AN: Hi, I'm back! Just couldn't get this flowing the way I wanted to but I think I finally got it! Anyway, I'll see you at the bottom with more! Oh! And let me know if you like some of this backstory stuff for Kamvex and I may put more in. Thank you!
What makes a Hero
[Absalom Station - 3 years ago]
Off again onto the streets of Level 7, Kamvex Zamfi strode out with a purpose and swagger known to the entire district. Music in his ears he blocked out most other sounds, giving a wave and a nod to those that shouted out to him, before making his way into a nearby alley. He climbed up one of the ladders and got himself ready to run. Luckily, this part of the station had enough close together buildings that he could use.
It beat taking the busy streets. Besides, he needed to practice if he wanted to impress the Starfinder Society. He took off, leaping above the heads of the passing civilians underneath, balancing along the edge of the buildings, and flipping over, under and through an opening he could find on his way to the other side of the city.
And then there it was, the long jump he was looking for. 20 feet across at a slight downward angle. This was a measuring stick for him. He could feel it, this time he could make it. He leaped, flinging his arms and legs forward for maximum momentum...
Straight into the wall, whereupon he fell another ten feet into a pile of garbage. "Ugh... You really need to find something else to put here Prime."
"What, and watch you not make a fool out of yourself?" Answered a deeper voice. Off to the side, leaning against a door and reading on his personal datapad was a man slightly older and taller than the olive-skinned boy. His was pale and thin with a shock of red hair that reached his shoulders and was dressed in dark grungy clothes underneath a long black leather duster. He pushed off and turned his attention to the crashed teen, "and why would I ever want to do that, Vex?"
"Cause we're good friends?"
"Thus the garbage."
Kamvex sighed. "A mattress. That's all I'm asking for."
"I sleep on mine."
Violet eyes turned on him, "you know what? Fuck you."
A continued stare for a moment before they broke into laughs and chuckles, a clasp of hands and a hug.
"So," Kamvex started, "heading out to the Diaspora for a while huh? Just cause you dress like one of the Free Captains doesn't mean they'll let you in."
"Says the guy dressed as a gypsy," his friend quipped. "There's been word of someone out there with similar warper powers as mine. I've got to find them and get some training in these before I end up altering reality... Again."
Kamvex shook his head. "Well good luck to you my friend. Maybe when I've got my own ship I'll come to pick you up."
"If you even get to that point," the redhead teased. "So how'd your Harrowing go? It was yesterday, right? I know it's a big thing for your family."
Kamvex shrugged, sitting against the wall. "Went fine. Mom did the reading and Dad is making my kapenia now," he explained.
"Anything leading to your dream girl?"
"Prime..."
"With the way you talked about finding her without knowing what she looked like."
"That was nearly five years ago!" Kamvex explained.
"And you haven't shut up about it since," a new, feminine voice spoke from the doorway. There stood a fiery redhead, blazing orange hair with golden streaks dyed into it. She wore a beige blouse that flared out at the sleeves, a leather corset/suspender combo above it. Below she wore a plain black skirt with leggings going down to large leather boots. Baby blue eyes on a lightly freckled face stared at him challengingly.
Kamvex rolled his eyes, "I don't want to hear that from you, Madam Spaz."
"Spaz?" She asked indignantly. "What are you talking about you over dramatic dunce?"
"All one has to do, Saleris, mention one little thing-"
"Please no, " Primevas pleaded on deaf ears.
"-which is your obsession with the mystery of Golarion!"
"Now you hold it right there Vexy, " she started. "You can't go around throwing one's passion in front of an asteroid. As a matter of fact-" the excitable woman began to mumble and talk faster as time went on.
"See what you've done?" The crimson-haired male asked.
Kamvex simply looked down at his holo-phone. "Hold on, I'm timing her. She might break her record of not taking a breath during her speech." He didn't see the rolls of paper coming toward his head till it was too late.
"And another thing, " she added, "don't go thinking that just because we're not here means you can slack off and just write songs all day." There it was. The somber reminder of why the three friends came together today. "I'm going out to Castrovel today too, so neither of us can bail you out of your hijinks anymore."
