Werewolves. My ultimate fear. Witherfang huh. Well, something is definitely off with Lupin, I can tell that for sure. I must wonder what his… more crimes are.
Interesting to see something special like this, I hope we can see some more guest writers. I think it be kind of a fun thing.
This was a wonderful part! Lupin is a great character, I love all of these hints you gave about him and the true nature of his actions. Safe to say, this made me even more excited for the point where I can finally introduce him in the story itself. I also like the glimpse of Lupin's uncle Darko, the only member of the main family that hasn't been introduced yet. He'll appear in Edrick's next part as well and your way of portraying him gave me a very good idea on how to write him. So, thank you very much for writing this wonderful part
I hope so as well. This is already pretty popular with some of the other stories here, where it is called 'Histories & Lore', referring to the short features from the show's DVD and Blu-Ray. I have alreay written some of these parts for other stories and have plans to write more, so I was very happy when Furry revealed to me that he is interested in writing one for FoT. If any reader wishes to do something similar, then I am a 100% in favour of it and it would make me very happy. The only thing I need to do is to read over it first before it gets posted here.
Werewolves. My ultimate fear. Witherfang huh. Well, something is definitely off with Lupin, I can tell that for sure. I must wonder what his… more crimes are.
Interesting to see something special like this, I hope we can see some more guest writers. I think it be kind of a fun thing.
As I said to InGen, I'm more than okay with this and would support you as good as I can. If you wish to write something like this, then we can always talk about it!
I hope so as well. This is already pretty popular with some of the other stories here, where it is called 'Histories & Lore', referring … moreto the short features from the show's DVD and Blu-Ray. I have alreay written some of these parts for other stories and have plans to write more, so I was very happy when Furry revealed to me that he is interested in writing one for FoT. If any reader wishes to do something similar, then I am a 100% in favour of it and it would make me very happy. The only thing I need to do is to read over it first before it gets posted here.
As I said to InGen, I'm more than okay with this and would support you as good as I can. If you wish to write something like this, then we can always talk about it!
It has started in WildlingKing's story Nymeria's War a few months ago and there have also been parts for Stigz_52's story The Invasion. Both stories (which are incredibly awesome by the way) have links to a gathered collection of Histories & Lore parts in their main posts, if you're looking for quick examples on how these parts look. I myself have written two recent Histories & Lore parts for Nymeria's War (from the PoV of my characters, Gwendis and Naemon Blackmont) and one for The Invasion (from the PoV of my character Alara Caron), but you can also find great work from CM3434, Mathea, Stigz_52, Crips and WildlingKing, who have all written similar parts for the two stories, with many more hopefully coming in the future. And I do, if I may say so, currently write one such part for Monument in my spare time, which should be finished in the next few days
It has started in WildlingKing's story Nymeria's War a few months ago and there have also been parts for Stigz_52's story The Invasion. Both… more stories (which are incredibly awesome by the way) have links to a gathered collection of Histories & Lore parts in their main posts, if you're looking for quick examples on how these parts look. I myself have written two recent Histories & Lore parts for Nymeria's War (from the PoV of my characters, Gwendis and Naemon Blackmont) and one for The Invasion (from the PoV of my character Alara Caron), but you can also find great work from CM3434, Mathea, Stigz_52, Crips and WildlingKing, who have all written similar parts for the two stories, with many more hopefully coming in the future. And I do, if I may say so, currently write one such part for Monument in my spare time, which should be finished in the next few days
Of course I would support it! More than that, I would encourage it! Inspiring others to get creative thanks to my own writing is the greatest thing I can think of. Honestly, it means the world to me. This story means the world to me and it simply feels incredible to know that others are involved in it so much that they in turn wish to write or draw or get creative in any other way about the story.
...........really? ..........No this, this is a dream..................There is no way I just heard you said that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You would even support it?........I liquid you cannot..............THIS IS TOO GREAT!!!!!!!!
No, no, no this is too much. YOU ARE GIVING ME TO MUCH JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........................................................................................................................Neeed to use it.......write Prime......
Of course I would support it! More than that, I would encourage it! Inspiring others to get creative thanks to my own writing is the greates… moret thing I can think of. Honestly, it means the world to me. This story means the world to me and it simply feels incredible to know that others are involved in it so much that they in turn wish to write or draw or get creative in any other way about the story.
I certainly enjoyed reading that. It makes me more eager to see what Lupin will be like when we meet him in the current timeline of events. I can't wait for the next part.
Oh and as for Darko... well I can't wait to see what he'll be like.
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, that would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide down there”, he said with a forced grin, as he spied down the hole. A ladder led to the ground, which was only a little over six feet away from the hatch. Not trusting the slightly crooked ladder, Marak instead slid down, after which he found himself in a large room below the ground. The ceiling was too low for him and he had to slightly lower his head to stand. It was warm, hot even, which only made the smell worse and the buzzing sound of flies filled the air. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness around him.
“Son of a...”, Marak spat as he realized the source of the smell. Immediately, it caused even him to lean forward, as bitter vomit forced its way up his throat. He opened his mouth to spit onto the ground and half of his breakfast came out of it.
Corpses. Almost a dozen of them, but they were far too small to be the corpses of adults. Children, every single one of them, none old enough to even count as a preteen. Three of them hung on large hooks from the ceiling, two were nailed to the wall, the rest were scattered to the ground, not all of them in one piece, discarded like trash. Their wounds were gruesome, ranging from deep cuts to heavy mutilations. The smell came from their rotten flesh, as most of them had been dead for a while.
As Marak took a step forwards, brittle bones cracked beneath his feet. He had seen many things in his life, murders, massacres, some of which he participated in, but never, not even once in his life, did he see anything as horrifying as this. With his utter disgust came an uncharacteristic feeling of fear, which in turn almost brought tears to his eyes, for a reason he wasn't too sure of himself.
Horrified, he spun around, as he began to grasp what he saw. A table and tools, a dozen different knives, pliers, nails and hammers, a blood-caked saw and stained shackles. He had seen torture chambers before, but none of them had oozed such a level of cruelty, none of them had exclusively contained children and not even the most depraved people Marak had ever met would have been capable of such a thing. Not many things were able to shock him, but this sight left him speechless.
As he inspected the partially flayed corpse of a young boy that was hung on a hook like a dead pig, he spotted something behind. It was one of the corpses nailed to the wall, a girl, and a closer inspection almost caused him to throw up once again, as he saw what had been done to her entrails. Marak, who had seen such a procedure before, knew that she had still been alive when someone pulled them out of her open belly. More importantly, he knew her.
He walked closer, carefully trying not to step onto one of the tiny corpses, not to slip on rotting flesh and ignoring the ever stronger smell of rancid blood. From the way her corpse looked, he knew she had died only hours before. The man... no, the thing that killed her removed the eyes, but her thin face was still recognizable, the damp, brown hair, the pale skin. Yes, he remembered her. Noelle had been treating the very same girl's wounds just a few minutes ago...
