When The Kid had exited the carriage with a nod to the magician, rifle at the ready, he had not been quite ready to step into the most chaotic fight he had ever seen. Flashes of lights and strange beams of what must have been magic scythed through the enemy forces, and then the charging cavalry had arrived and collided. Getting to high ground, it felt like the soldier hadn't been able to get off more than a few shots before the battle had been over.
The Kid had deigned to watch quietly as the apparent King approached and spoke to one of the number. The sudden turning of a small number of the group to try and seize the deadly swords have the teenager bring his rifle up, ready to fight again. He had heard how crazy the one in the machine sounded, and he didn't trust her with the machine she had, let alone a weapon much more dangerous. When the situation defused slightly, he lowered the rifle, but did not put it away.
The Kid listened quietly at the arguing, thinking on the blades and their power. When one of the group, the odd-looking man in the armour, stepped forward to argue against their use; the young soldier stepped forward himself. He thought of his own people, and the Ura. And what his people did to them, and tried to do. "Let them try. If this is a chance to fix the tension between the two people, not trying to heal it will just make it worse."
The Mighty Pen
Kashira Lavellan
Kashira's respect for Claw increased by the moment. In her own dealings with unreasonable people, she had found it most effective to counter their arguments and appeal to what seemed to be important to them. But it was very refreshing to have someone who could also fling the obvious moral facts of the matter in D.Va's face. Perhaps one day we can trade off and I can say what I really think of some other unreasonable person.
King Aligel's request drew a formal bow from her in his direction.
"You have my word, at least, Majesty," she said firmly. "And I will do all in my power to see that the wielders understand as well." She had thought such a thing would naturally be included in whatever they did to ensure the balance of power and the restoration of magic, but one could hardly blame the king for wanting to make certain of it.
Then, she received her second major unwelcome surprise of the day as Theron of all people objected to the use of the Swords. But...I don't understand. The Hero was a friend to the mages. He's from the Dalish, his Keeper was a mage. Maybe he isn't who I thought? It could be he's simply confused. Seizing on that, she moved up to his side and spoke quietly.
"Ah, Theron, we aren't in Thedas anymore. I don't know if this world even has anything similar to the Fade, or spirits, or demons. And we have a local sage who can tell us of how to overcome the dangers of the Swords. It is a risk, yes, but a necessary one in order to help heal this world. If anything goes wrong, I have my own magic, as does this native mage. We can do this, if we're careful and steadfast."
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu
Vampire Hunter
Sabrina, Battlefield
Happy with the answer from the King, Sabrina turned when Theron objected to the use of the swords. "I think that if we are help this world in the quickest way possible, we need to use the swords as intended... Together."
"Besides, we know what the swords do... The King and his brother had used them," Sabrina added to shut down Theron's objections about using the swords to help this world. "It's not like the swords corrupted either of them... Both of them wanted what was best for their own people."
Wizard Needs Food Badly
Annoyed Mode: ON
Somewhere way at the back of the group of newcomers was a rather peculiar young girl. Her somewhat pale complexion and short white hair only made both her purple eyes and her mostly red attire stand out even more. However, the oddest part about her was not her hair, eye, or clothing color; that honor was specially reserved for the coffin she was kneeling next to. Her fingers ran through its lid back and forth while she pondered what she was hearing.
Naturally, she was worried. After all, if what she had heard was right, she would not be able to return until she had reached the top, which would leave David and Selma to search for her father's remains by themselves. And that was not good. But on the other hand, she was intrigued by what lied on top. If those treasures were as accurate as they were described, they would most definitely help her gather those remains far more easily. Specially from that impostor in white. However, there was something she had to ask before anything else. Something which, judging by what this Locksmith had said, she would most definitely need answered if they wanted to climb the Tower. So, after thinking thoroughly, she made her inquiry in the most complete and thorough way she could.
"How find keys?"
Emphasis on the word could.
Heavy - The Tower
The old man, dubbed the Locksmith, had satisfied the Slav's curiosity, for now. But still, this must be a lot to take in: a ruler had hand-picked these warriors and fighters from universes, and the only way out is to " gather the keys" and "climb the tower." Still, he felt as though this was a ploy by the wizard. But if that were the case, wouldn't he only choose all of the mercenaries, including Soldier, the one who evicted him from his home and turned it into a raccoon sanctuary?
Then, Heavy asked the Locksmith a question, "What are these gates?" Surely at this point, someone would address the proverbial elephants in the room and he would be the one to do so.
