Revenge Of The Black Cloak Society Chapter 15 (A King's Quest Fic)

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RichGenX

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Author's Intro

Well, for May 6th, I am presenting Chapter 12 of Revenge of the Black Cloak Society. While I would normally go into what is set to happen in this chapter, in briefest terms, a group is assembled to go on the quest to stop Mannanan, but there are some revelations that appear in this chapter.

Now if you saw my posting for yesterday, I presented the newest chapter in my Shadow of the Colossus, and there was a new change in how I do things. I shall start putting it on this fic with this posting, and work to apply it to all my fics over time. With that said, enjoy this chapter.

King's Quest Disclaimer

Attention: King’s Quest is property of Sierra. Most character names are also from the King’s Quest Companion by Peter Spear. Some characters are my creation. This story also takes place after all eight King’s Quest games.

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Revenge of the Black Cloak Society

Prior Chapters and Arcs

Prior Arcs in Revenge of the Black Cloak Society (all links go to the first chapter)
Dahlia arc
Hagatha arc
Interlude 2Catastrophe(Audio)

Previous ChapterThe Cat Is Out Of The Bag(Audio)

Chapter 12: Llewdor's Cataclysm (Audio)

Queen Cassima listened as the others discussed how to get to Llewdor. She had heard of the far off land before, mainly from her time being a captive of Mordack. Under the rule of Manannan, it became a haven for various evils, but they had to give in to the wizard. However, as time had passed, things had drastically changed there, but all that was going to be undone with the wizard's return. She wondered if a panic was already rising there, or if there was still time to do something about it.

It was then she caught one of the key points of discussion. Her husband, whose features were becoming more catlike, pounded a fist into his hand. "I wish I had that magic map still. If we had it, we could have tried to make it work long range. It may have even allowed us through the dark magic barrier."

For a moment, she did not think about that, but then recalled what she had heard about the trip to Kolyma. Shamir, the djinn that was now loyal to them, had difficulty crossing it now, but she wondered if he could have passed through it before. She turned to face him, and asked. "Shamir, isn't there a way you could pass through that kind of barrier. I'm sure you had done something similar before."

She heard a sigh escape from the djinn, and also saw everyone turn to face him. From the look on his face, she could see it was a touchy subject. "It is all in the nature of a djinn. The more malevolent ones, who are willing to turn on a master who frees it, can cross a barrier with no problem. A djinn like myself, however, who is bound to serve the owner of the bottle, must subject themselves to the will of the master. When Abdul was my master, I had to do what his dark heart desired, and that allowed me to traverse almost every barrier. Now that King Alexander is my master, his good intentions bind me to good magic."

Her own mother, Alluria, grasped the meaning before she did. "Since you are bound to good, you can only do what good allows, regardless if the intent of something is good in meaning." The djinn nodded, and she continued. "So an act of invading a territory controlled by evil can not be done, without a high cost. It sounds like a big obstacle to pass." There was a murmur of agreement.

It was her husband that hit upon an idea. "As I recall, there are two natural boundaries to Llewdor. A vast desert on the west, and the ocean to the east. Would the dark magic barrier extend far into those areas?" She knew what her husband was getting at. If Shamir could figure where the barrier ended, they could teleport to that point, and then cross naturally.

It was her mother-in-law, Queen Valanice, who voiced a point that bolstered the thought that the idea was good. "As long as there are no settlements in the desert, the barrier might end just inside the start of the desert. It would even end a short distance off the shores of the ocean."

Her husband smiled, which looked odd on the feline features his face now had. "Then that is settled. We will have Shamir teleport us onto a ship that is heading into Port Bruce. Once there, we can figure out the fastest way to scale the mountain to Mannanan's house. We might even be able to get help from the ship's crew."

There were several nods of agreement, but there was one thing filling the room. She turned to face the captain of the guards, Saladin. He was growling, and part of her first thought that it was linked to his canine nature. What she then noticed was that the guard dog was shaking his head, obviously not happy with the plan. She was watching him as everyone turned to face him. He didn't seem to stop growling, but it was quieting. She realized that he had a key point that he had somehow known about, and was about to bring to light.

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Saladin quieted his growl when he was certain he had their attention. He knew the King's plan was very good. The only drawback was that he knew the reputation of the ships around Llewdor. While he had never been to the far off land, it had a long history of piracy in the waters. "Sire. I know you've been in that land, but I am fully aware of all the piracy there. Teleporting to a ship could put anyone in more peril. The desert would be the better choice." He could see that some of the people there were acknowledging his point. The only person not talking was Alexander.

After the discussion had died down, Saladin felt Alexander's gaze focus on him, and the guard dog felt unnerved, especially since those eyes had a feline quality to them. "Normally, I would agree. However, I will assume you have never been to Llewdor." Saladin nodded, and he listened as his king continued. "The added risk in using the desert is that it is a Gorgon Desert."

