FAN FICTION: Nightmares and Dreams
SERIES: Bubblegum Crisis
STORY 1: Sylia's Choice
part 2
by
David Lindquist
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Disclaimer: Bubble Gum Crisis and all characters are
the copyright of AIC. All Oriental adventures are the
copyright of TSR. They are used without permission.
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FORWARD: This is part 2 of my fan fiction. Unfortunately
I won't be able to begin writing part 3 until after March.
But to make up for it, I might make a timeline based
on this fanfiction. It will involve more than just BGC. See
the afterwords for a possible list of who will be involved.
C&C and MST welcome. Enjoy!
This story takes place one week after BGC video
no. 6 (Red Eyes).
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Sylia sat and stared at the half-eaten meal. *I must
keep my mind on our job,* she thought, regaining her
composure. *If Mason is alive, I will need all my
abilities to defeat him. I cannot afford any
distractions. *
After quickly finishing her meal, she slowly bowed her
head and closed her eyes.
"I AM DONE WITH ALL YOU PROVIDED," she spoke,
then clapped her hands together twice and
commanded, "BEGONE."
At her command, both the tray and futon disappeared in a
flash of white light. Nothing was left to indicate that
they had ever existed.
"Again you have my thanks," she whispered.
Sylia then stood up and walked to the far end of
her small bed chamber towards a small indoor shrine. On
it lay the weapons and the various parts that made up her
O-yorio armor. She stopped a few steps from the front of
it, untied the belt that secured her night clothes and let
them slide down into a pile at her feet. Her nude body
shivered slightly despite the warmth of the chamber. She
knelt on one knee and bowed her head.
"Walakomu, again I must ask you to grant me the use
of your armor so I may defeat my enemies," she spoke.
The daughter of Katsuhiro Stingray lifted her head to
look at the small statue of an o-yorio armored warrior
set in the middle of the shrine. In her mind, the weariness
of a few days ago again resurfaced. Sylia found a part of
herself hoping that the demigod would refuse the
request. That hope vanished as the statue gradually begun
to give off a golden glow. The glow expanded until it
covered her weapons and every piece of armor on the
shrine.
*The die is cast,* she thought, *Walakomu granted my
request and I must succeed in my goal.*
"My thanks," she sighed. Sylia leaned forward and
picked up the garments she wore under the armor.
As she dressed, Sylia's thoughts turned to the question
that haunted her for the past week.
*How could he survived?* Sylia mentally asked herself. *I
know my blade pierced his heart and if that didn't do it,
dropping the castle on him should of completely crushed
his body.*
She had just slipped on the kobakama when a memory of an
legend rose to the forefront of her mind. It stated that
there existed a spell so evil, the gods decreed that any
who used it would be totally destroyed. The spell supposedly
allowed a powerful wizard or priest to become a form of
undead called a lich. Sylia froze as the missing pieces to
the mystery of Mason's possible resurrection fell into
place.
*Mason possessed an almost fanatical obsession for ancient
history, and it is possible that a copy of the spell could
have survived through the purges, especially with the
confusion of the Gods' War. If he rediscover
it... * All the color drained from her face as body
shuddered at the thought. *We will face our most dangerous
opponent to date.*
Sylia quickly finished dressing, deciding not to tell the
others about her revelation without more proof. She gave
her clothes a final check. Satisfied, the Knight Sabers
leader began to don the O-yorio armor. As Sylia put on
the armor, she carefully adjusted each piece until it fit
comfortably.
After she made a final adjustment to her hachi-maki, Sylia
retrieved the two scabbards that held her katanas, Kotetu
and Muramasa. She silently stared at her weapons.
*I have gone through a lot of battles with these
blades,* she reminisced, *but if I'm correct, this is going
to be the truest test of my skill.* Sylia then proceeded
to strap both scabbards onto her back.
Tap....
Tap....
Tap....
"Come in Nene-chan," Sylia said.
She watched the chamber door slide open and her student
enter. Nene wore her normal journey attire; blue pants, a
pair of high boots, and a pink blouse with the opening tied
all the way up to the nape of her neck. Attached to her belt
hung the two tai-fa. Her blue hooded, protection cloak
perfectly accented her clothing. The hood folded back,
showing Nene's pinned back pinkish-red hair.
*She looks so mature,* Sylia thought with a bit of
pride. *Like a true sorceress of power. She has come a
long way from the young girl that stumbled into our lives
four years ago.*
Nene bowed then spoke.
"We are ready to leave, Sensei," she stated in a level
voice.