"I treasure every day with you, darling." "No need to be so sappy, love." "You know that's how she is, Nia." - AU!Pyra, Nia, Mythra
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
KOS-MOS, The Battlefield — Seen This Show Before
As he endorsed their divinity-aided intent to mend the difficulties of the native elvenkind, KOS-MOS gave The Kid a wide smile, tinged with something like glad congratulation at his understanding. All the same, she began to wonder just what the scruffy-looking child must have been through, to have gained perspective and wisdom on such matters at so young an age. She began to wonder so much, in fact, that she recorded a very literal note to self in her running electronic to-do list, lest she neglect to look into the question later.
As all the necessary demands — or more realistically, requests — of the king seemed to be wrapping up, the gynoid saw no particular reason to delay when the argument over temperament and long-range plans could easily be revisited at a later time, and most definitely would be, if the words of her companions were anything to go by. Still, it would have been callous to simply ignore their one true dissenter's concern. She fixed the Warden with a gaze that was steady, yet not unkind, and placed a sure, gentle hand on his shoulder. "I do not know your experiences, but I do understand why the idea of our using this power may make you anxious. It is true that immense energies may warp the bearer until she becomes more power than vessel, but these are no mere magical artifacts. They are sanctified repositories for the powers of deities, deities we have direct confirmation exist. Reimu and I know what we are doing. Please trust us, Theron."
With that, she maneuvered carefully around the elderly elf to stand next to the miko again, resting a hand on her respective blade's hilt and making precise note of the her counterpart's exact movements. I have no doubt the two of us together will be able to handle whatever degree of the twin gods' power we choose, as long as we draw from them equally, but there is likely nothing lost for following Myrdin's suggestion, either. Shall we proceed? I will follow whatever pace you set as closely as possible.
edited 8th Dec '16 9:37:23 PM by darksidevoid
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
So, this was a strange predicament. Usually it was Patches who willingly walked into the deathtraps to find treasure and marks, he hadn't been forced into it at any point. Really, this should be our dashing hero's forte, his bread and butter. The idea of making a trap-infested maze to test people's worth certainly wasn't a stranger either, he'd been around back when that one old fortress was still standing...Sven's Fortress, he thought? It's been literal ages, so he was fuzzy on that.
Still, it stood out that the man was offering immortality of all things as a reward. Hardly any folks want that, and nowadays just about everyone has it. It's like offering a pile of droppings as a reward for killing something grand.
The other bit of contention was the load of other people here all asking questions at the same time. The swarthy man with the scythe, the red-headed easterner, the girl with an odd accent, they all seemed normal, if fancily dressed. The rat and his lizard were like nothing he's seen, but the world's a big place. He's heard of men with the heads of lions before, not like they were so odd in comparison. The other two, however...
One was a giant in a human's skin, built like a wall and carrying something indescribable in his arms. It was a thing of metal, and with how the longer part lightly shook with his movements it was a machine of some kind, but its purpose was beyond him. The other was a girl, carrying some kind of strange club with a head like a flask's, and more importantly...she was rather immodestly dressed. He considered his own breeches to be tight fitting, this lass might as well have painted herself blue and white!
Well, those two aside, he had to consider the opportunity in front of him. This was obviously a trap set up by this man and his "Ruler" for no good reason, he's the absolute worst at trying to hide it. Really could use some tips from the old master himself, couldn't he?
That wasn't the point though, he could easily survive. The rest of these people, though, half of them dressed like eccentric nobles! Nobility means they're both filthy stinkin' rich and stupid! If there just happened to be someone who stuck at the back of this group, making sure to clean up after any unfortunate accidents that occur, he'd probably make a quick profit off of it, yeah?
Putting those thoughts together, he only could reach one conclusion: "Consider me willing and able, old man," he jovially said, smiling wide. "Nothing like a good climb to get these old bones back into shape after spending some time sitting around, aye? Still, I got one question. Why offer the Darksign as a prize? You're not exactly gonna entice people with the curse of being immortal."
The Tower
"Immortality is considered a blessing for many," the Locksmith answered Patches. "as it once was by me. Too many think too highly of the prize, and too little of the cost of immortality."
"And I am afraid the true identity of The Ruler is a mystery to me," he went on to answer Zasalamel. "While I have picked up fragments and clues over the years, there has been too little for me to neither confirm nor deny your question. At a later time, maybe I can tell you the little I know, but as I fear it would illumine little, this is not the time for that."
"Now, as for the rest of your questions, instead of answering piecemeal, I shall give you the full explanation of how the Tower works. On every floor of the Tower, there exists a door such as this one,” he reached out to touch the large stone door he was standing in front of “and a portal such as that one.” He pointed to the black and gold gates the Heavy had asked about. “Beyond those gates lies a different world, an unknown realm. In that strange world, you will need to recover the necessary keys to unlock this stone door. This will unlock the way forward, and allow you passage to the next floor. That is the only way to proceed within the Tower.”
