Round Three

A Most Evil Deed - Taking the World by Storm

“So we are agreed?”
“Certainly… Hey, what’s that?”
Huh? … Oh it’s you! Do you mind, this is a private conversation! Oh very well, I keep forgetting you’re only here to watch. What did you miss? All in good time my dear, you’ll find out soon enough.

Now let’s see. First plan of action, get those wretched Sorcerers out of the way. They’ve been a growing problem lately… who are they, I hear you ask? Oh it’s a long story, but to be brief they’re random people blessed with the powers of the Goddesses. Only the seven, since Shada’s been with me since the very beginning, but seven is far, far too many, especially since one of them is the Goddess of Light. Since I’m constructed of dark matter that is the biggest thorn in my side, although thankfully that “accident” her Sorcerer suffered several years ago has reduced his powers somewhat. Although a little bird tells me he’s grown in strength since our last meeting, so we really do need to act now.

Oh look, there he is, the blond Paladin himself. I can see this all looks rather confusing to you, allow me to explain. The flame-haired woman is the “little bird” I mentioned earlier, she’s been very helpful. She used to be your average human, but with Shada’s help she’s now very adept with fire. We had her working with her former friends for a while, an undercover agent if you will. The fallen men are father and son; the latter lies unconscious after foolishly pursuing his father, my essence working its way through his veins. It will be the ultimate test of our Light Sorcerer friend there known as Joe, but that’s no longer important. It’s Daddy I came for, he’s a crucial part of the plan. His name’s Fero, and he thinks he’s one half of twins. Safely out for the count, he’ll remain that way long enough for me to get him back home, and there’s even some time for a little banter with Joe. Still a confused little boy at present, let’s see if he ever realises his true potential. As fun as it sounds though, hanging around to watch isn’t the wisest of moves for me, I’d better leave.

Your timing is terrible, you know that? Missed all the fun again, tut tut. I suppose I’d better enlighten you this time, especially since what was discussed in there can be very misleading… the more the better. You see, Fero and his “twin” Franz are actually two halves of the same person. At the time he was conceived, Shada grew concerned that, if left alone, he’d become a threat to us later on and, while he was developing in his mother’s womb, she took it upon herself to separate him into two different people. Too late for them to be twins in the accepted sense of the word, and even then it seems she slipped up somehow. I don’t know the details and I don’t care to, although the fact it made both their lives miserable as they grew made for some light entertainment. The deception comes in how the two can fuse back together. Oh it’s possible, but for that to happen one of them needs to “die”, thus allowing the other to merge with the other’s body. Now, these two are over a hundred and twenty years old. They’ve lived a long time, experienced a vast number of events. That makes for a lot of memories, and that’s just for each person. Memories are like the files in the old filing cabinets; those of the “dead” half would be placed into the drawers of the living half as part of the fusing process, and with this many that will be the most time-consuming part. It will take over a decade for it to complete, maybe even two, and that’s the idea. A little reverse psychology, convincing him we need him alive, knowing full well he’ll go against that and attempt to kill himself. His friends won’t leave him here, and no doubt they’re already on their way to rescue him. With any luck it will be too late, and with Franz being out of action they won’t abandon his fallen body. They’ll retreat to the underworld with it and watch over him. The point in all this? That, my friend, will be phase two.

I need to be careful here. There are mind-readers present; thankfully Shada and I make good actors. As far as he knows, his father killed himself and we’ve already disposed of the body. Let his friends and him keep thinking that, it’ll make things a little easier. What’s actually happened is similar to our teleport spells – I noticed the beam of light as his essence departed from our quarters; the body has disintegrated, seeing as there’s no more use for it. Franz isn’t here, which perhaps is just as well. Wherever he is now, he won’t be going anywhere for a long time, not by himself at any rate. Unconscious would be an under-statement, although I don’t know the finer details without asking Shada, seeing as this is all down to her. I had no hand in that at all, believe it or not, apart from influencing her train of thought.

Ah, there they go! My appetite’s building already… best to still it for now however, there’s no rush. Narthania is a big place, one can’t rush these things. First things first – consult the atlases and the history books. No one dines at a restaurant without first reading the menu, after all. Unless you already know what to expect, as I did with a secluded island. That’s another story, although I can say that’s where my fiery friend hails from. That was a mere starter however, now I’m ready for the main course.

Have you guessed the main objective yet? No? Considering the hoops I’ve had to jump through so far, it’s ridiculously simple. My hunger never fades, it only grows stronger with each soul I consume. The right entities will add extra power to my own, making this task more easy – that to clear my plate. Yes my friend, I intend to make my way round this world and feast to my heart’s content… if I had a heart of course. With those Sorcerers and their friends safely tucked away for the next decade or so, I can move at a leisurely pace.

That isn’t the only thing though. This land is far too green, it needs dulling out a little… with any luck, the monsters rising from the empty corpses will help to make this world as bare as the one I left. I’ve been feeling more than a little homesick of late, I must admit.

Ah, that’s better. So delicious, the smell of death. I’m not done yet though, oh no. Dessert is waiting, that which is several hundred miles below my feet. Remember I mentioned the underworld? Yes, that’s where I sent those trying to put a stop to my plans. Nothing I can do about that by myself, however I have let alone Shada’s fellow Goddesses for a very long time. I will need them to help me in the final phase fairly soon, that of conquering underground. First things first though. Tyler’s ship is still sitting where I left it, just beyond the forest of that first town… well, city now. At least it was a city… it still is I suppose. A city of the dead!