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Post by Skyfire on Mar 19, 2010 6:44:26 GMT -5
((Uh-huh.))
Buzz sighed. “I reeeally wish you’d stop using those acronyms – I have no idea what you’re saying!” He rubbed the back of his neck just for the sake of it. “I guess I like this game pretty well so far, though.” He shrugged. “How about you?”
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Post by eez on Mar 19, 2010 10:55:28 GMT -5
((......Got anything else to say other than 'uh-huh'; like your "vulture" concept, or any other ideas you would like known? I'm all horns, here, so throw me a bone.))
"You didn't read the manual that came with the game, did you..." Zurg sighed, garnishing a rather indifferent, bland look. Honestly, reading the game manuals is the first thing you do before you play a game! "A VMMO game is simply a 'Virtual Mass Multiplayer Online' game. Meaning it's virtual, there are literally tons of other players and it's online, using several server banks on several worlds. See? Simple."
The druids, on the other hand, thought Zurg was just simply bonkers.
Zurg switched gears, however, when Lightyear asked how he liked it.
"Well...It's certainly better than rolling a hunter and leveling in some barren, desolate world...Took me twenty levels to even get out of that dead space..." He grumbled with a stout shake of his head. "I was pleasantly surprised to find that I spawned in a forest, for once. My lucks is normally never good in these kinds of things. And! I've also rolled a white mage, too! This class is fairly new, so I'm a tad giddy as to what I'll learn." The Evil Emperor finished with a little nod.
"I just wonder what this 'King' looks like....I've felled many elite bosses in my time, but never as a weak, supportive white mage..."
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Post by Skyfire on Mar 19, 2010 14:21:05 GMT -5
((Heeey, “uh-huh” is a perfectly acceptable all-purpose response, so there! *sticks nose up in the air* ((*fails to hold Tangean pose, giggles* Okay, seriously… Hmm. Rhiannon. Human, mid-twenties, can shape-shift into a phoenix (I love phoenixes ^^). Umm… oh yeah, the High King! Well, the land of Tirnari contains several different kingdoms, or ruirechs – all with their own kings. The High King (haven’t figured out his name yet) rules over them from the capital city, which itself is the capital of the High King’s own smaller realm. Tirnari is actually Irish Gaelic: Tir-na-Ri – it means “land of the king.” There’s a little bit of a Celtic motif running through here. Even the name Rhiannon is Welsh, and is actually pronounced “hree-an-nun.” ^^ Welp, that’s all I can think of for now! If I remember anything else or come up with anything more, I’ll letcha know! ;D))
“Oh, okay. Got it.” …The only manual Buzz ever seriously read was the one of which he’d written half.
Buzz eyed his game partner. “It’s definitely different to see you like that, all right.” He then tilted his head back to look up at the night sky, all the stars… “I figure the High King will be human. I mean, the Rhiannon impostor looked like it, and she was probably identical to the real princess.”
He shrugged, not taking his eyes off the stars. “This whole thing is making me remember stuff from high school – you know, mythology and fairy tales and all that. Maybe the King Arthur legends more than anything else.” He finally tore his gaze away from the stars and glanced at Zurg again. “Ever heard of King Arthur?”
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Post by eez on Mar 19, 2010 14:28:51 GMT -5
((Well, not where I come from so there, yourself, little lady! Uhhuhuhuhu~! And good! Let me know! Will we meet this High King now? Or are we going to spend some time getting to the kingdom? I doubt these druids would like to keep us for long...))
"What? Me practically stark-naked in white, flimsy cloth? Please, you're not the only one." Zurg joked, talking about himself as he sat up straighter on the mount in a rather proud, humourous pose. He settled down, however, as the Forest Creeper began to whine and beg to be scratched under the...er....was that an ear?
"High school...?" Uh-oh...
"To be honest, I've never heard of human faerie tales..." Zurg remarked, feeling a bit out of place. And he never went to this 'high school', either...The only human faerie tale he heard of was something about...about...Oh craters, he couldn't recall! His marks in xenology were never terribly high...
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Post by Skyfire on Mar 19, 2010 15:00:33 GMT -5
((Umm… maybe I can bring Rhiannon to take charge. ^^))
Buzz chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, you’re covered just fine.”
