Barabbas Unchained

Barabbas 

Barabbas the Sarglagon stood unbelieving- freed from his prison, staring into the eyes of his most hated enemy- the Silver Paladin. 

Through the ages the devils of hell could not corrupt him or could confirm if the Silver Paladin was just one ageless man, a mantle that was passed down through the generations or something else. Incorruptible, he attracted several apprentices all wielding identifying silver long swords and hunters of devil kind. 

Barabbas tried to piece together what was going on as the Paladin stood there still as a statue, his hand resting comfortably at his sides looking across his bow and at the city that broke the horizon. There was no sea breeze. 

                                                             

From the lower deck two more confused Devils gathered by Barabbas. Dysmas and Gestas, Magaav devils with twisted horns upon a monstrous skulls; noxious fumes leak from between their yellowed fangs; they hovered with impossible control, each of their vicious foot talons clenched and unclenched as they looked hatefully and quizzically at Barabbas.

“His last words to me before he imprisoned me,” Barabbas croaked, he had a watery voice. “Was ‘I will not kill you devil, but take you to where one may utter your vile truename and end your existence- erase your place in the multiverse.’” His words had an effect like a sermon to the faithful. 

The Silver Paladin liked to travel in style. 

The three devils gathered around the Silver Paladin who stood motionless like the rest of the crew and even the ocean waters around them- it was like they were frozen in time. 

Barabbas could not recon that the paladin's statement was the one time in his existence that he felt the slightest tremor of… trepidation. This uncomprehending unease enraged him to his core- what was going on here?

Dysmas, “I know that place- that is Stormhaven.”

In the distance they could see Stormhaven like a still-life paining, silent with out a frame, and larger than life.

Gestas, “Many times have I come here to collect on infernal contracts.”

“Yes,” Barabbas agreed. “Yon city is also home to the Knights of the Wave who have fought me at every turn as guardian of Hell’s waterways- they must have some truename magic.”

 

Barabbas looked to Gestas and Dysmas, “are there others below deck?”

Gestas, “Yes but they are too ignorant to escape, we will have to free them.”

“Then go and free them!” Barabbas croaked in his watery voice. When he said this the Sarglagon Barabbas slammed his muscular arm into the Silver Paladin for emphasis knocking the helpless warrior down onto the exquisite deck. “Free them and tell them they may begin feasting on this one, and then we will draw contracts out on the Knights of the Wave and I will own the oceans of this plain.”