Falias, Finias Chapter One
Suggested Theme:
Main Theme- The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie
Perhaps, the best thing about having no friends is the amount of time one has for other activities. Like studying. For the past two summers, Kazdan has always spent his vacation by studying and pretty much keeping up or going beyond what he learned in school that year; except for English because he doesn't care for it. Due to this, he has aced those tests that he took almost a month ago and doesn't have to be stuck in classes that he finds boring, except for English. Also, his studious behavior has contributed greatly in his matches on Chaotic.
Now, Kazdan doesn't have any friends that he can play the card game with, so he had to make do with the online game. His first online match was abysmal since he didn't know how to play the game at all. After that failure, he furiously devoted his time in studying the game and building his deck. Sometimes, he would see Tom in the hobby store buying cards; sometimes, he wanted to walk right up to Tom. Instead, he would choose to hide in a dark corner and wait for him to disappear. Just like in the dumpster.
It took him a week to get a hang of things, to understand the game, and now he's pretty much creaming everyone who he fights. Only online, of course. It's June 22 and it's noon when he receives Chaotic mail. He thinks it's only another message for a match or another request to trade for Chaor (and there's no card worth trading Chaor for). Instead, he gets a "fancy" letter opening animation with a bunch of letters: QTNSRPO.
Now, he knows that his Scanner actually can input letters, maybe not as well as texting with cell phones, even though it's a D-pad. He quickly jots down the "code" and does a quick search through the Chaotic message boards if any of the other players ever received a code. He just wants to make sure that this "code" won't fuck up his Scanner. He finds nothing in the message boards about any player receiving mail with a bunch of letters. It's possible that the admin removed any messages pertaining the code because they're afraid players will just exchange codes and use them…..to get Ultra Rare scans for their online deck. Why else would there be no information on this; I'm not special. Kazdan deduces and inputs the code into his Scanner. He half-expects to see an Ultra Rare scan of Chaor like him being on fire and wielding a giant axe; instead, his Scanner goes black like it's in sleep mode. He then tries to access his online deck, but there's a stop sign flash preventing him access.
"Oh….it could be some sort of update. At worse, I'll just call Chaotic support tomorrow about this." Kazdan talks to himself which is habit he has acquired over the years; he can't stand complete silence unless he's trying to sleep. He's not that concerned about his Scanner probably being broken; he'll just see what support can do tomorrow. If they can't help, then he'll just have to get a new Scanner and pretty much go through the annoying process of fixing his account. Besides, he'll just distract himself by cleaning the house and reading about Caesar's assassination again.
Unbeknownst to Kazdan on Earth, the code he inputted created another him. A him that can only access a world that humans didn't dominate; they weren't the center of the universe. To be more precise, he now has access to a world that will take him to another world; kind of like the Montressor Spaceport, Crescentia. However, as of this nanosecond, Kazdan of the Earth has no idea of this, but his Chaotic-self does. Well, sort of.
Right now, Kazdan, the one in Chaotic, is looking up and around this unfamiliar, futuristic place that he has been whisked away to. There is a lot of slick, silver metal like the ultra-clean future of Star Trek. There are humans walking about the place, some laugh at him as they pass. Above, he sees a bunch of floating monitors that appear to be frozen in their positions; he sees footage of Creatures fighting like the "aliens" in Star Quest. He is suddenly grateful that he's wearing his cleaning shoes, which are just tan boots, because he would hate to walk around in his Doctor Who slippers.
"Can you get up, or do you need assistance?" A snippy, computerized voice snaps Kazdan from his awe. He turns his head to see a floating robot that looks like someone combined the Pixar lamp with an old Apple computer. Now, he has played and read plenty of games and books about AIs, and he knows that being a snippy little shit to an AI is going to get you killed. And, judging by the voice, this one probably wouldn't be able to sing me a great song. Kazdan almost sighs as he stands up.
"Well, aren't you going to say something? And do try to be original; originality separates the champions from the chumps." Kazdan briefly muses about refusing to say a word to this AI that is sadly not voiced by Douglas Rain.
"'And so it is, sorrow and joy. Joy and sorrow. Wherever there are humans. On Earth. In new worlds beyond the stars. Now and forever.'" Kazdan picks a particularly obscure quote to test this AI.
