A/N: Geoff really is that diehard of a LoZ fan.
To think... We're almost at Chapter 20. And we're more than halfway done... With this arc.
Meh.
Jeremiah
"Any progress?" Sygil asks me from across my desk.
"For taking care of the Outrealm, or the games?"
"Both." I nod. That's what I thought he meant.
"The Outrealm is still a bit unstable, though that's the result of it's first run. As for the games, Ravel's is almost halfway through the time skip." I sigh. Going to have to stay up a few more hours to monitor the stability.
"Excellent. We may win this millennia. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow." With that, he paces off into a different room, probably to sleep. It sucks. Just because he runs the normal Outrealm of Alan's story, and the fact that it's already gone through it's first universal cycle, it means that he doesn't have to worry too much about it. Even if someone from the Outrealms tries to change the course, it can be gotten rid of with a simple search through the realm data.
"Let's check on Tom..." I whisper to myself. I press a rather large button sitting on my desk, which opens a window in front of me. I honestly wonder why the Outrealms are so computer-like. Even before I entered the afterlife, it's not like I expected the known multi-verse to be a like a giant supercomputer.
There they are, Tom and Laurent. Just marching... Talking. Hold on... I reach out and touch the corner of the window, which enables me to hear their conversation.
"Interesting. So according to the knowledge that you had picked up from the Outrealms, the known world is actually all made up of the same components? An unusual theory, if it even is one, but what of magic?" That was Laurent. Sigh. Tom's telling him about atoms. Unfortunately for him, not all universes follow that same rule. I'm tempted to tamper with the universe laws just to disprove that, but that will more than likely get me a visit from Naga and her forces. Besides, that would take months of restless code-cracking that most of the higher-ups aren't even capable of.
Hrm... I could try this.
I reach out and touch an icon beside Tom. Alright. Now I can communicate with him.
"Tom, it doesn't actually work like that." I say into the window.
What? Jeremiah, how long were you listening?
"The whole time, Tom."
Okay, so I should stop telling him about that?
"Yes."
Hmph. Fine.
Alright then. I close the window and place my hand on the button again, twisting it once. Alright. Perhaps I should check on her.
I open another window, this time focused inside a small cottage.
She's asleep... Okay. If I theorized correctly, the person I merged with her was one of the people to be brought upon the Valmese warship. This is more than likely going to put her in the path of the Shepherds. Best case scenario, she meets up with and joins the Shepherds.
Worst case scenario... Er.. Angels shouldn't think about this.
... May as well check some of the functions, and then I'll rest for a bit.
Ravel
I walk up to the table and drop down into my seat, surrounded by the other mercenaries.
"Any notable jobs?" I ask Jafray. He just got back from a job that involved killing rats. Weird? Yes. But he said that it paid really well.
"No. You?" he asks. I smile and adjust my stupid trickster hat. It makes me look rich, though. So I'm fine with it.
"Niro and I had to stop some Ylissean rebels from attacking Southtown." It turns out to actually be called Southtown. Meh. "It was pretty cool."
"I better get something good this time." I hear Geoff from the other side of me. "Last time, I had to convince some girl to dump her boyfriend." What?
"Dude, seriously?" I can't help myself from laughing. Goooods, that is hilarious.
"Yeah." As he answers, Niro steps into the room and begins to pass out letters to us. Jobs.
"Alright, We have a bit less this time, so some of us are going to get paired into groups of three. The first group is me, Calina, and Ravel. The second is Wilson, Ayla, and Geoff, and the third group is Jafray, Gorge, and Alyssa." Alright. Niro and Calina.
Still, I'm paired with her. And as of now, I doubt that the universe is still trying to pair me with her. Admittedly, there's a chance that I still may end up with her, but... Eh.
I open up the letter placed in front of me and read it's contents.
To the Heroes of Myra:
I beg of your assistance. Risen have been overrunning my village and I have been powerless to stop them. I told my friends and family to contact you, but they didn't believe me! If you even receive this letter, I beg of you to come at once!
My village is just North of Ylisstol, West of the Lake of Tears!
-A simple Maiden
"Risen, It's always Risen." I groan. It's only three of us, though we are promoted... so... Meh.
"It's nothing we can't handle. Anyways, care to spar?" Calina glances at me.
"Alright." I walk toward the training hall, followed by her.
As I enter the room, I immediately reach for the practice weapons, tossing one to her.
"On the count of three." I say as we get into position. I raise a fist, lifting a finger for each second passing.
Three...
Two...
One...
I immediately raise my sword in a defensive position, preventing Calina from knocking me off of my feet.
"Hmph. So you have gotten better!" She jumps back and slashes at my foot, to which I jump aside to dodge.
"Or maybe you've gotten worse!" I smile at my comment and jump back, doing a spin slash. This scratches her side, earning a yelp in pain but not deterring her battle skill.
"As IF!" I hop over her, made easier by the reduced gravity, only for her to grab my foot and slam me to the ground.
I feel some blood leaking out of my head, now, and my sword is a few feet away from me.
And... That hurts.
"Giving up already?" she smiles and puts a hand on her hip. Oh.. I've always wanted to do this.
"HELL NO!" I yell in a voice that sounds like Basilio's. I roll to the side and grab my sword, jumping to my feet and slashing at her arm before she can even tell what is going on.
She lets out another yelp of pain, but nevertheless jumps back and begins to circle around me.
Okay, she's going to try and psych me out.
