The Dark Order 1.3: Godrick Square

Begin with Chapter 1.1

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A GREEN ARCANE SPELL RING sears and sparks into existence in Jubilee's living room, opening a doorway, and he crashes out of it. His clothes are burned, torn, and covered in webbing. There are cuts on his clothing, face, and hands. A SNAP of the fingers and the doorway dissipates.

He sits up tall, shouting in victory, "Ahhhhh!!"

He falls back, and his head drops back against his couch. "Abominations!" He swats at himself, still creeped out. Looking to his left, into the kitchen, he spots Leon staring at him from the counter with an envelope and note under his foot.

Laughing hysterically, "You DID NOT belong there!" as he groans to his feet, "I see you took payment, thank you, my good man." He removes his jacket, looking at it with true attachment, "This was my favorite jacket," and throws it in the trash, "Let's see what we have."

Putting Leon on his shoulder, he looks into the envelope, 50,000 in Rolkan bills, not nearly enough to maintain, but it's a start. He looks over the note as he makes a drink. "Donna Morrison... Her husband-" He skims, "Get this- Went missing eight days ago... And now you want to reach out?" He's snarky. "She thinks it might have something to do with some associates of his and-" He reads silently. "OUU! Orcs and Goblins, our favorite!" After second thought, "Why is he even hanging around those creatures?"

He rubs his face in annoyance. "Why are they so stupid?" He looks at Leon." They've probably already stewed him." He snickers and continues reading. "They're offering three hundred thousand Rolkan." He winces in pain, leaning against the counter. He holds the note in his left hand, between his fingertips. His eyes glow green. "Accept the contract." A green arcane symbol burns onto the paper. He tosses the contract onto the counter. "Looks like we're headed East." He examines himself. "That's taken care of. Now, let's deal with the issue at hand."

He doesn't have time to remove his shirt before his front door BURSTS OPEN.

In storms, Constance, she's five-six, tanned with grey eyes. Her hair is silver, slightly reflective like silk. It's shoulder length, but she tends to wear it in a ponytail.

"You got here faster than I thought." She's got a strong motherly presence and fantastic scolding ability.

"Dark magic- Are you serious?!? First, you HANG UP in my face, and now this?!?" She looks him over, "You look like shit."

He's completely unbothered. "Don't worry, it's unlocked!" He shoots his drink.

She hones in, approaching him.

"Have you lost your mind?! It's against the law for a reason! It's forbidden and corrupted magic, and they crave it- Why would you willfully invite misfortune to your doorstep?" She looks at him with genuine concern.

"Too late, it's already here. Want a drink?" That sets her off. "OH, LIKE YOU NEED ONE! What were you thinking?!?" He makes a stiff double bourbon and downs it in one long gulp.

"That I wasn't going to let that little girl be torn apart in that hellish manor!"

"How do you think that'll hold up in court?"

"To hell with the law and their court. You didn't have time, Constance!" He isn't aggressive; he is just a man carrying internal pain and guilt. She sees it as he scratches at his beard.

She notices the cuts on his face. Cuts that require attention, but he's too reckless to take time to heal them.

"You would have been too late." He makes another drink. He shoots it before wiping his mouth, "I did what needed to be done."

"Goddamn you..." She doesn't fight it; she walks back toward the kitchen and sits down. "You can't keep doing this-" He makes a "but" face. "But- You don't care... You've made that clear." She makes herself a drink and shoots it.

"Oh, come on, the girl is safe. That should be all that matters- Not the methods used to save her life." He makes one more drink.

"Right." She's serious again. "Because the SSA will overlook it?"

"I'm sure they have bigger problems."

"It's an executable offense, Alexis."

"And there aren't any charges yet, so please relax."

She can't do anything but let out a sigh of frustration.

"More importantly, I'm happy you're here. I need your help with something." He has his back to her as he removes his shirt, exposing the former Bishop's chiseled physique and battle scars.

Notably, a deep slash went from his right shoulder to his left hip. Along with stab wounds— his shoulders, kidneys, trapezoids.

She shakes her head. "Why are you taking your shirt off? I swear to God if this is another-" Her voice fades away as he turns around, and her eyes fall on an ABNORMALLY LARGE SPIDER BITE ON THE RIGHT LOWER QUADRANT OF HIS ABDOMEN.

"SHIT!" She's already examining. "LEAD WITH THIS NEXT TIME!"

Two perfectly spaced flesh punctures, the holes in his skin are the size of golf balls. The skin and flesh around the bite have started to blacken and harden. He's still nonchalant, "I may have gotten trapped inside the manor."

"What the hell were you thinking?!?" She slaps him on the stomach.

