Sutoratosu

"why are you going up the stairs?" Draidon asked, can't helping but have a bit of suspicion in his tone. "The sounds coming from over here." with that, he walked off towards the noise, exiting the room and into another corridor... the sound was growing louder as he made his way. it was definitely coming from down here.

Hell... I can see this being how it might play out too... but no matter what he does, he'll always be a Grasshole.

"Fine..." Draidon Grumpled. he stepped back onto the stair case... then stopped. there was some sound coming from nearby... like a bunch of Tree leaves rustling... if he didn't know any better, he would've thought someone were actually foolish enough to punch a tree in an attempt to get wood from it... he waited for a few moments, then looked up at Sparks. "You hear that?" he asked rather curtly. "That rustling sound over there."

"Who are you!?" Stratos, High Champion of the Fallen Theocracy, shouted as he crossed his blade with a Drake Lance he recognized all too well... "And how in the hell did you obtain Star-Ripper!?" "It matter's not, doppleganger!" Stratos, the Sky Slayer, retorted in response. The two men dueled back and forth, sword versus spear, sparks flew and a deadly hymn rang out as their steel clashed, a hymn lamenting all those who had fallen at the hands of both men, and condemning the sky slayer for his many sins during his well-meant mission. The Sky Slayer unleashed another burst of mono-chromatic lightning from his spear head, sending it arcing towards the high champion. The other Stratos dodged nimbly, leaping into the air behind the Sky Slayer as the bolt missed and caused another explosion, ruining several more ancient dwellings, his black cloak billowing and his snow white armor shining in the light of the blast. He sent a precise strike towards the back of the Sky Slayer's neck, intending to end this... Only to receive a savage roundhouse to his jaw, sending him stumbling back, stars filling his vision. There was a quick flash of motion, and then the Slayer was right in front of him, face to face. He brought up his fist and drove it into the side of the other man's face, sending the Champion sprawling to the stones where he then began to grapple with his opponent as he tried to bash his head into the stones. "Die, foul mechanation of Rossephus!" the Slayer shouted as he raised Star Ripper, preparing to impale the man through the mouth. "Who is Rossephus!?" The high Champion shouted. "Do not play dumb, you little vile servant..." Stratos snarled. "You may well share my face, a younger version of it even, at that, but you are nothing but a copy sent to tarry my and my allies time!" With that said, he drove the Drake Lance downward, only to be thrown off of the Champion's chest by the impact force of an black-feathered arrow. He lay on the Cobblestones, groaning in pain as he felt blood beginning to rush into his pierced lung, slowly choking him... as well as the poison the arrow had been tipped in began to work it's way through his system. Absalom lowered his bow as he watched the Sky Slayer fall. He had done it... he had saved the Relic... he had stopped the fiend's vandalism. "Absalom!" His father called as he finally caught up... then he saw the Black end of the arrow sticking out of the Sky Slayer's chest. "Mother of God..." The man continued, looking down at his son in horror. "Absalom... what have you done!? You... the Sky Slayer... You just..." He couldn't finish due to the fact that he was stuttering from a mix of Awe, Fright, and Disgust at his son's actions... "I slayed a Legend," Absalom said in a matter of fact manner. "But I do not care about that... he was destroying this place, this piece of preserved history...and so I stopped him from his crime." "Damn it boy!" His father shouted in a rage, suddenly able to find his words again. "You've the thinking process of a child! do you know what you have just done to that man!?" "I killed him, father, yes I know..." Absalom answered, frowning. "but why are you angry at me for him... you had no issue when I killed those criminals earlier..." "It's not that you killed him!" the man roared. "It's HOW you Fucking killed him!" He grabbed his son's shoulders. "Where did you get that Arrow you just used!?" he demanded. "From your... your bag, father..." The boy replied, a bit frightened by his father's sudden change of demeanor. "My bag!" He shouted in despair. "That arrow, Absalom... it was not meant to be used on any human... it's too horrible, the poison it's tipped in, it's like pure hell... it was only meant Blood Wor-" he trailed off... nearby, the man still standing, who had the same face as Stratos, albeit several years younger in appearance, had picked up the Sky Slayers weapon and now stood towering above the man, raising it high in the air, the point aimed towards his face. Stratos looked up in disbelief at the warrior... he had just been bested... and by someone other than Rossephus. he tried to reach up with one of his hands, the veins in his neck and face bulging as the venom worked it's unholy effects. He was in so much pain... such agony. It felt like his organs were all being boiled over a fire. His tongue had been paralyzed by whatever he'd been shot with... he could not speak. But with his eyes, he looked to other man in the face, his own face, expecting to see wrath or hate or anger or fear or despair or sorrow or guilt or horrible pain.. or anything that he himself was feeling at this moment... .... .... .... But there was none of that on the High Champion's face as Stratos looked there. The only thing in his eyes were pity... pity for the way his foeman was dying... and mercy... not the political type a king might have, but the battle-type of mercy, the mercy that allows men and women to slay their opponent quickly and immediately rather than allowing them to linger for hours in pain before finally expiring. "I know not who you are..." Stratos, the True, said to the man writhing on the ground. "But I wish you peace in the beyond." with that final, sincerely solemn statement, Stratos drove Star-Ripper into the heart of the Sky Slayer, killing him instantly and bringing the man's suffering to a merciful end. He retrieved his weapon as he stared down at the body... his eyes stormy and solemn from the thought of the life he had just snuffed out. he held the spear there, hovering in his hand...and the Quartet of Warriors came around the bend of the street just in time to see him in the position... with The Sky Slayer's dead body laying on the stones of the street. "What in the sam hell is going on here?" Boho said, panting. "Why are there two Stratoses? and why is one of them dead on the ground with other holding his spear... all drenched in blood and what not, like he just used it to murder him?" The Magistrate leaned on the wall, obviously winded. the run had been uphill the entire way, and light walking didn't seem to be working down here... couple this with the fact that he did just hike for four hours... and well, this equation equals one very tired Boho. "I...I need to sit down..." he sighed, sliding down the wall and sitting there. "Sorry ya'll... but I'm to winded right now... you're gonna have to sort this whole thing out on your lonesome..."