"Excellent," Sylia replied, "I want you to get three
necklaces of adaptation from the armory then meet me at
the entrance."
Nene turned to comply with her order.
As Sylia watched her leave, she came to a decision
concerning her student. A decision that, up till a few
days ago, she had been putting off.
She turned to the shrine and picked up a small pouch. Opening
it, Sylia reached in and pulled out a small, golden pin.
*I'll give the teleport brooch to her before we leave,* she
thought. *At least she will have a means of escape if we
fall in battle.* She then smiled ruefully. *And it will give
Mackie some piece of mind as well*
She returned the brooch to the pouch then tied it to her
belt.
*Time to leave,* Sylia thought as she retrieved her kabuto
and put it on. Sylia then concentrated her thoughts on the
O-yorio armor. A second later, she felt the mempo appear
over her face.
"Perfect," she said. With a thought, she dispelled the
facemask. Sylia left her chamber and walked through the
hallways towards the main entrance. As she strolled around
the last corner, Sylia couldn't help smiling slightly. Nene
patiently stood by the entrance with the three items clutched
in her hand.
"Sensei!" Nene said, an eager look adorned her young
face. "I have the necklaces you wanted."
"Thank you," Sylia replied. "Take one for yourself and
give the other two to Priss and Linna. We may need them
on this job."
"Hai, Sensei," Nene confirmed as she took one of the
necklaces and placed it around her neck. "I'll do it as
soon as I see them."
"Nene, I want you to wear this." Her smile disappeered
as she reached into her pouch, pulled out a small emerald
brooch and handed it to her. "It's enchanted with a one
charge teleport spell. It will take you to a place near
Raven's knoll."
With a confused expression on her face, Nene examined the
brooch.
"Thank you, Sensei," Nene responded then asked, "But why
give this to me?"
"If we fall into a trap and there is no way to overcome
it," Sylia said, her face expressionless, "I want you to
use it to save yourself."
"I can't do that, Sensei!!!" Nene wailed, her eyes wide
with shock. "I have a responsibility to you... "
"And _I_ have an responsibility as your Sensei to
protect you," Sylia replied, cutting Nene off in
mid-sentence, then she sighed and looked at her pupil.
"Nene, it would put my mind at ease to know that you
have a means of escape." Sylia's voice almost took
a pleading tone. "Please don't argue with me on this
point."
"O..o-kay," Nene said. She brushed back her cloak and
pinned the brooch on her blouse. She then returned her
cloak back to its original position.
"Besides," Sylia said with a slight smile. "If anything
happened to you, Mackie would never forgive me." Sylia
watched Nene as she lowered her head and blushed furiously
at her remark.
"Are you ready to go?" Sylia asked after it looked
like Nene regained some of her composure.
"Hai, Sensei," Nene said still showing some redness in
her cheeks.
The Knight Saber leader walked through the opened
entranceway and exited the cottage. Nene followed behind
her. She noticed the red hue of the dawn casting its rays
over all of the countryside. *Another bad omen,* Sylia
thought, glancing at the red sky.
"It's about time you two showed up," Linna said as
she held three of their mount. "The horses are getting
restless."
Sylia turned and looked at her fellow kensai. Linna
wore her forest green chainmail, her razor chain
coiled and attached to her belt. Her blue hachi-maki
keeping her front bangs out of her eyes. In her left
hand, she held the reigns of Sylia's and Nene's
horses while she held her own steed with her right
hand. Next to her, Priss already sat in the saddle of
her horse. Her blue leather armor creaked softly as she
leaned forward. She wore a very amused expression on
her face.
"Nene," Sylia said, "Retrieve our mounts."
"Hai, Sensei," Nene replied. She walked over to
their horses and took the reigns from Linna. " Sensei
wants you and Priss to wear one of these."
Linna took the necklace and placed it around her
neck. She then marched to the side of her horse
and lifted herself into the saddle. She then turned
and glared at Priss.
"You could have at least went to see what was
keeping them! " Linna hissed.
"They're here now aren't they?" Priss responded
with a smirk as she slipped on her own necklace.
Sylia ignored the bickering that developed between
them and turned back to the cottage. She smiled as
she raised her right arm to the sky.
"ORIGAMI COTTAGE," She commanded, "REVERT."
As Sylia finished the activation command, a blue
light surrounded the domicile. The cottage shimmered
slightly then all color drained out of the
house. Afterwards, it folded itself in half then
again and again until it was the size of a teacup.
