by Dubhlainn 9th June 2016, 8:00 am
Horned Decay
Several years ago when Savage Skull was at its prime, Horned Decay was a guild defeated by Fairy Tail, its first guildmaster was put behind bars and was later replaced by another. The new guildmaster that time seek Savage Skull for aid as the entire guild was on the verge of collapse, a bargain was struck for as long as the guild agrees to the terms and rules of Savage Skull, Horned Decay will not fade. When the reign of the Lich began threatening Fiore and then was later defeated by the Kings of Ishval, splinter cells in Savage Skull started to question the main branch and its allies, Basilik Fang and Tartarus altogether.
As Savage Skull was the oldest and darkest guild, it acted like a mother to all lesser dark guilds. The Lichborne’s defeat signaled the slow decline of Savage Skull, power waned and members started to go missing one by one. Many splinter cell challenged Savage Skull, the main branch but ultimately failed by some of its most powerful mages, specifically the coordination of the Pillar Leaders that represents all disciplines and aspects of the guild. Knowing Savage Skull couldn’t be defeated at that point, the remaining splinter cells dissolved and started lives of their own, or if not new dark guilds that have yet to resurface.
Horned Decay before its defeat at the hands of Fairy Tail used to be based by the Phoenix Mountains, Eclipse Soul occupied the area when Fairy Tail defeated them years ago. They were a mining guild that later turned into a mages guild that had abused the use of Lacrima orbs and had control the market responsible for consumption.
The overall summary of Horned Decay was simply as this: Its first Guildmaster desired more wealth more power without restriction from the Magic Council from the Law and to demonstrate its growth, it challenged fairytail and waged war with it, the one who replaced the guildmaster simply wished Horned Decay would live on, but the guild ended up paying a huge price and that was being nothing more than insurgents for the three major guilds.
So if Savage Skull knew of Horned Decay’s whereabouts which a region north of Savage Skull, then the only place for its members to gather was at its old location deep within the Phoenix Mountains.
Dubhlainn closed the folder and gave it back to one of his cohorts and started walking towards the armory. One of his subordinates was concerned and asked Dubhlainn what he intends to do with Horned Decay, one of the old lesser Dark Guilds.
“That’s simple really, they might have information that I’m after.” The cohort implied that Horned Decay could not be located, even the Pillar of Hidden Daggers was having a hard time finding where they’d meet as the Hidden Daggers was based on assassination purposes, not investigation.
Dubhlainn had not said a word and left for the armory. Upon switching on the lacrima powered lights, an array of weapons were hung up on a wall, bullet cartridges, explosives and gun attachments, all the necessary equipment needed to carry out the assassination. However he doesn’t want to draw attention so explosives were out of the question.
He brought suppressed weapons, weapons that won’t produce much noise when he’s pulling the trigger.
He headed out into the night, mounting his horse towards the only location he knew that had information about matters of the underworld, Garan no Dou.
In a certain building in a district, toys and magical trinkets were bought, by children of all ages even couples but underneath the establishment was the place he desired to be, the contract based agency Garan no Dou, who had a wide network of informants, some were familiars, some were actual people and it was convenient that it exists here in Earthland.
Three knocks on the door and Dubhlainn let himself in, only to be greeted by the Old Magus’s secretary.
“May I see him?” Dubhlainn asked.
The Secretary simply nodded and directed him towards the door only to find the old Magus sitting on the couch and watching television, it was a cooking channel that he was watching. “Oi, Dubhlainn! What are you here for this time huh? You hunting for someone again?”
Dubhlainn was shocked, was he really that predictable? Then again he only comes to Garan no Dou when he required information about these kinds of things. He asked if he had any information about Horned Decay, want to know what the Old magus said?
“PFfft what makes a backwater guild so interesting to you huh?” The Old Magus’s eyes open, betting everything on a conclusion. “You want to find them so you could settle some matters with them for Savage Skull no?” He didn’t ask anymore as Dubhlainn merely nodded. The location file of Horned Decay was actually the most recent report that the old man had received from his scouts.
“Dubhlainn, do you miss it?” The Old man asked as he switched off the television and lay down ont eh sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Miss what?” Dubhlainn asked as he scanned through the papers and reports.