“That’s okay,” Buzz hastened to assure him. “I was just wondering. You’d be surprised at how many humans themselves don’t know where they came from. King Arthur was one of those mythological-figures-based-on-real-history. I don’t remember all the details – I mean, I was fifteen when I studied this stuff – but Arthur was destined to be King of England and had to pull a sword out of a stone to prove it. Building and maintaining his kingdom was an uphill climb, but he was helped by the magician Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table. In the end, his queen left him, his best knight left him for her, and his own illegitimate half-son gave him a fatal wound. All accounts finish with Arthur being taken to an island called Avalon – sort of a paradise-on-earth.”
Buzz blinked. “And wow! I can’t believe I remember that much!” He laughed and shook his head again, patting his mount’s side.
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Post by eez on Mar 19, 2010 15:21:15 GMT -5
Merlin? Round Table? What?
Zurg could just blink helplessly as Lightyear went on, the Evil Emperor trying his hardest to grasp the meaning of the tale. Okay, so there was this human king. That part was easy--a ruler of the people. But pulling a sword out of a stone made you a destined king? What? And magicians!? INFIDELITY, WHAT!?
"What's England?" Zurg asked stupidly. Craters, what was Avalon!? What planet was this!?
Infidelity, what!?
"Sounds like a terrible tale..." He muttered, shaking his head in disapproval. "No wonder they didn't teach it to me; or anyone, for that matter. What else you humans talk about?"
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Post by Skyfire on Mar 20, 2010 7:05:39 GMT -5
Buzz rolled his eyes. “Oh honestly, it’s not that bad – it’s mythology, crying out loud. I’d bet that none of the other species in the galaxy have mythologies that are any better. And England was one of the old human nations from about a millennium ago.”
He looked back up at the stars again. “I actually have an old novel somewhere in the attic at home – I used to read it when I was a kid.” He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was much softer. “I think what left the biggest impression on me was Arthur himself. He was just a boy when he became king, and he had to work hard. He loved his people, and they loved him back.”
Another pause, then… “He was a king that men wanted to serve.”
Buzz took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Devotion, honor, valor, discretion, love… they’re all there. Y’know, I think that in so many mythologies, you see the worst of man – and you sure see it in the King Arthur legends. But right alongside it is every good and noble trait that any race ever had. That’s what I loved about those stories.”
He turned to Zurg with a frank look, the stars reflected in his now-dark blue eyes. “I grew up on hero tales,” he said simply. “And eventually, I wanted to live out my own.” Then his gaze turned to the ground. “Guess I managed that.”
Then he let out a forced laugh. “Listen to me – I sound so corny. The first time I ever tell this to anyone, and it’s to my erstwhile arch-nemesis in a virtual reality game.” He blinked and shook his head. “Life is weird.”
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Post by eez on Mar 20, 2010 11:21:33 GMT -5
"Actually..." Zurg began as soon as Lightyear finished speaking. "The Rhizomians have interesting mythology and so do the Valkyrans. Very imaginative stuff; very. You should go ask one sometime and see what I mean. A Raenok, too, if you're feeling particularly brave."
But something seemed to resonate in the Evil Emperor at Lightyear's reflection of a boy becoming a king, and the people whose love knew no bounds. Love, honour, valour...all myths, just like the story the man loved. The galaxy did not operate like that...It was a gnarlzak-eat-gnarlzak world out there.
"It's not all that it's cracked up to be, Lightyear...." He muttered gruffly as he looked away, straight ahead at the two lumbering druids. "Those are just stories--it doesn't really happen like that in real life. No...No it doesn't. I never had hero tales to go by; didn't have the chance. There is no time to dabble in myths and stories when you have greater responsibilities burdening your every step."
And that was why Zurg loved to play these games. He never had tales told to him, or people to converse with about stories. He had to learn them on his own, while listening from the shadows. He never got to live them, like Lightyear, over there. In a way, this made Zurg feel a tinge of jealousy and his crimson eyes reflected it in the darkening world around them.
I never got out to live my own dreams...
"What? Something wrong with telling your counterfoe some little tidbits? I like to gossip, too, you know." Zurg remarked with a lighter air. He sure wasn't going to tell anything to the man, that's for sure.
