Exodus: Guns & Gore

"This is just about as nice a cell as I've ever heard of." QJ had logged off shortly after being thrown in the room, so he hadn't had time to look around much. There were no windows of course, but it had a bedroom, bathroom, and a beautiful sitting area for entertaining. His hud didn't work, nor could he access his inventory.

A soft muzzle pushed against his neck, a moment later the image of him playing with three large panthers in the fountain at Ravenwood flashed into his head.

He scratched the big cat's ears roughly. "You aren't supposed to do that. Do you want to help? Let me use some of your abilities."

Jali: Shadowfiend

Pet Type: Feline, Primal

Bond-Ability: Vision Transference,

Sound Transference, Primary

Transference.

Description: The Shadowfiend moves in

the shadows and cannot easily be

contained.

"Find someone for me, please." QJ pictured Chancellor Ivy in his head; he focused on her face and the sound of her voice. After a moment, the big cat faded into the shadows.

When Jali left, her sister Bali appeared next to him, QJ laughed at her antics. She sent him an image of her sleeping in the warm sun of Ravenwood, with toddler QJ laying on her soft tummy.

QJ felt the slight push at his thoughts, "you three never listen. Don't worry though; it's always been our secret." When QJ was ten years old, he discovered something amazing. He could access the transference abilities of both Bali and Jali. About two years ago, he had found he could do the same with Mali. He understood the first two bonds; his relationship with Mojo and Leah was like that of a mother and son. It was known that the emotional ties of the person carried over to the pet. However, Mali was a different story. Often times in the years when he hadn't been talking to Belle, Mali would seek him out.

QJ leaned back on the comfortable sofa; his thoughts moved easily to the Blind Silverleaf woman. The casino would open in a few hours. With the events of the past day, there were bound to be some interesting conversations in the casino.

A strong nudge at his thoughts caused QJ to close his eyes for a moment when they opened they had turned the darkest blue.

A blonde-haired woman lay across a ragged cot in the dark, the back of her shirt had been ripped open, and there were fresh whip marks on her pale white skin. Her face was covered in bruises and cuts. She stared at the big cat, she should have felt mind-numbing fear, but the images of a smiling QJ washed over her.

"Don't be alarmed, Chancellor Ivy. This cat will not harm you, but through it, we might communicate with each other. Rest assured, I did not kill the King."

The blondes bloody face moved closer; one of her eyes was swollen shut. "QJ? Are you here also? I've heard you were charged."


"I'm here, but my accommodations are much better than yours."

Ivy laughed in the darkness, the noise coming through her swollen lips sounded like a groan. "Of course, I'm just a commoner."

"How are you holding up? I hold them accountable for what they've put you through."

"QJ... it's too late for me. Tomorrow morning is 'Bloody Monday,' the first Monday of the month when Capital punishment is handed out."

"What about your trial? You're a Chancellor. Surely they can't kill you without due process!"

"I'm a common QJ, the former Chancellor of a dead King. There's a dozen of us getting beheaded in the morning." The blonde woman's face held no emotion; the shock of the last day weighed heavily on her.

"Now that I've found you, help will arrive shortly." QJ felt his anger bubbling beneath the surface; the kind and beautiful woman had been beaten and whipped. "I can't use transference very long, be brave Ivy, we won't leave you in that cell to die."

"You won't?" Ivy rested her head on the cot, tears coming from the eye that was still open. "Thank you, QJ," she whispered in the darkness. A moment later, the large black panther disappeared.

**********

Robin walked into guard area of the building where QJ was being held. She looked like a pretty young woman about to go on a picnic. Her orange hair was worn up in a neat bun, a white knee-length dress with matching sandals presented a picture of wholesome sweetness. Looped through one arm, she carried a large wicker basket. She smiled, sweetly at the guard that approached her.

"Hello Mr. Guard, I'm here to see prisoner QJ."

"Forget it! He is accused of assassinating the King! If not for orders, I would have already dealt wi..."

His sentence was interrupted by the blow of a small white fist striking his armored chest. He was blasted through the window like a broken kite, skidding on the hard ground, he rolled a few times before slamming into a stone wall twenty feet away.

Robin glanced at the second guard that was sitting behind a desk. "Hello Mr. Guard, I'm here to see prisoner QJ."

"Right... I'll have to log you in and check the contents of your basket." The guard licked his lips nervously, not daring to look at the broken window.

"Of course, she opened the basket for him to see." Robin watched as he began to sift through the basket.

"What is this?" The guard held up a white brick that looked like wax.

"That is wax, sir. My boyfriend carves figurines for me; the small leather bag has a few small tools. Nothing dangerous, I assure you."

*********

QJ sat upright on the couch, shaking his head to clear it. Transference always took a lot out of him. Bali faded into the shadows an instant before the door to his 'cell' opened. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face, the guard looked from him to Robin a few times and then hurried out of the door. The sound of the lock turning told him he was locked in again.

"QJ..." She set the basket down and leaped into his arms, her soft lips brushing his as she pressed against him.

"Now that's a nice greeting Robs." He hugged her tight for a moment and then set her down. "I'm surprised they let you see me."

Robin grinned slyly, "I can be very charming, QJ."

"Going to need a few things done rather quickly."

"Want us to break you out?" Robin looked at the door; she could open it fairly quickly. "How about now?"

QJ shook his head, "no, not me. I need to clear my name. I want you to clear out the Murderer's Row."

Robin's dark eyes stared at him, "Those are some dangerously bad people QJ."

