Spiral Knights - Reborn [fanfiction][apps closed]

Reborn [fanfiction][apps closed]

143 replies [Last post]

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 14:09

Thinslayer

"Arise, shine, for your light has come."

The words of life pierced my heart, purging the darkness welling up within my soul and cleansing me from the impurities that plagued my essence. I was reborn a new man, adopted son of the King and rightful heir to the everlasting lands I call my true home. He, of all men, stooped to rescue me from the pits of fire and darkness, but in so doing sacrificed his own life.

Never shall I forget him, and always shall I serve him.

But this tale is not mine alone; I share it with another, one who is very dear to my heart. You, reader, have undoubtedly met her before, and this is unlikely to be your last meeting. So read, and I pray that you be edified by what your eyes have seen.
__________

Glorious rays of golden light burst through the windows as the sun rose to greet the morning sky. A young, buff man in his early twenties fluttered open his eyes and ran his hand through his short brown hair, reluctant to bid goodbye to his peaceful slumber. Others, however, were more willing to take up the slack.

"Wakey wakey! Get up, get up thou sleepyhead!" came an irritating voice on the other end of the room. The young man just threw a pillow over his face and would have ignored it had not the sergeant interrupted. "ASTRAN VALDERIS!!" Astran immediately removed the pillow and sat up. "Good, you're up. You should pay more heed to your friend." The sergeant gestured to Milner, Astran's high-school classmate and impromptu alarm clock. Astran saluted and replied, "Yes sir, I will sir." The sergeant patted him on the shoulder and strode out the door.

Milner began shoving on his Cobalt boots. "Yessireebob, you should totally pay me more heed," he joked with a grin. "Sorry man, but I'm broke," Astran retorted. When they'd both finished suiting up, they raced out the door and lined up in front of the sergeant.

The big man cleared his throat and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. Something was bugging him today. "Good morning men! Hope you slept well." Milner nudged Astran in the shoulder and chuckled, earning knowing glance from the sergeant. He continued. "Because if you didn't, you're in for one heck of a trip. A Valkyrie dropped from the sky last night, and word has it that she's the emissary we were promised a few years back. Thing is, she didn't exactly land in friendly territory; she's holed-up in the Sunset Steppes about six miles from here, so we gotta move fast if we're gonna reach her before the monsters do. Stay sharp and keep together, because it's easy to get lost down there. Now MOVE!!"

He waved his hand, and the men fell in line and began marching behind him. "A Valkyrie!?" Astran whispered incredulously to no one in particular. Milner shrugged. "I know, right? I've never seen one before."
"Me neither. I heard that they've got incredible magical powers."
"And that they're crazy-beautiful."
"And that they are so bright, you'd go blind staring at them."

"They ain't perfect, though," said a soldier behind them. Astran glanced at him warily. "Beg pardon?" The soldier cleared his throat nervously. "Right. They ain't perfect. I heard some of them are...y'know..."
"Come on, out with it."
"Fallen, man. Fallen."
"Aren't those the dark ones, though?"
"Yeah," Milner said with furrowed eyebrows. "D'oh."

They marched in silence for the next few minutes or so. "Do you reckon-"
"Shut up."
"Shutting up..."
Silence.
"Suppose-"
"Dude!"
"Okay, okay! Sheesh."
Silence.
"But-"
"Dude, shut UP!"

Astran glared at Milner, deciding to oblige just this once. It wasn't long before they reached the location; monsters of all kinds had already swarmed the place, trying to eat anything that looked even remotely edible. Astran thought they looked utterly pitiful. The sergeant brought them all to a halt and bellowed, "LET'S PUT 'EM OUTTA THEIR MISERY!! CHAAAAARGE!!" He drew his sword and ran headlong into the crowd of monsters.

But nobody moved a muscle until a wolver tried to take a bite out of the sergeant's cobalt boot. NOBODY hurt the sergeant. Suddenly, the air was filled with the enraged battle cries of a hundred knights, followed by a shower of blood and guts. Battle always made Astran feel so alive, and it was oh-so-satisfying to rip off the heads of zombies and devilites as Aurora, his Divine Avenger, hummed and throbbed with every blow.

After what seemed like hours of time flew by, the battle was won, the field now littered with the maimed, bloody corpses of the slain. But the Valkyrie was nowhere to be seen. The sergeant threw down his sword in frustration. "Dagnabbit! Why does that woman gotta run out on us? Alright everybody, fan out and find her. Fire up a flare when you've found her, or when night falls, and then we'll all get together again and have a party. Get movin'!"

Astran grabbed Milner by the arm. "How's about we search the rocks?" Milner shrugged. "Sounds good to me." They ran off towards the ring of massive rocks. Each rock seemed nearly three or four stories high, and were covered in dried mud that must have been centuries old. The two of them ran round and round each rock, but found nothing. They met up at the center of the ring and discussed where they should look next.

"How about that cave over there?" Milner suggested. Astran looked where he was pointing; sure enough, there was a small cave in the side of a short rock face in the distance. He punched Milner in the shoulder. "Why didn't you say so before?" he chided. Milner just grinned, and they both marched over to have a look.

What they found...

...is the subject of another story post. Stay tuned!

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 16:58

Thinslayer

Villain needed!

I need a supervillain. Apps please!

Name: (something villainous)
Gender: (male or female. Females must be femme-fatales.)
Race: Fallen Angel/Valkyrie
Appearance: (must be unique and sufficiently villainous.)
Abilities: (anything ranging from skills and talents to magical powers. Must plausibly be able to defeat the heroes.)
Personality: (anything at all. Hey, the villain could even be really friendly. Just make it really stand out while leaving it vague enough for me to work with.)
Biography: (I don't really know what I want here, but it might turn out to be really important, so don't skimp on detail.)

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 04:57

Midnight-Dj

You want a Villain?! CHALLANGE Accepted!

Name: Deus Aradama

Gender: Neither, his upper body is muscular while his lower body is delicate and smooth, so he is an "in between"

Race: Primordial fallen (Aka, the oldest of all fallen)

Appearance: naked(he is not wearing any armor), no visible sign of reproductive organs (it is an 'it', neither a she or he). Dark blue personal colour, extemely muscular chest and arms. His arms are very deformed, it elongated and reached all the way down to his knees. His legs are thinner than his arms, and he walks in a female manner (the way models walk on a runway). His wing is white on the left and dark on the right, suggesting that he might be the father of all valkyries as well as fallens. He has very long fingers(3 times that of a normal knight) covered in crimson exoskeletons(razor sharp of the finger tips). Making his hands a deadly weapon. His slanted red eyes casts fear into even the bravest of the paladins, and he has two additional yellow eyes on his shoulders (one on each side), giving him 360 degree vision.