For a brief moment, the room was silent, but Saladin was aware of what Gorgons were, and had known of a few supposed Gorgon deserts. They were always marked by statues, always of those who had foolishly ventured into them. There was also two types of Gorgons, those cursed by the gods, and those cursed by a vile magic.

It was Jollo who broke the silence. "Those creatures usually only roam in threes. The only ones that would travel alone would be the original, Medusa, Eurydice, and Sstheno. Sire, you don't think we are dealing with them."

While he was unsure of how to fully read Alexander's feline face, he could see in the eyes that they would have to deal with those Gorgons. Saladin felt a growl wanting to start. "That is not good. Wouldn't they hide away if one of them had been killed?" He then recalled about the curses. "Unless they had a new one join their ranks."

He saw Alexander nod in acknowledgement. "Indeed. When I was escaping Mannanan years ago, it had been a sole Gorgon that I had turned to stone. I even remember hearing the wizard use those names. The desert will be too dangerous to teleport to. A ship on the ocean will be the best bet, and since Mannanan had been gone for years, the pirates have pulled out. I do know there have been some stories about why the pirates stopped operating in the oceans between Daventry and Llewdor."

Saladin then heard Alexander's father, King Graham of Daventry speak. "I've heard similar tales from the trade ships we've sent out. The pirates started using an area they say has monsters in it. They even found a survivor from one such attack, but the man talked nothing but nonsense. On the whole, the trade ships are safe. I think one might be due to arrive in Llewdor very soon."

Almost instantly, both he and King Alexander turned to face Shamir. It was a credit to him that they both had the same thought as they both said in unison. "Shamir, teleport to that ship. If you can get through, return back so we can go."

As the djinn nodded and disappeared, Saladin could feel the gaze of Alexander on him. He looked at his king, and noticed something. More fur was visible on Alexander, and he could have sworn that Alexander appeared to be shorter. The transformation was accelerating. He was certain his king would need him on this quest. He bowed to Alexander. "Excuse my presumption, Sire, but I felt it would be best if I joined you." For a moment, he watched and waited, hoping his king would accept the offer of help.

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Calaphim, the former king of the Green Isles, watch his son-in-law for a moment, hoping the young man would make the right decision. Saladin had always been a loyal guard, and even knew when things were wrong. Even after the events that led Alexander to be the new king of the Green Isles, Saladin had told him that he was thankful Alexander had proven how treacherous Abdul had been.

Finally, the silence that had filled the area after Saladin's request had broken. "I agree with you, Saladin. It would be best for you to come along. Have your second in command be in charge of the guards here, until we return." He then watched as Alexander look around. It was obvious that the man was looking for another to go on this quest.

He looked at his son-in-law and made a suggestion. "Alexander, may I be so bold to suggest Cocteau, from the Isle of the Beast. He would be ready to come to your aid, and he might be able to bring one of the enchanted items that had been defending his home." Even as he said that last bit, he felt a little unsure about it. Those enchantments had been used to deter people from falling victim to his curse.

He could tell his son-in-law was considering his suggestion, when an unexpected voice volunteered. "I'll go with." It was his daughter. He had known his daughter was able to handle things, since she had been able to survive her time as a servant of Mordack. He even figured she would be able to handle this situation.

The room erupted in protests, the loudest being given by his wife, Alluria, and Queen Valanice. They were both telling her that she couldn’t go, not in her state. For a moment, he did not understand what they meant, and then it hit him. He glanced over at Alexander, and he was unsure if the feline face was reflecting the realization of what he just realized. As the commotion continued, he walked over to Alexander, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Congratulations, my boy. You are going to be a father."

After a moment, he saw realization cross the face of his transforming son-in-law. He watched as Alexander looked at Cassima, and he asked the question of temporary disbelief. "Cassima, is this true? Are we going to have a child?" When Cassima nodded, blushing a bit as she did, Alexander let out a shout of joy, which sounded a bit like cat's meow. "That is terrific news. I promise you that I will stop this curse. However, I have to agree with our mothers. It is safer for you to remain here. Besides, you might be able to continue with the peace talks."

Before Cassima could nod, Caliphim turned as Shamir reappeared in the room, smiling. "Good news, sire. I spoke with the captain of the ship that your father mentioned. He said they will be glad to help, since they are almost at Llewdor. However, they can only allow three people. Since I am magical, that does not include me. So who is going with you?" For a moment, silence filled the room, and he could see Shamir's smile fade. For a brief moment, everyone looked around, trying to determine who would be the third person.