I know you weren't intending to go on an attack about it, Dobby, I was just stating that argument above for anyone who might feel like taking pot shots at our little team for the decision. Anyways, We don't have to have the orb go off now, persay. it can be anytime really so long as we're not cleared of the dungeon yet. (Since, you know... escape orbs and everything...) so we can all still meet up if you want... though you should probably make some more loud noises to catch their attention...

By the way folks, I actually meant that thing about finding the mechanics. It takes a lot of work to manage this and PSS (well actually not that much for this... but it really does for PSS.) along with staying involved in other RPs. so... anyone wanna be nice and lend a hand? if no one wants to, then I'll just get around to it eventually... but... ;-;

Technically, yes, since I came up with the idea of setting up the situation that Draidon and Sparky and Ace are headed into, and Sparky and Murdoc agreed to it based on outside knowledge. so yes, It is technically meta gaming... I've already stated our justification for it however... whether you want to call it horse shit is entirely up to you. but before the lynch mob starts, let me ask this: why weren't we all informed about these conditions with money earlier? Me and Murdoc and Sparky are just doing now what we would've had our characters do in the first place if we'd been informed earlier; have circumstances arise that would lead them to either decide to head to town before entering the dungeon, or be forced to do so... yes, that's technically meta-gaming too, but you all know you would've done something similar in that case. (Hell, we probably would've just had them not find the dungeon at all, but instead have had them stumble into town instead of Mt.Horn.) but if you all are gonna form into mob mentality over this, then fine, the three of us don't have to accidentally have the orb activated... we can just continue climbing the mountain... But if no one has any objections... (and no, we will not exploit the infinite money till castle condition; we'll just pick up a reviver seed or two and some oran berries and apples.)

Nah man, nah... Dying ain't our style over on team... wait, Murdoc, Sparky, we needs a name... anyway, I said nothing about getting KOed. the three of us just found an escape orb and Draidon, in all his occasional clumsiness and ignorance as to what it does, is going to activate it on accident when Ace and Sparks get close enough... what, that seem cheap? well... so was waiting till now to make the announcement that everyone who's a pokemon character has infinite Cash until they reach their aligned castles...

((He used his new Gible to Finish off Enyo's Gyarados... everyone saw that happen, so there's no real reason for Logan to have not seen it earlier with the rest of the squadron... I'm not saying you have to edit the question, but I'm just setting that straight.)) Erick stood up from the table since it seemed that pretty much everyone else was set on ditching dinner. "It's some type of shark that walks around or something..." he said, answering Logan's question. "I'm honestly not too sure myself... and I didn't even catch that one... I had caught some weird Ghost thing bound to a rock, but Ray killed it while we were having a test battle to figure out what Affinity it had... After that, Clemont pretty much gave this to me with some magic trick..."

