Disclaimer:
Captain N was produced by Nintendo and DIC Entertainment. Legend of Valkyrie, Tales of Vesperia, Tower of Druaga, Namco x Capcom, and Project X Zone were made by Namco Bandai. The Ghosts and Goblins series was made by Capcom. This story uses material from them.
New Captain N: Warp Zone
By: RB3
Rival Teams 1: Cross Team
A man and a woman walked down the streets of Shinjuku, in a world known as the "Cross World." It was a busy day in the Japanese city and people were commuting down the streets. Unlike the other women, the female half of the couple stood out. She had hair like the tails of a golden fox and wore a black qipao, a small red jacket, and matching sandals. She carried a Buddhist staff and wore Buddhist prayers beads on her left arm like a bracelet. Her name was Xiaomu, a fox sage.
Her male counterpart stopped at a cross walk and waited for the light to change. This man was dressed in a similar jacket as Xiaomu, only his was larger and covered more of his body. He also wore matching arm guards and shin guards. He also carried a small rack which contained three sheathed swords and a holstered shotgun. Notably, the left half of his hair was white compared to the right, which was black. He also had a large scar running over his left eye. His name was Reiji Arisu.
The couple were key agents for Shinra of the Japanese government. This agency was responsible for investigating supernatural phenomenon, especially if they occurred in Japan and were potential threats to the peace. Reiji and Xiaomu's current mission was to investigate a location dubbed the "Cross Shrine," which contained passageways to numerous other universes in chambers beneath its oratory. Until recently, these passageways, or warps in dimensions, had been sealed.
"Reiji, tell me again about these warps?" asked Xiaomu.
Reiji sighed. "Please read our briefings next time... We're here to investigate the activation of the dimensional portals beneath the Cross Shrine."
"Who sealed them in the first place? The priests of the shrine?" asked Xiaomu.
"No, that was the work of the Power family," replied Reiji.
The Power family was a noble family who ruled over a hub area much like the Cross Shrine, only much larger. Their hub was connected to many more worlds. For centuries, the Power family kept the warps sealed, but their number grew so great that it overwhelmed their seal. When the seal finally gave out, Shinra detected the event and started investigations. They sent probes and used supernatural divination to gather as much information about what lay beyond the warp.
Through these actions, they witnessed the war against the marauding demons known as the Burning Legion. The Legion conquered Power Palace and invaded the rest of Videoland, destroying everything in their path while pillaging magical power. House Power gathered allies and repelled the demons. From these alliances arose the Power Bloc, a more permanent and extensive form of their alliances. The Power Bloc continued to expand in defence of the warps and protection of Power Palace.
One of the most vital factors to their success was a special team of heroes drawn from their allies. Princess Lana headed this team and acted as its face and voice. "So, they won by creating a superhero dream team," said Xiaomu.
"Yep, that's pretty much the idea," replied Reiji. "In fact, our powers that be want to use the same idea. We're going to lead that new team."
"Oh, cool!" said Xiaomu.
"In fact, we're going to meet some of our first members today. They're waiting to meet us at the shrine," said Reiji.
"Even better!" said Xiaomu. "What kind of team mates are we getting? Do we have a guy in a red cape who's super strong, can fly, and shoots lasers out of his eyes? How about a tough guy who can regenerate and sprout metal claws from his knuckles?"
"You'll meet them soon enough," said Reiji.
When Reiji and Xiaomu reached the entrance of the Cross Shrine, they saw a structure exactly like any typical Shinto shrine. A torii opened into a flight of stairs onto the grounds. Upon ascending to the top, the couple was standing across from the haiden, or oratory, used for worship. It was a wooden building with sliding doors and a triangular shingled roof. A few priests and shrine maidens were sweeping the floor around the area.
"There it is, up ahead," said Reiji.
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Underneath the oratory of the Cross Shrine was a honeycomb-like network of granite rooms. Each of the rooms contained a varying number of rifts in space, warps, which depicted the environment on the other side. Above each of the warps was a stone plate with an icon, a label which represented the destination of the corresponding warp. All was quiet below until a pair of individuals crossed through a warp marked by a winged helmet.
