Shy Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [size=1][indent][center][img]http://otakuboards.com/signaturepics/sigpic306_7.gif[/img] [b][size=1][url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=59310]Backstage[/url] : [url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=59257]Recruitment[/url][/size][/b] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newvalenavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/ravenavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/ariadoravatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newlinkavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/falvoavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/lukkavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/kesariavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/egaliaavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/xanderavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/babaavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/faustavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newvalenavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newzeldaavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newganonavatar.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/shiekavatar.jpg[/IMG][/center] [size=3][right][b][FONT="Georgia"]Act One[/FONT][/b][/right][/size] [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newzeldaavatar.jpg[/img][/center] Queen Zelda stood on the balcony of Hyrule Castle, staring down at the fortress city below. It was sunset, and the bustling community were closing their stores, and preparing for an evening of relaxation. Another day had passed, and yet still no word from the Gerudo. In generations prior the nation had sent an emissary, making a formal declaration of war, yet so far there had been none, [I]Were the oracles wrong[/I], she wondered, [I]Or had the invasion already begun?[/I] [center][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/hyrule.jpg[/IMG][/center] The familiar sound of an ocarina called out from her bedroom. Zelda’s advisor and guardian, Impa, sat on a large plush chair, playing the song that she had dedicated to her queen. As a young child Zelda had heard the melody countless times before, and as a small child it had been used to soothe her nerves during the first invasion. Impa was getting on in years, but her devotion to the monarchy would never cease. “[b]Do you think I am wrong, old friend?[/b]” Zelda asked, “[b]The guard stands ready for an assault, but should I not also summon for the Hero of Time?[/b]” The old woman shook her head softly as she replied, “[b]The Hero of Time? After all of the disgrace he has brought you and this kingdom, it amazes me you would even consider him.[/b]” “[b]These are desperate times, Impa… I only want what is best for Hyrule, and he is a hero to the people.[/b]” “[b]That rapist and a murderer is no hero,[/b]” Impa replied incredulously, “[b]Should the guard fail, there will be another way. But not him.[/b]” "[b]There are many trials I face. I just worry that I will not be able to handle them.[/b]" “[b]But is it the Gerudo you fear most, or the current situation within Hyrule?[/b]” Zelda nodded. “[b]It seems a perfect storm. The Zora have all-but-disappeared, while the Gorons sit locked within Death Mountain, preparing for… [I]something.[/I] There is a tension building, and it threatens to overtake us all.[/b]” The Queen reentered her quarters, and withdrew a small pendant from her dress. She clutched onto it tightly. “[b]I think it would do me good to go out this evening, Impa…[/b]” “[b]Of course, of course. You have much on your mind, dear. Go.[/b]” The Queen spoke a few arcane syllables and was suddenly surrounded by a supernatural glow. In an instant her delicate gown transformed into a tight-fitting blue jumpsuit, complete with a shawl to mask her face. [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/shiekavatar.jpg[/img][/center] “[b]I will be back before sunrise. Please don’t wait up for me.[/b]” With a running leap off of the balcony, she disappeared into the night.[/size][/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raiha Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"][center][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/egaliaavatar.jpg[/IMG][/center] [i]Egalia casually turned at the tinkling of the silver bells over her shop. Even if she dealt mostly in herbs, people still came to see her when they needed a healing spell or insight on how to defeat the overgrown spiders in her basement. She watched the newcomer with a sharp eye, one of her six cats curling around her ankles and then quickly climbing to her shoulder where it too watched the newcomer with narrow green eyes. She sat down on the tall stool behind her counter and gave her customer the ritual greeting.[/i] "Welcome. Herbs or Healing, I'll help in every way I can." "I'm here about some rosemary. My wife needs a clipping for a vulnerary." "Naught could be easier." [i]She turned, reaching above her for the shelf that ran across half the shop, in full view of the east facing window over the front door. Several small potted plants of herbs; basil, rosemary, thyme, bay, and the like grew in profusion. She brought down the right one and snipped off a few stems with a tiny silver knife and wrapped them in paper for her human customer. He took them and dropped the payment into the pottery jar she gestured at when he brought out his purse.