Hyrule Adventures 2

OOC: Yeah, I guess. But where there's summer, there's also studying for finals...

IC: The heat does cause Victor to perspire a bit, and he wiped his forehead with his palm to keep the sweat out of his eyes. It was then that Mizer spoke from behind him, and the Bard jumped a little at the sound of his voice. Turning to see the Somarian, he smiled and answered:

"Well, yeah, I always seem to be on time around here..."

Victor then walked a bit further from the cave entrance, his now-sweaty cloak sticking to him uncomfortably. Pondering what they were supposed to do, he queried Mizer while looking at the seashore, wishing that he could take a dip and escape the hot desert sun.

"So... what are we gonna do? Just stand here and... guard?"

But of course. It's not as glamorous as recon missions to dangerous, filthy Districts, though, is it? Ah well, such is life. We're not on night watch, however, so don't worry about losing any sleep.

It is at this point that Mizer notices the sweat that is quickly drenching the bard in front of him. He frowns in realization of how uncomfortable Victor must be. Fumbling in his pocket, the Somarian withdraws a small, shining blue gem. He tosses the odd stone to Victor.

Catch. They told me you hadn't been given any accessories yet. They call it a Freeze Trinket. Can't you feel the coolness flowing through you as you hold it? That stone is the reason we do not yield to the harsh desert heat. It's one of many different types of its kind. Find more to change the way you function around here.

Mizer pulls his hood over his face and lowers his voice.

Now is the time for caution, though. Look sharp, Victor. And keep that dagger ready to take out unwanted "visitors."

OOC: Okay, this topic has gotten way out of hand. You two have put 220+ posts in this topic. I cannot believe it. It makes me so angry!

'It' being the fact that I haven't had time to get in on this topic myself. Time to change that.

IC:
The hot dusty land of the desert is actually...refreshing...for Alpha. Warmth has never bothered him; in fact, the first seven years of his life, growing up in the mountains, gave him a chill that he doubts will ever go away. As such, even under the hot sun of Parapa Desert, the Sheikah travels along at a slow pace, basking in the sensation that others described as 'burning'.

Today, however, two figures stand in front of a cliff wall. Both wear pitch black cloaks that would probably rival the warmth of his own cape, which remains drawn around his body to fully absorb all sunlight. Neither one seems bothered by the heat, which would normally surprise the Sheikah...if he hadn't already seen someone standing by that same slab of rock several other times. Every single time he has passed by this particular spot, actually.

So it is not that people are guarding a seemingly meaningless wall that surprises him - it's the fact that there are two instead of one. Before, he has assumed that the man guarding it had something he thought to be of value hidden nearby, but if two people were guarding it, maybe there was something truly worth protecting. This possibility provoked an investigation...

So for the first time, Alpha approaches the guards, making sure to keep his hood raised over his head and his cape wrapped around his body. He tries to get a glimpse beneath the hoods of the two standing there, but the brightness of the sun strengthens the shadows cast by their cloaks, as it most likely does for his own hood. He does have some comfort, though, in the fact that his scar remains dormant.

"Hello," he starts, putting a slight edge into his voice to show he is serious. "Guarding something, are we?"

OOC: Finally! Oh, right, it's Wednesday, isn't it.

IC: Reaching out to catch the stone, Victor missed slightly and fumbled with it in mid-air before finally getting a good grip on it. Grabbing hold of the Freeze Trinket, Victor let its frigid waves of magic cool his body down. Suddenly he found himself backing away from the water, as if taking a dip would give him frostbite. Instead, he turned to Mizer and spoke.

"Thanks! I can't wait to find more of these... trinkets."

The Bard grinned, but at Mizer's warning his smile diminished and he pulled out his dagger and shield. While the Freeze Trinket had cooled him down a lot, it also made the cloak feel just a bit more comfortable, considering that it now served the purpose of warming him. Victor found it easier to move around in the uniform, though the gloves and boots still felt a little awkward. As he fidgeted in his new clothes, the figure approached.

Seeing the cloaked individual, the Bard wondered at first if he was part of the organization already, but his questions proved this assumption wrong. Readying his dagger for a possible fight, he looked at Mizer for instruction...

OOC: Hmm, black cloaks seem to be all the rage here in Hyrule.

Mizer's actions are swift and immediate. In an instant, a dagger that resembles Helena's beautiful weapons appears in his hand, it's red snake-head hilt sparkling like magma in the sunlight. Its point quickly finds its way to Alpha's throat. With a tidy movement, Mizer can end the Sheikah's life at any second. Taking standard interrogative action, the Somarian barks out orders in a more serious tone.

State your name, purposes and alignment now. The alternative is death.

