Last Game Standing
Chapter Two: The Trial Version
**********
One hour has passed, and the crowd is prepared to enter the demonstration version of the game. Some of them cheer, others yell. A handful remains quiet, yet excited of what is to come. But all of them are conscious of the amazing entertainment console they are about to test. Then finally, the doors open, and the crowd spills in.
It is then when they notice that something is different. The air in the large room where they had been but an hour ago has changed from a cool temperature to a strange moist climate. Even as they wonder inside, they begin to feel tired.
When the last of the crowd has come inside, the doors the lead out of the room had shut themselves, and become unable to shift. Now the admirers of the up-and-coming game are stuck in the large room where the demonstration took place.
Strangest of all, there are no pods for trial versions to be tested. It seems as though the free trials were nothing but a hoax.
Until Jake's voice rang across the large room.
"Welcome!" Jake's voice exclaimed. "Welcome to the trial version for CPU's greatest, and only, game! It seems that we could not provide enough pods for everyone for the moment, so instead we converted this entire room into one big pod. We installed several new supercomputers to govern all your games at once. After all, although we all only testing trial versions at the moment, most complete games would seem insignificant compared to this impressive trial version that we have prepared for all of you. So without further ado, let the program begin!"
The room's air became moister and moister, until most of the crowd realised that it was air at all, but gel. The gel seeped through the crowd, and they gently floated to the floor, half asleep. Then, when the last one of them started to rest, their minds began to synchronize with the game engine…
**********
Ryan was among the people who were about to enter the trial version. His mind homed onto an image, and created an avatar for him. It then started up the game. While the trial version had the ability to link up with another copy of the game, that function was currently inaccessible. With that in mind, the game began its complex way of assisting it's user through the tutorials and choosing a class.
Ryan stood on a strange, stone floor. As he looked around, images started to emerge. With them came letters, then words. Without thinking, he stumbled towards a large image of a knight. The knight drew his sword, and began to speak.
"Welcome to my abode, this land unknown to all but the ancients. Except you, and other brave travelers from distant lands, and distant worlds. I am a Defender of the Gates, a mysterious void which allows travel into lands hidden by space and time. I defend a land of medieval tales and stories. While it is but one of many, to me it remains home. But it is not a land that you may travel to as of yet. In fact, it was not included in the trial version. So, sadly, you must wait until you obtain a complete copy of the game before you may come here. But you can go to several other worlds in this trial version. However, before you can do that, you must complete the tutorial. Make your way to the figure on the right to begin your adventure in the tutorial lands." The knight returned to his original position, and remained like that.
Now, Ryan moved to the image on the right to the knight, a man dressed in pure white robes. Upon approaching him, the man looked at him, and sighed. "Another one, hmm? Come here, all prim and perfect, yet you don't know the first thing about the Gates, or about how to use special abilities. Very well, ask me about something."
A menu appeared. It had several choices, asking:
1: Who made and named the Gates?
2: How do the Gates work?
3: What is a special ability?
4: How can I use them?
5: How may I learn to become a great warrior?
After a while, Ryan decided to choose the first option, which boasted of some surprising results.
"Who made and named the Gates?" Ryan asked.
"Who made and named the Gates?" The man murmured. "WHO MADE AND NAMED THE GATES? Blasphemy! Blasphemy to the highest height possible!" The man screeched.
"Err… why is it blasphemy?" Ryan asked, quite confused.
"Nobody made the Gates! How could anyone possess such power? It would be impossible! …Except for someone as overly powerful as myself… No, the Gates were made by rifts caused by crevasses in the time-space continuum. They then became anchored in certain times and areas, even different planets, galaxies, even universes. The Gates were tamed in time by the ancients, such as I, for travel through the Gates would prove to be dangerous, even fatal if they were not correctly maintained."
"Hmm… Interesting. Who named the Gates? It would be an intelligent man, or ancient, who would understand these aged portals so well, yet would think of a simple name for them. In fact, it would have to be one who aligned with the ancients in taming the Gates themselves, to be allowed such a great honour."
"Err… Not quite. Actually, some guy called Bill named them. Don't know why. He was a lord, though."
"Really?"
"Yes indeed! He said he ruled Microsoft, or did once, before handing control over to his successors."
"Hmm… Bill of Microsoft. Where have I heard that before…? There seems to be a relation to the portals being called the Gates, too, but I just can't think where."
