"GODAMNIT GASPAR, GET BACK HERE!!!" Amarant shouted, fury ringing
through his brain as he ran amongst the grass. He wasn't even sure why it
was that he had been so hostile with this stranger. He slowed down for a
moment, to catch his breath, stumbling over to a rock. He ran his mind
over what it was the stranger had done that had caused him to snap like he
did. A loud gasping issued from between his lips. At that moment, he
heard a rustling.
"You're back, Gaspar?" He thought aloud, not even sure where he was. However, only the wind had answered his question. He suddenly felt a tremendous amount of pain in his back, his body propelling forward and onto the ground. He looked up to see the fellow leaping into the air.
"You know...You really ought to treat guests with a bit more hospitality." Gaspar said to him as he got up.
"Tell me what it is you wanted to warn me about." He said to the strange person.
"If it is my information you must desire, you must give me a good fight."
"No problem..."
Amarant rushed forward, and swung his Rune Claws, his arms sweeping outwards in a great powerful parabola as he did so. However, he did not feel himself hit anything, and he looked about curiously. As he looked about him, he noticed that there appeared to be four Gaspars around him!
"What the..." Amarant said, watching all four of his opponent move about him in circles, going faster and faster. This gave him an idea. He stepped into the circle, and braced himself for impact, figuring he could knock down the real one and break his ruse. His plan failed however, as the real Gaspar saw this, and his images shattering, leap into the air, over the powerful mercenary's head, and as he hit the ground, he spun around, and let loose three daggers from his hand, two of them embedding themselves in Amarant's arm before he could evade them.
Amarant reached into his satchel, and pulled from within a large shuriken, it's four blades curved sharply backwards. He threw this at his opponent as though it were a discus, removing the daggers from his arm. He watched as Gaspar held his hands up, and caught the Wing Edge between his palms.
"Nice try..." Were Gaspar's only words as he threw the shuriken to Amarant's left. Amarant instinctively jumped to the left, incorrectly thinking that his formidable foe would throw it directly at him. He shouted in pain as his own weapon dug into his stomach, exposing the crimson flow that rested beneath.
Amarant closed his eyes, and slowly began to raise his arms, focusing the powers of his soul directly into the wounds, slowly healing them. This process was interrupted with twin slashes to both his arms from the edge of Gaspar's swords. Amarant opened his eyes, and shouted in pain again, a berserker fury running through him now.
He ran forward, and began to furiously slash at the Ninja, only for his blows to be blocked by the twin swords. Time and time again, he attemped to attack, only to have his blows parried. Finally, he focused his strength into a punch, rushing his claws forward, expecting to hit him, for once. He felt a sharp pain below his shoulders, and felt an overwhelming blackness absorbed him, his body dropping to the ground.
* * *
"Okay...since we're waiting for everyone else, let's go explore the town." Vivi proclaimed to his children, as he led them into the heart of Lindblum. Their entourage toured throughout the city, the children watching in wonder as their father pointed the airships, the air taxis, all the card players, and even the gyshal pickles stand. After a while, they came upon the equipment shop, and went inside.
Vivi watched attentively as his children rushed about the shop, swinging about various weapons, and donning equipment.
"Father...May we buy some equipment? No offense, but I don't think we all want to look exactly like you, with a minor height difference." Rei asked him.
"Okay...just...tell me when you're finished...and i'll buy it...i'll be out here...at the statue..." He responded, heading out fo the story, catching a glimpse of Rei holding a long stick, at least twice as tall as he is.
He walked up to a girl, who has hanging around in the middle of the square, the wind blowing about her red cloak.
"Excuse me...uhm...Miss...do you play cards?" Vivi nervously asked her.
"Why sure kid." The girl responded, pulling out her deck of tetra master cards.
* * *
Amarant's eyes fluttered open, only to see nothing but the world behind an opaque sheet. He pulled a stone of his lips, and removed the parchment from his face, standing up from the ground as he read it.
Amarant...