Alpha blinks as the blade flies to his throat. Once again, he finds himself on death's doorstep. Once again, he finds a weapon ready to slice into him. Once again, a person is threatening his life.

Once again, a soft chuckle comes from his throat.

"I see that we're serious. Must be something awfully important you're guarding. But I'd be a fool to let you kill me so easily." Alpha grins beneath his hood, knowing full well that the man is probably surprised - for his scar has suddenly, inexplicably, started to glow a deep violetish color. And if that surprised him...

Without warning, the Sheikah suddenly collapses. His cape and hood fall upon the man's blade, and a timely breeze blows the flaps of the cape open to reveal that Alpha has somehow disappeared.

With the bright desert sun, there are certain to be deep shadows. Deep both beneath his cape, and in the rocks behind the two guards. If the two guards were to look behind them, they might actually be some of the few people who have seen inside the Void - for Alpha emerges from the shadow-filled realm at the very moment that the breeze reveals his absence.

Without giving them a chance to respond, the Sheikah leaps behind the man who had thought to attack him. In a single, fluid motion he lands and brings his right hand flying upward. It comes mere inches from the assailant's hair, filling the space in between with a burning sphere - a fiery Elemental Explosion. Alpha keeps his senses fully alert, just in case the other guard, whom he is facing away from, tries to attack. There is no way the second man can see his face. Finally placing a truly serious glare on said face, his harsh voice commands: "Let's try that again. What are you two hiding?"

Mizer curses out loud at the stranger's display of power and stealth. He spins the red-hilted dagger expertly between his fingers as a knife of equal beauty - this one noticeable by its black snake-head hilt - slides out of his sleeve and into his free hand. Although Alpha can not see Mizer's face, the Somarian's grin is as wide as that of the Sheikah.

Big mistake.

Mizer springs forward and slashes out, attempting to end the threat that Alpha poses within a short time. As his weapons approach the Sheikah's body, they stop short and return to a ready position. Mizer steps back a few steps, clearly amused by his adversary's fighting spirit. He stands still for a moment, concentrating on his opponent with an unbroken will.

It is unfortunate for someone so clever as yourself to be met with such a terrible fate... Oh well.

The Somarian snaps his fingers, and a burst of colorful smoke surrounds Alpha. When it clears, all that remains is a small, feathery creature. Mizer has turned Alpha into a Cuccoo.

This is a varying type of Polymorph, it was developed by much research, to eliminate the nuisance of annoying noises that come with the usual spell. You have been granted the ability to speak in this form. I recommend you do so before my accomplice and I are forced to finish you off.

Mizer signals to Victor, silently telling him to draw his dagger and stand ready.

OOC: You're probably wondering how a Vagabond was able to cast Polymorph... All will be revealed soon

The cucco slowly looks around at his new form, and a sorry sigh emerges from Alpha's new and, fortunately, extremely temporary beak. "I must say, this variation is quite interesting. Perhaps once this fight is over, I'll consider allowing you to live so that you can teach it to me.

"Of course, I've already been taught what I need to escape this little predicament." The cucco held his wings towards the sky, and they suddenly took on a bluish tint. He flapped them down once, and when they touched his main body a light the same color as his wings flashes outward. When the light fades, Alpha stands there in his normal Sheikah body. He flexes his hands and arms momentarily, and flashes a grin at his adversary. "Learned that from an old friend," he comments, a vision of Shada flashing before his eyes.

He does not hesitate in his next maneuver. He charges straight at the guardian, one fist ready before him to block/deflect any incoming spells/attacks, the other level with his ear and ready to strike out. He rushes straight at his foe...

And trips, falling straight at the ground.

As he falls, his fist launches out, striking the sand and sinking beneath it. "Elemental Explosion - Water!" The jet stream from his sunken hand forces him back into the air, traveling at a much faster speed than before. He passes by Mizer without striking, instead reaching down to the ground and grabbing the cape that lies there. He lands shortly and whips his signature cape and hood around and over his shoulders. He reaches into the darkness beneath his cape and slowly withdraws his Deku Staff, swinging it around to show off his expertise.

"You want to fight? Fine. Should we go ahead and start, or do you want to waste some more time so you can warm up?"

Mizer is surprised at Alpha's simple technique for reversing the effects of a Polymorph spell. Cursing again, this time under his breath so as not to betray the growing admiration for his opponent, he draws his daggers once more, and stands in a ready-to-kill type of position.

Very well. I admit, it'll be a shame to wipe someone as powerful as you from the face of the earth, but it must be done, apparently. Come now, Sheikah, try to attack me. Get ready, bard, because you're in on this, too.

Mizer - Dark Assassin Stats.