He knew. Life moved at you quickly, it didn't matter how old you were. In some way, you were always tested. This was just theirs. Friends going their separate ways, promising to meet up again sometime in the future. Nodding an affirmative, the two males stood. "Right. You don't have to worry about me, " he smiled. "You two worry about when I'm going to come to pick you up in a few years. You know me, I'll just show up."
The two behind him shrugged and smiled. Sure today they'd go their own ways today, but the two knew they'd reunite. It just depended on when their youngest compatriot achieved his goal to set out amongst the stars.
[Courtyards - 90 minutes ago]
"Well, that was easy," Kamvex said as he strolled out into the bright courtyard. It didn't take him very long to find the class that Louise was supposed to be in now, just find the fiery redhead and ask her. Rivals typically knew where you could find the other and when. Especially in the upper class. So now, with nothing to do, the man decided he'd been couped up enough for a day. Time to stretch.
"I'll need to find a route around the school to do stuff. Then I'll be able to work with my old backup generator upgrade." He took a look around the plain area and high walls. "Probably good to get a feel for how this place is set up, too." He brought his hand down to a small metal plate with a circular opening and instinctively pressed a few buttons, images appearing as holograms in front of him.
"Old weapons, no. Instruments, later... " He muttered as he scanned through old items of his and his crew. "I need traversal... Ah!" With that he expanded his hand, the opening coming alive with a blue swirling light inside. After a moment, a small gun-shaped object digitized in his awaiting hand. It had a titanium bolt with several intricate pieces on the end sticking out and a spool of titanium wire on its other end. "Grappler, how I love thee." He aimed and fired at the wall to his left. The bolt struck true to the top, and the with a flip of a switch reeled the captain up.
With practiced ease, his pulled at the grappler wire as he neared the top, dislodging the bolt and placing him atop the wall connecting the main tower and what he assumed was the Tower of Fire, judging by the symbol over the door and the bright red roof. On the other side, it looked like a number of servants were busy setting up up a bunch of tables for the nobles.
*This must be for that allotted time for the second years to bond with their familiars I heard about,* he thought. Well, from the looks of it, he probably had about a half hour before he'd need to go find Louise, so he hopped up to the high edge of the wall, and began his free run. The warm air felt nice against his face as he hopped along the wall's borders. It reminded him of his time on Level 7. He took a look at the corner and decided to take a massive leap, catching the inside edge with his hands and vaulting over, into the center of the wall's path.
As he ran he heard a small commotion below. It seemed that some of the serving staff had noticed him. He figured he might, given the leap he made was nearly 40 feet in length and 50 above their heads. He smiled and called out, stopping their pointing and gossiping. "Yo, if you all can get set up before I lap this place, I'll give you a small show!"
And with that, he was off again. The wait staff busied themselves to finish in time for a performance. It was an easy 35 minutes spent running and jumping, at least until he got to the borders marking the exit. It took a bit more skill to get up the arch, but the slide down was worth it for the breakneck pace the young man set afterward.
He glanced down at the servants and some arriving nobles who were now gathering. It looked like everything was set up, so it was time to make good on his word. Small though it may be, he would never dream of a show of his being anything less than grand.
Down in the courtyard, Siesta and the other servants watched with rapt attention as they moved to set tables with cakes and tea. The young maid watched with bated breath as the brightly clothed teen ran across the top of the wall. He extended his arm with something in hand and a bolt and line flew toward the top of the Tower of Void. He then jumped off to the outside portion of the wall, disappearing from sight. Before they had time to worry, however, he seemed to rocket up and over the wall, with the line and bolt retracting to his person.
To everyone on the ground, it looked like he was flying. But as he approached the middle of the field, the teen began his descent. As he fell, he took aim at the wall that he had started on, loosing his strange firearm again. Again it struck, but this time to the middle of the wall. It began retracting, but slowly, allowing him to swing down past the others.
