NationStates Jolt Archive

The seas rocked with a violent storm, grey skies, and a the occasional flash of blue-white lightning, was all that was visible on this fateful night.

Onboard the Arkhanglesk III Shijin stood, seemingly unaffected by the storm, he wore a dark trenchcoat, and looked ominously out too the chaotic tempest. Here off the shores of Pantera, he had come to deliver the Silver Goblet of blood personally to Dayne the Evenstar, to finalize the blood pact, and to fianlly meet the man who was an Honor Brother to him.

"Lord Executor! we have reached Toke, and are prepared to embark to the Seastone palace at your command!"

Shijin took a final glance, and nodded. He held a small silver case that held the Goblet, one of two of its kind, the other was for Damien in Automagfreek, but that would wait till later.

"Let us make haste, this has been a long time coming, and fate is impatient!" Shijin spoke regally.

"He arrives, M'lord."

Dayne clapped his meaty hands together and rose, motioning to his aide and moving for the door,"Excellent. Excellent. Bring him to the Church. Immediately. Make sure all is ready upon my arrival, and bring him soon after..." Pausing for a moment, he gestured,"And forget not the Dreadfire, he comes as well. Prepare a place for him, and this Tersanctan as well. We shall hold a Council this eve."

Descending the giant flight of stairs that fronted the Seastone Palace, Dayne entered the plain black car and motioned his driver on. The drive to the Church of the ThirdEye was a short one, and Dayne let his thoughts wander, to the Pact, Gholgoth, Tersanctus, and finally, to Bastien.

Dayne had not kept up to date on Tersanctan succession in the past years, but he assumed this Shijin was of some relation to Edmund. The memory of the boy brought a smile to Dayne's mouth. He had come to offer his nation up for a regency, and before he had left the country he had been shot, and Bastien had thrown him down a flight of stairs. The Dragon They had called him. He, too, was dead.

Breaking his reverie, the Evenstar looked to the giant thrust that was the Church, set high above the valley floor on a giant quartz thrust. Built of massive granite blocks and fabulously carved, the great onion-dome of the church was flanked by a score of slender towers, seemingly too slim to support their great height.

The car halted before the flight of marble steps and Dayne emerged, his plain black garb unremarkable amid the finery of the clothing and armor about him. Only the massive, silver-runed sword he carried, and the slim bronze crown, to mark him as the recipient of the cheering of the assembled Reavers and countrymen, tourists and foreign diplomats, all lining the great flight of steps. Ascending through them solemnly and swiftly, Dayne took up his position amid the line of Crimson Priests, their forked beards oiled and shining in the sunlight.

The time was coming. Another shard would be forged into the mighty sword that was the Blood Pact.

The flight to Toke was brief as usual thanks to the super sonic engines of Damien's SR-71B. The wheels of the dark bird touched down with a squeal and ground to a stop, and as the cockpit opened Dreadfire closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath of fresh Panteran air. It felt good to be back in the land of the Reaver.....the land of the Bronze. Damien received word that Dayne was already at the Church of the ThirdEye, and the car that was waiting for him knew to go exactly there.

The drive seemed like it took longer than it should, because to Damien things in Pantera were never the same after the death of Bastien. Many long years it has been since the Blood Pact was first formed. It's hard to believe that now I make Blood Pact with a Tersanctan and the little brother of Bastien.... Damien was starting to feel old for the first time, although the brimstone that pumped forth from his heart still had many more years left in it.

Dreadfire snapped out of his daydream as the car stopped in front of the Church. Always an awesome sight, he took a second to look it up and down before stepping out of the car. The fanfare was spectacular, for this monumental event was something that the world would forever remember. A shame that The One could not be here... Said Damien to himself as the fist of Sentinels he brought with him saluted. Dreadfire was clothed in the same attire that he wore the night Bastien and himself made the first Blood Pact. The shining gold plate armor and cape of crimson were the most glamorous of his decor, and his shinguards clanked with every step he took. Swinging from his side was the Relic's Sword, it's blade a testament to the sea of blood that Bastien and Damien spilled during their time in Blood Pact. But it would be this night that things would be taken to another level.