On the stone door were the two identical indentations awaiting the twin blades. To the newcomers, they looked vaguely sword-like, or like elongated crosses with a very long upper point.
“The keys necessary can be anything. An enchanted object, a single pebble, or an advanced construct. It might even not be an object at all, but a song or particular word or something similarly intangible. It is my job to interpret the lock and tell you what you will be looking for, before you depart into the world past the black and gold gates to recover it."
"The worlds you will be travelling to, they are worlds that do not touch one another originally, but the Tower exists in the world between worlds and thus bridges the Multiverse so that you can travel from one world to another. You will see fantastical realms of magic and sorcery, worlds of science stretched to the breaking point filled with technological wonders, prehistoric savage worlds inhabited by naught but monsters, dark infernal hellscapes of death and fire as well as organized civilizations built over any number of years by any intelligent creature you might imagine. You will see much, and much that you didn't think was possible."
"The Ruler will test you with these worlds. How difficult the worlds are to traverse will vary, and sometimes the keys you are to recover are hard to get to. There will be dangers; monsters, natural disasters, politics...it will not be easy. So look after yourselves and one another. But these are but challenges, not impossibilities. There is no risk of you stepping into a world that will kill you immediately."
The Battlefield
Reimu nodded in response to everyone's support. Well, not that she was going to stop just because someone had a bad feeling. To her, the path onwards was clear and nothing could turn her. That was the kind of person she was.
...which might have been unfortunate, for had her eyes been sharper, she might have noticed King Aligels flinching at Sabrina's words and for a moment glance at Myrdin. Who, seemed almost unnaturally still, as he had been the entire time since Reimu and KOS-MOS had declared that they would draw the blades.
All of these details were lost on Reimu as she held the Sword of Darkness in front of her, where KOS-MOS could watch clearly, and carefully bared an inch of the blade.
The reaction came immediately. The powers of the God of Darkness within flowed out like water from a bursting dam, the shadows deepening and strangling every source of light in the area. For a moment, it was like Reimu and everyone close were swathed in a dark abyss, locked in personal coffins of earth and shadow, a moistness to the air causing involuntary shivers. It was enough to shock Reimu, who had seen the depths of Hell and stared down ferocious demons and gods alike. All was buried and humid darkness, and moments seemed to stretch on like years.
Thankfully, the moment lasted only until the Sword of Light was drawn, and the shine of its blinding light cut through the dark veil like a blade, and the shadows were swept as if burnt by fire. The world was light, impossibly bright light, a whiteness threatening to scour every other colour from the very fabric of existence, and Reimu had just enough time to wonder if not maybe the darkness had been preferable.
Finally, a balance was reached. The light had to relent, and while light and darkness fought for supremacy, the result was that an equilibrium was achieved, and the world returned to a state of colours and shadows as it had been previously. It was how Myrdin had said; the two swords had cancelled each other out, the opposites creating a middle ground that overflowed with natural magic.
Reimu allowed herself to breathe at last, before her breath caught again. While the war was a stalemate, the struggle continued. The divine remnants fought for every scrap they could grab. To Reimu, that meant she could feel every shadow, every patch of darkness, be it underneath the sole of a soldier's boot or the long shadows the ruined palisade cast in the light of the setting sun. And further, she could feel the deep darkness of caverns and reservoirs beneath the earth, the abysses of the sea west of them and the mysterious veiled patches of dark forests. In an attempt to not lose herself in pondering over these dark territories, she reached out for KOS-MOS across the spiritual link...
...to find that KOS-MOS was feeling a similar experience of the realms of light. The sun, oh, how it burned. She could but lose herself in that blaze of dying sunlight, and every reflection of its golden beams were as scalding hot water on freezing limbs; thawing but burning. The very air seemed suffused with light, an aether-like glow that made it feel like the brightest sun on the warmest summer day. But it was not simply the sun, though it burned with a glow like a bonfire in her heart. Every single source of light fed into her, every little lamp on D.Va's mech or the pale glow of the Paladins' bright white tabards. By the palisade, soldiers had lit torches as they prepared to take the dark knights into custody, and each and every one of those fires fed into a flame.
But between them, they had a perception of all. Every blade of grass, every grain of wood, every cell in the bodies of the surrounding elves. If Reimu or KOS-MOS dared to expand their consciousness outwards, they would be able to feel every inch of the land and its inhabitants with their minds. But the Climbers and all they had brought in were exempt from this scrutiny, save for the lights they spawned and shadows they cast, for they were not of this world. All this land was light and shadow, dark earth and shining aether, watery deeps and scorching flames.
