The Second Piece: Ghost City Part V

Moya: Hey! Where did those pirates go?

Nettle: Don't tell me they left! I miss them!

Rodoran: They packed up their sleeping mats, so they must have gone back out to sea.

Saboten: They were pretty nice, for the most part. They also helped us catch food.

Rodoran: We can't be sitting around all day thinking about them, though! Let's move!

Arashi: Guys...do you get the feeling we're being watched?

High above them, a green monitor focuses on them. It zooms in on Rodoran. Something clicks. Text appears. TARGET CONFIRMED.

Meanwhile belowground, Issac, Hugeo, and Laffel rush into the building looking for Drew and her kidnapper. They wander the dimly lit halls, looking closely.

Issac: This seems to be his lair...be on alert.

Suddenly, the lights go off.

Man: The darkness...is here.

Issac doesn't see the man until the man kicks him in the chin, sending him flying back.

Issac: Aggg...can't...see!

Laffel: No need to worry, my friend! The Version 5.0 Pocketknife comes with its very own flashlight. *Turns on the flashlight* C'mon, man, where are y-YEEEEEEAAAAAAA!

In the blink of an eye, the man appears and kicks the pocketknife out of Laffel's hand.

Man: The darkness is my friend...It is my style!

Issac is hit once again, and flails around wildly, but can find no trace of the man.

Issac: How the heck are we supposed to defeat him in these conditions?

Hugeo: The answer is simple as always, Issac. Just use...excessive force! Magu Magu Explosion!

Hugeo spouts magma from his arms and legs, and steadily more of his body begins to spout magma. The magma lights up the room a tiny bit, allowing Issac to see.

Man: Gah! What is this stuff, magma??

Issac: Look, there's the switch!

Issac runs over and pulls the switch, turning the lights on. A black-haired man, most likely in his late 30's, is standing in the hallway in an awkward position.

Hugeo: All right. As you've seen, I'm capable of turning my body into magma. Now unless you would like me to touch you, I suggest you return our friend Drew.

Man: Wait...she's your FRIEND? So you entered the city with her?

Issac: Yes...why does that concern you?

Man: I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were with her! Come with me, and I'll show you Drew. She hasn't been harmed. My name's Willard, by the way. Willard Dragan.

Laffel: Say, Mr. Dragan, would you be interested in improving your battle skills by buying a-

Willard: I'm not interested in buying anything in this town.

Willard leads the trio into the room, where Drew is sitting at a table.

Drew: See, Willard? I told you the people pursuing you were my friends!

Willard: You'll have to forgive me, Miss Drew. Needless to say, they have told me the truth.

Issac: Drew! Who exactly is this man, and why did he kidnap you?

Drew: Honestly, he explained it to me two minutes ago, and I'm already starting to forget the details. It might be best if he tells you.

Willard: Well...thank you, Drew. Please, sit down. I don't know why you came here, but you're either pirates or just explorers, am I right?

Issac: Yes...So tell me, why is the island aboveground abandoned?

Willard: As I'm pretty sure you know, the entire island above is a desert. For a month, we'd have no rain, but one day each month we received torrential downpours that supplied all our water needs. However, 20 years ago, the rains stopped completely. Our town was dying. However...the crisis was averted. A man only known as "Marin" rose to power and began constructing this city, where we can get water from underground. 10 years ago, this city was opened, and we lived in prosperity...

Issac: That sounds great.

Willard: It took a dark turn after that, however. Marin...quickly proved that he was not the leader he promised to be. Other than trading, he has shut Terradise off to the outside world. If he found out you had entered, you would have been imprisoned for sure. I took Drew to protect her, and I would have taken you two if I had seen you. Sorry about that.

Issac: I guess it's OK, but how is this "Marin" such a bad leader other than not letting anyone in?

Willard: How about I let Marin speak for himself...Come outside with me. Don't worry, you'll be safe with me.

The Hugrema Pirates, accompanied by Laffel, follow Willard outside. They then travel across building ledges, taking precarious routes high above the street.

Willard: Here we are. The town square.

Hugeo: Whoa! It's packed!

Willard: Yes...had you come here any other day of the month, Marin's guards would have quickly found you. Today's that one day of the month, however, when they're busy preparing for...THE OFFERING.

Issac: Whoa, you just made that sound really creepy? What's with this "Offering," anyways?

Drew: Shhhh! Something's going on!

Rows of buglers begin playing, silencing the massive crowd below. Issac then notices a large structure in the wall of Earth, looking incredibly opulent. The large gates of the structure then open, and out come red, levitating, shadowy-looking figures wearing cloaks.

Willard: Those are his guards, commonly known as the Phantom Patrol...rumor has it they're not human, and I believe it, but what else could they be?

Hugeo: Phantom Patrol...So they're...oh boy...

In the middle of the Phantom Patrol appears a large person wearing a purple cloak decorated with multiple opulent designs. When the crowd sees the figure, they cheer in jubilation.

Drew: I take it that's Marin?

Willard: Yes...don't let the applause fool you. You'll soon find out why.

After about a minute, Marin descends from the grand staircase of his palace and ascends onto the wooden platform. His guards surrounding him, Marin begins to talk in a deep, baritone voice.

Marin: I see everyone is here. Come, let us begin the offering!

The buglers play again as a large cart, carried by about a dozen people, is brought forward and placed on the wooden platform.

Marin: This sure doesn't look too shabby...but we shall soon find out if it is enough! Commence weighing!

One of Marin's Phantoms activates a scale on the side of the platform, and the numbers start to rise up. The crowd looks silent, with many of them appearing to pray, including Willard.

Willard: Please...please...I beg...

The crowd's anticipation rises as the numbers on the scale rise slower and slower, until it stops. 1790 pounds. The crowd is deadly silent.

Marin: Well then...isn't this disappointing! You all know very well that the quota is 1800 lbs...and this is the THIRD MONTH IN A ROW! It disappoints me immensely...now, who shall be offered up?

Issac: Gah...I'm not liking where this is headed...

The crowd goes into tumult after Marin makes the request, when suddenly one man in the front of the crowd speaks up.

Man: Please, Lord Marin, I'm begging you! We were only 10 pounds off quota! Next month, I swear, we'll give you 1820 pounds! That will make it up?

Marin: Ah, but would you really? I've found your effort to be...lacking. Someone must be offered to satisfy me.

Man: We give you everything we can give! Our crops and wages have gone down recently, so we don't have that much excess food anymore!

Marin: You ALL disgust me. Since you seem to be so eager about this, I think you've just volunteered to be offered!

One of Marin's Phantoms goes up to the man, too scared to move, and grabs hold of him. Suddenly...

Woman: NO! You can't take Paul! Without him, we can't feed our family!

Marin: Well then, he should've been smarter, huh?

Woman: NOOOO!

The woman pushes her way forward to the platform, as though she is about to attack Marin. Suddenly, Marin rushes in front of her in the blink of an eye and grabs her by the arm.

Marin: Well then, since you're so enthusiastic too, looks like we'll have a double offering! What fun!

A Phantom places the woman on the platform next to Paul.

Marin: Let this be an example to all of you! Devil's Canyon shall be your new home, if you find it too hard to live under me!

Marin presses a button, and the trapdoor underneath Paul and the woman opens, and they fall...down, down, down, where Devil's Canyon waits for them...

Marin: Next month, I will expect a 2000-pound offering! So get working! This ceremony is adjourned!

Marin turns around and walks back to his palace, accompanied by the Phantom Patrol. The entire population of Terradise continued to stand there like stones. You could hear a pin drop, that is how much the city was shocked, however much they knew Marin to be cruel before.