D.Va Stables -> Sky
"kthxbai," D.Va replied to Kashira, activating her mech's boosters and flying off towards the place where the others were. Or more accurately, in the direction of where Gaige was because she was the only one really talking on the pseudo-internet they had so she seemed like the best bet.Into The Carriage
Claw entered the last out of the three (four, if to count Espeon as well) Climbers. There was little time to wonder about the intricacies of the carriage and if it could carry them to their destination, all was good.
They weren't starting right away however, for some reason. "Why the holdup, Mr. Myrdin?" He addressed the magician, not spotting The Kid himself.
Sabrina, Horseless Carriage
On the journey to the Horseless Carriage, Sabrina had ended up recalling Espeon back into his Pokeball. When Myrdin hesitated from entering the carriage, Sabrina looked over at Claw.
"I believe one of our allies may be joining us momentarily," Sabrina said to Claw.
Wizard Needs Food BadlyThe Kid's walk back through the city was far less enjoyable the next time around. The directions he had been given had taken him off the busy streets full of people, and into the darkened side-streets that reminded him a lot of the Workmen Ward. He was half-expecting a Scumbag or Gasfella to come wandering out of one of the streets.
But it was the silence that bothered him the most. After being surrounded by so many living, breathing people again, going back to the solitude and quiet was harder than he had expected.
He moved quickly, focusing on his destination to fight off that small part of him that was waiting for the ground to crack and fall away. Soon, he found himself approaching what he assumed was the house of the magician. He noted the strange carriage sitting outside the front of it, and watched as what looked like familiar figures from this distance entered it. Then one of the figures, one wearing strange purple robes, stopped to look his way. Yet, as he got closer he noticed that the figure seemed to have a white cloth covering their eyes.
He wasn't sure how to feel about that. He could feel a gaze on him, and knew the magician could see him, regardless of his covered eyes. It was unsettling. Still, he had come for a reason and it seemed a more important one had come up as well. "Are you the magician, Myrdin?"
Carriage
Claw raised an eyebrow and peered outside the carriage. Indeed, the figure with white hair over there seemed to be one of fellow Climbers.
With an annoyed grunt he poked his head out to shout over to The Kid. "Questions can wait, governor! Into the carriage you go, no dilly-dallying like a Spaniard!" He barked an order, hoping that The Kid would not waste time asking further questions.
Theron — Port Ismenia — stable
With a sigh, Theron mounted the mare. “Let us ride,” he told Kashira, “for I doubt the King will wait for us.”
With that he led the mare out of the stable, then turned her around to wait for his companion.
Gaige hopped odd of Deathtrap as he vanished, his time limit running out. She then turned around, swaping to her assult rifle as the horsemen apptoched.
"Have a nice trop, boys!
She then aimed for the most vurnable part of a horse, the legs, paticularly the legs of the lead horses, and fired, the aim being to get them to fall over and make the guys behind them trip over them in turn and fall over in a cascade effect.
edited 5th Nov '16 1:28:29 PM by Meanken
Dark Elf Checkpoint
The black riders charged in, heavy cavalry covered from head to toe in ebon armour leading the charge followed by lighter shock troops who sought easy pickings where the front soldiers had run roughshod over the opposition. Stabbing with lances and spears, the riders charged fearlessly at the Climbers remaining at the scene.
However, the horse's armour was entirely useless in the face of gunfire, a wholly unfamiliar form of weaponry in this world. Gaige's bullets mowed down a whole platoon of horsemen, and it had the intended follow-up effect. Taken by surprise by this sudden attack, nearly a dozen horsemen found themself tripping over their allies before finally people starting getting wise over the development and managed to charge around the mound of downed mounts and riders.
Quite a few were forced to ride straight into the whirling blades that surrounded Toph's shelter, and horses and elves alike fell to the ground screaming half in pain and half in shocked surprise. Her miniature barbed fortress did however earn her the attention of King Letrael. Raising the Sword of Darkness to the sky, he slashed the air diagonally, the blade leaving a shadowy residue where it passed. Some distance away, a great chunk of the nearby hillside was blown clear off its foundation, and the massive fragments of rock and stone were sent hurtling straight towards the earthern dome.
Port Ismenia - Outside Magician's Building
"I am he," Myrdin replied to The Kid's query. "And if I am not mistaken, you are part of the outlanders that recently arrived in Port Ismenia. I am happy to make your acquiantance."
"Master Claw has the right of it," Myrdin went on. "This world is in great danger, for the Blade of Darkness has been unsheathed. Already I am sure you have seen the consequences as the dark god touches upon this world. We must make haste to where the Swords of Light and Darkness will clash, for it is my belief that your presence there is this world's only hope. Please, outlander, I beg of you to come with us."
