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Thread: The Argo & Desolate Sands

  1. #1

    The Argo & Desolate Sands



    The Argo is a ship which runs the deserts left behind in the wake of the rising of a certain kingdom. This place is desolate, full of monsters which fall from above and spawn naturally. The Argo is a ship, which is built with monster parts expanded through conquest and Captained by Jason Ancient Greek Hero turned Desert Pirate.

  2. #2
    To reach the City of Dis... was unbelievably impossible for anyone resembling a normal traveler. The desert leading to it was long, and littered with monstrous beasts both native, and descended from the realms higher in the sky than one's eyes could see. This day, however, a small group sought passage by way of a certain ship. Four people inhabited two self-drawn carriages. Upon the larger of these two was the former king of Zuria, Leorio, alongside the mage Nerys and Zuria's former queen, Kolin. The knight Lot rode upon the smaller carriage, watching the vessel adjacent to him along the way. "Are you done healing her yet? We have to meet with that damn desert rider, and the queen should be in prime condition!" Lot barked.

    It seemed Leorio had nothing to say. He was quite concerned with his queen's wellbeing, but... at least most of those damn knights were gone. Perhaps he could now receive the attention he needed─ especially after chauffeuring her to the large ship ahead. Ah, what a vessel that was. Long, armed to the teeth including a mighty dragon-piercing spear under its mast, and brandishing a massive sail to accept the desert winds. There, was the group's goal... and atop that ship was yet another blonde male, muscular and clearly not afraid of flaunting it, given how the revealing nature of his ensemble rivaled that of Kolin herself. The entire front of his abdomen was exposed. Aside from a few armor pieces on his torso, he essentially wore an open, black leotard. This was Jason. The journeyman looked out across the blowing sands, seeing the approach of two carriages─ knowing that these could only be the people he'd been waiting for. Now then, where was this "queen" he'd heard so much about?

  3. #3
    As they rode along, Nerys remained at the side of Kolin. She'd made the choice and at every turn she wondered if it was the right one. Her mind was repeatedly drawn back to the glowing intention in Merlyn's eyes when that woman had spoken. 'Sometimes living is worse than death...' a scoff. Surely, nothing that could happen between now and death could be considered worse than dying. There was little to be feared as long as one's life was intact. Such was the logic of a coward. Still there were few things she could do. Kolin, remained lying down clutching her side. Though the outer shell that was her body had been fixed, what was going on with it internally was far from ideal. In fact... Nerys looked to the knight known as Lot and sighed. Before instead speaking to Kolin, softly so as not to be overheard. "Do you wish them to know the truth of this?" she asked which only made Kolin scoff as she stared up at her. "Of fucking course you shouldn't tell them anything. Nerys you are absolutely useless..." she hissed, but it was just as low as Nerys' speech had been. Of course, Nerys sighed. This woman truly didn't know when to quit. She managed to be venomous literally to the person who was prolonging her existence. Most in her position would have been setting their affairs in order. She should have been freeing and comforting her Knights, not roaming towards some ship looking for crossing to the other side of the desert.

    'Of course, this stupid bitch is blaming me. Literally, her entire body shattered and the only thing holding her together is spite. I put her body back as best as I could, but I can't fix the damage since it reached all the way to her fault in her diamond form,' thought Nerys. She considered all of this world she'd seen so far. She knew one thing as certainty. Nothing was going to save Kolin from breaking apart. She was bleeding internally, so much so that dark bruising covered much of her abdomen even after healing. In fact, it was so extensive that she barely imagined the woman wouldn't just die of an internal hemorrhage soon. "She is in the best condition she can be, Lot. That is all..." and indeed that would be all Nerys said. Kolin sat up, practically groaning, nothing was well. She reached up and moved her hair about, putting on her bravest face. Even so, she could feel herself bubbling within. She had to do something she had to begin to change ah, but she couldn't do just that huh? There were too many conditions at play for her to change now. She had to start this negotiation with the face she currently had. She needed to subdue this captain and then take the time necessary to change herself before this death became something too real. She could take that step and change faces, but... to do so now would lose her everything she'd already gained, and reveal too many secrets to the people she was around. She needed them to believe this was something she alone was capable of, so that they didn't get any dumb ideas about changing themselves and running off. They belonged to her, until she got rid of them after all. "All is well Lot. We can make haste and get across this godforsaken desert and make our way to my real seat of power."

