill, identifying what they needed to knock down.
"Eldritch blast?" Herod asked innocently. Markos snickered and wanted to say yes.
"Wait." Adleth interrupted, placing an arm over Herods sword. "We're looking for that stone you nimrods.. If we knock the place down."
"The less likely we are to find it." Riu finished. The three of them groaned, wishing to simply collapse the building.
"We need to find the cultists.. That is our first priority." Alekzandr muttered. He was in agreement. He closed his eyes and willed the portal to open. With a small swoosh he brought forth the familiar he was so proud of. The pink squid-like being with angelic wings fluttered about the area. He stared deeply into Cerdest's blue eyes beaming with knowledge.
"On it." Markos replied. He willed his familiar to surge upward towards the windows. In total there were roughly five panes that surrounded the property, one on the north, east, west, south, and south west sides. He used Cerdest to check those windows for movement.
"We should split up. Some of us should head inside.. Others stay outside." Herod muttered. "For all we know what's going on in there is far more important than out here." He explained. Markos closed his eyes, focusing only on the sight that Cerdest was trying to give him. It was like his eyeballs had been replaced with Cerdest's. He first checked the south, and then the east windows.
"I don't see anything.." He admitted. Markos let the stream enter his party's mind. "I'll let you know.." He saw constant dirty rooms, clutter and stuff inside but besides that nothing was visible. He continued to circle the building. The flight of his familiar felt so smooth and effortless. It was going to start nearing nightfall soon- Cerdest hovered outside of the western window. "West window! There's-" He made out three snarling human figures who did not look pleased to see his familiar. One outstretched their palm as a burning flame seared from the black haired man and began shooting at Cerdest. The feed cut out a little, Markos willed his pet to fly up and dock itself near the top of the windmill.
"Markos, what did you see?" Adleth had grabbed his shoulder. He pointed to the left.
"Three figures.. Two boys and a girl." he explained. Markos looked up a little proud of himself. Vestus ran to the doorway of the former pigeon roost, he had seen the little nests this place once had. "I'm gonna kill the one who hurt Cerdest." He growled. The insanity was a little bit rocky at that second. "Cerdest.." His familiar projected what she saw into all his friends' heads to save himself time. Vestus forced his way to the entrance followed by Adleth, and Andraste. The druid leapt through the air and shifted until large muscles began to bulge from her arms and chest, her skins melted into a dark golden furr and her long blonde locks became a mane.
'Boil him alive!' While that voice was a product of insanity.. 'Agreed.' He thought.
"Not even gonna ask!" Vestus declared charging up the stairs in the front of the windmill. Markos turned and gave Vaelle, the former cultist, a weary look. The girl was actually quite cute, with long black hair, large lips, and big eyes that seemed too innocent for the horrors of a cult. She redeadied the standard spear he had given her and followed them up.
"Great." Alekzandr chimed in. "Based on what you showed us comrade.. I did not see the stone-"
*ARCHHEKKERI*
"Did.." Herod began. "You all heard that right?" They looked left, towards the western window. His eyes were met with a familiar sight; three large batlike creatures, with purplish skin and long spiky tails. Their mouths resembled birds with beak shapes but covered in solid flesh. Their body was dotted with large spikes like a porcupine, yet these spikes resembled a series of bones like the spine.
"Oh fuck." Markos Blurted. He rubbed his temples and watched the spine devils fly towards the window of the windmill. "Vaelle mentioned transporting.. Delivering."
"That means that. Or.. those, are what she was delivering to." Alekzandr finished. Markos saw the drunk run backwards tracking his movement towards a hill nearby. High ground. Markos spun his trident in his grasp recognizing the pitchforks in their own hands. The devils looked like a odd mix of a bat, bird, poricpin and really large fucking lizard. They had human hands and arms but screeched constantly when they got closer.
"You know these?" Herod asked, speculative. He nodded.
"I.. when I was in hell I saw these a few times.. Spined devils.." Markos shivered remembering just how these creatures killed their prey. The things got closer to the window, now Markos could see that of the three one of them looked much bigger than the others. Shit.
"Do I eldritch blast?" Herod mused. He was already holding Vulity up high Markos spun his trident and braced with him.
"We gotta stop them from getting the stone."
"Am I getting permission?" Herod laughed, Markos spun and Alekzandr was leaning over a hill staring down his barrel at the creatures.