The first figure was a woman in a similar winged helmet. She was a green-eyed blonde with hair tied in a braid decorated by a red bow. She radiated a supernatural sense of wholesomeness and purity about her. She was clad in sandals and a skirt. She also wore a green cuirass with matching arm guards, complemented by a sword and a shield. Her attire was typical of a valkyrie, a heavenly warrior maiden of the Norse.
The second figure was not human and more like a biped reptilian creature. His cute appearance which made him seem more like a mascot than an actual reptile. His appearance was largely featureless save for a pair of expressive eyes and a head shaped like a small flame. This strange creature wore a cuirass, arm guards, shin guards, and a forehead protector of gold. He was armed with a golden trident which radiated magical power. His name was Kurino, a warrior of the Sandra, a race of reptiles.
"So this is the Cross World," said Valkyrie, as she led Kurino into the honeycomb network.
"There must be dozens of warps here," remarked Kurino. "One wrong turn and we could get lost easily. Who were we supposed to meet again?"
"Arthur," replied Valkyrie. "He's known as the Silver Knight of Lower Avalon. Our goddess said he would meet us in the Cross Shrine."
Valkyrie and Kurino navigated the honeycomb hub and eventually found a flight of stairs into the first basement of the Cross Shrine. Unlike the honeycomb area, this area was a bit darker and lit by candles rather than the light of numerous warps. Across from their stairs was a second flight of stairs which led down to another hub of warps. Perpendicular to the two stairs was a third flight of stairs which led up to the Cross Shrine.
A bearded man in his late twenties crested the opposite stairs. He was clad in full plate armour, but his visor was open and allowed a clear view of his face. "Arthur?" asked Valkyrie.
"Aye, that's my name," said Arthur. "Would I perchance be someone you need?"
"Yes, I'm Valkyrie and this is my friend Kurino Sandra," replied Valkyrie.
"Ah, I see, so you're the ones I was sent to meet," said Arthur. "As you already know, I'm Arthur, a knight of Camelot. Where..."
"Hi everyone!" said a voice approaching the group. It belonged to Xiaomu, who had went ahead of Reiji to see their new team mates.
"Greetings milady," said Arthur.
"Hello," said Kurino.
Reiji proceeded to introduce each of their new team mates in turn. Valkyrie was the first, hailing from the world of Marvel Land. True to her name, she was a valkyrie, a divine messenger of the gods, in essence an angel. Her companion and trusted friend was Kurino of the Sandra race. The two of them had went on many adventures together in Marvel Land. In two particular instances, they had driven off demonic conquerors.
The last new recruit was Arthur, a knight of Camelot. He was a seasoned warrior with an arsenal of magical weapons at his disposal. In his homeland, demons threatened the peace on multiple occasions and kidnapped Princess Prin Prin, who would become his wife. Prin Prin came from a unique bloodline with magical powers coveted by the demons. Arthur fought off the demons single-handedly and rescued his future wife.
"Some interesting people we have here," remarked Xiaomu. "It's nice to meet you all. I'm Xiaomu and this is Reiji. We're agents of Shinra as you may already know."
"Of course," said Valkyrie. "Let's get down to business. My Goddess told me that we should head to Dahngrest in the world of Terca Lumireis. She said we could find more allies there."
"Now that we're a team, it's customary to give ourselves a name," said Xiaomu. "Since we're a team of people from across different worlds, we should call ourselves the 'Cross Team,' since we're going to be forming a 'Cross Bloc.'"
"I guess that's a fitting name," said Arthur.
"It also matches the name of the shrine," said Kurino.
"So, Cross Team it is!" said Xiaomu.
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Shinra and friends made their way to the bottom of the Cross Shrine. Valkyrie led the way, using a sapphire pendant as a dousing tool to find the correct warp. That pendant brought them to a hexagonal room made of granite. At the far end on the wall was an ovular rift in space. A granite plate above the warp displayed a symbol of a star. Kurino opened a book and read the information on the page.
