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Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Chapter 10 All’s Not Fair in Love and War

As I enter Blue Moon Inn, my insides quiver with fear. Hamlet turns THE look on me. “Love sucks,” he proclaims before turning his hard, emerald eyes away. His face is contorted with bitterness. No, love doesn’t suck! Well, sometimes, it does. I squawk as Enddragon bounds into the doorway and crashes into me.

“Can we come in too?” he asks. Then his dark eyes dart between me and Hamlet. “Or do you two want to talk alone?” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. Hamlet glowers at him, and Enddragon retreats.

“Armadyl just dozed off,” I heard Dawn say behind me. “We should probably bring him in and get him settled.”

“He must be tired,” Ava remarks. “So am I.” She’s the first to push past me and take a seat at the bar. Enddragon and Dawn, supporting Armadylspark between them, scurry in after her. They place him on a bar stool, and I see that Armadyl is drooping, his eyes no doubt closed under that dragon mask of his. Tigerstar comes in last, darting past me quickly.

Hamlet stands, bristling with anger. “Get your posse away from me!”

“Hamlet,” Dawn begins.

“Don’t lecture me!” my buddy snaps. "I feel so dirty…” Hunched over in agony, Hamlet stares unseeingly at the floor. “I shouldn’t have become a girl…”

“If you feel dirty, then take a shower,” Dawn replies without any pity. “We have bigger problems than your personal drama.”

Aghast, I give Dawn a shocked glance, but Hamlet hangs his head in shame. “I know. I just don’t get it.”

“From what I understand, you became a girl to attract a certain guy, correct?” Armadylspark says, making me jump. Wait, I thought he was sleeping? When Hamlet glares at him, he continues with aplomb, “Maybe you need to try being yourself.”

Hamlet blinks. “How can I not be myself?”

“Freak, time for your monologue on appearance versus reality,” Dawn says with a smile.

09-Dec-2010 23:28:14

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Pah, literary themes! I believe I may have been forced to listen to such a lecture during a mind-bending English class. “Hamlet, I think, when you disguise yourself as a girl, you’re hiding the most important parts of you,” I finally say.

Hamlet’s eyes move down his body, stopping at his stomach, before he gives me a bemused look. Wait. Not like actual body parts!

“No!" And I’m usually the one who takes things too literally. “Maybe ‘parts’ was a bad word to use.” The other occupants of the room nod in agreement.

“What I’m saying is…you don’t have to be ashamed that you’re…”

“I dare you to say it,” Hamlet growls.

"That you’re in love with another guy,” I finish. “You’re Hamlet. Not Helen. And if Cheesecracker doesn’t accept you as you are, then it’s a shame for him.”

Hamlet examines his palm. “Money is so much simpler. I think I’m going to go woodcutting.” He stands and stretches while I face-palm.

“Have you listened to anything I’ve just said?”

Hamlet cranes his head towards me. “Yes, but spewing idealism doesn’t make reality any more bearable, Freak.”

“You haven’t even tried to tell him!” I shout. “How can you judge the one you love like that?”

“Man, this is drama at its finest. I wish I had some popcorn,” Enddragon whispers. Ava flicks his arm, but he only grins and obligingly shuts up. Yes. Drama. I’m sick of it!

Tigerstar suddenly steps forward and takes Hamlet’s chin. Then I see the lusterless glow in his eyes. He looks defeated, like an old man. “You’re not telling us something,” she murmurs. “I’ve seen that look before.”

Hamlet pries her fingers away gently. “I already told Cheesecracker I loved him. Right after I turned back into a guy. He just…laughed at me. Said that was the weirdest joke I’d ever come up with.”

09-Dec-2010 23:29:56

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Joke? I feel a surge of anger at Cheesecracker. How oblivious can a guy be? Dawn grabs my arm before I can march off to show Cheesecracker just what I think of him! He is a worm! The lowest kind of annelid! I would gladly squish him!