As he came closer to the ground and near passing Siesta, he stretched out his arm toward her, as if he were swooping in to grab her. She shut her wide eyes in anticipation of what might be a crash before she heard a noise and a slight rattling of the teacups she had at the ready. Her eyes opened to catch but a small glint before he was fully passed, sliding and kicking up dirt with a teacup in his outstretched hand!
As he approached the wall he gave a final flick of the wrist to his firearm, the cable dislodging effortlessly and retracting back to him. He dug his left foot sideways into the ground to turn himself, before sheathing the grappler and coming to a stop, leaning gently on the wall. He brought the tea to his lips and took a sip. "Ahh, " he sighed, looking up at the audience, "Perfect."
There were many polite claps amongst the servants and even a few nobles. The entertainer bowed and waved theatrically, "thank you, thank you! You've all been lovely!" He exclaimed. "I'll be here for the foreseeable future. Please do enjoy your afternoon." As he continued to drink he noticed the maid he'd swiped the cup from trade her full tray with another's an empty one, then head in his direction. Maybe a half a head taller than his mistress, the young maid's face screamed of Tian ethnicity. Sure there was some of the local aesthetics at work, such as the higher cheeks and apparently national bustline. But the eyes, nose, and hair all seemed to be that of an eastern decent.
"I do apologize if I startled you during my swing there, Miss."
The blackette shook her head smiling. "It was an incredible performance, sir." She replied. "If you don't mind me asking, are you the human familiar summoned by Miss Valiére?"
The captain quicker an eyebrow, "word has gotten around that fast huh? Well, it seems the human race will never change." Another sip, "this is exquisite, " he remarked. "I haven't had a tea this good since my crews' sit down with the Eoxian Ambassador."
*A negotiator?* she thought. That hadn't been anywhere near the rumors she had heard. "Were you a diplomat of some sort then?"
Purple eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, "well I can't leave it to most of my troublesome crew. Half of them want to blast whatever is in front of them, and the other wants to try and keep dangerous monsters as pets." He blinked in slight realization, looking past and drawing the young girls eyes with him to the multitude of nobles now occupying the set tables. All of which were conversing amongst themselves and their familiars. "It's like trying to do that, " he pointed with the cup, "but without the magic binding spell, or actual knowledge of what one is doing."
Immediately coming to his mind was a quadrupedal, carnivorous plant-based creature the size of an elephant they'd run into a few times. He shuddered at the thought. It had been nearly a year since then but those things still creeped him out. If he never saw another ksarik it would be too soon.
Siesta couldn't understand the logic. Why would someone want to try to pluck anything remotely dangerous from the wild and make it their pet? Perhaps something like Miss Montmorency's little frog she could understand, but from what he'd said, it was more along the lines of Miss Zerbst's salamander. "How could someone be so reckless, " she wondered.
"Tis the nature of the adventurer, " Kamvex explained before downing the drink. "That was wonderful by the way, Miss..."
"Oh, Siesta. Siesta de Tarbes, sir, " the maid answered.
"Nice to meet you Siesta, " he replied. "Name's Kamvex. And now that we're on equal footing, " he holds up the empty cup, "where should I take this?"
[15 minutes later]
The conversation was interesting, to say the least. As they had gone to the kitchen, both to put away the cup and get a new platter of cakes, Kamvex had exchanged some information with the curious maid, such as his as of the moment previous occupation and that he had in fact been magically summoned from elsewhere in the universe. While she wasn't quite willing to accept his story being set beyond the stars, she did accept that he was a ship captain. Though it did bring up the question, "how does one so young become a captain, " she asked. As he explained it, he was no older than herself!
He chuckled at the question, assuming it wouldn't be the last time he heard it. "Well, Miss Siesta, some just have the gift of gab, as some call it, " he began. "I call it talking really fast and hoping for the best." She giggled at the joke. "In all seriousness though, I'm a people person. I could direct my friends and enemies both equally as well, both on the ship, and among the battlefield. I also took the time to learn everything my friends knew so I could back them up. A good captain knows how to do everything on the ship. The best know how to trust their crew to do it better."