"This is it," said Kurino. "That star emblem is Brave Vesperia, the brightest star in the skies of Terca Lumireis."
Upon passing through the warp, they found themselves in a single brick room with no entrances or exits. Arthur tapped on the walls and found that the one opposite of the warp produced an echo. He tried to ram the wall with his shoulder, managing to dislodge a few bricks. He repeatedly hit the wall, with Kurino and Valkyrie joining in seconds later, taking turns striking the wall. The wall eventually burst open and knocked down a shelf on the other side.
They walked over it into a cellar. It had numerous other shelves storing bottles of pickled food. Further ahead, there were also barrels with spigots for storing wine. The group travelled further and found a flight of stairs up, which they ascended to the ground floor of a restaurant. The tables and chairs had been smashed, along with the glass cups. The entire room was covered in dust and had not been used for years.
When they exited the restaurant, they found a ruined town surrounded by forest. Debris was everywhere, having fallen from damaged buildings. The more intact buildings had ivy and moss growing over them, as nature started to reclaim the ghost town. "Which way is it to the next town?" asked Kurino.
"I'll check," said Valkyrie. She cast a spell which caused her to take on a distant look, as though looking at something distant. "We can go to Heliord in the southwest."
"We should stock up on supplies and ask around for information while in Heliord," said Arthur.
The Cross Team travelled through the dense forest. There was so much foliage that it made the ground uneven and slowed down travel greatly. Eventually, the Cross Team reached a river which separated one section of forest from another. Valkyrie cast a spell to allow the group to hover in the air. They flew over the river and continued onward until they reached a fortified town at the fork of a river.
The town had a strange set of mystical rings floating above and around it. They resembled bracelets with baubles. Upon crossing a bridge, they eventually found themselves in the battlements of the city. Heliord was known as the "Rising City" since much of it was constructed within the parapets of a fort belonging to the Zaphian Empire. The upper parts were the cleanest and where the city's elite lived. In contrast, the lower area consisted of tent cities which housed the downtrodden workers and poor.
"I'm going to purchase supplies. I'll meet you back here later," said Arthur, before separating.
"Okay, we'll ask around town," said Valkyrie.
Kurino noticed a pair of teenaged girls looking over the battlements. "Why don't we ask them for directions?" asked Kurino.
The first was a sweet girl who had short pink hair. This girl wore a pink dress which belled out like a flower around her legs. On top of her dress was a white coat which had golden hem and matching patterns which followed the hemline. The woman carried herself with dignity and stood out from the rest of the people as a result. Due to all of these factors, Valkyrie could tell that this young woman was of nobility.
Her friend, a brunette, was the younger of the two and dressed more like a commoner compared to the noble woman. She wore goggles over her head and a simple red tunic. She had a magnifying glass tucked into her sash and a book clipped to her tunic. Her breast pocket had several pens in it. Her pants only had the right leg. Instead, she wore a long red stocking which had yellow stripes on the other leg.
"Excuse me, can you tell me about the current news in Heliord?" asked Valkyrie.
"Sure, there have been several attacks by demons in Tolbyccia," replied the pink-haired girl.
"I see, thank you," replied Valkyrie.
"Would those demons happen to be the Burning Legion?" asked Reiji.
"Yes," replied the brunette.
"Burning Legion? Aren't those the same demons you told me about, the ones who attacked Power Palace?" asked Xiaomu.
"Yeah, they are," replied Reiji.
"That means we need to go to Dahngrest as soon as we can. Now that I mention it, do you know how to get to the city of Dahngrest?" asked Valkyrie.
"What a coincidence! We were just about to head there ourselves," said the pink-haired girl.
"Then, perhaps you can guide us there?" asked Valkyrie.
"Since we're going the same way, I guess so," said the pink-haired girl.
"Thank you," said Valkyrie. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm called Valkyrie and my friend is Kurino. There's also Reiji and Xiaomu. Our last friend, Arthur, is out buying supplies for our journey."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Estellise, but you can call me Estelle for short," replied the pink-haired girl. "My friend is Rita."