Draidon was tired of waiting... screw it, He'd just catch them after they came to the second floor. "Hurry it up already," He called. "I'm heading to the next floor!" and he was doing just that even as he said it... but something on the ground caught his eyes, it was to the side of the stairs and gleamed with a light blue color... an orb "Well..." He said, descending back down the stairs and picking up the sphere in his palms. He could see his reflection in the globe... but he honestly had no idea what it did. He never could understand how it was that some people always seemed to know a Sphere's purpose without having to actually use it first... must have been some secret art to it or something... "Hey!" he continued hollering down the hall, holding up the object for Ace and Sparky to see. "I just found something!"

Well.. Dobby, if you don't need assistance anymore, than we're gonna get ourselves out of there now... Time for Draidon to be clumsy...

"STOP RUNNING, DAMNIT!!!" Aaron's voice echoed through the night in a furious tone, seeming to emanate from everywhere at once. needless to say, it got pretty much everyone's attention, including the Nixafarians that were going after Maximus. They all turned to look behind them, seeing the young man a few meters a way, twenty or so fellow Nixes stood behind him at attention... their eyes burned pure white instead of black now. "Not one of you is going to run away in cowardice!" he roared, prepared to reprimand anyone he had to in accordance with his recently acquired resolve. The Nix that had been going for Maximus all charged towards him now, hands outstretched and grinning evily. Aaron wasn't phased in the least bit. He slammed his left and right hands together in a prayer like fashion, sending out a miniature, Violet shock wave that seemed to startle the Nix. They all stopped in the tracks and began backing away. "No..." Aaron told them. "You work for us now... and you will be content and obey!" With that said he swung out both arms in wide arcs, unleashing a torrent of white, shining tethers from his chest as a circular glyph hovered in the air, blazing the same bright white as the lines arcing out. Every beam found it's mark in the chest of a Nix, no matter how much they tried to run and hide, one by one, they had all been struck within a few moments. Aaron then held up his hands and clapped them together, forming a cage with his palms like one would when holding an insect. Both the Eyes of Aaron and the Nix, along with the glyph hovering in the air, blazed a bright scarlet. Glyph then faded along with the tethers. All fell silent for a few moments... then the Nix's eyes stopped glowing Scarlet, though now they were a birght white. They began to all assemble infront of him, forming columns of ten across the road and standing at attention just like the ones behind the young man. What Aaron had just did would seem beyond comprehension to most in the group, but to Maximus, it was clear as day what had happened... It was just like the teachers and instructors and bed time stories had all described it as... Aaron... had just Soul bound himself to each and every one of the men of Nix before them... but Maximus could also tell that this was different from the traditional type of contract that Riders and Wyrms would make... this one was not mutual... it was a dominance oriented one... These things... they were all under the boy's control now. "Bring me the urn that you made me drop when I was dealing with you all." he ordered the closest nix. it nodded wordlessly and disappeared. a moment later it stood by his side again, holding the ornate funerary urn it's arms. it handed it to master gingerly. "Good..." The boy said. He stared straight at Maximus, the only other person he saw outside right now "Now then... let's get this funeral over with and head to Castle Nix."