That was the power they commanded, the power to dictate the very fabric of all existence in the world. Truly, this land was a product of the clash between light and darkness, as it had been forged in the opposition between the two extreme deities. Every molecule of the world was at their command, overriding whatever natural laws or mortal magic might try to interfere. Their existence and power was absolute.
Ever since the burning light had faded and the whiteness had passed, a stillness had settled around the two swordbearers as they fought to come into control of this terrifying power. An invisible barrier seemed to block the two women from their teammates, and the air was so suffused with magic that even to those without magical abilities would see it like shimmering mist or the haziness of scorched air. Reimu struggled to find the position from which she could command these powers, for they were so unlike what she had channeled in the past. Indeed, gods would struggle sometimes when she called, dissatisfied with the request or how she handled them. But this kind of primal fight for control was new to her. Finally, she found that she could reach out and manipulate the territories that the God of Darkness commanded, fleeting as though some of the border concepts were. Then she waited for KOS-MOS to come into control of her half before they moved on.
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!
Lizard Metabolism
Claw, Watching The Miracle
For a moment it was darker than the blackest night, then it was so white it felt like he had gone blind before the powers of the swords settled for an equilibrium. Yes. These were great powers at work and even someone with a basic understanding of magic like himself - or even someone with no such knowledge, he wagered - could tell that.
Something about Aligels' request irked him. In the end, it all began with that accursed immortality well, didn't it? Due to overpopulation caused by undying elvenfolk, the tensions grew as Letrael attempted to find a way to remedy it. One thing led to another and now the king of Dark Elves was dead.
...perhaps... He needed to explain his reasoning to Aligels. It was only fair. "I will have to be honest, Your Majesty: taking away the immortality of those that have it might just be the best solution. If we were to restore the well to its functionality, the overpopulation problem would become apparent again and you would have another war on your hands." Claw cleared his throat. "Of course, ideally those people - you included, I imagine - would then get to age peacefully and pass away from old age. I believe that, if Miss Hakurei and Miss KOS-MOS handle the matter with Mr. Myrdin's assistance, this might be the way to go about it in the end."
He was, of course, aware of his hypocrisy as an owner of an amulet that granted him the closest best thing to immortality. That being said, he fought tooth and claw for that artefact. For such a grueling quest it was a fitting reward. The elves that basked in the waters of Immortality were offered this boon on a silver platter.
He looked over at Theron who has expressed his worry about possible mishandling of the swords, no doubt based on experience. "Mr. Mahariel, was it? Have faith in the swordbearers." He nodded, arms folded on his chest. "It is as Mr. Kid and Miss KOS-MOS said and we have sworn to try and fix whatever can be fixed already."
How do lizards fly?
The Mighty Pen
Kashira Lavellan - World-Shaking
Kashira, being intent upon her conversation with Theron, also missed the expression that flickered briefly across the king's face. She did notice the mage, Myrrdin's stillness and silence, but then, it was not so unusual. Perhaps he was simply being patient while they concluded their arguing. Still, she did move to put her back to the Swordbearers, standing between them and the king, mage, and the remaining soldiers. To use the Swords would require the full concentration and resolve of their wielders and she would not allow that to be broken.
The effects were just as dramatic and immediate as before. First the shadows danced and deepened, but then, a burning light hurled them back. She grit her teeth as the Anchor flared again, not quite as strongly this time, with only a little of the Swords drawn, but still noticeably, the green light shining upon her hand, crackling gently. She managed to force her fist closed, cutting off most of the sight, but any observant sort would see the magic leaking through her fingers.
While she waited, a last thought struck her and she spoke again to the king.
"Before we go, Majesty," she said, "If there is anything you wish to tell us about the nature of the Lightwell, this world's balance of magic, and the conflict on how to remedy both matters, now is the time. We cannot be sure of carrying out your wishes without knowing everything and you needn't fear what you say will go any further than this place. Something is terribly wrong here, something that you and your brother were willing to cross blades over and water the realm with blood. We are, as you say, Outlanders, and if we are to heal this world's wounds, we must know the truth. Power means nothing if it is not used carefully and well. I know that better than most."
Although she made no comment, Claw's remark about the perils of immortality made her wince. I never even considered that. The Dalish were immortal once, so the stories say...if I can even believe them at all anymore. But it brought us no happiness or peace. Briala's words echoed in her mind. Who scrubbed the floors? Would I want to spend centuries scrubbing floors with my entire family, with no hope and no chance for change or reward? Are we better off for our mortality? She had no answers and even the questions frightened her more than she could put into words. Well, we can't decide anything until we know more. Perhaps the gods of this world have something to say.
