He understood answering the call of the Guild Master, but why had Ardere asked him to meet him all the way out in the Sea of Devils? It was a part of the Cursed Lands, and not a place for the standard person to go out to for any kind of casual trip. Maybe he wanted him for some kind of task? Or maybe it was just a practice session for the two of them. After all, neither had seen the other in action, and both were known to be swordsmen and it would be a good place to show what they could do without endangering others in the slightest. Well, endanger no one but themselves if the seas were as dangerous as the rumors stated. There was only a way to find out, and that was to actually travel out there and see what was really going on. It did not take him long to arrive, and nearly immediately Ardere would begin telling him what was going on. So it was a rank up exam? Riding the ship to the end destination was what consider him a higher class of mage here in the land of Fiore? The customs of guilds were so strange of him. After this was done he would need to find some more of his weapons, scattered as they were throughout the realm, or hope that they would finally run out of magic and warp themselves back into the holder space without him needing to bed there.
”All right, I guess I'll see you on the other side.” Brad did not bow or anything, he was not used to that type of thing, but would simply nod his head in respect before walking across the dilapidated docks to board the terrible sounding wooden ship that seemed to have no one at the helm. So he was to ride a ghost ship? Or was this some enchanted ship to seem just like one? It was not long after boarding that the thing would begin moving again, almost throwing him to the ground with the suddenness, and he would simply throw a light wave at Ardere as a farewell before he moved to the front of the ship and in front of the helm. It was there he would stand for a good ten minutes before he started to hear noises from the back of the ship. Was someone shouting? Or was he just hearing things while alone on a strange ship? The man would turn around and begin to walk that direction until he suddenly heard a loud, deep, laughter.
”Ah ha ha! Who dares step foot on the ship of the great Blackbeard?! Greatest pirate of these seas of Earthland! Are ye here to take me in for my bounty? Or are ya here to join me crew!”The voice seemed to come from everywhere at the same time, yet there was no where around him. Was it a sound magic? Or was it some kind of prank? Not thinking of a good response in time, the voice would speak up again with a dire warning.
”Bah! Time is up my dear trespasser! All right boys! Go get him and skin him alive! Ah ha ha ha!” As the deep voice laughed, a group of five ghosts would show up a few feet in front of him, each one armed with a cutlass and beginning to move towards him. All of them would speak at the same time. Some asked questions of him, some asked what he thought of the weather, and one even asked him if he could help out for a minute with the rat problem in the holds of the ship. The whole mess was confusing, and in that disorientation Brad would slip up in his dodging and take a slice across his forearm. A sharp gasp would leave his lips as he realized he needed to draw a weapon and shake off the surprise over what was going on.
A weapon would appear in his hands, what looked like a basic sword to most, which would then begin to shine with the element of light. If he was to be fighting ghosts, what better way than with an element known to be the weakness of the dead and undead alike? The small group of five would try their best to land another blow on him, but the Infinity Hydra mage they were fighting here and now was a much more experienced swordsman than they realized. Brad would deftly dodge and bat away swings of the cutlasses until he finally got a good chance to hit one of the five spirits that he was up against, the ghost finding itself being split from left to right at chest level before disappearing from the realm it did not belong in. The other four would find their ends in the same way, the man deftly avoiding attacks from them until they were all removed from this world.
”Ah! You have killed some of me crew! Well that just will not do Whitebeard! I will not let you take me ship and treasures! Everyone! Go get him! Even you passengers! Fight and kill him if you want to be spared!”Angry cries would be heard from all over the ship, including down below in the lower parts of the ship, as Brad began to run and find a better spot to fight. He did not want to be open where he could be surrounded, but also needed a place with room as he was dealing with ghosts so he had to make sure no one surprised him from inside of a wall! The sounds of clattering could be heard behind him, as well as clanging and banging noises, and the Prince of Caelum would look over his shoulder as he kept running only to see some angry looking ghosts throwing objects from the ship in his general direction.