"Quote by Nicole Wakefield from Arthur C. Clarke's and Gentry Lee's Rama Revealed. I must congratulate you on your restraint for not using 2001: A Space Odyssey or screaming your little head off." Kazdan is fairly impressed by the AI's knowledge of one of Arthur C. Clarke's more obscure works. He has never met anyone who actually knew any of Clarke's other works or that the Stanley Kubrick movie actually has a novel.
"I am neither a champion nor a chump." Kazdan quietly and carefully says because he does not want to sound disrespectful.
"In any case, welcome to Chaotic." The AI does not sound as snippy before like he's deciding to reward the human's politeness. The human oddly looks him into his screen like he's a person; if he had a face, the AI would be smirking at this oddity.
"Come now, your match will begin in three minutes." The AI doesn't offer a "hand" to help Kazdan up. The ember-hair youth stands up and reflexively brushes dust off his green plaid, sleeveless shall collar sweater and denim hip-huggers. He follows the AI while tightly gripping his Scanner; he looks around, hoping to see anything else alien, anything else that doesn't exist in human imagination.
Sadly, aside from the army of floating AIs and more shiny surfaces of the inside, the outside is fairly human, even in size. Lots of green foliage, more shiny surfaces, movable walkways, a sleek cable car system, and lots of waterways. Kazdan cannot accurately scale the place, but he has a feeling this place might be some sort of floating island, hovering above certain doom. The closer he is to the water, the louder he hears the rushing like a roaring waterfall.
He is led to a magenta-glass roof building; he is vaguely reminded of the online version of the Drome. He quickly puts it together that he's probably going to have to fight with his online deck like in the online game. If I'm just fighting a match like the online one, then what's the point in having such a building? For show? It seems like such a waste. Kazdan tries not to let his disappointment show on his face.
"After your match is concluded, I will finish up your tutorial." The AI crisply announces and a sort of silence ensues. Like the AI is expecting Kazdan to freak out.
"Thank you for being so kind." Kazdan utters softly, bordering on mutely. If the AI had a face, he would've most likely blushed; players don't usually thank him, least of all they don't thank him for being kind.
"A word of advice, do not, under any circumstances, tell your opponent about your deck, which Tribe is your favorite, what Locations you liked to use, etc. You would be surprise how often rookies get tricked into believing that their opponent is helping them out of the kindness of their heart." Kazdan might have been offended by that obvious advice, but then he thinks about how overwhelmed he felt when he first got here. Actually, he's still a bit overwhelmed; he could've easily blathered, if he was social like Tom, to his opponent if the AI didn't warn him.
"'We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when / Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend / Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes / I thought you died alone, a long, long time ago.'" Kazdan wanted to give the AI one more surprise; and it's a special one too. He softly sings only one verse to a David Bowie song, but it's quite a lot for him. Well, it's only a lot since this is the first time he has ever sang before someone; well, for an AI. Again, more silence ensues; briefly, Kazdan wonders if he "broke" the AI. He knows that his speaking voice is nothing at all like his singing voice; it's almost like verbal dissociative identity disorder.
"Your match in the Amzen Drome begins in thirty seconds; you better get moving." Kazdan nods and quietly disappears into the Drome. The place is extravagantly dramatic with semi-dim lighting and a DromeMaster with some personality. All that he can think is:
"I wonder if I should've sang about Major Tom."
He lost. He lost so quickly and overwhelmingly; and what's worse, he lost against a scumbag named Klayotic who tried to trick him like the AI warned him. Actually, what's more humiliating is that he lost to Klay's Van Bloot with his Chaor. It certainly didn't help his already wounded pride that Klay mocked him for his username.
"You don't deserve to be called KidChaor; it would be more fitting to call you KidLoser!" He can still hear that Aussie sneering at him. But then again his mind is still reeling from the match; he didn't just play his Chaor card, he actually got to be Chaor! He actually got to be the muscle-bound warrior-demon for a time, a very brief time. He was able to conjure Fire Orbs and use Mugic! And, then he got his ass handed to him by that arrogant ass. He's a mixture of happiness and aggravation which makes him appear disheartened.
"You're not a natural, so winning wasn't possible." If the AI was human, Kazdan would've probably scowled at him. Instead, he slightly appreciates the AI's attempt at human comforting.
"Klay's loud, too loud." Kazdan chooses to vent some of his annoyance about Klay. Kazdan doesn't like loud people; being loud is an obvious compensation for lack of class.
