mindcracklove | Static (Chapter One)

tanadin posting in

Wings spread. Fires blaze. Eyes open.

Two hundred years after the end of Fated, the drums of fate rumble and beat as the Mindcrackers are dragged into the mechanics of destiny once again, watching those who can save the world and interfering only when the moment is right. A plague has spread across the land and the creators are more than uneasy.

This is the part four of the Monstrous series that no one predicted and no one asked for.

Updates will be irregular and halting, as RiR is still my priority, but here it is.

Here is Static.

Chapter list: http://tanadin.dreamwidth.org/382.html
Map of the continent: http://tanadin.deviantart.com/art/Static-map-606709103

Kingdom of Dalania, Minecraftia. March 1, year 788. Time instance 483Z.

The clouds overhead rumbled ominously, bringing the promise of rain to the cool, dry land. A man below, perched on the edge of a cliff, looked up momentarily before surveying the landscape before him.

He recalled his first impression of the kingdom, many lifetimes ago. Then, it had been nothing more than a dry, ashen wasteland filled with nothing but death and pain. Now, it seemed alive, with its plains and forests and its people, despite their dwindling numbers. No, the kingdom of Dalania still had plenty of death and pain to go around.

The man smirked slightly. Those had both been quite literal the first time he came here, and, for now at least, they still were. He got to his feet, breathing in the smell of rain. Perhaps things would be different this time.

As he bent his knees and jumped, however, one truth alone presented itself to him:

Some things never change.

His brown eyes lit up red, as did the gem that hung on a silver chain around his neck. His fall slowed, allowing him to land gracefully on the ground below. The glow faded and he continued onwards, his brown leather jacket being tugged gently by the wind.

But some things are never the same.

This thought tugged at his mind as he walked alone, feeling an empty void to his right where his old traveling companion used to walk. Slightly ahead and to the right. Or, in more recent years, ahead and to his left in the form of the one he was journeying to save.

He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t too thrilled about the journey he was taking, and he was particularly annoyed that he was doing it alone.

But dammit if he wasn’t going to save his....friend? Girlfriend? They had never really worked out what kind of position they were in and if he didn’t act quickly, they never would. His eyes narrowed in anger as he remembered how she had become infected with the plague in the first place. Some kind of thing had warped into their home and fought with her, staying only long enough to scratch her with an infected blade before vanishing.

It had been enough, however. She had put herself in stasis quickly when they realized her condition, but it might still be too late. The man rubbed his fingers on the gem around his neck. She had entrusted him with this, and he wouldn’t let her down.

Or so he told himself as he walked alone amongst the trees, feeling the loss of his friend more than he ever had before. He sighed and tried to shake it off, focusing on the task at hand.

This plague, which must be magical in nature, he was sure of it, had been spreading throughout the continent for a little over a year now. It seemed to directly corrode the victim’s life force, and while he seemed to be curiously immune to it, no one else was. There was no known cure, but he knew that if anyone could figure it out, it was the skettisren.

Well, if anyone that’s still alive can figure it out, it’s them. He corrected himself grimly. Lifetimes ago, he had known another who would have worked out the symptoms, cure, cause, and source of this plague and gotten rid of it before it had become the epidemic that it was. Unfortunately, that one’s time was long since up, leaving only the man with the red gem to work things out.

He would figure out the cure for this plague and he would save the only person he had left. He’d find whoever did this and he’d destroy them, completely and utterly.

He hadn’t taken on the name Vengeance for nothing, after all.

As he walked, his eyes caught upon a bizarre mountain, in the vague shape of a dragon’s claw. He had noticed it many times before and it had always struck him as odd, but he had never really investigated it. He supposed he had the power to, now, but not the time nor the energy to do so. He quietly resolved to look into it later, as he always did when passing it, and continued on his way.

Within that mountain, however, a doorway to the Vortex was still active, even after about a thousand years of being open…

-~-

The worldbuilders, thirty-three in number, were seated around a large table within their meeting room in the Vortex. They had gathered to discuss several things but hadn’t really gotten around to officially starting the meeting yet, mostly just conversing with one another and starting groupwide conversations. The entire clan was rarely in one room, so the opportunity was not one to miss.