Port Ismenia - White Sword Inn Stables
"Yours is Wildfire," the elven soldier answered Kashira's query. "It ran all the way through a large grassfire and kept its rider alive to get help with the conflagration. The other one is Mistwalker, because it can find its way in thick fog as surely as if it was in a sunny meadow. Now make haste, friends! The riders will be assembling by the South Gate!"
Port Ismenia - The skies above
Reimu saw D.Va take off, and slowed down a little to allow the other girl to catch up. The red-white shrine maiden could feel the powers of the divine darkness ahead, and it would take a while to get there.
"So," she said to make conversation as they flew. "You got any experience in fighting dark gods?"
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!"I am." The Kid replied, nodding in acknowledgement of the magician's greeting. As the man explained the situation, hidden behind his scarf the teenager frowned. So these swords were more dangerous than he had expected, which sounded insane, but then it wasn't too long ago that Kid would have said the same thing about The Calamity. If this Sword of Darkness was a possible threat to this world and these people, he wasn't going to stand by and let it happen. To have the chance to stop what happened to his people happening possibly happening to this world? It wasn't even a question.
"I will help." The Kid quickly made his way towards the carriage, and moved inside. It was a little awkward with all his gear, and he had to remove his shield and rifle from his back, but he was quickly seated. He nodded in greeting to the others, their faces familiar.
Checkpoint
-A frown passes over Toph's face as she feels the thudding bodies and hears their screams. These don't seem to enjoy pain, unlike the last dark elders. Further consideration is interrupted as she feels huge blocks of earth flying towards her. The shrapnel falls to the ground in a wide ring as she seeks to snatch the boulders and bring them in wide orbit around her shell.-
Sabrina, Horseless Carriage Ride
"Don't worry..." Sabrina told the Kid when he entered the carriage under Myrdin's and Claw's urging, hopefully easing the Kid's worries. "Myrdin has sent his servant to arrange horses for our allies so they can follow us quickly."
Wizard Needs Food BadlyKashira Lavellan - Port Ismenia - White Sword Inn
Kashira nodded once to the groom, gently patted the horse's neck, then nudged him in the ribs and clicked her tongue to get him walking forward, moving up alongside Theron.
"We're to head for the south gate," she said to him, "And if I"m not mistaken, that's the one we came in by, so at least we know the way. As you say, let's ride."
And with that, she flicked the reins and booted Wildfire into a fast trot, rising into a steady canter down the streets of Port Ismenia, yelling for anyone not already off the streets to clear the way.
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao TzuGaige could not help but gush as a hill blew up from the effect of the sword, seemingly obvious to the danger she was now in.
"Dude, that was so cool, that's tots going in my screenshots later! Oh, this is going to be epic! They're gonna write tavern songs about us!"
As she said this, Gaige hurled a grenade at the king, set with an "Explode on contact" mod, before turning back to the housemen and trying her best to continue to shoot out their legs, switching to her SMG as her assult rifle ran dry to keep up the fire.
Dark Elf Checkpoint - Boss Battle
As Toph reached out with her earthbending to wrest controls of the rocks, she would soon find herself locked in a struggle with whatever dark power was manipulating the boulders towards her. The boulders stopped in the air as the two earth-manipulating forces clashed, neither side relenting an inch. This manoeuvre clearly took the king by surprise, who was not expecting his large-scale magic to be so effectively halted. Grunting with effort, he poured his own magic into the sword to spur the powers of the God of Darkness, and Toph could slowly feel her control of the boulders slipping...
...however, this left the king entirely unprepared for the grenade. The explosive detonated effectively on the surface of his protective barrier, and the magic shield took the full brunt of the explosion and shattered. King Letrael, his defences down, looked around wildly for his assailant, and in the process he lost control of the boulders. Toph was now free to control them as she pleased, and they settled into an orbit around her mobile fortress that knocked down a few more horsemen before they wised up and gave it a wide berth.
While Gaige's assault had been greatly successful, her defensive efforts were soon coming out short. The medium and low calibre gunfire still ripped through the horse armour of the knights in front of her without problems, but riders were now flanking her on both sides aiming to skewer her with their iron-tipped lances.
Port Ismenia - Magician's Carriage
"Well then, we are off!"
Climbing into the enclosed driver's seat, Myrdin activated the horseless carriage with a few arcane phrases. The hum of magic increased, almost like the purring of an engine, and then they were off, driving fast through the streets of Port Ismenia with the blindfolded magician as their driver.
