"Shit man… I'm nervous as hell! Are you sure the stuff is alright to take? is it legit? I've seen a lot of bad stories on Reddit and that and I don't want to have a bad first trip. Especially sincs it was also y'know, Expensive."
A man of average height and average, at least according to himself, was anxiously paces back and forth across his small little room, with a phone in hand. Increasingly becoming more and more skittish as time passes with no response from the phone.
"Sighhhhhhh. Mate, I've already told you it's alright. Souced from a decent place,I think even legal! Not all drugs are from crackhead houses and that like in films you watch 'n shit."
The other person on the phone explains with a big sigh, causing a breath of relief to escape the nervous man, the one called Luke, after being vaguely reassured by his friend.
"Ha.. sorry man, just having seen all those posts about people tripping balls and falling into different dimensions and being a lamp scared me to be honest. I've got my family down stairs and don't want them coming up and seeing me be transformed into a vegetable or something worse y'know."
"Haha It's alright bro, but that would definitely be quite the sight to see! Remind me next time we are together to spike you and to record you while screaming NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE!! hahaha." A strange laugh blasts through the phones speakers in Luke's hand drawings a strange look from said man's face.
"Fuck off. Anyway, I'm off now. Maybe to see god or perhaps to become him! so I'll leave you to whatever gremlin shit you were doing before. See ya"
"Ina bit mate."
*beep beep*
The phone call was ended and the phone itself discarded, put onto a desk as Luke walks back over to his backpack, pulling out a little plastic bag containing a small sheet of of paper with little pictures of adventure time printed on. Acid tabs.
Taking them he walks over to sit down on his bed. Just taking a minute to let out a deep breath, clearing his mind of any negative thoughts that could sabotage his experience.
'It will be fine, Kevin said they are light dose… and that he does it all the time. Though he's a bit f*cking stupid to be fair, so that might be worrying after all.'
*pfft*
Luke seems light up a bit with a chuckle, under at the expense of his friend of course. He breaks off a few of the tabs and places them onto his tongue. He lets them dissolve while hiding away the plastic bag filled with the rest into a draw at his bed side. Laying down on the bed afterwards and adjusting himself to get comfortable.
"Let's hope I don't see that strange lamp when I wake up haha."
And with that joking last sentence, his eyes close as he lets his conscious drifts away, embracing them coming journey.
….
…
..
.
After a while Luke's mind starts to awaken once more, finding himself in a place that graces his mind with a perpetual confusion.
"What the fuu.. where the hell am I?"
Looking down he sees his body flying, or more accurately floating across a boundless pitch black sky, passing through Smokey clouds every once in a while, clouds that made his whole body shudder as he passed by.
Once more about to speak out loud just to express his confusion at the situation he has spawned into, he was interrupted by a molodious voice. The voivd of a women that seeminged to tickle a part of his brain in such a unfamiliar way, bringing about foreign feelings that he understands are not his own.
"Oh corvo… if only there was someone else I could trust to send, just so you could remain near, but there is no one else and the spy master was right in insisting that I should be sending you.
The plague has taken so many and we have to find a cure. When you are near.. my heart feels at peace. Emily and I will count the days till you return, hurry home and bring good news."
All of the sudden, the once black sky turns a bright blue. Replacing the void above with a bright sunlight shines, one that blares brightly into his eyes. The words of that voice echo continuously inside his mind causing further confusion that does not help at all. A voice both speaking to him yet not at the same time. Creating an identity paradox difficult for him to understand.
But before he had the time to ponder further Luke felt his body start to fall.
"Wooooooaaaaaahhhhhh HEEELPP—-…"
His embarrassing moment is shut down quickly though as he notices the fall he was experiencing is just a sped up version of the previous floating trip he was in, just at a faster pace and in another direction. This though direction… being straight down.
Passing swiftly through the clouds he spots a castle like structure off into the distance, aswell as a fleet of ships outside that seem fairly old but with modern accents to them.