However, just as their leader was standing and about to call for silence, the space in the room seemed to warp and, for a brief moment, the quiet sound of a clock ticking could be heard. Their heads snapped around at the eerily familiar sound and their eyes locked on the being that had appeared.

Angry and confused shouts immediately started to appear throughout the room, but the only Skullblade in the group shouted for silence. “It’s not him! It’s not Norazdomu!”

The being, a humanoid figure with bronze dragon wings and bronze reptilian eyes, shook his head in agreement. He was panting heavily, forked tongue hanging out, and his body was covered in scratches. He wore some kind of metal armor, dented and dull and bloody.

“Please, Mindcrackers, please! I need to talk to you!”

“You’re with Norazdomu, though, aren’t you?” Nebris demanded. “If you’re here to involve us with the fate of the world again, don’t even think about it! We’ve been through enough!”

“Please, listen to me. My name is Nozvalu. My father, Norazdomu, wished to come himself but there is a raging battle going on between the creators that he cannot leave for any reason. Ishtillion, Iilthrid, Norazdomu, Moranaax, and Vallor’roth are up against Jeb, Dinnerbone, Natterax, Alvaria, and the spirit of Skarthon. The sides are evenly matched, as there is little that Vallor’roth can do, as he is protecting the Skullblades with as much energy as he can muster.”

“Protecting the Skullblades? From what?” Blame demanded.

“The magical plague that Jeb unleashed upon the world. Tensions have been high but ever since several of Jeb’s elven infected several of the other creator’s children- Kaepravah and a few of the younger Davions, my sister Zaldomru, and a couple of the sharrenvar- war has broken out. Norazdomu’s vision of the future has been clouded and we believe that Jeb has been infected by corruption. Those on his side do not believe us and think that he is not the source of the plague, and that we are unjustly framing him- this is not so! His elven attacked my sister!” Nozvalu’s voice was desperate and he seemed close to tears.

There was silence among the Mindcrackers.

“But...I thought we had destroyed the corruption.” Vechs whispered.

“This is a new corruption, formed by the disbalance of good and evil. There is one who can possibly save our world, but you must watch and wait. Your time to act will come but you must learn what you can about what has happened in the two centuries since the Hostiles fell. Please. This is hard for you but if you do not our world could be destroyed and time itself will unravel.”

Iirkolav sighed. “I’ve been through enough shit to know when I have to do something I don’t want to. I’m up for it if everyone else is.”

The Mindcrackers slowly nodded.

Nozvalu bowed. “Thank you.” He snapped his fingers and an orb very similar to the old descendant orbs appeared, this one larger and held up by some kind of metal contraption, allowing people to crowd around it and watch more easily. “Watch Vengeance attempt to locate the cure. You will know when it is time to act- details past that are beyond what we can see.” Nozvalu bowed once more and vanished in a burst of bronze flame, accompanied by a quiet ticking sound.

The Mindcrackers exchanged anxious glances.

“Well, I guess it’s time to see what we’re dealing with.” Vechs reasoned, getting to his feet and stepping over to the orb. “I only hope this isn’t as bloody as last time…”

-~-

Vengeance stopped mid-step, eyes locking on something unexpected in the night sky. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but it was still there. A kind of red shadow, moving with some level of speed across the sky.

He had seen that before, but he had never expected to see it again. He blinked once more as if to reassure himself that it was still there.

The Bloodshadow…

He repressed the shiver it sent down his spine. Last time it had risen, it had unleashed ten of the twenty-one doomsday monsters known as the Hostiles upon the world. He still remembered the devastation they had unleased…

He shrugged his shoulders, took a deep breath, and continued on into the trees, hoping to find respite from the Bloodshadow’s baleful red gaze. He didn’t want to think about those dark times- anything but those dark times.

As he walked, however, other footsteps reached his ears. He paused, confused, and raised an eyebrow at the five men that stepped out of the trees to surround him.

Bandits, in Dalania? The plague must really be affecting the king’s ability to keep his lands safe.

“Hand over whatever you’ve got and maybe we won’t stick you full’o holes.” One of the bandits snarled.