He was far too cautious that way, and it kept him alive all these years so something must be right with it.
"Anyway...How far to the city, now? My legs are cramping..."
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Post by Skyfire on Mar 21, 2010 5:31:50 GMT -5
Buzz shrugged. “Maybe. Although if I get a Rhizomian storyteller who sounds like Professor Triffid, I’ll be out of there faster than a meteorite hurtling through the atmosphere.”
Buzz watched the older man as he spoke and, for the first time in his life, felt something akin to sympathy for Zurg. “That’s too bad,” he said quietly, having the feeling that Zurg wouldn’t like hearing “I’m sorry.” He chewed at the inside of his cheek for a moment before continuing. “They’re stories, yeah, but… but I think they’re more real than you think.” If they weren’t, Buzz would have nothing to fight for. If the galaxy were truly that dark… it wouldn’t be worth it. No, the stories themselves weren’t real, but the ideas behind them…
It isn’t easy. Name me one worthwhile thing that is.
Yeah. He’d seen a lot of bad things in his lifetime, but he’d also seen a lot of good – too much to be jaded.
Buzz’s laugh this time was more genuine. “Uh-huh. If I gambled, though, I could bet that you wouldn’t tell me anything half that personal. Besides, isn’t that breaking one of the cardinal rules of feuding? You know, the one that says, Thou shalt not tell thine foe anything personal?” He grinned impishly.
Buzz shook his head. “I don’t have a clue. I can’t keep track of how far we’re going.” Then he stiffened. “Hold up – we’ve got company.”
Sure enough, there was a sound like horse hooves, and in a few moments, a group of horsemen appeared. Or at least, their mounts looked pretty much like horses, if maybe stronger and tougher. One man bore a flag whose colors and symbol could not be made out in the tree-filtered starlight. Another, better-dressed than the rest and obviously the leader, called out to them. “Who goes there?”
Before Buzz, Zurg, or the druids could answer, one of the riders broke out from the group and murmured something to the leader, then turned to them. “Sh’aloma a’dun, sirs,” the rider said courteously. The voice was feminine and sounded familiar…
“Sh’aloma a’dun,” Buzz replied. “I am a paladin, and this is my white mage companion. These two druids have been guiding us to Arama.”
“Truly? I am now bound in that direction myself, and I would take you the rest of the way.” The woman rider pulled down her hood to reveal a face that was almost too beautiful to be real – the face of…
“Princess Rhiannon,” Buzz said aloud.
There was no denying this time that this woman was the true princess – something in her bearing, her voice, that spoke of dignity and leadership.
“We would be honored, Your Highness,” he replied, dipping his head in respect.
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Post by eez on Mar 21, 2010 23:47:31 GMT -5
"What? I never heard that as a rule...Same with Thou shalt not wear the opposite gender's clothing. Honestly, who makes these silly rules..." He mumbled.
Not too far up, the druids began to growl--something that got Zurg to immediately allot his mana as he prepared his staff and gripped on the Forest Creeper tighter. Company, and by the sounds of it, mounted company.
A group came before them, bearing the royal colours, and greetings were exchanged; Zurg did not partake this time, and he merely snorted and looked aside. And sure enough, again, the head of the party was her royalty herself.
Joy...
"About darn time...." The Evil Emperor muttered with a fold of his arms across his chest. This quest was bloody long and ridiculous! Maybe he could get new spells once he headed into town, or find a really nice set of gear to level up with. If he was going to raid or do a dungeon crawl, he seriously needed to level up and get into shape!
He did not show any signs of respect, as Lightyear did, and he simply waited for them all to get going.
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Post by Skyfire on Mar 23, 2010 5:42:43 GMT -5
“Beats me,” Buzz shrugged. He glanced sideways at Zurg and grinned. “And for the record, I never thought of your robes as a skirt.”
***
The next… hour, perhaps, was completely uneventful. Zurg might have hated the monotony, but Buzz reveled in the ride through the forest at night with the stars above. It was like something out of a dream.
The dream shattered when they saw fire ahead.
“Is that a village?” Buzz asked, straining to get a better look.
“By Eriu,” Rhiannon murmured. She twisted in the saddle to face the players. “Dairuadh! It’s a town – hurry!” She set her steed off on full gallop.
