< Hunter Becomes The Hunted | Ex Pulplogs | Fall Of Darkness >
ST With Xar, Myrrh and Oteki off in the city gathering ice worm eggs under the strange and unfamiliar guidance of Hunter, Carmine and Corve were left at the entrance to the glacial passes with the small and sleepy Sun.
Corve sits calmly against a wall, doing his best to get Sun sleepy enough so that she'll doze off completely.
Carmine sits on the other side of Sun to Corve, trying not to let her restlessness show.
ST Though neither Carmine nor Corve had noticed anything sinister about Hunter, they both are starting to think that the others have been gone for a good long time...how long can it take to gather a few giant eggs from some horrible ice monsters? Honestly. Sun has long since curled up between Corve and Carmine, wrapped in furs.
Corve mutters, "They've been gone a while," to Carmine. He's not the most patient of people, and while Hunter didn't seem evil, they just met him.
ST The soft slush-crunch of boots on almost-frozen snow heralds the approach of someone coming into the rough little "camp" from the direction of the city.
Carmine "They have ..." she notes, before she looks around at the footsteps and then stands.
ST The man approaching is instantly recognizable, after all they've known him for a good long time. Yes, his clothes are familiar, as is his hair style and even the features of his face. Who could forget him?
Falling Darkness smiles at the two Solars as he walks toward them.
Corve pulls out his rifle and aims it at the man. "Bad time."
Falling Darkness "Is that any way to greet an old friend, Lamb?"
Carmine gestures, and a shimmering sunlit blade appears in her hand. "Very bad time." She says.
Falling Darkness raises a linen-wrapped finger to his lips and smiles. "Shhh. Wouldn't want to wake the child."
Corve snorts. "You forget how silent I can be." He cocks the hammer to the rifle back. "Leave."
Falling Darkness "Maybe. But I'm not here to kill anyone."
Carmine regards him with an expression that suggests he'd better provide a reason, or she will present him with a rather pointed one for leaving.
Falling Darkness "Now, no reason for looking at me like that Carmine Elegance."
Falling Darkness "I'm just here to talk."
Corve frowns, still pointing his gun at Falling Darkness' head. "You're always out to kill someone. Hell, I should shoot you for kidnapping my daughter. And for a myriad other reasons. Really, it's simpler just to shoot you."
Falling Darkness smiles. "Why do you think I kidnapped her?"
Corve "Oh, so you want to be shot."
Falling Darkness "Don't think so, Lamb. I happen to be here to negotiate."
Carmine "Negotiate for what, exactly? You want to rule the world and we can't let you do that."
Corve "Doesn't seem like you got a leg to stand on."
Falling Darkness sighs. "We're not trying to take over the world. I promise."
Falling Darkness "We just have a different vision of the future then...well, you."
Falling Darkness "And we'd appreciate it if you'd stop interfering."
Carmine glances at Corve, just momentarily, as though she isn't sure she had heard that right.
Corve tilts his head, eyeing Falling Darkness. "So, you're saying... you're not taking over the world? What might your vision of the future be that we'd be inclined to just... let it go?"
Falling Darkness "All we want to do is to release the Serpent. It deserves it, after all. Hundreds of years ago it was prisoned in limbo. And since then it has suffered without end. It's torment is undeserved."
Carmine "And that is supposed to justify killing hundreds of thousands of people?"
Falling Darkness "Well, can't make an omelette and all that."
Corve "The people don't deserve dying," Corve points out.
Falling Darkness "You don't step in every time someone is about to die. What's different about our little campaign?"
Corve "The fact that you've already killed millions, are planning to kill millions more... that it's my home... there's a whole slew of answers to that question. If your god can't escape on its own, maybe it doesn't deserve to be free."
Falling Darkness "Well, you may have a point." He smiles. "We could always make it worth your while to stop interfering. Maybe Carmine Elegance has noticed certain changes..?" The smile grows wider, showing white teeth in an unfriendly way.
Carmine gives him another look of unconcealled anger, and waits for him to go on
Falling Darkness "Without our help, her fate is sealed. She will become one of us. She has until Calibration before the darkness claims her." He gives her a charming-looking smile. "Forever."
Carmine "And I am supposed to sacrifice millions of people for my sunlight?" I wouldn't be worthy to shine if I did.
Falling Darkness "Such a negative way of looking at it."
Carmine "I'm not sure there is any other way I can."
Falling Darkness "You could look at it as keeping your "sunlight" in exchange for, well, what would happen anyway."
Carmine "That's just not a way I can."
Falling Darkness "Ah well, seems you're damned to an eternity of darkness then. I'll just be going."
Carmine "You do that."
Falling Darkness turns away and smiles. "Oh, and I've had your friends captured. We're going to sacrifice them to the Serpent."
Carmine "You've done ... what?" Carmine is suddenly by his side, sword ready to cut.
Falling Darkness "Friends. Captured. Sacrifice. So forth."
< Hunter Becomes The Hunted | Ex Pulplogs | Fall Of Darkness >
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