The brunette, Rita, looked over Kurino. "I've never seen a creature like this before... You say he is a Sandra?" asked Rita
"Yes," replied Valkyrie.
"I don't think Sandra exist in this world..." said Kurino.
Rita turned to Xiaomu, puzzled by the fox sage's unusual appearance. "Is there something on my face?" asked Xiaomu.
"I don't think they've ever seen a fox sage before either," said Reiji.
At that moment, Arthur came upon the group. He was carrying a large sack of items, ranging from medical tonics to food. "Hey! I've gathered supplies. We may leave whenever we wish."
"Great work, Arthur," said Reiji.
"This is a great time to introduce you to our travelling companions. Meet Estelle and Rita. They've offered to lead us to Dahngrest," said Xiaomu.
"Pleased to meet you, good ladies. I'm Sir Arthur, Silver Knight of Camelot," said Arthur.
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The combined group of the Cross Team and the women of Terca Lumireis cross west and north through the dense forest. After a day of journey, they camped out by a river for the night. When morning broke, Valkyrie gathered the group near the river. "What's going on? We have to go to the bridge in the north," said Rita.
"Valkyrie has a faster way to cross the river," said Estelle.
"How?" asked Rita.
"Like this," replied Valkyrie, casting a spell upon her entire team.
"Whoa!" said Rita, suddenly rising into the air and flipping around.
"We're floating?" asked Estelle, still disoriented by her newfound ability to float. Valkyrie flew the team across the river safely and put them on the ground. "That was fun!"
"How did you do that?" said Rita.
"I cast a flying spell on us," said Valkyrie.
"I know that. I mean I've never seen anyone use this kind of magic before," said Rita.
"I learned this spell on my adventures across Marvel Land," said Valkyrie.
"Marvel Land?" asked Estelle.
"That's where Kurino and I are from," said Valkyrie.
"I have never heard of Marvel Land either," said Rita. "Just who are you?"
"We're from another world called the Cross World," said Reiji.
"Another world?" asked Rita. "You expect me to believe that?"
"You're being invaded by demons," said Xiaomu. "It's kinda a thing for demons to come from another world."
"Would those demons be why you need to go to Dahngrest?" asked Estelle.
"Yeah, well, they're part of the reason," replied Reiji. "Our governments are trying to build alliances to stand up to the Legion and other hostile groups out there."
"I see," replied Estelle. "You should talk to Harry Whitehorse. He's the head of the Guild Union in Dahngrest."
"Thanks," said Reiji.
The combined group continued onward and reached a cliff side. Just above, they could see the protective rings above Dahngrest. Valkyrie cast the fly spell and lifted the group over the cliff, where they continued onward. They eventually reached a large medieval city with a brown hue about its limits. It was a dark environment, but yellow light from lamps could be seen within each home. Through the use of magical items called Blastia, Dahngrest received conveniences like street lamps around the city.
Dahngrest sat at a fork in the river with two bridges acting as its eastern entrances. It had roads paved with cobblestone that wound around buildings and deeper into the city. The people seemed like a hardy and down to earth lot. They weren't extremely wealthy, but lived independent of the Zaphian Empire's rule. Dahngrest was known as the "Den of Guilds," as this was where most guilds had their headquarters.
Most guilds were specialized in certain types of jobs or activities in their society. Though most guilds were specialists, a few were freelancers. These activities could range from slaying monsters to retail and even to humble work such as organizing and cleaning warehouses. Estelle and Rita led the group to a small abode marked by the emblem of the star. This star represented the guild Brave Vesperia, a freelance guild.
"Is this where Harry Whitehorse lives?" asked Kurino, as he looked over the facade of a house.
"No, this is actually our friend's guild house," replied Estelle. "You might need the help of his guild before you can see Harry. He's been a very busy man since the old don passed away."
When Estelle knocked, a young, brown-haired boy answered the door. He wore brown pants and carried a large tote bag with weapons sticking out from the cracks. "Estelle! Glad you came!" said the boy.
"Hi Karol!" replied Estelle. "I brought Rita and some new acquaintances who want to meet Harry."
"They're... unique, I'll say," said Karol, looking over Valkyrie's team.