Port Ismenia - White Sword Inn -> South Gate
In truth, the Climbers had arrived through the East Gate, but thankfully Kashira realized that this would lead them in the wrong direction when they reached the grand plaza in the middle of town and they could see the sun low in the western sky. Soon they were well on their way south through the empty streets of Port Ismenia. Even the busy high street that ran from north to south was nearly void of people, as most had sought the safety of their homes in hopes of escaping the unnatural darkness that had manifested with the touch of the God of Darkness upon the world.
As they approached the South Gates, the guards did nothing to block their exit, having been informed that King Aligels was summoning all his knights to do battle against King Letrael and the Sword of Darkness. And outside the city gates, rows upon rows of knights in white and gold armour were preparing to sortie. The King himself stood with his officers before the paladins of Light, somehow managing to appear beautiful despite the grim expression on his face.
Port Ismenia - Magician's Carriage -> South Gate
Moments later, Myrdin's carriage also arrived at the South Gate. While the guards initially moved to block the carriage's passage, but stopped when they saw the crest on the side. Once outside the city walls, the Climbers would be able to see through the windows of the carriage the rows upon rows of knights in preparing for battle against King Letrael and possibly recognize the two elven Climbers in their party. Myrdin spared the knights and the king leading them only a glance as he spurred the carriage to greater speeds, rushing them south along the coast road.
"Soon the Swords of Light and Darkness will clash," the magician said, though from the tone of his voice it was unclear whether he was speaking to his passengers in the back or merely talking to himself. "Such a battle between the primordial forces of this world has never been seen since existence was new."
The Skies Above
Meanwhile, at a comfortable distance above the coastal road, Reimu and D.Va were making fast progress south and were soon leaving the city boundaries en route to the battlefield.
"Giant robot water monsters, you say?" Reimu said. "I've met any of those individually, even a few combinations of two, but never all in one thing. So is your mecha magical or purely technological in nature?"
Reimu did know what a mecha was (no one spent long around Sanae or the kappa without becoming more knowledgeable on the subject than they ever wished to be), but more than a few things about the fighting machines still mystified her. How good were they really at spell card duels, for example?
edited 12th Nov '16 3:04:40 PM by Lemurian
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!Checkpoint
-As Toph is struggling to maintain the boulders in the air, the pressure suddenly relents, the rocks swooping into a few soldiers and around her.-
Think you can... beat the... greatest earthbender?
-One of the floating rocks shudders and shakes, dust and shards falling from it as Toph remodels the rock into a grim visage: a perfect replica of her head. The giant stone head turns on itself, glaring sightlessly at the surviving army before Toph catapults it facefirst towards the sender.-
-The soldiers appearing to have gotten the message, Toph brings all the metal shards around her in a spiked suit of armor before leaving her dome and the mages. Hands behind her back, the boulder orbiting her like an overprotective moon, she slides the earth beneath her feet towards the source of the disturbance.-
Excuse Me While I Defy Destiny
"Yes, I don't think I like the sound of that, Mr. Myrdin." Claw shook his head, glancing over at the radiant army gathering to do grand battle with forces of evil.
A rare sight for him, this, to see so many soldiers in one place. "I'd very much prefer if those two swords didn't clash and, I assume, kill a whole lot of innocent folk for no good reason." He drew one of his pistols and inspected it closely. Here was hoping that King Letral of Sword of Darkness was not bulletproof, somehow.
"Get us as close to the fray as possible, if you please."
Kashira Lavellan - Port Ismenia - South Gate
As they approached the rear of the ranks of armored knights, Kashira slowed Wildfire to a trot. He'd need all his strength soon enough. That was the precursor to a grand cavalry charge if she knew anything of war. She had no intention of getting mixed up with the knights, they had a plan and her trying to shove her way into formation wasn't part of it. But as she waited, anxiously awaiting word from their fliers, she reached out with her magic, hands gleaming slightly as she tried to understand the two forces about to collide and how her own magic, hailing from another world, would do anything to affect it.
"This is going to be a slaughter," she murmured to Theron. "Unless their wards are exceptionally strong, cavalry packed that close together will die like flies when those two swords meet."
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu Next Time, On Dragonball Z.... D.Va - The Sky
"Technological," D.Va said to Reimu. "My world doesn't have magic. I think Jesus got rid of it a long time ago. But that's okay, we've got way better stuff than magic. Like the internet."
She giggled at the thought of the people on this planet having all sorts of fantastical magics and powers, but not having the internet. What was the point?