Marak narrowed his eyes as he glanced at the long nails that had been driven through her hands and into deep holes in the wall behind her. He placed an arm around her, as he pulled the nails out, which caused the sickening sound of iron cutting through flesh. Gently, he lowered her body and by now, he noticed that he felt sorrow for the cruel fate of this child. This was more than just a simple death. Even in the darkest corners of his mind, he couldn't think of anything more horrible. “Rachel...”, he mumbled.
“Her sister”, a hoarsy voice sounded behind him and immediately, Marak looked up, though he did not turn around. His horror grew as he realized that he hadn't focussed on his surroundings anymore, that he had actively tried to blend it out, just to deal with the nauseating sight. It was not a surprise that Otis had managed to sneak up on him. “Her name was Elisa and she barely lasted a week”, the farmer said quietly. “It's a good thing she has a sister”
Now, Marak spun around, in the hopes that he would be faster than the man behind him. His left fist was clenched and it cut through the air, right at Otis, who in turn raised the curved knife in his hands. A sharp pain cut through Marak's entire left arm when the flesh of his hand hit the iron of the knife. The weapon scratched across the back of his hand, before entering his forearm, instantly being embedded to the hilt.
Bellowing in pain, Marak stumbled backwards and heavily hit his head on the low ceiling. Otis stared at him with wide eyes full of despair. “I want you to know that this was not how I wanted things to go”, he mumbled. “Your woman patched up sweet Rachel after I've been too rough to her and for that, I actually liked you”
By now, Marak had almost regained control over himself, as he reached for the knife in his arm. For a moment, he thought about pulling it out and to use it to cut Otis to little pieces, though he decided against it. The wound was barely bleeding, which was enough for him to realize that the weapon was blocking it. The moment he'd pull it out, he'd start to bleed heavily. Without anyone near to help, he'd pass out in minutes.
“You did this to them?”, he gasped, blinking around, trying to regulate his breath before starting his attack. Otis gave him a nod. “All of it”, he said. There was no joy on his face, just sadness. “Sometimes you reach a point where nothing can stop the pain”, he mumbled. “Nothing but causing more pain in others” He sighed. “Down here, you don't have to deal with your own pain, you... just be here and... their screams drown it out”
“You...”, Marak growled and Otis took a step away from him. “YOU'RE DEAD!” He charged at him and Otis immediately spun around and rushed to the ladder. The smaller man was quite fast and had reached the end of the small room just as Marak did his second step. He reached for the ladder and Marak fastened his pace...
And right then, Marak stepped into something wet, he stumbled and the whole world turned. He fell down, and with a sickeningly squishing sound right onto a half-rotten corpse, only narrowly avoiding further wounds through a sharp, broken rib bone that was lying on the ground. The pain in his left arm grew stronger as he noticed that he had fallen directly onto it and as he looked down, this pain grew strong enough to block out the stench of the rotten bodies around him.
Still growling in pain, Marak forced himself to stand up, ever so carefully and trying to stay conscious despite the pain. He looked towards the hatch and saw Otis climbing up the ladder as quick as a spider. With a roar of anger, he charged towards it.
Otis reached the top of the ladder before Marak came even close. Quickly, he spun around, grabbing the hatch and slamming it down. “I will look after you in a few days”, he said, his voice muffled through the woods. “Now I will deal with your woman and the little girl” Then, he locked the hatch.
“YOU'RE DEAD!”, Marak screamed. “FUCKING DEAD, I KILL YOU!” In complete darkness, he stumbled forwards, trying to find the ladder, while his heart thumped with rage. And deep down, he even felt a hint of worry. Noelle and the girl were up there with this madman and even though he hoped that she would hear his screams, he had no idea what kind of trick Otis might still have up his sleeve.
Finally, his outstretched fingers touched the wooden ladder and he stopped. From his heavy pants, Marak noticed that he was exhausted, likely a result of the pain. But his rage was stronger than any sort of tiredness. Still having to lower his head, his good hand reached upwards, feeling the hatch above. It was locked, of course, but Marak knew how to solve this problem. As always, he used brute force. He clenched his fist and heavily slammed it against the wood.
At first, nothing happened, but Marak knew he only had to be persistent. Again he punched the wood with all his strength, though being limited to the use of one hand was not making things any easier. Above him, he heard voices, too muffled to understand specific words, though he recognized Otis and Noelle. She was agitated, obviously she had heard him. Her voice grew louder, until suddenly, a thudding sound cut it off.
Marak growled in helpless anger, as he fastened his attempts to break through the wooden hatch. Noelle was insane, a fanatic, but she was his fanatic and he'd never allow this monster to harm her. No, he would kill this man, he would kill him so horribly. What he did to these children... even Marak was beyond livid at this.
Finally, he heard a cracking sound just from above, as a tiny part of the hatch gave in, breaking off the rest of it and allowing Marak a tiny glimpse outside. Even though it was dark up there, the moon provided some dim light, more than he had down here. And more importantly, this finally gave him an opening to work with.
The next thing Marak did was to punch against the wood around the tiny gap he just created. It splintered, tiny pieces of it cutting into his flesh, but even more of it flying upwards, widening the gap. His roar filled the room, as he punched against the wood again and again, sending more and more parts of it flying. Finally he reached through it with his hand, grabbing the wood and outright tearing parts of it away, parts which got larger and larger.
And then, after minutes of constant, monotone hitting and tearing, Marak noticed that the opening he created had gotten large enough for him to fit through. It was a narrow hole and he had to destroy almost the entire hatch to fit through it, but it was enough, it had to be enough. And the sweet, clean air that came from outside was a gift from the heavens. Maybe there was a rollmop out there, looking after his followers.
With a sigh, Marak glanced down at his wounded arm. There was nothing he could do now, he had to use it to climb the ladder and to press himself through the hole he had created. Clenching his teeth, he opened and closed the hand a little bit, before he grabbed one of the rungs. He used his right hand to grab the rung above it and pulled himself up.
The moment he applied any sort of pressure onto his wounded arm, pain exploded in his entire side, sending tears of agony into his eyes and nearly causing him to scream. Only a grunt left his throat, as he pulled himself upwards despite the pain. He repeated the procedure and this time, the pain was bad enough that he actively had to fight the urge to just give up and pass out. But he couldn't do this, not only because it would mean his own death.
Gathering all of his willpower, Marak reached for the solid ground above and pulled himself upwards. By now, every single cell in his body was aching and he wanted to do nothing more than to scream. The only noise he made was an agonizing grunt, as he pressed his upper body through the hatch.
Cold, clean air filled his nose, though the terrible stench remained. By now, Marak's legs were able to stand on the ladder and the rest of the way up was easy. He finished his climb on all fours, as he shuffled forwards and collapsed on the ground. He rolled onto his back and for a moment, he just lay there, trying to ignore the pain in his arm. He glanced down at the knife that was still embedded into it and once again decided against pulling it out. He'd pass out. By now, he'd certainly pass out and he couldn't have that. No, he had to...