[/i] "Thanks, we might be back for more later." "No problem. I'll be here." [i]He stumped out the door, clutching his parcel and Egalia sighed. Her cat leapt down and began to pace across the counter while she put back the pot of rosemary. Some days were so slow she could hardly bear it. And the last customer that had loitered had run for his life when he'd seen what she'd accidentally done to herself with gnome magic and a piece of ruby. She swore it hadn't been planned but it still poisoned the off chances that she'd ever find a bisexual male or female that wouldn't alternately vomit onto her bedroom floor or curse her for a monster. That had happened last time too. A 'disfigured abomination' were his words and while Egalia could admit that two cocks were not always better than two, and even passing strange, they were by all appearances utterly normal. Part of her bristled at the disfigured bit. At least the cats didn't mind. To them she was the giver of fish and milk. And as such, deserving of their presence. Egalia stroked the blue tortoiseshell that jumped into her lap, clinging to her wide apron with tiny claws. Maybe her next customer would try to rob her or hit on her and find himself horrified instead of just beg the usual boring set of herbs.[/i] [/FONT][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [color=gray][center][IMG]http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/AgriasNesme/Raven-1.jpg[/IMG][/center] [i][pindent=2]He walked up to the apothecary without trepidation. The resounding knock upon the door summoned a set of footsteps, shuffling and hesitant. He pulled the cloak more firmly about his face as he heard the telltale grate of wood on wood; a square panel in the door slid open. He raised his right hand, a sheet of parchment clutched between his thumb and forefinger, and passed it to the gnarled hand that extended from the portal to the depths within. A gasp followed, and the sheet was hastily passed back out to him.[/i][/pindent] [pindent=2]"There are no potions or spells within my possession to repair such...damage."[/pindent] [pindent=2]"Then where may I go? You were the last recommendation."[/pindent] [pindent=2]"The tavern. Ask the old mother. If she has it not, it exists not."[/pindent] [i][pindent=2]He pocketed the parchment, nodded, and walked away, ignoring the loud grate of the panel's closing. The silence of his footsteps failed to reach even his own trained ears as he passed into a more traveled backstreet of the capital city, though at this hour there was only one group of people, a number of Hylian boys crowded around some amusement or other. He turned his back to the group before a low mewling reached his ears, a sound of fear and pain.[/pindent] [pindent=2]He turned, slowly, his eyes scanning the alley for the originator of the sound, only to catch a glimpse of crimson droplets on the ground behind one of the boys; a trail leading to the 'amusement'. With all of his considerable guile, he moved silently up behind the boys, removing his cloak and dropping it on top of a nearby stack of empty crates. He approached the boys, his amber eyes narrowing at the sight before him.[/pindent] [pindent=2]One of the boys had his leggings loosened at the waist as he ripped what little clothing was remaining on the body of a young girl, less then fifteen summers, by his estimation. His eyes narrowed further when he spied the girl's ears; pointed, but only slightly elongated. A halfling, most likely. He immediately rested his hand on the boy's shoulder, receiving a jump from the boys as a whole. A sneer met him from them all; he was without his cloak, after all, and wore no visible armaments. It did not help that he was not much older than they were.[/i][/pindent] [pindent=2]"Back off, moron, if you know what's good for you. We're teaching this little whore a lesson; leave, else you join her schooling!"[/pindent] [pindent=2=][i]He offered no answer save the very feline cant of his head; the set of his features betrayed no intention to do as they asked. The response was immediate; a fist flew in the direction of his gut, and was answered with a basic redirection. A pattern was soon established; a punch would be thrown and either dodged or redirected, never blocked. It lasted only a short time before the other three boys attempted to aid their friend in disposing of the interloper; the pattern remained unchanged until, at some unseen signal, the interloper answered in kind. In very short order, the four boys were all on the ground, favoring a broken arm each, save one, whose leg was dislocated.[/i][/pindent] [pindent=2]"W-who are you?!"[/pindent] [pindent=2][i]The answer was as silent as the twilight sky as the stranger lifted the sleeve of his left arm, baring the Phoenix emblem that marked all of the elite of the Royal Guard. The boys all paled, turned and attempted to run. He caught the straggler, unsurprisingly the boy with the broken leg. He turned to the young girl, looking with wide eyes at the obviously Hylian features of her savior. He reached over, ignoring the struggling boy in his grip, and grabbed the cloak from the crates, tossing it to the shivering girl before him.[/i][/pindent] [pindent=2]"Go home, stay safe. I'll have a summons for you in timely fashion, Miss Krystana."[/pindent] [pindent=2][i]He took note of the leather pack at her feet, torn but serviceable, as she pulled on the cloak, specifically of the court of her home listed upon the square of the pack's face. He turned and dragged the Hylian boy in the direction of the palace, ignoring the girl's cries for her savior's name as he left.[/i][/pindent] [pindent=2]"Let us see what the Lady Impa has in store for you, boy, then I'm to my own business again."