Chapter 7: Nikore
"Welcome everyone," Shivan said to the collected YSB. They were all on one side of the Vale. He, Burgess, and Mystical Sand were on the other side, standing on raised ground. "We have some important matters to discuss."
The assembled chatted amongst themselves.
There was xp. He wore an old blue cloak, its hood striped with slivers of green. His hair was black, and his face pale. His eyes bore no color within them, but seemed to glow: beacons of fire symbolizing great strength of heart and mind.
Then there was Mega Sonic. He wore a suit of red armor colored by the insignias of foreign places. His helm was coned, and its tip was beaten back as if by the hammer of a forge. Fragments of his white hair hung on his forehead, shadowing his green eyes. There was some strength in those eyes, a slow-kindled might awaiting its chance to be released.
Along with those, there were others. All that Masta Moogle had assembled were gathered, in addition to Ameph and Celtic. Many more were there. Some were not natives of the YSB.
"The treaty has not been written," Shivan announced sadly.
There was a groan from the crowd.
"And there is no complementary bar," Burgess announced happily.
There was another groan, and a few of the gathered users left the Vale.
"Now, I have left Crazyace and Templarle at the scene, so that they might delete the message."
"What about those who already have it saved?" xp asked.
"Please," Burgess said. "Try to think here. They're from the WWESB. Do you think they know how to save?"
"Oh yeah," xp said. "I forgot who we're dealing with."
"I have sent Sniper on a very important errand. Is he here?" Shivan asked. Sniper stepped forth from the crowd and climbed to the stage. He took one look at Shivan, and then walked to the center of the stage and turned to face the crowd.
"Sniper?" Mysty asked.
But it was no longer Sniper. Where once was a plain man in a tunic, there was now something more. He wore a great robe of gold and silver threads, folded upon itself at the shoulders, which were crowned with a pronged mantle. His face was stern and mirthful, as Burgess', only more malevolent. A crown stood atop his head, ringing his silver hair: it was golden and with seven prongs, two tall spikes on the side and one in the center, the other four split between them. From the heavens came a kind light shining upon his shoulders. He spoke with an echo in his voice.
"I am Nikore," he said.
"Nikore?" Everyone wondered.
"Yes," he said. "Thank you for affirming your lack of deafness. I have come now to make one final decree. You are to prepare for war. Under Shivan the Red."
"That's a lame title," Shivan protested.
"Shaddap," Nikore warned. "Now, anyone want to ignore me?"
"I du ur magesti," said someone from the crowd.
"I'm afraid your post was JUST below understandable," Nikore said. "Would you care to try again?"
The crowd was silent.
"Damn, you people need beer or something."
He stepped from the stage and walked through the crowd. It parted in his wake. Shivan looked on as Burgess and Myst followed Nikore to the edge of the clearing.
"Follow Shivan," Nikore said. "Or I will kill you."
As he disappeared one last time, the crowd turned as one to Shivan, who stood rigidly. Awe was in their eyes.
"Shivan," said Mega Sonic. "D'you know how to carry a sword?"
"Yes," Shivan said. "But I'm not all that good."
"You're hired," Burgess snapped. "Get leading. NOW~!"
"Welcome everyone," Shivan said to the collected YSB. They were all on one side of the Vale. He, Burgess, and Mystical Sand were on the other side, standing on raised ground. "We have some important matters to discuss."
The assembled chatted amongst themselves.
There was xp. He wore an old blue cloak, its hood striped with slivers of green. His hair was black, and his face pale. His eyes bore no color within them, but seemed to glow: beacons of fire symbolizing great strength of heart and mind.
Then there was Mega Sonic. He wore a suit of red armor colored by the insignias of foreign places. His helm was coned, and its tip was beaten back as if by the hammer of a forge. Fragments of his white hair hung on his forehead, shadowing his green eyes. There was some strength in those eyes, a slow-kindled might awaiting its chance to be released.
Along with those, there were others. All that Masta Moogle had assembled were gathered, in addition to Ameph and Celtic. Many more were there. Some were not natives of the YSB.
"The treaty has not been written," Shivan announced sadly.
There was a groan from the crowd.
"And there is no complementary bar," Burgess announced happily.
There was another groan, and a few of the gathered users left the Vale.
"Now, I have left Crazyace and Templarle at the scene, so that they might delete the message."
"What about those who already have it saved?" xp asked.
"Please," Burgess said. "Try to think here. They're from the WWESB. Do you think they know how to save?"
"Oh yeah," xp said. "I forgot who we're dealing with."
"I have sent Sniper on a very important errand. Is he here?" Shivan asked. Sniper stepped forth from the crowd and climbed to the stage. He took one look at Shivan, and then walked to the center of the stage and turned to face the crowd.
"Sniper?" Mysty asked.
But it was no longer Sniper. Where once was a plain man in a tunic, there was now something more. He wore a great robe of gold and silver threads, folded upon itself at the shoulders, which were crowned with a pronged mantle. His face was stern and mirthful, as Burgess', only more malevolent. A crown stood atop his head, ringing his silver hair: it was golden and with seven prongs, two tall spikes on the side and one in the center, the other four split between them. From the heavens came a kind light shining upon his shoulders. He spoke with an echo in his voice.
"I am Nikore," he said.
"Nikore?" Everyone wondered.
"Yes," he said. "Thank you for affirming your lack of deafness. I have come now to make one final decree. You are to prepare for war. Under Shivan the Red."
"That's a lame title," Shivan protested.
"Shaddap," Nikore warned. "Now, anyone want to ignore me?"
"I du ur magesti," said someone from the crowd.
"I'm afraid your post was JUST below understandable," Nikore said. "Would you care to try again?"
The crowd was silent.
"Damn, you people need beer or something."
He stepped from the stage and walked through the crowd. It parted in his wake. Shivan looked on as Burgess and Myst followed Nikore to the edge of the clearing.
"Follow Shivan," Nikore said. "Or I will kill you."
As he disappeared one last time, the crowd turned as one to Shivan, who stood rigidly. Awe was in their eyes.
"Shivan," said Mega Sonic. "D'you know how to carry a sword?"
"Yes," Shivan said. "But I'm not all that good."
"You're hired," Burgess snapped. "Get leading. NOW~!"