"That's very profound, sir." She said. "But there's no reason for you to call me Miss. I'm just one of the servants here."
"Nonsense, " he spoke. "Everyone deserves respect, from the lowest peasant to the ruler of the land. I couldn't call us friends quite yet, but kind associates so far, " he explained smiling down at her.
She blushed a bit, him saying that she deserved the same respect as the queen. "Are you this nice to all your acquaintances?"
"Only to the ones just as kind in turn, " he replied. They had now gotten back near the students when Kamvex turned his eyes to the student rooms. "I should head up and check on Miss Louise. She's had a... trying day so far."
The maid nodded, "I had heard another of her spells had exploded and destroyed a classroom. Is that why you were alone?"
"Well, part of it. The other part is personal, so only she could tell you, sorry. Anyway, " he turned and gave a quick two-fingered salute, "I should head up. Have yourself a pleasant day Siesta!" And with that, the bronzed man departed.
She blinked at the quick departure but figured he'd be back with his mistress in tow. She then went about her business, beginning to serve cakes when she had noticed a small glass vial with a purple liquid fall out of one of the nobles cloaks. She set her tray down and went to return it to whom she recognized as Lord Guiche. "Excuse me, my Lord, I believe you have dropped this." He gave a quick sideways glance before turning back to his conversation with a few of the other boys, something about who he could be courting. "Lord Guiche?" She asked again, but this time he made no mention to look at her.
Seeing how dismissive he was being, Siesta figured he didn't want the item he had dropped and began leaving, with the intent to return it later. Nearing her platter of half served cakes though, she saw a younger brown haired girl looking around with a basket in hand. "Can I help you, young miss?"
"Oh, yes. Could you let me know where Lord Guiche is?" She asked.
"Oh, yes, he is right over there with those gentlemen, " Siesta pointed out. "I had been trying to inform him that he'd dropped something, but he was too engrossed in his conversation. Might I trouble you to take his possession back, My Lady?"
The brunette nodded. "I'd do anything to help Lord Guiche." She accepted the small vial before running off to find the blonde pretty boy. Siesta smiled, happy that she could help, before moving to serve more of the cakes.
It was not long, however, before she heard a commotion by where she directed the girl to. As she looked over, she saw the brown cloaked girl running away, crying, her basket fallen away as the Gramont heir had a hand reaching out for her and a red mark on his face. It was then that Miss Montmorency stepped close to him, yelling as well, before dumping a bottle of wine on him. Placing the final cake, Siesta thought it best to move, lest...
"Stop right there, Maid."
... She be called upon by Lord Gramont. She turned slowly and nervously. "Yes, sir? How may I be of service?"
"Because of your thoughtlessness in giving that bottle of perfume to Miss Katie, two young women's reputations have been tarnished, " he scolded. "How do you plan to take responsibility?"
"I-I'm sorry My Lord," she stammered. "I had only wished to see your item returned. I hadn't thought-"
"That's right! You didn't think." He yelled as he closed the distance on her. He raised his hand, "your first responsibility will be to take the punishment doled out by sweet Katie two-fold!" She shut her eyes with fear to the impact. She flinched as the hand met her cheek. She yelped as the backhand threw her to the ground.
*Why, * she thought. *I just tried to do the right thing...*
"I do hope your next employer can overlook such terrible manners, but I would doubt it."
"Hey, buddy, " someone called behind Guiche, before quickly turning him around. Before he could see who dared to interrupt an angry Noble, a fist crashed into his face, sending Guiche careening to the ground. "Sit down and shut up jackass."
Kamvex strode to place himself between Siesta and the downed mage, though his action was now causing a scene. He bent down, arm outstretched to Siesta, "Need a hand?
"You... You attacked a noble..." She muttered, eyes wide at the stirring blonde. She looked to the hand, scampering away before picking herself up. Kamvex sighed and retracted his hand. "He could have you killed for that!"
"He can try, " he stated dismissively. "He can try anything. Doesn't mean he'll succeed." He poked the downed noble with his boot. "Hey, get up and apologize. Both to Siesta and the girls you've been playing."