"HEY! Easy, EASY!"

"I... OOU!" She has to contain her anger. "How big was it?!"

He shrugs off the question. "I don't know, it was dark most of the time but- I think dad was there with some infants, a shit load of toddlers- God, so many... Uhh, there were those pesky fucking teenagers who were-" She hits him again.

"I'M NOT IN THE MOOD!"

"WILL YOU STOP HITTING ME?! I DON'T KNOW-" He holds up his hands for scaling, creating a circumference the size of a basketball. "Around this!... But you know the disgusting bastards better than anyone."

Constance is offended by this, "You take that back before you hurt Claudia's feelings."

A baseball-sized Brown Recluse Spider escapes onto the table from under her jacket sleeve. He leans down. "That excludes you, Claudia. You're the most magnificent arachnid I've ever seen." Claudia hisses.

"She agrees." Constance feels around the bite, and her brother winces. "It's way too tight."

"What's that mean?"

"It means the fangs are lodged inside, and we need to get them out, otherwise, it'll quicken the spread of the infection." She repositioned herself in her chair. "Just try and hold still."

"Shouldn't we sterilize-"

"This is going to hurt... A lot." Claudia scurries onto her hand then SQUEEZES INTO THE SPIDER BITE.

"FUCK CONSTANCE!" He clenches the counter. His ring starts glowing, causing the floor to crack and the building to tremble. His blood is mixed with a green gooey pus.

"Cool it, I said it would hurt!"

Seconds feel like an eternity as he squirms, groans, and bites onto his shirt. "Okay, she got one." As Constance pulls a strand of silk from the wound, a bloody, pus-covered Claudia is soon pulled out, clinging onto a THICK BLACK FANG. "Okay, now the other."

Jubilee painstakingly moves away. "Absolutely not!"

"We have to get the other-"

"I said no!"

"I'm not fighting you about this."

"It isn't a fight, I'm telling you it isn't happening. I've had a long night and want to shower, eat, and read the paper."

"Do you want to die that badly?!" There's immense pain carried in those words. Her head drops. "This is from an eight-year-old infant female, who luckily for you, is still losing her baby fangs."

She washes and dries the Fang at the sink. "You have three weeks at the most, but if that fang stays lodged in there, I'd say two weeks max." She hands him the Fang. "Take this to Dakota, he'll need it to make the cure."

He grabs it and then struggles to put his shirt back on. "I guess I'd better hit the road." She helps, looking at him, her eyes cutting back and forth, "This isn't a game, you understand? You will die in the next three weeks."

"I got it, I got it, relax-"

"Alexis!"

She composes herself. "I know you're still grieving, okay? We all are- But you're not handling this properly. Constantly putting your life in danger isn't going to change anything... I love and care about you, so please be more careful. Antoinette wants her dad to live a full life, but this behavior... Your little sister wants to see you live a full life, too." She hugs him.

"I know. Don't worry, I'll handle it. Need I remind you, I did exceptionally well with herbology?"

"Bullshit. You need to go straight to Dakota's."

"I'm heading there as soon as I walk out that door."

"You'd better because this problem is just getting started." She points at Leon, who is sitting on the counter. "Keep him in line."

"I'll be-" On second thought, "I'll see you later."

"That'll be what- eight months from now?"

"Kiss the boys for me." With one final smirk and a kiss on the head, Jubilee grabs a worn leather brown jacket off his coat rack and heads out.

"I love you, dummy." Talking to herself. Looking down at Musi's Wanted Poster, she crumbles it in her hand.

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In the decimated sanctuary of the abandoned church from Musi's torture session.

MASSIVE ROOTS HAVE PUSHED UP THROUGH THE FLOOR.

THE WALLS ARE BURNED, COVERED IN ASH.

MOST OF THE BALCONY LINING THE BACK WALL HAS BEEN BLOWN OFF. SMASHING THROUGH THE PEWS BELOW.

Musi stands with his followers, who are in ranks, standing at attention; it's cult-like.

"Sons and daughters, the time has finally come... While the SSA has its hands full with worldly tensions, we're nearing the final stages of executing our plan." His hand rises as he takes command. "The legend has grown desperate- consumed by his need for revenge. He fears us that much, so much so, that he hunts us without rest or self-regard."

There are smiles amongst his ranks; they're all in various stages of decomposition but still human... ish.

"He mishandles his blessing- Ignorant to it. Still unable to unlock the true essence of nature. I will claim that power from his corpse!" Those words are filled with pure malice. He points toward the outside world, "And use it against those pawns out there- Those who rise every day, moving right into their pathetic routines, continuing to display this mirage of righteousness and goodwill... Willfully acting as though they haven't heard our pleas, our cries for help..."