HP: 55
STR:3
DEF:5
AGI:3
INT:4
SPI:2
SPL:15
Dagger DMG: 8
ARM Class: 10

'Wipe me from the earth?' Alpha thinks in amusement. 'Now that is funny! Yeah, I'll probably let him live once I'm done with him.' Nor does Mizer's comment to his companion escape him. 'A bard, huh? That'll make things difficult. Sure wish I had Arco or Victor here to back me up...'

He twirls his staff around in front of him for a moment, then draws it back in a classic fighting stance. "You wish me to attack? So be it." Alpha charges forward, making sure to note the enviroment he had created moments ago - an area of wet sand from his Elemental Explosion, and a place that would most certainly slow his opponent down. It lies directly behind Mizer - so the Sheikah swings his staff downward, striking with a force he intends to have push the guard back a few steps.

Victor watched as the two men fought and wondered what possible interest the unknown cloaked man could have in the organization. Expecting the worse, he readied his dagger as Mizer had suggested and assumed a fighting stance, but simply watched as the strange man failed at an attempt to get information out of Mizer and ended up turning into a Cucco. Stifling a laugh, the Bard suddenly stood in awe as the bird re-transformed into a human form.

It was Alpha.

Victor desperately tried to say something, but had difficulty forming the words out of pure astonisment. As his Sheikah friend challenged Mizer once more, he was grateful that the cloak's hood hid his face. The Bard thought about intruding, but decided that he would only speak up if the fight got messy...

(OOC: At this point, both of you guys posted.)

When Mizer spoke up again, Victor began to doubt his own confidence in Alpha, since his fellow guard obviously intended to end the Sheikah's life. When he was told to join the fight, the Bard donned a startled look and began to ponder the situation. He could always speak up, but what would Mizer think? In fact, what would the whole organization think? It seemed to be based on secrecy, and if Alpha found out that his own comrade was already a member all manners of discretion would be out of the question...

Sighing, Victor decided to just fight. It's not like he would kill Alpha, and he hoped that Alpha wouldn't kill Mizer. The only thing that worried him was Mizer's intentions, but if Alpha's life was suddenly threatened that badly he could always speak up. And so, readying his dagger for an attack against his own friend, Victor waited for his turn to come up, watching as Alpha struck at Mizer...

An agonized cry escapes Mizer's lips as Alpha's staff comes crashing into rough contact with his cloaked body(15+3+3[Roll+Agi+Bonus]). The Somarian is knocked back a foot or two, just as Alpha had planned, and is now standing in the thick, wet sand that the Sheikah's Water attack had created. His left foot plunges into the ground, and Mizer loses balance and falls backwards, leaving himself open for another attack while also being forced to give up his chance to attack his adversary. Alpha's staff attack decimates 10 points of damage from Mizer's stamina.

Alpha HP: 53
Alpha SPL: 24

Victor HP: 41

Mizer HP: 45

Alpha wastes no time in pressing the advantage given to him by Mizer's fall. He holds his arms out, allowing energy to form in both of them. Shadow energy, to be precise. Swinging his hands together to form one brilliantly powerful orb, he unleashes its full might straight at the Somarian. "Shadow Elemental Explosion!"

OOC: I just realized this while checking my stats. My SPL is actually 27, since I'm now lvl. 8. I'll be changing that soon...

OOC: I'll be sure to consider that. You're the only Level 8 player in the entire game
IC:

Mizer tries to resist the powerful magical Explosion (7+2[Roll+Spi]), but fails and is struck by the full force of the shadowy attack. A brutal 14 points (8+3+3[Lvl.+Base+Int]) is taken from Mizer as he finally pulls himself free of the sand trap. Thoroughly enraged at having been dealt 27 damage points before even being able to attack, the Somarian decides to counter with his own display of magic.

A wild force of lightning explodes from the sky, and a rare downpour escapes the clouds in the sky above Parapa. Thunder booms and deafens the ears of the fighters, and a thick blast of Lightning bolts down from the heavens and strikes Alpha like a wild, charging Goron wielding the hammer of legend. The attack blasts through Alpha's chances to escape (3+1[Roll+Spi]) and decimates the skilled Sheikah's health by 24 points (10+2+4+8[Lvl.+Base+Int+L3-Bonus]).

The Somarian has used his most of his existing SPL in his attack, and will no longer be able to use magic. He spots Victor and runs to him before Alpha can make a move. Quickly, he whispers to the bard.

Get in there, Victor. Don't let him get you, just attack while I come up behind him.

Alpha HP: 29
Alpha SPL: 13

Victor HP: 41

Mizer HP: 28
Mizer SPL: 3