"I recommend you blast the shit out of them." Alekzandr suggested. Markos took several deep breaths, shit were they waiting on his call?! He wasn't a leader- he.
"Wait.." Markos muttered. The creatures still haven't paid them any attention. "Wait.." He continued. The devils got closer and closer to the window.. The window where Cerdest was hiding above. Just a few.. Inches.. Closer. "Now!" Markos willed Cerdest to act. Invisible to him but very visible to the devils. Cerdest shot an inkcloud that covered the area in psychic fog, limiting the vision of the devils. It bathed them in the darkness and the creatures knocked into one another.
'Time for a slaughter! We can rip their spines out and play with it!'
"Glacies cultro" Alekzandr cheered.
"Vulity Ceriorem Ventus!" Herod added. The two fired large bolts of energy, frosty mist appeared on two of the spined devils while the blast of force hit the creatures like a train. A fox biting off the ears of one of them. Markos arc'd his trident summoning a witch bolt to hit the large spined devil. Purple lightning coursed through his trident; vibrations and energy sent him into a numbed state. "If they didn't know we were here before." They did now. Markos thought. The creatures were blinded, hurt and now didn't know where they were being attacked from. The creature hit with purple lightning began to surge in size while volts filled its body. The thing exploded into a cloud of mist and gore.
"Nice shot." Alekzandr congratulated. The creatures began to turn themselves towards the rest of them. The large spined devil roared and shook its tail. Spikes shot from it numerous ones missed them entirely. Another however..
"Agh!" He stabbed his trident into the ground as searing pain filled his arm. His left shoulder began to cry in a burning sensation of pain. An oddly yellow colored spell flew past one of the two remaining spined devils coming from Alekzandr's direction. Markos swiveled his arm and ignored the pain getting ready for another attack. From the windmill, he began to hear screaming and loud noises. "What the fuck are you doing?!" Markos yelled at the creatures in Infernal. He felt an uncomfortable look come from Herod but he couldn't focus on that right that second.
"That is our business!" One of the devils replied it's infernal tongue was so heavy and accented he had a hard time making it out. "What are you doing here?!" It sneered back.
"Well apparently that's my business!" Markos goaded. "C'mon man let's just have a nice conversation here!" He began joking, trying to keep himself up. The devil turned towards the sound of his voice. "Before you attack me can I interest you in a pamphlet?!- oh shit!" The devil closest to the window rushed into the air and flung two of its spines towards him. It was working. Herod and Alekzandr were far more valuable spell casters; his offensive power was nothing to admire, but he could draw the creature's fire! Markos spun his trident slicing one of the spines in half and knocking another one into the ground at his feet. He grinned before the next devil unleashed its spines. He brought his trident up to deflect them but he wasn't fast enough, one spike shoved itself into his right leg fiery pain lit up his body while Herod fired off another blast landing square in the creature's jaw, another spike found its mark in his own arm. The creatures tried to retaliate at Herod with an attack but Markos spun around sliding in the way feeling one spike glance off his armor but another one again slammed into his back. "Fuck!" he sunk his trident into the ground. Herod was injured as well with a devil spine in his ribs.
"Fuck, fuck!" Herod cursed in anguish.
"I swear to Hephestus! If you fucking hurt me I will toss you off this roof!" Markos heard Vestus screaming from the inside of the windmill. Various bits of fighting could be heard from the inside of the building.
*Fleervoo*
Markos's attention was caught to his right seeing a spectral thing come into existence. Large tendril black whips folded into the space next to Herod and him, like a black figure it resembled a cat yet with nine tails.
"Fuck!" Herod screamed.
"Mystic weapon!" Alekzandr added. Heord tried to jump to the side but the creature lashed out sinking its mystic black tails against Herod's flesh, Markos was helpless watching his friend get the entire right side of his body clawed into. He was pushed to the ground Herod moved to try and slash the creature but it did nothing.
"GRAHH!" Herod screamed, he howled in pain slashing over and over in every direction his shirt exploded with deep red marks now covering him in a red X shape. "Run!" He screamed.