Damien looked to his side as he walked towards the entrance of the church and noticed another individual that received the same fanfare he did. He cocked his head and examined the individual well, and one of the Reavers who greated Dreadfire whispered in his ear the identity of the individual.

'Tis a Tersanctan.

Damien ran his tongue across his teeth and nodded his head. Many moons had passed since the days of Edmund Dantes, and he remembered how close the three of them were to Blood Pact, Bastien, Damien, and Edmund. But alas fate was a cruel wench, and all that remained of the original trio was Dreadfire. But tonight he swallowed his feelings and walked onwards towards the Church. Tonight would be the night the past would finally be put to rest....and the night that a new era would be forged.

Shijin made his way to the Seastone palace. His hands though bandaged, carried both the silver cases. Surrounded by Templars, and Two Kunghsahoists High Priests clad in black robes, he was halted by Two heavily armed Reavers.

"Lord Executor Kotomari, we have orders from Dayne the Evenstar to re-direct you the ThirdEye Church, directions will be given to your driver." he said both fiercly and respectfully.

Shijin nodded his compliance, and made his way back into his Limo. He set the cases down, and looked into the mirror of the One Way glass, he ran his hand through his elegantly styled hair, and looked at his average face, clean-shaven, and young, the two black circles under his eyes revealed a sleepless night. He was internally excited, scared and releived.

The drive was long and short, Shijin had never been here before...and yet also had been. There was an eerie familiarity to Pantera. But that was of no consequnce now.

He thought of the knowledge he had read about. Damien...the Destroyer, and Bastien the Bronze, and....Edmund Dantes. The original three, Edmund seemed the most unlikely out of the trio...and yet he was always fiercly loyal.

Bastien was rumoured to be as viscious as he was honorable.

Damien,.....who hadnt heard of Damien? Shijin Chuckled.

And now this Dayne. He was the regent for a while of Tersanctus, when Pantera and Tersanctus originally crossed swords...literally. But later on he had assisted Tersanctus at the shores of Troy, also rumoured to be honorable and ruthless, though perhaps more due to circumstance then anything.

But Shijin put the thoughts away as they arrived. He would make no assumptions and would meet these men as men, and learn to know who they really were.

He exited the car and made way to the Church, a crowd of reporters, Reavers, Dignitaries, etc.

Then the fanfare played for him and for another. A seven foot tall man who filled the description of a warlord like none other. He looked at him as a Reaver whispered something in his ear.

Damien. Shijin thought.

Still carrying the cases and followed by his preists and Templars, he handed the cases to the Preists, and gave Damien the Tersanctan Salute, The right Fist placed over the heart, as the head bowed. the white bandages on his hand contrasted sharply with the Black Military Uniform, accented with gold at the Neck and Shoulders.

He held this position for a few seconds, and made his way into the church alongside him, saying nothing until the time was right.

A raised hand brought Dayne silence, and he stepped forward, holding his great sword in one hand. The deep bass of his voice carried over the crowds, and over the waves into many a far nation,"There are few single days that change the course of a nation. There are few single instances that one may point to and say,'Here is where things changed.' Not many, but there are a few. The death of a Great Leader..."

Pausing for a moment, he allowed the import of his words to sink in before continuing,"...the defeat of a mighty enemy.... And of course, the forging of unbreakable alliances.

"This, my people, is one of those days. For today will be forever remembered as the day another blade was reforged, adding to the already unstoppable power of the Blood Pact. Let our enemies tremble before us, and let Gholgoth resound with our celebrations!""