"I heard that they were named in his honour. The truth was that a couple of the ancients were having some computer problems, and Bill just happened to bounce out of one of the Gates. While he was here, he solved the ancient's problems, mostly because he upgraded their Vista computers, figured out several problems with the Gates, then jumped back through a Gate to his time, just before dinner."
"Okay. He sounds like a nice guy… Hmm… How do the Gates work? I mean, it must be difficult to maintain such structures."
"It is! It is! But through careful planning and gentle care, we manage to tame these wild beasts which link us up to different words throughout the space-time continuum. They feel the ebb and flow of different times and places, even throughout different dimensions, and gift us with the amazing opportunity to meet with a countless array of peoples, in a countless array of places. The possibilities are unlimited!"
"Hmm… Sounds great! I can't wait to try them! So, moving on, you mentioned special abilities. What are they?"
"You don't know what a special ability is… you are a greenhorn. No knowledge whatsoever! Hah! A special ability is something that gives you an edge in a certain area, be it healing or fighting, building or breaking."
"How can I use them?"
"You can use them by gaining enough power to learn them, then by either performing the actions necessary, or by using up a power source. There are several to choose from: Energy, Mana, Power, these are only a few that can be found throughout the Gates."
"Hmm… One question left. Can you teach me to be a mighty warrior?"
"I thought you would never ask. Come into the Tutorial Lands, the first Gate you shall travel into of many."
The man turned around, and walked into the Gate behind him. He disappeared into the swirling abyss.
Ryan looked around. "It's a tough choice. But if I want to journey across the Gates, I have to be ready to defend myself."
He then stepped up to the Gate to the Tutorial Lands. "Here… We… GO!" He said, hurling himself into the Gate beyond.
***********
Ryan landed with a thud, while the robed man floated down slowly.
"Ouch. That must have hurt." The ancient said. Ryan later swore that the man had the slightest smirk on his face.
"It did! How come you're not injured?"
"With experience, the Gates respect you more and more. Soon your landing will be as light as mine, with practice, of course. Anyway, this is a good chance to teach you about healing. L'Arachel! Over here, please!"
A young women on a horse galloped towards the duo. As soon as she arrived, she jumped off the horse and began to exclaim random sentences.
"Hi!" L'Arachel began, "I'm L'Arachel, the wondrous maiden of the blessed halls of Rausten! No evil, no matter how foul or vulgar it may be, can stop my powers upon their peak! With my companions Dozla and Rennac, no monstrous being may defeat me! For I am the almighty pr…" With that, the robed man put his hand over L'Arachel's mouth. She continued to mumble, but eventually gave up and became quiet.
"Anyway, this is L'Arachel. She's a Troubadour, a type of healer. She will teach you how to heal, and how to use mounts. First she will tell you about healing, and nothing else!" He said, glaring at the subdued L'Arachel.
"Hm… So you're new, huh. I'll teach you how to heal. First, you need to know the correct magic to do so. In that case, I give you the ability to cast Heal."
Ryan learned Heal!
"Now, select a target. In this case, select yourself."
Ryan focused on himself, and he glowed green.
"Good! Now, concentrate, and cast Heal! You can also cast this spell in a reverse manner, by selecting to use Heal first, and then selecting your target. It doesn't really matter, but you may feel more at home with that order."
Ryan cast Heal! Ryan healed himself by 15 Health! Ryan was restored to Full Health!
"Now that the lesson's over, I can start telling you of my glorious adventures throughout mmm mmh mhg!" L'Arachel said, the last few words altered quite differently, mainly due to the robed man covering the Troubadour's mouth with his hand once more.
"Now, are you going to behave?" the ancient asked.
L'Arachel nodded.
"Are you sure?"
L'Arachel nodded once more.
"Good girl. Now, teach the lad about mounts."
The robed man released his hold over L'Arachel, and the woman sighed with relief. "Alright, a mount is something you can ride, in my case, a horse. However, there are others types of mounts as well, such as Pegasus and Wyverns. Horses, however, make the best mounts for beginners, such as yourself. In a nearby meadow, there is a group of horses. Simply select the horse, and then yourself to get on it. However, the horse may not be tame. In that case, you must pat the horse, and even brush it. I doubt you will have to, though. I'll come with you."
L'Arachel joined your party!
"When you have more than one person in a party, you can switch between leaders to activate a larger amount of spells in the field, or move at a faster pace. I ride a horse, so I become quite quick. To switch party leaders, select yourself, and switch your position with mine.