"I know, Ivy is with them. We can't let her lose her head for someone else's crime. Free whoever will agree to a five year contracted employment."

Robin played with a strand of her orange hair. "Doesn't that amount to blackmail?"

"Maybe... perhaps they will get a better offer before they lose their heads?" QJ opened the basket she had set down and started going through it.

"I thought you might be able to use your time here to work with the Sakri steel."

"Thanks Robs, that is a fantastic idea."

Robin pushed the basket to one side and slid easily onto his lap. "I detest these people who have locked you in this room QJ. I'm going to teach that Queen a lesson."

"We aren't certain yet that she's behind the assassination, although it seems likely."

"Perhaps not, but she did order you locked up without any real evidence." Robin's lips held a slight smile as she unfastened the top button of her dress. The unlocking door caused her to stop and move off of his lap.

The guard at the door was heavily armored, but his pale face and wide-open eyes showed a healthy amount of fear for the orange-haired rogue. "Please excuse me, Miss, I've been directed to let you know that visiting hours are over for the day."

Robin glanced at QJ and then back at the guard, "I barely have been able to say hello properly."

QJ stood up and pulled Robin into his arms; he used a long kiss to whisper something in her ear. "Tell Ringo to check if there are any 3rd years with close family ties to the Legends server."

Robin nodded and reluctantly walked toward the door; she frowned at the guard standing there. "I'll be back if anyone dares touch him..." She left the sentence unfinished, but the threat lingered in the air.

"Bye, Robs..." He waved at her and brought the basket into his sitting room where he removed the tools and the Sakri steel that Robin had delivered.

He held the wax-like brick in his hand, trying to figure out his course of action. The largest brick was roughly the length of a small sword. Slowly he molded the upper three fourths into the blade of a wakizashi. He hollowed out a long groove on either side of the blade and used a separate piece to carve two short barrels. He modified the grip to make slashing and shooting comfortable. Sitting them aside, he started on the chamber. He built it big to hold nine Springfield rounds. The smaller pieces took the longest, trigger assemblies and springs were painstakingly carved out of the soft white brick.

Finally finished he put all the pieces in the basket and then took them in the bathroom. While the basin was filling with water, he inspected each part separately. At the last moment, he chose to add rifling to the barrels. The wax piece would easily stick together; if you happened to put them in the water like that, they would become one piece. For QJ's purposes, this made adhering the barrels to the outer portion of the blade quite easy. The smaller components he would place by themselves.

After placing them in the water, he watched them fizzle for a moment and then turned back toward the basket. There was a false bottom in the basket that hid Springfield rounds and sharpening stone.

A while later, QJ slowly removed the components one at a time. He spent several minutes using the sharpening stone on the blade, Sakri steel held a fine edge for cutting. He had modified the handguard slightly by putting an aiming sight on it. "Hope this doesn't blow up in my hand."

He completed the weapon except for the trigger assembly. Slowly he rotated it in his hand, looking for imperfections. "I could throw my lathe and half my tools in the trash if I had a bigger supply of Sakri."

He carefully attached the trigger assembly and then held it in front of him. He swiped the small sword back and forth a few times. "Love the weight... maybe I tried to do too much with it."

*Ding 44*

Guns and Gore Announcement: All Servers: A Magnum Opus has been created By Sandhealer Faction Leader QJ.

Please Name your Magnum Opus.

QJ froze in place and looked at the door, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Oh, shit..."

System Message: Your World Reputation has been increased by 100.

Guns and Gore Announcement: All Servers: Bask in the glory of a Magnum Opus.

Oh Shit [ Magnum Opus]

Two Barreled Sword Gun [Artifact]

Description: This miracle of engineering features the

razor-sharp blade of a wakizashi blended seamlessly

with a two barreled revolver modified to shoot Springfield

rounds.

Additional Description: The damage modifier of this weapon

is based on whichever skill is highest, sword or handgun. + 200 Accuracy,

+ 200 Range.

Artifact Weapon Modifier: All critical hits do 2X damage.

"Plan B, I guess." QJ charged the cell door and swung the weapon at it, the blade sliced through it like paper. A moment later, he stood in the hallway.

He sprinted down the hallway and descended the flight of stairs with a bound. He froze in place when his eyes took in the view from the single window at the bottom of the stairs. A single blonde-haired woman was being dragged into the Courtyard. A black hooded executioner stood next to the chopping block, his ax in hand.

"Sweet mother..." QJ dived through the window and rolled quickly to his feet.

*Aimed Shot*

[Head-Shot bonus x Critical Hit x2]

QJ has hit Target for 88,570 damage.

A Hooded Executioner has been slain.

The two guards holding Ivy dropped her and dived for cover. A moment later, QJ summoned Scorch and pulled the Chancellor into the saddle as both shots and arrows flew at him.

You have been hit for 15,433 damage

You have been hit for 11,200 damage

Scorch knew what to do under fire; he charged out of the courtyard accelerating into a red blur while QJ ducked low in the saddle.

You have been hit for 12,333 damage.

You have been critically hit for 23,100.

You are critically injured.

QJ clung to the saddle desperately; he hadn't time to take his armor out of his inventory. "Run Red... Run."

Out the city gates and into the countryside, since he had exited the western entrance the only path before him was White Cloud Mountain Range. He held tightly to both Ivy and the saddle for quite some time. Injuries and exhaustion finally getting the better of him, he passed out and slumped in the saddle. Sensing his condition, Scorch slowed to a walk for several minutes and then finally stopped.