Luke saw one smaller boat was being lowered into the sea was seemingly his destination of his fall, and he was quickly proven right when his body starts to descend directly over.. then into the body of one of the three men on board.
"Oh? What… thehell!"
Luke's voice turns static like, echoing like a ghosts as his body turns see through and colourless.
As soon as his body was phased all the way through the unknown man and he settles in, it felt as if something clicked. Both inside 'his body' and mind in a way that felt.. right. Quickly he could suddenly see out of the man's eyes and use his senses as if they were his very own.
'I can't move anymore?! Why am Inside this guy?… pause.'
"STEADY HANDS. YEAH THATS IT KEEP GOING."
The man to his left started shouting commands, directed to the people on the main ship responsible for getting the boat down into the ocean.
"CAST OF LINE"
"CASTING OFF… and we're away."
The man who on a closer look seems to be dressed in medieval like guard clothes walks over and speaks to the guy driving the boat in a commanding tone.
"Take us back to Dunwall tower, lord Corvo has new for the empress."
The two in guard attire continue talking about curses, black magic, plagues, as well as it being strange times in their location but Luke only tunes them out. Noticing he too is in a type of guard uniform as well, also that fact he can't move his body at all! Not an inch… Nor even a finger, neither a single twitch. He just stood there like a statue, not speaking at all either as if he going with the look.
Though from the outside if one was watching closely, what could be seen was the eyes of the body luke was inhabiting started transforming. Straight from a dark dull brown colour into a vibrant light hazel colour that glows briefly as if to celebrate dominance over the former colour.
'I feel like a bit of broken record here and it's pissing me off, but what the hell is going on! Why can't I move and more importantly what the hell is going on?!?!?'
He rightingfully starts getting agitated and panicked before a cold sensation washes over his mind, keeping him calm and putting his emotions in check to a point that he starts dissociating.
Right in time as the boat entered a room, doors shutting behind them with a mechanic hiss, then with it the waters rising up and carting them up to the top tower like a water elevator.
"- annnnd she's rising!"
Luke's mind was brought back into focous as the boat was about to reach the top.
After reaching the destination, a metal bridge desends onto the boat. Clearly for them to use to actually get off. As they were preparing to depart, the commanding officer from earlier appears in front of him and suddenly speaks ou in his direction.
"The empress will be waiting for your news, corvo."
At this point not expecting anything to happen Luke just stands the waiting, but to his surprise something strange happens.
The body that had been standing completely still right there this whole time standing so much like a statue he would have thought it was one if the other guards weren't talking to him occasionally, actually nods his head before swiftly exiting the boat.
'???'
Leaving no time for Luke to express his confusion, the body continues walking towards the bridge when a fansily dressed young lady who appeared to be 8-10 years old runs up to him.
"CORVO! Yours back!!"
A child shouts in excitement ok the bridge in front of him, rushing over to the statue man. And the body once again moves of its own accord, bending down and stretching his arms out. A gesture which the child promptly runs into, bringing the two into a hug with the emotion of what appears to be of a parent and child.
'Am I possessing someone? I can feel emotions in 'my' brain that I know are not mine pounding against my head, but I can separate them solely as infomation. Though that dosent mean I stop feeling them pressing into my mind relentlessly'
"Will you tell me about your trip? Pleeeaasee?! Were there any wales?"
The little girl continues talking with who Luke can only think of as her farther, but he once more tunes the voices out as he continues thinking deeply.
'This guy though.. I can't feel any thoughts or even another consciousness if that's even something I could feel, just echos of emotion and feelings'
The body continues speaking with the child in front of him eventually even accepts playing his and seek with her. After playing she quickly pulls him along by the hand and guides him past two men. One painting, the other being painted. The artist who briefly starts up a conversation with him, talking about him as well as speaking so much shit that his asshole was probably starting to get jealous. But he is promptly ignored by the both of them.
"That painting doesn't look like Campbell hahah! Let's go corvo, follow me!"