Ryan and L'Arachel switched places! L'Arachel became the leader!
"Now we can move at a faster speed, we can get their quickly come on!" And with that, L'Arachel galloped in the direction of the horse meadow.
**********
"Please! Someone help my horse! I cannot leave her here!"
L'Arachel stopped in mid-ride. "That voice sounds familiar. We'd better investigate it."
The duo came towards a man in a green tunic with a sick horse by his side.
"I know this man!" L'Arachel exclaimed. "Hey, Link! What's wrong?"
"It's Epona." Link said upset. "She was bitten by a poisonous spider, and if I don't get some medicine soon, she'll die!"
"This is bad." L'Arachel murmured. "We'd better help out. This will also be a good opportunity to teach you how to use items. Here, let's see if you can learn to use this.
Ryan was given an Antidote!
"Now select Epona, and use the Antidote."
Ryan used an Antidote on Epona! Epona was ridden of her poison status!
"Good job, but that isn't enough to completely heal Epona. Heal won't do enough, and you aren't experienced enough to cast this, so I'll have to step up!
L'Arachel cast Mend! L'Arachel healed Epona by 35 Health! Epona was restored to full health!
"There are more powerful versions of spells, such as Mend is a more powerful version of Heal. Mastering these upgraded spells will assist you greatly in future battles."
Link turned to L'Arachel. "Thank you, L'Arachel. If you were not here, Epona would have surely died."
Ryan was still confused. "Why couldn't you go get an antidote? It isn't supposed to be that far from a town. There's one over there!" Ryan pointed to a small village three miles away. It had a rather large temple nearby. More on that later…
"There are monsters in these woods, and I would not leave Epona to fend for herself, particularly in her state."
Ryan nodded. "I understand. Now, where do we go from here? The horse meadow isn't meant to be far from here."
"The horse meadow? You wish to learn how to ride a horse? Hmm. There is a quick road there, but it is guarded by a group of goblins. We will need to defeat them to get to your destination."
"Err… Do we have to fight them? I'm sure that the long road with prove to be just as useful."
Link pointed to a large briar patch. "Do you see that prickly briar patch? That is all that is left of the long road to the horse meadow. You would have to fight your way through them."
"Couldn't you just cut it to pieces? I mean, you've got a sword. You could make light work of those briar patches."
"True, true. However, that would upset the briar spirits."
"Briar spirits?"
"Yes. First, they would cut you, then swipe at you, and entangle you, and then finally, they would strangle you. It isn't a nice way to die, trust me."
"Err… Something tells me that a couple of goblins don't seem too dangerous. I'll take my chances with them."
"Wise choice. Let's get moving!"
**********
After several minutes, Ryan, L'Arachel and Link made it to the goblins encampment. Several green creatures looked at them. They also looked ugly. After a few moments looking at the trio of adventurers, they decided to attack them.
The battle began swiftly. Link pulled out his Master Sword, and cut down three of the beasts as they ran at him. Only one of the goblin's attacks connected, and it made little difference once L'Arachel healed him with Mend. Only one goblin remained.
"How about you take him out?" Link said. "Shouldn't be too hard on you, they aren't very strong." The goblin repulsed with anger.
Ryan looked around wildly. "But I don't have a weapon…" He trailed off.
"No problem. This should be all you need." L'Arachel said, giving Ryan a branch.
Ryan was given a Thorn Branch!
"Great! Err… How do I use it?"
"By simply selecting yourself, and then you just have to select the Thorn Branch. After that, you can fight the goblin with ease." L'Arachel cheerfully said, as the goblin once more repulsed with rage.
"A branch? You want me to fight off a dangerous goblin with a branch?"
"Is that a complaint?"
"Yes!"
"Huh. Just attack him, before he attacks you!"
The goblin, which had been waiting a while, decided to take the first move, and promptly punched Ryan in the ribs. Yelping in pain, Ryan hopped backwards, before toppling over, much to the goblin's delight, as it continued to harm the young adventurer.
"Think we should help him?" L'Arachel asked as screams of pain echoed across the glade.
"No. Everyone who wants to become an adventurer has to learn the risks. If you want to go journey around, the first rule you have to remember is to know how to defend yourself. In time, he should learn that." Link said calmly as Ryan screeched for mercy.
"All the same..."
"I'm sure that he can remain on top of this battle. See? He's gotten up!"
"And fallen down again…"
"That's true. Right, enough is enough. Mind casting Mend?"
"Not at all, the young lad could use some help."