  4. #4
    Kolin was as well as she could be? What sort of pitiful answer was that? This useless mage had a single job, and it was to ensure the queen's wellbeing without fail! For her to only manage this much of an answer, Lot could only consider her a waste of magical ability. Well, maybe things would be alright in the end. Maybe it was only a matter of time before Kolin was in top shape again. A 'humble' servant could only hope.

    Whatever the case with Kolin may have been, she was at least capable of lifting herself. Her words were reassuring enough that Lot accepted them with a bow. Shortly after, Leorio's chariots lifted the group into the air, where they hovered over the Argo. Jason, casual as he was, waved them down without a word. Leorio took this opportunity to descend, landing both chariots atop the ship's hull while Jason stood nearby.

    "The blonde one, right? You're the one I'm supposed to be doing business with?" Jason asked rhetorically. The Argo's captain unabashedly appraised the supposed queen. Yes, the description he'd been given upon demanding it was just about right. However... "Damn shame. Those guys of yours, they never put 'bimbo bombshell' in the description when I asked them so nicely for something accurate. So, what? You wanna get through this desert; what's your offer? Transport don't come cheap, little lady."

  5. #5
    'This idiot is also blaming me. Knights are the sword and shield of their patrons. I didn't see him jumping in to take a fully expanded blast from Excalibur. Why did I choose this?' the mage asked herself... and the answer was simple. Nerys was a coward and thought the likelihood of her death at the hands of Guin and Elyan were too high to risk. She was selfish with her own body and wished only too keep living in solitude. She wished to return to her deep enchanted tower and study. She wanted to know the mysteries this world gave so she could exploit them to go back to a lifestyle she was more accustom to. Working as a mage, in a kingdom to help raise the magics of a prince and princess. Those lives or rather the life of one spoiled and exceptional... that was what Nerys was used to, the culture shock of starting from the bottom of this world wasn't one which she found pleasant and as such she'd tried to cut a few corners. Those corners led to the fall of the former Queen and King. It'd been Nerys that found out about the Executioner. It'd been Nerys who'd told Kolin how to connect with him... all on her search for immortality and a way to get rid of people. She never made such a contract herself, she was quite fearful of the consequences... but the mad queen had shown no issue. Nerys had expected the world to claim its toll long before now, but no... Kolin still lived and the Executioner was at her beck and call and for this Nerys could only blame herself. She'd wanted to rule Zuria but as its sovereign, and now... she was on her way to some terrible ship with terrible company all because she didn't want to die.

    Kolin in the moment had pulled herself together. She still hadn't forgotten the words of Nerys. The kind of Queen she apparently wanted. How stupid. As they lowered onto the Argo, Kolin saw for the first time the man she assumed was Jason by the story-telling of Dagonet. Another name which made her mind sour. Either way, this man was exactly as described, blonde, muscular and absolutely disrespectful. A scoff left Kolin at his words to her. 'Bimbo Bombshell'? Was that supposed to be some kind of compliment? Of course, none of the men who were hers would ever say such a thing about her, they valued their lives. "No one would ever say anything so outright disrespectful. You'd do well to remember that..." Kolin said. She was still herself after all, and this man would behave as all men did in her presence. "And yes, you will be transporting us through the desert. The cost is worth the prize... the city on the other side is mine... I heard you enjoy what life has to offer, that place will have much. You will of course, be treated as a honored guest should we arrive safely but time is of the essence, we need to move. I don't expect one like you to deny such a thing..." Kolin's words were the same time she would have always spoken. She expected to be humored and didn't expect resistance. "Now where are my quarters... I require rest." She didn't require rest, she was literally dying. If she were being honest her vision was blurring and the whole of her body felt weak. Curse Nerys for only being able to patch her up this much, what did it matter that she was broken in her diamond form, she was still flesh and blood? Ah, but Kolin didn't really think of consequences as normal people did, and it was obvious that though she understood a great many things, the actual mechanics and physics of this world escaped her at least a little. Such was how they ended up with that problem with the sorceress Merlyn.

  6. #6
    No one would say anything so disrespectful, she said. Jason gazed upon the alleged queen with a raised brow, wondering who the absolute hell she actually thought she was. She wanted passage across this desert by the great hero, Jason, and she thought she would be the one treated respectfully? Did she believe he would just casually whisk her across the desert sands, risking his crewmen as a good deed to a woman he didn't know? Jason stared, his arms crossed and his lips curled into a grin. "You hear that, boys?! I will be transporting her queenliness through the desert! In exchange, I get to be treated as a guest in the whorehouse of a city this bitch has thrown together in the middle of our open road!" he announced to the working crew, sparking the laughter of many. Kolin truly didn't understand what sort of traveler she was dealing with, it seemed. She was so certain that he'd do as she wished, risking the life and limb of his own underlings for her gain... just to have access to that awful place? He'd seen the city of Dis numerous times along his travels; he wasn't concerned with having some runway treatment.

