Dominic Pericolo :: Purgatory

"Glad we finally have someone like you 'round here...a guy with real faith in his abilities, y'know?" called a man from the corner, arms crossed around his chest as he looked out at the melancholy bar before him. Dominic stared beside him, along with the driver, as they all watched the depressed looking men going about their drinking business before heading on back to a hopeless home.

"I'm just lookin' to find my way..." whispered Dominic, tipping his wide-brimmed hat to the side lightly, to get a better sight of what was before him. Men with bleak, utterly lifeless faces...their spirits and bodies alike broken, along with their will to move on. It was a wonder they were still stuck in purgatory and hadn't just been drug back below.

"Even still, it's appreciated." the black-haired man spoke, his eyes casting a glance towards Dominic, "I didn't push Galen out for nothin'...we all need help to keep the bandits at bay. That's why we called you, one of them is gonna be workin' with Galen to get the land back, and'll be lookin' to attack here to weaken us soon...we need someone like you to hold'm off."

"What's his name?"

"Durst." called the driver from before, causing Dominic to turn to him. The man now revealed as Castle let loose a chuckle, looking to the ceiling fan and watching as the blades spun their spiral formations, following a consistant pattern until someone decided to turn them off.

Dominic closed his eyes, recalling the name from a time before. He had done the same with Galen's name, but never could quite put his finger on where he'd recognized the names from. Perhaps a past altercation when he'd made it to purgatory for the first time? How long had he been walking through the deadlands? Days? Months? Perhaps years?

Lord knows how long he'd been going until the driver found him...

The driver's name was Chris, famous around purgatory for his fast intelligence and his defensive strategies against bandits. He knew what needed to be done, when it needed to be done, and he would do all he could to get it done, too. Dominic was much the same, except he was more reknowned simply for his determination and love for the land.

"I had to chase him off, too..." Castle muttered under his breath, "When I beat that bandit, Galen...had to make sure none of his cronies could come back an' fight. Looks like I didn't do a good enough job...the both of'm are ready for a fight, and Durst looks ready to jump the gun on us."

"Can you blame him?" spoke Chris, rolling his eyes, "Galen's been a prick to the guy, he's about ready to break free. Won't be long until he's a lone bandit holding his own. Hell, maybe he'll even become one of us, try an' help..."

"Don't count on it, Chris." Castle replied, "Durst will breakaway, but it'll be a long time before he decides to join us for the greater good. We all gotta work together to find salvation, those bastards just can't see it yet."

Dominic stood up straight, the talk was beginning to tire him and he simply wanted to continue and get his job done. They were stuck in purgatory and had to find their way to bring salvation, or damnation, upon themselves. Many had already fallen to the bleak deadlands that lay behind them...and some had finally managed to move on. To sacrifice themselves for the greater good was the only way to find prosperity in the lands, and the only way to find redemption.

And they were simply standing in a lifeless bar, chatting with one another about future days events.

"I wish to face him now," Dominic began, his eyes glancing through the dusty glass window loking to the dull outside world, "Where is Durst?"

A hand was placed on his shoulder, and Chris stepped up beside his friend with a raised eyebrow adorning his features.

"Dominic...you sure you're ready now? You just got here...maybe you should wait for Durst to come?"

"You don't wait for salvation, Chris...you hunt for it; and while Durst may not be my key to salvation...he's a step in the right direction."

Soon enough, Dominic planned to pull himself out of purgatory. Chris had already done so before, and merely returned to help others find the way as well. Castle, on the other hand, was well on his way after his own heroic efforts against Galen. The three of them were blessed souls waiting for their time to rise...and Dominic could only hope his own would come soon enough.

"I'll take you to him," spoke Castle, his voice dark with the malice he felt towards the bandits, "You just make sure...he'll think twice before trying to take the land back from me."