[/color][/pindent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spectacular Professor Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/falvoavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Falvo had nearly finished packing. His few extra changes of clothes, some spare change, and a little bread and cheese were all lying neatly on a loose bedsheet on the floor of his room. He bundled it up neatly and tied it to his halberd, Mercury. "Well old friend, it's time we departed, nay?" he addressed the weapon, admiring its craftsmanship. "And where dost thou think ye be going?" questioned a formidable-looking she-rito from the doorway. Falvo turned to her. "Ah, mother. I know how thou feel about mine departure. Still, it is high time that this one stretched his wings and left the nest, as it were." "And pray, what would ye do out in yon world with naught but a fancy spear and some odd trinkets, o son of mine?" "As we speak, yon Gerudo army is gathering forces, yea, whispers echo on the wind of the return of the Dark One. I must join the fray and help end this threat!" "Son, thy kind is mistreated and abused by Hylians, Humans and Gerudo alike. Our kind is best kept to our kind." "Mother, if this darkness is allowed to fall, there will be no 'keeping to ourselves.' There will be none of ourselves to keep to! And after all, be we not descended from the noble Zora race? Surely not all of Hyrule hath forsaken us. The Queen, perhaps-" "Aye, the Queen!" snapped Falvo's mother, "The Queen who hasn't come to our aid in over a century and her murdering scum of a hero!" "Mother, these be dark times for the entire world. There must be some willing to take a stand. Yea, even one such as I would be foolish not to aid a world in need, no matter how that world forsakes us." And with that, Falvo took a running leap out of the window, halberd tied to his back securely. "Be safe," his mother whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek as she watched her son fly off towards the cold, cruel world he was so determined to save.[/FONT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionheart Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/xanderavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [SIZE="1"]"[B]Time is now to rise, Xander." [/B] The young guard peered from his half-opened eyes to see Old Artis with his long white beard standing over him. A scene he has been familiar with all his life and his guardian doesn't seem like he was going to stop anytime soon. Xander grunted and turned to his side and gave a large exhale. [B]"Just.....Tell them I'm ill or something, father." [/B] [B] "Nonesense, your responsibility isn't even difficult. I tell you what, back in my day...." [/B]The old man began to mumble off into his story, while Xander continue to do what he has been doing all these years. Block him out. He had just acquired the position of guarding from within Hyrule Castle and certainly has been one of the most idiotic things he has ever done in his life. He would rather just work with Artis on cleaning his study corner, which never seems to stay clean for more then a couple of hours, or be running errands around town for the old man. [B]"And that's how I murdered the cat and saved the town from castrophic evils." [/B]Then again, it might be better than listen to him tell the most random stories about nothing. [B]"Alright, I am getting up right now." [/B]He threw the covers off as the old man scurried away to the other side of their home. It was small place, but it had a warm vibe that made the house, cozy. Xander grabbed his armor from the closet and gave a hellish yawn that made Artis flinch from the other side. After putting on his equipment on, he gave a look at the mirror that resigned right by his bed. He studied the Hyrule crest on his shoulder, tightening his gloves so he was barely getting enough circulation through his hands. It almost felt he was getting ready to due battle with a foe, but sadly just hours of standing in a spot and sometimes saying hello to the maidens that would pass by. [B]"...Do I have a purpose?"[/B] He whispered, staring at the old mirror [B]"What did you say, my boy?"[/B] [B]"Nothing old man...."[/B] He placed his hood over his head and opened the front door.[B] "I'll see you in the morning."[/B] With that, he was off to the castle.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Warrior Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/lukkavatar.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1]Lukka snooped from the foilage down towards the shoreline, solicitously licking his wind-burnt lips like a lion about to indulge on its prey. His heart felt as though it were pounding outside his shirt at the sight of the pirates, and a sudden rush of adrenaline enraptured his whole bulk. His eyes twinkled brightly in the moment of excitement. “Hey, Boss, what’s wrong with your eyes?" Lukka glanced over at his accomplice, who was heavy in build, but weightless in brains. It was like buying the mug, but not the beer. “Lugg, keep it quiet and we’ll get out of this alive,” Lukka muttered. “These guys won’t think twice about cutting us into tiny ribbons and making little bows.” Lugg thought about this exaggeration. “Those wouldn’t be very pretty bows.” “No, they wouldn’t be. Now remember my plan?” Lugg nodded like the primitive moron he was, and the two slowly crept from their hidden station amongst the bushes. They eased their way down to the shore, hopping behind rocks to conceal themselves. They continued this practice until they were close enough to one of the pirates. That’s when Lukka unsheathed a sword and placed the sharp of the blade to the pirate’s spine. The buccaneer immediately froze, not daring to turn his head to see who his captor was. Instead, he managed a small squeak that could be only heard by a mouse. Nevertheless, the captain of the pirates must’ve been a mouse in another life because seconds later, he was approaching the scene, sword drawn. “What is the meaning of this? Who are you?” Lukka smiled mischievously and bowed. “Ha ha! I, my friends, am the Dread Pirate Lukka! I know, I know, my name burns fear deep into your hearts. The very sight of me scours your emotions with intimidation. There is no surprise here. I am a notorious legend with a strong constipation.” The pirates looked undoubtedly confused by this statement, and eventually Lukka too began to question his own words. “Boss, you mean constitution,” Lugg corrected. “Remember your speech from earlier?” “I know my speech!” Lukka snapped quietly back at Lugg. After gaining composure, Lukka proceeded. “I am here to take out your forces and embezzle your funds.” The pirates burst into a fit of laughter. Even the one held at sword point had a small, yet skittish chuckle at Lukka’s expense. Lukka appeared