Happy Blog Day Everyone!
It's new short story time but before we see what funny hijinks that jolly old fellow Void is up to (heavy sarcasm there! Though he does enjoy his work), we should probably check in with the hijinks of Brennan and Riz...Do I hear the sound of lawyers approaching?
The Comic Tales of Brennan and Riz
With all due respect to Charles M. Schulz of course. The genesis of this comic started with a conversation with my father and my son. It'd started, oddly enough, with a discussion about fighter planes in WW1, my son piped up about hearing of someone called the Red Baron. From there I mentioned the song about him (this song). Of course, anyone who's heard the song before will know that it's a stealth peanuts song as it mentions a pilot with "a funny looking nose" before talking about Snoopy by name. The song is ostensibly about Snoopy and his pastime of hunting down the infamous German flying Ace aboard his trusty doghouse...which makes an appearance in this strip of course.
This is technically the second time I've done a Peanuts reference in the Comic strip with the first being a nod to Snoopy's common opening paragraph when starting a new story (as seen here).
Brennan is taking a logical approach to Riz’s antics here I find!
Daemon Soul Update
First two chapters have been edited so we're off to a good start. Still a long way to go though. Means plenty of time to get cracking on that sequel!
Short Diversions: Fractured Shadows
Today's Short Diversions is all about Void...well, not exactly. Aside from name dropping a few of the other Shadows (including one yet to make a full appearance) it's also the introduction of Malakai, a rarely written character but one of first (along with Void, Reina and another one called Hera) to get designed. I would share the picture but I don't currently know where the sketch book is that houses it.
Enjoy the story!
----------
Fractured Shadows
The atmosphere would have seemed suffocating if Void hadn’t been used to it, the dimension Gabriel called his home away from home had never been welcoming, with rumours amongst the demons birthed there calling the place the carcass of one of the dark gods. There was no corrections made to them. Void though, didn’t care. He never did. This place was simply a place to him, somewhere transient that would do till he went elsewhere. The person he was dragging behind him however, may have had different thoughts, if they could stop screaming long enough to process them fully. Void had picked him up on one of his many jaunts, and he forgot which one exactly. He tortured the human when the mood struck him, healed them when they were near death and then repeated the process all over again. There was no cure for boredom however, and it didn’t take long for Void to tire of his toy, and that was what led to this, him dragging it down the forsaken corridor, heading to the perfect spot to dispose of it.
His route wasn’t without onlookers however, as many of Gabriel’s created demons were active, doing different tasks their master demanded of them, knowing that the price of failure was worse then what Void’s ‘toy’ was about to receive. As Void passed them, they bowed their heads to his eminence, even if he wasn’t one of Gabriel’s Shadows, the elite of the elite, Void would have expected their respect and obedience all the same. One time, one of the demons had dared to look at Void’s face, at their own features staring back at them from the Shadow’s pearlescent mask. Any satisfaction they got from that was short lived as they certainly never made that mistake, or any mistake again. After basking in every demon’s fear for a moment, Void left them to cower in his wake, still dragging his screaming victim all the same, the screaming which got drowned out at one point when he passed Viola’s territory.
Being a generous master, Gabriel had bequeathed vast areas of his dimension to his Shadows for their private use, and if he could help it, Void stayed away from most of them, only venturing into their realms when his ‘master’ demanded it, making him micro-manage them in their given tasks. Void also secretly proposed that Gabriel had put him in the farthest reaches of the dimension on purpose, forcing him to travel through or near the other Shadows whenever he wanted to dump one of his ‘toys’, broken or not. If the old ways still proved strong, and the situations reversed, Void figured he might have done the same, but it still angered him. Things weren’t always like this, and Void often thought of himself as lesser because of it, though a lesser being that still stood atop everyone else. That had been the promise Gabriel had made to him on that dark day and the only reason he tolerated the way he lived. Though, his indiscriminate acts of violence did help, that was the only thing that made him feel after all.
Still moving forward, Void looked around, wary of any appearance Viola might make, as she had an annoying habit of appearing when he didn’t want to be bothered most, the screams that were echoing loudly did give the impression that she had more important things to do luckily for him. Within another moment, he was away from the child scientist's area, back into the neutral ground where no one Shadow held sway. There were supposed to have been thirteen Shadows in total, but only twelve resided here. The thirteenth having been put beyond their reach for now, much to Void's disappointment, and her replacement didn't last long. Out of his fellow shadows, Void barely got on with a handful of them. The two he got on with most were the twins Dagger and Haze, the two Shadows classified as Void’s daughters, owing to the way they were created. There was an insidious irony that undercut their creation and it was one of the few things Void loved, knowing how much it hurt what remained of his host body’s will. Of course, there was no real affection there for them, as they often found out when they had failed at a given task.