The answer came in the form of the doors opening, and a winged figure approached. Caliphim was surprised to see that it was Celeste, the daughter of the Winged Ones leaders. His own brief encounters with the girl had shown her spoiled nature, however he had heard that after Alexander's successful rescue of her, she was now assisting their oracle, and possibly learning some humility. "Sire, the Oracle sent me here to assist you. She had said it was vital for me to do so." He could sense sincerity, as well as a bit of bitterness in the words.

He was proud when Alexander nodded approvingly at the girl. "It is much appreciated, Celeste. And your timing could not have been better." He watched as Alexander, Shamir, and Saladin walked over to her. A part of him wondered if the Winged One's oracle had told her when to arrive, but that thought was dismissed when in a flash of light, the group had vanished.

For a brief moment, Caliphim felt a bit of apprehension about what was happening, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw King Graham was the one who had done so. "It will be alright. My son is strong, and I think the news that he will be a father will only strengthen his resolve." He nodded in agreement, but something still nagged at him. For a moment, he felt like they might all be facing Sam Hein again, at the Isle of the Dead.

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Gisselle quietly worked, making sure the pub in Port Bruce was ready for the next ship that came in. These days, she didn't mind working there. That was mainly due to the fact that the people who frequented the pub now were nicer than the customers that used to be there. Back then, she and her sister had to put up with the advances of both the bandits that roamed the land, and the various pirate crews that came in.

Just thinking about those dark times made her remember the last time she had seen her sister. It was a day that a ship of pirates came in, but there was something odd about those pirates. They had a wizard on board that had been friends with the wizard Mannanan. He had made some rather forward advances on her sister, and her sister refused. After that, he cursed her, and she fled. She had never heard the curse, but since that day, neither her sister, nor than crew had ever been in Port Bruce again. The latter didn’t bother her, since the way that crew sounded, most likely they were part of a cult.

The day after that incident had been the day everything changed. Mannanan's slave boy had gotten rid of the wizard, and as time passed, things became well for all of Llewdor's inhabitants. The pirates fled, and the bandits became more of a joke. She had been amazed then when trade ships arrived from Daventry, and it was heard that the slave boy had been the country's long lost prince. Since then, Port Bruce prospered, and people didn't fear traveling, except in the desert, where the Gorgons were.

She snapped out of her memories when she heard the door open. She wasn't facing the door, but she turned, giving the standard welcome to the sailors they expected in. "Welcome to Port Bruce, weary....." The words had died in her throat when she saw the last of the bandits enter. She didn't feel threatened by them, since they were nothing more than a few scared men. She placed her hand on her hips, and in a cold voice said, "What do you lot want? You can't bum anymore drinks from here."

She was taken by surprise when the lead bandit walked up to her, obviously full of confidence, and grabbed her arm. "You'd be wise to do as we say, Gisselle, unless you want to end up like your sister. Now fetch us some drinks." Before he let her go, she stood in horror as he ripped off the frills on her outfit, shamefully exposing more of her curves than she wanted. "And make sure you keep your outfit like that. You don't want to make Mannanan angry."

All of a sudden, her blood went cold in disbelief. She tried to sound brave, but when she spoke, the fear was in her voice. "You're lying. The wizard is gone." She was thankful she had not stuttered, but the fact that the bandits now believed the wizard was back was insane. It also meant that the pirates would return, and considering how many had entered the cursed area, nobody wanted them back.

The laughter that came from the bandits made the feeling of dread worse. The evil wizard was back. That meant the man who had taken residence in the wizard home was dead. She knew the historian had come back to Llewdor to recover from something that happened in Daventry, and she wondered if it had been the evil wizard's doing. She then put that out of her mind, remembering that the evil wizard had been turned into a cat. She was about to say that, but the lead bandit just smirked. "He may have been gone for a bit, but he is back, and the town is ours. Now, be a good girl, and get us some food."

It took Gisselle a moment before she decided what needed to be done. In an instant, she took the one serving tray the pub had, and slammed it into the lead bandit. The others reacted, but too slowly to stop her. She had ran past them, and into the street. It had to be safer, and if she found someone who could help, that would be better. Everyone could not know that Mannanan was back. If they did, no one would dare leave their homes.

Port Bruce had grown since the day of Mannanan's defeat, and that meant more people. She saw one standing at a corner and ran to them, calling out, "We need help at the pub. The bandits have barged in, claiming the wizard is back.” The words stuck in her throat when she saw that the person was a statue. What was worse was the look of horror on its face.

She backed away, unsure of what to do. There was only one thing she knew of that could do that. The Gorgons in the desert, but they could never get to Port Bruce. They were confined to their desert. The only way they could leave was if a dark wizard released them. That thought hit her as she backed into someone. She hoped it was someone who could help her.

She quickly turned, and started to speak, but her voice froze. The person she was facing was someone she had not seen in years. She recognized most of the facial features right away. It was her sister, the one who had fled years ago. She wanted to say something, but couldn’t. Her own body was transforming. She was becoming a statue, because her sister had become one of the Gorgons. The last sight she would see was her sister’s face, and under the snake hair, and ruby red gaze, she saw fear, and regret. Then, everything went dark.

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King Alexander had been thankful for a safe journey. The dark magic that had to be Mannanan's had not reached the point at sea where they joined the ship. Shamir had notified him when they had passed through the barrier, not that any words where needed. He had seen the djinn shudder, and even noticed Saladin trying to steady the djinn. After that moment, the djinn seemed fine, which made Alexander hope that teleporting inside the barrier would not be difficult. If that was the case, it added another option to getting to Mannanan's house.

He turned from Shamir and Saladin to Celeste. He could see an amazed look in the young Winged One's eyes. She had never been outside the Land of the Green Isles, and was obviously amazed. For a moment, he put the planning out of his mind, and said to her, "It is a beautiful sight, isn't it."

He was not surprised when she nodded. He was pleasantly surprise when she said, "I never knew anything could look so beautiful. I always thought of beauty being linked to my kind."

He acknowledged her comment, and looked at the land as well. Years ago, he would have never looked back on the land, even if he had the chance when he fled from Llewdor. Now, he had to admire the beauty of the land. It gave him another reason to stop Mannanan now. “It is beautiful. I’ve never really had the chance to admire this sight. When I escaped from Mannanan years ago, the only ship that was leaving at the time was a pirate ship, which I had not known at the time. They knocked me out once I stepped aboard.”

He heard Celeste gasp, and then she looked at the land again. “Sire, I had never known that about you. You have had more trials that I have in my sheltered life. Maybe the Oracle had been right to send me with you.”

There conversation was broken when the look out, high up in the crow’s nest yelled. “Ahoy. Port Bruce is coming into…….” The shout stopped, and silence rang out, causing everyone to stop and look up at the figure. For a moment, no one knew what caused him to stop shouting.

It all changed when the lookout started to lean over the edge. There was something unnatural about it. Alexander could tell the man was not bending. He could not tell anything else, because the sun blinded his sight so he saw just a silhouette. After a few moments, the figure started to fall. Alexander watched as Celeste flew up to catch the figure, and Saladin said to Shamir, “Shamir, do something to soften the fall if you can.”

The djinn nodded, and created an air current to slow the fall, which he could tell Celeste was happy for it. The combination of their efforts allowed them to get the figure to the deck, but when it arrived, he knew things were bad. The look out had become a stone statue. He looked for a moment, and it was the captain that said, “That can’t be a good sign. Could the wizard have done that?”

He shook his head. “No. I don’t think he could have done that from this far. If this is what I think it is, then any plans we might have had have been complicated.” He glanced as Shamir, who look troubled. “You may have to do a teleport just as we dock. Will you be able to teleport the whole crew?”

The djinn nodded. “I will, Sire, but it could leave me weakened. I may not be able to help get into Mannanan’s house.” He nodded in understand, and then looked at the stone lookout. It was the work of a Gorgon. The only way they could have done that was if they were in Port Bruce. That meant they could leave the desert, and would make traveling very difficult.

As the ship neared Port Bruce, he could see several figures standing about, but only a few were moving. It confirmed his worst fears. Now they needed someplace safe to go, so they could all be safe, and plan the attack. For a moment, he was not sure where that would be, but then it came to him. “I’ve got it. Shamir, when we reach the dock, use your magic to moor the ship, and then teleport us. I know the only place we’ll be safe.”

He saw Celeste turn to face him. “Where would that be, sire?” The tone in her voice was confident, telling him her past prejudices against non-winged ones seemed to be gone.

He smiled at her, and said, “Actually, it was your idea.” She blinked in surprise, and he continued. “Yes. I think your Oracle wanted you to meet the Oracle here, and I know exactly where her cave is.”

He watched as Shamir, Saladin, and the crew all joined them. “We are about to moor, sire. Can you tell me the location we are going to?” He did so, remembering every detail he could of the cave, and hoped the giant spider had not returned. When he was done, the djinn’s eyes glowed, and he saw the ropes on the side of the craft fly out and tie the ship down. Shamir then said, “Alright, we are off.” Soon, a glow surrounded them, and everything changed. The world dissolved, and in that moment, as it dissolved from the sight of the ship to their new location, he had seen the Gorgons boarding the ship. They had escaped just in time, and hopefully, all alive.

Next ChapterThe Cat's Many Paws(Audio)
Following Chapters and Story Arcs
Chapter 14Catastrophic Actions(Audio)
Chapter 15 (Last Chapter of Arc)The Nature of The Cat(Audio)
Future Story Arcs
Lolotte's arc
Mordrak's arc
Abdul's arc
Malicia's arc
Lucreto's arc
Shadrack's arc

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