Sylia walked over and picked up the small paper
replica of the cottage. As she walked to her
horse, she pushed the paper replica together
flattening it out entirely. The Knight Saber's
leader placed it in her horse's saddlebag.
"I wish I could create things like that," Nene
sighed.
"Keep studying and someday you will," Sylia
said, settling herself in the saddle. "Now get
on your horse so we can be on our way."
She watched as Nene climbed onto the horse and
gently pet its neck. Sylia then looked at the
others.
"Everyone ready?" she asked.
"Hai!!" the other three Knight Sabers replied,
almost in unison.
"Knight Sabers! Sanjo!!" she shouted, digging
her heels into the horse's ribs. It was enoguh to
send the animal galloping down the road. The other
three followed behind her.
They traveled for most of the morning, noticing
the gradual change in the countryside from flat,
green fields to rocky hills. As they rode, the moods
of the Knight Sabers changed with the terrain to
grim and determined. The sun approached midday when
they neared the rendezvous point.
"How much further? " Linna asked, wiping the
sweat from her eyes.
"It should be just over this hill, " Nene replied,
pointing at the hill in front of them.
Sylia looked around the area as they rode towards
the hill.
*Something's not right, * she thought. *there
should be sentries posted at least.*
"Knight Sabers! Stop!!" she ordered.
The others halted their horses, slightly confused at
the urgency of her command.
"What's wrong?" Priss asked.
Sylia didn't look at Priss when she answered. Her
eyes fixed on the top of the hill in front of them.
Trying to get some clue as to what lay beyond it.
"There are no sentries posted," she said.
"So?" Priss replied testily. "They probably think
everyone's too scared to bother them. Arrogant
bastards."
"No, Priss," Nene interrupted. "It's standard
procedure to post them."
"She is correct," Sylia said. Taking her eyes
off the hilltop, she turned to the others.
"Ready your weapons but don't draw them unless
I tell you to," Sylia ordered as she
reached back and undone the loops that held her
katanas in their scabbards. Her preparations
complete, she watched Priss adjust her battle ax
for easier access. The predatory smile on her face
told Sylia that she hoped for the chance to use it.
*Always eager for a fight aren't you Priss?* she
thought. *Well I think you will have more than
enough opportunity to satisfy your bloodlust before
this is all over.*
"We are ready Sensei," Nene said, her hands
nervously fidgeting with the ends of the her
horses' reigns.
"Excellent," She replied. "This is what we will
do. I will take point. Linna, you're the
rearguard. Nene, prepare a fog cloud spell to cover
us in case we have to retreat and Priss," Sylia said
looking at the blue leather armored bushi warrior,
"your with me."
The others quickly agreed to the plan then moved
into their positions. After they signaled their
readiness, the Knight Sabers began their trek up the
hill. As they rode up, Sylia tried to mentally prepared
herself for the worst. When they reached the hills
summit, nothing could have prepared her for what
she saw on the other side.
The torn and mutilated corpses of numerous soldiers
and their mounts littered the hill slope. The
blood created small streams that flowed to the
bottom of the hill. Among the remains lay their
weapons, most of them shattered and broken.
The trail of death and destruction continued through
the remnants of a large military encampment. Blood
from the hill pooled near the various shredded tents,
deposited around the now destroyed carts and shelters.
Beyond the camp, they spotted about forty stone
statues, all facing the same point in the road that
led to the abandoned temple. At that point, sat a
small chest with an unidentable, severed human head
on top. All of the statues appeared to be attacking
that spot.
"Who...what could have done this?" Nene asked, eyes
brimming with tears.
"Mason," Sylia replied, her face emotionless except
for a fiery rage building in her eyes. "Let's move."
They carefully trotted down the hill and through the
camp, trying to avoid corpses and visually searching
the area in an attempt to spot a possible
ambush. The stench of the bodies would have overwhelmed
them if not for the necklaces.
The Knight Saber's leader glanced at the statues as they
rode past.
*I should change them back. They might provide some
useful information, if nothing else,* she thought. Her
stomach felt ill with the very thought of her giving
aid to any Genom troops.
*On second thought,* she mused, *I think I will wait
until after we deal with Mason. That way, if it is a
double cross, we will be prepared for it.*
Satisfied with her decision, Sylia thoughts shifted
to thier current problem as they neared the gruesome
marker to the temple road. She suddenly felt the aura
of several powerful, mystical spells emanating from
it.
"Halt," Sylia commanded, stopping her own horse
about fifteen feet from the chest. The others also
stopped their mounts, still on watch for an attack.