Raising a beckoning hand, Dayne basked in the thunderous applause that washed over the steps as Dreadfire and Shijin began the long ascent. When they had both finally joined him, Dayne embraced them both. Gripping a hand of each, Dayne turned them to once more face the crowd. The three, so different, and yet from this day, their destinies and the destinies of millions, billions of others were entwined.

Turning once more, Dayne started for the great gilded double-doors of the Church, the applause still riotous behind them. Reavers moved in and swung the doors open open, and the trio entered the cavernous interior of the Church. Fantastic paintings and carvings adorned the interior of the dome, scenes of battle, glory, and the fury of the Gods. Longships sliced through bejewelled waves, and ancient Reavers destroyed ancient enemies.

The floor of the cavernous dome was lined with men, all standing at rigid attention. A full thousand Reavers, all in identical silver-chased armor, their broadswords held at the exactly the same angle before them, their hands crossed on their hilts. The other side of the dome was filled with the Crimson Priests of the ThirdEye, their long, crimson samite robes brushing the floor.

It was a solemn, eerily silent scene, the only sound sounds those of the trio's heels as they crossed the floor. Damien's massive, armored hulk to one side of the Evenstar, the slender, lithe form of Shijin to the other. Their heels continued to sounds as they climbed the dais, and entered the small alcove. The wall had been opened, and there he stood, eternal as the mountains.

In the near decade he had been sealed, the Reaver's hair had silvered, and his beard as well. He had never lacked for food nor anything else, for he stood there, immaculate, his voice stout as he bellowed the ritual challenge,"And who would come here, to the beating heart of our Great Alliance? Let your intentions be pure, for I am the Guardian, and I shall spill your blood before you defile this place. The Winds blow you True, answer now."

Dayne stood, watching the defiance of the Guardian, for a long moment before speaking,"We are the founders of the Alliance, and those who feed the flame. We are the searing heat of righteousness, and the cold bite of steel to the wicked. We have come to add another to our mighty bond. Shall he pass?"

The iron gaze of the Reaver locked on to Shijin and his grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, it's naked length gleaming in the torchlight. For a long, terrible moment Dayne thought he would refuse, and kill Shijin where he stood. But, he stepped back, and bowed low,"Then pass, and may the Pact see us through the Long Night.'

There was the hole, it's gaping maw black in the walls of granite. Moving forward, Dayne pulled a small something from it, and pulled the cloth from a fabulously jeweled chalice. Inside ran the blood of Damien and Bastien. With a glance to Shijin Dayne knelt and, reverently, he bowed his head and offered it up to Damien,"Do what needs be done, Dreadfire."

Dreadfire's face was tightened at the sight of the chalice in almost a scowl, but it was an attempt to hold back the emotion that flowed inside him. With a curt nod of his head, Damien took up the cup and held it upwards towards the heavens. His red eyes fluttered for a second or two before rolling back into his head, and his lips moved about fiercely as he whispered to himself. Several minuted had passed, and still Dreadfire remained in his trance like state.

He then exhaled and opened his eyes, looking about his surroundings as if he was in a strange and new location. He looked at Dayne, then at Shijin, and suddenly remembered where he was and what he was doing. He walked back over towards the hole in the granite and turned about, looking over all that stood inside the sacred shrine. He then moved the chalice towards his mouth and touched the blood inside to his lips, lapping up a very small portion.

Friends....brothers. I am the last of the original 'trio', I am all that remains of the old Blood Pact. Edmund Dantes died before Bastien and I could make things official, and Bastien was robbed from this world not too long thereafter. As steel and stone, I stand here now alone and by myself.

He again looked at Dayne and Shijin for a moment before taking up a new chalice in his left hand. He then poured a shot's worth of blood from the original chalice into the new one and gave his blessing.

But alas life moves on, and the tides have once again shifted.

Damien then swallowed hard as he repeated the words that Bastien himself spoke the night the world changed.

Once seperate, we have been forged anew. The bonds of Blood and Fire are unbreakable, and our fates are now entwined. To Valhalla, alongside our brothers we shall Drag the Waters of War!