“Hyah!” Buzz ordered his Creeper, setting her off on her own version of a gallop.
They burst through the edge of the woods to see an army of fantasy creatures besieging the human town. Buzz pulled out his helmet and set it before his face, letting the metal cascade over his head. Then he drew his sword.
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Post by eez on Mar 24, 2010 14:50:58 GMT -5
Blah. Riding through the forest on a Forest Creeper!
Zurg swat at all the bugs floating around, trying to prevent looking like a starshield, and just huddled close to the bounding thing. Nature...Hated it! His sour disposition changed, however, when he caught the smell of carbon.
Burning carbon.
"What's cooking?" He asked, looking up. Did Nebula leave the grill on, or what?
Not too far over the horizon, fire licked the sky and the Evil Emperor caught wind of a town, obviously besieged and set with fire. Seriously, who razed towns like this anymore!? Who lived in towns, for that matter! Regardless, he watched the armoured mounts go to battle and simply blinked as Lightyear got ready himself.
"Well...Don't let me stop you, Rocket Boy." Zurg remarked casually, perching rather comfortably on his mount. Hey, just because he was a white mage didn't mean he was good! Besides, as a healer caste, he wasn't supposed to come into battle anyway.
"I'll guard the rear--or whatever it is, you people say."
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Post by Skyfire on Mar 25, 2010 14:45:47 GMT -5
Buzz twisted around briefly to give Zurg a half-amused, half-irritated glare and just said, “Whatever.”
Rhiannon shook her head and dismounted, leaping into the air and… Buzz’s eyes widened as he watched her. In mid-leap, she was transforming into… into…
The most beautiful bird Buzz had ever seen, gold body, scarlet wings ending in green and blue, long tail…
A phoenix.
Rhiannon had transformed into a phoenix.
She launched into the sky, shrieking a battle call. Buzz shook his head to clear it, then charged at the goblin-Orc-whatever creatures, sword flashing in the firelight as he dealt lethal slashes and blows.
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Post by eez on Mar 28, 2010 19:16:38 GMT -5
"Pffft, polymorph spell..." Zurg just rolled those red eyes of his and just let his mount occupy itself with a mouthful of fresh, cool grass.
"Honestly...Why a bird? A bloody dragon would have been better..." He grumbled, watching the battle unfold as he leaned his head into a hand, bored. Tons of warriors clad in fell armour, dark necromancers garbed in the cloth of the damned--just a regular, classic skirmish. Zurg let out a little yawn and waited for Lightyear to make a mistake.
And at this rate, it would seem Zurg could greedily take this time for a brief power nap!
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Post by Skyfire on Apr 8, 2010 6:37:01 GMT -5
The phoenix swooped down, enemy soldiers igniting into flame in her wake. Buzz winced – it wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done.
Advance, strike, fall back, whirl, blade-lock, duck, leap, attack… It seemed to be a rhythm, a violent song to which everyone danced.
The rhythm was broken when he saw Rhiannon in trouble. The princess had returned to her human form and was fending off one of the biggest warriors – a monster of a fighter who was about twice average human height. Rhiannon’s movements were tired and sloppy, her energy drained, no doubt, from using so much of her “firepower.”
Buzz pushed his way past the clashing soldiers and leapt at the red-clad warrior. With a roar, the monster turned and all but swatted Buzz away. The paladin crashed against a stone wall with a sickening THUD. Blinking back stars, Buzz grimaced as he pushed himself up – and gasped, ducking to avoid a powerful blow from the creature.
He slashed at the knee joint, and when he pulled his sword back, the blade was stained with oozing black blood. Okay, now that was just gross. The warrior bellowed and reached down for the paladin, who was trying to scramble for safer ground. The monster lifted Buzz into the air by his left arm – just great, there went his other arm – but Buzz slashed at the creature’s face, scoring a deep gash from left temple to right cheek. Screaming in pain, the warrior dropped him and clutched at its face. Buzz leapt high and caught hold of his foe’s right arm, swung himself up, and reached out slash at the throat.
Gurgling pitifully, the creature stumbled forward, then crumpled to the ground, Buzz jumping clear just in time. He just stood there for a moment, clutching at his strained arm and trying to catch his breath.
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