Abilities: his hands are all the weapons he needed, ten razor sharp fingers covered in a layer of near indestructible exoskeleton. He can cut a knight's head clean off with a fairly effortless swipe. He is also bullet proof, nothing can seemingly bring this guy down. Aradama can single handedly take down an entire snarbolax pack with just one finger(he uses it like a FF). And if the enemies got thick(lumbers and mecha knights), Aradama uses the yellow eyes on his shoulder to fire deadly lasers that can melt through a R twins like a pile of butter. Aradama's strength is beyond normal, he can lift a trolljan and body slam it to the ground if he had to, he also can survive even after an enitre clockwork sky islands(Aruroa isles) falls onto him, he will just emerge out of the rubble without a scratch.

Personality: Aradama, for most of his appearances other than combat, hovers in the sky with his wings standing still. He likes putting one of his fingers near his lip with a slight smile on his face when he is looking at the knights. Afterwards, he will always sighs at their imperfections, saying that knights are too voilent and inflexible, mocking knights with their impending doom. He often flies across a field of dead bodies and sing, often picks up corpses and revive them, only to kill them after they gained their second life. He dispises everything in this world other than himself. He insults people in a poetic manner, and he dislikes ruffians. (even though he himself is a complete and utter nutbag) His tone of voice is low pitched, flirty while carrying a sinister undertone to his every word, as if he is planning on something.

Aradama, doesn't seem to have a particular goal with his life, (that is, if he actually has a life.) he sometimes help the knight in their fight against the Gremlins only to stab the knight's back after the job is down. He often pick up dead female knights/valkyries and pretend to dance with their corpses, yes, Aradama is insane. He just wants to watch the world burn and nothing more.

Bio: Not much is know about this ancient fallen. But old codex suggests that he was once a valkyrie who later betrayed his/her fallow sisters and started to seduce other valkyries into becoming fallens. He doesn't seems to have a weakness, the only thing codex said is that Aradama can only be beaten by someone how has both a pure form and a pure heart. But so far, a person with both quality is no where to be found. During conversation with the protagonists, he claims to have been thrown out of this world by a man of higher power, but he returned to cradle thanks to some special 'help' (Apocreans?) And he also claims that he is the true meaning of perfection and argue(or kill) with people who think otherwise. Aradama has no past, if anyone asked, he will simply lets a maniacal laughter before turning away.

ps. it that too OP?

Mon, 03/24/2014 - 14:51

Viorayne

Angel of Regression.

(Took me longer than planned, since I didnt really know what to do for the Biography mid app. Also I think its my longest, but then again you told me not to skimp).

Name:
Amadeus Grimoire (Was Valvius Hellstein).

Gender:
Male

Race:
Fallen Angel

Appearance:
Head: Longish Navy Hair with Bangs, Violet eye, Casual Rectangular Glasses, 2 Scars running through both vertically, 5-O'clock shadow.
Body: Fallen Angel Armour, Long Crimson Coat over that. Sheathed Sword in Black leather scabard by right side.
Details: Left eye is hidden by an Eyepatch. It bears a Curse symbol where the Pupil & Iris should be.

Abilities:
Can use Basic Necromancy (eg Raise Living to be a Zombie, but no huge hulking Undead beasts). Does this by discharging energies from his afflicted left arm. Can slow his own perception of time (Temp. Very Fast Reflexes), Uses Curse eye to listen to all the lies & secrets of the people around him, and exploit it to the best of his ability. Has no shield, but can parry & duel wield with his Rapier. (Dark Looking Version of a Furious Flamberge).

Personality:
Very Calm, yet emits an uneasy feeling around him. Whenever he asks a question, others usually feel eventually pressured into avoiding the question. Even about subjects which were seemingly Trivial things. Even though he starts off as calm, collected and reasonable, he soon develops an insane composure, yet not crazy and/or wild. While sensibly insane, he often has musings into the air at his "sister". Usually Snipes and insults on the enemy's intelligence. Would rather fight through wit and exploiting his enemy's weakness than through physical fights.

Biography: Valvius was a Teacher of Lore and History within an Academy that's name has been long since forgotten. What wasnt forgotten was his once proud & Respected reputation amongst all who he taught. He lived with his Sister, and they enjoyed a pleasant co-existance together. This obviously was not a life to last. Soon after leaving from an awards ceremony for his student's graduation, he came to an uneasy sight.

Burning Torches, were around in a circle by his home, where his Sister laid in the centre. Valvius pushed past all the condescending looks of his piers and locals, and shouted at them all, demanding an explanation for why they had dragged his sibling into the streets. The words that left the Arch-Angels lips shook his resolve to the bone.

'Necromancy'.

Valvius stared into the crowd, while his Sister was looking at his distant face, trying to reason with why she had practiced it. Valvius heard pleas of reviving the family that had been taken from them too soon, from the lives that could be repaired from just a single incantation. But all he heard were feint mumbles and noise. He dropped his sister to the ground, got up, and walked out of the circle with his head down in shame. The last he heard from his sister was the screams of her abandonment as she was forcefully dragged away to for summary execution. The days past that point seemed a whole deal darker.

His reputation had plummeted. No longer was he known as the Great Teacher of Lore, but the Brother of the Witch. The whisperings grew and ate at his sanity, the constant judging from cold, silent eyes whenever he passed anyone. His mind withered to the usherings of disgust from once-friends, now turned foe. The weight all began to bear down on him, until he heard 3 words in his head one day at home. 3 little words that would begin his decent of his Seraphic form.

"Hello my Brother".

Valvius looked around wide-eyed. There was no-one there. Just him and the relics of old he had collected over the years. Yet the 3 words echoed in his mind, and were being repeated. He got up and started to wander around the house, until the words became louder in his head. The words began to merge as he approached a single room, and as the voice became a screech, he opened the door into his Sister's room. The Place had been turned upside-down, from when the Valkyries had taken her. The voice flowed into his mind once more, but a different set of words. 2 words this time.

"Save me".

An ominous glow eminated from the floorboards, as Valvius began to pull them up. An odd looking tome lay before him, burnt out & melted candles all around it. The words were getting faster and louder the closer his hands got to the book. He begged for the voices to stop, as loud as they were yelling at him to save them. His hand touched something solid. He touched a page of the book, and bolt of pain crept through his arm. He yelled out loudly, almost crying as he held his affected arm. The Words had stopped, and replaced by just a single word. Valvius heard footsteps behind him as the word whispered in his head, before darkness took him.