Hamlet’s soft voice jolts me to tears. “Again, Freak, you have your own mission. Don’t waste your time.” Dang it. I’ve been so emotional since those deaths. I quickly wipe them away.

“I’m sorry, Hamlet,” Dawn murmurs. “I could poke Cheesecracker to his senses if you want.”

Hamlet chuckles. “While I do appreciate your intentions, I’d rather not see him go insane.”

Dawn crosses her arms. “My pokes aren’t that bad. Look at Freak. He’s fine.”

I give Hamlet a reassuring grin, but he doesn’t look so reassured. “Just go,” he tells us and places his head on the bar table. “I can figure out how to punish him myself.”

Uh…Not healthy! Revenge is bad for the soul! I open my mouth to lecture him, but Dawn shakes her head. Taking the hint, Armadylspark, Enddragon, Ava and Tigerstar amble out of the inn. Then Dawn, when I don’t move, leaves me to confront Hamlet. I want to say that he should just try and speak to Cheesecracker again…but then, where has idealism gotten me? Nowhere. There’s no room for idealism in reality.

The pacifist in me suddenly aches. Sure, conflict is a normal part of life here on Runescape; it’s a part of any world. So is pain. But I can’t abide seeing a friend of mine in misery. I can’t abide the violence done to Ava. The worst part of all: I can’t do anything to change any of it. You can’t force someone to love you. You can’t take back torture. I want to reassure Hamlet that things will be better, but what if the days to come only grow worse for all of us? So, since I can’t come up with any truly comforting words, I leave him be.

09-Dec-2010 23:31:08

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Our party is rather quiet as we head towards Varrock’s East Bank. We stop at the bank to suit up all official-like for our mission. Outside the bank, Enddragon clears his throat, giving us all a weak smile. “Onward to the Temple of Saradomin?”

“The fake Bluestar and Fireheart know where we’re going,” Armadylspark points out. “Wouldn’t C.A.N. have withdrawn?” Oo, good point.

“Or maybe they’re waiting for us,” Enddragon returns.

“Can we really access the Temple now?" Ava wonders.

I shrug at her.“Only one way to find out…” Who knows what would be waiting for us? Maybe Blade himself. Or maybe an army...Wait, maybe we should think this through….

Before I can object, Dawn agrees, “Let’s start by going to the Temple.” She steps back and nods at Enddragon and Armadylspark. “You two can show us the way.””

“Gladly,” Enddragon returns, frowning at Armadylspark, who’s dozing against the outside of the bank wall. The sweeper near the bank, who never speaks but always sweeps, carefully clears the area around our sleeping compadre with his broom. “Don’t you ever get tired?” I want to ask the sweeper. “Is that all your life is worth?” I half-wish he would pull a gun on me.

“Narcoleptic?” Ava wonders, breaking me out of my reverie. Dawn shrugs.

“Let’s take off his mask!” Enddragon reaches out to do it, and I feel my stomach roil with unease. What’s under that mask anyway? Is his face scarred like Ava’s?

Armadylspark doesn’t even stir as the mask slips from his face. He looks like a perfectly ordinary guy, but Tigerstar draws a breath in wonder. “He looks like Mordred except with a scar and lighter hair.”

The scar is a fine pink line that runs diagonally across Armadyl’s face. Lanks of shiny, walnut-brown hair brush his forehead. Perhaps sensing our inquisitive gazes, his bright blue eyes snap open, and he snatches the mask from Enddragon, flustered. “Hey!”

“You were asleep,” points out Enddragon.

“Why do you look like Mordred?” Tigerstar cries.

09-Dec-2010 23:32:15

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Armadylspark places the mask into his leather pack. “Let’s just call that an unfortunate coincidence,” he says darkly before walking off. “Let’s stop delaying!”

With more questions than ever, I follow him. Maybe at the Temple of Saradomin, we’ll get more answers. We follow the road out of Varrock and to an iron gate I’ve never been able to pass before. This time, it’s wide open.

“That shouldn’t be unlocked,” Dawn mutters.