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu
Tower - Lusamine
As those in the Tower went about their business, their asking of questions and their assorted mental processes, Lusamine spent her time pondering this current situation. This was not Ultra Space, and it lacked the signs of being the digital space where Pokémon were stored, nor was it any other universe, dimension, reality, or world that she had ever heard of before. Some of the others here seemed human, some seemed like species of Pokémon, and some were simply strange.One that stuck out from the rest, however, was a little girl. She couldn't have been much older than her own daughter; her age was most likely between twelve and fifteen depending on how much her lifestyle affected her growth. The poor little thing, though, she could barely even speak, simply forcing out a three-word sentence when trying to talk. This couldn't be, obviously Lusamine would have to make sure that the little darling knew there was someone around to be a source of warmth and love.
Yes, yes, there was the issue of this whole multiverse ordeal. But she had ears, did she not? She had eyes, a nose - a whole host of senses for observing the world. She could simply listen to whatever questions these others asked, possibly making fools of themselves in some cases, and do something else at the same time. She most certainly didn't wish to be caught up in some form of esoterically philosophical debate regarding the nature of immortality and the definition of a gift or a curse.
"Excuse me, my sweet," she said as she walked over to Chaika, leaning down a bit and putting her hands on her knees as she gazed at the girl. "My name is Lusamine, and I appear to have gotten lost. Would you mind terribly if I stood here near you?"
Battlefield - D.Va
"K." D.Va said. "I'm sure everything's going to go exactly right. It's hard to fail the tutorial mission."
Did you know this section has a character limit?
Battlefield
While their minds were expanded to the surrounding area, Reimu and KOS-MOS might notice something strange.
There was a crow perched on a nearby corpse.
Now, this in itself was not notable. Many enterprising carrion had descended upon the scene of death, and began feasting on the bounty they had been given. No, what was unusual was that the crow was exempt from their scrutiny.
The crow was a Climber.
You see, while he'd been having a drink back in Port Ismenia, a thought had come to Qrow. His enemies had altered his view of reality before. They'd altered his nieces' view of reality. Could this entire thing be a construct of an enemy semblance?
So, he'd done the smart thing: a constructed reality would center on him. It would try and draw him in to participating in it. So if he sat off to the sidelines for a while, he'd be able to tell if this was truly reality or not.
It was looking like it was.
The crow hopped off of it's morbid perch and towards the other Climbers, seeking to be wrapped up in whatever teleport spell they were casting.
sess10n status: l0st
The Tower
Iria weighed the words of the conversation happening before her.
All anger she might have had a moment ago disappeared as she paused to think. Not all of it made sense, of course, none of it made much sense, but Iria considered the latest development: a challenge presented to her, even if she was to participate under someone else's will. She grinned, thinking to herself. Zeiram had been its own set of troubles, but she had bested that, had she not? The hunter's talisman she wore proved that she could handle herself, and she had done admirably so far.
This situation might not have been her first option (that being a good contract that wouldn't have anything to do with any potential xenomorphic contact) but she couldn't help herself. She was a hunter, damn it all, and this provided a perfectly reasonable opportunity.
"Damn, you've got me interested." She said to the Locksmith.
Flicking the hair beads she wore, she smiled as she looked at him.
"What is my target?"
[forum cryptid: it/it's]
The Battlefield
It was clear that while the Climbers were given much leeway, some things were too touchy to be discussed in public. King Aligels looked conflicted and his advisors nervous as he considered Claw and Kashira's words. The soldiers around him also looked tense, but if it was because of the topic of conversation or the magic being worked by the two swordbearers it was hard to say. There was clearly something he wanted to say, but after glancing around him, his response was brief.
"Do what you can for my people, for all elvenkind," he said finally, and made an effort to keep his voice and manner calm. However, it was obvious that he was not very comfortable talking about the subject. "As for your questions, ask Archmage Myrdin. He knows much about this, more than anyone I would say, and he would be better at explaining it as well."
While the praise seemed genuine, it was delivered with a grimace and King Aligels glared daggers at the magician before he could get it under control.
The Tower
"Your first set of keys is a pair of blades," the Locksmith explained, gesturing to the two sword-shaped indentations. "Proud double-edged longswords, with ornate hilts and slender blades. Forged by magic, and powerfully enchanted. No doubt legendary in their world, and found in the hands of persons of power. The swords are identical twins in shape and form, albeit not in power."