"Nene," Sylia said turning to the young
sorceress. "Take a magic reading on the severed head. I
felt the presence of some enchantments from it."
"Huh...Oh! Hai, Sensei," Nene replied, her eyes red
and puffy from the tears she cried at the Genom
Guard's fate.
*Nene,* Sylia thought as she watched Nene draw a small
staff from her bedroll, *I sometimes forget that you
still possess the innocence of youth.*
She continued to observe Nene as her pupil prepared to
attempt the reading. Nene turned her horse length wise
and aimed the staff at the head.
"STAFF OF DETECTION," she said, "REVEAL THE NATURE
OF THE MAGIC SET AGAINST US."
At the finished of her words, a blue beam of light
streaked out of the staff tip and enveloped the
severed head. It engulfed the target but the
color never changed then it shut off. Sylia frowned.
"I'm sorry, Sensei," Nene said, her eyes
downcast, "There's an obscure spell among the magic. I
can't get a reading."
"Damn," Sylia said, a slightly disappointed tone
in her voice." I should have expected the spells would
be shielded somehow."
Sylia returned to her thoughts as Nene placed the
staff back into storage.
*What are you up to Mason?* she mentally asked herself
then sighed. *Unfortunately, there is only one way
to find out.*
Sylia looked at the other Knight Sabers as they
continued on their watch.
"Okay," she said, instantly getting the others
attention. "The only way we will find out what spells
enchant that head is to activate them. I need you three
to get off your horses in case the spell spooks
them."
"What are you going to do Sylia?" Priss asked as
the four warriors began to dismount.
"Try to activate the spells," she replied, swinging
her right leg over her saddle and setting it on the
ground, "by becoming their target."
Sylia removed her left foot from the stirrup and
turned towards the others. The other three held their
horses, concern etched in their faces.
"My armor will offer me some protection besides," she
said in an attempt to reassure her team, "it's our only
viable option."
The other reluctantly agreed with her assessment
of the situation. She walked her horse over to Nene
and handed her the reigns.
"Nene, I want you to watch the horses, If they
spook, just let them go. We will recover them
later." Sylia said. "Priss? You and Linna prepare to
assist me just in case I need it."
"Right," Priss said.
While the two moved into position, Sylia watched Nene
take Linna and Priss's horses. She still wore a
concerned expression. Sylia barely heard the
whispered words a few seconds before she started on
her walk to the chest.
"Be careful, Sensei," she whispered.
Sylia slowly walked towards the chest. Her eyes
transfixed on the severed head in an attempt to
detect any spell activation. About three feet from
her goal, Sylia stopped. ALl of the spells she had
detected immediately activated. At the same moment,
she heard the horse's neighs of protest and
Nene's attempts to calm them.
*Here we go,* she thought as she took a tentative
step forward. Sylia watched the head stir slowly rise
until it equaled Sylia's height. Suddenly, the head's
closed eyes flew open, the sockets filled with an eerie
black light. The Knight Saber's leader unconsciously
took a small step back from the gruesome visage. It
stared at her for a few seconds then spoke.
"Greetings Sylia. I've been expecting you," it said
in a light tone. "Sorry for the mess but I got a little
bored and to go play outside."
*That's Mason's voice!!* Sylia thought. A sick feeling
rose within her at the recognition. It took a supreme
effort to keep her expression neutral.
"So you did survive," she said coldly.
"You don't sound surprised Sylia," the head stated,
his face in a mock pout. "After all the time and effort
you put into trying to kill me, I thought you would be
more upset at your failure."
"I've come to the realization that sometimes I don't
mind being wrong," she loftily replied then a predatory
grin spread across her face, "Just as long as I get a
chance to correct my mistake."
"Oh you'll get your chance soon enough," it said
venomously, "but first I need to get rid of some excess
baggage."
The head levitated upwards at an angle away from
Sylia. It stopped about ten feet away from her.
*Excess baggage?* She thought as she watched the
head's ascent. *What could he mean...by.. oh no..* Her
eyes widened the moment Sylia realized his intentions.
"Nooooo!!!" She shouted. Sylia leaped towards the
head, her katanas drawn. She desperately prayed for
enough speed to stop the head before it carried out its
plan. The pulsing eyes told her she would arrive too
late.
"TRANSMUTE ROCK TO MUD!" The head said as it's eyes
emitted two cones of black light. They swept over the
statues placed around the battlefield.
