Sol Grim

Pursuit of Power

Holy shit that was a lot to read but it was all awesome, I love you guys!!! Yes I'm drunk.

Pursuit of Power

I'm always still down. I personally think we have more than enough people too but I'll go along with what everyone wants to do.

Pursuit of Power

A bit hungover but I'll survive.

Toxoplasmosa Outbreak

Johnny and Sonya

"Hey, what the fuck do you think you're doing",

Johnny smacked the back of his head against the top of the dash when the voice spoke. "Ah, fuck!!" he blurted, as he stood and turned to see the stranger. Rubbing his head with his left hand, he used the other to hold it up defensively when he saw the gun. His revolver was holstered at his hip, clearly seen upon a glance. "Hey, whoa! Easy there, I'm armed. Let me put my gun down."

He very carefully and slowly pulled the weapon out and set it on the hood of the car next to him. Walking back over to where he was, he now held both his hands up. His first thought was that she was from Toxo, and he didn't want to upset her. Even still, he didn't really have the time for this.

"There, see. Now we can be friends," he said cooly, though on the inside he was a mess. "I'm just trying to help my friends, I'm not one of the psychos out here." He really, really hoped she wasn't either. "My name's Johnny, Johnny Blackburn. I have a group, couple days ride away on horseback." His horse, Brisco, started walking toward them as the clever animal had taken a longer, safer route. "I was, kind of famous back in the good old days. You know, before. Maybe you've...heard of me? Had a couple of hits on the rockcharts, the Grim? That was the band." Usually this method worked in calming people down and gaining trust, whether they knew of him or not. This girl was hard to read in the moment though, she must have been through hell.

Sonya looked, cautious, as the strange man raised his hands and slowly removed his gun from his belt. Unwavering, the woman didn't let her guard down for a second. The man then said he was just trying to help his friends. Toxo member, perhaps? Sonya saw the horse walking towards them slowly. So it belonged to him, then. He was strangely calm in the face of a gun being pointed at him, Sonya observed.

"No, don't think I've heard of you," Sonya replied grimly, even though the name "Grim" did faintly ring some bells in her head. Despite her cold attitude, Sonya did lower her gun after that, albeit cautiously. "Don't think I trust you. I'd blow your brains out if it didn't cause so much noise," Sonya added, never taking her eyes off the man. He did look familiar, it was true. Maybe he wasn't lying about being a bit famous.

It would be a bad time to tell her that he was there for that very reason, to make noise. Feeling a little disappointed that she hadn't recognized him, he tried to remain as calm as he could. "Oh, well...thanks, I think?"

"Blue," Sonya introduced herself, finally putting her gun away completely. "I'm here to pick up some ingredients. Don't get in my way," she said harshly, unaware of the hoard of zombies that were probably making their way towards the station as they spoke.

"In that case, you should probably know that this place has been looted Blue," he told her, then walked over and started petting the horse. Whether this woman was a friendly or not, she had the jump on him. He kept away from his weapons, trying to gain her trust as again he smelled the decay coming with the wind. "Not from me, it's been looted for a long time. I didn't check everything though so I suppose, have at it."

A dark thought sprouted in his mind in mid conversation, something unlike himself but these were desperate times. She wanted to look for ingredients, why not just let her and leave her to her fate. He winced a few times as he thought quickly about how things could play out. Eventually he stayed true to himself, hoping she wouldn't just shoot him here once she heard what he had to say.

Looted? Well, fuck her. Sonya huffed in an annoyed manner. This Johnny could thank his life for not being the looter. He'd be dead if he was. Sonya didn't know why she trusted his word, though. maybe it was what he said next that took her attention away from it.

"You should probably also know, I'm trying to lead a horde here," His hands went up half defensively this time. "There coming, any minute now, just over the cliff," he told her and pointed. "More than I've ever seen, and they're going toward my home. There are good people there and I'm trying to protect them."

"You what? Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Sonya shouted as Johnny revealed his plan. The man already had his hands up defensively, but Sonya didn't hesitate. She had her gun up again, ready to shoot. "You ain't getting me killed here," Sonya spat, falling silent only when Johnny continued about his reasonings. Oh. He was just trying to protect his people.

"If I can get these vehicles all honking at the same time..." he pulled out a showed her his blow horn. "Maybe they will all come this way. Once they come down the cliff, it would be near impossible for them to climb back up."
In the sky, he noticed the vultures were again circling high above just a ways off. The smell of the dead came with a harsher wind and rain clouds formed overhead. The horde was already here.

"Shit. If you help me, there's food, water...maybe I can work in a warm bath? I mean, just for you not me. Or not with me...not that I wouldn't...I mean, uhh, sorry nevermind. But, it's okay if you go. I understand, just know that I have to do this. If you want to shoot me then just shoot me, I'm not afraid to die for something I believe in."

If it were any other moment, Sonya would have blown the guy's head off. But it wasn't. What ever compelled her to feel just that little bit of emotion, maybe it was that lingering fucker Sonya knew was guilt that kept nagging at her, she suddenly felt for the man. Feeling a surge of anger for being such a pathetic leader and having let her own people down, having let them die, not protecting them... It pissed her off. At least this man was doing something, even if what he was doing was probably doomed to fail and goddamn pathetic. Regardless of that, maybe it was the sliver of humanity left in Sonya that weighed on her decision to not shoot him. And what he said next... It would make Sonya want to help him, which obviously was highly inconvenient and frustrated Sonya. He didn't owe this man anything, yet she felt the urge to help him out in his task of... honking the horns, I guess, or whatever he was so passionately going on about.

"Look, I don't give a crap about a bath," Sonya replied curtly, even though the thought did sound nice if she was honest, "but I could do with some alcohol or fuel if you have any." She decided to ignore Johnny's cute fumbling with his words about the bath.

"For whatever it's worth, I'll help you. Don't ask me why, maybe I just feel sorry for you," Sonya continued, putting her gun away and walking over to another car with a stoic face. Really Sonya just wanted to achieve some sort of peace, a feeling of 'I did my best, I helped'. She wanted to make up for her own mistakes, and helping this man would be her way of trying. And she thought he was a bit pathetic, to be honest. But he was trying, damn it. It was more than Sonya could say for herself.

"I'll take it," he replied, she wasn't the first woman to feel sorry for him in his lifetime. "Thanks." He always tried to see the good in people, even in a world filled with more of the bad. This time it paid off, as he gave her a friendly smile and pulled out a flask from his back pocket. "There's more back home, not so much fuel. You got a car or something?" He offered for her to drink some of the irish whiskey he had inside the flask.

Sonya took the flask gladly and took a long sip. It was good, the familiar burning down her throat way too rare a feeling. "Thanks." Johnny took a chug of it as well when it was returned.

"Okay, make as much noise as possible," he started with the plan, but as he spoke the dark clouds started to loom in overhead. The sky turned darker and the air became cooler. A bolt of lightning struck far off in the distance, followed by the booming of thunder. A light rain would quickly pick up. "Use the diesel truck over there and keep sounding the horn. I'll try to get closer and bring them this way. When they start coming, you take off down the road on foot. I don't think it has gas. I'll catch up to you and pick you up."

Johnny reclaimed his long-nosed revolver and put his quiver and bow around his shoulders. Giving Blue a nod, he mounted Brisco and took off back up toward the cliff. As he scaled up the safer end, he began squeezing his horn as he rode off out of sight. The horse climbed up the slippery slope and on the other side was a sea of the undead. The masses were moving as one giant entity, like a school of fish in the ocean. One by one they marched, many already getting stuck in the forming mud.

It was working, as the horns blew a vast portion of the horde broke off and separated toward the noise. Some noticed Johnny and came for him, though he kept the horse a good distance away until he reached the edge. Sonya was sure she was going to get fucked over for this. It was a lousy plan, and for some reason she was on board with it. Inside the truck, she observed as the wave of zombies finally arrived, chilling Sonya to her core. She couldn't believe she was about to lead them here. Taking a breath, she smashed the horn down, causing a noise that shattered her ears by the sheer volume of it. She couldn't believe she was doing this. This was suicide. Johnny rode Brisco over to the edge where he could be seen by Blue, from down below. "They're coming!"

Not wanting the horse to knock him off again, he jumped off himself and started to pull Brisco down by the reigns. The animal stirred and whined, causing Johnny to lose his grip and then slip down the slope. However once the horse saw the zombies approaching, it quickly followed down to the base ground with much more grace.

The zombies shattered ankles and hands as they landed hard on rocks and surface, yet still rose again to pursue the living. Johnny jumped back onto Brisco and rode over to Blue. "We should lead them a few miles out just to be sure," he spoke urgent and quickly, as the dead were now piling over one another as they fell from the slope. Johnny offered his hand to Blue to lift her on the back of the horse.

Only a portion of the zombies followed, failing Johnny's plan by a long shot. Still, it was going to be a problem for Sonya, the portion of zombies that followed them on horseback was way too big for them to handle. Thunder was roaring in the skies. It was going to rain.

"How the fuck are we going to lose them? We can't go to your precious people and we can't just lose these zombies somewhere. Did you have a backup plan?" Sonya jabbed, feeling anxious.

"You are the backup plan," he told her.

Then she had an idea. It was risky, but better than none. "We could lead them to the city. There are more zombies there, but it's easier to lose them when we aren't out in the open and have lots of places to hide." Besides, Sonya couldn't go back to Johnny's group's base even if the horde wasn't heading there. Sonya was that well known she couldn't mingle with groups.

"It's gonna take a couple of days on horseback to reach the city, we could also end up trapping ourselves. The zombies keep walking forever until they find something to eat."

They rode up a good eighty yards or so ahead of the zombies, gaining speed as they went. In order for Johnny to return home, he'd have to make a huge circle back around the zombies which could take weeks. He tried to stay optimistic, hoping Parris could handle the rest. "I have food we can cook up. Rabbits, squirrels...I had a pretty good morning." Johnny was trying to make small talk as they rode along the barren highway.

Sonya listened to Johnny ramble, feeling a slight pit in her stomach. She really didn't want to spend any unnecessary time with this dude, because getting attached meant getting vulnerable. And she already had Natalia to drag her conscience.

Being on the horseback made Sonya anxious. She wanted to feel her feet on the ground. She felt out of control. She hated nothing more.
"Right. Scrap that, you can just drop me off to the suburbs. We are going into the right direction anyway, it shouldn't be too long a way," Sonya said, looking at the farmland scenery that went by slowly as they rode. "Hopefully your crew will survive," Sonya continued. She didn't give a fuck about the group, to be frank, but she didn't want Johnny's efforts to be in vain.

Giving an affirmed nod, the two kept riding in silence. The sounds of the weather around them was all that could be heard. The rain started to pour and the wind became harsher and more frequent. The thunder was constant over the skies, as it drowned out the sounding of the horns to most of the horde. A portion still followed them, but the majority would turn and wander in aimless directions into the trees and fields. More than half still roamed toward Johnny's home base.

Sonya winced as the rain began dropping down after a while. The scenery had changed slightly from the last time they spoke, their journey mostly ruled by silence. The woman felt the uncomfortable burn on her bicep as the fabric of her jacket continually brushed over the irritated flesh. Her wound was inflamed already, and the slowly falling rain didn't help make her feel better.

Sonya didn't like being too far away from her usual neighborhoods, that's why she had requested the man take her back where she came from. It wasn't that Sonya didn't appreciate his offers, it was just that she hated relying on anyone, even for food.

"You're too decent a person. It's gonna get you killed out here," Sonya commented as the suburbs were nearing the field of their vision, breaking the silence. "Thank you, anyhow. I don't say that often, just so you know."

"No problem," Johnny replied. "Thank you too, and you're a pretty decent person yourself, whether you realize it or not." When they pulled closer to the destination he stopped the horse and helped her off.

"You're a good ways ahead of the horde, I'd say keep heading that way until you find where you need to be," he told her as he handed her the flask of whiskey to have. "Keep it, it's not much but it'll last a while. I have to start heading back, I'll take a different route." Johnny gave her a nod and mounted Brisco again, starting to trot off from the woman. "If you ever find yourself heading my way again, just know you made a friend and that I owe you. Until then, take care of yourself, Blue."

Taking the whiskey with a nod, Sonya gave the man one of her rare smiles. It was subtle, so he might've missed it.
"Take care," Sonya's last words were as she turned and began walking.

It would be impossible for Johnny to get ahead of the horde again before they reached the PMC, though he still rode his horse with haste through the muddy fields and forest hoping they would survive the horror heading their way.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

So dal will wait it out unless my idea or another means of escape occurs.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

Dalious Durendail

Name: Dalious Durendail
Age: 38
Height:5'10"
Weight:165 lbs.
Class: Rogue/thief/pirate/swashbuckler/bard
Race: Human

Weapons & Equipment:
*Cutlass; worn on left hip.
*Crossbow; worn on back.
-Quiver (holds 12 bolts); hung low under right rear.
*Boarding axe; worn over back right shoulder.
*Throwing knives; attached to chest strap. (10)
*Lockpicks (3)
-Coin pouch (0), mystic healing potion(1), mystic blinding potion(1), flask, firestarter, waterskin; all attached to various pouches on his bandolier belt.
* mystic belongings stolen from biship isles.

Skills and Abilities:
Stealth. Usually works in the shadows. Has a quick slight of hand.

Navigation. Is never truly lost, but is lost all the time.

Endurance/Stamina/Agility. Spent years climbing and balancing from his ship, uses parkour over structures when in haste.

Fighter. Has been fighting his whole life, mainly wrestling and bare-knuckle boxing, with a mix of submissions and ground game in his arsenal. Has a mean left hook that has knocked out many small time crooks and bandits.

Magic. Not the kind everyone else has, he knows magic with a deck of cards and other small tricks.

Strengths: Sailing, thieving/pickpocketing, smuggling, sneaking, running/hiding, close combat (cheating if necessary), haggling and is a talented musician.

Flaws: Real magic, woman, alcohol, gold.

Personality: Narcissistic, egotistical, smooth, funny, can be charming, arrogant and hot headed.

Bio: Dalious is from the Knight Isles. His father was a gambling man and his mother was a whore. They were assassinated when he was real young, for business his father should have never gotten involved with. From there he grew up stealing and hiding, always coming back home to sell what he had taken. He had joined many different bandit groups throughout his early life, though the life of a pirate was never long so he adjusted as necessary to stay alive.

Many fights and deaths later, he found himself becoming captain to his own bunch of maniacs. They spent years looting and robbing up and down the many coasts and seas of the world. It was how he thought things would be forever, as he etched his legacy with everywhere they went. He was becoming famous and feared. However the more notorious Dalious became, the higher the bounty for his capture. So high in fact, his own crew sold him out.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

Dalious

When Gravous called him out, Dalious instinctively looked behind himself to see who he must have been talking about. When he realized that it was actually him being pointed at, he smelt his armpit and gave an agreeing nod. "I'll give you that one, mate."

It was at this point that the pirate knew he was done for. Apparently he had misread these strangers, thinking them now to be of the same cloth as his old crew. He was on his own. Looking around the cell again as if he hadn't one hundred times already, he desperately hoped he would notice something he hadn't before. If only he had a lockpick, or even something small enough to fit into the lock. Suddenly an idea came to him, he just needed a bit of luck.

"You win, Captain Crom, there I said it," Dalious spoke to Joss, attempting to ruse in his defeat. "You are the better Captain. I realize my mistakes, now that I've reached my lowest. Well, besides that time I hit rock bottom in Naveroth. That was lower, those folks there just had a thing out for me, the pissy wanks." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I accept my fate and applaud your victory. May you sail many waves, I just had one small favor to ask of you. I, also, am quite hungry. I could use some food, doesn't even have to be your finest. I'll take the raw fish the men were to throw back, I'm starving!" He lied in hopes of getting a fish, as their bones might be sharp enough to fit the lock. If anything it was worth a shot.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

I'll get a post in tomorrow eveningish, just in case you're waiting on me as I have the next two days off from work and am currently exhausted.

Toxoplasmosa Outbreak

Johnny Blackburn

The radio was cutting in and out as some people back home were trying to respond to him. Something about Parris setting up for all out war, as well as something about Kate's garden. "Tell Kate, I don't give a damn about her garden! No, no don't tell her that." He only got static back now, so he clicked it off.

Johnny rode Brisco atop a hill parallel to where the horde would be. He was about an hour and a half ahead of them, though could smell them still when the wind picked up. Below him a mound of rocks led down to where a lone gas station was, the vehicles around it were broken down and aged. If the horns worked, he could make them sound off and lead as much of the zombies this way as possible. This area was far enough away from home that if the horde came down here, they would disperse toward the trees and into the canyons. That was the plan anyway.

"Alright Brisco, lets do this!" he spoke to his horse. He pulled the reigns for the horse to go down the rocks and hill but the animal stopped at the edge, refusing to go. "Come on Brisco, we have to get down there. Move!" He tried again, this time the horse pushed backward and let out a cry. "Look buddy, I know you're scared. I am too, but I won't let them get you I promise. We just, we just gotta do this. A lot of people might die otherwise, are you with me?" The horse nodded its head. "Okay then..." Being sure of having cooperation this time, Johnny pulled the reigns to go forward. Brisco bucked and kicked sideways, knocking Johnny entirely off and down the rock covered hill. He luckily missed the big rocks on the way down, bumping and crashing into a few sharp ones along the way. He landed face first in the wet grass below.

"The fuck!!" the Rockstar yelled in anger, wiping his face as clean as he could with his sleeves. He looked up to the horse who still stood atop the hill. "Fine, stay up there! See if I give a damn about you when they start coming!"

Johnny spat and then stormed off and toward the gas station first. Smashing the glass doors, he knelt and entered carefully as to not cut himself again. Most all of the shelves were cleaned out already, making it a quick look. He ran into the office and looked around, seemed cleaned out as well. The last place he looked was the desk drawer, and inside that drawer was a blow horn and some porn magazines, as well as some mace. Johnny pocketed the mase and went to leave, though sounds from outside paused him. Was the horde already here? He then quickly checked his revolver, only 5 bullets left. The horse carried his bow and eleven arrows. He heard the sounds again, this time closer. He ducked low and made his way behind some cover.

This plan had to work and it was already going to shit.

He didn't have time to stay there, so he moved and exited the station. Staying low he looked around the building and back to his horse. Nothing but the wind. Good. He ran to one of the cars, an old faded blue ford Taurus. The window was already down so he unlocked it and pressed on the vehicle's horn. It let out a loud, normal beep. It wasn't loud enough, he needed all of these vehicles to start honking plus his blow horn. Grabbing some bricks and sticks, he set them near to him on the ground. In the trunk he found some tie down straps, though there were not enough. Pressing the brick to the horn, he tied it as tight as he could while using the stick to hold it in place. The horn rang out loudly, continuous and lasting. Being pleased with the outcome, he knew he would have to wait a bit longer until he set them all off together. That would take timing...and more things to use as rope. He pulled the brick off and stopped the noise for the moment, looking around. Some vehicles had to be moved.

Pursuit of Power

Dalious

"...Instead of slinking off to drown yourself in drink."

He was just thinking about that very thing as the Father had said it. Not wanting to cause any more upsets, he just nodded and went along with everything as told. Walking back to the bed he let out a huff, at least the Father didn't say anything about whether he could get revenge or not. "He's so caring that one..."

“What are you doing standing up? Do you really want to die so much? You nearly bled out a couple of hours ago, you need to rest.”

Dalious stared at the healer woman with wide eyes for a moment, before complying by sliding back into bed. "Yes, madam,"

“I’m sure your delegation has rooms assigned in the palace, but if you would prefer something less… formal, I have a perfect spot for you to stay at for couple of hours,” she informed him while grinning. Dalious paused in response as he didn't know what 'delegation' meant, so he just stared at her with confused eyes.

"If I owed you anything before, we're now even." Laurel said to him.

Dalious just gave her a kind nod to say he agreed. The Earthican princess stopped him from speaking his mind further as he did not want to cause any more outbursts from her. He could tell she didn't like him, also noting the bond she shared for her warrior. Things were becoming clearer for him. He stayed silent as they conversed, until they all left the room leaving him alone with the healer.

"I'm actually feeling much better already," he told her with a grin, patting the clean bandages over his wound. "Perhaps I'll visit your 'perfect spot' another time, I've got a few things to do...revenge to obtain, you know, little things..." He lifted himself only to fall and slunk back down in the bed. The pain had sharpened, and his body felt weak and fragile. "Or, maybe I'll just stay here a bit longer..."

A moment later the losers from the arena battle had started to pour into the room from the halls. They were loud and obnoxious, their armor dented and their mouths filled with complaints of the arena winner, Ultfic. He was the captain of the kingsguard for Earthica, and the way they spoke of him made him sound like he was two stories tall and could breathe fire.

Dalious ultimately kept to himself, up until one of the wounded men howled over to the healer as if she were an animal. The rude man called her over, ordering her to help him next. Dalious forced himself out of bed this time, taking a second to collect himself before he walked over and kindly told the man, "Piss off, you wait your turn like everyone else."

There was an awkward pause, but the man oblidged with a shrug of a shoulder. He and a few of the other wounded all walked out, deciding it wasn't worth getting into another fight over. For the few wounded that remained, Dalious decided that he would help the healer in caring for them. Not because he cared, but if he was to stay here any longer, he'd need something to do. He didn't much like rest.

"Let me help you," he told her, and without waiting for a response he grabbed the first injured man he crossed and looked at his wounds. "The bloody hell, a mere scratch! Get out of here you big baby!"

The next one was a bit more serious, as the arena champion appeared to have knocked him a good one on his forearm. Dalious began cleaning it with a rag though his attention stayed on the healer. "What is your name, and why do your people have those dots on their foreheads?" he asked, while the man he was caring for let out a sigh from the discomfort he was feeling. Dalious pointed a scolding finger at the wounded man and told him, "Shut it!"

"...I am Captain Dalious Durendail," he continued to speak toward the healer, of which he didn't yet know was part of the royal family. "One of the most famous sea captain's of our era, as shitty an era as it may be." He bowed to her, then continued to wipe the blood from the man's wound. "I'm sure you've heard of me....how did you come to be a healer?" The wounded man grunted again as Dalious carelessly wiped his blood clean. "Or should I ask why?"

Finally a servant came by with a tray of drinks, Dalious flagged her down and grabbed two glasses of wine in each of his hands. "Well, I suppose that's as good as it gets, mate."

"...but you didn't do anything," the man said, attempting to grab one of his drinks but it was pulled away.

"I'll hear no lip from you, off you go!" he shooed him away and took his bed. After downing one glass, he moved on to the next as he would listen to anything the healer had to say.