The Sanguine and Blackbeard's Cutlass
“We need to act now,” you whisper to Victoria. “Follow my lead.”
You silently move closer to the altar taking cover behind a broken pew. You’re still several paces from the altar, but you dare not get closer unless you want to be seen. Blackbeard opens a cage and pulls a gagged Freddy out. With ease, he flings Freddy onto the altar with one arm. Wide-eyed, and trying to resist, Freddy tries to escape, but Blackbeard’s arm pins him firmly to the stone structure. Blackbeard’s action frenzies his crew once again. They begin chanting and repeating the same sequence of words: “Tlah, uizcal, pante, cuhtli.”
One of the robed members wanders close to the pew. Isolated and with the room’s preoccupation, you decide it’s a good moment to reduce their number. Well that and you were likely to be seen in your current position. As he steps to the opposite side of the pew, you reach over covering his mouth with one hand and driving your dagger through his back into his lung. Not allowing a sound, you pull his body over the pew to your hiding spot.
It’s a move you’ve performed plenty of times, but this time the result surprises you. Instead of blood, the body explodes into a black puff of smoke. Unfortunately, the smoke is like a beacon on your location. All eyes are instantly drawn your direction.
“Intruders! Capture them!” Blackbeard screams.
The crew erupts into a mad frenzy mobbing towards you. Luckily, the majority are only armed with simple ceremonial knives. Behind you, Victoria fires a barrage of magic missiles that explode into a few more smoke clouds. You draw your blade and parry the first several attacks. You sense the presence of two bodies behind you, and you turn to attack. It’s William and Jack joining your side with their cutlasses drawn.
“We couldn’t let you have all the fun,” Jack says.
“Yeah, I’m having the time of my life,” you sarcastically answer.
You take the offensive easily cutting down the robed crewman with their ill-equipped knives. You use the smoke as cover dodging and dashing like a spectre. Finally, all that’s left is Blackbeard. He stands at the altar with Freddy pinned down, an obsidian knife in his other.
“A valiant effort. Perhaps you are a worthy successor,” he says.
You approach the altar's steps with your blade point in front of you, “Let him go, Teach. It’s over.”
“Those who wield the blade must be prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice.”
“What sacrifice would that be?”
“A lifetime of servitude. The blade gives tremendous power to the wielder, but your soul is bound to it forever. I am destined to guard the blade until its successor proves himself worthy. Then my soul will be harvested inside with the others before me. It’s the way it will always be. The blade demands blood and will feed upon the wielder unless its thirst is sated.”
“I am not here to wield it for myself. My employer is the one who wishes to wield it,” you answer.
“Then you are truly bound to him. Should you prove yourself worthy to take the blade and gift it to another, your duty as guardian will remain.”
“I’ve had enough,” you say. “Release Freddy.”
“As you wish,” Blackbeard answers plunging his knife into Freddy’s chest.
Freddy’s eyes grow wide in shock at the sudden pain. The cloth around his mouth muffles his scream. Blackbeard kicks his body down the altar’s steps landing Freddy at your feet.
“Madman!” you scream and charge the steps.
An invisible force prevents you from taking the first step. You pull out your flintlock and fire it towards Blackbeard. The invisible force prevents your bullet as well.
Laughing, Blackbeard opens the next cage with Procter inside. Bound and gagged, Procter can’t offer any sort of resistance. Multiple fireballs explode against the force shield. Victoria’s doing. Still bound, Procter utters a muffled noise. His eyes look up towards his forehead and he motions upward with his head. You know what he’s telling you to do.
You silently move closer to the altar taking cover behind a broken pew. You’re still several paces from the altar, but you dare not get closer unless you want to be seen. Blackbeard opens a cage and pulls a gagged Freddy out. With ease, he flings Freddy onto the altar with one arm. Wide-eyed, and trying to resist, Freddy tries to escape, but Blackbeard’s arm pins him firmly to the stone structure. Blackbeard’s action frenzies his crew once again. They begin chanting and repeating the same sequence of words: “Tlah, uizcal, pante, cuhtli.”
One of the robed members wanders close to the pew. Isolated and with the room’s preoccupation, you decide it’s a good moment to reduce their number. Well that and you were likely to be seen in your current position. As he steps to the opposite side of the pew, you reach over covering his mouth with one hand and driving your dagger through his back into his lung. Not allowing a sound, you pull his body over the pew to your hiding spot.
It’s a move you’ve performed plenty of times, but this time the result surprises you. Instead of blood, the body explodes into a black puff of smoke. Unfortunately, the smoke is like a beacon on your location. All eyes are instantly drawn your direction.
“Intruders! Capture them!” Blackbeard screams.
The crew erupts into a mad frenzy mobbing towards you. Luckily, the majority are only armed with simple ceremonial knives. Behind you, Victoria fires a barrage of magic missiles that explode into a few more smoke clouds. You draw your blade and parry the first several attacks. You sense the presence of two bodies behind you, and you turn to attack. It’s William and Jack joining your side with their cutlasses drawn.
“We couldn’t let you have all the fun,” Jack says.
“Yeah, I’m having the time of my life,” you sarcastically answer.
You take the offensive easily cutting down the robed crewman with their ill-equipped knives. You use the smoke as cover dodging and dashing like a spectre. Finally, all that’s left is Blackbeard. He stands at the altar with Freddy pinned down, an obsidian knife in his other.
“A valiant effort. Perhaps you are a worthy successor,” he says.
You approach the altar's steps with your blade point in front of you, “Let him go, Teach. It’s over.”
“Those who wield the blade must be prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice.”
“What sacrifice would that be?”
“A lifetime of servitude. The blade gives tremendous power to the wielder, but your soul is bound to it forever. I am destined to guard the blade until its successor proves himself worthy. Then my soul will be harvested inside with the others before me. It’s the way it will always be. The blade demands blood and will feed upon the wielder unless its thirst is sated.”
“I am not here to wield it for myself. My employer is the one who wishes to wield it,” you answer.
“Then you are truly bound to him. Should you prove yourself worthy to take the blade and gift it to another, your duty as guardian will remain.”
“I’ve had enough,” you say. “Release Freddy.”
“As you wish,” Blackbeard answers plunging his knife into Freddy’s chest.
Freddy’s eyes grow wide in shock at the sudden pain. The cloth around his mouth muffles his scream. Blackbeard kicks his body down the altar’s steps landing Freddy at your feet.
“Madman!” you scream and charge the steps.
An invisible force prevents you from taking the first step. You pull out your flintlock and fire it towards Blackbeard. The invisible force prevents your bullet as well.
Laughing, Blackbeard opens the next cage with Procter inside. Bound and gagged, Procter can’t offer any sort of resistance. Multiple fireballs explode against the force shield. Victoria’s doing. Still bound, Procter utters a muffled noise. His eyes look up towards his forehead and he motions upward with his head. You know what he’s telling you to do.