“You people robbed me of the warmth of woman’s embrace.” Xiphos complained. He was dragged away from the tavern, half dressed and drugged out. The young man is twenty-two summers old with black eyes showing mixture of affectionate sweetness and playfulness yet like his black swirling hair signals silent rage underneath the surface with hint for attachment and obsession.
“Quit your yapping, puppy.” Hermesia scowls, showing her contempt to people she sees as soft. It is true that Xiphos is no warrior but something more terrifying.
“O’ Hermesia, only you can mend my broken heart.” Xiphos coos. Like Deimos, Xiphos has a penchant for teasing people.
“Come and I will drill a hole in your head.” Hermesia says as she grips her spear, Stinger.
“Ooh, to be rejected by you would be an honor.” Xiphos head shakes, “Fear not, lady of the wraith, I will win over your heart.”
Hermesia snorts and went to her cot. Apollonia and Anastasia are already asleep from the journey in the water on an ancient cruise ship. Due to the strange nature of Ruhenheim Island, old analog vessels are the most ideal. There have been many instances where ships crash due to electronic failure.
“Why couldn’t we take the Argus? We would’ve arrived there much faster than this ancient ship.” Ishtar drawls. She has been engrossed by the ancient book called Gray’s Anatomy. The curly chestnut-haired ebony woman is the Blood Shark’s Physician, trained in the arts and science of the medical field. Her unorthodox method in treating her patients has been the bane of her existence, it got her banned from professional practice. Deimos discovered her talents when he was near death after the ambush that wiped his squad during his time as a wandering mercenary.
“Were you not listening earlier?” Darlyne barks, the short woman is one of oldest Blood Sharks. Nearing forty, she still has her cherubic face from her pubescent years in contrast with her muscular frame. She is Janus’s trusted enforcer that disciplines the troops and keep them in line “We couldn’t take any of our ship as they are under repair.”
“I am sorry, mother.” Ishtar yawns to the woman ten years her senior, she yawns before her ear were cuffed by the steely hands of Darlyne. “OW! Boss save me!”
The sound of their chatter gradually faded away as they went to sleep. Deimos is sitting at the hull of the ship, looking over the dark horizon. The crashing waves slowly becoming menacing like a chant of angry sea gods as they inched closer to the island. The sea formed and deformed to supernatural forms thick heavy goo, its thin film holding back the demons from below from breaking out and sinking the ship.
A sound of breaking water near the ship caught his attention. Making his way to the railings to see about. A low soft melody takes shape in the water, Deimos inched closer to hear it. Little by little he can see a shape forming near the surface. He leaned closer as the shape coalesced to the face of his Mother. His mother opens her mouth in a silent scream-
“Deimos, wake up.” Hermesia woke him from his sleep.
“We are here.”
The frosty air embraces Deimos as he sets foot on the port. The frigid night is strange, clear as a midsummer evening. Mount Celephais looms in the distance veiled by the unnatural darkness, watching the strangers that has come to her shores.
She is a lonely mountain surrounded by dwarf hills, covered in a sea of giant trees. Its wood is strong and durable yet unfit for industry as it exhumes the smell of rotten corpse when felled. Sparse flickering lights from the kerosene lamps of isolated homes in the wilderness dancing like lost souls, unable to cross to the other side.
It has been years since Deimos subjugated Ruhenheim Island from pirate overlords. Even then, the island has a mystical air to it. An ancient curse, they say. The dock is under a state of decay, the industry eroding shedding its mask to reveal its true nature.
“Greetings, Duke Deimos Numidicia.” The island governor, Howard Hypnos, and his council greets Deimos. “I apologize for the weather. It has been pouring since the…... eclipse.”
“These are strange times, Governor.” Deimos replies. A cold breeze swept the docks sending chills up to his spine.
“Indeed, it is. We have prepared a feast for you.” Governor Howard says as he guides the retinue of Deimos through the desolated streets, “I must warn you in advance that our generator has been taken out of commission and we have resorted to ancient means of illumination.”
Deimos walks through the streets mindful of the shadows that lurk outside the safety of the light. His entire retinue seems on edge even Xiphos is not inclined to make side remarks. Apollonia and Anastasia gathered near him like children afraid of the dark. The eeriness seems to grow as they headed into the town.
“Where are the people, Governor?” Deimos asks.
“Every year more and more people are leaving the island. The ones who remained have been here all their life or have ancestral roots. It doesn’t help that to get here is difficult.” The Governor sighs.
As they marched on, Deimos can feel eyes staring at him from some unknown place. He looks up at the run-down buildings thinking if there are still people living in them. They pass more relics of the past, a burned down place of worship before finally arriving at their lodge.
“Welcome to Usher Castle.” The Governor says. Deimos looks at the ancient castle which looked larger than he was expecting. Its towers stood menacingly as if looking down on them. All of its previous splendor has now been decayed to a ghoulish brown hue.
“Creepy.” Hermesia comments which earned a few nods from his Blood Sharks.
“You got that right, sister. Boss do we have to stay here?” Ishtar hopeful that Deimos will say no.
“This is the only place big and well-maintained enough to accommodate all of us.” Deimos looks at his team, “We will be here for the time being.”