"Goodbye".

Valvius awoke, to a Tribunal of Arch-Angels, all in upon a large podium addressing him. Valvius was taken in chains, and no matter how much he struggled, he could not loosen the grip. The Head of the meeting spoke down, before Valvius began to panic.

"You, Valvius Hellstein, have been found guilty of the Unjust practice of Necromany, and therefore shall be Banished from-".

The words hit him like a stone off a cliff, as the realisation of being Banished hit him.He zoned back into the passing of words toward the end of his sentence.

"-and so you shall have the Title of Valkyrie stripped, cast from Paradise, and judged amongst the Mortals below as a Fallen".

Valvius had hung his head in shame, as he began to hear short utterings of the Tribunal while pain began to fill his eye. He looked up to see shocked faces, as his eye had mishapen itself to resemble a Curse Symbol. He noticed the voices continued on, even though their mouths failed to move. He spoke up, as he relayed what he heard.

"You cast me down, while you sin yourself, Arch Angel." Valvius raises his head toward the one sentencing him.

"You and your situation with your Half Sister, Naughty Naughty arent we..?"

The Valkyrie was stunned, and quickly ordered him to be cast away from the place as soon as possible. How Valvius knew of his affair with his half sibling was unfathomable, yet he felt he had kept it hidden once again.

Valvius was thrown off into the world below, as he began to speak to himself...

"It looks as though we will be playing with the Mortals below, eh dear sister". Met with only silence, he plunged to the world below.

Upon falling, he clicked his joints, and realised the decent had charred his once white armour, into a Darker colouration. He sighed to himself, as he flexed his arm. Dark energies began to course occasionally, as he murmured into the air once more.

"This should be fun...".

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 22:35

Thinslayer

Mmm, lovely villains.

@Midnight-Dj: Yes, he's rather OP. I would also recommend expanding your villain's biography. Having read Edolas' biography, I'm beginning to realize just how important the biography is.

Ugh, it doesn't help that I'm listening to crazy-awesome Iron Man 3 credits music as I write. I'm willing to bet that the last line of the above paragraph was influenced by that. :P

@Edolas: The name could be modified, but the bio is downright awesome.

@readers: Thank you both for your input! I might just end up using both of them. First off:

I'm swapping their names. Deus Aradama becomes Valvius Hellstein, and vice versa.
The new Valvius Hellstein (the androgenous superman) is gonna be the second-in-command for the main villain.
The main villain will be the new Deus Aradama (the necromancer librarian with the sister).

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 05:19

Midnight-Dj

@thinslayer

Yeam, I am cool with Aradama being the henchman. He was never intended to have a proper back story, like Necron in Final Fantasy, Aradama is meant to be the manifestation of human's lust to achieve perfection and strife to be the god we are destined to be. He, like many men, forsake their own moral and humanity in persue of higher causes, but for Aradama, he has no causes and he answers to noone, the only thing he likes to do in life is to destroy those that are below him, and obiviously Valvius sees potential in turning him into a worthy ally.

---WARNING: HERECY AHEAD---

ps. In my original bio, Aradama is meant to be the perfect child of God, yes, god's splitting image before he made Adam and Eve. God got tired of him and eventually casted him out of the universe to give room for his 'imperfect child'-us. After an etenity in nothingness, Aradama has twisted in form, and he was evetually recovered by the Apocreans, a group of acolytes who woshipped him as the dark god brought him back with a series of ritual. He has now returned to the universe, a place that he rightfully inherited from his 'father'.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 07:07

Trolololololololoe

Henchman App

Name: Antasma

Gender: Male

Race: Fallen Angel

Appearance

Abilities: Ability to change into 14 bats that harm enemies if they run into them and allows him to fly, launches giant plasma bolts, can summon orb helpers which he uses to deal extra damage when he eats them and acts as a barrier. He turns upside down and slowly heals himself when low on health and doesn't vanish until orbs are destroyed. Can attack people in their dreams and can kill them as well.

Personality: Traitorous, aggressive, really hates being a henchman, loves to strike first and occasionally goes blank when doing anything.

Biography: Antasma was one of those angels that mastered combat and mobility but never got much smarter because of this. However, he was also aggressive and often attacked other angels because he didn't care. When he had to work in a group, he often betrayed his team-mates and takes the credit.

Eventually, his aggression got the better of him as he became corrupted by darkness from 2 creatures. We don't know who the 2 creatures are yet but they where strong and a forbidden force. He never became a leader and was forced to become a henchman for the supervillian but Antasma isn't happy about it.

((OOC: I have no clue what Fallen Angel's are like...))

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 07:24

Creeperlucario

Um...

I have a question, where will the heroes app come and I really have no clue what to do for this app...

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 07:44

Viorayne

Gonna be a bit weird seeing that name, and realising.
"Oh wait, that's my character".

But sounds ok.
Could try revising it if its not too much trouble.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 08:50

Thinslayer

A few replies.

First off, the next part will be written today. :D

Secondly...

@Midnight-Dj: I don't much care for that kind of thing.

@Deadly-Sin-Revenge: I'll think on it.

@Creeperlucario: I only have two heroes planned, and they're all I need.

@Edolas: :P

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 09:05

#10

Viorayne

@Thin

No but really.
Deus Aradama was a name for an asexual character.
Would love a variant for the Male, Ego Fuelled, slightly insane Necro Loremaster.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:32

#11

Thinslayer

Meeting the Enemy

((Very well then, I'll stick with their original names. Your character will remain Valvius Hellstein.))
__________

When waste and toil are all but done
When moon doth rise o'er setting sun
Our inner evil shall still prevail
And all our strength will not avail.
__________

Astran and Milner soon came upon two diverging paths within the cavern. One led to darker depths, the other to brighter depths. For Astran, the conclusion was obvious. "Let's split up. Milner, you take the brighter road, and I'll search the darker road. Let's meet up back here whether we've found anything or not." Milner nodded in agreement, and they each began down their respective roads.

Soon, the path was pitch-black, and it became impossible for Astran to see where he was going. Twice he stumbled over rocks, and slammed his head into low stalactites and low roofs several times. Gritty rock crunched under his feet as he walked, and the dank, musty smell permeated the thick, unforgiving air. It seemed like nothing could possibly want to flee here.

And he was right. Milner's desperate yell echoed behind him, and Astran turned tail and ran back as fast as he safely could. No! Milner! Hang in there buddy. No overhangs, no rocks, no obstacles would stop him. He came back to the fork in the path and tore down the one brighter one Milner took.