Damien then set the original chalice back inside it's eternal resting place, and in his empty hand he drew the Relic's Sword. He placed the new cup on a stone near the hole, and looked the shining blade up and down. It had not been the dagger that he first used to draw his blood that night, but it would suffice. Damien looked at his two hosts and moved the sword to his left hand, and then placed his dominant right hand at the bottom of the blade. He then applied pressure and ran his hand down the length of the blade, and blood began to flow freely into the chalice.

With his blood mixing with a small portion of the blood from the original Pact, Damien again whispered to himself and watched as the cup began to fill. Once it was a third of the way full, he recoiled his hand and placed a cloth over the wound. He sighed deeply and bowed his head before stepping away from the chalice, for his part in the ritual was now complete.

Shijin took all of the incredible sights in. He had been quiet this whole time, but inside his mind raced with a thousand past half-memories. Of Damien, of Bastien, and of Pantera. He would not speak of it yet, these newfound brothers would not understand yet.

He stepped forward, and set his case on the the ground. Punching in some code, the case made a few beeping sounds, and the hatch opened, to reveal a glass case that was raised by the machine-case. In the Glass was a silver Goblet with a Decorative Cover over it.

Shijin opened the case and removed the Goblet. He then looked at Dayne.

"This one...is yours. I offer this to the Blood Pact of old and renewed. To the memories of those who died before us so that this moment may be possible, may their hallowed names be written in the blood of our enemies, on the parchment of thier shores."

He then raised the Goblet, and closed his eyes. Silently reciting a Kungshaoist Prayer, then placed the goblet next to old, he poured a bit into it.

He then recited Damiens Prayer.

Once seperate, we have been forged anew. The bonds of Blood and Fire are unbreakable, and our fates are now entwined. To Valhalla, alongside our brothers we shall Drag the Waters of War!

He then dabbed three fingers in the chalice, and brought them down his face, so that three lines of blood Went from his forehead to his chin going over the eyes and nose. He then did the same too Damien and Dayne.

"This is an Ancient Tradition of the Templars, before technology and uniforms, this was how we identified each other on the battlefield as brothers. These Markings were our warpaint. A tradition I am honored to share with you now."

He then bowed to them both.

"From this moment forward, Tersanctus, Pantera and Automagfreek are as one. One Fate, One People. To the rest, may Kungshao bring swift demise!"

Then Shijin said something cryptic that not even he fully realized that he was saying.

"Brothers, not even Death can break our bond!"

Taking the chalice, the Evenstar accepted Dreadfire's blade and laid open his palm. Clenching his fist above the cup, Dayne repeated the prayer for the third time, first spoken by Bastien so long ago,"Once seperate, we have been forged anew. The bonds of Blood and Fire are unbreakable, and our fates are now entwined. To Valhalla, alongside our brothers we shall Drag the Waters of War!"

Wrapping his bloody hand quickly in a length of silk, Dayne sealed the lid onto the jeweled cup, and set it in it's place, alongside the older one. He murmered softly to himself as he did so, beseeching the Gods to bless the Pact and the new Gholgoth. He spoke to Bastien, in the Shining Halls, praying that he looked upon this move with favor. Finally, he turned away and moved to Damien and Shijin. The Crimson Priests moved in, swiftly replacing the section of granite and departing wordlessly.

Dayne inclined his head to his companions, and spoke,"I greet you now as brothers. A new day dawns, and we shall bring it on our heels. It is done, and let the world know it."

And then, the Guardian emerged once more, drawing his sword and moving to confront the three Warrior Kings. His voice was hard as he spoke,"Go now. Two have become Three, and that is that. None will pass while I hold breath, and I pray another to take up my place when I can no longer stand. Go. I shall wait here." And his eyes brooked no argument.