A flash of steel abruptly stopped the dark energy
emissions as Sylia swung Kotetu down. The ancient blade
cleaved the head in half, its two parts plummeted to the
ground a good distance from where Sylia landed. She came
down in a crouch, not wanting to turn around. The slurping
sound bitterly confirmed her guess.
Sylia reluctantly stood up, turned around and walked
towards the split head. She stopped when she saw the
now melting statues.
*Damn you Mason,* she thought, her anger rising within
her. *This ends now.*
She noticed the horses gone as the others walked up to
her.
"There went our reinforcements," Priss said, her face
a mask of anger. "What do we do now?"
"We finish this," Sylia replied. "Once and for all."
End of part 2
APPENDIX
DRAGON LORD= Warrior/wizard who turned himself
into a lich. Mortal enemy of Walakomu. He was
destroyed by his enemy after he stole the power of
MA YUAN(killer of the gods) in an attempt to take
over heaven. Walakomu mortal form died soon after
his victory over Dragon Lord.
GODS' WAR=A holy war that threatened to destroy
all of Kara-tur. It started with a small farming town
that offended a god of weather in one mythos then
started to worship a god of weather in another
mythos. It snowballed to a point where almost all the
different mythos were involved. Walakomu(along
with a few other gods) was able to stop the total
annihilation of their worshippers. Afterwards the gods
developed the Celestial Bureaucracy as a means to
prevent it from happening again.
HACHI-MAKI= headband
KABUTO=O-yorio armor helmet
KOBAKAMA = trousers
MACKIE STINGRAY(8th level wu jin)= Mackie is
the younger brother of Sylia Stingray. He didn't take
an interest with swordsmanship like Sylia but
became fascinated with magic. So he is the student
of Raven's but Sylia also tutors him. Mackie and
Nene are on the verge of a romantic relationship.
He will help the Knight-Sabers on jobs when
needed.
NECKLACE OF ADAPTATION= Necklace that
protects the wearer from various hostile environments.
Including needing to breathe.
OBSCURE(spell)=Spell designed to confuse a detect
magic spell. A detect magic spell, when cast upon a
obscure spell, will only show there is magic there but
not what kind.
RAVEN(23 level wu jin)= Raven was an ally of
Sylia's father. When Sylia's father died, Raven took
both Sylia and Mackie under his wing. Sylia
didn't need full training, so he eventually took Mackie
as his pupil. He is a kindly old man though he does
not mince words and can be rather brutal in his
assessments of people. Priss annoys him to no end,
insisting on calling him 'Pops' . She has come close
to being turned into another lifeform by him on more
than one occasion though she seems to sense just how
far she can push him. He has connection to an
assassin known only as GOGOL 13.
RAVEN'S KNOLL = Home of Raven and sometimes
base for the Knight Sabers.
TELEPORT BROOCH=A brooch that when
activated instantly teleport a person to a
specified location. It can teleport more than
one person at a cost of one additional charge
per person. It can NOT be recharged.
STAFF OF DETECTION = a collapsible staff that can
detect and analyze magic, treasure, monsters, traps,
and secret doors. It has a limited number of charges
plus a number of times it can be recharged after that
it is useless.
TABOOS=Taboos are things Wu Jin either have to do
or avoid in order to keep all of their power. Due to the
merging of wu jin and magic user into one major group,
a wu jin must take a taboo at double the normal rates.
Sylia has 3,
1. She must pay respects to any magical
item she uses.
2. She can only bathe with a special holy
water.
3. She must make weekly major offerings to
the spirit powers.
Nene has 1:
1. Obedience to her Sensei
WALAKOMU=Walakomu is a Demigod worshipped by those who
seek justice against enemies that are 'above the law'. He
is also the head of Internal Affairs for the Celestial
Bureaucracy(see:GODS' WAR). He gained his godhood
after defeating the lich known as the Dragon Lord.
(n:Walakomu monitors Sylia from time to time. He
is strongly considering giving her the job of coordinator
of his investigative staff when she dies.)
WALAKOMU'S ARMOR=The armor he used to
defeat the Dragon Lord. It enhances the wearer's
strength and speed, allows the wearer to fly for a
short period of time and can detect magic. Its
most important feature is the ability for a multi-class
sorcerer to cast spells with the armor on but the
caster takes some damage from any spell they cast.
It is possible for a caster to die casting a spell
against another opponent. The armor must be stored
upon a special shrine dedicated to Walakomu and the
user must ask permission for the armor in order to
use it. If their request is granted, the shrine will
emit a golden glow that will cover the armor.
Otherwise, it is worthless. The user must also
perform a duty for Walakomu once per year or they
can't use the armor.