I stand perfectly still, waiting for her footsteps to slow. Eventually, they do. I then take the time to lift up my sword and do a backwards spin slash. She does the same, and our swords collide and shatter under the force.
She simply stops and stares at the broken weapons, before wiping her blonde hair out of her face. "Looks like the teacher has nothing left to teach." she smiles and hold out a hand. "Congratulations."
Wait, I didn't lose this time? Just... Wow. I reach out and shake said hand.
"Good fight." I grin. So... I didn't beat her, but I tied? Just... Wonderful.
Tingling... Hrm? I look down to see myself enveloped by a green glow. I look to my left to see Ayla holding out her Mend Staff. Heh.
Soon, the glow fades and instead moves to Calina, who sighs in relief.
"We should get going." I look up to see Niro watching us from the doorway. "If that message was true, they need some help."
"Got it." I pull out Draiotoll and grab some chainmail.
This will be fun.
"I smell smoke." Calina tilts her head and looks up into the sky, which is obscured by... smoke.
Well, totally wasn't that redundant.
"Oh look, smoke." I roll my eyes and point at the sky, as Rysor swoops past us.
"I guess we're close." Niro says as Rysor loops around and lands, soon pacing next to us.
... I see red. I immediately pull out Draiotoll and rush toward the figures in front of us. I catch the Risen off guard, and manage to defeat the two Revenants in a single swoop. Good. Good. Caught them off-
GAH! GUARD!
Just as the thought passes by, an entombed appears out of a puddle and grabs hold of my legs. It quickly reforms into the puddle, still holding onto my feet.
Oh gods, IT'S DRAGGING ME INTO HELL!
"HELP!" The grip on my legs tightens, but loosens up. I feel a blast of moisture hit my back, which was more than likely 'Risen mist'.
"Looks like I still need to teach you stuff..." I hear Calina from behind me. She grabs my hand and pulls me off of the grass and onto my feet.
I sigh and turn around, only to slice apart a thief Risen. 'Twas a shame that these things aren't promoted.
Huh? I see a berserker. Finally, some fu- ...
"Seriously Niro?! I was gonna kill that thing!"
"Sorry." his voice is a mere echo as Rysor is already halfway toward the town.
"Alright, let's go!" I motion toward the Lake of Tears and run toward it, holding Draiotoll in the manner that thieves usually hold it.
I spring down the hill, catching the attention of a few weaker Risen.
Eventually, I reach the village... Which is on fire. Le-sigh.
I do a spin slash, which injures most of the Risen around me, and rush toward the onslaught of Risen.
Guh...
"..'s .uc. .n i..ot."
"I k..w, b.. he.. st... .ur ." I passed out again, didn't I? DAAAAAAAAAAAMN IT!
"Wake up!" What...?
I open my eyes... Oh... That hurts...
"What did I do this time?"
"Hee hee... You tripped and hit your head before you killed any Risen." Calina giggles a bit more before walking away. Oh... OH. OH COME ON!
It always has to happen, doesn't it?
"Luckily for you, the Risen were distracted with trying to feast on your corpse." Huh? That wasn't Niro.
I open my eyes... and there's the maiden that looks just like the one in the Awakening Portrait. I remember that a lot better than I thought I would. Humph.
"If I heard correctly, you're their tactician?" Huh? Oh yeah, I ruined my own plan. We were going to stay together and rout different groups of Risen. Sigh. I'm not fit for this job.
"And not a good one, at that." I respond. Sad, yet true. "I was the only possible candidate." Come to think of it, wouldn't Alyssa be better? Admittedly, she would likely blackmail us if we didn't agree... Gods, what's her problem?... but she does know how to play chess. Chess=tactics, According to the laws of everything.
"He's all we have, though." I turn to see Niro just standing there.
"It's not like I... Ugh... Dizzy..." Guh... Can't... Think...
"Uh-oh! He's bleeding out! Quick! Grab the elixir!"
Great... Just...
The world goes black and the voices cease, and I manage a simple groan in response.
"And so he passed out twice? Heh! Priceless!" Geoff just slaps his knee. Asshole.
"Yeah, we had to carry him back the entire walk home. And then he woke up and fell into a river." Calina giggles a bit more, earning an aggravated shove from me. It hurt, sure, but it was rewarding nevertheless. And it's Winter... So you can imagine how much I hated it.
"And you say the staff can't heal my wounds?" I turn toward Ayla, who seems to be the only one who gives a shit about my condition, in dismay.
"I am afraid that I cannot. Staves are only usable on fresh wounds. We can use medicines, but staves will be ineffective. You may be kept out of jobs for a few days." Crap. That stinks.
"By the way, has anyone seen Wilson?" Geoff? What?
"...Oh dear." Ayla groans and plants a face into her palm. "How could we have forgotten him." she walks toward the door and grabs her weapon. "We'll be right back." Before exiting, she reaches over and grabs Geoff by the collar.
"Great, injured again." I say to myself.
"Oh, don't worry." she pauses and soon sports a sadistic grin. "I'm going to help you get better."
Eek.
"Nah, Just kidding. Alyssa's gonna do that." Eh, I would prefer Ayla.. But... Eek...?
A/N: Maybe I will stop to make a new story. I'm not sure when, maybe at the end of this arc, I just know that I will.
Until then, Mak out.
Gods, I was halfway done with this chapter at one point, but as luck would have it, the internet had to mess up as soon as I had tried to save it.
*sob* That was an hour of my life wasted.