“Mirai…” The Old Magus uttered, causing Dubhlainn to violent close the folder.
“I rather not discuss anything about it.” Dubhlainn stated as he headed out towards the door, paying the old man a huge sum of money for it.
“This one’s free Dubhlainn but I do wish you’d talk to me a bit more, has working in the Dark Guild relieved you of those memories?”
Dubhlainn said nothing as he headed towards the door.
“I don’t dwell on the past old man.”
You know Dubhlainn didn’t always carry that expressionless look on his face, he was actually more livelier back then.
Really Master? What was he like?
Aha… he was one of the most successful and one of the most powerful members of his own military group, I know you read the file I have on him but that file hold false information on his background. I had it falsified for his sake.
You mean the part about him gambling his whole life after retiring from military?
No… that was all a cover up, his real story begins….
I first met Dubhlainn when my “adopted niece” rescued him from being part of Project Battle Born being run by Viktor Tarkovsky, at that time Viktor wished to create a new line of warrior and fighters who’s capabilities would surpass magic to which not even the greatest of creatures life had to offer would be no match for them, the power and strength to even rival planetary spirits themselves… the primordial for instance, and oh was he so wrong to thinking that his brand of warriors can match against one. The first batch Viktor sent out to hunt one of the Primordials were annihilated, Dubhlainn was the second batch for another attempt to capture and harness the powers of the Primordial, however due to circumstances he was freed from his control.
His life of fighting gave him new meaning and my niece improved his way of life but of course I’m more focused on my young niece but there were mentions of him from time to time that she and I converse, even the most hilarious ones.
Apparently after having such a difficult and abnormal life in his youth, despite all that he knew, he learned of love.
He fell in love?
Indeed, it was one of the best friends of my niece, if memory serves; her name is Gwendolyn N. Viere, a girl born with a sickness. It happened after I became Dubhlainn’s client for the first time and revealed his own capabilities to him.
Dubhlainn positions himself in an isolated spot, according to the reports he had read, one of Horned Decay’s members were to pass by here. After a short while, the validity of the information he got from the Old Magus was spot on as he followed the member into the hideout. He drew his pistol and proceeded to hide behind obstacles, he had to remain hidden until all the remaining members of Horned Decay were all in the same spot.
Dubhlainn was leaning on a wall, allowing his captain to go in first. As soon as his captain came in, Gwen was already waiting to congratulate her best friend on becoming a captain of her own military task force, feminine squeals and foreplays followed afterwards. The Captain summoned Dubhlainn inside the room, of course this wasn’t love at first sight, as Dubhlainn spent most of his early years in fighting, he wasn’t sure what to say and only uttered simple responses.
The conversation topics convered the Captain’s progress and Gwen’s improvement on her health to Dubhlainn’s past and history of battles, and finally a topic about Viktor takovsky the man who was actually responsible for Gwen’s deterioration in her health. It was a chemical test that spread out through the populace and Gwen was one of those who were exposed to it.
The chemical test was supposed to be a formula used to make super soldiers that is non-magical in nature but however it all went wrong and an explosion occurred due to Dubhlainn running amok while under his control which was a result of Viktor’s recent experiments.
Gwen’s condition was actually her body’s inability to produce the normal about of RBC and that she needs to stay in the hospital, anemia followed shortly afterwards and because of the lack of RBC her body weakened significantly. Dubhlainn would visit Gwen with the Captian every time they’d return from a mission or if they are idle, but its because of these frequent visits Dubhlainn and Gwen’s relationship grew as days pass.
I know, I happened to be Gwen’s doctor.
However the nature and condition of Gwen’s health gone from great improvement back to a heavy decline and it all started when the old task force returned to Mirai and were now under the control of Viktor Tarkovsky, not through the means of bio mechanics but through biochemical means. Dr. Viktor had developed a poison that was supposed to be forbidden, the Wincott poison.
This poison is more concentrated on permanent neural alterations, what it does it that it slowly changes the wavelength of the victim to that of its poisoner; eventually they’d have the same conscience, morals and ideals but not memories. The thing about it that its hard to revert the victim’s neurotransmitters back to the way it was, no matter how advanced technology is, there’s no known cure for it without completely damaging the brain.
That very poison was the poison that wiped out the task force my niece led; betrayal is seen in every corner.