The little girl innocently expresses her opinion, brutally insulting both men, making the painter grimace and turn away before she pulled the body, which we definitely know now is named corvo, up the stairs.
'Corvo? Where have I heard that name before?'
After reaching the top of the stairs Luke's mind is comply brought back into focus when hearing a disgusting naslely voice that drilled unfortunately into his poor ears. as well as another, one which he had just listened to maybe 20 minutes back.
This time the women's voice seemed angry, as well as slightly distraught.
"We've gone past that your majesty, they're-"
"THEY are my citizens, and we will save them from the plague if we can. All of them!"
"…..very well."
The man lowers his head but Luke could see from this angle the angry frown cracking on his face.
"We will not speak of this again."
The two people turn around after hearing their footsteps. Turning to face him as well as the little girl, Emily, next to him.
The man, bald with a long pointy nose, with a face that just screams the words pompous and arrogance. That man is the 'spymaster' . Dispite having a extremely punchable face, he hold an important position.
The women next to that quickly forgotten guy has raven black locks flowing down from her head like the night sky, styled up neatly into a bun. Looking at her face gives Luke a serious migraine from the amount of emotions slamming into him. But objectively she is a very beautiful women with a regal sort of vibe to her, and with her being called your majesty… Luke suspects she is royalty of the sort.
"Mother, Corvo is back!" Emily vibrantly speaks out to her 'mother' who smiles beams directly at her.
'Oh? Guess she is this dudes wife or something?'
"Thank you Emily"
turns around to the bald spymaster the empress speaks in a commanding tone
"leave us, please."
"As you wish."
With a bow the spymaster walks out of the gazebo the building they were standing in and walks up to 'corvo' and speaks in a snobbish tone of voice.
"Corvo, two days earlier than intended it seems. Full of surprises, as usual."
In response corvo just nods his head in both an answer and a dismissal of the spy master, essentially just brushing him off while walking up to the empress.
Behind corvo's back the spymaster gives him a nasty glare. But soon, as if thinking of something funny he turns back around, a mocking grin stuck to his face and walks off, bringing all the guards with him.
"It's a fair wind that bring you back to me. What news have your brought home?"
The empress asks corvo, a light smile gracing her face in a way the intensifys Luke's headache.
Corvo brings a letter out from a pocket hidden inside his uniform coat, handing it over to the empress for her to read.
Opening the seal and reading the letter a frown soon creases the her face. Her mood turning more somber and dejected.
"I had hoped that one of the other cities had dealt with this before, maybe knew of its cure. The news…. It's very bad. We are at the breaking point."
She speaks while looking over the city in the distance, both in pity and part helplessness.
Walking over to the pillar supporting the gazebo she slams her delicate hand into it, hard enough to bruise her dainty hand.
"Cowards! They are going to blockage us. they'll wait and see if the plague turns the city into nothing but a graveyard."
The empress turns around and looks to corvo as she rubs her hands in pain, seeking corvos gaze in comfort.
Emily comes up to her with a troubled look on her face.
"Are you okay mother? You seem sad."
Looking down to the ground Emily shows childish worry and confusion at the situation they find themselves in.
Placing a hand over her daughters shoulder and rubbing it reassuringly the empress lets her know she is fine.
"Wait…where are the guards. Who sent them away?"
The empress expression darkens as a feeling of dread crawls up her spine.
"Mother look! What are they doing on the rooftop?"
"What?!? EMILY COME HERE!!"
She shouts out in desperation as a assassin materialised before her in the blink of an eye, her tone raising in fear.
Corvo steped forward as if his duty, swiftly drawing a sword and what seems to be a flint lock like pistol from its holster on his waist while getting ready forthr attack.
'Wait.. this is starting to get familiar.'
Corvo shoots the first assassin the appears. causing it to disappear instantly into a cloud of smoke. Another one appears soon after as if to replace the first, swiftly swinging a sword down at him, it is blocked and deflected in one smooth motion , staggering the opponent backwards setting corvo up to stab them in the throat.
'Steam punk like technology'
Another assassin appears behind corvo.