    Ah, but the upstanding queen Kolin required rest! How very rude of Jason to speak so callously of her in her weary state. With a snicker, he beckoned for the queen to follow along into the hull. "C'mon. Boys, do what you want with anyone who thinks they're gonna follow. The queen here's gonna step into my office to talk business," he said, intending to lead the way into the ship's map room... which happened to double as the captain's office and occasional quarters.

  7. #7
    Jason's words to his men were far from surprising at least for Nerys. She too would have laughed in the face of one who showed up to make claims like the ones Kolin made when demanding transport. This all could have gone smoothly. They likely should have paid for transport... made some kind of offer of peace, continued employment. Hell, men liked money and whores but that wasn't going to be enough to risk life and limb over. Ah, but Kolin didn't think about such things in any rational way. Nor did any of those who followed her same skewed logic. 'Add pissing off desert pirates to this dumb bitch's to-do list,' Nerys thought. Oh, she would shrink away again. Cowards were good at one thing above all others and that was preserving themselves. The woman known as Kolin wouldn't survive the day, but she was so intent on holding on to this false sense of power she had that it was almost laughable that she thought literally anyone would go along with what she wanted.

    Kolin was hardly able to argue any points to make. If she would be allowed the rest she needed to reconstitute herself it wouldn't matter. Her next face would be fit for the next phase of her plan, so long as she crossed the desert nothing was askew. The only thing that had gone wrong in Zuria was a simple boy playing hero, and a dumb girl calling shots she didn't need to. They'd crossed her and they would pay. Just the same, right now she was being led off. It seemed this man was just as showy as she was... she supposed that didn't really matter. One had to keep up appearances for their people after all. In a closed room they could talk more frankly, perhaps. She was led off, giving a casual wave to those of her crew that were left. She'd fully intended to have many guards with her, enough knights to keep a ship full of men at bay, but all plans couldn't go forward smoothly she supposed. Improvising here and now was all that was important. She soon found herself in a map room her eyes barely keeping steady enough to not fall into something. Each step agonizing as she made her way. "What is it you wish to demand outside the eyes of your crew? I don't really have time to dance around..." Kolin was done. She truly needed to recover what she could. This form wouldn't last and she needed to create her next one... Jason, this man whoever he was could cross the desert but if that was all the usefulness of him then her offer should have been more than palatable. The greed of men knew no bounds and she was far from surprised he wished to have a private conversation after his opening comment. But... would she be able to make it through? She should have just given up Nerys as part of this deal... maybe she still would.

  8. #8
    Jason's map room was quite the visual display, if he were to say so himself. A full map of the desert had been laid out on the massive table within the room, featuring the large city of Dis at its center. Atop this map, there were numerous wood carvings of great beasts; these were merely the ones they knew of that were not yet slain, but there were quite a few dozen strewn about. Jason's desk was placed at the rear of the room, in front of a tinted window. Off to one side was a long bookshelf, and the other side contained a nook with a small bed tucked into it. Walking around the table, Jason took a seat at the desk. Interestingly enough, his chair was not a normal one... but more of a long couch stretching across that particular end of the room. He propped his feet up on the desk, slinging both arms over the back of the couch.

    "Huh?" he questioned. What did he want to discuss away from his crew? Nothing at all. "I didn't do this shit for my guys. They know what I do. I was giving your guys a break from seeing you waddle around hopelessly, trying to get me to do anything but drop your tiny squad off in the mouth of the first Sand Wyrm we pass by. Anyway, let's see it. I know your type; you're only acting like everything's alright because you got pretty fucked up before you came here. That's why you've only got a few guys, right?" From what he'd been told, Jason was expecting a virtual army to step onto his ship. These few were weak, almost weaponless, and the queen meant to have such dignity barely made her way into the map room. His only question was, where were the injuries? While he waited, Jason pulled open his desk's top drawer to retrieve a small vial from it. It was his personal, emergency stash of a certain orange liquid─ some he could access without going through a series of locks and the like.

    "Now, demands. You don't have time to dance around? Make time. Dance around, and maybe it'll be worth it for me to show a bitch like you some hospitality. The Argo is my ship; how long's it gonna be before you sing my song?"

  9. #9
    Kolin was alone with this man, but still not very apt to show weakness. No, the more he spoke the less inclined she was to go along with what he wanted. Truly she had no idea what this man thought himself saying to her, but she was far from interested in what he thought he was saving her people from seeing. She was their Queen they wouldn't question her, even Nerys knew better than to do anything other than whatever she said. Still she had no intention of telling some random man that half of her men had turned against her, bewitched by some flat-chested wizard. Nor would she explain that a boy cosplaying as 'King Arthur' had decided to met out divine justice against her after she'd mistaken his intentions for taking her as his queen. None of these things... were logical to say to her, she would never see the wrong in her own actions, regardless of how they played out in front of her. Everything that occurred was his fault. "Those who are no longer in my presence don't deserve it anymore. It's hardly a thing I care to talk about. As for my injuries... I hardly find it appropriate to show them to a man I barely know," She spoke this way with an attitude that was quite haughty and all the while her entire body was burning up.

    Even in flesh form she could still feel as if her body was hard diamond cracking with every movement. She hoped sincerely it wasn't possible for her flesh form to shatter like snowfall, but if it happened there was hardly anything to be done about it. This man claimed she needed to make time. He spoke to her as if he was calling the shots. Did that matter to Kolin? Not one bit. She didn't see reason, she didn't see caution. She wanted things her way and this man was sitting comfortably between her and her next form and her true Kingdom in Dis. "Dance around, for you? Sing your song? I will do no such thing. I am not some random whore or slut. I am what men want, not the other way around. Even one such as yourself should know where you stand in that regard. You'll see what I want you to see, if and when I feel like showing it, and be happy about it when it happens. Just like every other man to walk this planet!" And there it was Kolin could barely see, her body was internally bruised beyond conventional healing methods. She was dying. But she still had her tantrums and her pride. How she managed this, the world was unsure but in her own mind she had the right of this and it was this captain's job to do as he was told and get her where she needed to be. "If what you want is someone to do what you say for passage. I suggest you call that white haired mage Nerys in here. I doubt she'd do anything other than cower for you but that seems to be what you're looking for," that was her final say on this. She would do nothing. She'd die in this state hopefully after reaching their destination. She'd put the burden of this onto Nerys, surely since she couldn't heal her, she'd have no problem becoming the dumpster of this rowdy captain. And after he'd calmed down a bit, Kolin herself might allow him the pleasure of her, in her new form.

  10. #10
    "I didn't ask what you care to talk about, and I didn't ask whether you think it's alright to show me shit or not. You think it's fine to hitch a ride from a man you barely know, as well as his crew that you don't know at all, right? Obviously you know how to live a little." Jason had no intention of putting up with this wannabe queen's attitude. There was only one true end to this exchange, and the only question was how long it would take. Defiance seemed to be the blonde woman's main objective, though. She would not dance and sing? A likely story. In his hand, Jason held the answer to half of her current problem; it was certainly something she'd find herself needing soon. If not... perhaps he'd make it so.

    Kolin was right in one regard: she was what men wanted. Though curvaceous figures were far from uncommon in this world, the perfect ratio she possessed was rare indeed. That, however, was precisely what made her a perfect fit... for being a whore. "What I want... isn't for someone to do as I say for passage. I'll take you up on your offer for that mage, though; the boys might like her too. That doesn't mean much of shit though, does it? Somebody else ain't gonna hold up an arrangement between you and me; that's for you to do. I'm being really nice here, so I'd suggest you shut your cocksucker, and open your ears." As he spoke, Jason brandished the vial of fluid he'd been twiddling between his fingers. The liquid within glowed with an ethereal light, showing some obvious signs of magical ability. Whatever that mage couldn't do, it certainly could. "Phoenix Tears. This is the kind of shit you pick up on an adventure like mine. Pretty good stuff, y'know? Could take someone from their death bed to the best shape they've ever been in, if they drink enough of it. Crazy shit, right? Mermaid Tears go to a wound, but this baby here is more like an instant cure-all potion. I was keen to give you some of this, buuuuut... you don't seem like you're willing to play nice~. Oh! Wait! I shouldn't have shown you this, huh? You'll probably do something stupid, like try to wrestle it from me or whatever dumb thought that little brain of yours can come up with!"

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