Theron — Port Ismenia — south gate
Theron reigned his own horse. He sighed. “Magic,” he grumbled at Kashira. “It’s always magic when it isn’t Darkspawn.” He sighed again. “With more time — especially time to study this foreign land — I’d have no doubt come up with a plan, though it’d still miss Wynne’s input… but as it stands my best one is ‘charge the kings, grab the swords and hope this doesn’t end up with another trip to the Fade’. One is enough.” He glanced at the gathered knights. “Not to mention that a cavalry charge doesn’t fit the way I usually fight.”
On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.Gaige tried to back up more as the horsemen moved in, only to find herself under attack from both sides. A spear hit her shield, dropping it to 10%, as it was much weaker against melee weapons then gunfire. Then she heard a beep, signaling Deathtrap was ready for action.
"Oh ya, suck on this, metalheads!" She yelled as she swept her metal hand in front of her, summoning the machine.
"DT, initiate "Badasses in distress" mode!"
At this, Deathtrap turned around, as did Gaige, meaning they were now back to floating back. With the targets now in much closer range, Gaige went for her shotgun, firing the powerful slugs into anyone in range, prioritizing anyone who tried to close with her, while Deathtrap fired his eye lasers, and resorted to his giant energy claw to hit anyone who managed to get close with him.
Battle Against King Letrael Swordmaster
It was a testament to King Letrael's skill that not only did he keep his horse steady as Toph's Earthbending twisted the very soil of the battlefield, but he managed to swing the Sword of Darkness so that the boulder with Toph's face shattered in the air, rent asunder by dark magic that flew from the blade. While the king and the soldiers around him were still pelted by the rubble that ensued, they suffered little more than scratches.
Once Toph was out of her earthen dome, however, she had once more attracted the attention of the army magicians though the soldiers shied away from the orbiting wrecking ball. Manipulating the unnatural hail, the ice projectiles now big enough to in truth be called spikes, the mages diverted all the hail towards Toph, seemingly trying to bury her in wounding ice.
On the other flank, Gaige’s change in tactics was flawlessly executed. Soon, horsemen were dying in droves around her and Deathtrap, with soldiers screaming about “magic”. The dark knights had no choice but to abandon the assault, getting out of range of both shotgun and claw, and clearing the field for a different approach.
“Archers, loose!”
Much of the archers had been mowed down in the short chaotic battle that this had all begun with, but a two dozen still remained. They had taken up station up in the northern hillside, and were now ready to assist the knights. Perhaps a rain of arrows would succeed where blade and lance had failed.
Port Ismenia - Outside the South Gate
The murmur of the assorted knights was strong, as insecurity and doubt was strong even among the professional soldiers. But they all grew quiet when King Aligels raised an arm, and listened as he spoke. His armour seemed to be all silver and gold, so it shone in the light of the setting sun.
"My people! My paladins! The day we have awaited has come! And I do say awaited, for while this is a day of darkness and great fear, we are prepared! For years, we have expected the day when the forces of darkness would be unleashed, and the Paladins of Light were formed for the purpose to fight back and secure the light!"
"To the south of here, my mad brother has drawn the Sword of Darkness and the claws of his dark god seek to extinguish the sun and cover this land in darkness! Our only hope, the world's only hope is the Sword of Light! Before its sacred power the darkness will be vanquished, like the night is vanquished by the rising sun! But my brother does not stand alone; with him rides his Dark Knights, a pale imitation of the Paladins of Light. They are but rabble, hardly soldiers, but fearful and weak-willed cowards that cower in the shade of the God of Darkness rather than stand proud in the light! But even a lance made of poor iron may kill as well as your very own blessed spears! So while the world prays of the salvation of the Sword of Light in this dark hour, I the wielder of this sacred blade turn to you, my soldiers, my most trusted men and women! Your might will shatter the weak scaly hide of my brother's army, and rout his pitiful Knights, so that I might wield the sacred Sword of Light against his cursed Blade of Darkness!"
"Soldiers! Upon our shoulders, yours as much as mine, ride the hopes of this world! We fight now, for the sake of our loved ones, for the sake of our blessed kingdom! We fight so that the sun may rise again! Forwards all riders! For the Light!"
"FOR THE LIGHT!"
Horns joined in with the shouts and battlecries of the light elves, and the wave of white and gold was surging forward, the King leading the Paladins of Light towards the boiling black clouds of the south, leading them into battle against his own brother.
The Coastal Road - Myrdin's Carriage
"I will do my best, Master Claw," Myrdin replied. The magician spoke with the steady voice of an elf who had been planning for this kind of scenario for a long time as he described his plan.