You posess a fighter's spirit. However, that alone is not enough. Come to me when you are ready, and we shall begin combat again. Should you best me, I will divulge my information to you. But again. You must find me. Here is your first clue...
"A great planet, vanquisher of others, brought to an end."
He stared at this note, a puzzled look now calling his face home.
"You're back, Gaspar?" He thought aloud, not even sure where he was. However, only the wind had answered his question. He suddenly felt a tremendous amount of pain in his back, his body propelling forward and onto the ground. He looked up to see the fellow leaping into the air.
"You know...You really ought to treat guests with a bit more hospitality." Gaspar said to him as he got up.
"Tell me what it is you wanted to warn me about." He said to the strange person.
"If it is my information you must desire, you must give me a good fight."
"No problem..."
Amarant rushed forward, and swung his Rune Claws, his arms sweeping outwards in a great powerful parabola as he did so. However, he did not feel himself hit anything, and he looked about curiously. As he looked about him, he noticed that there appeared to be four Gaspars around him!
"What the..." Amarant said, watching all four of his opponent move about him in circles, going faster and faster. This gave him an idea. He stepped into the circle, and braced himself for impact, figuring he could knock down the real one and break his ruse. His plan failed however, as the real Gaspar saw this, and his images shattering, leap into the air, over the powerful mercenary's head, and as he hit the ground, he spun around, and let loose three daggers from his hand, two of them embedding themselves in Amarant's arm before he could evade them.
Amarant reached into his satchel, and pulled from within a large shuriken, it's four blades curved sharply backwards. He threw this at his opponent as though it were a discus, removing the daggers from his arm. He watched as Gaspar held his hands up, and caught the Wing Edge between his palms.
"Nice try..." Were Gaspar's only words as he threw the shuriken to Amarant's left. Amarant instinctively jumped to the left, incorrectly thinking that his formidable foe would throw it directly at him. He shouted in pain as his own weapon dug into his stomach, exposing the crimson flow that rested beneath.
Amarant closed his eyes, and slowly began to raise his arms, focusing the powers of his soul directly into the wounds, slowly healing them. This process was interrupted with twin slashes to both his arms from the edge of Gaspar's swords. Amarant opened his eyes, and shouted in pain again, a berserker fury running through him now.
He ran forward, and began to furiously slash at the Ninja, only for his blows to be blocked by the twin swords. Time and time again, he attemped to attack, only to have his blows parried. Finally, he focused his strength into a punch, rushing his claws forward, expecting to hit him, for once. He felt a sharp pain below his shoulders, and felt an overwhelming blackness absorbed him, his body dropping to the ground.
* * *
"Okay...since we're waiting for everyone else, let's go explore the town." Vivi proclaimed to his children, as he led them into the heart of Lindblum. Their entourage toured throughout the city, the children watching in wonder as their father pointed the airships, the air taxis, all the card players, and even the gyshal pickles stand. After a while, they came upon the equipment shop, and went inside.
Vivi watched attentively as his children rushed about the shop, swinging about various weapons, and donning equipment.
"Father...May we buy some equipment? No offense, but I don't think we all want to look exactly like you, with a minor height difference." Rei asked him.
"Okay...just...tell me when you're finished...and i'll buy it...i'll be out here...at the statue..." He responded, heading out fo the story, catching a glimpse of Rei holding a long stick, at least twice as tall as he is.
He walked up to a girl, who has hanging around in the middle of the square, the wind blowing about her red cloak.
"Excuse me...uhm...Miss...do you play cards?" Vivi nervously asked her.
"Why sure kid." The girl responded, pulling out her deck of tetra master cards.
* * *
Amarant's eyes fluttered open, only to see nothing but the world behind an opaque sheet. He pulled a stone of his lips, and removed the parchment from his face, standing up from the ground as he read it.
Amarant...
You posess a fighter's spirit. However, that alone is not enough. Come to me when you are ready, and we shall begin combat again. Should you best me, I will divulge my information to you. But again. You must find me. Here is your first clue...
"A great planet, vanquisher of others, brought to an end."
He stared at this note, a puzzled look now calling his face home.