"You must retrieve both blades, and no replicas will work. The lock will only accept these two blades, and once they are set in the lock, there will be no removing them."
edited 12th Dec '16 3:30:42 AM by Lemurian
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!
Annoyed Mode: ON
"Hmm?"
Chaika was mildly perplexed by the woman that had approached her. She didn't look all that old, but she was still quite tall and well dressed, and her hair was very neatly cut. She also looked quite slim, so she was probably not a particularly strong fighter. In fact, she looked like a relatively harmless wealthy lady.
No one else in the room looked like a relatively harmless anything.
"Allowed," she determined with a nod, sitting down next to her coffin. "But no lost. Stuck."
With that said, she opened the lid only slightly and took a quick peek inside. The keen observer would notice that there was a faint glow coming from inside. Upon checking its contents, she quickly closed the lid again and rested her arm on top of it.
"Everything inside," she muttered lowly. "Good. Easier."
Mancunian Candidate
Dio Brando: The Gay Agenda
To myself, a headnote, for I have been struck with a sense of keen and retrospective epiphany: I simply was not afraid.
Mechanically, this is simple. In emotional terms, the moment had already been rehearsed, and rehearsed quite exhaustively. I possessed a proper and comprehensive context for everything that was to follow, and thus all uncertainty was banished before the moment of its arrival. The motions I went through - intellectual, physical, and emotional - were nothing more than base formality. Dull as it may be, the second grand celestial game began with neither greatness nor significance.
Philosophically, this is quite thrilling; I have grown.
There is no doubt.
Gone was my silken coffin - this seems a persistent first symptom, and might by now be considered a young tradition. I awoke on a hard-stone floor, smooth and cool against my cheek. In the split-second fog of recent wakefulness, my first half-conscious thought was that it seemed uncommonly pristine, that the breeze of shoddy stonework had been made conspicuous by its absence.
I shot to my feet in an arrested halfways-panic. As is the second young tradition, the first certainty of my mind was that this was the work of an enemy Stand, though no such enemies remain living, but this dread dissolved at the moment my eyes met passing familiarity. A circular room, well-lit but utterly featureless, its stonework so regular and meticulous as to fade into a single seamless piece. Across from me a portal barred with ornate gates, whose gold-and-black extravagance set them apart from the surrounding stonework, and to my right a plain stone door which seemed designed to sink into it without distinction. At the centre a wizened old man in faded robe, speaking in the effortless condescension of the compassionate underling.
More damningly my company, I suppose, perhaps, my comrades; here an ornate blackamoor, there a noble ferret-savage, by the portal a wild-haired warrior-woman from an uncouth timeline, a simpering white-haired girl-child and her loyal eyebrows, so on and so forth. Representatives of strange species and stranger cultures from every nook of queer possibility, ubiquitous only in their lack of uniformity. If I seem at all blasé, it is only by the cynicism of exposure.
They clamoured for explanation, and after this for clarification, but by then I knew, and did so intuitively. The tower and its otherworldly doors, the god at its helm, and the legion of unwilling servitors. I had trod this ground before.
I crossed my arms and listened with half an ear, taking note of the variances in the terms of my capture, and set to a moment of quiet brooding. Tatu's game had been one of conquest and bloody war, but the character of this charade was different, a test of skill and cunning. A thing with an eventual culmination. This was intriguing; the game of war was one without release nor true reward, save that which reflected on our captor's self-conception, wherein the only proper motivations were the threat of disintegration and a certain expected blood-lust - here, the game led from the front. Rather than a tiger to eat the slowest runner, a pot of gold to energise the fastest.
I found it mildly troubling.
I speak of the character of the charade because this was what concerned me - even if our reward were to manifest beyond abstraction, almost certainly an offer of petty godhood or mortal riches, perhaps even that grandest trap of the self-determined boon, there was nothing I had not already taken, nor could not take in the future. No, it was the methodology. There was a test of character implicit in the very premise, and by necessity, such a test required no subject present possessed the power sufficient to escape their hardship.
By way of experiment, without moving, I attempted to summon my Stand; nothing happened. Not an echo, not a whisper, not the faintest outline. The power had left me in its entirety.
A jolt of cold fury shot through me, but I dismissed it with a simple rationale; if I had been weakened, it was so as not to remain an outlier. Our hardships were to register a degree below fatality, as is the soul's only effective metric, but able to be overcome - on this our kindly veteran inmate, self proclaimed 'the Locksmith', had been emphatic. My body did not feel weakened. My mind did not feel dulled. This was no execution, and there was no immediate threat. I had done more with with less.
In short; fine.