Then he came to a grinding halt.

There on the floor lay Milner, his limbs ripped from his body, but still breathing. Astran fought back the tears as he cradled his friend in his arms. "Hey buddy. What happened back there?"
Milner struggled to catch his breath. "Some...sick bastard in armor...tore me up pretty bad."
"What did he look like?"
"...a...black valkyrie."
Astran shut his eyes. This couldn't possibly be the emissary...could it?
He pulled Milner's bloody body closer to his chest. "It's okay man. Just...don't worry about it. You're in good hands now."
Astran lifted his eyes to heaven and whispered a prayer. Take good care of him, my liege. As the young man breathed his last, Astran laid him to rest on the rock.

It was high time to find out who did this deed.

He did not have to wait long; someone else stumbled down the lit cavern path. It was unlike anything Astran had ever seen; the man wore what looked like a set of Fallen armor, but it seemed to emanate darkness that canceled what little light came into the cave. He was tall, well-built, and wore a dark crimson cloak over his suit. But few other features could be made out in the darkness. Astran slipped back into the shadows and watched the man.

"I know you're here, little human," the man said quietly. "I could hear you from all the way back there. Why are you hiding from me? I mean you no harm."
That's a big, fat lie, and you know it.
"Well, I won't wait around for your answer. I have business to attend to. Harumph!" With that, the man strode out of the cavern at a swift, steady pace. Astran grabbed Milner's body, waited until the dark man was safely away, and hurried back to the camp.

He arrived at the camp by sunset. He was greeted with the sorrowful eyes of his fellow soldiers as they saw Milner's maimed body in Astran's arms. Together, they dug a small pit, placed Milner into it, and covered it with stones. "He will be remembered as a fine soldier," the sergeant said quietly. But Astran would remember him as more than that. Milner was a like a brother to him, the best friend he ever had. They'd seen many wonderous sights and been through perilous journeys together, striking up a bond that surpass almost any other.

And then he was gone.

But as Astran pondered the ultimate meaning of his friend's death, no emptiness could be found in his heart. He is in your hands now. Thank you for allowing me to spend as much time with him as I did. He bowed his head and stepped away, receiving numerous friendly pats on the back before reaching his tent.

A few minutes later, the sergeant popped his head through the tent door. "Hey soldier, mind if I have a little chat with you?" Astran shrugged, so the sergeant stepped in and took a seat on the ground next to him. "So, how did Milner die?" Again, Astran shrugged. "We were exploring that cavern and we came to a fork in the road. We split up, and I'd gone a ways before I heard Milner cry out. So I ran back to him and talked to him for a bit before he died. He explained that a black Valkyrie tore him to shreds."

The sergeant's eyes opened wide. "You mean to say...that the emissary was actually a trap!?" Astran shrugged once more. "Maybe there was some mistake. Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. Until we know more, I say we scram." But the sergeant shook his head ruefully and said, "Knights never flee from a fight." Astran removed his blaster and looked at it for a few moments. A Knight need not have courage, just valiance. He glanced up at the sergeant. "Yes. Yes, they do flee from fights. But that doesn't mean they can't leave a spectacular message behind before they go. I say we give that valkyrie one heck of a fight before we leave."

The sergeant obviously liked that idea. He pumped his fists and said, "You GOT it. Let's do this thing!" He rushed out of the tent and bellowed, "ALL RIGHT MEN!! LISTEN UP!! MILNER DIED AT THE HANDS OF A BLACK VALKYRIE, SO LET'S GIVE THAT BLACK PIECE OF SCRAP A PIECE OF OUR MINDS BEFORE WE GO HOME!!" The men cheered, and soon they were all packed up and ready to charge into battle at a moment's notice.

Unbeknownst to either the black valkyrie or the knights, the emissary had already arrived.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:35

#12

Viorayne

Names

Came up with:
Amadeus Grimmoire.

If you want to use that...

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 20:03

#13

Thinslayer

Meeting the Emissary

Blood.

That was all one could see when the battle was finished. Severed limbs and gutted bodies lay strewn across the blood-soaked ground. Amidst the dead lay Astran, struggling to retain his sanity, his consciousness, and his life. The Amadeus Grimmoire, the black Valkyrie, stood victorious over the battlefield, but he wasn't exactly elated.

More like bored.

The pitiful creatures hardly stood a chance. In fact, they were so pitiful that they weren't even worth thinking about any longer. He ignored the lone crawling one and turned his attentions to the worthier foe approaching him. A shimmering Valkyrie, clad in brilliant heavenly mail and armed with the signature blade of his kind, the Divine Avenger, he was undoubtedly the most powerful opponent Amadeus had to face.

Or at least, he would face if he were even interested in fighting the heavenly derp, which he wasn't. Amadeus feigned a salute as the Valkyrie approached. "Hello there! What brings a mere messenger here to grovel at my feet?" The Valkyrie chuckled and waved him off. "No need to flatter me. I'm Gabe, by the way. You must be Amadeus. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." You know, maybe I like this guy, Amadeus thought. "The pleasure is all mine. Glad to see someone upstairs has a sense of humor," he replied with a scoff. Gabe glanced around and whistled. "Wow, looks like you really cleaned up the place. I'll just pilfer through the wounded, if you don't mind." Amadeus gestured to the dead with a handwave. "Help yourself. I'm gonna go find me a civilization to wipe my arse with."

With that, he marched off towards the sunset, headed in precisely the wrong direction, but Gabe sure wasn't about to correct him. "Now, about that Chosen guy I'm supposed to meet here. Where'd he go?...da dum, da dum, ta tum tee ta tum...aha! There he is." He slung Astran over his shoulder and hauled him a short ways to the cavern. He laid him down near the entrance and slapped his cheeks to wake him up ('cuz he'd fallen unconscious from his wounds). "Heyo! Wake up Astro Boy! We ain't done with you yet, kid!" He snapped his fingers, and Astran's wounds were immediately healed. He then slapped his cheeks again. Seeing as he still didn't wake up, Gabe summoned a globule of water and spalshed his face with it. Astran suddenly woke up and shook his head.