The Gramont boy rose, pulling a handkerchief out and wiping his face before speaking. "You expect me, a noble of House Gramont, to apologize for the actions of two peasant curs whom do not know their places." He drew a rose from his cloak and held it in front of him. "Especially you, Familiar. How dare you strike me. And after I was kind enough to overlook your verbal transgression last night."
"Says the idiot who got caught cheating, " the captain retorted. "What was it you said last night? Ah yes, " he proceeded to mimic the voice and stance of the other boy, "'I would never lie to your eyes.' Something like that, yeah?"
Guiche was shaking, anger prevalent on his face. "That is the last straw! I will not allow such insults to go unpunished!" He leveled a glare at the spaceman. He pointed his rose at his opposition and declared, "I challenge you to a duel! It matters not how far your little lightbox says you come from, you are a magic-less wretch who has flapped their gums one too many times!"
There was a wide array of thought with the surrounding students and servants. Siesta was horrified at the prospect of someone fighting a noble. Many of the students were amused and curious about what the commoner would do. Kamvex though...
Laughed.
And laughed.
And it made many of those amused unnerved. And angry. Why would this commoner laugh at such a prospect? Was it that he realized his station finally? Was it that he knew a no-win scenario?
"I accept." Well, it clearly wasn't either of those things. Insanity it was. "What's the place and time?"
"Vestri Court. One hour."
"How about five minutes. Lead the way, pretty boy." Guiche huffed and began to walk, a crowd following him, eager to see this fight. As Kamvex was about to follow, his shirt was tugged from behind by Siesta.
"You can't do this, Mr. Kamvex!" She cried. "He will toy with you before killing you! Please!"
He smiled looking at her concern. "Don't you worry your pretty head Siesta. I'll be fine, " he reassured. "If you can though, do me a favor?" She looked to his eyes. "Go get Miss Louise and get her down here okay?" The maid nodded before taking off for the bedrooms. He looked around briefly before spotting Kirche and a smaller blue haired girl walking toward the court. "Oy! Red and Blue! Wait up a moment!"
The two girls turned, with complete opposite dispositions of interest. Tabitha had no true interest in this supposed fight but was going along for now on Kirche's instance. The redhead on the other hand? "Ahh, Darling, " she called. "Come to see my beauty before your duel?"
He smirked, "while a bonus, it's not the main reason." He shrugged off the coat he had on and folded it neatly. "This and another item I have are not meant for combat. Usually, I wouldn't fight in this, but this is how I accepted the challenge, so..." He gave the coat to Kirche before moving the sash off his waist. The sash, as he unfurled and refolded it, was longer than it seemed. Long enough to be used as a scarf. He glanced between them before moving to the bluette. "You seem like the responsible sort, " he held our the scarf/sash. "Can you hold onto this for me? It's very important to me so id like it to remain undamaged."
The girl looked at the fabric before nodding, taking the item. Her eyes narrowed for a moment as she felt his fingers as he passed the fabric to her. With a quick goodbye and a promise to see them after the duel, he walked off to the planned site.
"Cold."
"Hmm? What was that Tabitha?"
"His hands..." She began moving forward. "One warm, one cold."
[Vestri Court]
"I'm honestly surprised you would have this done so quickly, " Guiche said as he stood several paces from his opponent. "What would your dear master say about her uncouth familiar?"
"I'd bet the over on 'apologize and don't fight a noble, ' but I'd hope for 'kick his teeth in.'" Kamvex joked, rolling his shoulders. "So how we doing this?"
The blonde huffed and flicked his rose, a petal falling to the ground to create a metal fighter that vaguely resembled a woman. "As I am a mage, I shall use magic to fight you. My runic name is 'The Brass, ' so my Valkyrie shall be your opponent."
"I see. And for me, " the captain questioned... Before a first impacted with his stomach before it retreated. He coughed up in surprise but held his ground. *So that's how we're doing this huh? Fine, all the better.*
"Hmm? I was sure that would knock you down a peg." Guiche mused. "Ah well, if you wish to surrender..."
Kamvex barked out a laugh. "From that weak shit? Nah!" He slipped two fingerless gloves out of his pocket and put them on before raising his hands in a show of defiance. "I'm just getting started."
Dull thuds echoed throughout the courtyard, fists flying about. The young man fighting the golem was impressive. Though he had taken a fair few hits, he was dishing out a good amount himself. Though by the way he waved his right hand, perhaps that wasn't a winning strategy any longer. It seemed that Guiche had the same thought, and with a wave of his rose-wand, the Valkyrie spawned a spear in hand, slashing and stabbing at the commoner. It had only been about three minutes, but it was far longer than they had anticipated this duel to last.
"Kamvex!" Charging out of the crowd was a very worried Louise Valliére. Just before she got to his side, he fell to one knee. "You stupid familiar, what have you done?"
A strained chuckle, "hey Louise. You come to watch me fight this guy?" The battered teen pointed at the unscathed blonde. "I got him right where I want him."
"Have you been punched in the head one too many times!?"
"Maybe?"
"Rhetorical question you idiot!" The small mage turned her head to the other noble. "That's quite enough, Guiche! And besides, dueling is strictly forbidden!"
The blonde simply shrugged. "Only dueling between nobles is forbidden. Nobody has forbidden duels between commoners and nobles."
Louise was at a momentary loss for words. "Th-that's because nothing like this has ever happened before..."
"However, I am nothing if not benevolent." With a swing of the wand, another petal fell close to the kneeling two, transforming into a sword. "I offer you a choice familiar: either bow your head to the ground and beg for forgiveness or pick up the sword and we shall resume the match."
"Guiche!"
*Almost got him, just one more push...* the captain thought. "Tell me Guiche, " he called out, "do you know what a no-win scenario is?" The nobles around looked perplexed at the question. "You see, you have had your construct beat on me for the last few minutes. You'd have toyed with me had I not rushed into the fight head first, right?"
Violet locked on cobalt eyes. "Me, a magic-less commoner, who dared to stand up to you for pushing and punishing an innocent girl for your own wrongdoings. How do you think this is going to go?" His smirk was vicious now, "if you win, you beat someone half to death before giving them a true chance, and how would that play out in the courts I wonder?"
The blonde was looking frightened and angry, the rest of the crowd shocked, Louise included. "But then, let's think what you believe to be unthinkable. I pick up that sword, beat down your little minion, and cause you to submit. This is, of course, including everything I said earlier. But now you've lost, and how might the word change then?"
Guiche was now seeing red. This beaten-down commoner was insinuating that he could defeat him? And mocking his standing regardless of the outcome?! He wouldn't stand for this, and in haste ordered his Valkyrie to attack. To cut down his foes, and for that, he lengthened the blade to a halberd. Gasps of horror came as the blade of the golem came down on the kneeling pair, to cut right through Louise...
*~CLANG!~*
[Old Osmand's Office]
It must have been quite the scene that Jean Colbert interrupted when he knocked on the headmaster's door. His green haired secretary was smoothing out her dress under her desk and Osmand was looking far too seriously at the door. *She must have been teaching him not to peep... Again...* He sighed and walked in. "Headmaster, there is something I need to speak with you about."
The dark robed old man flicked his eyes toward the professor, then motioned him forward. "What puzzles you, my boy?" He asked. "I had heard you canceled your morning classes for research purposes." He took a closer look at the face, "and the bags under your eyes say you haven't slept well the last night, or at all."
The balding man nodded, "it's true, I was up all night looking into the familiar runes. One strange one caught my eye though..." He laid out a book detailing the rune for Gandalfr. "This appeared on the peasant familiar summoned by Miss Valliére."
"I see, " the old man mused, stroking his long beard. "Miss Longueville, could you give us a moment of privacy?"
"Of course, sir." She responded. The woman stood and made for the door before bowing and leaving.
"Now, " Osmand turned his full attention to Colbert and the tome in front of him. "You believe that this peasant familiar is one of the legendary familiars, Gandalfr?"
"I would make no presumptions on the power of Void, but the runes by all accounts match. All except that by all writings, the rune should be on the left hand, nowhere else, " the professor explained. "But the runes etched themselves into his upper arm. It has frustrated and exhausted me these past few hours."
The old headmaster hummed. He had seen much in his long, long life. There were few things that truly came to mind, as far as the placement of the runes went. Either the runes were incorrect, entirely or otherwise, on either account. Or perhaps the placement didn't truly matter, though that was doubtful if he was truly a Gandalfr. There were few other things he could think of, but they had little time to think them over as there was quite a commotion outside.
[Vestri Courtyard]
Internally, she was screaming for him to stop. For her familiar to stop insulting another noble, to just back down and apologize. But after so much, she knew there was no going back. All she could do at this point was back away and hope Kamvex knew what he was doing. That and prepare should the worst come to pass. That was before she noticed the brass golem rocket toward them, blade ready to strike him down through her!
She froze before she felt pulled back and a body flung in front of her. Kamvex raised his arm to block the blade, but with the amount of force, it'd sheer clean through it!
"Kamvex!" She reached out to pull him away, to maybe take the blow herself. She couldn't allow her familiar to be hurt anymore! He pushed her back and smiled.
*~CLANG!~*
Metal clashed with metal as the polearm struck his wrist and sparks flew from the arm. Kamvex reached for his grappler and fired it into the face of the Valkyrie, knocking it back and away, before dropping the retracting piece and looking to his arm. "Crap crap crap! You had to hit that one spot didn't you?"
Under the tears in his shirt sleeve, she saw a small glow make its way down the sleeve before transforming the arm into a sleek gunmetal grey. There were small openings with circuits and wires running through them. Kamvex looked annoyed and tore the sleeve away, revealing the full arm. To just above the elbow was flesh, and sitting there were the runes marking him as a true familiar. Below was all metal alloy.
"Kamvex..."
"You like it?" The captain asked.
"What is that? What happened to you?"
A small flash of past adventures came to mind. Two guardians of a temple, a scream and a flash of light. He shook his head, "later. But in a word... Sacrifice." He looked back at her. "I could see it in your eyes, too. Thank you."
She blushed at the kind words and recognition. As her familiar stood, he ushered her back with a nudge. He looked to the metal arm and the glove on it before taking it off. *No need to hide it now* he mused.
"What the devil is that! What are you?" Guiche asked, pointing with his wand. Many of the other students began asking the same things.
"Human, " Kamvex replied. "Just missing one of the original parts. Usually, I like to keep this the original color, but you just had to break the holo-guise, didn't you?" There was some confusion in what he was talking about, but he paid it no mind. "Now comes the fun part though."
A grimace crossed the blonde's face, "and what part is that?"
~Action Star - Sons of Amon~
A confident look overcame the captain's face. He reached his right hand up, "The part where I beat you, of course, " and with a snap of his fingers, the glove's palm lit up for a moment before a sword grew from what seemed to be nowhere. It had a night black hilt and the crossguard was made of tough carbon steel. The sheath he grasped was a pure white, and as he drew the blade, it revealed a thin, single edge blade that was almost impossibly sharp. Once fully drawn, the runes on his left arm began to glow brightly. "Now isn't that strange...?"
"Are-are you a mage!?"
"Nope, " Kamvex replied turning his attention back to his opponent, "I just have some sneaky tools." He crossed his left arm across his body. "For instance, " he flicked the arm out and it seemed to hiss and open itself. No sooner so this happens that the plates of the arm closed, and another weapon was in hand. This looked to be a pistol of some kind, though it was painted orange. There was a battery pack where the hammer would normally be and it didn't have a muzzle so much as it had seven small arms angled to a focused point at its end.
"Tell me, do you know the melting point of brass?" The stunned silence was all he needed as he pointed the pistol at the Valkyrie and pulled the trigger. A brilliant blue light shot from the gun and impacted the head of the construct. When it flashed away, half the head was melted in, and the construct fell away. "900° Celcius. This baby fires a beam more than five times that. And my blade cuts at a near molecular level." He got into a stance, blade held horizontally in front at waist level and pistol down at his side. "So please, make some more dummies so I can show off!"