"I'll introduce them during the guild meeting," said Estelle.
The interior of the guild hall was quite small, matching the size of the guild itself. Brave Vesperia only had about six or seven full-time members. They all seated around a table in the living room. "Well, looks like we have a full house today," said a swordsman with long violet hair, upon seeing Estelle's new companions.
"Hi Yuri," said Estelle. "These people have a request to make at our meeting."
"We can fit them in at the end," said Karol, who then went to the front podium to address to the gathered Brave Vesperia members. "I'm Karol Capel, the guild leader of Brave Vesperia. We're a guild which performs odd jobs. First on the agenda is the demon situation. As you know, attacks have been increasing over the last three months. The Hunting Blades have reported that they have built a base near the aer krene to the west of Dahngrest. It seems the demons are attracted to aer."
Aer was the substance which powered magic in Terca Lumireis. Aer was released by natural springs around the world called aer krenes. Overuse of aer, such as by Blastia, caused aer krenes to overproduce aer to compensate. Aer was dangerous in large enough quantities, causing headaches and fatigue in humans. In monsters, it caused them to go berserk and trigger stampedes. In plants, overexposure to aer caused them to grow rapidly. Once enough aer was released, the aer krene would dry up, leading to large scale devastation.
"They are draining the aer krene dry," said Karol. "If they keep this up, Dahngrest might find itself in a wasteland like the Sands of Kogorh. The Guild Union has dispatched the Hunting Blades, but they are having difficulty."
"Can they be that tough to handle?" asked Yuri.
"The demons aren't just rampaging monsters. They have some organization," replied Karol. "The Hunting Blades have reported that they have constructed portals to call in reinforcements."
"Even the Empire is having a lot of trouble with them," said Estelle. "They constantly raid our ships."
Karol nodded. "Yes, it's so bad that Harry sent out a travel advisory for Tolbyccia and Hypionia to all guild members. He's trying to rally a coalition of guilds and the Empire to deal with the demons."
"So, we're going to fight demons? Sounds like fun!" said Judith, an attractive female member of Brave Vesperia with pointed ears and blue hair coiled into a beehive. These traits identified her as a member of the Krityan race.
"Our next item on the agenda is Estelle's new friends," said Karol. "You have the floor."
Reiji took the floor. "Hello, I'm Reiji Arisu. I am from the Cross World and a member of Shinra. We're a section of the Japanese government which investigates supernatural events. We're in the process of building an alliance with other worlds."
"So you come from another world, like those demons?" asked Karol.
"Yes, a different world from the demons," replied Reiji. "We came here through a warp in Caer Bocram. There are many warps, or inter-dimensional portals, which connect worlds together."
"Why are you forming this alliance?" asked Judith.
"Our leadership is concerned about the rise of a rival group called the 'Power Bloc.' It is headed by the Power family, who rule over a warp hub. The Power Bloc formed after winning a war against the demons," said Reiji.
"Is that how the Legion got to our world?" asked Estelle.
"Yes, they came through Power Palace," replied Reiji.
"How big is the Power Bloc?" asked Karol.
"Currently, they have more than a dozen members," replied Reiji.
"Wow!" asked Karol.
"In comparison, we have about four members," said Reiji.
"What can we expect if we do end up fighting them?" asked Yuri.
"Almost anything," replied Reiji. "They're a very diverse group."
Ethnically and racially, the Power Bloc included humans and several non-human beings such as the turtle-like Koopas, demons, elves, and beast men. Militarily, the Power Bloc had access to energy and ballistic weapons as well as war machines like piloted robots. In the supernatural sphere, the Power Bloc had access to elemental, divine, and dark magic, among others. In fact, a significant portion of its army was demons and other supernatural entities.
"They seem strong," said Estelle.
"Yes, that's why our leaders want our own alliance, along with a special team of heroes to support it," said Reiji.
"That's us!" said Xiaomu.
"The Power Bloc's special team acts as explorers, ambassadors, and a special forces team," said Reiji. "Like the Power Bloc, they have a diverse group of people as team members. If the Guild Union is interested in joining, we can point you to the proper channels. We just want to meet Harry Whitehorse and propose this to him."