"It's redundant at this point. Come, time to finish up your tutorial." Kazdan wordlessly follows and listens like he has done before. The AI explains about the PortCourt; how you can order food there, how you can trade scans there, how you can issue/refuse challenges, and some inconsequential stuff about CodeMasters and winning a certain number of times in a CodeMaster's Drome warrants you a chance to face the CodeMaster for an Ultra Rare scan.
"Now, for the most important bit, the PortCourt has transport discs, as you can see, that let you transport to any Location in your deck. All you have to do is select the location and hit the center button of your Scanner and you'll be there. To return here, all you have to do is hit the red button at the very top of your Scanner. You're also able to return directly to Earth while you're in Perim with the very same button if you wish." Kazdan grips his Scanner tighter than before; he feels like he should build an altar for it, to worship it for its amazing power. He can roam about Perim, the world of Creatures. He can meet Chaor; well, if he's lucky.
"Also, while in Perim, you can scan Creatures, Battlegear, Locations, and Mugic; you can also port to a new Location, so long as the Location is in your deck, if you want while there without a transport disc. However, I do suggest that you port back to Earth now; most players on Earth presume that their Scanners have broken and call up Chaotic Tech Support to curse them out, or stupidly toss away their Scanners into the trash." Kazdan knows that there's no way his Earth-self would toss away his Scanner; he would most likely call up support in a day for answers. Who is stupid enough to throw away their Scanner? These things are as expensive as IPhones. He scoffs inwardly at the hasty actions panicky people undertake.
"I'm going to explore Perim. I'm not stupid enough to trash something so expensive. Once again, thank you for all your help." Kazdan steps onto a pale, round halo of the Transportation Center. He already has chosen his first Location to explore, UnderWorld City. The AI is watching him, most likely making sure nothing goes wrong during the boy's first port.
"Ground control to Major Tom, take your protein pills and put your helmet on." Kazdan finally makes the stupid expression that the AI has been waiting for. Again, if the AI had a face or even lips, he would be smirking at the boy's agape expression. Kazdan ports out in a stream of blue code wordlessly.
"Hopefully, someone will make the space oddity a Starman." The AI quips and then hears the telltale scream of a rookie. He wishes he was programmed to sigh and then hovers to the screaming player; it's in his programming to help screaming idiots.
UnderWorld City, how to describe such a Location? Well, first is the smell. The cards aren't scratch-or-sniff kind, but he has always presumed that the place would most likely smell like sewage rot and sulfuric bombs. Basically, he expects the place to stink like a thousand rotting corpses; and it does stink, but the stink is being overpowered by the scent of smoke. All kinds of smoke; some rivaling Victorian industrial, others of tar-coated coal, and of course some that smell natural like geysers. And then there is the most worrisome smell, the smell of fire attacks.
He sees what he sees in the cards except not coated in paint and red borders. Lots of gray grime, black puddles, and rusty metal decorate the place like a dystopia trapped in the Dark Ages. He did see some stain glass; there is a stain glass panel of Chaor. He actually takes a picture of it with his Scanner. He then quickly moves out of the way when he sees a green, gluttonous giant coming his way; he doesn't look the giant in the eyes, eye-contact makes him uncomfortable. He realizes afterwards that it was Dardemus.
One final thing about the Location; there is no map outlining the place. Plus, he can't read any of the signs here. They're in some sort of pictograph, animal-scratch language; deciphering hieroglyphics isn't his specialty. He has no idea where Chaor's Castle is; in fact, he's not exactly certain where he is exactly in UnderWorld City.
He knows that he needs some sort of guide that can guide him around the city and explain what some of the signs mean. He pulls out his Scanner and searches through his cards for an UnderWorlder that can help him. It only takes him a minute of hard searching to find the ideal UnderWorlder who can help him; one that wouldn't kill him on the spot. It's H'earring; he's an UnderWorld Scout that should know every nook and cranny of the city.
Kazdan knows that the best bet of finding someone is to ask around; problem is Kazdan knows that UnderWorlders aren't OverWorlders. They aren't going to help him out of the goodness of their hearts; they'll want something and he has nothing to offer. He doesn't know the currency here and he certainly doesn't have any information that would useful to Creatures. So, aimlessly, he wanders about the city, on the lookout for H'earring.