"Whoa! Why'd you- whoa again! Who the he-" Gabe shushed him and replied, "No cussing. I'm Gabe. The King sent me to tell you some stuff-" Astran suddenly pointed at the battlefield wide-eyed. "No!! My comrades!! What happened to them!?" Gabe rolled his eyes. "They're dead, genius. Amadeus Grimmoire killed them." Astran glanced at him quizzically. "Who's this...this...Immadeus Grimwar?"
"Amadeus Grimmoire."
"Amadeus Grimmoire, got it. Who is he?"
"He's your next target."
"WHAAA...!? You mean that black Valkyrie guy?"
"Yup."
"And...I'm supposed to kill him?"
"Yup."
"But my comrades couldn't."
"Yup."
"So how can I?"

Gabe shrugged. "None of my business. The King wants an audience with you tomorrow at 4am sharp." Astran rubbed his eyes. "4AM IN THE MORNING!?" Gabe frowned and grunted, "Why, you got a problem with that?" Astran leaned back and stuck out his hands. "NO! No, no problem at all." Gabe nodded and brought out a piece of paper. "You're gonna have to sign this." Astran seized it and looked it over carefully. A few minutes later, he exclaimed, "I'm supposed to- WHAAA...!?" Gabe facepalmed and groaned, "Can you quit with the 'whaa' exclamations?"

Astran handed back the paper. "I just lost all my comrades, so I'm still officially 'grieving!' I don't wanna get married!" he protested.

To find out what the heck he's talking about, stay tuned for tomorrow's story post! Toodles!

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 22:15

#14

Thinslayer

Spoiler Alert!

Guess who.

EDIT: updated.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 20:34

#15

Viorayne

And I have a creeping suspicion that MAY be the Emissary.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 20:45

#16

Thinslayer

@Edolas

Emissaries are your average cut-and-paste Valkyries. I can tell you right now that the knight in post #14 is not a valkyrie or emissary.

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 20:48

#17

Viorayne

Still, Im sure that they will never best Amadeus!

*Evil Guy Laughing here*

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 21:02

#18

Thinslayer

lol

Then you clearly haven't met our deuteragonist yet. >:)

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 22:00

#19

Thinslayer

Screw tomorrow.

Gabe whipped out an iPad-like device and pulled up a dossier. "See, here's the thing: first off, you're gonna head into a warzone filled with semi-angelic beings who REALLY don't like you. You got no friends up there. Zip. Zero. Nada. Bad idea to go out there by your lonesome. So first and foremost, you need company. This woman, she'll be company enough for you. I can guarantee that the two of you will never have a dull moment together, whether you like each other or not. IMO, you're more likely to hate each other, but it's none of my business."

Astran groaned and facepalmed.

"Secondly, you need backup. Face it man, you're a wimp. Most humans don't gotta chance, so you're gonna need the best backup you can get. So thank your sweet heavenly stars the King gotcha the toughest, badassest backup in county. Any baddies unlucky enough to piss her off will get gutted before they can so much as squeal. But good as she is, she's neither strategist nor weaver. You two need each other."

Astran couldn't resist whistling at that.

"Thirdly, she's under your command." Astran suddenly perked up. "Really? Mine to command? Like-" Gabe crossed his arms. "Yeah. Shut up. Anyhoo, because she's under your command, the two of you will need to keep this arrangement strictly professional; procreational activities must wait until the assignment is complete. And don't forget to 'pop the question' at some point; even though you're technically...well...'married,' it's polite to make her feel like it ain't so."

Astran leaned back and crossed his arms. "Dude, I don't wanna get married before I've even met her! Have you ever heard of marrying for love!?" Gabe stared at him blankly for a few moments before breaking out into rolls of laughter. "Waaaah ha ha ha ha ha oh man that's HILARIOUS!! Marrying for love!? Dang, you humans ARE stupid!" Astran scowled and curled into embarrassed ball. "Well, what's wrong with that?"

Once Gabe composed himself, he replied, "Okay. You're a terrible judge of women. Given the choice, you'll always pick the worst girl for the job."
"Hey, I resent that!"
"Shut up."
"Okay, shutting up..."
"Anyways, the King had this woman raised specifically for you, and specially trained for this particular mission. Anyone else is gonna be a damsel-in-distress and just drag you down. Trust me, you'll be glad you got this girl on your side. King knows what he's doing."

Hmm. Okay, maybe I'll give her a chance. Maybe.

"One last thing. For reasons the King didn't provide, he's not gonna let you know what she looks like. You're just gonna have to figure out who she is on your own. However, I AM allowed to say that you're both gonna cross paths at some point, and you'll probably recognize her when you see her. Sign this partnership/marriage contract before you go."

Facepalm.

He handed Astran a simple pen. There were spaces for two signatures; one of them was already signed. Evera Sintaris. Astran sighed deeply and signed his own name below that one. Astran Valderis. He handed the pen back to Gabe, who duplicated it and promptly vanished.

This has gotta be the strangest day of my life.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 11:00

#20

Creeperlucario

Might as well create a character for the story

Name: Elesis

Gender: Female

Race: Valkyrie

Appearance

Abilities: Natural ability to use fire (Fireballs, fire barrier and the sword burns people when hit.) Fire burner sword (Deals elemental and piercing with a high chance of strong burn. Similar to Divine Avenger and Almirian Guards spear's.) Naturally agile, can turn invisible and powerful kicks.

Personality: Lonely, doesn't know how to react to people, can be shy (especially around males), smart, usually quiet unless she trusts someone enough and can be friendly.

Biography: When Elesis was born, she was born near fire and slowly started to absorb it. Her parents where always busy and almost never paid attention to her. When she reached 5, she mastered the ability to use fire which also burned up her wings. She read books on how to create items but she accidently burned some up.

When she reached 12, she created a sword which had some fire inside. She never knew her parents since they never paid attention or talked to her. She also tried to stay away from people and tried to improve her combat on basic pillars. A lot more valkyries noticed how infrequent Elesis was and tried to talk to her but she run away.

After a while of running away for a long time, she eventually gained the ability to turn invisible. She used this ability a lot and silently practiced her skills and mastered her new sword but still never talked to people. She never talked to anyone, good or bad so she doesn't know what to do...

((OOC: Should be fixed and Thin could decided is she goes into a villain or hero and she is is 20 just now))

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 10:12

#21

Thinslayer

@Creeperlucario

She's really cute, but I don't think I need another hero just yet. The story is mainly between Astran and Evera.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 10:26

#22

Viorayne

~ From Amadeus...

"Evera eh?
I shall take great pleasure into unveiling her secrets to the world,
And using such things to take all things she finds precious away, as painfully as possible.
Isnt that right, dear Sister?"

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 11:00

#23

Creeperlucario

Should be fixed

Title says all...

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 12:52

#24

Thinslayer

Out of curiosity, who's actually reading this?

