Chapter 270: Turn 8

Stepping into pitch black, Anne would try to keep herself still, having only six more paces to waste. Harvard can hear her approaching, desperately yelling out in order to catch her attention. "OVER HERE! I'M RIGHT HERE! BLEEDING A LOT AS WELL!!" He'd scream, coughing up some blood in the process, trying to make sure the knives don't leave his body as he remains idle. Anne, however, still doesn't budge. Both would hear his voice echo across the void, letting them know that talking won't help in finding the Card Magician. Anne would kneel down onto the ground and have one of her hands touch the floor, tracing it around, finding the supposed blood pooling out. She'd still remain quiet, trying to hear such sounds, as she'd slowly trek across the pitch black.

"Aye, exactly what I thought it'd be..." she'd think to herself, using her clothes to wipe off the blood before continuing her search. "Much like how a hunter'd be usin' the wind to find where his hunt be goin', followin' the trail would lead me right to him. Bigger the pool, bigger the tracks, bigger the body." She'd keep her pace, feeling her number beginning to dwindle, though just as she ran out of spaces, her fingers would touch something, being cut into even. A Knife. She found it, and with one swift motion, she'd cast Eden right on her side, a soft glow illuminating the area, a gentle breeze and hefty patch of grass blooming on the ground. Harvard's body was finally found, and the wounds were healing. Even more, because she was quick on casting her spell once she arrived, the game allowed the space to give her a new spell, one that would be shown through the dim light: Gachapon. 

Harvard noticed it and would tap her with his hand. "Throw it at Stolas....Let him use it. I didn't saw anything over there, but I don't want him to be left out...in not summoning a monster." He'd ask. Anne would nod at his words, looking to her side and passing the spell directly at the Avian, having him catch it through the darkness, though nearly dropped it by accident due to how sudden it arrived, almost wasting the spell entirely if it fell over. Teach and Stolas would do their rolls next, though Solomon would notice something was up with Stolas upon receiving the spell.

12.

15.

Teach would steer clear, choosing to back away, but just before he does, he was given a spell. Gachapon. Before Teach or Solomon would make any comment, Stolas stormed straight through the void, running across the area, preparing to get one other spell. "STOLAS!? THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" Solomon screamed, trying to reach out, but couldn't due to not being his turn just yet. Teach would try to chase down the Avian, wasting his valuable spaces, resulting in him being just inside of the void, but not too deep in it, given his third spell that takes the image of a door. He'd be disappointed in himself as he'd no longer see him, only hearing the pitter patter and small splashes as he dashed through, thinking he is going to help the wounded child with whatever he has in his arsenal. Just as he cut his losses, however..

A light began to shine.

A Green beam pierces through the sky once more, dissipating the darkness once again, taking in the boy's energy, as well as the remaining life bar. Everyone but Calico watched in shock and horror at seeing Stolas lay down his life to summon his beast, letting it take a proper shape through such manifestation. Only Calico would be seen happy, his arms open wide, his eye sockets wide and brimming, his smile ever present amidst his hollow teeth. "WELL I'S BE DAMNED! HOW'S YOU GUESSED IT BE THA' ONE!?" Calico shouted, being proud of such a daring feat. The monster began to descend onto the board, red hot flames bursting from its head, a robe that fluttered amidst the winds, depicting the layers of the Inferno, its hands marked with insignias of the many demons that once roamed in hell. 

Stolas merely stood tall, his arms crossed, staring down at his opponent, his vision beginning to fade, his body ready to rest soon, wanting to leave his last words towards the group. "I'm literally named after the Goetia demon of Astronomy and Flora! You think I can't put two and two together that you'd hide that space in the void!? PSSH! Ridiculous! Now then, let's see you try and deal with another monster. Let's see you break that record of beating another one of my best friend's friends! The last man I saw so far was able to handle a whole army of them, so I wonder if you can reach it. Give him hell, Enma!" He'd shout, before silently falling down, knocking himself unconscious, his will now carried by the embodiment of Inferno. The first to finally fall down, and done by his own accord as well. He knew he wasn't going to last as much because of his attacks, his faith now lied with the others. A halo would be seen atop of Stolas' health bar, as well as the land coming in to consumed his body, letting him rest just underneath the island, well-protected by any external factors.

"Oh, right, I's nevah told ye wha' happ'ns when ye lose, eh? Death only comes if ALL of yous fell. For now, ye feathered friend is safe. Don' be disappointin' 'im now, yah hear?!" A taunt by Calico, yet he spoke the truth, as Stolas, underneath the gold layer, was soundly asleep, his wound being taken care of. He was playing as fair as he can, only letting them pass on if all of them failed to finish the job.

This racks a question in Harvard's mind, however, as he'd allow all three of them roll their dice. "So wait, you don't want to kill everyone? I thought you would be the first guy to do such a thing!" He'd ask.

Calico merely laughed as he proposed such an idea. "Wha' makes ye think I am, a nutcase!? In me game, Fair's Fair. If we's got a strategy in mind, we earn'd it! if we's don', then we deserve what's comin' to us! It be called a Game for a reason, me boy. We ain' savages."

12.

5.

2.

Solomon and Zazel would move around the board, acquiring their spells of an illusion and a gemstone, whilst Harvard would have Fibonacci move instead, ready for next turn to fire its shot. "Last time I checked, that's also what a Hero should be. A fair judge to who deserves it, making sure they don't want to hurt someone that could be innocent."

"Aye, so you knows what I's be talkin' 'bout 'en."

"Yeah....but that's the thing. Aren't all pirates just killing for personal stuff? Y'now, like, all this?"

Calico merely sighed as Harvard gave his question. "Aye, that be why I's loved bein' a pirate in me life! We jus' as much peopl' as yous are as us! Sometimes it don't be jus' pillagin' we do! We do it because we sail her seas, because we share our songs, because we drink our brew and dance 'til dusk! We do it because we love her!" His words would have Harvard be more somber towards Calico, slowly lowering his head.

"You didn't like being a pirate then, huh? With all the whole murders, robbery, treachery....You didn't like any of that, huh?"

"Aye....but that's t'eh life of a pirate. A Life t'at I still yearn for. Even if I's need t'ah be a bi' dirty with me hands...It will never overshadow me love fer her waters. A Pirate's life....is as beautiful as wha' one shapes it. Never forget it, me boy. Never forget it."