irked and shifted weight from one foot to the other like a disoriented crab. “How do you propose to do that, Lucy?” the captain said behind laughs he attempted to stifle. Ignoring the obvious endeavor at insulting his name, Lukka replied with the forced confidence he had entered with. “I will single-handedly remove each of you until the treasure is attainable.” “That’s all well and good, Lucy,” the captain continued, “but where is your crew?” ”As I said, I will single-handedly do it myself. I am the most skilled swordsman to ever sail the seas and I will have no trouble defeating any of your men.” The captain rubbed his beard in thought, pulling out a various insects that nested within the hair. It was apparent he was highly amused at Lukka’s antics and was curious what was to become of it. “Who do ye want to fight?” Lukka gazed around the crew and noted most of them were able-bodied fighters. He began to think he was in over his head. Still, like a master poker player, he kept a straight face and played on with his hand. “Anyone who wants to face me, step forward.” He let his sword drop from the pirate’s neck, who in turn, finally got a good look at Lukka. He wasn’t as frightened as he was before. The captain peered at his crew in mock superiority. “You heard him. Go ahead. Any of you scallywags." “Yes,” Lukka agreed. “I could take any of you.” With that, a pirate stood up from his seat on a large piece of driftwood and cracked his neck. He was fairly large and well-built. Lukka gulped at the sight of him. “No, no, I can’t kill you. Look at those arms. You’re obviously an important asset to the crew. What if some heavy lifting needed to be done onboard the ship? Sit back down.” The pirate sat back down and Lukka scoped the crowd again. “Who else is willing to take on the Dread Pirate?” A pirate donned in barely any cloth at all stepped forward, swinging his swords quite dangerously. Lukka looked disgusted. “No way. I don’t fight people without clothes on. It’s gross. Sit back down.” Another pirate stood up and adjusted his glasses. He lifted a large blade, almost doubling the size of Lukka’s. Lukka smirked at the presentation. “Lucky for you, I don’t fight guys with glasses. It’s against my morals. Sit back down. Now, who else is out there?” This time, a pirate of only about three foot two stepped toward Lukka with a blood-thirsty glare. “What is this, the circus? No, no, I’m not in the mood for gymnastics practice.” Lukka turned to the captain. “This is insulting to the king of all pirates. How dare you attempt to sick such a weak crew of men on me. I am so utterly disgusted, yet I am going to show mercy and leave you all unharmed. I will take your treasure without fighting any of you. This will teach you, and you can think about what you have all done today.” The crew watched as Lukka and Lugg waltzed over to a treasure chest nestled in the sandy shore. Lukka gestured to Lugg, who accommodated Lukka’s motion by lifting the heavy chest onto his shoulder. “Now then, I hope your fate will be more fortunate in the future. And pray you do not run into the Dread Pirate Lukka ever again.” Lukka tipped his hat to the captain, who sat on a barrel of rum shaking his head in disbelief at the monkey pirate’s foolish efforts. Lukka and Lugg turned away, both with expressions portraying the phrase “Let’s get the hell out of here.” But as they started to walk up the shore, the captain called. “That was mighty amusing, boys. But I’ll be havin’ my treasure back now.” Lukka hesititated for a moment before replying in an intimidated tone, “Um, no.” The captain’s voice was far from entertained now. “Now be a good boy and bring it back, or I can’t promise I’ll let you go with a few broken limbs.” "Boss,” Lugg said quietly to Lukka, “I don’t think yer plan worked.” Lukka wanted to slap the big behemoth, but he was right. Lukka had counted on Captain Lore’s crew to be far more primitive than they were, and far less skilled at that. “What now, Boss?” Lugg asked. Lukka looked to Lugg, sweat pouring down his face like a waterfall. “Well, Lugg, first I think I will reluctantly shit myself. Then I’m up for suggestions on the matter.” ”Should we run?” “I’d second that.” And so, they did just that. Taking off at a sprint, the two ruffians shot into the woods, with Captain Lore’s crew hot on their rear. One thing Lore didn’t bet on was that Lukka was quick, and Lugg was fast as well, even with well over two hundred pounds in gold on his back. But Lukka made a few mistakes of his own. And they were soon about to catch him by the monkey tail.[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kei Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/kesariavatar.jpg[/img][/center] [color=darkblue][size=1]The dim lighting from a single candle illuminated the small hostel room Kesari occupied. She sat cross-legged on the hard mattress, pouring over all manner of scrolls covered in Old Hyrulian, runes and diagrams. It had become a habit of hers to read before settling down to sleep—one that her hater had instilled in her at a very young age. [b][i]"Always use your time to the fullest. Even while at rest, you can better yourself and the world around you."[/b][/i] The thought rang in her head as she thought of her father and wondered how he fared. It had been a long time since she had left home in the pursuit of knowledge. There was only so much her father had been able to teach her and though admittedly, it was far more than the average Hyrulian would be able to pass on to someone else, limits were still there. She had managed to acquire the basics of the craft from him, but her deeper knowledge and understanding had come from the books and scrolls she managed to get her hands on from various marketplaces and stalls. Still, even their contents were not enough. So Kesari took on the nature of the nomad, traveling from place to place, staying only as long as it took her to learn what she wanted before she was off to another area to attain more knowledge. Many people related strange tales of the world and valuable insight into the realm of magic along the way, something that Kesari was always eager to listen to and record in her own journal, which never left her person. Filled with accounts from various regions and along with notes she wrote to go along with them, to anyone else, it might have seemed an odd jumble of information, but this was the way she had come to know the world: through others and observations of others. Would the knowledge prove useful in the long run? Who could say. There were not many who look to self-proclaimed scholars for assistance, especially considering those of much higher skill within the capital. But, should the need arise, she would offer what help she could. "Do unto the worthy," or so the saying went.