The sunlight was bright as the Three emerged, and the cheering washed over them once more. A few more words, the flash of a few cameras, and the Three were gone. The ceremonies at the Church would go on for days, but it was only ceremony. The blood was shared, the Oaths sworn, and the tomb sealed. It was done.

And across Pantera, celebrations erupted, wild riotous celebrations. In Britain and in a dozen other ports across the earth, Reavers and Panterans celebrated the addition of their newest brethren into the Blood Pact.

The Seastone Palace, in all it's gargantuan splendor, awaited the Three atop the Cliffs of Toke, and once inside the Palace the Evenstar was quick to make his way into the Great Hall. There was sat a huge feast, various wines and whiskeys, Elaran Ale and a dozen other fine spirits. A number of lithe, nubile young women stand about, waiting to serve the Warlords.

Turning, Dayne gestures grandly,"For the moment, my Brothers, let us celebrate and speak of happy things. And then, I have arranged some... entertainment. I believe you, in particular, will find it of interest, Dreadfire." Dayne's purple eyes blazed with something terrible for a brief moment, before his good humor returned and he reached for a bottle.

For the first time since the end of the civil war there was mass celebrations in the streets of Automagfreek. Curfews were lifted, school for the next day was canceled, and an official government holiday had been declared. All throughout the country great parties erupted, and there was much dancing, drinking, and fornicating. Old men sat on their porches and began spinning great tales of the days of old to all the younger children, and tribal soldiers were exchanging stories of gore and grief long since passed.

Off the northern shores of the AMF mainland, the Sentinel fired off blank shots from it's massive 25' guns, and the partying masses on the shores looked on in awe. It seemed that the weary country had found a new purpose in life, and the new Blood Pact was readily accepted among the Freeks.

Back at the Seastone Palace the celebration continued on, and Damien looked at Dayne with a stone expression as he mentioned further...'entertainment'. He knew what The Evenstar spoke of, but knew that Shijin had no idea....but soon he would.

As the party continued on, Damien decided to propose a toast to mark the occassion. He grabbed a bottle of 151 and stood on top of a large table. Slamming a large portion of the bottle, he then held it high above his head and spoke to the masses.

People of the world, on this day you all will receive us! We do not ask for your poor, or hungry. We do not want your tired and sick. It is your corrupt we claim, it is your evil that will be sought by us. With every breath, we shall hunt them down. Each day we will spill their blood 'til it rains down from the skies. Those that cross the Blood Pact will pay the dearest cost, one that can only be repaid with souls.

The names of Automagfreek, Pantera, and Tersanctus will sweep across the lands and bring a shiver to those that stand against us. Like a great windstorm we will sweep down from the Heavens and take what is ours by force. Those that draw swords against the Three will fall one by one, as predicted by the Farseers.

If you should think that Blood Pact will bow and fall at your feet, you will be sorely mistaken. For your arrogance and ignorance, one day you will look behind you and you will see we Three, and on that day....YOU WILL REAP IT! And we will send you to whatever God you wish.

Damien slammed the rest of the bottle and smashed it on the table in a fury before raising his arms into the air. The room exploded with applause as he hopped down from the table and grabbed both Shijin and Dayne by the shoulders. He looked them both in the eyes and then raised their hands into the air, much to the approval of the crowd.

Come now, let us be merry and drink the night away. For there still lies one last....encounter for the evening. Damien returned the sharp glance that Dayne had given him not minutes before.

EDIT: A quick OOC edit to say... 2,000 Posts of sheer fucking Pantera. Makes you wet, doesn't it? ;)

IC:

The merriment continued for a long while and was eventually graced by the presence of the Evenstar's young wine, the Queen Reaver Teshara, affectionately referred to by Dayne as 'Shara'. Dark and beautiful, her slightly plump form was clad in a clinging gown of silk. The gracious hostess, she kissed the brutish Damien on either cheek, and embraced Shijin like a brother.