"Look out!!!" The empress shouts out in warning to corvo, letting the man know of the impending danger.
'Magic powered assassins'
Corvo ducked as a sword swung where his head used to be, shot his gun at his opponents arms to drop the sword then swung his sword upwards to split the assassins throat. The dying body also disappeared into nothing but smoke.
'Fuck….'
After everything is finished Emily rushes into corvo arms, seeking his comfort like the empress had minutes ago, the empress herself following soon after.
"Corvo, thank you. If you hadn't been here-"
but she is interrupted as another assassin appears behind corvo, acgreen swirling energy appears on their arms that telekineticly holds corvo in the air, trapping him with no escape.
"No, no more! Not again!"
Another assassin appears, this one has an even more dangerous energy about them, as if distorted and wrong. This one dressed in red coat with no gas mask covering his face like the others. He reaches out to grab Emily all the while corvo struggles to get out of the assassins grasp, only to continuously fail.
The empress pushes the red clad assassin away in defence of her daughter, he who quickly changes his target to the empress.
With a slap she is knocked away, into a stone railing of the gazebo.
"Corvo!"
She shouts his name in despair as the assassin grabs her by the throat then Pierced his blade straight through her abdomen.
"MOMMY!!!"
Emily attempts to escape but is quickly caught by the same assassin who has corvo trapped in his magic ability.
She struggles but it's all for naught as the assassin teleport away, Emily in hand, empress dead at their feet.
The red assassin leaves moments later after staring at corvos face with a recognised light in his eyes and blank look plastered on his face.
Corvo is dropped to the ground hitting his head in the process, but he quickly crawls his way to the empress body, despite his bleeding forehead covering his eyes in blood just to hold her rapidly cooling body that seems to be draining of life itself and getting covered In her blood to in the process.
"Corvo.. it's all coming apart. Find Emily. Protect her. You're the only one. You'll know what to do. Won't you?" She speaks in a quite volume,her voic fading with her final words with a breath that abruptly escapes her though becoming firmer when mentioning her daughter.
She brings her hands to his face wiping the blood from his cheeks and staring deeply into his eyes with a look of undying love.
"Corvo-…"
she mournfully whispers his name as her last breath fully leaves her, falling into the embrace of death as her eyes close, her body going limp in his arms.
'This is Dishonoured 1, isn't it?'
A legion of negative thoughts threaten to consume Lukes mind, smashing across his head and briefly stunning his consciousness in place.
He's brought out of it quickly though as corvos body moves, getting battle ready in the presence of multiple people suddenly surrounding him.
10 guards as well as the spy master appear with cambell at his side.
"Ward us all, look at what he's done."
Cambell states with a dramatic flair in his voice who's actings skills are as good as a chocolate teapot is usefull.
"Yes, he killed the Empress"
The spy master also helpfully adds as the guards hold him at both gun and sword point.
The two continue their fake dramatics to justify their actions, till they finally give the guards an order who eagerly follow it.
"I'll see you beheaded for this corvo! TAKE HIM!!"
And with that a blow hits corvos concussed head they are knocked unconscious instantly…..
—
Unknown to the unconscious Luke though is a floating holographic screen manifesting before his unconscious eyes.
-Congratulations on making it through the tutorial.
-As a reward for starting a new game, three abilities the character you have become, 'Corvo Attano' has acquired throughout his life will be gifted to you in its basic form.
-The skills are the following;
[Sword mastery(basic)- gives you a basic understanding of swords and the instincts for the usage of all its types. grants the ability to make you sword strikes faster and flow smoother.]
[Firearm mastery(basic)- gives you a basic understanding and the instinct for the usage of ranged weaponds. Grants theability to aim with better precision than the average man.]
[Stealth mastery(basic)- gives you basic understanding of stealth and instincts to use stealthy techniques. Grantss you the ability to be naturally light footed {will be impaired in noisey footwear}.]
-Good luck on your play through!!
...
Word count: 3,380
*EDITED*