Meanwhile... in an Undisclosed Location miles to the north... Samiel, Atton, Muya, Gilwyn, and Esmerelda each found themselves falling face first into the floors of separate jail cells after the Dark fire that had abducted them finally spat them out into their destination. "Damnit..." Atton snarled as he got up. "that whore son laid out quite the trap... and we walked right into it..." "But there's no way in hell we're going to give up..." Samiel added. "The others will be more than enough to help Divinius... but we need to get of here, now." "Agreed..." Said Gilwyn as he sat up, his nose was smeared with blood. he placed his hand up to his nostrils, trying to stop the flow. He seemed to have fallen harder than anyone else. "Well, hello there!" a new voice called out, interrupting the conversation. A wiry man walked into the cell block. He wore a bright shirt that was stained with every colored hue imaginable, a strange hat atop his head to match it. His hair was down in a braid like fashion, though not one of them had ever seen this particular style before, with so many strands of hair down up in it. He wore simple, black trousers and leather shoes. on his face he sported a goatee and a slightly zoned out expression. "Welcome to jail, dudes... and ladies," he continued. he had a strange accent that sounded like it couldn't belong anywhere in the world. "My name is Earl, and I'll be serving as your Warden/ Drug Dealer/ Friend with benefits... if you catch my drift on that last one." he winked at them nonchalantly. "So..." said Earl. "Any questions? any one looking for them... benefits?" "I have a question..." Gilwyn spoke up. "Alriiiiiiiiiight," Earl said. "Shoot, friend." "Can you let us out of here?" He asked. Earl scratched his chin for a moment, mulling it over. " 'fraid not, Brah," he answered finally. "If I did that, Master Rossephus would be like, Royally pissed off at me, and then I'd be like, royally fucked... and not in the good way either..." Gilwyn didn't say anything. he had figured that it wouldn't work... but at least now that was one escape method they could cross off the list. "Alright then," Responded Gilwyn. "How would you like to die then?" The Warden/ Drug Dealer scratched his chin again, going other his option of answers. "Strangulation maybe?" He said. "I don't know brah, something where I'd pass out first... pretty weird question though." then he turned and walked out of the cell block, calling out as he left. "I'll bring you all some food in a bit... then we can get to know each other over some Lucy Grass!" Lucy Grass... well, to Gilwyn, that certainly explained a lot. This Earl guy seemed a bit off... and it was because he was probably hopped up on the stuff just now... it probably also explained his rather weird taste in clothing... and it was also how Gilwyn was going to get them all free from here. If Earl was their warden, then surely he'd have keys... and he had offered in that last bit about friends and benefits... well, it would enough to get him and Gilwyn into close proximity of each other, though the man shuddered at the very thought of having to say 'I accept' to the offer... but it had to be done. He reached down to his belt and pulled out a spool of silvery string, unrolling it to full length and wrapping it around his palms... "I assume you have something planned..." Samiel said, watching his actions closely, looking for clues to a plot. "That I do..." Gilwyn sighed. "Though I honestly wish to god that I didn't..." ***** Back At Ko'Luki's House... As Maximus continued to dig the grave for the Friend he presumed to be dead, the Shadows by the roadside an in the woods began to stir evermore. Soon the young Ekarder was seeing burst of black movement in his periphery every couple of seconds. and then it stopped completely, and all was still save the wind. The young warrior was almost done with grave, but as he went remove another shovel full from the hole, he couldn't help but feel a presence behind him... If he glanced over his shoulder, he'd probably die of shock from what he'd see. standing behind him... were beings straight out of bedtime tales... beings that were supposed to never be able to walk the earth again because of Castle Nix... Standing behind him, Grey skinned and shrawled in shadows, teeth red as rubies and eyes like black pits of death... Were at least fifty Men from Nix... and they all had a grin of pure evil spread wide on their faces as they stared down at the man digging the small grave... Ironic, because it might well be his own body lying in it in a few minutes.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're kidding me, right? If I me, sparky and Murdoc had known this earlier, we probably would've gone shopping for supplies first... ;-; A bit too late for us now though... unless... hmmm... maybe not...

And so it was that the quartet followed behind the mystery man and his young son named Absalom. The walk was brisk, the night air freezing cold, Just as Gideon has said it would be earlier, though none of the warriors had actually noticed it till now due to the adrenaline that had been pumping through each of them during the short battle. Luckily for them, however, the distance was not long, and the pace set by Absalom and his father was deliberately designed to keep them warm from the exercise. Before long the group had been led to a small cave leading down into earth; a rather large, gaping hole in the white and golden dunes, it's form keep in place by various bits of stone and a strange, glossy substance that shined brightly whenever the torchlight fell upon it. An experienced Hunter, one who had taken up travels to this part of the world, would easily recognize this hole as the burrow of a Blood Worm...albeit one that was (hopefully) empty. "This way," Absalom said. his father brought out a stick wrapped in pitch and lit it, casting light into the cave. He walked beyond the entrance... The Group apparently had more walking to do. And walked they did. for an hour... then two... then three and then things started to change just as they got into the fourth hour... God knows how long this Blood worm must've been to have dug a tunnel so ridiculously deep... "We are almost there," Absalom updated them as the scenery began to gradually lighten. "Just little further... and be careful." The warriors could see an ending to the cave just a few meters ahead. Absalom's father tossed the torch to the ground as he stepped through, and the boy took care to stump out the flame as he passed by, an obvious Courtesy to Boho and friends. One after the other, the travelers stepped through the cave's entrance, and gasped at what they saw before them.... "Welcome," Absalom's father said. "To the Lost Haven..." "Me and Father found this just a week ago..." Absalom said, taking over where his father left off. "People have not treaded here in a very long time...Not since end of Nix War..." "That's right..." his father continued. "We are what you would call "Expeditionaries", explorers..." He pointed out at the small ancient city lying before them all, far from the face of the cliff they stood on now, though a stone bridge extended to meet the rock nearby, making access into the place actually plausible. A small fire was blazing in the distance, and that was what the man was pointing to. "The High Champion, Stratos, awaits you..." He said. " And I'm Sure you all are tired from the trek he-" BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A massive explosion sounded through the air, causing the ground to shake violently and stones to fall from the ceiling and shattered on the cavern floor below. "What the hell was that!?" Absalom's father shouted. "Look!" Replied Absalom. the boy was pointing to a spot in the uppermost levels of city. Flashes of Black and White were flaring back and forth, each flash detonating another explosion. The stones continued to fall down around them. The top most levels of the city were being ruined before the group's very eyes. "NOOOOOOO!!!!" Absalom's father screamed. "He is destroying the relic!" The look on his son's face was unreadable for a moment as he processed what he'd just seen. Then he scowled in a rage that one wouldn't think to see on a boy so young. Absalom tore his own bow from off his shoulder, notching a particularly short shafted arrow from his quiver, it's head gleaming with a purple glint, and ran off towards the bridge leading into the city. "SKY SLAYEEEER!!!" the lad roared. "YOU LIED! YOU SAID YOU WOULD NOT DAMAGE IT!! YOUR WORD MEANS NOTHING!!!" "Absalom! NO, STOP! HE"LL KILL YOU AS IF YOU NOTHING BUT A FLEA!!" His father called as he took off after his son. The boy didn't listen, simply kept advancing to the bridge. In a few seconds he had made it across and was heading to the area of the black and white lightning. "Damn it!!!" The boy's father cursed, running off after him. "Shit...." Boho muttered. "We just had a FUCKING FOUR HOUR WALK!!!!!" But even as he said it, he was running off after Absalom's father.