”Really! I don't even have a beard! Are they living their living lives over again? Oh boy, that is gonna make this one confusing fight!” The sounds of the angry ones would get louder as he made his way in to what looked like a sleeping area. Bunk beds of all shapes and sizes would litter the walls, though there were not too many smaller objects that were easily thrown to be found there. Summoning another weapon seemed like a great idea, the Caelum Royal summoning forth his weapon of fire; Flame Tongue. The weapon's blade was excruciatingly hot to those it hit, though he was sure that wouldn't be what bothered the ghosts when they got hit. The undead needed to be careful, as the magic involved would hurt them more than any physical strike added to it.
The noises of thrown objects continued closer until they finally reached the room he was in. Chairs, tables, even pieces of the wood that seemed to be part of the ship would come his direction. Knowing it would be dangerous to allow them to continue doing such, Brad Clad would slowly make his way to them. Pieces that were small, but not too dangerous, would be allowed through his defenses to hit him while he sliced apart larger objects to keep himself from taking any serious injuries. Once he reached the group he would slam down Flame Tongue into the ground to release a large blast of fire that would get rid of all the angry passenger ghosts in the blink of an eye. That was surprising, as he had expected more of a fight out of them with how hard they were throwing objects.
”Must have taken too much out of their ethereal forms to throw physical objects at me.” Even as the man said the words he would hear something behind him. A quick turn would show him five more of the pirate ghost crew all swinging down swords at him. A leap backwards would keep him from getting hit even as he took off the hand of one specter and causing it to lose its weapon. A scream about losing a hand to a passenger of the ship would be made from the ethereal before Brad took off the head of the seemingly panicked ghost before he made short work of the other four. If it was one thing with these ghosts, it was that they were good at sneaking up on him! Not hearing any more ghosts or strange noises, Brad Clad assumed he had gotten rid of all of them and made his way back outside to make his way to the original spot he had wanted to take until he arrived at his location to meet Ardere Kasai again. Unfortunately for him there was now a bright green, glowing, being standing at the helm.
”Whitebeard! You've gone and killed all of my crew and even the captives we had planned on selling into slavery! I'll have your beard as a trophy after this!””Look, I am not this Whitebeard you think I am. I am the Prince of Caelum, and demand you stand down and listen to reason before there is any more damage done on either side!””What did you say about my mother! HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE MOST PRECIOUS ONE OF MY DEAD FAMILY! PREPARE TO DIE BY MY BLADE YOU DOG!”Shit! That was right! They were in their own little world, not in the current one! With no way around it Brad was going to have to fight this Blackbeard fellow's ghost and somehow come out the victor. Preparing himself for a good fight, Brad would raise both of his weapons in preparation just as Blackbeard lunged forward at him. Just as the massive cutlass crashed against Flame Tongue, the Prince would notice three specters coming at him, one from the left and two from the right. Knowing he couldn't stay locked in place like he was, the requip user would throw his other sword backward before teleporting to it when it was far enough away that he could prepare himself for the rest of the fight.
”Ah ha ha! Think you can run away now you filthy sea dog? No! You will meet your end and have a watery grave this day!” The entire group would begin running at him immediately after the phrase was done, and Brad had no want to deal with them all right now. Using the telepathy he had with his weapons, controlling them naturally without having to hold them, the swords would cleave two of the specters before they could reach the Prince. Once the other specter was between him and the swords, Brad would recall both to him, both striking through the ethereal body and killing it. That left just Brad, who was apparently Whitebeard for the time being, and Blackbeard now.
”You could not beat me while I was outnumbered. Just leave and I won't give chase!” The words seemed to have no effect on the ghost captain, the large bladed weapon swinging for Brad's neck even as he lifted up Flame Tongue to clash against it. While this was happening he would swing his light enchanted sword out at the ghost's free arm and take it off at the elbow. The ghost screamed, a strange noise to be sure, but thrust out a foot that caught Brad in the chest and pushed him back a few feet. Keeping his balance was possible, and he was able to respond quick enough to dodge underneath the ethereal leader's swing and come up with both blades to make an X-shaped cut straight through the thing's torso. No words would be made from Blackbeard as he fell to his knees, fading away before falling face first into the wood of the deck.
”I wonder if this is how it all went down the first time. Maybe they were hoping that it would go different this time so they could be at rest. Guess they won't have the pleasure now though.”[2008/2000]