L'Arachel cast Mend! Ryan was healed by 35 Health! Ryan was restored to full heath!
"Thanks!" Ryan called out, kicking the goblin in the chest, giving him a chance to get back up before swiping the creature several times with his Thorn Branch. Moaning in pain at the indignity of it all, the goblin fell to the ground, and exploded into several gold coins. A cheesy victory fanfare sounded, and a textbox exclaimed that: Ryan found 10 gold and obtained 7 experience points!
"Next time, I'll think I'll take the briar spirits. Ugh… I didn't know that goblins could hit so hard."
"Don't worry. You're new to the battle scene. Fight a few battles with a goblin and you'll be able to counter their attacks with ease." Link said in an encouraging tone of voice.
"Really? Wow, I'm sure that I'll gladly rush into several more battles with goblins now!" Ryan replied, rolling his eyes.
"Anyway," L'Arachel said, "We have spent too much time here. The horse meadow is only a few metres away. Let's get moving!"
**********
After going through an inter-dimensional Gate, learning to cast basic magic, curing a horse, fighting a particularly nasty goblin, and learning about all the ways a briar spirit could maim you, the threesome finally made it to the horse meadow. Seems a bit too much work just to learn how to ride a horse, doesn't it? Anyway, they approached the meadow quickly.
"This is the place?" Ryan asked, looking at the horses.
"You were expecting something else?" L'Arachel asked.
"But, there must be something else here! A store, a house… Do any farmers work here?"
"One does. But he's an accomplished magician, so he knows how to take care of his animals. He sells horses to people with the money, and teaches people with the time how to ride them. No monster can enter the meadow, and no horse under the farmer's protection can leave. This way, he can safely spend his time in the nearby town, and only has to come here every few days. Anyway, we should get to work. We're already behind schedule."
Ryan walked cautiously towards a horse. The horse regarded Ryan for a few minutes, while he attempted to mount it. It was then that the horse decided to rear, causing Ryan to fall off rather painfully.
"Ouch." Link winced. "That must have hurt."
"It did." Ryan said, glared at him.
"Okay, just try another horse. This time, give the horse a pat before getting on."
Following Link's instructions, Ryan approached the horse, and gave a light pat before getting on. This time, Ryan did not get thrown off the horse at all. This was mainly due to the fact that he had been injured by the previous horse, and had completely failed to remember to use Heal. Because of this, he had no hope on having the strength to mount the horse. After remembering what to do, Ryan quickly cast Heal and got on the horse. Instead of rearing, the horse broke into a trot, startling Ryan, causing him to fall off yet again.
Many attempts of riding a horse later… (Most of them ending comically.)
Ryan had finally managed to ride a horse for more than a minute without falling off. He got down, and walked towards Link and L'Arachel, ready to go to his next destination. Unfortunately, the duo was currently unable to talk, or indeed move at all, as they were asleep.
Groaning that he would have to wait several hours before anything could happen, Ryan lay down, and began to sleep.
************
"Wake up, lazybones! Link, help me wake up Sir Snore-A-Lot!"
"Hmm… A bucket of water should do the trick…"
"Wait!" Ryan yelled! "I'm awake! I'm awake!"
Unfortunately, Ryan said this a moment too late, and a cascade of cold water dropped upon his head, causing him to moan. L'Arachel suppressed a giggle, only to do so in vain. Link, on the other hand, was grinning without delay at Ryan's state. Ryan, to put it one way or another, was not amused.
"Looks like you found out your next important piece of information: Sleeping." L'Arachel said. "Sleeping plays an important role in the lands of the Gates. Sleeping is a status effect, much like poison. However, unlike poison, anyone can sleep at any given time. Sleeping heals your wounds, and refreshes your mind, allowing you to reuse your magical energies. However, sleeping has its downsides as well. Most techniques cannot be used whilst sleeping, so you have next to no way to defend yourself. You can also be pick-pocketed or ambushed while sleeping, so you should normally sleep in an inn or houses you own or are given permission to use. Sleeping in the middle of the wilderness may be tempting, but you should always make yourself safe while doing so. Otherwise, you run the risk of being attacked."
Ryan nodded. "Understood. Is that it?"
"Not quite. Sleep can also be used an offensive technique. Observe!" L'Arachel commanded, as she pointed a stave at Link.
"No. Please no. Please, L'Arachel, don't cast it on me. Cast it on… zzz…" Link's words became hushed, thanks to L'Arachel's sleep spell.