Noelle! Marak almost jumped up as he realized how silent the house had gotten. He clenched his thumping left forearm and grabbed a particularly large and sharp piece of broken wood with his good hand, as he got back onto his knees and then onto his feet. And then, his anger finally regained control, growing stronger than the pain again. He started to run.
Quickly, Marak passed the house and while running, he momentarily glanced through the tiny, stained window that allowed him a glimpse into Rachel's room. He saw Otis standing there, but no one else and it drove him furious with worry. He charged towards the door and didn't even stop to check if it was open. Roaring with fury, he jumped against it, with enough force to break right through it.
Once again, Marak landed on the floor, though he managed to get onto all fours in a second, before jumping up again and turning towards the open door that led to Rachel's room. Through the gap, he saw Otis, a knife in his hands and his eyes widely open with fear. “What are you?”, the farmer gasped.
Slowly, but with determination, Marak entered the room. He glanced to his left and saw Noelle, kneeling on the ground. Her cheek was bruised, but she was awake and staring daggers at Otis. Then there were the girls, both unconscious, but still alive and unharmed. Or, in Rachel's case, not harmed any more.
It was her whom Otis reached out for. “Rachel!”, Noelle screamed and before Marak could react, the farmed had grabbed the girl's hair, pulling her up and pressing one arm around her, the other one firmly holding the knife he pointed at her throat. “Stay right where you are”, he growled coldly and Marak stopped.
“Why?”, he asked, forcing himself to calm down slightly. “Why are you doing this? Torturing, murdering children? You're fucked up in the head” Otis' eyes narrowed. “You don't know me”, he barked loudly. “You don't know whom I have been! A few years ago things were different. I was different”
“Let her go and I will end your misery quickly”, Marak promised, though he had no intentions of keeping his word. Otis shook his head. “My misery...”, he mumbled, before his glare grew stronger. “What do you know about my misery? Do you have children?”
Now, Marak shook his head. He glanced at Noelle, whose eyes were widely opened by now, an uncharacteristic fear for the little girl in Otis' arms clearly visible on her face. “As expected”, the farmer spat. “You couldn't understand how it is to loose them”
“So you snapped because your kids died”, Marak growled. “And now you kill other kids. Pathetic” He took a step forwards and Otis jumped back, bumping against the wall behind him. In his arms, Rachel groaned, as she slowly began to wake up. “STAY BACK!”, Otis yelled. “Stay back... You don't know it, you don't understand it! The pain!”
By now, Marak saw tears on Otis' face. “They were all I had left from my wife. My beautiful daughters. Mera, Betty and Sara”, he whispered in despair as he looked at Rachel. “My sweet Sara, she had hair like this one. They were taken from me, dragged into the forest by... by...”
“By?”, Marak asked and Otis whimpered. “Men”, he pressed through his teeth, now staring at the ground in front of him without blinking. “Deserters from the Rock, on their way to Oldtown. They dragged my girls out of the house, beat me senseless and they...”
He paused again, tears streaming down his face. “ There was no justice for my girls. No one helped me. I was nothing to them. Just Otis the creep, Otis the worthless, pathetic loner”, he muttered. “So I... I had a thought” He looked up and Marak shivered at what he saw in this man's eyes, the screams of a broken man, echoes of a live lost. “Why should they feel any different from me? Why should they be spared?”
As the farmer said this, Marak clenched his fists, as he breathed faster. “You are right with one thing”, he said and took a step forwards. “You are pathetic” Otis tensed up. “Stay where you are!”, he yelled and in his arms, Rachel blinked.
“But there is one terrible mistake you made”, Marak said, as he took another step forwards. By now, Otis pressed himself against the wall, his eyes filled with fear and sorrow. Marak glanced at the girl Noelle abducted, safely lying on the ground. And he took another step forwards. “You have the wrong girl”, he said.
His words were almost drowned by Otis' desperate screams and as he charged, the farmer did a quick movement and cut Rachel's throat. “NO!”, Noelle shrieked as the dying girl widely opened her eyes. Marak barely glanced at her final, desperate attempts at breathing, as he had reached Otis the very next moment.
The first thing the farmer tried was to stab him with the knife. Marak grabbed him at the wrist with the right hand, before placing the left one underneath his arm pit. In the same movement, he lifted him up and heavily slammed him down onto the wooden edge of the bed. It cracked and Otis' screams of fear turned into horrible screams of agony in an instant, as Marak effortlessly broke his right arm.
The limb protruded in a rectangular angle, but Marak still did not let go of it. He used the broken arm to yank Otis upwards, grabbing his leg in the process and smashing him against the old and heavy wooden wardrobe, with enough force to break through its doors. Then, he lifted Otis upwards, roaring in rage, as he heavily threw him down onto the ground and jumping on top of him.
His own, guttural screams of rage mixed with Otis' shrill shrieks of sheer horror. His first punch completely pulverized the farmer's remaining front teeth, the second one shattered his nose, the third almost broke his cheekbone and Marak was far from done. He threw two more punches right onto Otis' ruin of a face, before grabbing him at the throat, lifting him up and screaming right into his face.
“DON'T KILL ME! DON'T KILL ME! I DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT DON'T KILL ME!”, Otis screamed at the top of his lungs in return, the essence of terror in his voice and Marak's own, primal screams were interrupted just long enough for him to speak actual words. “Bite down!”, he growled, pointing at the wooden edge of the bed. He dragged Otis towards the piece of furniture, almost slamming his head into it. “No...”, Otis mumbled, as he noticed what would follow. “No, everything, but not this. Don't...”
“BITE!”, Marak screamed and reluctantly, the farmer complied. Using the broken ruins of his teeth caused him obvious agony, but his fear of Marak was stronger and he heavily bit down onto the wood, exposing his neck in the process. Finally, Marak prepared to end it, as he raised his leg to kick Otis in the back of the head...
“Marak, don't!”, Noelle's voice cut him off and through a red veil, he threw a confused glance at her. “Excuse me?”, he snarled and she sighed. “Don't kill him now”, she urged him. “You have heard this... creature. He will do whatever we want. He can help us against the Old Man and the Half-Dragon”
“Fucking excuse me?”, Marak growled and Noelle sighed, although the look she gave Otis was one of pure disgust. “He can be useful”, she claimed. “A broken man with nothing to loose can be a dangerous asset. I believe the Lord brought us here for a reason. And I believe even someone as monstrous as Otis can serve a purpose. Think about my words”
I will only vote this because of my batman-style code of not killing characters. If not for that he wouldn't have time to blink. This man has no soul and there is no hope for someone as sick as this. Besides his death is too easy. Too quick. A life of suffering is more fitting for this ...creature.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Come on Stigz. You really think that Marak is just going to just let him go on his marry way. I feel like he has to do something to make sure he can't hurt anyone again, like chain him up or something.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Oh I'm sure Marak will punish him, that much I'm sure about either way. Though this guy mutilates children, and he's already stabbed Marak through the arm and struck at Noelle. I don't want to run the risk of putting them in danger by having a monster like this spared. Especially with Marak injured.