[/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcus Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 [INDENT][FONT="Palatino Linotype"][CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/faustavatar.jpg[/IMG] [B][U]The Offer Pt. 1[/U][/B][/CENTER] [B]?Wise decision, Mr. Faust. Your cooperation is more than appreciated. We?ll retrieve you when your services are needed for your nation.?[/B] Faust couldn?t help but grin smugly. [B]?So until then, you send me back to my cage? Should?ve seen [I]that[/I] coming.?[/B] The Hylian officer growled and sprung up, grabbing Faust by his collar. [B]?Get this straight, you little punk. You?re lucky we even considered offering you this chance to redeem yourself. You need a lesson in manners.?[/B] The officer punched Faust in the stomach and threw him against the wall. He sneered and stepped over Faust, staring at him disdainfully. [B]?Show some appreciation, boy.?[/B] He turned on his heel and began to exit when Faust began to laugh softly. The guard growled again and turned to face him. Faust rose slowly, dusted himself off, and strode directly up to the man, staring him in the eyes. [B]?Don?t kid yourself. I can see it in your eyes. [I]You[/I] didn?t choose to give me this offer. Someone else did- someone above you. And you hate that, don?t you? Lemme guess? A human, isn?t it? Oh, you must hate that! Being inferior to a human? Well just how does that [I]feel[/I]??[/B] The officer roared and quickly motioned to punch Faust; however, Faust easily grabbed the man?s arm, pushed into his chest, and slammed him into the floor. He lowered his face right above the guards and jeered. [B]?Get [I]this[/I] straight. I?m an innocent man doomed to live out the rest of my days in this hell hole because you Hylians just loving having a human scapegoat. And then what do you do? You come in here and tell me that I need to [I]redeem[/I] myself? REDEEM myself? Since I?ve been admitted to this place, I?ve been beaten relentlessly, and as much as I?d love to believe it was simply because you pinned murder on me? it?s not. The petty Hylian criminals and the Hylian murderers band together to attack me. And why? [I]Why[/I]? Why don?t you tell me! Why don?t you---? [/B] Faust clenched his teeth and took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily. He hadn?t been that worked up in ages, and he was ashamed for lapsing into that behavior. He let the man go, walked away, and sat down on the floor, crossing his legs. He spoke without looking at him. [B]?Regardless? You?re?right. I should be respectful. You?re giving me a chance for my life back. I?m in your debt.?[/B] The man rose and cracked his knuckles, whistling for his accomplices. Two more guards walked into the room, and cracked their knuckles as well. The lead guard laughed. [B]?You?re right, I wouldn?t choose to give you any chance back into life, pig? You can thank Valen for that. None-the-less, I think it only fair you begin repaying your debt to society now??[/B] [CENTER][I][U]A Couple of Minutes Later?[/U][/I][/CENTER] [B]?Hope you learned your lesson!?[/B] The three men threw open the door to Faust?s prison cell and tossed Faust against the furthermost wall, laughing as they strode off. The prisoner in the next cell, Derius, scoffed and spoke through the gate as Faust picked his bruised body up. [B]?Been a while since the guards beat you up. You must?ve really angered ?em, ey??[/B] Faust sighed and shrugged, sitting down on his bed and stretching his sore body. Derius responded, despite the silence. [B]?They must have struck a chord with ya, huh? Yer father? Yer mother? Or that dirty ex-partner of yours who sold you out??[/B] This got a rise out of Faust, who just couldn?t help but laugh at the last one. [B]?Hah? How would they know about that? Like they?d believe that the upstanding citizen who turned me in was really my ex-partner, and was really the one who committed the bulk of the crimes I was charged with-- especially the murder? No? It was the way he treated me. The way he acknowledged me. You know??[/B] Derius sighed in approval. [B]?All too well. But we?ll only have to deal with [I]these[/I] racists only so much longer--? ?Then we deal with a society of them,?[/B] Faust interrupted. Derius hung his head and responded quietly, rolling over in his bed. [B]?Yah??[/B][/FONT][/INDENT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 [INDENT][size=1][center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newvalenavatar.jpg[/img][/center] He should not have been necessary. The thought continued to repeat in his head, and would continue to repeat, every time he had to do something like this. The Gerudo woman was strapped to a large, heavy chair, she, firmly secure to it, like it was to the floor. The lamp hanging just above her head would prevent her from being able to identify him or anyone else in the room physically. It did not however prevent him from seeing her, a wretched mess, sobbing, pleading. He sighed and cursed the goddesses. ?[b]What are the Gerudo?s plans for the invasion of Hyrule ?[/b]? This was the only question he asked. No names, nothing about families or why they had come here. Such facts were irrelevant to him, and he did not deal in irrelevancies. She only cried harder in response, a handful of words made it through the gasps. ?