L'Arachel cast Sleep on Link! Link fell asleep!
"There are other ways to obtain sleep status, but that's all we have time for at the moment."
"Do we have to wait for Link to wake up?" Ryan asked, confused.
"No. In fact, I'll wake him up myself! Wake up!" The errant Troubadour said, whacking Link on the head with her stave.
"Ah! L'Arachel! Stop that!" Link protested.
Ignoring Link, L'Arachel turned once more to Ryan. "Here. You should know how to use this. It'll give you a much needed edge in future battles.
Ryan learned Sleep!
"To use it, just select your target, namely Link." With that, the aforesaid Hylian glared at L'Arachel. "Now focus, and cast Sleep!"
Ryan cast Sleep on Link! Link fell asleep! Again!
"Now," L'Arachel said, happily, "May I have the honour?"
"You may." Ryan replied.
"Thank you." And with that, she promptly hit Link with her stave again, waking him up.
"Okay," Link moaned. "That's the last time I ever play guinea pig for you lot ever again."
Ryan smiled. "By the looks of it, me and Sleep are going to be very good friends. Very good friends indeed."
************
The trio rode to the nearby town, Ryan hitching a ride on Epona with Link, who was still mumbling about Troubadours and oversized egos. After a few minutes, they had arrived.
"Our next stop in supposed to be in the inn. Your next tutor is waiting there." L'Arachel told Ryan.
"Great! Err… Who is the new tutor? And what do they teach?"
"This one's supposed to teach about how to use offensive attack magic."
"Nice. Hey, why don't we go inside?"
"Good idea. Otherwise we'll look simply disorientated, standing around here."
Inside the inn, the trio was called on by the innkeeper.
"Hey? You called L'Arachel?"
"Yes indeed," L'Arachel replied. "Do you wish to hear about my great exploits and adventures on my quest to van…" Link quickly covered her mouth, as to stop her rambling on about herself for hours on end.
"Nah, miss. I was told to give you this. By some fancy looking guy, accompanied by a large, laughing guy dressed up as a Berserker. Said it was very important that you get this letter as soon as possible, and to return to Rausten."
L'Arachel tore the letter open, and read the contents. "Oh my! It seems that the great realm of Rausten is in need of my divine powers once more! Link, Ryan, I bid you farewell, and good luck on the rest of your journey! Good bye now!" And with that, she left.
"Wow. That's one hyperactive missus you two had to travel with. Don't think I could stand her, me self."
"Believe me; I can barely stand just being with her for five minutes, let alone a full day." Link replied. "Anyway, Ryan, I don't think you've ever had anyone leave your party before, hmm? Just as much as people will join your party, are they as likely to leave it. Sometimes they run out of fear, sometimes because their either too injured or dead to help you anymore, or if you just plain run out of money to pay them. No matter what happens; it always boils down to this: That everyone will most likely leave your party at some point or another. But that is not entirely a bad thing. If you always have the same people in your party, you could never experience all the different kinds of battles and battle tactics that you could if the adventures with you were always the same."
"Hmm… Interesting. How long till you leave?" Ryan replied.
"Hey!"
"Just kidding. Anyway, where's this tutor? He should have popped up by now."
"That would be me."
"Huh?" Ryan and Link responded.
A small, scrawny boy timidly walked towards the duo. His blonde hair was shaped similarly to the ice-cream on a soft-serve cone, and his shirt and shorts had nothing impressive about them. He gave no impression whatsoever of a mighty mage with the power to devastate entire worlds. Ryan was not impressed.
But, unlike Ryan, Link seemed to know the lad. "Hello, Lucas! How is everything back in the Nowhere Islands?"
"Just fine. Duster's leg is acting up a bit, but apart from that, everything's working out perfectly."
Ryan decided that it was time he entered the conversation. "Err... Link, do you know this boy?"
"Know him? Of course! This is Lucas, your next tutor, and one of the most advanced magical fighters that I've ever known."
"But isn't he a bit… well… small?"
"Size means nothing when it comes down to magic. The smallest man can fell the largest giant in a matter of moments with the pure, raw force that magic exudes, and Lucas here is no exception."
"Still…"
"How about we go up? I've booked us a room in the inn for the night." Lucas stated.
"But it's not even close to getting dark. It's only ten o'clock in the morn…" Ryan's voice trailed off as he realised that it was already dark. "Meh. Fine, I'll come."
************
Ryan and Link followed Lucas up to the top floor of the inn, where he showed them a door into the room that he had booked. Hoping Lucas had somehow enchanted the inn room to enlarge it tenfold, he charged into it. Only to bang his head on the other side on the room. Which was less than five metres away. Sad.
The room was thin, but long. It held five beds, each one rather tiny. There was little space for much else. A small, unlit, fireplace and half a dozen buckets of water were all else the room held.
"Er… Lucas? Couldn't you afford something, maybe, a bit bigger? Like, for example, big enough for us to move about in without getting concussion?" Ryan asked.
"I'm sorry. I don't have very much money. I don't get paid much for tutoring people, and I'm too young to get a job back home. No-one would take me unless it was a joke. That's why. Maybe, though, if people start taking me seriously, I can start getting some better quality rooms and so on."
"Oh…" Ryan said, now unable to say a harsh word to the young lad. "So, what do you have to teach me?" he began.
"How to use attack magic: The spells PK Fire and PK Freeze." One of Lucas' hands suddenly ignited in flames, while the other froze, giving it a crystallized image. "Here. I'll gift you these spells."
Ryan learned PK Fire and PK Freeze!
"Now," Lucas instructed, "light the fireplace in the room with PK Fire. To do that, target the fireplace…"
Ryan did so.
"…Then select PK Fire, and you will perform the action."
A sliver of lightning shot out from Ryan's hand, struck the fireplace, and caused it to light up.
"Good job. Now, you must freeze those buckets full of water that are also in the room. Target a water bucket…"
Ryan did that command as instructed.
"…Then select PK Freeze, and you will perform the action."
This time, a large snowflake burst from Ryan, landing on the water bucket he had chosen. The bucket froze, soon followed by the other buckets.
"You didn't just freeze that bucket, but also the other ones as well. Good job. That's called "splash damage", and can occur due to certain techniques, spells, and weaponry. Splash damage can be useful in some situations, but can actually be a hindrance in others. The type of spells that you select for usage, and the way you apply them, will greatly determine how you deal splash damage or not."
After the lesson, Lucas yawned. "It's late. I think it's time we went to bed. Good night."
And with that, the trio fell asleep.
************
The next morning, they awoke, and Lucas informed Ryan of their next destination. "The nearby temple," he said, "is where we are going."
They left the town, and made their way to the temple. Quietly, Ryan peered inside. He observed the figure inside curiously.
"There's a dog in there, meditating."
Link and Lucas' faces suddenly turned a pale shade. "Don't call him that!" Lucas panicked. "If he hears you say that, then, then…"
"What?" Ryan asked.
Link was on the verge of panicking alongside Lucas. "You don't want to know. Trust me, you do not want to know."
"Why?"
"Let me put it this way… The last person who called Lucario a dog is currently pushing up daisies."
"Huh? What do you mean by that? Hmm… Ah. I see. Pushing up daisies means that you've been buried, which means… Oh dear."
Link nodded. "Exactly. Normally he gives people who don't know him a simple warning, but if you continue calling him that… well, you get the picture. If you must think of him as a kind of normal animal, think of him as a jackal. He doesn't get so annoyed when you call him that."
"Got it. Now, let's go."
"Exactly. You have already wasted enough time."
"Huh?"
Lucario had spoken for the first time. He had remained silent as the grave until now. He stood up, and walked towards the trio.
"Now," he said to Ryan, "I am your Special Attacks, or Techniques, tutor."
"Err… I thought Lucas already taught me how to use special attacks."
"Ah," Lucario replied, "He simply taught you how to use offensive magic. I teach you how to use special techniques, or Techs for short."
"Fine. So, what do I learn first?"
"Firstly, you were given a Thorn Branch at one point, yes? Good. Some Techs can only be used with a weapon, such as your Thorn Branch. The Tech I am about to teach you is called Spinning Slash. Here, I'll grant you usage of it.
Ryan learned Spinning Slash!
"Now," Lucario continued, "Follow me outside. You will need to practice your attack, and this is no place to do such a thing."
Following Lucario outside, Ryan braced himself, wondering what terrible monster he would have to defeat…
***************
"A dummy?!"
"Yes. A dummy."
"Do you mind telling me why I need to fight a dummy of all things?"
"No. I simply considered that you were under skilled in the ways of battle, and therefore needed to fight something that would not cause you any harm.
"Huh?"
"In other words," Link said the confused Ryan, "He thinks that you are weak."
"Oh… Hey!"