"Does that mean you'll help against the demons?" asked Karol.
"Of course," replied Reiji. "The Legion is not something that can be left alone."
"Okay, let's call a vote," said Karol. "All those in favour of helping our new client, raise your hand and say 'aye.'"
"Aye," said Judith, raising her hand.
"I second that aye," said Yuri.
"Aye," said Karol, raising his own hand.
The remaining members of Brave Vesperia unanimously voted in favour of helping Reiji's group. "The ayes have it," announced Karol. "We will act as your liaison with Harry and the Guild Union."
"Thank you," said Reiji.
"I'm sure quite a few of the guilds will push to join your alliance," said Karol. "I believe Fortune's Market would be eager. They're always looking for new opportunities."
"Ah merchants, always with dollar signs in their eyes," remarked Yuri.
"The Empire might be interested as well, especially if you can help us against the demons," said Estelle. "I'm a princess of the Empire, so I can reach the king if you need to speak with him."
"I see, thank you for the information, Estelle," said Reiji.
"Thanks," said Karol. "One more thing... As a guild, Brave Vesperia normally freelances for random employers. In light of this vote, I've discovered an exciting new direction for our guild. We can specialize in otherworldly affairs. Exploration, hunting foreign monsters, adventuring outside of Terca Lumireis... Anything dealing with other worlds, we will be at the forefront of it. How many are interested in exploring this new direction?"
The members of Brave Vesperia discussed this among themselves. "Will we still freelance?" asked Judith.
"Of course, we'll still do that, but we're going to focus more on otherworldly affairs," replied Karol. "I was thinking of writing books on all of the new worlds. It would help a lot of people and earn us a lot of money. Who is interested?"
Like before, Karol got a chorus of "ayes" from the assembled Brave Vesperia members. Everyone seemed quite excited to be able to explore and learn about new worlds. "Awesome!" said Xiaomu. "We got ourselves new recruits for our RPG party."
"If no one has anything more to say, then I will close this meeting," said Karol. No one else said a word. "Then this meeting is closed. Thank you for your attendance. Reiji, let's go meet Harry Whitehorse."
Karol left the guild house with Reiji's group following him. Suddenly, they heard someone ringing a bell repeatedly from elsewhere within Dahngrest. "What's going on?" asked Kurino.
"Dahngrest is under attack!" said Karol.
"By who?" asked Valkyrie.
"We have to check it out!" said Estelle, running out to investigate with Yuri and Judith.
The Cross Team and Brave Vesperia noticed a winged shadow move across the ground. They looked up and saw a swarm of figures hovering in the air. One of the figures was a Legion succubus, who approached their guild house. "Begone, demon!" cried Arthur. He hurled a lance, which impaled the succubus and grounded her.
"Oh just my luck," remarked Yuri.
"How did they get past the barrier?" asked Rita.
"Let's go!" said Judith.
The Cross Team ran to the entrance of Dahngrest where they saw the city's defenders facing off against the Legion. At the square, six samurai from Altosk clashed with felguard shock troops. Overhead, succubi lashed their whips down at people in houses. In retaliation, guild mages hurled balls of flame. An Altosk archer stuck an arrow into an imp's chest. The rest of the imps in the formation pelted the archer with bolts.
Judith dashed at a dreadlord. Before it could connect with a swipe, Judith took to the air. Descending with a downward thrust, she impaled the demon. He turned into bats and vanished without a trace. "Look, over there!" cried Rita.
She pointed at a doomguard, one that was as tall as a house. "Wow that's the biggest demon I've ever seen!" said Estelle.
The great doomguard began to hack the barrier with all the strength he could muster. Each hit caused static to form on the surface. The doomguard impaled the barrier and started to wedge his great sword into it. After wiggling and forcing the weapon through, the barrier collapsed. The doomguard marched in and a group of samurai in white approached to confront him. The doomguard held out his hand and out came a volley of shadow bolts which flattened them all.
END OF CHAPTER