Vengeance’s lip curled slightly. He had no intention of listening to these fools. He found his voice, a tool he hadn’t used since leaving his home, and snapped, “Back off. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

“I think we do. Gimme that crystal.”

Vengeance shook his head. “Last warning. Fuck off or I’ll kill you.”

The first bandit raised his gun, and Vengeance acted. The gem lit up, his irises glowing a matching shade, and he jumped, leaping over the bandit to stand behind him. He whipped around and commanded the energy into his hands, forming glowing red claws on his fingertips. He easily sliced open the bandit’s back and charged another, rolling out of the way of his sword and ripping out his throat.

Vengeance easily dispatched the other three as well before allowing the power to fade. He picked up the gun owned by the lead bandit and spat on the ground. The inventor of such items had vanished before he could perfect them, and thus, they were oftentimes more useless than deadly. He dropped it again and took a bandit’s sword before moving on.

You never know when you could use good, solid steel on your side.

~~~

It was late that next evening, on March second, when Vengeance crossed the border from Dalania into Traz’madar. He was a bit too far east, he guessed, but he couldn’t be quite certain. He’d never had the best sense of direction even in the best of times, when he traveled constantly.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t left his current home in…

I can’t remember. That’s fucked up. He kicked at a rock. That’s fucking me up.

He almost didn’t notice the figure as it scurried out of sight, but movement caught his attention. “Woah, hey!” He raced after them, gem glowing faintly to increase his speed.

The figured turned and he skidded to a stop, recognizing it as a skettisren. “Hey, hey, it’s okay! I’m friendly!”

“Run!” The skettisren hissed. “The area ahead is completely infected- I don’t know how I’ve managed to carry on this long without suffering from the plague myself! Get out while you still can!”

“Hang on, how long have you been hanging out with people who are infected?”

“A few days...a week, maybe. I’m a healer, it's my job! But how am I supposed to treat an entire town, huh? How? I’ve heard talk of an entrance to the skettisren tunnels within the borders of Dalania. It’s my only hope at this point.”

“I’ve never heard of tunnels in the north.”

“That’s because you’re a human! We don’t discuss our tunnel entrances with humans, more often than not.” She moved to leave, but Vengeance stepped in her way.

“Can you take me there?”
She hissed. “No. The tunnels are closed- that’s what I’ve been told. Closed because of plague. I’ll be lucky if they let me, one of their own kind, in. They would not let you in under any circumstances.”

Vengeance ground his teeth. “They’re the only ones who might know the cure!”

“If they knew it, I would know it as well. I was well-connected despite being a surface dweller- there is no cure! All you can do is run! Get out of my way!” She pushed past him and ran into the woods.

Vengeance didn’t bother to follow. He swore quietly and sat on a stump.

What was he supposed to do? If the skettisren didn’t know…

He sighed. This sucks. What am I supposed to do from here? I’m not the planner, I’m just… I’m just…

I’m nothing. That’s what I am. Alone, I am nothing.

He shivered and forced himself to his feet. Thinking like that won’t get me anywhere, though. But what’s the plan from here?

He paced for a few minutes before picking a random direction and starting to walk. He might as well get some ground covered. Maybe he’d run into someone or something that could help him.

After all, wandering aimlessly had worked for him in the past.

~~~

It was late afternoon on March tenth. Vengeance had been wandering somewhat aimlessly for over a week, and had yet to find anything or anyone that could help him. He had subconsciously turned to walk northeast, in the general direction of New Vexia. He continued to meander off of the exact direction, however, and intentionally turned away every time he noticed where he was heading.

He didn’t want to see it as it likely was now: broken by the plague and slowly suffocating under the weight of its dead.

He shivered and shut his eyes for a few moments as he walked, not wanting to think about it. He had last seen New Vexia a very, very long time ago, when its king was a different man and its advisors were his friends.

He sighed heavily and opened his eyes, freezing at what he saw.

Before him stood a zombie, but it was unlike any other zombie he had seen before. It barely seemed rotted, and its skin was only somewhat tinged green. Its hair and eyes were mostly untouched, although the irises had darkened to a rotten black-green color. It was dressed in well-kept leather clothing and it wore a leather hat. It didn’t seem to be armed, similar to most other zombies that were often found wandering in the forest. The most different thing about it, however, was how it stood in the filtered sunlight without any smoking, flaming, or apparent discomfort.