"If you think that you are not as weak as I think you are," Lucario stated, "Then destroy the dummy. It will only be destroyed if you use a Tech, but in order to do that, you must use normal attacks first. By doing so, you can build up enough power to use a Tech. However, before you begin, you should know about combos. Combos, or combination attacks, feature more than one attack executed in one turn. These combos are formidable, and useful for preparing to use a Tech, although they do have their weaknesses, such as tiredness after a particularly long combo. Anyway, without further ado, you may begin."
Ryan began his assault on the dummy. After about four minutes, Lucario shouted out: "Stop!"
Ryan stopped. Lucario began to lecture again. "Now, you have fought enough to unleash a Tech. When you can use a Tech, something will notify you, such as a sound, a light, or an object. Now, simply concentrate, and unleash your Tech."
"…" Power started to gather around Ryan, as he flourished the Thorn Branch, before beginning to spin around. He launched himself at the dummy, slashing the air as he went, before connecting. Then, he unleashed several short blows before delivering one huge, shattering blow upon the dummy. The dummy was devastated by this last attack, and it fell, broken apart, like a flurry of autumn leaves.
Lucario clapped. "Very well done. A good show indeed. Now, although that attack was quite strong, you may find yourself requiring more than one Tech in order to be a more formidable opponent on the battlefield. For that matter, I shall teach you another Tech, namely Force Palm."
Ryan learned Force Palm!
"However," Lucario continued, "You cannot use Force Palm without being about to use Aura. Aura is one of the powers that you may call upon in the Lands of the Gates. For that matter, I bestow you the power to use Aura. Beware, however, as you may only use Aura so often. After your power supplies are all used up, you will need to recharge your Aura energies. This can be done through battle, rest, going to certain places, or simply while time progresses."
Ryan gained the ability to use Aura!
"Now, you may begin practicing. Prepare to attack another dummy."
Now, Ryan started to attack a second dummy, which had appeared out of nowhere, like many things in computer games. After about three minutes, Lucario again yelled out: "Stop!"
Ryan halted. He then focused hard, and drew strength from a source that he had never known, yet seemingly felt like he always had the power to call upon. His hand glowed a rich, bright blue, as it connected with its target. The pulsating light radiating from his palm erupted into the dummy, sending it flying.
"Excellent!" Lucario stated. "Few can match a Force Palm of that power, considering you have not been trained in the Aura arts in the past. Now, we must leave this area, and make our way to the place where the final trial shall take place. Then and there, you shall discover if you really have the power to travel the inspiring lands of the Gates."
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Ryan exclaimed.
"It is good to show enthusiasm," Lucario noted. "Allow us to accompany you. But before you go… Lucas!"
"Right!"
Ryan was surrounded by a healing light! Ryan was restored to Full Health! Other Power Gauges, such as Aura, have also been filled!
"Thankyou," Ryan said. "Shall we go?"
"Yes," Link stated. "The sooner we leave, the better."
A mysterious portal appeared! Ryan, Link, Lucas and Lucario have been warped to a different location!
*********************
A very familiar hill was the location of the final trial. The quartet slowly floated to the ground…
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
… or should I say, Link, Lucas and Lucario floated to the ground. Ryan simply fell.
"Why me?" Ryan groaned.
"Why not?" replied a very familiar voice.
"Hey… you're the ancient who took me here in the first place! Fancy that, meeting you in a place like this!"
"Err… Is he really this dense?" Lucario quietly asked Link.
"Yes, I'm afraid he really is." Link replied.
"Do you remember this place?" the ancient clothed in white robes asked.
"Well, it does look kinda familiar… Sorry, mind's a blank."
"Fool! You were here but two days ago, and yet you already forget this place? The entrance to the Gates? Forgotten by a mere mortal like yourself? Disgusting! You leave me no choice! In order for you to prove your worth, you must defeat me!"
"Wait! This is against regulations!" Lucario roared.
"Yes! The trial is to fight a somewhat average opponent, not an ancient!" Link exclaimed.
"Umm… I think… that… um… those two have a point…" Lucas whimpered.
"Silence! I will not be stopped! This is my true power, the height of my strength! I have savored it all for this one point! Ryan! Your foolish days have reached its end! An ancient is the height of power infused in corporal form, and I will not halt in proving my people's great legacy! I shall not be scorned in such a way, and nor shall my people!"
The ancient grew in size, and Lucario, Link and Lucas ran to Ryan's aid.
"Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!" the ancient screeched.
"Oh no… Did he just say that?" Link asked Lucas.
"He did. Oh dear." Lucas whimpered.
Lucario rushed at the ancient, and continuously attacked. Force Palm after Force Palm, Aura Sphere after Aura Sphere. Ryan joined in the assault, pounding the ancient with Force Palms. When his Aura supply finally ran out, he pulled out his Thorn Branch, and prepared to attack with his Spinning Slash. The ancient simply held out his hand, and summoned a reflective barrier. Ryan slammed into the barrier, and fell to the ground in mid-strike.
"Do you think you can really stop me with that mere branch? The mere thought of it makes me shiver with mirth!" the ancient sneered. "And in such a way, too! Really, who attacks by spinning around? What a silly thing to do!"
Link glared at the ancient, and without a word, began to attack. Lucas murmured under his breath: "Seriously, what's wrong with fighting with a branch? I do it all the time."
This time, Ryan began to attack with his PK attacks. After failing to hit the ancient with two PK Freezes, he started to spam PK Fire. The first few connected, but the ancient soon had his reflective barrier up again, causing the attacks to fly back towards Ryan.
"Really, did you seriously manage to master magic? I thought you had to actually have a brain to do such a thing. Although, you're magic really is inferior. I doubt that you will last much longer. After all, if you can cast such powers, then anyone who fights with that magic must be an idiot!" the ancient exclaimed.
Lucas looked at the ancient. "No. I use that magic. Yet I am not weak. Yet I am not an idiot. You are the weakling. You are the idiot. May my psychic powers speak for me, may they perform the actions that are louder than words a thousand-fold. PK Fire! PK Freeze! PK Thunder!"
The first attack sharply pieced the ancient's barrier. The second froze him into place. The third sent jolts of electricity through the ancient's veins. The ancient screamed in pain. Ryan ran towards the ancient. This time, there would be no stopping him.
He leapt at the ancient. Several short slashes contacted, but it was the final, devastating slash which caused him to whirl through the air, slamming into his enemy. The ancient fell to the ground, the ice which surrounded him shattered into a million tiny shards. But it was too late. He was exhausted. Before Ryan could finish him off, he begged for mercy.
"Well done, lad. You won. Of course, you had help, but you show potential. I should watch my temper. But you did well. Now, allow me to restore you, and your companions to full strength."
The party was surrounded by a healing light! They recovered all health. All Power Gauges, such as Aura, were also filled!
"You have done well. Now, I gift to you this: The ability to roam the gates. May you find solace, even peace within its worlds. Now, the time has come. Link, Lucas, Lucario… You must all return to your own worlds. This world shall be closed for the duration. For the simple reason that there is no others who wish to learn. When people asked to traverse the gates, then I shall open the way again the moment that happens. Now, Ryan, you may ask me a question. I know you have one on your mind, and that it has troubled you for a while now."
"Yes… Why do all the instructors' names start will 'L'?"
"Hmm… Because L stands for Learning. Does that answer your question?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Now, allow me to save your game. Then, you may go with my goodwill, and absorb the sheer brilliance of the beauty of the lands of the Gates."
GAME SAVED.
Everyone listening???
"Huh?" Ryan said.
"What, Ryan?" the ancient asked.
"I thought I heard something…"
Trial Version ending now. I'm QuickSaving all games now. You'll be allowed to start at your current point once you next play
"There it is again!"
"What, pray tell?"
"That… That voice!"
GAME QUICKSAVED
Ending all games. Beginning action: EndProg
Ryan looked around. Link, Lucas and Lucario, people he had known for only a short time, were fading out of existence. The ancient also began to blur in image. Eventually, the land was blanketed in a white haze.
********************
Through the hall, people were starting to wake up. They were having such a nice time, too.
Ryan picked himself up, and walked towards a man giving out brochures about the game.
I don't care if it was just a game. He thought. It was fun. Those people were really funny, even though they were just game data. I can't help it. I want this game! I want it right away!
If only Ryan knew. Although the game was quite popular, it would face some major problems in it's time. And Ryan would be in the very epicenter of the disasters, whether he wanted to be or not.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Man that was long! Anyway, I think I did a good job. I copied the idea of Lucario hating being called a dog off Wiiboychris, or AuraChannelerChris, as he now calls himself. If you mind me using that plot piece, Chris, just tell me, and I won't use it anymore.
Anyway, it might be a while until I update next, so…
Until next time,
Ultra Blader