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 12:55

#25

Creeperlucario

I am

It's pretty good Thin, keep going because Skylark Down is really slowing down

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 12:56

#26

Creeperlucario

Double derp fail

Double posts suck...

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 13:20

#27

Viorayne

I read.

Its an interesting story,
And I want to see how Amadeus affects it.
And if anyone can best him.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 14:29

#28

Thinslayer

@Edolas

Amadeus is unbeatable by any ordinary human being. And our heroes are quite ordinary.

They'll need to call upon higher powers if they are to defeat Amadeus.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 15:19

#29

Viorayne

Looking forward to how that all pans out :D

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 15:41

#30

Creeperlucario

Waiting on next part

Also Thin, Skylark Down looks like it is going to be graveyarded at this rate and is Elesis be coming into the story as a villain? I can see that happening if a villain is actually able to talk to her...

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 16:01

#31

Thinslayer

@Creeperlucario

I was actually tinkering with the idea of having her be a temporary supporting character, serving in the role of competitor for Astran's interests. She would have to be human, though.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 16:05

#32

Creeperlucario

@Thin

I am fine with that Thin. Would she keep her ability's though?

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 16:09

#33

Thinslayer

@Creeperlucario

Sure. Astran himself is a latent weaver.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 16:13

#34

Creeperlucario

Ok then

Take your time making the new part of the story Thin.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 16:32

#35

Midnight-Dj

I am reading, can't wait to see Aradama tear stuff up. Good story so far.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 17:20

#36

Thinslayer

This is too much fun to take time on. :P

The Western Rapids is a narrow, vicious river running from east to west. It is littered with sharp outcroppings and dangerous waterfalls, and ends in a particularly tall waterfall that drops down into Lake Zerania. The path alongside it isn't the friendliest one, but it leads straight to Haven with little deviation. Astran strode alongside this path, confident that he would reach town by evening.

At least, until he spotted a young woman. And oh, was she beautiful! Her vibrant red hair flowed like a river and could be seen for miles; her fiery red eyes shone with confidence and strength; and her body, her oh-so-curvaceous body, was seductive beyond comparison. He was mesmerized at the sight of her. I hope she's the one the King picked out for me. Even better, she noticed him!

She danced up to him with a warm smile that immediately melted his heart, and she said in a sweet, melodic voice, "Hello there, stranger! Are you new to these parts?" Astran nodded, completely speechless in light of her beauty. She giggled and took his hand. Her touch was positively electric! "Come on, I'll show you around."

You're a poor judge of women. He shook that unpleasant thought from his head and followed the girl. She merrily skipped across the grass and led him into the forest. Once they'd gone far enough for her liking, she stopped and suddenly pulled him close. "You're very handsome. Would you much mind if I?..." She closed her eyes and leaned close to his face. Now completely under her control, Astran felt little choice but to respond.

Unfortunately (in his opinion), a volley of arrows broke their reverie. Several bounced off his armor. "Get down!" he yelled, and tackled her to the ground just in time to dodge another volley of arrows. He found himself laying on top of her, which would have been a total turn-on if either of them were in the mood for it, but both of them were too busy fearing for their lives at the moment. He scrambled off of her and they crawled behind a tree for cover. "You okay?" he asked her. She nodded breathlessly and summoned a firebolt between her hands. She tossed it in the general direction of the arrows and ducked back behind the tree. Moments later, a fiery explosion tore through the air, followed by a few screams.

The girl shot him a seductive grin. "Got 'em." They darted out from behind the tree, only to run straight into the rough embrace of a Dark Guardian. He grabbed the girl by her hair and Astran by his helmet, and dragged them both kicking and screaming to his camp along the rapids. There, he threw them into a small cage, and several of his comrades came out to have a look at them.

"Congrats on bringin' home the bacon!" one declared. That sent shivers up Astran's spine. Bacon? He glanced at the girl; she looked just as scared as he was. He took her hand, and she gripped it tight. "What are we going to do!?" she whispered. Having no room to swing his sword, Astran decided that cutting his way out would not be ideal. "Maybe we should just wait it out," he decided.

Their captors were a good deal more decisive. They ultimately decided not to eat them (they just said that to scare the pants off their captives), deciding instead to throw them to the mercy of the river. The cage tumbled and broke against the rocks, and soon they found themselves struggling to swing against the raging, crashing river. The girl, unfortunately, was a poor swimmer and slow thinker, and she quickly tumbled down the rapids. Astran fared a bit better, but it was little comfort since he had just inhaled a mouthful of water. He struggled to stay afloat, but the river had other ideas, and down he went.

When he surfaced, he spotted a flat outcropping in the rapids. If I could just...reach it... He suddenly slammed into a nearby rock and tumbled back underwater. When he surfaced again, a gruff, high-pitched voice bellowed over the waves, "HANG IN THERE, SOLDIER! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" He tried to respond, but he was too frozen from the cruel chill of the icy mountain water. He swallowed another mouthful of water in a vain attempt to catch his breath.

He began to faint, but just before the darkness consumed him, he felt a strong, rough hand grab him by the collar.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 17:34

#37

Thinslayer

Guess which anime.

No guess as to which anime I've been watching. This young lady was the inspiration for Evera Sintaris.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 17:48

#38

Midnight-Dj

...

Umm, is that fate zero? Or is it fate stay night, lol, I am not a fan of animre but I sorta know where miss Saber come from...

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 17:51

#39

Thinslayer

@Midnight-Dj

Both.

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 20:53

#40

Thinslayer

Awakening

When Astran regained consciousness, he could hear the friendly crackling of a nearby campfire. "Hmm. Looks like you're awake," said a low, soft voice. Astran opened his eyes to find that it came from a young woman clad in Radiant Silvermail. Her piercing blue eyes were perfectly set into her strong, pale face, and her soft, golden tresses just barely peeked out from behind her helmet.

"Are...you the one who...oof...saved me?" Astran groaned. The woman nodded. "Also saved your girlfriend." She gestured to the bundle laying on the other side of the campfire. This woman makes me look like a wimp. Who the heck is she!?...speaking of which, I haven't learned her name. "Say, what's your name?" he grunted. The woman stared at the campfire for a few moments before replying, "Evera Sintaris, but I prefer to be called Eva. What's your name, mister?"
"Mine's Astran Valderis," he replied. "Also, she's not my girlfriend."

Her name sounds familiar. Apparently, Eva recognized him first, because her eyes opened wide upon hearing his name. She stared at him blankly for a few moments before the realization dawned on her. She bowed her head.