Come on Stigz. You really think that Marak is just going to just let him go on his marry way. I feel like he has to do something to make sure he can't hurt anyone again, like chain him up or something.
[Kill Otis] Fuck that! I'm all for sparing lives but they want to use him. Nope, not happening. @Stigz_52 brought up a good point. Having Ellena and Otis in the same place puts her in danger.
Fuck Otis! I'm so mad. When he gave that sob story all I could think was "Boo fucking hoo!" Having a bad experience doesn't excuse hurting others.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
You say that with so much confidence Stigz but let's look at this realistically. Liquid won't kill Noelle and Marak because of this choice because then the conversation about him being 'needed' would have no meaning.
The last time someone was offered a kill choice like this was fake butterfly and it was a mistake to kill him as confirmed by liquid himself.
Oh I'm sure Marak will punish him, that much I'm sure about either way. Though this guy mutilates children, and he's already stabbed Marak t… morehrough the arm and struck at Noelle. I don't want to run the risk of putting them in danger by having a monster like this spared. Especially with Marak injured.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
And what consequence will we have from avenging children? We're requesting to kill off a creep who murders children. In the manner at which he butchers them, I'm entirely opposed to having him around yet another child. Especially with him just slitting the throat of yet another in front of Marak. I seriously think it would be a mistake to have him around, he stated himself that no one cares for him, so unless he offers blood ceremonies to the direwolf we saw in Richard's part, I see no harm in killing him. In fact, I see benefit from doing so.
Sure, from a writer's point of view, this choice probably won't be the demise of Marak or Noelle. Though I can't stress enough that having a guy like this around a kid is a bad omen. It puts the already endanger Ellena in more potential danger, which I don't think anyone wants here.
You say that with so much confidence Stigz but let's look at this realistically. Liquid won't kill Noelle and Marak because of this choice b… moreecause then the conversation about him being 'needed' would have no meaning.
The last time someone was offered a kill choice like this was fake butterfly and it was a mistake to kill him as confirmed by liquid himself.
Fuck that! I'm all for sparing lives but they want to use him.
Indeed, they plan on using him in some unspecified way against Terroma and Raenna. Considering that Otis almost managed to take down Marak in this part (although by attacking him by surprise), Noelle has a point on a very pragmatic level, although it is very likely they won't let him live once he stopped being useful. That said, you are right, having someone as unstable as Otis in the same place as Ellena will be dangerous for her.
Fuck Otis! I'm so mad. When he gave that sob story all I could think was "Boo fucking hoo!" Having a bad experience doesn't excuse hurting others.
That's exactly the reaction I was aiming for Otis has a tragic backstory and what happened to his daughters is beyond horrible, but that doesn't change the fact that he still is the most deranged villain this story ever had. I think that he always had this urge to cause pain in others, but that he was resisting it until his children died, which marks the point where he just lost it. It wasn't the cause, it was merely the catalyst and he is abusing it as an excuse for his actions.
Was there no way of saving Rachel?
Yes, there was one, although I must admit that it was unlikely you would have picked this option. The choice that determined her fate was the hatch choice. If Marak wouldn't have opened the hatch, he wouldn't have learned of Otis' secret and things wouldn't have escalated like this. Instead, they would have gotten into an argument and Otis would have gotten creepy enough for Noelle to at least get suspicious. She would have announced her intentions of taking Rachel with her when they leave, as she had grown relatively fond of the girl. Otis would have objected and Marak would have had the choice of taking her by force, or leaving her. If the former would have been chosen, Rachel would have accompanied Marak, Noelle and Ellena, although her trauma would have prevented her from revealing Otis' true nature until Chapter 9, where she would have been reunited with her parents and would have had a talk with the city guard. If the latter would have been chosen, she would have died offscreen, although her full fate would have never been revealed. In both cases, Otis would have survived and would have returned as a villain in a later chapter, so there would have been some bad consequences as well.
[Kill Otis] Fuck that! I'm all for sparing lives but they want to use him. Nope, not happening. @Stigz_52 brought up a good point. Having … moreEllena and Otis in the same place puts her in danger.
Fuck Otis! I'm so mad. When he gave that sob story all I could think was "Boo fucking hoo!" Having a bad experience doesn't excuse hurting others.
Was there no way of saving Rachel?
Liquid won't kill Noelle and Marak because of this choice because then the conversation about him being 'needed' would have no meaning.
Are you sure I won't? Anything can happen as a result of this choice. Maybe they manage to direct Otis at their opponents, providing yet another obstacle for Terroma's group. Maybe they fail to control him and seal their own fate. Noelle thinks he is needed, but she is not guaranteed to always be right.
You say that with so much confidence Stigz but let's look at this realistically. Liquid won't kill Noelle and Marak because of this choice b… moreecause then the conversation about him being 'needed' would have no meaning.
The last time someone was offered a kill choice like this was fake butterfly and it was a mistake to kill him as confirmed by liquid himself.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Liquid won't kill Noelle and Marak because of this choice because then the conversation about him being 'needed' would have no meaning.
… more
Are you sure I won't? Anything can happen as a result of this choice. Maybe they manage to direct Otis at their opponents, providing yet another obstacle for Terroma's group. Maybe they fail to control him and seal their own fate. Noelle thinks he is needed, but she is not guaranteed to always be right.
I got the idea to write this because I noticed that the backstories of my characters could make a good story.
If you're referring to the last interfic as Midnight Hollow, than no, as I've been writing for my newer one called Cryocoffin, which I started around February.
I got the idea to write this because I noticed that the backstories of my characters could make a good story.
If you're referring to the … morelast interfic as Midnight Hollow, than no, as I've been writing for my newer one called Cryocoffin, which I started around February.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
EDIT: By the way you said there would be three POV's featured in the finale? I'm going to take my guess now. Ilish Granver, Jaron, and Raenna Minsworth.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Yes, I believe this can be safely confirmed as true. I have several tricks up my sleeve. Maybe one for Otis as well and maybe it will even be something positive, although it could just as well have entirely negative consequences. It can go both ways there.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Those are some pretty good guesses! As a matter of fact, you are right with two of them. Jaron and Raenna will both be a part of the chapter finale, in case of Raenna it is even planned to be the most important part of the finale. The third PoV won't be Ilish, but a character in a location very close to her.
[Spare his life]
EDIT: By the way you said there would be three POV's featured in the finale? I'm going to take my guess now. Ilish Granver, Jaron, and Raenna Minsworth.
And look! Guess who was the only person whose vote would have saved Rachel? This guy, this guy right here.
Yes, indeed! You earned yourself some major props for this. To be fair though, I kind of guessed that a majority would vote to open the hatch in Marak's last part. At least it's not all negative, since Marak and Noelle now know about Otis' true nature, while saving Rachel would have meant that he would have continued to be a danger for the children of Raylansfair.
See, I think we will vote to kill him anyway, so despite my desire to get some people killed, [Spare his life]. Why? No idea.
I wouldn't be so sure. Currently, it's 7-5 in favour of killing him, so only a few more votes and sparing him will be the winning option. It is entirely possible by now that he ends up temporarily surviving this encounter.