Guiche was stunned. His opponent was going to make a fool out of him at this rate, but he couldn't let up. He raised his wand and made two wide arcs, six petals falling to the ground and thus six more valkyries rose. "I hope then that you don't mind a numbers disadvantage!"
The Valkyries charged their quarry together before the first was shot down in an instant. The Adventurer deepened his stance, power surging through him, and as the next golem reached him, his blade flew out and cut it in twain. He jumped over and dodged the four converging to attack him with surprising ease. He hadn't donned his armor, yet he felt he didn't even need to. He danced away from the creatures before unloading another shot and taking a third down.
The Valkyries set upon him again, this time he dodged by laying back prone before kipping up and laying one out with a kick. A duck under the other two incoming blades came before he sliced and diced the remaining two to pieces.
He took one more look at Guiche before looking down at the last capable valkyrie, the one he'd kicked away. As he walked toward the blonde he took quick aim with the laser pistol, and fired, destroying the last remaining adversary.
Guiche couldn't believe it. Had this man been holding back before? Is this truly the same peasant that struggled for three minutes of a furious fight? And he had taken down six more in less than a minute! He dropped his wand and fell to his backside, "I-I give up, " he cried, hand raised in defense.
But the man didn't stop his advance. Not till he was directly in front of Guiche. Then he squatted next to him. He held the pistol to the blonde's head, "Live with the shame I described, " he started. "Apologize to the girls you cheated on, and on your knees, to the maid you slapped and tried to pass guilt off to. And let this be a hard lesson..." As Kamvex stood, he lashed out with the blade, a mark of blood etching itself onto Guiche's arm. "Carry that mark and remember this day, and vow to be better."
It stung. It would probably scar but from the look in his eyes, Guiche knew he got off easy. "Of course sir!"
"Don't drop your bluster, just be better. Respect those around you till they do something that costs them that respect." He turned and walked back, pistol retracting and hiding away in his arm again. Picking up the sheath, he placed the blade into it before snapping it back into his glove. He leveled his gaze at Louise and Siesta, "How's that? Not bad for a commoner."
Then he collapsed.
AN: So I hope that all worked. I was confused on how best to describe a few actions in this, so it really slowed me down. So, sorry about the wait. Oh! I realize that the beginning of the last chapter may have been confusing for the weird... Stuff I just kinda put in there about humanity and humans in general. I was thinking that maybe it worked as a metaphor between the average person and the above average. The reason for it is to compare Saito, the original male lead of the story, to Kamvex, my personal character. A lot of this will be game jargon, so bear with me, or tell me to get a TL;Dr in the next chapter.
It is pointed out in the LNs that Saito is as average as average can be. Translated into the game terms that Kamvex comes from, he has base stats of 10 to 11 out of a maximum start of 18, with one "exceptional" stat that I put into his Constitution (because MAN can Saito take a hit!) raising it to 12/13. Saito is also a beginner for all of these things and grows stronger as the series catches up. Upon gaining the Gandalfr power and wielding a weapon, Saito just jumps to near legendary power, and I'd say, doubles all his physical abilities. To put perspective into that, at least for, say, strength, he is going from being able to lift just over to 100 lbs to OVER 500! Granted, you're putting that into more of a combat thing, but the point still stands, that is the strength of a giant!
Kamvex though, through the fairest way possible, is still mightily stronger, faster and tougher. By numbers, his Strength and Constitution are 14s and his Dexterity (speed and reflexes) is an 18. Doubling that is insane, putting his strength at near Titan Level, and his reaction time near that of an elder air elemental, and there aren't many monsters that can top that. He has, as told in the first two chapters, been through quite a bit in the last year or so, and becoming an adventurer is like training to be a professional athlete/scientist/politician.
So please excuse the high powered man, I realize I'm not the first to do it and certainly won't be the last, but I just felt I should be transparent about why he would be so much more powerful. Like I said through Kamvex before: this world's magic is insane!
Catch you next time!