((Kenny, for know I'm gonna just assume that you're following behind me)) After Kenny and Annie had caught up by the door way, Ethic turned his back on the massive room and started walking away, unable to help the fact that he had a slight smirk on his face as he cast one last glance at the Starving souls. He backtracked to the entry way where they'd all come into this circle, searching around the walls of the corridor, trying to find some passage way and door or something. He figured that the way he had just come from probably just ended in the banquet room and that... for lack of a better word, that pantry. From what Ethic had seen, there wasn't anything else down that way. But there had to be some way leading to the next circle... maybe they just had to start thinking a bit outside the box now.

Oh, Oh, Ame! If you're ever gonna team the player up with Hardy, can we do both of these things?

"Sock Bearer" is thou new title, Dobby. either folks get the reference, or they don't. though, honestly most people should....

And so began the Battling portion of the young Soldiers' friendly competition... everyone fought valiantly and bravely along side their partners, and all could at least be proud of the effort they put forth that day. But alas, twas Kenny and his rather overpowered Emolga that stood atop the mountain alone when the sun set. It was he and his beast that had triumphed over all opponents, and thus, the bet twas won. The cash was his now, and his alone. That Evening... The mess hall was rather lively tonight. Everyone was in generally high spirits after the battle to hold down the base. Several soldiers had gone out and purchased Champagne and wine and beer in order to celebrate, along with cigars and cigarettes. Even though Drinking was against Base Protocol, the Commanding Officers for the most part turned a blind eye to it, though did make sure to keep watch on their squadrons... didn't want anyone to get too tipsy now. Surge's squad sat at a table near the rear of the mess, close to the doors. Not one of the young soldiers had a drink in front of them. Surge had come down from the Officers' mess hall and told them all that if even one of them got drunk, the consequences for everyone would be beyond severe. They all knew from the past six months that whenever Surge made a threat or ultimatum, he always followed through on it, unless he was given substantial reason to do otherwise. And so there was a simple solution to avoid the possibility of getting their asses chewed out big time: they all had simply refrained from partaking in the liquor making the rounds, it had been like an unspoken agreement between everyone at the table... though, it probably also helped that most of the Squad members were under the legal drinking age. Erick looked around at the partying going on, a bored expression on his face. his capsules all sat in the magnetic slots on his belt; GAOs weren't allowed in the Mess, not because it was actually against protocol, but because the head chef was a bit of a hard-ass when it came to certain health regulations, and for the most part regarded having GAOs about in his domain as the same as having animals in the kitchen (Though this didn't prevent he himself from using his own GAOs to help him and his staff in the kitchen... though, in his defense, he washed all his partners at least twice a day and made sure to keep them from actually touching the food.). "It's a bit ironic..." Erick said. "Even though we all are the ones who took out that damn bird, it doesn't look like any of us is in the mood to celebrate about it..."

Alright... I'll get to making the timeskip, but I want someone to go and find all the Mechanics I've listed in this OCC so far and compile them into a list via copy and paste.

Promote Dobby to Sock Bearer! XD

I thinkith not

Hey, Dobby... you might wanna call out for help right now. Draidon found the staircase. (I legit forgot you were even on the same floor...sorry) other wise, Me Murdoc and Sparky have no way of figuring out that you're there.