[b]P?Please? I?I do?don?t know anything ab?about the invasion?I?m?I?m just a seamstress?Please?don?t hurt me?I have?I have a family?[/b]? He closed his eyes in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. She probably wasn?t lying. This woman didn?t have the look of a spy, or one of the elite female soldiers the Gerudo were so proud of. He crossed off her name from the list in his head of those he had interviewed today, one more, and nothing. He hated interviewing women, even if they weren?t human, the bawled and begged?but most of all?they made him feel like a beast for doing it. Valen?s heart was not hard as stone or steel. It could be moved by pity, and was sometimes. He clicked his fingers, and the two guards standing facing him, a few feet behind the woman quickly moved to release her. Their face-covering helmets and silence would protect them, but she did not even try to look at them, her gaze merely lifted from the floor, wet with tears, to the area she assumed he remained in the darkness. The sobbing had stopped, thankfully, and as the last restraint came free she moved shakily to stand. He turned his back to her and moved towards the heavy wooden door leading out of the room, then paused, looked back and spoke quietly ?[b]We will be watching you from now on. If you tell anyone about what occurred here today, we will return?and this time, we?ll take your children as well.[/b]? She didn?t say anything, a look of horror crossed her features but she still remained silent. Good. He didn?t like threatening children, but he had, if it meant a parent would break and give him what he wanted. The woman would be allowed return home, and would likely never speak about it to anyone. But they would watch her, just in case she did something foolish. Closing the door behind him, he heard as she broke into tears again and that thought, that loathsome thought wormed it?s way into his mind again. He should not have been necessary. He crushed it, he was necessary, regardless of whether he should have been or not. The world was not fair, and thus creatures and men who should not exist did, and he was simply one of them. ?We are what we are because someone must be.? It had become a mantra to him almost. He hated the goddesses, more than he hated the injustice and oppression that plagued his people, more than he hated having to threaten women with the death of their families he hated them. They, supposedly perfect beings had forged an imperfect world, with imperfect beings to inhabit it. And when these poor imperfect beings had killed their goddesses favoured creation, there was no mercy, no forgiveness. They raged, reshaped the world?and then left, and thus without guidance of their deities, they had created imperfect societies, governed by imperfect laws, imposed by imperfect men. Valen was imperfect, all were imperfect, and therefore all the terrible things they did could be laid at the feet of the goddesses. He hated them. It was blasphemy of course, and the Hylians would kill him if he ever spoke it aloud. They who supposedly possessed the ears best at hearing the words of the goddesses clung blindly to their faith. It was just one more aspect of them that disgusted him. And then their was their great saviour, the Hero of Time, another monumentous act of Hylian arrogance?and another monumentous failure. Quietly he redressed in his guard-captain armour, pausing as one of his guards entered the room unannounced, his reddened cheeks and heavy breathing indicating he had come in quite a rush. ?[b]Yes guardsman ?[/b]? ?[b]Your orders regarding the Faust-boy have been carried out. We?ve also delivered your request to meet with him at the barracks when he?s ready.[/b]? Valen smiled slightly. The boy hadn?t deserved to be imprisoned, but more than that, it he would be someone Valen could easily influence to join him. ?[b]Thank you, you may go now.[/b]?[/size][/INDENT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.J. McKrafty Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 [center][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/ariadoravatar.jpg[/IMG][/center] [LEFT][FONT=Arial][COLOR=Navy]The cell was cold. Ariador sat in the corner hugging himself for some warmth.[/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Arial][COLOR=Navy]He had been brought back to Hyrule a few days ago after finding him half dead wandering on the fringes of the Eastern Dessert.[/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Arial][COLOR=Navy] He had been stripped of all possessions and thrown into this cell until they could discern if he was part of some sort of a forward force. All he could do now was wait for the soldiers to get back and take him for an interrogation of some sort. The hinges on the door made a heinous whine as it was swung inward. The silhouette of a man stood in the light. [B]"Get up, you are wanted."[/B] he demanded in a stern voice as he grabbed Ariador's arm and jerked him to his feet. His arms were bound and he was practically dragged by the overzealous guard. The corridor seemed so much longer than it actually was. They would periodically pass by a cell with an occupant, most of them just starring blankly out. Eyes flicking on him as he passed. This place felt so evil to him. The further down the corridor they moved the brighter it seemed to be though. They finally reached a solid oak door with a brass knob on it. The guard yanked the door open and dragged Ariador into the room like he was some sort of rag doll. He was pushed down into a seat here his arms were bound at the wrists to the rests on the side. The man leading Ariador stepped to the back of the room. A guard stood on either side of him each with their hands resting on the hilts of their swords. Both of them stood rigid as the door to the back of Ariador swung open. A young looking man stepped forward and started to pace in front of Ariador. [B] "What condition is he in?"