Anyway, I think this little clip is appropriate, sadly, you have to watch it on YouTube. Good clip though.
That actually sums up my own thoughts while rereading this part after finishing it. I'd say this was not only the darkest part so far, it also ended up a lot darker than I originally thought, so much in fact that I was honestly unsure if it would be too much.
So I guess that explains whoever was going around murdering little girls, Elisa and Rachel, so yeah.
Oh yes, this explains at least a bit. You probably remember that Elisa and Rachel have been mentioned in the last Arthur part. However, there is still this other girl that was found dead by the guard, with her hand missing. That's not Otis' M.O., he rather abducts the children so that he can take his time with them. This one is still going to be important in a later part in this chapter.
And look! Guess who was the only person whose vote would have saved Rachel? This guy, this guy right here.
Anyway, hm. Hm, hm, hm.
See… more, I think we will vote to kill him anyway, so despite my desire to get some people killed, [Spare his life]. Why? No idea.
Anyway, I think this little clip is appropriate, sadly, you have to watch it on YouTube. Good clip though.
So I guess that explains whoever was going around murdering little girls, Elisa and Rachel, so yeah.
[Kill Otis] I don't think sparing the life of some blood thirsty maniac to do any good, there are some moments where you can't be merciful or it will just backfire and kill you.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, … morethat would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide do… [view original content]
Comments
Well IF Liquid is ok with it.................................I might join that club.
Good Job man. Tell me how did you come up with that idea?
Also is this the first time you've written since your last interfic?
This was a wonderful part! Lupin is a great character, I love all of these hints you gave about him and the true nature of his actions. Safe to say, this made me even more excited for the point where I can finally introduce him in the story itself. I also like the glimpse of Lupin's uncle Darko, the only member of the main family that hasn't been introduced yet. He'll appear in Edrick's next part as well and your way of portraying him gave me a very good idea on how to write him. So, thank you very much for writing this wonderful part
I hope so as well. This is already pretty popular with some of the other stories here, where it is called 'Histories & Lore', referring to the short features from the show's DVD and Blu-Ray. I have alreay written some of these parts for other stories and have plans to write more, so I was very happy when Furry revealed to me that he is interested in writing one for FoT. If any reader wishes to do something similar, then I am a 100% in favour of it and it would make me very happy. The only thing I need to do is to read over it first before it gets posted here.
As I said to InGen, I'm more than okay with this and would support you as good as I can. If you wish to write something like this, then we can always talk about it!
Seriously? WHERE?!! How come I'm always the last informed about awesome stuff
.
...........really? ..........No this, this is a dream..................There is no way I just heard you said that
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You would even support it?........I liquid you cannot..............THIS IS TOO GREAT!!!!!!!!
It has started in WildlingKing's story Nymeria's War a few months ago and there have also been parts for Stigz_52's story The Invasion. Both stories (which are incredibly awesome by the way) have links to a gathered collection of Histories & Lore parts in their main posts, if you're looking for quick examples on how these parts look. I myself have written two recent Histories & Lore parts for Nymeria's War (from the PoV of my characters, Gwendis and Naemon Blackmont) and one for The Invasion (from the PoV of my character Alara Caron), but you can also find great work from CM3434, Mathea, Stigz_52, Crips and WildlingKing, who have all written similar parts for the two stories, with many more hopefully coming in the future. And I do, if I may say so, currently write one such part for Monument in my spare time, which should be finished in the next few days
THIS AMAZING!!!!!! WHY Haven't I've seen this so far?
This is so great, ill check them all now.
Of course I would support it! More than that, I would encourage it! Inspiring others to get creative thanks to my own writing is the greatest thing I can think of. Honestly, it means the world to me. This story means the world to me and it simply feels incredible to know that others are involved in it so much that they in turn wish to write or draw or get creative in any other way about the story.
No, no, no this is too much. YOU ARE GIVING ME TO MUCH JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........................................................................................................................Neeed to use it.......write Prime......
I certainly enjoyed reading that. It makes me more eager to see what Lupin will be like when we meet him in the current timeline of events. I can't wait for the next part.
Oh and as for Darko... well I can't wait to see what he'll be like.
Marak
Before he approached the hatch, Marak looked around, to make sure that he was alone. He couldn't have Otis catching him right now, that would be rather hard to explain. With a smirk, he noticed that the strange farmer would have some explaining to do as well.
As he reached the hatch, he knelt down and quickly spotted a sturdy slide bolt attached to it. By now, the smell that came out of it was enough to make Marak cringe. Despite this feeling, he still noticed how odd it was that someone would use a slide bolt attached to the outside. Such a thing meant no protection at all. It almost seemed as if he tried to keep something down there.
Carefully, Marak removed the bolt and grabbed the handles on each side of the hatch, as he slowly pulled it open. It creaked, but Marak did not stop. The smell that came out of it was nauseating and for a moment, he had to turn away from the open hole in the ground.
“Let's see what you hide down there”, he said with a forced grin, as he spied down the hole. A ladder led to the ground, which was only a little over six feet away from the hatch. Not trusting the slightly crooked ladder, Marak instead slid down, after which he found himself in a large room below the ground. The ceiling was too low for him and he had to slightly lower his head to stand. It was warm, hot even, which only made the smell worse and the buzzing sound of flies filled the air. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness around him.
“Son of a...”, Marak spat as he realized the source of the smell. Immediately, it caused even him to lean forward, as bitter vomit forced its way up his throat. He opened his mouth to spit onto the ground and half of his breakfast came out of it.
Corpses. Almost a dozen of them, but they were far too small to be the corpses of adults. Children, every single one of them, none old enough to even count as a preteen. Three of them hung on large hooks from the ceiling, two were nailed to the wall, the rest were scattered to the ground, not all of them in one piece, discarded like trash. Their wounds were gruesome, ranging from deep cuts to heavy mutilations. The smell came from their rotten flesh, as most of them had been dead for a while.
As Marak took a step forwards, brittle bones cracked beneath his feet. He had seen many things in his life, murders, massacres, some of which he participated in, but never, not even once in his life, did he see anything as horrifying as this. With his utter disgust came an uncharacteristic feeling of fear, which in turn almost brought tears to his eyes, for a reason he wasn't too sure of himself.
Horrified, he spun around, as he began to grasp what he saw. A table and tools, a dozen different knives, pliers, nails and hammers, a blood-caked saw and stained shackles. He had seen torture chambers before, but none of them had oozed such a level of cruelty, none of them had exclusively contained children and not even the most depraved people Marak had ever met would have been capable of such a thing. Not many things were able to shock him, but this sight left him speechless.
As he inspected the partially flayed corpse of a young boy that was hung on a hook like a dead pig, he spotted something behind. It was one of the corpses nailed to the wall, a girl, and a closer inspection almost caused him to throw up once again, as he saw what had been done to her entrails. Marak, who had seen such a procedure before, knew that she had still been alive when someone pulled them out of her open belly. More importantly, he knew her.