"At your service, sir."

"Uh...thanks." Astran ran his hand through his hair. Could this really be her? "Did...did you...sign the contract?" He pulled out his soaked paper contract and showed it to her. To his surprise, she pulled out an identical one. Astran put two and two together. "So...does that make you my...wife!?"

She nodded grimly. "The King wants an audience with us at 4am tomorrow, so I recommend you get some sleep, sir." She laid down on the grass and tried to sleep. Astran tried to crawl up beside her, but she suddenly opened her eyes and shot him a death-glare. "It is my understanding that we are to refrain from procreational activities until the assignment is complete, sir. Do I understand correctly?" Astran backed off and replied, "Yeah, right. Sorry." He closed his eyes and laid down on the grass.
__________

3am. Astran blinked his eyes open to find Eva cleaning her armor, wearing a white longsleeve shirt and ankle-length blue skirt. "Good morning sir," she said simply. "You might want to clean up before we go. The King likes his guests to be clean and well-dressed." Astran reluctantly got up and removed his armor. He was surprised at how bad he smelled. He considered taking a bath in the river, but Eva seemed to be reading his mind. "You can get a more thorough wash when you get there. Just make sure your armor looks good for now."

When they'd both finished cleaning up, they started back on the road to Haven. Astran considered it an excellent opportunity to chat. "So...where are you from?"
"My family was unaffiliated, but my birthplace was in Haven's main hospital."
"What are you here-"
"My turn. Where are you from?"
"Well...let's see, I was born shortly after the crash."
"And?"
"I've lived in Spiral Marine Corps housing ever since."
"Makes sense. Your turn."
"Okay. Do you have any idea why the King set us up together?"
"No."
"Me neither. Think he'll tell us?"
"Maybe. I'm not going to question his judgement, but...with all due respect sir, you wouldn't have been my first choice."
"I'm a little ashamed to say it, but...same here."
"Can't say I blame you, sir."

They walked in awkward silence the rest of the way back. It wasn't long before they arrived in front of Haven's main gate, where they entered a portal taking them to Valhalla. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by a bewildering array of angels, knights, and all manner of strange people. One of them, a short, stocky man in a pompous purple outfit, waddled up to them and tried (and failed) to bow. "Greetings! You must be new here. Cleaning stations are to your immediate left." Astran and Eva thanked him and took turns allowing the automated machines to clean them inside and out.

Needless to say, the process was very uncomfortable, and he couldn't help feeling a little violated by the time he stepped out. Eva, too, looked quite unnerved by the experience, but unlike Astran, she wasn't complaining about it. "MAN that was weird!" he exclaimed. Eva rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement.

The trumpet sounded, and everyone filed off to each side of the room. The person who approached the podium was...well, not the King, that's for sure. Messenger, perhaps? The man stepped up to the podium and tapped the microphone. "Attention! Ah, thank you. I'll get straight to the point. You were all called here today for a very important mission. You are tasked with cleansing the world of the Fallen, those wretched Valkyries who fell from heaven and polluted the King's sacred realms. You will not all take them on together, as that would be wasteful. Some of you have been partnered up in preparation for facing the more difficult foes, while others can (and probably should) travel alone."

Astran glanced at Eva. Even so...I'm not sure we could take on a Valkyrie and win. He looked back at the speaker, who was just beginning to talk about how "...the Fallen are often armed with a bewildering array of weaponry, but most of them carry a Gran Faust, the wickedest of swords ever to be created. They usually have a vast army of powerful minions at their disposal, each of whom could easily slay a standard knight in one-on-one combat."

"But you are NOT average knights! You are the King's army, the best of the best! He expects you to act as such." Eva glanced at Astran. I have trouble believing that this guy fits the bill. She returned her attentions to the speaker. "You have a full day to prepare. So without further ado, good luck to you all!" He waved his hand, and the knights clapped politely. "Not the greatest of speeches, but it'll do," Astran noted. Eva shook her head. "I thought he did well."
"But he's a terrible speaker!"
"He's a man of few words."
"He's ugly."
"He's physically disadvantaged."
"He's stupid."
"Permission to speak freely?"
"Permission granted."
"You're a jerk."
"Permission revoked! What the heck, Eva? What did you mean by that?"
"You revoked my permission to speak freely."
"Do the best you can then."
"Your statements were less-than-appropriate."

Astran crossed his arms and stared at his feet. "Maybe my thinking was messed up. I'm sorry." Before Eva could reply, they were handed a slip of paper with a typed message: Your mission begins at the Western Stone Ring, where your target was last seen. Find and destroy Amadeus Grimmoire. Astran nodded and slipped it in his pocket.

"I think I know where that is."

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 03:29

#41

Trolololololololoe

Next part thoughts

This is me just thinking of the next part. Is the next part going to have Amadeus Grimmoire finding Elesis and trying to convince her to become a villain. Meanwhile, Astran and Eva find him and as they try to stop him, Antasma appears and delays them so Amadeus can continue trying to convince Elesis to be a villain...

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 06:46

#42

Robo-Drilldigger

Unique

This is unique Thin and I will reserve this spot for an app when they are allowed again

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 08:13

#43

Pipipipipi

I hate to break it to you...

...but I don't think Thin acually accepted Antasma, maybe you should try making a character that is not from a video game.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 08:34

#44

Trolololololololoe

@Pipipipipi

Thin said "@Deadly-Sin-Revenge: I'll think on it." I am just thinking of what Might happen...

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 13:21

#45

Robo-Drilldigger

@Pipipipipi

You know, everyone is different and I really want to make an app but... I can't think of the person being a villain and it's closed right now...

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 13:26

#46

Thinslayer

Regarding apps

When I wrote "[apps closed]," it simply means that I will not accept any more apps. You are still free to provide them, but I can guarantee that I will not consider them until I need them.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 14:42

#47

Pipipipipi

The 4th wall shall be shattered!!!

@Robo-Drilldigger clearly you havn't played dreamteam

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 14:45

#48

Robo-Drilldigger

@Pipipipipi and back-up character

@Pipipipipi: Uh... What?

Name: Miku

Gender: Female

Race: Valkyrie

Appearance

Abilities: Able to listen through walls, can create tons things with very few and basic items, can silently sneak about, doesn't use shields, can dual wield and can scan people and enemies.

Personality: Smart, helpful, tactical, kind and friendly

Biography: Miku often heard top secret material in armies and told them to the leaders. She also created very strong items from very weak items. She then started to use advanced strategies in battle. She often waited for the enemy to strike and then silently sneaked behind the enemy lines and made them much weaker.