Ava glances at me uneasily, but I step through the gate, feeling the chill of a faint breeze on my skin. “We have to find Blade.” And then what? Killing him won’t fix Runescape…He’d only come back angrier. We’d have to offer him something in return for restoring the world to what it was. What did we have that he wanted? I don’t even want to think about what he might demand from us…

The trail we’re following doesn’t help my fears. It leads through a creepy, dark stone area where several giant bats are flapping around. When have bats ever been so big? Ava clings to me while Tigerstar clings to Armadylspark, who’s trying his best to nudge her away politely. Enddragon has his scimitar out, and his eyes are roving for danger. I reach out to take Dawn’s hand, and she doesn’t object.

Up a set of wide stairs, we come across a three-story church, which is moldy-brown with age. The windows are colorful mosaics with holy symbols. Yet for some reason, I can’t feel Saradomin’s presence here. I feel abandoned. The hackers are like gods now, and they certainly aren’t on our side.

“The ones you’re looking for are not here,” a low voice tells us. "Oh, it’s you...traitor.”

09-Dec-2010 23:33:17

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Armadylspark whips out his weapon. It’s not until the stranger is out of the shadow of the Temple that I can make out the sliver of red in his black hair. His eyes are a brilliant navy blue like Armadyl’s. He resembles our buddy, but his features are sharper and colder and ironically, handsomer. He’s wearing an elegant mixture of black and silver clothes.

“You and C.A.N. are going to pay,” Armadylspark vows, his eyes blazing.

“No!* Tigerstar shrieks, taking Armadyl’s arm. Mordred’s eyes drift to her, but I don’t see a single spark of love in them. His facial expression is too guarded for me to even guess his reaction to her presence.

Mordred shrugs, and his gaze coolly brushes over Dawn, Enddragon, Ava and me…as if we aren’t worth the trouble of his attention. He points to the Temple of Saradomin. “There are only Zamorakian monks in there. C.A.N. has relocated. And I’m afraid that your intention to punish me will end very badly, Sparky. So don’t even try.” His voice is husky and non-threatening, but it still sends shivers up my spine.

Tigerstar gives me a pleading look as Armadylspark lunges for her lover. Well, what am I supposed to do? Throw myself into the middle of two dangerous, battling high levels? Besides, Mordred has drawn his own longsword and stepped forward to clash with Armadylspark. Their rune blades meet again and again, emitting sparks and speaking volumes about the ferocity of the attacks.

“You can’t win,” Mordred whispers, shoving his blade so hard that the two crossed swords are against Armadylspark’s neck. “This is pointless.”

Without responding, Armadylspark retreats and frees his blade before bringing it down in a sudden, vicious cut towards Mordred’s vulnerable head. The crazy guy doesn’t even try to defend himself this time, and I turn away, reluctant to witness the gore of someone’s head being cut clean in two.

09-Dec-2010 23:35:35 - Last edited on 09-Dec-2010 23:35:55 by Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
When Tigerstar doesn’t start crying in anguish, I dare to look back. Armadylspark’s blade is quivering an inch away from Mordred’s fancy hair.

“I thought so,” Mordred says. “You’re too nice to avenge your friend like this. You’ll just have to settle for realizing how pathetic you are.”

Armadylspark grits his teeth. “Coward. Fight me.”

“You had the chance to kill me.”

“I won't kill anyone in cold blood. Not even you.”

Ah. Such a sporting fellow! I feel pride that I know such decent people until Mordred puts a damper on the feeling with a derisive laugh. “Trying to be noble won’t get you anywhere.”

“That’s not true,” I put in.

With a scowl, Mordred glides towards me, and I parry his longsword with my scimitar before it can poke a hole in my chest. Sheesh. He tests me again by moving away and bringing the sword towards my head. I parry again, but even I know that he’s messing with me.

Done for the moment, Mordred sheathes his sword. “A nice person asks for someone to take advantage of them.”

“Hey, just because we’re nice doesn’t mean we always are,” Enddragon warns him, drawing his own scimitar with a distasteful look for Mordred. “If it weren’t for Tigerstar here, you would be dead.”