He walked closer, carefully trying not to step onto one of the tiny corpses, not to slip on rotting flesh and ignoring the ever stronger smell of rancid blood. From the way her corpse looked, he knew she had died only hours before. The man... no, the thing that killed her removed the eyes, but her thin face was still recognizable, the damp, brown hair, the pale skin. Yes, he remembered her. Noelle had been treating the very same girl's wounds just a few minutes ago...
Marak narrowed his eyes as he glanced at the long nails that had been driven through her hands and into deep holes in the wall behind her. He placed an arm around her, as he pulled the nails out, which caused the sickening sound of iron cutting through flesh. Gently, he lowered her body and by now, he noticed that he felt sorrow for the cruel fate of this child. This was more than just a simple death. Even in the darkest corners of his mind, he couldn't think of anything more horrible. “Rachel...”, he mumbled.
“Her sister”, a hoarsy voice sounded behind him and immediately, Marak looked up, though he did not turn around. His horror grew as he realized that he hadn't focussed on his surroundings anymore, that he had actively tried to blend it out, just to deal with the nauseating sight. It was not a surprise that Otis had managed to sneak up on him. “Her name was Elisa and she barely lasted a week”, the farmer said quietly. “It's a good thing she has a sister”
Now, Marak spun around, in the hopes that he would be faster than the man behind him. His left fist was clenched and it cut through the air, right at Otis, who in turn raised the curved knife in his hands. A sharp pain cut through Marak's entire left arm when the flesh of his hand hit the iron of the knife. The weapon scratched across the back of his hand, before entering his forearm, instantly being embedded to the hilt.
Bellowing in pain, Marak stumbled backwards and heavily hit his head on the low ceiling. Otis stared at him with wide eyes full of despair. “I want you to know that this was not how I wanted things to go”, he mumbled. “Your woman patched up sweet Rachel after I've been too rough to her and for that, I actually liked you”
By now, Marak had almost regained control over himself, as he reached for the knife in his arm. For a moment, he thought about pulling it out and to use it to cut Otis to little pieces, though he decided against it. The wound was barely bleeding, which was enough for him to realize that the weapon was blocking it. The moment he'd pull it out, he'd start to bleed heavily. Without anyone near to help, he'd pass out in minutes.
“You did this to them?”, he gasped, blinking around, trying to regulate his breath before starting his attack. Otis gave him a nod. “All of it”, he said. There was no joy on his face, just sadness. “Sometimes you reach a point where nothing can stop the pain”, he mumbled. “Nothing but causing more pain in others” He sighed. “Down here, you don't have to deal with your own pain, you... just be here and... their screams drown it out”
“You...”, Marak growled and Otis took a step away from him. “YOU'RE DEAD!” He charged at him and Otis immediately spun around and rushed to the ladder. The smaller man was quite fast and had reached the end of the small room just as Marak did his second step. He reached for the ladder and Marak fastened his pace...
And right then, Marak stepped into something wet, he stumbled and the whole world turned. He fell down, and with a sickeningly squishing sound right onto a half-rotten corpse, only narrowly avoiding further wounds through a sharp, broken rib bone that was lying on the ground. The pain in his left arm grew stronger as he noticed that he had fallen directly onto it and as he looked down, this pain grew strong enough to block out the stench of the rotten bodies around him.
Still growling in pain, Marak forced himself to stand up, ever so carefully and trying to stay conscious despite the pain. He looked towards the hatch and saw Otis climbing up the ladder as quick as a spider. With a roar of anger, he charged towards it.
Otis reached the top of the ladder before Marak came even close. Quickly, he spun around, grabbing the hatch and slamming it down. “I will look after you in a few days”, he said, his voice muffled through the woods. “Now I will deal with your woman and the little girl” Then, he locked the hatch.
“YOU'RE DEAD!”, Marak screamed. “FUCKING DEAD, I KILL YOU!” In complete darkness, he stumbled forwards, trying to find the ladder, while his heart thumped with rage. And deep down, he even felt a hint of worry. Noelle and the girl were up there with this madman and even though he hoped that she would hear his screams, he had no idea what kind of trick Otis might still have up his sleeve.
Finally, his outstretched fingers touched the wooden ladder and he stopped. From his heavy pants, Marak noticed that he was exhausted, likely a result of the pain. But his rage was stronger than any sort of tiredness. Still having to lower his head, his good hand reached upwards, feeling the hatch above. It was locked, of course, but Marak knew how to solve this problem. As always, he used brute force. He clenched his fist and heavily slammed it against the wood.
At first, nothing happened, but Marak knew he only had to be persistent. Again he punched the wood with all his strength, though being limited to the use of one hand was not making things any easier. Above him, he heard voices, too muffled to understand specific words, though he recognized Otis and Noelle. She was agitated, obviously she had heard him. Her voice grew louder, until suddenly, a thudding sound cut it off.
Marak growled in helpless anger, as he fastened his attempts to break through the wooden hatch. Noelle was insane, a fanatic, but she was his fanatic and he'd never allow this monster to harm her. No, he would kill this man, he would kill him so horribly. What he did to these children... even Marak was beyond livid at this.
Finally, he heard a cracking sound just from above, as a tiny part of the hatch gave in, breaking off the rest of it and allowing Marak a tiny glimpse outside. Even though it was dark up there, the moon provided some dim light, more than he had down here. And more importantly, this finally gave him an opening to work with.
The next thing Marak did was to punch against the wood around the tiny gap he just created. It splintered, tiny pieces of it cutting into his flesh, but even more of it flying upwards, widening the gap. His roar filled the room, as he punched against the wood again and again, sending more and more parts of it flying. Finally he reached through it with his hand, grabbing the wood and outright tearing parts of it away, parts which got larger and larger.
And then, after minutes of constant, monotone hitting and tearing, Marak noticed that the opening he created had gotten large enough for him to fit through. It was a narrow hole and he had to destroy almost the entire hatch to fit through it, but it was enough, it had to be enough. And the sweet, clean air that came from outside was a gift from the heavens. Maybe there was a rollmop out there, looking after his followers.
With a sigh, Marak glanced down at his wounded arm. There was nothing he could do now, he had to use it to climb the ladder and to press himself through the hole he had created. Clenching his teeth, he opened and closed the hand a little bit, before he grabbed one of the rungs. He used his right hand to grab the rung above it and pulled himself up.
The moment he applied any sort of pressure onto his wounded arm, pain exploded in his entire side, sending tears of agony into his eyes and nearly causing him to scream. Only a grunt left his throat, as he pulled himself upwards despite the pain. He repeated the procedure and this time, the pain was bad enough that he actively had to fight the urge to just give up and pass out. But he couldn't do this, not only because it would mean his own death.
Gathering all of his willpower, Marak reached for the solid ground above and pulled himself upwards. By now, every single cell in his body was aching and he wanted to do nothing more than to scream. The only noise he made was an agonizing grunt, as he pressed his upper body through the hatch.
