OOC: IT IS TIME!!!

IC:
“So...an entire year, you say?” Zaris asked. “One whole year since you returned to Hyrule.” The elderly Sheikah matched the grin on his student, who sat across from him. “You've done many things that you deserve to proud of, Alpha.”

Alpha's grin became one of pride. “Thank you, Master Zaris. I've certainly tried.” He picked up the glass of Lon Lon Milk that sat on the table in front of him while Zaris did the same with his Zora Wine. They were sitting at an outdoor cafe on the main street of the North Castle, chatting like they had always dreamed of doing years before, when being hunted by the Hakiems prevented such relaxing conversation. Though it certainly was nice to finally be able to rest, Alpha grew somewhat uneasy as passersby gave Zaris quizzical looks. 'Using one's foot to pick up a glass warrants such confusion, I suppose.'

Zaris set his wine glass down, giving Alpha a look of approval. “You certainly have, and you've succeeded, both in your adventures and in your training. I'm proud to say that you've certainly mastered Rohtric Khysse, and the Veen technique will only require a small amount of practice before you perfect it as well."

Before Alpha could respond, a voice came from the street. “Excuse me, good sirs,” Both Sheikah turned to glance in that direction, spotting one of the castle guards standing there. The soldier bowed before them before turning to face the younger of the duo. “You are the one known as 'Alpha', correct?”

Alpha slowly rose up and walked over to the Hylian. “Yes, that is the name I go by. May I help you?”

The man nodded as he reached into a pouch hanging from his belt. “This was given to me this morning by a decidedly rough-looking Goron. Normally a member of the Hylian Knights doesn't allow himself to be used as a delivery boy, but I was hoping you might be able to tell me a little about this Goron – he appeared to be a big-time ruffian, though without any proof I can't exactly go after him.”

Alpha reached out and took the note from the man's grasp. “I'll help if I can, Sir...”

“General. General Noval, one of the top members of the Hylian Knights,” the general said, beaming with pride. Alpha took another look at him. A few wrinkles on his hard face gave him the appearance of being in his mid-forties, though a glance in the General's hazel eyes told him that the Hylian had been through enough trials to last several time that amount. His hair was a deep brown, with some gray hairs concentrated behind his pointy ears. He stood ten inches below Alpha's six feet, but gave off an air of authority that demanded he be respected. A long purple cape was fastened to a gold chain that hung around his neck, which attached to the shining armor that encased the rest of his body. A sheathed sword hung from his belt, along with several pouches.

“Very well, General. I'll help if I'm able.”

Noval nodded appreciatively. “I was on patrol a few nights ago when he came out from an alleyway. I've never seen another being like him before. At first he looked like he was wearing armor, but when he got closer I realized that the skin on his left hand, chest, and the right side of his face had been...well, replaced...by sheets of metal. He walked right up to me, gave me the note, and instructed me to give it to you. Then he turned and rolled off.” He shrugged. “Any clue as to who this guy is?”

Alpha rested his chin on his hand as he mulled it over for a moment. “No, I'm afraid I have no information on such a being.”

Noval shrugged. “Well then, forgive me for the interruption.” He nodded to both Alpha and Zaris, then turned and walked in the direction of the castle.

Alpha quietly opened the note and read over it. He barked a laugh and turned to his Master. “It's a riddle. Care to help me out with it?”

Zaris chuckled as he rose from his own seat. “No, I don't think so, Alpha. You need to exercise that brain of yours every now and then, you know!” He considered something for a second. “I'm heading back to Shada's dwelling. I'll send her over here; she could use a mental challenge as well. You two have been focusing on techniques and powerful attacks most recently; this will do you some good.”

“Very well, Master.” Alpha bowed as Zaris turned and walked in the direction of the gates. Alpha blinked once, and reopened his eyes to find Zaris had disappeared. 'Good,' Alpha thought. He did indeed recognize the description of the Goron. 'But what would Shodak want with me now?'

Shodak had been another one of the foremost criminal overlords during Alpha's time as an assassin...as Wraith. The Goron had a cruel sense of humor, one that had caused Wraith to consistently shy away from any job he offered. Anyone in the underground knew that Shodak would gladly double-cross one of his men so as to save a couple of rupees. Wraith had once learned that the Goron's armor was an actual replacement for lost skin which had been scrapped away during many instances of training. Growing up, Shodak had trained so hard that his skin became tougher than steel, so much so that Wraith's poison needles could have never penetrated and poisoned him.

What Alpha had said was true, however: he had no information on the Goron. Shortly before Wraith had left His services, Shodak had disappeared. No one had any clue what had become of the Goron, though the majority of criminals were overjoyed by the loss. The fact that Shodak was still alive and knew to contact him as 'Alpha' rather than 'Wraith' told him that the Goron was still very informed, and consequently, still very dangerous. But, of course, he couldn't have told that to a high-ranking official in the Hylian Knights, especially not with Master Zaris standing there. Alpha knew that if Shodak wanted to fight, he'd need as much help as he could get...but Zaris' involvement would lead to his Master asking questions that he wasn't looking forward to answering.



Alpha stands there for a few minutes, pondering the riddle and wondering its meaning. Perhaps if someone was to question him about it, he would ask for their input and show the riddle to them as well.

A wise man once told his friend that "The ignorable, being easily ignored, are often the subjects of ignoring." According to legend, the man's friend then cleverly replied, "And so we fade."

To this day scholars don't understand what the friend meant.

But Arco has unknowingly found this truth impressed upon him. A champion of the ignored, his being is a tablet that might at one moment be and the next moment fade, all in relation to his status in the minds of others. In theory, it's like Shadowmeld. Only complicated and mutated in a major way. But kind of neat nonetheless.

Neat, that is, until weird things start happening.
-------------------

A puff of stale air wafts past Alpha's ear. As you look, you are more or less surprised to see Arco's head perched on top of Alpha's shoulder. Arco's head blinks, and his mouth opens to emit a simple question:

"What's that?" Arco's floating head cranes around in an attempt to read the note. As he does so, the air beneath him seems to ripple and waver, dripple and quaver, until you find yourself rubbing your eyes, wondering why you hadn't seen his body there all along. At the moment, it's standing on its tiptoes trying to see what has Alpha so busied. You then realize something:

Partial Shadowmeld is really gross.

Alpha's head jerks to look over at the face on his shoulder and lets out a startled gasp. He takes a step in the opposite direction of the floating thing, though his shocked look becomes more one of confusion as he realizes who it belongs to. "Gee whiz! Arco! What th- ...are you using Shadowmeld?" he says as he comes to the surprising conclusion. He chides himself inwardly for letting his guard drop, though he can't really blame himself for being surprised at the sight of a floating head. "I've never really tried to meld only parts of my body before...and I really don't think I ever will. Unless I want to frighten them very badly."

As his pulse at last returns to its normal level, a little fact creeps into the forefront of his mind: it's been weeks, no, months since he had last seen his fellow Sheikah. He slowly shakes his head and lets out a chuckle. "It's been quite some time, my friend. It's good to see y...well, part of you anyway."

His brain finally registers his fellow Sheikah's question. "This? It's a message that was delievered to me by General Noval, of the Hylain Knights. He said it's from some weird Goron. A little message, and a riddle afterwards." Alpha hands it over to the location where he assumes Arco's hand is. It is written in a handwriting unlike any anyone has ever seen, though after a few seconds of close observation it actually becomes quite apparent as to what is being said:

'Alpha,
It is time that I faced my greatest fears. And you too must face your past once and for all, and I shall be just one of the instruments that leads you down this dark road.
This is a riddle. Obviously. Follow it to the next riddle, and that one to the next, and so on and so forth. Only when you have followed these to the final location shall the truth be revealed to you. You know; a test of your intelligence and all that. I must know how far your skills have deteriorated or grown.

City with ceilings, as many as three,
Something few people are allowed to see;
And then to the east, where once was a fall
Of a foreign friend, allied to you all.

Find me if you can, Sheikah.'

OOC: The Puzzling Prelude consists of this kind of stuff. Unlike my first attempt at a riddle - Shada's name... - the clues given in the Prelude are references to locations in HA2. They may also mention specific events that have taken place in certain members' storylines...not necessarily mine.

I guess I should also mention that I wrote most of the riddles a few months back. Few, if any, will pertain to events that have occurred recently. So, you older members will have somewhat of an advantage (Why did you think I wanted you guys back? ).

Looking for a bit of relaxation himself, Victor was on one of his usual strolls through the Courtyard when he spotted the outdoor cafe. Suddenly parched, he set course for the establishment and ordered a glass of Lon Lon Milk. The Bard took a sip and let the cool bovine refreshment slip down his throat, then looked around for a table where he could take a load off. It was then that he saw Alpha and Arco at a table of their own.

Smiling and waving at his fellow adventurers, Victor jogged over and stopped in front of their table. He nodded hello to Arco, taking another sip from his glass, then greeted Alpha similarly. Suddenly, however, the Bard's eyes grew wide, and he glanced back at Arco's... head?? Without warning, Victor's latest swig of milk sprayed out of his mouth, and he exclaimed:

"Arco?? What happened to the rest of you?! Oh, right. Shadowmeld. Well, I haven't seen you around these parts in a while. Maybe that's the reason, hmm?"

Chuckling, the Bard then turned back to Alpha and saw the note in his hands. He positioned himself behind the Sheikah so he could read the letter, and when he was finished he spoke once more.

"A riddle, eh? Strange..."

OOC: Oh. My. Goodness. I think I figured it out already... EDIT:: Hmm... maybe not. Nevermind. I've gotta think about it s'more, first...

The door to the tavern opens in a near silent fashion, with only the slightest margin for entry needed. A small deku shifts his way past the door, as the door smoothly closes. Upon spotting the faces of those nearby, he almost throws himself into their presence, a smile on his face. Grabbing one leg of the chair, he flips himself into the seat and slides to an upright position.

"How ya been guys? Long time, no see, eh?"

He chokes out almost too quickly, making it barely understandable. Even more so as he turns his head to the side to order a drink. Raising his right hand, he calls the bartender before turning his attention back to the group.

"Ohhhhhhhhh!"

He spouts, after noticing the floating head in the vicinity, he manages only a surprised look and a shake of his head.

"What the!... Arco, yeah..."

He ends in a sarcastic tone, with a half-smile on his face.

"Sorry, carry on, guys."

Arco nods, pleased to see a friend again. You notice that his body grows a shade more opaque as he echoes Alpha. "It's good to see you... too." A pause. "Yes, it has been a long time."

He accepts the note carefully, as if it might disintegrate, and peers at it for a while with unblinking eyes. His blank stare occasionally wavers a bit, as a child might mouth out a particularly difficult word, but eventually he nods again.

The nod didn't exactly mean anything, of course. But it's an expression of body language, and your favorite ol' Sheikah-Goron's working on those as best he can.

Presently, Arco realizes that Victor is there as well. He looks down at himself, seeing that his Meld has melted away in some spots (perhaps because of being in the spray of the other Bard's expectorated Lon Lon Lactation, you see). He wipes at the mild mess disconcertedly, and as if blushing, his body slowly washes over and begins to enter the wavelengths of visible light. Within a few seconds he's there in the flesh, thank the goddesses. He reddens (or purplens, due to the odd color of his skin) a bit, as his inner social coach explains that people find Shadowmeld in general very strange in casual settings, and even more so if it's not... complete.

As Arco considers this, he hands the note to Victor, so as to let the Hylian get a better look. He then says something about "good to see you again Victor"--it's a bit stiff, though--and tilts his head away slightly, the words of the letter and riddle swirling around in his mind.

OOC: Well, even if you guess it really quickly, Victor, well, there's sure to be several more to come ^^. I'm loving the rhyming style, though. Personally, the riddle's answer doesn't come flying to my intellect, but I'll sleep on it and see what happens. Should let everyone else have a try, too, right? Everyone else, that is, being all of those 5-6 people who supposedly said that they wouldn't be able to come on tonight, and will be here, say, tomorrow? *prod*

Edit: Just like you, MG, to post one minute before me! *disgruntled chuckle*

IC: Arco turns happily to the newly-introduced Grenada and waves, even though the latter is only a couple feet away. The expression on his face seems to say, "You guys and your prejudices against floating heads, sheesh."

Dosing, but not completely asleep, a lone samurai rests in a nearby tree. He couldnt help but over hear the conversation taking place near him. He had picked out only two of the voices, Alpha, and Victor. He opened one eye, and glanced over at the men, one of which missing his body. Dogura reccognized the techniqe, but didnt pay much mind to him. He was too focused on the riddle. He was quite good at deciphering riddles, but never had he come across such a challenge. The words were turning around in his head for what seemed like hours before only five minutes had passed. Knowing of Alpha's elete scences, Dogura knew he wasnt hidden in any way.

His presence was already known, so he decided to reunite with his comrades. He sighed, grabbed his sword, and leapt out of the tree. He walked up next to Victor, and glanced at the two strangers beside Alpha. "I couldnt help but overhear your convorsation." Dogura sat down in a chair, and sat down, resting his feet on the table. "Thats some heck of a riddle you got your hands on." Dogura said, still turning the words over in his mind. "I read your thought already Alpha. Sorry to pry, but I had to know your thoughts on the riddle, But your mind is so clouded with other thoughts. You're thinking too hard. A wise man once said to me, When you have a problem too big to run over, walk over instead." Dogura closed his eyes, and thought a little longer before remembering his manners. He stood up, and extended a hand to the strangers. "Im Doguradan, but everyone calls me Dogura. Graced to meet you. Friends of Alpha I presume?"

Alpha gazes around in calm surprise at the group that has begun to gather around him. It has been some time since he has seen most of these faces - Arco, Grenada, Dogura - though Victor and he have found themselves together time after time. He greets each person as they walk up to join him, and makes sure that the note is passed around to each one of them, hoping that perhaps they will be able to see some answer where he cannot.

As each person begins to ponder over its various lines:

'City with ceilings, as many as three, something few people are allowed to see...'

'What kind of city has a ceiling at all?' he wonders. 'And why wouldn't people be able to see them in the first place?'

'...And then to the east, where once was a fall of a foreign friend, allied to you all.'

'A foreign friend? Someone who was born outside of Hyrule, I suppose. But...'fall'? Does that mean like a failure, or a literal fall? Like, falling off a cliff or something...?' Even as Alpha continues to wonder, something nags at him. It rests a little ways back from the tip of his tongue, but he knows that given the proper words it will come flying out to the forefront of his mind, and he'll punish himself for his stupidity in not realizing the answer sooner.

He knows that Dogura is right - he is thinking about this too hard. But should Shodak truly have reappeared, Alpha also knows that the Goron must be silenced. Whether by force, bribe, or threat, he has to insure that his connection to Him is never found.

OOC: Weien's right, there's a 'few' more riddles to get through. Actually, I'm rather anxious to get through them so that Force of Gold can begin, so if you guys already know it, go ahead and say it!

Of course, if you don't know it, I suggest you just start spitting out the obvious. Either you'll jump-start someone else's thinking, or...we'll get to make fun of the new Sir Point-out-the-obvious-a-lot!

And five people will hardly do for this. Everybody, start your posting!

of corse I Got it! new pektop! to The warp hole tingy!

"Wait, what?" Alpha cocks his head in the boy's direction. He hadn't paid any attention to Link when he had walked up, but now he was completely focused on the kid. "What do you mean, New Peaktop...hey! That's it!"

'City with ceilings, as many as three, something few people are allowed to see...'

"It's been rumored that New Peaktop has several floors. And no one other than the Rito can fly high enough to see them." He returns his gaze to Link and gives him an approving nod. "Good thinking...but what about that last part? The one with the foreign friend and all that."

Cloud had been listening to all of this and was in slight awe of link's answer.
I never would have thought of that. Hmph, cheater. Wait! Hellie go up to New Peaktop and look east of there. If you find anything come back and tell me.
Hellie flew off to New Peaktop to have a look around.

Hellie came back a couple minutes later.

Man Hellie, your one fast bat. Well, what did you find?

Hellie squeeked a couple of times in different tones, rythems, and intervals. Cloud understood every "word" he said.

There isn't much out there, there are many odd rocks and a few bodies on the bottom of the cliff. The bodies are mainly moblin but there was one...i didn't know what it is...it looked kind of like...a...a...Pheonix!

Cloud pondered why Hellie acted so scared when he said Pheonix. Then it hit him, not only can a Pheonix fly, lessening it's chances to hit the ground, they don't die, they are reborn from their own ashes. Cloud knew that it would take a very powerful mage to kill a pheonix and keep it from coming back. But that's not important, what is really important is figuring out what the second part of the riddle meant.

OOC: Just to avoid a conflict, i'm not taking over your Event. This is actually part of mine, and to legthen my post

just before kasei left for new peaktown, he heard about the pheonix, and became worried... I wonder if they are part of this, oh well, only one way to find out... kasei did a spell, then vanished, leaving behind a spellseal, you can now <a href="http://desertcolossus.com/adventures/vi ... 84">follow him.</a>
And the seal:

OOC: Gah! I knew it! Curse my habit of sleeping until 2 PM.

IC: Victor smiled as all the newcomers appeared at the table, and reflected on how long it had been since he had been part of a large group, let alone a group with these particular people. As he reminisced, Link spoke his solution to the first part of the riddle, and suddenly the Bard slapped his forehead.

"I was gonna say New Peaktop!"

He mumbled something that sounded like "Lucky guess" under his breath, then proceeded to think out loud.

"To the east of New Peaktop there's... cliffs. So I guess it's logical that someone could have actually fallen off of one of these cliffs. Hmm..."

OOC: I think I know what it is, but I wasn't there, so I'll have to improvise...

IC: It was then that Victor remembered an interesting discussion he had with one of the denizens of Ruto Town.

"That's it! I remember one time, when I was hanging around Ruto Town, one of the townspeople told me of someone who had fallen from the cliff. I think he said it was a Sheikah, but I don't really remember. According to him, a group of people helped him to the Inn. I wasn't there, though. Perhaps one of you knows what I'm talking about...?"

OOC: ARGH!!! Why wasn't I there!? Ugh... oh well. It's just a wild guess, really, but hopefully someone will "remember". EDIT:: You know what? I'm gonna go ahead and solve it here in OOC, and let someone else "remember" it in IC, since I wasn't "there". Malciore was fighting Umbra on the cliffs when he got knocked off (See "I finally find you"). Malciore was from the land of Noe, yes? Well, that makes him foreign. He fell into Ruto Town, of course...

I just can't stand thinking that I might know the answer and not saying it.

OOC: No worries, Cloud. Provided that you make sure you don't take over my event. Jarod tried that once.

And I took it right back from him. Horray for the evil smilies!!! They need these on the TDC Forums...

IC:
Alpha scratches his head. He's been pondering it for a little while now, and he's sure he remembers something about a falling friend. But he can't remember who. Even the knowledge that it was probably near Peaktop doesn't help him out...

He glances over at a man on the outskirts of the group, who seems to be talking to...a bat. He simply shrugs and returns to his thoughts. Stranger things have happened.

Victor's words cause something in Alpha's head to stir. 'If only someone else...someone who had been there with me...was here...' His brow furrows at this realization, and he knows he is closer than he had been before. Not only had some foreign friend fallen, but Alpha had been there along with someone else...but who...?

OOC: Well then, Victor, would you like to solve the puzzle? You aren't the person Alpha's thinking of, sure, but you can still solve it if you'd like.