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Chapter 4
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Unknown location, 5:30 PM
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Mnemeth was in a dark, wet cave. standing over a dead Orc, he was rambling to himself about the new human…Ace. He drew a pentagram with the Orc's blood before praying to his goddess Vexacion, "Lord of Sin hear me call your name, grant me insight on how to deal with this human pest. On the darkest nights, dimst lights, and faintest of sounds, we raise again the end we shall bring" the dead Orc's eyes snap open glowing a dark whitish green and the Orc sits up. Mnemeth smiles wickedly as he looks at the undead Orc, "Rise, find the human Ace and test his strength" Mnemeth commanded the Orc.
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Rogues guild house, Marcel's office, 5:39 PM
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"Do you mind if I smoke in here?" Ace asked. Normally, he wouldn't bother asking—small talk wasn't his thing—but this was different.
Marcel leaned back in his chair. "You may smoke, but tell me—how is it you're able to handle Mark'ish?" His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What do you mean?" Ace frowned as he pulled out a small bag of Mark'ish and two brownish papers. Marcel watched as he skillfully broke the plant into smaller pieces, rolling two joints with practiced ease.
"Humans usually can't smoke Mark'ish," Marcel said, his voice measured. "It's too strong for them."
Ace smirked, holding out one of the joints. "Maybe I'm just not normal."
Marcel took it, his expression unreadable. "Of course. You wouldn't be here if you were." He pulled a small golden lighter from his pocket, its surface engraved with skeletal hands. Flicking it open, he lit both joints, taking a slow drag before exhaling.
"Now," he said, smoke curling in the air, "what do you make of your new party members?"
Ace paused to take a hit of his Mark'ish. "Well…" He exhaled, red smoke drifting upward as his eyes took on a faint crimson hue. "They're some characters, I'll give them that. The Drow—Mnemeth, right?"
"Yes," Marcel confirmed.
"He doesn't seem to like me. Not surprising, though. I was more surprised to see an Ahjin here." Ace studied Marcel, though reading him was impossible. After all, Marcel was… well, dead.
"How did you get him to join?" Ace asked.
Marcel exhaled a steady stream of smoke. "Long story. Short version—I saved his life fortysix years ago. He's been loyal ever since."
Ace gave a knowing nod. "Yeah… that's one way to earn an Ahjin's loyalty." He took another slow drag—
A sudden, ear-piercing scream shattered the calm.
Ace and Marcel both jumped out and rushed toward the source of the sound, it was coming from the main room. As Ace and Marcel entered the room they saw Inches throwing fruits at what appeared to be an undead orc. The fruits were bouncing off the Orc, the Orc ran after Inches causing her to yelp for help.
Marcel held out the palm of his left hand to the undead creature, the creature stopped in place before slowly turning towards Ace and Marcel. "It's not a normal undead!" Inches shouted as she ran towards the room Teja was sleeping in. The Orc dashed towards Ace and Marcel, once it was close enough it launched itself at Ace, Ace being quick on his feet moved out the way just in time and stabbed the Orc in its armpit, causing its left arm to drop being rendered almost unusable.
'Its eyes are red' Marcel thought to himself as he grabbed a bow and one arrow from a nearby wall. Marcel takes aim at the Orc, while the Orc is still trying to attack Ace. Marcel shoots it in the back of the head, "Bullseye" The voice of Teja rang out as the Orc dropped to the ground. Teja walked up to the now double dead Orc and stared at it, his eyes glowing white.
"Any idea where it came from?" Marcel asked Teja, "no clue" Teja said while yawning. "Its brain should be destroyed, you can look away" Marcel said, watching the Orc closely, the Orc was already beaten and battered. It would be hard to understand how the Orc died and how it ended up in his guild house.
Mnemeth slowly walked to the room looking at the scene before him, "What happened here?" Mnemeth said in his best fake surprised voice, 'it's going to be a bit harder to deal with Ace than I thought… Maybe he could join me?' Mnemeth thought and just as quickly pushed the idea of a human joining him out of his mind.
"An undead Orc stumbled in" Marcel said, eying the Drow suspiciously. "You would happen to know anything about it, would you?" "No, of course not" Mnemeth said confidently, he was a fantastic liar.
"It didn't hurt anyone, did it?" Mnemeth said in a worried tone. "No, everyone is fine" Taje said walking up to Ace "You're fast, where'd you learn how to move like that?". "Um, I don't know." Ace said. "Maybe you could teach me?" Taje said with pleading eyes. "Maybe" Ace agreed.
The room grew silent as Hokima walked in, "What happened here?" Hokima said in a calm, steady voice. His glowing red mace was bloody. It was obvious he had just come back from a slaughter.. who could beat an Ahjin after all.
"An Orc attacked me!" Inches screamed as she ran towards Hokima. Hokima side stepped and Inches flew into Mnemeth causing both of them to come crumbling down. "Godsdamn it Inches" Mnemeth cursed under his breath.
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Rouge guild house, Ace's new room, 8:30 PM
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The room was bland and empty. Besides the only bed and a mirror hung on the left wall, Ace sat down on the bed. Today's events playing through his head, 'Today was… interesting' Ace thought to himself before laying down.
Ace closed his eyes and just like that he was out like a light.
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Dreamscape
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Ace was staring at a person, who seemed to be eerily similar to himself. Except his eyes were scarlet red, his hair an even mix of black and white flowing like dancing fire, horns similar to an Ahjin's protrude from his head. The horns had strange markings engraved on them that glowed a hellish purple. He wore dark armour, its form flowing like a melting candle. it gave off an aura of death yet of life too.
"Who are you?" Ace tried to say aloud but no words came out, the figure stared back at Ace before opening its mouth. "I think you know who I am.". the figure raised its palm up facing the sky in its palm a black fire sparked to life.
"You, you" Ace tried to think of something to say but too many thoughts ran in his head at once. "No, I was not the one who killed your grandmother. You did that yourself, my son" the figure said before bursting into black flames "Come to me when you are ready to control your power" Its voice echoed across the dreamscape.
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Guildhouse, Ace's room, 5:00 AM
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Ace awoke in a cold sweat, his sheets somewhat burnt and his mind all over his place "Father?" Ace said aloud, "control my power?" Ace shook his head, writing it off as a bad dream as he stood up. He took a spare joint of Mark'ish out of his pocket and without thinking raised his index finger to the tip of the joint and lit it ablaze… the flame was black.
"What the fu-"