Normally, he would be cautious when going near Venus's den, a sprawling shrine she'd manufactured for Gabriel. She was the most loyal, and definitely most infatuated, of the Shadows but in a way, most childish. Void hated having to work with her and was glad when Gabriel used her affection to his advantage, turning her into a hit woman, for when stealth was needed. This was such a time, so Void was free to drag the body without getting hassled, he just had to ignore the imagery that adorned the hallways.
Truth be told though, she wasn't the absolute worst he hated being partnered up with, no that honour belonged to the man who stood blocking Void access to the abyss.
“Malakai…” Void hissed. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Malakai stood unmoved, he was a tall, lean, man. At first glance you might have been forgiven for thinking that he lacked the strength of his fellow shadows, but looks can be deceiving. He stood with his arms crossed, and head bowed. His remaining eye fixed on Void. Machinery twitched where it's opposite should have been. Still, he didn't respond to Void, but he didn't move either.
“Is this your new job, lap dog? Guarding the masters doorways till he returns?”
Malakai moved to a standing position, forming a halberd into his waiting hand. He cut the air with it, moving the massive weapon with ease, before pointing it at Void.
“I serve how I should but I am no lap dog. Long have I witnessed you taking your indulgences. Our deeds may be dark, but they are necessary to make a better world, what you do is wanton destruction and carnage,” Malakai stated. “Did master Gabriel order the death of that man?”
Void looked down at the rubbish he was disposing of, the body had gone quiet. He would have hated it if the sod had died before he could have been thrown out. Everlasting torment was far more gratifying to inflict.
“No, he didn't but he doesn't stop me from having my toys. Unlike you, I still like to have fun.”
“Fun? Where is your honour? You never engage in fair fights.”
“There's nothing to be gained with a fair fight. All that matters is that I stand and they fall.”
“...And where did that get you in capturing her? You can blame the twins all you want but your ‘tactics’ if they can be called that, failed you there.”
As soon as those words left Malakai's mouth, Void launched several black tendrils at him, his eyes fixated with rage. In response, Malakai swept his halberd round, cleaving them in half, while also stepping back to avoid the others.
“Did I say something wrong? I merely stated the truth. You engage in unnecessary behaviour and it accomplishes nothing. You harm people who have absolutely nothing to do with anything!”
“Do you rage against the other Shadows for their fun, or is it just me who gets the special treatment? Should I feel honoured?” Void laughed, as more black tendrils shot out for the attack.
“I'm disgusted with all of you in equal measure! I have no idea why master Gabriel doesn't step in and curb your dangerous behaviour, otherwise it'll be his, and our, undoing.” Malakai defended again, using the least amount of movement needed to protect himself, but did find himself moving backwards.
“Out of all of us, you are the one I get the least,” Void mused, letting his mask hide the amusement he was feeling. “We are Shadows! Beings Gabriel has amassed to further his own ambitions! The most evil of evil, the cursed of the cursed! Yet, you talk of honour, of only doing what is necessary…how much blood is on your hands exactly?”
“Only what is required to accomplish the task given to me. I take no joy in doing so, but I owe my existence to Gabriel so will do what is asked. I'm not a sadist like you, however. All those I kill are given as fair a chance as I can offer, and they are the only ones who die.”
“And that is the crap I'm talking about! Honour? Fair chance? Give me a break! As for not taking joy? I always pegged you for a boring jackass.”
“I don't care what you think. You are a mass murdering monster with a thought process of a child. You'll never understand what goes through my head,” Malakai got himself into a combat stance.
“Oh, I think I understand just fine. You define yourself by honour because that's all you think you have. You are empty otherwise. You cling to that like everyone else clings to their manic behaviour like Viola and her constant experiments or Venus with her obsession,” Void laughed. “You act like your above us, better than us!”
“No…I don't! I am merely living by my own code.”
“So am I, mine just happens to be more fun…” Void advanced, a multitude of black tendrils appeared from him, drowning out the light.
“I'm not afraid of you, Void.”
“If you knew what I was, then you would be terrified.”
“I do know what you are. Master Gabriel told me early on. Doesn't change anything.”