[/B] the man asked. The guard in the back of the room leaped forward at this and presented himself. [B]"From what we can gather he is completely illiterate, but he does respond to simple questions and has shown no signs of hostility to us yet."[/B] The man stopped pacing and nodded to the guard. He then stepped up to Ariador and drew his face up so he could see him eye to eye. [B] "Can you understand me?"[/B] He asked slowly. Ariador nodded. [B] "Can you speak?" "To a point,"[/B] Ariador answered quietly. [B]"We were seldom allowed to speak." [/B]The man look at Ariador with a puzzled expression and then looked up at the door. Apparently someone had entered and Ariador hadn't noticed. Without an exchange of words the young man stepped back from Ariador and an older man who had started to gray walked into view. [B]"At this point, we have yet to think of an interrogation that would work on you,"[/B] The older man said in a solemn tone.[B] "You have been through many tortures in your life. Your spirit broken long ago I can imagine."[/B] Ariador just dropped his head at this. When he looked up the older man was kneeling in front of Ariador at eye level. his eyes were a blue that grayed on the fringes just like his hair. He just stared at Ariador for a moment then rose and left the room without another word. The room remained silent until finally the guard in the back came up and untied Ariador from the chair and led him back to his cell. Ariador sat alone in the darkness again, just wondering what the expression on the man's face was. [/COLOR][/FONT][/LEFT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 [indent][size=1][center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/shiekavatar.jpg[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/egaliaavatar.jpg[/img][/center] Egalia brushed her hair as yet another customer entered her shop. It was Queen Zelda, heavily disguised, and clearly exhausted. With broad shoulders and a low voice, nobody would recognize that she was a woman, much less the monarch of Hyrule. "[b]Welcome, sir. Herbs or healing?[/b]" "[b]Neither,[/b]" Zelda replied, "[b]I hope to cast a divinity, and many a merchant has recommended your inventory.[/b]" Egalia nodded, "[b]I'm afraid you misunderstand me, stranger. I am but a simple apothecary, and divinities are forbidden within the kingdom. Should you need fermented Deku nuts, or some fine magic powder, I would be more than happy to assist you...[/b]" Frustrated, Zelda removed a small coin bag from her waist, and poured several enormous ruppees on the counter, "[b]Please. I have been searching for many hours, and trust that you can assist me...[/b]" The merchant's eyes widened as she examined the jewels, "[b]Hm. Actually, maybe I do have something that would be of assistance...[/b]" She reached below the counter, and pulled out an enormous boar's head, "[b]But to properly help you, I must know what it is you seek.[/b]" "[b]I search for a man.[/b]" "[b][i]Don't we all?[/i][/b]" Egalia replied with a dreamy sigh, "[b]I trust you have a personal belonging of his as well, to guide the spell...[/b]" "[b]Yes. Of course,[/b]" she said as she withdrew a small slingshot, "[b]Will this work?[/b]" "[b]A strand of hair, or a vial of blood is preferrable, but I am a professional, and shall make do with what I have been given.[/b]" "[b]It is of the utmost importantance that I find him.[/b]" "[b]Ceertainly,[/b]" Egalia nodded, "[b]These incantations do take time, though. I imagine if we start the ritual now we should be able to locate him by sundown.[/b]" "[b]That is much too late. Prepare the ingredients, and I shall return tomorrow night to finish the spell.[/b]" "[b]Of course, Mister..?[/b]" "[b]You can call me Sheik.[/b]" She headed towards the door as Egalia placed the slingshot and rupees into a large glass jar. The silver bells of the store chimed softly, and the stranger was gone just as quickly as they had appeared.[/size][/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raiha Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/egaliaavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"][i]Egalia sighed and finished wrapping up a small packet of ergot and slippery elm bark for one of the local prostitutes that wasn't too proud to come to her. These kinds of things were somewhat sketchy, but if things went wrong, Egalia could always repair the damage with magic. Touchy business but rents had to be paid, and bills were always present. She closed the shop door, locked it and set down the bar behind it, then pulled down the rattan shades over the two windows. Shuffling a few papers on her counter, the cats purred and mewled, twining themselves around her ankles, excited about the prospect of her feeding them now that work was done. Lugging the enormous boar's head behind her, the bits and pieces Shiek had left for her wrapped securely in her apron pocket, Egalia headed down the stairs towards her basement and laboratory where all of her best work was done. Setting down the head on a worktable, she turned towards the jugs that lined the back wall and tipped a prodigious amount of milk into the saucers for the cats, all six immediately converging on the saucer like she'd set off an alarm.[/i] "Drink up little ones, I'll need you later." [i]This kind of spell was best done at midnight, but the preparation for one of the more forbidden spells in the land was extremely long. The boar's blood would be useful when dried in the extensive and all purpose magic circle she'd taken the time to carve into the stone floor. Some people laughed at her. What use after all would a white and blue mage have for such a huge thing? It wasn't portable and it wasn't very useful for anything but enormous spells. But the dirty little secret was that Egalia could both use it with a minimal amount of effort, and that her six cats could help her channel the power to make it look simple. The boar's head, still containing an excellent amount of blood, she slashed open in several places with the ritual silver knife she'd picked up from a very handy set of smiths down the way. The blood gouted and swelled, pouring into the cracks of the magic circle, a pain to clean, but useful in their own way. She pulled down packets and crocks from the shelves that lined the walls of her workroom, placing them on her table, before consulting with one of the enormous tomes that lay open. She lit several candles as she passed by with a fingertip, the torches flaring to life when she narrowed her eyes and snapped her fingers at each one.