"Up ahead is the border checkpoint that King Letrael established, and that is where battle is currently joined. I will be setting you off as close to the battlefield as possible, but I can not join you in person. Please focus your attacks on the King himself, and make him lose grasp of the Sword. Once possible, I will endeavour to re-seal the Blade of Darkness with my magic. If you meet with difficulties defeating the King, your chances may increase once King Aligels unleashes the Blade of Light to battle the influence of the Blade of Darkness, so make sure to capitalize on that chance."
The horns of the Paladins of Light echoed from the north, and Myrdin clicked his tongue. The carriage was already progressing at a rapid speed, yet the magician increased the speed as if spurred on by the armies following behind them.
The Skies Above - Approaching the Dark Elf Checkpoint
"I have heard of the Outside World using technology instead of magic," Reimu said, trying her best to sound worldly. "Though I still have trouble believing those who- oh, we're here."
The two fliers had been making excellent time compared to their fellows, and were now at the distance where they could make out individual soldiers on the battlefield ahead. Their two fellow Climbers stood like islands of calm in a raging ocean of black armour, waves upon waves of soldiers breaking against their cliffs of guns and Earthbending.
"...I think those are ours. And that must be the king."
If the ebonclad soldiers were an ocean, then King Letrael was the ferocious center of a maelstrom, standing steady with the Sword of Darkness held high while his soldiers were positioning themselves according to the tide of battle. The shattered hillsides and splintered palisade stood as clear indicators of the Blade's power.
"Kashira did say to report back to her with what we saw," Reimu mused, as if thinking aloud. "But I'm tempted to see things a little bit closer before I can say what I've seen."
However, flying closer than this would mean that they would enter the unnatural hailstorm that the king's magicians had summoned. While the large hailstones sought to batter Toph into submission in particular, the two airborne Climbers were currently at such a height that it would be hard to get through the storm unscathed.
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!The Kid looked out the window as they left the city, watching the rows of armoured soldiers as they moved past them. Was this what it had been like, when they had fought against the Ura? Soldiers, lined up and ready to fight to their deaths to protect Caelondia? It was both an inspiring and saddening sight. He was no stranger to the trails of death and combat, and he knew not all of them would be coming back. He should be preparing for the battle himself.
Opening his bag, The Kid reached in and pulled out his bottle of Dreadrum. Taking a swig of the pungent alcohol, the teenager could already feel it working. The tension and nerves that he hadn't really noticed left him leaving him calm and steady. Next was Bull Brandy. He choked down the thick liquid, ignoring the odd but familiar feeling of his skin toughening up. Squirt Cider. Lifewine. Cham-Pain. He drank a bit of each. Just enough to hopefully last him the fight, and not cut too heavily into his reserves.
Still looking faintly ill from the Cham-Pain, The Kid noticed the odd cat-man inspecting what was quite obviously a pistol. "You are a Slinger? I can't say I have ever seen a being like you before."
Checkpoint
Hey! That's my face you're -ooph! you c- st-!
-As the hail continues to pound against Toph's metal shell, she drops to her knees, the constant ringing and vibrations sending multiple confusing images. The orbiting boulder falls as well, before stretching and flattening itself, becoming a huge disc hovering above her head. Shaking her head until she senses clearly once again, Toph continues her progression towards the king.-

Kashira Lavellan - Port Ismenia - White Sword Inn
Kashira returned Theron's smile with one of her own, and clapped him on the shoulder, nodding. Not all hunters of the Dalish were friends to the halla, but many were. Together, beast and rider could perform feats no human and horse could match. She hoped that these elven steeds had a fraction of the intelligence and bravery of the halla she had known.Taking the reins she was offered, she glanced over the animal with a practiced eye, while offering him a hand so that he might know her scent, and running it gently along his muzzle. Not too heavy, but clean lines, thick cannons and forearms, stands wide behind, big nostrils...you couldn't ask for a much better horse when wanting speed and distance both.
She nodded to the soldier respectfully."If I can bring him back alive, I will," she said. "It's a terrible thing to bring horses to war. Thank you."
Reaching up to place one foot in the stirrup, she hopped lightly up atop his back, taking care to lean forward so her staff didn't scratch across his hindquarters, and drew up the reins. He seemed to have an even temper, or perhaps he was simply dull, but either way, he waited patiently for her to give commands.
"Does this one have a name?" she asked, but was then interrupted by D.Va and her armor.
"There will always be more battles to fight," she told the human girl. "Don't be too eager to find the next one. It could be your last. What I said to Reimu goes for you too. Fly ahead and let us know what we're up against, and if you have to, engage and buy us time. Also, see if you can reach our friends and call them to join us. We do no good to anyone scattered like this."
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu