Disclaimer: Ragnarok Online is an online mmorpg which I do not own. Although I am the owner of my character Ethan the Great, so if I choose to publish this story with a change of setting, I am not liable for a lawsuit. All characters in this story are either mine or a character of my friends, if I get permission to use thier character names which I sure I will be I am liable to publish this story at will.
No part of this story may be copied/Pasted/Printed without the author's permission(Takumi Heartsfelt).
Prologue: Bows and Blades
The young hunter sat on one of the side benches of the town called Hugel. He looked out at the rather large lake, and smiled. He had just made another large Profit from hunting in the deep dark depths of the ancient pyramids, sure it had taken him weeks to find what his employer wanted, but the money was worth the wait. He looked up into the beautiful blue sky to see a purple falcon descnding down towards him.
"Ah, you must be happy," he said to his pet. "It's a day we need not go back to hunt within those pyramids, well until our next employer comes along." The Falcon pierced his talons into the young hunter's shoulder, although it seemed painful he had grown used to it over his days of hunting. "Well then, I suggest we find a more quiet part of town so we don't get another job anytime soon, we both need to relax my fine fellow. I believe we both earned it, especially you for attacking when I had no arrows left." This comment gave the bird some pride, it's eyes began to glow and it spread it's wings to show off. For a bird it had a rather large ego, one small comment always sent him into a world where he was the best of the best. "Okay, okay calm down. You'll attract uneeded attention to us," the hunter said cracking a smile. "You don't want to go hunting already do you?" At this moment the bird felt as if could do anything, it jolted up into the air, and began to circle the town of Hugel. His master turned away from the lake to watch the bird's amazing feat. He wanted so badly to call him down, but knew if he did people would run up to him, and ask to become his temporary employer.
As you can see, this boy was a special hunter, not rare to the land of Rune-Midgard. He had no job, he was not a merchant, but he knew ways to be as rich as one. This boy was sort of an item bounty hunter. People around Rune-Midgard all wanted their own upper hand in battle, but they can't all have it because they barely have time to train, and push themselves to thier limits over hunting for various ingredients and equipment to help them better thier adventure. So he started his own business, he hunted for people, he charged by the time and amount of monsters he had to kill to get the item, arrows he had to use, and seventy five percent of the street price of the item they were looking for. He always brought in a hefty profit, and has enough money to live his life over ten times, and still have money left over. But now he only does it for his deep passion of hunting.
He continued to watch his bird friend ascend, and descend through the sky until he heard a sharp piercing sound. His bird began to descend at an alarming rate.
"No..." he said to himself, his smile vanished. "NO, PALLAS!" He shouted his falcon's name at the top of his lungs. He began to hear voices, loud voices.
"Oh my god, it's Ziste!" People said beginning to walk towards him, some faster than others. He looked around at the small amount of people began to surround him. He began to panic, he would never be abnle to get to his bird in time if they got to close.
"No, stop..." he said just loud enough for the people at the front of the line to hear his voice. "I said STOP!!!" Everyone halted, he ran past the group of people, and shoved them out of the way. "Pallas!" the bird came closer, and closer to the ground, he jumped forward to catch him just in time befoore it hit the cold, had concrete ground. "Pallas..." he said to his feathered friend. He slowly began to stand up to his feet. A tear dropped from his eye into a whole that was in his friend's wing. He reached toward the hole since he saw something shiney inside it. Out he pulled... a bullet. "This is the work of a dirty Gunslinger..." fierce feelings ran through his soul, as his mind thought of what he could do to kill the person that did this to his friend. "WHO'S BRIGHT IDEA WAS THIS!!!???" He shouted. Nobody moved from the large crowd that about surrounded him, he looked down at his bird who was going fast. "If my bird dies, not a single one of you will leave Hugel ALIVE!"
For a short while there was nothing but dead silence. Until one shady character stepped out from the crowd. He wore a red, and white jacket with a red hood over his head. He seemed so mysterious, could he have been the one who shot Pallas?
For a while the man said nothing, until. "It was my bright idea Ziste..." the man's voice sounded so cold, and heartless. "Do you have a problem?"
"You shot my best friend, you're the one with the problem..." Ziste said as his teary eyes filled with rage.
"You say I have a problem, pfft..." the man said pulling out two revolvers from his gun holsters. "Big words coming from a guy who has a bird as a best friend." Ziste looked down at the falcon who was slipping away quickly.
"You bastard..." he began. "I'll KILL YOU!"
"Just try," the man said holding both the revolvers in Ziste's direction, but froze as Ziste's body began to glow a bright red color.
"I won't just try... I'll suceed," he said as his falcon began to regain some energy. He put him down on the ground.
"Not really," he said. He pulled his fingers back on the triggers, but a sharp pain inflicted both his wrists. Both of his guns fell to the ground and noticed the sharp pain was caused by a two hand sword. "Wha-- What?"
"Don't hurt my friend," the wielder said in a hoarse voice.
"Oh my god," Ziste said as his smile began to return.
"Who the hell are you buddy..." the gunslinger said staring at the swordsman who appeared to be a Knight.
"Most people knew me as the Assassin Stalker, I always walked on my own stalking guilds, finding secrets. But now it's all changed," the Knight said. He looked up to reveal his green eyes which matched his hair. "I'm no longer referred two as DevilSin, now I have honor to my name."
"And your name is...?" the gunslinger asked.
Ziste opened up his mouth, "his name... is Ethan the Great..."
"You're messing with Bows and Blades kid, the original saviors of Rune Midgard," Ethan said with a hash laugh to his voice.
"So, you're teaming up on me like this eh... this doesn't seem at all fair..." the gunslinger said weaponless therefor powerless since he relied on his weapons to do the work for him.
"It wasn't fair when you shot his bird, I'm just returning the favor," Ethan replied not caring whether his actions were fair or not. Nobody in the crowd uttered a word for it was a great show.
"Well..." the Gunslinger said. "You're a knight, don't you play fair and shit like that?"
Ethan paused for a moment, when he chose the path of a Knight he chose to assist others, but it isn't right to have a two on one match. Especially with the opponent weaponless. He lowered his sword, and allowed the gunslinger to pick up his weapons. Immedeatly after he had the guns faced towards both Ethan, and Ziste.
"Well, you'r messing with Guns and the Forbidden Sword, and we run the streets of Rune-Midgard son..." the gunslinger said with a cackle.
Forbidden sword, what could that... Ziste thought to himself. Not ten seonds later he saw a red figure appear behind Ethan. "ETHAN, WATCH OUT!"
"Heh," the figure chuclked. "Shoot the Hunter, NOW!"
"My pleasure," the slinger said as he turned both guns towards Ziste, and pulled the trigger with no hesitation. Ziste jumped out of the way, with the bird held in both of his arms. "Stand still dammit..." he said pulling the trigger over, and over again. Ethan turned around to see a tall man wearing a red outfit, he also wielded a bow.
"Who the fuck are you?" Ethan asked expecting an answer immedeatly.
"Such hasty words from a Knight," the man said. "I won't give you my real name, but you can refer to me as Shortie."
"Shortie, what the hell?" Ethan said holding back laughter. The Crowd began to fire up, people were starting to cheer for Ziste and Ethan on the other hand the two gangsters didn't get an once of encouragment.
"No roots for the bad guys eh, that's to bad..." Shortie tuned around and held his bow towards a young page. "Soul Breaker!!" He shouted pulling back his ow, he let it go, and a purple haze followed behind the arrow. He immedeatly died, the crowd hovering over him. "Now, either you cheer for us, or I breaker the rest of you..."
Nobody hesistated to cheer for Shortie, and the mysterious gunslinger.
"Real crowd pleaser," Ethan murmured smartly under his breath.
"Meh, I do my best," Shortie said chuckiling.
"Oh no, I almost forgot about Ziste..." Ethan said to himself. He looked up at Shortie wondering why such a tall man would be called that, but he only had it in his mind for a second, he let out a fierce punch towards his chest sending him backwards into the crowd. Somehow he vanished. "Sonic Blow!!" Ethan shouted sending a number of blows to the Gunslinger sending him to the ground at that moment. His guns flew up into the air, and cracked upon encounter with the hard concrete. "Looks like you can't fight now..."
"Soul Breaker!!" Ethan heard those horrid words from behind him. He jumped out of the way immedeatly to avoid taking damage.
"Sweep Kick!" Ethan said sliding his foot in a three hundred sixty degree angle tripping Shortie. Ethan leaped to both his feet to gain an upper hand, "Bash!!" Ethan sent a number of powerful blows to Shortie, but to Shortie it seemed as if slyness was his second nature, so he dodged all of the skills he threw at him.
"Need a little help Ethan?" Ziste said coming from behind. He eyed the Gunslinger who seemed to ache all over, bt worried none of it. He pulled out his bow, his Falcon ascended. "Okay, Blitz Beat!!" He shouted, the Falcon came down towards Shortie. It sent six powerful blows to him, all to the chest.
"Arg..." Shortie shouted. "That actually hurt me you fool!!!"
"Good," Ziste said. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before a surprise attack."
Shortie smiled, "good idea." He vanished again. Although this time footsteps were heard. Ziste stood on his toes, but he came out of his forgetful trans and remembered that his Falcon was in the air.
"Detect!!" the falcon flew to the growund where the footsteps were coming from. The crowd was now completly silent.
"Missed bitch," Shortie shouted coming from behind Ziste. "Meet the gods, and transcend in the heavens you fool!!!" Shortie shouted. "Soul Brea--"
"Soul Breaker!!" a familiar voice to both Ethan, and Ziste came from the crowd. The purple haze came just as it came from Shortie's bow. But this time, it his Shortie. Shortie was knocked back a few feet, but was quick to jmp back up.
"Who did that!!" Shortie shouted.
"Yo mama's so stupid, she called my house to get my phone number!!" a strange voice came from nowhere. Shortie was frozen, "and now... Arrow Vulcan!!" A string of light purple arrows came from the crowd also, throwing the finishing blows to Shortie. He was on the ground now, unable to move.
"We just wanted some harmless fun..." he said giving off a little laughter. From the crowed stepped the two that assaulted Shortie. "You two, I should've know Mystic Lotus was now babysitting..."
"Get out of here Shortie, before you get us really mad," said the man with the two daggers in his hand. The man with the guitar lifted his hands, and motioned his fingers to make a sort of shoo away animation with them.
"Billy, and Raaze... can't you two take a joke?" Shortie asked begininng to stand.
"Coming from you Shortie," Billy said. "Your fun always ends with death, now leave Mystic Lotus alone."
"Fine..." Shortie said. "But there will come a time when you two aren't around to protect your precious friends, then we'll see who laughs last."
"Does it look like we're laughing Shortie?" Raaze asked looking almost like a professor from behind his goggles.
A smirk wiped across Shortie's face, "whatever, we'll be back. Count on it..." Shortie vanished, and the injured Gunslinger vanished also.
The group tok a shortwhile to get together.
"That was wierd," Ziste said. "Why would shortie attack a member of Mystic Lotus?"
"Iunno," Billy said. "But let's get back to Morroc, we'll discuss it over some hot tea, Elena promised to whip up up if we protected-- erm go shopping...
"Wait..." Ethan said. "She still thinks we're to young to go out on our own?"
"I could see if it was a coinsidence guys... but still..." Ziste said feeling like a child.
"Great job Billy," Raaze said crossing hisarms, and raising his eyebrow.
"Whatever, let's get back to Morroc anyways, I'm beat," Ziste said. "Come Pallas."
"Fine whatever..." Ethan sighed, the sixteen year old Knight felt a cloud of rain hover above his head. "Awww, I train hard to get trated like a baby, just great. What will Flowing say?