"If we're to retrieve your swords," I said - these were the first grand and cosmological 'keys' were were to gift our Locksmith, and already the farce was gifting me a shameless glee - "then I will need a cloak. The sun does not agree with me, you understand. I would have brought my own, but I'm afraid you've put me at an inconvenience."
I wandered closer, placing my hands upon my hips, and looked the old man carefully up and down; he made a sorry jailer, all things considered. Where Tatu had been a sculpted Adonis of a creature, white-haired and ebon-skinned, a smile on his lips and a vicious spark behind his eyes, this was tired and haggard display. As is the custom of the elderly, his bottom lip retreated from his mouth whenever he spoke, a glimpse of purple gums and weathered stumps like toothpicks bursting from luscious grape.
"Yours should fit."
edited 12th Dec '16 8:33:48 PM by OG-Sama
The exposition had been given and the various other people had asked all that were needed to be said, something the hybridized youkai-human was thankful for. Much as he liked gathering information, he didn't really enjoy talking for too long a swathe of time. With a slight and polite smile to the others, Kurama gave an airy wave to the others while padding his way towards the gate in question. "A fetch quest for our first mission... how quaint... I cannot say it is unexpected though."
Comparing the task to the tone of the human made video games sampled in the past (oh how those short-lived hairless apes could weave such amazing tales), the buried bandit deep within emerged once more. Magical items of great power, unique and one-of-a-kind... Definitely the ideal targets for one such as him. "I must admit, this is greatly appealing..." Oh dear, these fingers of his were getting twitchy once again... And with that, the outwardly calm and inwardly excited teen went through the portal with expectations on what was to come.
edited 14th Dec '16 6:50:49 PM by Makaioh
Glory to Arachnos
So we'll have to get some swords, huh? Well. They're now my property now. I don't know how swords are somehow able to be keys, but hey who am I to complain? I just need them and boom, I'll get my territory and tacos in no time. After all, I wouldn't be called a Forward Sergeant Legionary Admiral Commander if I didn't gained my rewards for just standing around doing nothing. I turn to face Skaarl, giving a toothy grin to him. "You ready, Skaarl? This day is going to require some mindblowing weirdness!"
"Greefrglarg.." It squeaks to me. I'll take that as a yes that she's ready. The red haired human went through kind of swirly thing and disappeared, so unless this is the mushroom juice doing things to me, surely this mysterious thing will take us to my property. Well, only city folks need a plan after all, time to move to my territory now!
"Time to go Skaarl! ONNNWARDDD!" I yelled as I pointed my axe to the portal while Skaarl marched to the portal while I rid on it's back.
Tacos, here we come!
-Spider Lizard Noises-
Nitori and Toph - Back to the Tower
"I guess we got off easy this time," the kappa said after a while.
"Uhuh?" Toph replied, feigning interest. She was a bit occupied at the moment, trying to detect what Nitori was doing. The kappa had elected to hop into the stream a while ago, and trying to follow her movements through the vibrations in the ground was much harder now. Which was good, because she didn't have to focus on the whining. It wouldn't be too long until they returned to the tower, if memory served. They were basically just retracing the route from Port Ismenia.
"Yeah. Last time, you got killed by some sorcerer, I think? And then I had to wade through a sewer."
She could imagine her grimacing, which Toph couldn't help but smile at. That did remind her of something though. Her memories of some of the events were a bit fuzzy, the ones she only knew from retellings especially.
"How is Sam, actually? You escaped with him back then, right?"
"Hmm? Yeah, I guess," came the reply. "He's fine. Helps out a bit when we set up the bazaars. Why are you asking?"
Looked like Nitori didn't know then.
"Nothing Creaky, let's just keep moving."
edited 14th Dec '16 11:36:22 PM by joergenjetsam
Conception is sin Birth is pain Life is toil Death is inevitable
sess10n status: l0st
The Tower
"A pair of blades? I'll have them for you." Iria replied.
She steeled herself and stepped through the portal.
god that's a shitpost if i ever saw it but i swear the next one will be better.
[forum cryptid: it/it's]
Tower - Lusamine
Lusamine would have guessed that the young girl was some sort of bumpkin from Johto, a simpleton from the outskirts of Goldenrod City; she perished the thought when she realized the girl was capable of stringing together at least two sentences. Definitely not from Johto. Perishing the thought, she realized that the girl was probably a battle girl from Hoenn or some such place. "Oh my," she said, noticing the girl sitting down. This place was positively dreary, it wouldn't do to debase oneself even further by sitting on the ground. "It simply cannot do to sit on the floor. I believe something can be arranged that is far more comfortable.""Milotic, if you would be so kind..." she said to no one in particular, or so it would appear.