“Of course it doesn't. I've killed many a person as stupid as you. It gets boring after a while. You act all pious till the gulf in powers become apparent, and believe me, your power is insignificant compared to what I can really do. Want to see?” Void parted the cloak he swathed himself in, allowing one of his hands to be seen and Malakai had to make a split-second decision.
He knew that Void’s fighting style was based on what he could do while his body was hidden, attacking with the tendrils. He'd never seen Void actually fight with his proper body, so he had to take extreme care of any eventual surprises.
An opening appeared in Void’s cloak as it started to look like he was pulling his arm free of the outer Layer that stuck to it like oil. Malakai felt the atmosphere change immediately, becoming more oppressive than it already was. He knew he had but one chance to react, but before he could, a voice rang out, stopping him and Void in their tracks.
“Now, now boys. I thought you were all friends here!” Gabriel appeared, emerging from the wall so that he stood between the two Shadows. “Is this how bad morale has fallen? Clearly I need to do some team building!” He laughed as Void let his cloak completely coved his arm again.
“Master…” Void started to say. “I was simply cleaning up when Malakai here refused to let me pass.”
“And you thought the best way to resolve this was to start unleashing your power, something I directly told you not to do until I said so, I might add,” Gabriel smirked while wagging his finger. Void rolled his eyes till they also ripped free from his skull.
“Now…Malakai,” Gabriel said, turning to the other Shadow. “What were you looking to gain by provoking Void? All this because he wanted to clean up?”
“It was a difference in ideologies,” Malakai stated. “I simply believe that if we kept to the task at hand, avoided any unnecessary deaths-”
“So you're second guessing my decisions?” Gabriel replied bluntly. “Well, isn't that charming?” The Demon Merchant started walking towards Malakai and placed a hand on the shadow's halberd, easily forcing it down. Unnerved, the Shadow stepped back, while Void watched on, visibly amused.
“No! I'm not second guessing you, Master. We are wasting time and energy on little more than torture and massacres! There is no reason for any of us to do such things!”
“Has it ever occurred to you that there may be, in fact, a reason for me allowing the other Shadows to indulge in their pleasures? Maybe I allow them their fun for a purpose that isn't inherently clear? You'd have to trust me if that was the case. Maybe that is the issue though, maybe you don't trust me, after everything I've done for you…”
“Done to me…” Malakai corrected. “You are asking me to trust you that Void inflicting misery needlessly is somehow part of your grand plan?”
Gabriel was right next to Malakai now, close enough to place a hand on his shoulder, which immediately made the shadow feel cold and threatened.
“As I said, you'll have to trust me. You once promised me that you'd serve me till the end of all. Is that no longer the case? Are we not friends?”
Void waa trying his hardest not to laugh.
“I did promise that, and I plan to uphold it, but if we are truly friends like you imply then will you please listen to reason!” Malakai argued, even though his words lost a lot of strength behind them.
“Malakai…Go back to your room. Relax. I think we're all done here aren't we,” Gabriel's words hung in the air like the threat they were.
Despite having more to say, Malakai backed off, adhering to Gabriel’s wisdom, even if he didn't agree with it. One moment, he was there, the next, gone.
“Void? I have to wonder why you didn't just take the other route to get rid of the body,” Gabriel mused openly.
“That path must have slipped my mind, master,” Void replied pleasantly. “I so needed the walk after all.”
“To wind up Malakai you mean?”
“I assure you, I had absolutely no idea that he was standing guard, waiting for me to inevitably cross his path…”
On hearing that, Gabriel gave a wry smile. He knew what was really going on.
“See to it that it doesn't happen again,” he spoke merrily. “Prodding each other is all well and good, but I can't have you killing each other. Understand?”
“I'll try to keep it in mind.”
“Good! Now, carry on in disposing of the rubbish, while it still draws breath I might add.”
“I'll see to it right away, sir…” Behind his mask, Void smiled as he continued on his way, the poor soul behind him finding no respite but cold oblivion waiting for him…
Gabriel watched as Void left, chuckling to himself all the while. It was a good thing that it was time for his plans to advance, otherwise who knew what would happen if the Shadows were left to their own devices much longer…
----------
That's it for this week!
See you next time, till then...
Keep on writing!
Peter James Martin
Quick Links
The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz Volume 1
The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz Book 1: A Boy and A Rat
The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz Volume 2
Malarkey's Imaginomnibus Volume 1
No comments:
Post a Comment