He walks between the ranks: "They ignore the bloodshed and believe their veil of ignorance can protect them from retribution."

He shakes his head in disagreement.

"Tchtchtch... They're very wrong." His eyes burn blue as his followers, through their black cloaks, do the same. "We will kill every man, woman, and child and burn into existence a new age, our age!"

Monstrous screeches. "Because death evades me." The words echo through the sanctuary.

His children, in one roaring voice, "Deathhh evades meeee!"

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Jubilee's at Godrick Square Station leaned against a light pole as a train came to a blaring halt in front of him. He begins his slow, crippled approach toward the train as passengers start exiting. Heads low, they dart past him, brushing and bumping with no regard. He winces in silence.

Suddenly, he's bumped, and the person turns; it's Maggie. "I'm sorry, sir." They look directly at each other before she vanishes into the crowd. Jubilee has a look of recognition but can't put his finger on it. He boards the train, and in no time, the brakes unlock, the coal burns, and the wheels turn before they screech, pulling from the terminal toward a tunnel. Before it finishes its grand takeoff, THE BRAKES ARE PULLED.

It comes to a sparking halt.

As one of the train cars starts to open, hands push through and force them to open quickly. Jubilee rushes from the car, looking around desperately before taking off in the direction that Maggie went.

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Maggie wanders around Downtown Godrick Square. Window shopping but also completely aware of her surroundings, periodically stopping and casually but purposefully observing those around her. Making her way down the street, she ends up in front of a vintage boutique— BARKER'S BOUTIQUE.

She looks around once more before cautiously entering. The bell RINGS.

It's filled to the brim with racks of clothes, hats, shoes, and accessories of all colors and designs. Maggie browses, admiring all the different outfits. Her favorite pieces of clothing are a lovely green sequined dress, a red baggy sweatshirt, a blue flannel, and a horror-themed black t-shirt. She's got an eclectic taste.

An elderly Black woman appears from the back. She's short with curly black hair, wearing bifocals, a daisy-pattened apron, and a plum jumpsuit. Her style's her own. This is Flossie Barker, Maggie's grandmother.

"Can I help you?"

A smile overtakes her face as Maggie turns and faces her. "I hope so." She goes and falls into her grandmother's arms. "I missed you, Nana."

Flossie, still shocked but overjoyed, "I- I missed you too, child! Oh, it's been too long!" She gives her a once-over. "You look tired, baby."

"Just a little." She forces a smile.

"Well, come on, let's get you comfortable."

Maggie turns, looking out the shop's front window. She's uneasy, following her grandmother into the back.

At the back of the shop is a two-bedroom house. Immediately met by a staircase to the right. At the end of a long, narrow hallway, there is a swinging door that leads into the kitchen.

The pair head upstairs.

"How's school?"

Maggie's distracted. "Hmm? Oh- Um, it's good. Just school, ya' know?"

Flossie studied her, noticing she was fidgety. "What's the matter? You seem worried."

"No, I'm fine, Nana." She stops fidgeting and instead holds herself. "Umm... Have you heard from my mom lately?"

"No, but I'm sure she'll show up soon. She's a strong woman, she can handle it."

"How do we know she's even alive?"

Flossie stops and turns toward her granddaughter. "Because we believe it. Our power comes from the heart, you understand? Reality will become whatever you manifest."

"I know." She diverts her attention away, "I'm happy to be back. I've missed this place."

"Oh, so am I! I've missed you- And your help around the store."

Maggie laughs, "I'm sure, but I'm just passing through."

"Passing through? And where might you be headed?"

She hesitates, "Up North."

"North?" She eyes her with suspicion. "What reason do you have?-"

"It's just for a school project."

"You shouldn't venture that deep into the realm, it isn't safe."

"I'll be okay, I promise, it won't be for long, and I'll avoid the fog."

"I can't stop you, so I won't even try, but you need to rest, at least, and have a hot meal." Examines her clothes and appearance. "And a hot bath- And new clothes."

"All that sounds amazing."

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Even as the sun begins to set, the streets are still packed with civilians, making it almost impossible for Jubilee to move through freely in his search for Maggie. He's holding onto his stomach as he peers around. Leon hangs out of his jacket pocket. "This isn't good, buddy."

Everyone is forced to walk around him as he stops in the middle of the traffic. He gets a few insults, but he's mostly invisible to those around him. As he scans the street, he spots the two knights heading in Maggie's direction. "Not good at all." He makes haste after them in a dampened pursuit through the Square's nightlife.

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.... To be continued.

Jump straight into the next chapter:

Chapter Four