The zombie’s eyes narrowed in distrust and it straightened its shoulders. “Why are you here?”

Vengeance, who had been reaching for the power of the gem, froze, blinking in confusion. “You can speak?” The zombie’s voice was rough and low, slightly grating and quiet from disuse.

“Yes.” He said shortly. “I’m not like the mindless undead you find wandering around in the dark, so you don’t have any reason to destroy me if we leave each other be.”

“Right.” Vengeance slowly forced his muscles to relax. “Okay. That’s fine. You don’t hurt me, I don’t hurt you. I like that.” He tilted his head slightly. “How did you end up like this? Why are you different?”

The zombie shrugged. “I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember. I found a hut in the woods and have been surviving here ever since.” He hesitated. “If you can call it surviving.”

Vengeance snorted at that. “Fair enough. What’s your name?”

“I…” The zombie hesitated, blinking a few times. “I don’t know.” He admitted. “I didn’t think to give myself one.”

“Well, you need a name. I’m...well, I go by Vengeance.”

“Vengeance,” the zombie repeated. “You look more like a Fred. Maybe a Tim.”

Vengeance felt a pang in his chest. “No. I’m Vengeance.”

The zombie nodded, and Vengeance was struck by how easily he got along with this stranger. Usually he put up a charming facade in order to get along with everyone, but silently despised or was neutral towards most people, but he had an instant liking for the zombie.

“What brings you here, anyway?” The zombie asked him, crossing his arms.

“Nothing, really. I’m searching for a cure to the plague that’s been going around, but I’m a bit lost on where to go.”

The zombie looked surprised. “Plague?”

“Yeah. There’s some kind of plague going around. It directly corrodes the victim’s life force, from what I can tell. I’m immune to it for some reason, but my…” Shit, what are we? “...girlfriend, I guess, isn’t.”

“Oh. I’m...sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been wandering, just trying to think.”

“Well, you’re welcome to stay with me for awhile if you need some time. Maybe talking to someone would help you sort out your thoughts.” He kicked slightly at a small rock. “And I...wouldn’t mind the company. In fact, I’d...kind of welcome it. I’ve been alone for as long as I’ve been here.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Honestly? I have no idea.” The zombie gave a humorless laugh, which rattled his vocal cords. Vengeance had a feeling that, had the zombie actually needed air to live, he would have coughed. “I’ve lost track of time. Fifty years, at least. Maybe sixty.”

“That’s a long time with no company.”

“You’re telling me. Would you like to stay for awhile?”

A smile pulled at Vengeance’s mouth. “Sure. Why not? I could use someone to talk to.”

The zombie grinned as well, showing half-yellowed teeth. “That’s fantastic. Come on. My hut is this way.” He waved for Vengeance to follow him and set off into the woods.

As they walked, Vengeance pondered over what his new acquaintance had told him. “You could go by Ujhin. It means ‘alone’ in Dranonic, and it seems to fit you. You seem like a lonely person, even with company.”

The zombie thought about that for about a minute before nodding slightly. “Ujhin it is, then.”

They walked for another couple of minutes before they entered a small clearing. Vengeance paused as he took in the appearance of the area. A small wooden hut sat proudly in the center of the clearing, and a stream ran along its edge before disappearing into the trees. A burned-out campfire was set up a ways away from anything flammable.

Vengeance grinned slightly at the sight before him, thinking back to his old friend. “This is awesome.”

“It works.” Ujhin agreed. “It’s a particularly good location if one’s actually alive.” He stepped over to the campfire and sat down next to it, despite the lack of flames. Vengeance sat down as well, a little ways away.

“So, you want to find the cure for the plague that’s apparently going around, right?”

Vengeance nodded. “Yep. That’s the goal, anyway.”

“What have you done so far to try and find it?”

“I figured the skettisren might know. They’re good with stuff like that.”

Ujhin raised an eyebrow in surprise. “The skettisren?”

“Yes. What, did you not think they were real?”