Cold, clean air filled his nose, though the terrible stench remained. By now, Marak's legs were able to stand on the ladder and the rest of the way up was easy. He finished his climb on all fours, as he shuffled forwards and collapsed on the ground. He rolled onto his back and for a moment, he just lay there, trying to ignore the pain in his arm. He glanced down at the knife that was still embedded into it and once again decided against pulling it out. He'd pass out. By now, he'd certainly pass out and he couldn't have that. No, he had to...
Noelle! Marak almost jumped up as he realized how silent the house had gotten. He clenched his thumping left forearm and grabbed a particularly large and sharp piece of broken wood with his good hand, as he got back onto his knees and then onto his feet. And then, his anger finally regained control, growing stronger than the pain again. He started to run.
Quickly, Marak passed the house and while running, he momentarily glanced through the tiny, stained window that allowed him a glimpse into Rachel's room. He saw Otis standing there, but no one else and it drove him furious with worry. He charged towards the door and didn't even stop to check if it was open. Roaring with fury, he jumped against it, with enough force to break right through it.
Once again, Marak landed on the floor, though he managed to get onto all fours in a second, before jumping up again and turning towards the open door that led to Rachel's room. Through the gap, he saw Otis, a knife in his hands and his eyes widely open with fear. “What are you?”, the farmer gasped.
Slowly, but with determination, Marak entered the room. He glanced to his left and saw Noelle, kneeling on the ground. Her cheek was bruised, but she was awake and staring daggers at Otis. Then there were the girls, both unconscious, but still alive and unharmed. Or, in Rachel's case, not harmed any more.
It was her whom Otis reached out for. “Rachel!”, Noelle screamed and before Marak could react, the farmed had grabbed the girl's hair, pulling her up and pressing one arm around her, the other one firmly holding the knife he pointed at her throat. “Stay right where you are”, he growled coldly and Marak stopped.
“Why?”, he asked, forcing himself to calm down slightly. “Why are you doing this? Torturing, murdering children? You're fucked up in the head” Otis' eyes narrowed. “You don't know me”, he barked loudly. “You don't know whom I have been! A few years ago things were different. I was different”
“Let her go and I will end your misery quickly”, Marak promised, though he had no intentions of keeping his word. Otis shook his head. “My misery...”, he mumbled, before his glare grew stronger. “What do you know about my misery? Do you have children?”
Now, Marak shook his head. He glanced at Noelle, whose eyes were widely opened by now, an uncharacteristic fear for the little girl in Otis' arms clearly visible on her face. “As expected”, the farmer spat. “You couldn't understand how it is to loose them”
“So you snapped because your kids died”, Marak growled. “And now you kill other kids. Pathetic” He took a step forwards and Otis jumped back, bumping against the wall behind him. In his arms, Rachel groaned, as she slowly began to wake up. “STAY BACK!”, Otis yelled. “Stay back... You don't know it, you don't understand it! The pain!”
By now, Marak saw tears on Otis' face. “They were all I had left from my wife. My beautiful daughters. Mera, Betty and Sara”, he whispered in despair as he looked at Rachel. “My sweet Sara, she had hair like this one. They were taken from me, dragged into the forest by... by...”
“By?”, Marak asked and Otis whimpered. “Men”, he pressed through his teeth, now staring at the ground in front of him without blinking. “Deserters from the Rock, on their way to Oldtown. They dragged my girls out of the house, beat me senseless and they...”
He paused again, tears streaming down his face. “ There was no justice for my girls. No one helped me. I was nothing to them. Just Otis the creep, Otis the worthless, pathetic loner”, he muttered. “So I... I had a thought” He looked up and Marak shivered at what he saw in this man's eyes, the screams of a broken man, echoes of a live lost. “Why should they feel any different from me? Why should they be spared?”
As the farmer said this, Marak clenched his fists, as he breathed faster. “You are right with one thing”, he said and took a step forwards. “You are pathetic” Otis tensed up. “Stay where you are!”, he yelled and in his arms, Rachel blinked.
“But there is one terrible mistake you made”, Marak said, as he took another step forwards. By now, Otis pressed himself against the wall, his eyes filled with fear and sorrow. Marak glanced at the girl Noelle abducted, safely lying on the ground. And he took another step forwards. “You have the wrong girl”, he said.
His words were almost drowned by Otis' desperate screams and as he charged, the farmer did a quick movement and cut Rachel's throat. “NO!”, Noelle shrieked as the dying girl widely opened her eyes. Marak barely glanced at her final, desperate attempts at breathing, as he had reached Otis the very next moment.
The first thing the farmer tried was to stab him with the knife. Marak grabbed him at the wrist with the right hand, before placing the left one underneath his arm pit. In the same movement, he lifted him up and heavily slammed him down onto the wooden edge of the bed. It cracked and Otis' screams of fear turned into horrible screams of agony in an instant, as Marak effortlessly broke his right arm.
The limb protruded in a rectangular angle, but Marak still did not let go of it. He used the broken arm to yank Otis upwards, grabbing his leg in the process and smashing him against the old and heavy wooden wardrobe, with enough force to break through its doors. Then, he lifted Otis upwards, roaring in rage, as he heavily threw him down onto the ground and jumping on top of him.
His own, guttural screams of rage mixed with Otis' shrill shrieks of sheer horror. His first punch completely pulverized the farmer's remaining front teeth, the second one shattered his nose, the third almost broke his cheekbone and Marak was far from done. He threw two more punches right onto Otis' ruin of a face, before grabbing him at the throat, lifting him up and screaming right into his face.
“DON'T KILL ME! DON'T KILL ME! I DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT DON'T KILL ME!”, Otis screamed at the top of his lungs in return, the essence of terror in his voice and Marak's own, primal screams were interrupted just long enough for him to speak actual words. “Bite down!”, he growled, pointing at the wooden edge of the bed. He dragged Otis towards the piece of furniture, almost slamming his head into it. “No...”, Otis mumbled, as he noticed what would follow. “No, everything, but not this. Don't...”
“BITE!”, Marak screamed and reluctantly, the farmer complied. Using the broken ruins of his teeth caused him obvious agony, but his fear of Marak was stronger and he heavily bit down onto the wood, exposing his neck in the process. Finally, Marak prepared to end it, as he raised his leg to kick Otis in the back of the head...
“Marak, don't!”, Noelle's voice cut him off and through a red veil, he threw a confused glance at her. “Excuse me?”, he snarled and she sighed. “Don't kill him now”, she urged him. “You have heard this... creature. He will do whatever we want. He can help us against the Old Man and the Half-Dragon”
“Fucking excuse me?”, Marak growled and Noelle sighed, although the look she gave Otis was one of pure disgust. “He can be useful”, she claimed. “A broken man with nothing to loose can be a dangerous asset. I believe the Lord brought us here for a reason. And I believe even someone as monstrous as Otis can serve a purpose. Think about my words”
[Kill Otis] [Spare his life]
[Spare his life]
I will only vote this because of my batman-style code of not killing characters. If not for that he wouldn't have time to blink. This man has no soul and there is no hope for someone as sick as this. Besides his death is too easy. Too quick. A life of suffering is more fitting for this ...creature.