However, this failed when she tried to battle Amadeus Grimmoire on his own and she barely made it out alive. She hid in a cave to rest and fell into a deep sleep where a dark creature started to attack her. The dark creature was strong but lacked any strategy and blanked out a few times which gave Miku the chance to knock back the foe from her dream.

((OOC: Sorry if Bio is rubbish but I have no clue for it.))

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 15:04

#49

Pipipipipi

The 4th wall shall be shattered!!!

@Robo-Drilldigger If you had played it before, you would know who Antasma is

the fact that you said you "can't think of the person as a villian" tells it all

Mon, 11/18/2013 - 11:47

#50

Thinslayer

A pleasant day in town

Astran and Eva returned to Haven via the portal. Unfortunately for Astran, the Town Square was filled with his friends that day. And naturally, they were curious. "Hey Astran!" Zip-Dude called out. He and Astran exchanged man-hugs (half-hug shoulder-bump). "Gosh, you look good dude! Looks like you got your armor cleaned up."
Astran grinned. "Sure did. I...just figured it was too dirty."
"Ha ha...ah, yeah, good times. Say, who's the new girlfriend?"
Scrap, he noticed. "Erm...heh heh...uh, she's my new...partner."
"Ha ha partner? Lucky!" Zip winked and nudged him in the shoulder.
Darned innuendo. "Heck no, not that kind of partner!"

"Sure, sure! Hey girl, is it true you're with this guy?" Zip called out to Eva. She was too busy browsing supplies at the Auction House, however, and wasn't paying attention. Zip strutted up to her and tapped her on the shoulder, getting her attention. "Yes, sir?" she said. Zip whistled and exclaimed, "Oh, 'sir?' That's rich, man. Say, is that little wimp your 'partner'?" Eva glanced at Astran, then back at Zip. "Unfortunately."

Zip laughed heartily. "Dude! I like your girlfriend. We gotta take you all out on a double-date sometime. Toodles!" He waved and jogged off to the Arcade. Astran facepalmed. I hope that's the last- But it wasn't. His ex-girlfriend was there, too. VOGDAMMIT! Upon noticing him, she seductively saluted him. "Hey hot stuff. Miss me?" She walked up to him and slapped him in the face. "Jerk. I thought I told you never to show your face around here again." Astran rubbed his sore cheek and replied, "Not like I've got much choice in the matter. Besides, you were the one who-"
"I don't wanna hear your lame excuses. Vog, you still suck!"
"Um, excuse me?"
"Dam straight."
"That was a figure of speech, genius."
"I know, I'm not stupid, you stupid idiot."
"It's not polite to call names."

She would have slapped him again if Eva hadn't finished browsing the Auction House and returned to Astran's side with supplies for tomorrow's mission. The girl planted her hands on her hips and stared at Eva. "Who the heck is this girl? She your new girlfriend-to-dump?" Before Astran could reply, Eva slugged the girl in the face. She grabbed Astran's arm and muttered, "Enough of this garbage. Let's go." They walked away, leaving the girl dumbstruck.

Huh. Guess Eva's not so bad after all. She dragged him to a less-populated section of Haven, where she sullenly began doling out the supplies she'd acquired. Astran took bomb bandolier, and both of them applied their com units, vitakits, and canteens. "Ready, commander?" Eva asked quietly. Astran nodded, and just as they were about to head for Haven's main gate, Eva was stopped by dashing young Recon Ranger. He took her hand and kissed it. "Hello, Eva. It's good to see you again." Eva blushed and stuttered, "Th-thank you! G-good to see you t-to!"

Hey! She's mine! Astran stepped in front of her and demanded, "And who the heck do you think you are?" The Recon Ranger bowed and replied, "I'm Sergeant Darius. Who are you?"
"I'm Astran Valderis, her new partner."
"Pleasure to meet you."
"Humph. Hello."
"How did you come to be partnered with my lady?"
My lady? Astran glanced at Eva, who blushed again. "What do you mean by 'my lady'?"
"Why, I've been courting her, of course. Do you have a claim on her?"
"Uh...yeah, actually. Get lost."
Darius rolled his eyes. "Very well. I'm not interested in battling you in front of her lovely eyes. If we ever meet again, however, all bets are off."
Astran pointed a finger at him. "You can COUNT on it!"

Darius strutted off towards the garrison. Eva sighed longingly and started off towards Haven's gate. Astran ran up beside her. "Old boyfriend, I presume?"
"Yes."
"I take it you still like him?"
"Yes." Her eyes narrowed.
"I'm sorry."
I'll bet. Sorry...my arse! "I'm sure."
"No, really. I didn't mean for this all to happen, you know."
Oh really? And whose hand signed the contract, hmm? "Yes sir."

They passed through the gate, where Virgil cleared them to leave. Astran pulled out his map. "Let's see now...the rock ring should be right about...here." Eva glanced at the map. "Hmm. Looks familiar. We should be there by noon."
"Only if we don't stop for a snack."
"Which we won't."
"Why not? You brought food, didn't you?"
"Yes sir."
"Then-"
"Time, sir."
"Ah. Wanna finish the mission early, huh?"
"Yes sir."
"I see. I'll try to keep up."
"Very good sir."

As planned, they reached the rock ring by about noon. Astran was exhausted, but Eva wasn't, and he couldn't understand why. "How do you do that?"
"Training, sir."
"Ugh, I could probably use some."
"Undoubtedly."

They scoured the ring, and just like the last time Astran was there, they found nothing. Eva wasn't ready to give up just yet, though. She began chipping away at the dried mud on the sides of the rocks, so Astran followed suit. After nearly an hour of this incredibly boring activity, Eva exclaimed, "I found something!" Astran walked over to see what she found. It was a rune, drawn with dark purple markings. Somehow, it looked familiar to him. "Um...is that the rune for 'open door'?" Eva looked at him incredulously. "Say what?" She glanced at the rune, then back at Astran. "How could you tell?" He shrugged. "Training, I guess," he said with a grin. Eva rolled her eyes. "Your move then, sir." What are you going to do about it, genius? she thought to herself. Astran thought for a moment. "Ianua," he uttered at length.

Suddenly, a blast of wind hit them in the back. They turned around to see a bright portal open up; beyond it, a vast, dark city stood in the distance. Astran took Eva's hand, and they stepped through it. The portal closed behind them, leaving them trapped in this strange new world.

Astran sighed. "Okey doke. Let's do this thing."

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Reborn [fanfiction][apps closed]