“I...honestly wasn’t sure.” Ujhin frowned slightly and rubbed his head, but then shrugged it off. “Huh. Strange. I could have sworn…”

“What?”

“Nothing, I don’t think. Continue.”

“Well, on my way to the tunnel entrance that I know of, I ran into a skettisren who told me that they don’t know anything.” Vengeance crossed his arms. “And that’s where I got stumped for ideas.”

“Well…” Ujhin hesitated. “Last I knew, the medics in Dalania were some of the best. Specifically New Vexia.”

“How old is this information?”

“I don’t know! I don’t remember anything before waking up in the woods as a zombie. At least half a century old, maybe more. But I doubt Dalanian practices have gone that far down the drain. You might want to check New Vexia.”

“They’ve probably been hit pretty hard. I would have heard if they’d avoided the worst of the plague.”

“Then I don’t know what else to tell you. Maybe the Skullblades know, and maybe they don’t. You’d be hard-pressed to get into their territories even in the best of times.” Ujhin looked troubled as he mentioned Skullblades. “And Mira…”

“Mira?” Vengeance asked, head snapping up to look at Ujhin from where he had been gazing previously. “How do you know about her?”

“I...don’t know, honestly. But she’s the dragon, right? The one that protects the Skullblades?”

“Yeah. That’s her.”

“Strange...But how do you know about her?”

Vengeance looked away. “I’m not ready to discuss my past.”

Ujhin nodded, looking down at his hands. “Fair enough.” He paused. “So, what’s your plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to New Vexia, or…?”

Vengeance sighed, shrugging. “I don’t know. Maybe. I need some time to think about it first.”

“Well, stay as long as you’d like. Creators know I could use the company.”

Vengeance grinned. “That’s the one thing I’m good for.”

~~~

Void of Shadows, unrecorded time. Time instance 483Z.

Long before…

Vallor’roth hummed in quiet contentment, drifting through the Void of Shadows. His soul spent much of its time here, with the spirits of the deceased Skullblades. He knew each and every one by name, and he loved them all as if they were his own children.

He paused, however, when he felt a Skullblade attempt to get his attention. He tried to remember when she had arrived here, but it was hard to tell time in a place like this. He felt like it had been quite recently, but he was never really sure.

“Lord Vallor’roth?”

“Peace, Nelvethia. You may call me by my name alone, just as I call you.”

She nodded- well, the equivalent of nodding, as they didn’t precisely have physical forms in this plane- and continued on. “Vallor’roth, I have recently passed from the mortal plane into this one. However, my mortal life was incomplete, as I left my mate behind. He has not coped well with my loss and I wish I could comfort him. Please, is there anything you can do for him?”

“Perhaps, Nelvethia. Perhaps…”

“Thank you.” He felt a surge of joy in response to the Skullblade’s. “What will you do?”

“Anything I can, dear child. You know I would do anything for my Skullblades, living or dead.”

“Just as we would do anything for you.”

“You especially have done much for me, Nelvethia. You have done much…” Vallor’roth trailed off, thoughtful. Norazdomu did mention a storm on the horizon, although he did not say when or what form it would take. Vallor’roth’s mind tended to run on several levels at once, and an idea formed based around both this thought and the difficulty he was facing now.

“Yes. I will do what I can for your distressed mate. Worry not, Nelvethia, and leave the living to their own troubles.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

subliminalcircles

BUT WAIT
THERE'S MOOOOORE!?!?!?

From:

tanadin

THERE'S /MORE/

From: (Anonymous)

TTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I'M NOT PREPARED FOR MORE DEATH AND TEARS

-Cinna is too lazy to log in

From:

tanadin

NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

STATIC IS GOING TO BE H E A R T B R E A K I N G

From: (Anonymous)

Oh no....

-Cinnanon

From:

eclipse3

I just let out this high pitched sque when I read the first lines.
G.C. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(cookies again!)

From:

eclipse3

...then I went and read the story. I have but one question. Is. Vengeance. Tim.

From:

tanadin

Tim canonically died between parts one and three of the epilogue of Fated. It was hinted at in part three but I never outright said it.

"isn't much different than the subreddit" -Guude / http://tinyurl.com/l7gbxah

Static (Chapter One)

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