He wishes that the cards had more useful flavor text like what's a Creature's favorite hangout is. He's been wishing that for about three hours now. It's getting dark, which is amazing considering how Kazdan has yet to find a sun shining in the place; he guesses that there is light because sunlight streams from the OverWorld into the cracks of the UnderWorld. Like secondhand scraps.
"Hey, not a bright idea for you to be wandering alone here." Those words alone should've send a chill down Kazdan's spine and convinced him to port the Hell out of there; however, those words are coupled with a voice that sounds like Blunk on helium. The strange, funny voice is coming from an alleyway; Kazdan beings to tremble at the muscle memory of his beating. He doesn't want to walk in there, and, luckily for him, the stranger comes out from the alleyway.
"H'earring?" Kazdan feels his voice go reedy. The mutated green rabbit emerges munching on a leg of rotten meat; there's a lazy smirk on his face.
"Yeah, who wants to know?" Again, those words should've sounded rude, but the voice makes the words sound jovial.
"Greetings, I am Kazdan Kalinkas." Kazdan does a small sort of bow; he's not familiar with how people greet each other in Perim, but bowing is never wrong and it's quite ego-stroking. H'earring cheeks flare into a deeper green.
"Uh, thanks. I think you should save the bowing for Chaor." Kazdan's eyes lit up like twin comets. H'earring makes a motion with one of his hands that is saying, "Woah, calm down!"
"Look, no one 'meets' Chaor unless he wills it, so you might want to let that dream die. What's he going to do with a human anyways?" Kazdan feels a blow, a blow he should've expected, to his self-esteem. He completely forgot that Chaor would have no use for a weak human such as himself. Not unless he's planning on taking over Earth, and even then! Kazdan inwardly snorts.
"That's fine. I actually need a guide for around the city and, well, the rest of the UnderWorld too." Kazdan blushes from being a bit flustered. It's been a while since he actually asked someone for help (even at school, he never asked his teachers for help, rather for clarification on an assignment); the last time he asked for help was Tom…..well, "almost" doesn't count.
"Okay, but it's going to cost you. If you can get me some Dractyl scales or some pond scum, then I'll give you a tour of the city." Kazdan has no idea where these "Dractyl scales" are, but the pond scum gives him a bit of hope.
"That would be most agreeable. Thank you for being so kind." Once again, a non-human is taken aback by the "kindness" bit. H'earring nearly chokes on a particularly tough piece of meat. He has to pound his own chest and spits out the meat.
"I think it's smart that you're so polite, but it would probably be best if you don't talk much. Most UnderWorlders would think you're some kind of OverWorld sympathizer. But that's just my advice, take it or leave it." Kazdan nods in agreements; he knows that being talkative has done nothing good for him. Silence is golden, after all.
"Where can I find you when I have what you want?" H'earring thinks for a bit; he knows that this kid probably doesn't know how to read like all of the Chaotic players that have been showing up for like a year now. So, he decides it would be best to stick to famous landmarks.
"Okay, do you know the building with that tall spires and a stain glass panel with Chaor? I'll be around that place like midday, so you'll most likely find me there." The kid with fire-colored hair and dirt-colored eyes grins proudly like he has won a fight; H'earring sort of pities the kid's enthusiasm since it appears it's been a while since the kid actually had something good happen to him. He's kind of pathetic like those Troubadours. H'earring holds his tongue because the kid has been nothing but amicable with him.
"Well, goodbye!" Kazdan shouts and ports back to Earth. H'earring walks away and shakes his head. Chaor would eat this kid alive.
Author's Comments- I decided not to write about Kazdan's first match for this reason: I don't give a shit about the matches that went on in the show. I preferred world-building over the matches for the most part; I don't hate the matches, but I don't want to write about them. I actually will probably write one, but that's only for plot reasons. For the most part, this story will be world-building, gradual world-building. Kind of like the show, except it'll get graphic at some points.
Now, I don't know what Kaz's first meeting was like with H'earring in the show because it was never shown and my book on Chaotic isn't helping me there. So I tried my best to replicate that meeting but with Kazdan. Also, I slipped in (or rather dumped) some David Bowie, W.I.T.C.H., and Arthur C. Clarke references. I'm not even certain if any of those actually exist in Kaz's world, but I like to take liberties. Also, the Troubadours comment can be answered now with Ethereal; however, if you don't want to read that, then just wait until I get to it in this story.