“Mordred,” Tigerstar whispers, her lovely gray eyes filled with tears.

“Oh, you can cut the act now, love,” Mordred says casually. What? I hear Dawn’s breath catch behind me.

“You’ve been on their side all along!” Dawn says to Tigerstar, her tawny eyes full of rage. No…it can’t be…Maybe this is some sort of misunderstanding!

Tigerstar tilts her head perkily. “Sorry, you guys.” She lops over to plant a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you for being so kind, but you have to learn to be a little more tough.” I make a feeble grab for her arm. I want to shake her and ask her: WHY?

Be more tough? Maybe the blows to my heart will toughen me up a little! She just skips off to her lover, who has obviously NOT gone missing. She’s known where he was all along. She’s been manipulating me!

09-Dec-2010 23:37:35

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
An unexpected feeling stabs into my heart. I HATE her. I freeze, forbidding myself to even think of hurting her. Crap, I just did...But I can never act on hatred. I can’t…My conscience would kill me for it.

“You little…” Ava finally speaks. She stomps her foot. “Female dog!”

Mordred laughs softly and welcomes Tigerstar into his embrace. Laying her head against his broad chest, she gives me a coy, apologetic look. They are a handsome couple, but they look ugly to me. “Listen to them! They won’t even swear thanks to their so-called nobleness. This is the real world! Chivalry is dead! Goodness is dead! Have you seen the world around you? The violence, the death, the suffering? That is the real world!”

Mordred looks almost distressed when he continues, “We try so hard to ‘live by our morals,’ but we always seek to circumvent them. And do you know why?”

Mutely, I shake my head.

“Because we are human.”

No! "That means we can’t behave decently?” My voice comes out hoarse, and I realize I’m trembling violently. Then Tigerstar kisses Mordred casually, making anger explode in my chest and kicking reasonableness out the door.

“As humans, we do what we must to survive,” Mordred tells me, stroking Tigerstar’s hair like you would stroke a cat. The sight almost makes me physically sick. I feel Dawn’s reassuring touch on my shoulder, and the sickness passes. “Even being kind is just a guise for survival. Being wicked is just an alternative path, I like to think. A simpler, less false path than pretending you care for every damn person you come across.”

With a roar of anger, Enddragon charges at them. Before he reaches them, Mordred and Tigerstar are enveloped in a long tube of purple and blue lights. They teleport the heck out of there before Enddragon can tear them to shreds.

“Curse them!” he mutters, dropping his scimitar in frustration and sitting cross-legged on the ground. He gives me a bleak smile. “What now?*

09-Dec-2010 23:39:08 - Last edited on 09-Dec-2010 23:41:46 by Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Fireheart449

Posts: 1,028 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Not trusting myself to speak, I turn to Dawn. She sighs, patting my shoulder comfortingly. “Let’s go back to Varrock and rest a bit. Then we’ll have to split up to search for any clues about the new location of C.A.N.”

Armadylspark chuckles. “You are very composed, Dawn.” He has replaced his dragon mask and hood.

Dawn gives him a wry smile. “I won’t miss her.” She considers Armadyl more seriously. “I’m sorry about your friend.” Armadylspark shrugs, his expression inscrutable. Well, he is wearing a mask…

“Yeah, I think your dislike was pretty clear when you gave her the lecture of the century,” Enddragon says with a laugh, hopping to his feet.

Lecture? I give Dawn a questioning glance, but she only frowns, unwilling to explain. Enddragon fills me in. “She just told Tigerstar to leave you alone, that flirting with you while looking for her love was just plain disgraceful.”

Ah, so that would explain why Tigerstar had been acting so skittish around me. Ugh, why do I even care anymore? Why do I care about anything? Ava prods me, and I remember why I care. Because if we don’t care, who else will?

~End of Chapter 10~

09-Dec-2010 23:40:45 - Last edited on 09-Dec-2010 23:41:06 by Fireheart449

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