She pulled a pink ball
◊ from her belt and gracefully threw it at the ground in front of her. A large serpentine creature
◊ emerged from it; the animal almost seeming unnaturally beautiful despite being over six meters long, and as fluid as water itself as it hovered a few scant feet off of the ground. It slid up to Lusamine and slithered against her for a moment as it ducked its head down for a moment and then brought itself back up, the woman now sitting on top of it as one might a horse.
"Coming, darling?" she said to Chaika, patting a spot on her Pokémon's back next to her.
The Tower
"Before you leave," the Locksmith called out to the Climbers before they left. "I should tell you that a large party of Climbers like yourselves arrived earlier and started upon the quest of the two swords. I do not know how much time has passed since then, because time flows not the same way outside and inside the Tower always, but I know it was morning outside when they departed and the sun is setting now. But I recommend trying to locate them, as they have been hunting the swords for at least some time now."
With that said, the Locksmith watched the new Climbers walk through the portal into the new world. Then he was approached by the towering Adonis that was Dio Brando. To say that he was unimpressed by the presence of the vampire would be lying, but he nevertheless did not appear stunned or shocked by his demands.
"I am afraid I am only here to provide what my knowledge can gleam from these doors and portals, Climber," he said, and if it was meant sarcastically, it was well hidden from his voice. "It is neither my purpose nor my wish to be the one to furnish you with equipment and clothing. But whatever item you procure from the worlds outside is yours to keep if you can take it into the Tower, though Keys will be lost in the unlocking. Or you can bring a merchant or a tailor here if you wish to have clothes at your disposal. Furthermore, I do not think any harm will befall you; the sun has set on the world outside and you'll be safe from its rays."
World of the Two Swords - Spring Forest
Those who passed through the portal were enveloped by the white mists, whisked away and landed quite comfortably on their feet on soft green grass. The Climbers found themselves in a beautiful forest, in a riverside clearing, where they might soon run into Toph and Nitori. The sun had indeed set, and the forest was covered in twilight. Nighttime would follow soon. There was naught but leafclad forest all around, save for a simple winding path that made its way through the trees. Of sounds, there were none but the buzzing of insects and rustling of woodland creatures, and only those with particularly heightened senses might catch a faint whiff of smoke or the sounds of the other two Climbers approaching.
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!The Heavy - The Tower
The Russian giant had looked at the group before him, at least, the ones who haven't left already. Then, he walked to the portal without saying another word. He was confident that they will follow him into the portal.
Then, he was greeted to a forest in the mist, the air cooling and the sun setting. There was a path leading to somewhere out of the forest. He began to walk down the path, keeping watch for anything or anyone suspicious.
"I treasure every day with you, darling." "No need to be so sappy, love." "You know that's how she is, Nia." - AU!Pyra, Nia, Mythra
It didn't appear as if any of the present assembly, not least the Locksmith, had a choice in this matter. For the moment at least, playing along with these asinine tasks seemed to be the only way forward for any of them. Xardas considered the prospect of the prize being offered to them, like a lure hung in front of a fish. He didn't doubt that the prospect was too good to be true, whatever his captors might promise. Power like that could only come at a price.
It warranted investigation, as did the true nature of the tower's mysterious lord. It was likely that some among his new companions also had a lack of trust in their endeavor. But pursuing his suspicions would have to come later, since he suspected the summit of this journey was still a long way off. The necromancer shook his head and put his misgivings to the back of his mind, focusing on the task at hand.
"Hmm. Very well, I'll search for these keys."
With luck he could get a chance to examine the two blades before they were brought to the tower. The more he could learn about the nature of the towers magic, the better.
After taking in the twilight forest Xardas moved down the path, to all appearances calm and at ease in their new surroundings. Inwardly however he was alert and watchful, and as such his ears caught the sound of footsteps quickly. He called softly to the others who had stepped through the portal.
"Someone approaches. Be on your guard, all of you."
Theron — the battlefield
Theron would've involved himself in Claw's conversation with D.va, but the talk of using the Swords caught his attention. At first he didn't say anything. Surely, he thought, they're not stupid enough to use magical artefacts they know nothing of?
The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the groundBut it seemed that, yes, the blue-haired woman and Reimu were actually planning on going ahead. Giving D.va an incredulous look along the way, Theron interposed himself between Reimu and KOS-MOS. "No." He raised his hands. "Do not use the swords," he said. "Can you not see that this is madness? Using unknown and obviously powerful magical artefacts? Please, I beg you." He looked from Reimu to KOS-MOS, a pained expression momentarily replacing his usual stern one. "I've put down enough Abominations for a lifetime."