[Spare his life]
[Kill Otis]
Nah uh. Fuck that. I like Ellena, I don't want harm coming to that kid from the likes of Otis. Fuck that. This creep needs to fucking die.
Come on Stigz. You really think that Marak is just going to just let him go on his marry way. I feel like he has to do something to make sure he can't hurt anyone again, like chain him up or something.
[Kill Otis] First, there is no way I'm keeping this monster alive, second, I'm in the #TeamOldMan so it makes sense.
Oh I'm sure Marak will punish him, that much I'm sure about either way. Though this guy mutilates children, and he's already stabbed Marak through the arm and struck at Noelle. I don't want to run the risk of putting them in danger by having a monster like this spared. Especially with Marak injured.
[Kill Otis] Fuck that! I'm all for sparing lives but they want to use him. Nope, not happening. @Stigz_52 brought up a good point. Having Ellena and Otis in the same place puts her in danger.
Fuck Otis! I'm so mad. When he gave that sob story all I could think was "Boo fucking hoo!" Having a bad experience doesn't excuse hurting others.
Was there no way of saving Rachel?
[Kill Otis]
You say that with so much confidence Stigz but let's look at this realistically. Liquid won't kill Noelle and Marak because of this choice because then the conversation about him being 'needed' would have no meaning.
The last time someone was offered a kill choice like this was fake butterfly and it was a mistake to kill him as confirmed by liquid himself.
[Kill Otis]
Fuck... die.
And what consequence will we have from avenging children? We're requesting to kill off a creep who murders children. In the manner at which he butchers them, I'm entirely opposed to having him around yet another child. Especially with him just slitting the throat of yet another in front of Marak. I seriously think it would be a mistake to have him around, he stated himself that no one cares for him, so unless he offers blood ceremonies to the direwolf we saw in Richard's part, I see no harm in killing him. In fact, I see benefit from doing so.
Sure, from a writer's point of view, this choice probably won't be the demise of Marak or Noelle. Though I can't stress enough that having a guy like this around a kid is a bad omen. It puts the already endanger Ellena in more potential danger, which I don't think anyone wants here.
Indeed, they plan on using him in some unspecified way against Terroma and Raenna. Considering that Otis almost managed to take down Marak in this part (although by attacking him by surprise), Noelle has a point on a very pragmatic level, although it is very likely they won't let him live once he stopped being useful. That said, you are right, having someone as unstable as Otis in the same place as Ellena will be dangerous for her.
That's exactly the reaction I was aiming for
Otis has a tragic backstory and what happened to his daughters is beyond horrible, but that doesn't change the fact that he still is the most deranged villain this story ever had. I think that he always had this urge to cause pain in others, but that he was resisting it until his children died, which marks the point where he just lost it. It wasn't the cause, it was merely the catalyst and he is abusing it as an excuse for his actions.
Yes, there was one, although I must admit that it was unlikely you would have picked this option. The choice that determined her fate was the hatch choice. If Marak wouldn't have opened the hatch, he wouldn't have learned of Otis' secret and things wouldn't have escalated like this. Instead, they would have gotten into an argument and Otis would have gotten creepy enough for Noelle to at least get suspicious. She would have announced her intentions of taking Rachel with her when they leave, as she had grown relatively fond of the girl. Otis would have objected and Marak would have had the choice of taking her by force, or leaving her. If the former would have been chosen, Rachel would have accompanied Marak, Noelle and Ellena, although her trauma would have prevented her from revealing Otis' true nature until Chapter 9, where she would have been reunited with her parents and would have had a talk with the city guard. If the latter would have been chosen, she would have died offscreen, although her full fate would have never been revealed. In both cases, Otis would have survived and would have returned as a villain in a later chapter, so there would have been some bad consequences as well.
Are you sure I won't? Anything can happen as a result of this choice. Maybe they manage to direct Otis at their opponents, providing yet another obstacle for Terroma's group. Maybe they fail to control him and seal their own fate. Noelle thinks he is needed, but she is not guaranteed to always be right.
[Kill Otis] Fuck. This. Guy. I don't want him anywhere near Ellena. And I sympathise the Old Man over Noelle anyway.
But the choice is too obvious. You have 1 or more tricks up your sleeve.
I got the idea to write this because I noticed that the backstories of my characters could make a good story.
If you're referring to the last interfic as Midnight Hollow, than no, as I've been writing for my newer one called Cryocoffin, which I started around February.
Oh yeah Cryocoffin. I didn't go for that one when it first came out due to my busyness. Did it turn out well so far?
[Kill Otis]
[Spare his life]
EDIT: By the way you said there would be three POV's featured in the finale? I'm going to take my guess now. Ilish Granver, Jaron, and Raenna Minsworth.
Yes, I believe this can be safely confirmed as true. I have several tricks up my sleeve. Maybe one for Otis as well and maybe it will even be something positive, although it could just as well have entirely negative consequences. It can go both ways there.
And look! Guess who was the only person whose vote would have saved Rachel? This guy, this guy right here.
Anyway, hm. Hm, hm, hm.
See, I think we will vote to kill him anyway, so despite my desire to get some people killed, [Spare his life]. Why? No idea.
Anyway, I think this little clip is appropriate, sadly, you have to watch it on YouTube. Good clip though.
So I guess that explains whoever was going around murdering little girls, Elisa and Rachel, so yeah.
[Spare his life] This is a tough decision, but maybe Otis can somehow screw up the prisoner exchange so we can cause some more carnage.
Those are some pretty good guesses! As a matter of fact, you are right with two of them. Jaron and Raenna will both be a part of the chapter finale, in case of Raenna it is even planned to be the most important part of the finale. The third PoV won't be Ilish, but a character in a location very close to her.
Yes, indeed! You earned yourself some major props for this. To be fair though, I kind of guessed that a majority would vote to open the hatch in Marak's last part. At least it's not all negative, since Marak and Noelle now know about Otis' true nature, while saving Rachel would have meant that he would have continued to be a danger for the children of Raylansfair.
I wouldn't be so sure. Currently, it's 7-5 in favour of killing him, so only a few more votes and sparing him will be the winning option. It is entirely possible by now that he ends up temporarily surviving this encounter.
That actually sums up my own thoughts while rereading this part after finishing it. I'd say this was not only the darkest part so far, it also ended up a lot darker than I originally thought, so much in fact that I was honestly unsure if it would be too much.
Oh yes, this explains at least a bit. You probably remember that Elisa and Rachel have been mentioned in the last Arthur part. However, there is still this other girl that was found dead by the guard, with her hand missing. That's not Otis' M.O., he rather abducts the children so that he can take his time with them. This one is still going to be important in a later part in this chapter.
I've only completed one chapter on it so far so I don't think there's enough to judge.
Good. Then i can still catch up
.
[Kill Otis] I don't think sparing the life of some blood thirsty maniac to do any good, there are some moments where you can't be merciful or it will just backfire and kill you.