She stayed for almost an hour, chatting with everyone, a hand lingering on her belly. Soon, though, she retired, and Dayne was left with his guests once more. The feast was cleared, the spirits were left, and feeling warm with his drink, the Lord Reaver rose from his chair.

"Now. For the entertainment! And a fine diversion it will be. First we had the food, then we had the booze... And now..." Dayne clapped his hands, and the doors on either side of the Great Hall were opened,"Now, we have the Justice."

The growls of hounds were heard as the doors opened, and soon came two Reavers, each leading a massive warhound. Their shaggy heads turned left and right, taking in the contents of the Hall and straining at their leashes at the lingering smell of food.

Dayne leaned forward, placing his fists on the tabletop, his eyes gleaming malevolently as he looked to another door, from which emerged yet another Reaver, though this one led a man, not a hound. A ragged, desheveled man, but a man nonetheless.

The tattered remnants of his clothing were once fine, but had long been soiled by shit and filth. Stained with months of grime and sweat, he smelled awful, and the hounds turned to look at him. His face showed signs of beatings, some near-healed to a mottled yellow, others black and fresh. Whatever this creature was, he had suffered a great deal for a long, long time.

Dayne's voice was triumphant as he called,"You there. Tell these men who you -were-." The emphasis on the last word was not lost on any in the hall.

The prisoner lowered his eyes and breathed hoarsely,"I was once a man called Stam Brighton."

Dayne was pleased,"And who are you now?" He urged.

"I am noone now. A half-man. I am a traitor and a coward." He spoke, his eyes filled with shame.

"Yes yes, I think that is apparent. Now... Tell these men what your Title and Rank were, hmm?" Dayne spared Damien a quick, eager glance.

"I was once Lord of the Dampwood, Reaver First. A member of the Cursed Seastone Council...." The man cringed involuntarily at the sudden burst of sheer hatred in the room, but Dayne only smiled and nodded.

Gesturing to the Sentinal, he spoke once more,"And there it is, Dreadfire. One of the last. And these are his last moments. The hounds were Bastien's, and have been starved a few days. Should give us a fine, fine show, wouldn't you say?" His laughter was mocking and cruel, and the traitorous, filthy Lord before them began to sob.

Shijin took in all this new experience. Here they were three vastly different cultures.

Pantera, Warriors that had brought an ancient way of life into modern times, they had the darkest part of human nature, conquest and war, intertwined with sophistication of an ancient culture. Tradition and Honor were a way of life here.

Automagfreek, Warriors that were new, and the result of the peak of technology, combined with a leader that was ruthless, ambitious and intelligent, Making for a fearsome fighting force.

Tersanctus, a culture that on the surface seemed calm, but in every city, there was a Kungshaoist Temple, an ancient warrior caste that was ready at every moment to serve lord and land. They too combined an Ancient way of life with Modern World technology.

One would think that these three Kingdoms would quabble amongst themselves for petty differences....and yet.

Shijin spoke taking Dayne and Damiens shoulders.

"Brothers, something greater than us watches over these lands and people, and has chosen us too lead it to greater glory, be it the Gods of Valhalla, the Corpse God and The Tombs of the Mutilated, or The Great Dragon Kungshao, or all three. Not one is this room can deny this moment, not one can ignore the energy that has made itself manifest here. We men, are wretched things, yet we alone can taste lifes sweet preciousness when death is near. And for that the Gods envy US. We alone can choose our destinies, and pull it from fates cruel hands."

Shijin grabbed a Tankard of Panteran Ale, and raised it high.

"I say, let us drag the waters, sleep in the fire, and restore honor to this Greater Thing, whatever it may be! For this is the Dawn of the New Age, this is the Birth of the Empire of the Blood Pact! ANd I for one, would give anything to be here in this moment, than anywhere else in the world!"

Screaming at the Top of his lungs, Shijin screamed.

"AAAYYEEE!!"

Downing the Ale, Shijin then embraced Dayne and Damien.

"Now let this...traitor, meet his end."