"That hurt like shit." Markos jumped to his feet, every attack Herod made against the cat did nothing. *VreePoom* An eldritch blast. He turned his attention back to the spined devils. "So I'm not fighting fair anymore!" he shouted. "Ctugraha." The air folded around one of the spined devils a large portal opened like a golden blaze while a purple tendril pushed out and grabbed the creature so hard Markos could feel it squeezing the life out of it. He spun his trident before the second devil could react arcing electricity from himself into its purple lighting. "Zair nha syol!" It didn't seem to hurt the creatures very badly. "And that is for hurting me!" Markos yelled angrily. "I'm gonna find a way to fly up there and hit you again!" He cheered. When he started fighting he always talked more like Asher.
"What is the short one talking about?!" One of the creatures asked.
"I don't know." Replied the other. 'And get used to not understanding!' Markos thought.
"Shit. I-I" Herod began stuttering while the cat seemed to go to attack him again. "Alekz, Markos you two have a lovely time!" Herod jumped into the air. "Caligo gradus." The warlock turned into a spectral green mist and floated up to the window above them where Markos could now see Vestus swinging his axe against a door frame. Now the cat of fucking hell.. Had only.. 'Shit.' The cat rushed him, its tendrils slashed against his arms and chest sinking deep horrible pain, blood ran down his sides he began to shiver closer and closer to death.
"You god damn coward!" Alekzandr screamed. Markos disagreed. Herod was a glass canon, they needed his firepower elsewhere. It just sucked that.. Well he looked like he was going to die.
"Vara fucking.." Markos cursed in Deep speech. The devils unleashed another line of spikes, they stayed away from him which made this so hard. Three more spells surged at them, one and two others missed. "One of them is restrained!" He screamed at Alekzandr that he was missing. He threw his trident sinking into the devil and summoned it back to him. Firing a second witchbolt at them. Fuck, it missed.
'We could eat the dirt to intimidate them!' Shut up, voices!
"ROAR!" The bellow of a lion was heard shaking the area. Markos got the feeling they were now fighting the cultists inside. *VreePoom* Blasts of energy could be seen from the window as Herod was shooting in there. *Chn-flink*
"Kill the spell caster!" one of the demons sneered. Markos saw it ready it's pitchfork and turned to Alekzandr's direction. 'No. no. no.'
"I bet my trident is way better than yours!" Markos screamed with all his might. His body was in incredible pain, his eyes were spotted with dots, he evaded an attack from the right trying to keep away from the nine tailed cat.
"Why?" Alekzandr cursed. He felt the eyes of the drunk on him.
"I really think that my shit is better!" Markos boasted again. The devil hurled another line of spikes at him. 'Fuck.' He thought, he wanted it to attack with its trident, those moves would be counterable. The first spike sank into his lower waist the searing pain became overwhelming as he screamed his lungs out. He had faced worst. He dodged another spike. "Fuck!" he cursed feeling the nine-tailed cat strike him in the back, lashing across him more blood was drawn. He wouldn't waver, the other creature was still looking at Alekzandr. "See." Markos groaned. "Look at my trident." He stood up and presented it outward. "It's so cool and has all this cultist imagery on it. Its stabbed by a few gods before.. Ya know." the creatures both turned to him now when Markos let off a Witchbolt for a third time hitting one of them. "And I bet your trident can't hit me." The devil smiled and snarled. It flung more spines. 'Well so much for that plan.' he thought. The spines hit his stomach deep pain filled all of his body like a rotting corpse and burning forge liquid fire consumed him. Markos screamed. His vision became blurred and he wasn't sure if he could keep going. "Ok.. I'll admit, you hit hard." he muttered, feeling his body begin to collapse to the ground. "But I'll have you know.. My god has hit harder." he stabbed his trident into the ground and growled at the creatures he wasn't the most menacing but he hoped it worked.
"Then pray to him." One of the devils smeared. It was still trapped in the tentacle but yet its spined tail was able to move.
"It's her really.. Or, a they? Maybe it? But I'd really like to avoid that friend." Markos corrected. Was this the end? Really? Shit had he been foolish to think he could tank all these hits to keep Alekz and his friends from being hurt? He watched his tentacle swipe away two more spikes one of the devils tried to hurl "Thanks Tom.. You.. you're trying your best." he nearly collapsed to his knees. Ah. this was how this all ended huh? Markos tried to get back to his feet but could only sink lower and lower, being filled with vicious pain. He tried to look up and only saw a strange sight as a door flew off its hinges and collided with one of the devils.