[/i] "Now, divinity, divination, diversity, no there it is." [i]She picked up her quill and ink pot, and began marking measurements on a parchment spread out and weighed with river rocks she'd marked with runes for the occasion. Copying down the recipe was painless enough, if tedious as most of it was in the Old Language and thus necessarily translated. 2 vials containing essences of rat saliva 1 cake of dried spider's blood 3 sprinkles of verbenna 6 pinches of dried rubarb 10 stirs with the left hand 8 with the right Pour into a silver basin as the moon wanes and look to see what you would see.[/i] "Well could be worse. At least there's no ritual sacrifice at the end like these things used to demand." [i]She set down her pen and picked up the ingredients. Most spells like this took forever to get just right but could last for days. And since she had a full night and day to finish up, and didn't want to have to deal with more of it tomorrow when customers would be coming around... Might as well finish grinding with the mortar and pestle and get down to business.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 [color=gray][center][IMG]http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/AgriasNesme/Raven-1.jpg[/IMG][/center] [i][pindent=2]He wiped his hands of the matter regarding the rape attempt quite quickly after his return to the castle. A short visit to the dungeons, a brief chat with the orderly on duty, and the promise of an interrogation in the morning left Raven feeling quite fulfilled, even if his extracurricular activity had been, for the night, a wash. He looked back into the cell block and smirked, writing down an assignment in the duty roster for a moment before affixing his signature. He knew it rankled Valen, the old goat, that he had a commanding officer of only twenty-two summers, but life was unfair, and he knew it was more than likely to be attributed to Valen's views on society's favoring of the Hylian people. This was just his way of assuring Valen that Raven, at least, was a fair person.[/pindent] [pindent=2]Then again, Valen was one of the few people in the Guard that knew of Raven's mental state at all times. He knew Raven was a fair person, but beyond that, he knew the true reasons behind Raven's passionate hatred of the Legend of the Hero in general, and the Hero in specific. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to reign in his anger, his hand clenching in a claw-like gesture before he sensed the presence of another nearing his position.[/pindent] [pindent=2][/i]"You shouldn't hold it against him."[/pindent] [i][pindent=2]He turned, without reply, to study the blue-suited figure before him. He did not kneel, as he knew she was still maintaining her guise, but he did incline his head respectfully. Never let it be said that Raven did not respect his betters.[/pindent] [pindent=2][/i]"Your aunt is worried for you, Ser Raven. And I do not mean that she worries because you are the last of your blood and clan."[/pindent] [pindent=2][i]His eyes hardened, and the inclination of his head became a little stiff, signs quite invisible to the naked eyes of an untrained observer, but to those who bore the hallmarks of the training that these two had, these signs were as obvious as the monumental ruins dotting Lake Hylia's surface. He raised his amber gaze, studying the emblem emblazoned across the white tabard draped across the blue of the body-suit, the self-same emblem that marked his right shoulder as the last son of the Sol-Harkinian line. He offered no reply.[/pindent] [pindent=2][/i]"Ser Raven...your aunt intends to request you continue your training beyond the limits of the sword. I would see you under her wing again."[/pindent] [pindent=2]"Is that an order, 'Shiek'?"[/pindent][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionheart Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/xanderavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [SIZE="1"] The guard's dressing room smelt of a horrific odor that instantly knocks out your sense of smell right when you walk in. It was quite an achievement if you would say, that even the maidens wouldn't even dare come down and see what the source of the evil was coming from. Most of the guards believed in an odor ghost that lingers throughout and lives within the closests. If Xander had to credit himself for anything. It was for making the greatest decision of taking his gear to his home for old man Artis to throughly clense them. His foster father would never have him guarding a sacred castle looking a pile of droppings with armor attached to it. Xander made his way through the naked soldiers that, if he was told correctly, did more then help their comrades put on his equipment. Posted against the solid wall was the list of people who were guarding the slected area. Like always, Xander was to station at the broom closet. What made that closet so special that it needed to be protected? Surely he could be put to much more proper use than this... [B]"Xander!? What the hell you doing? You were suppose to already be at your listed position already!"[/B] The guard captain came in with his great strides. What pissed him the most was the captain would get on him when theres naked guards playing sword fights, without using their swords. [B]"....Sorry cap. I'll head right to it."[/B] [B]"Pssh, you rookies are all the same."[/B] Waiting. Waiting. More waiting. Check out that maid....More waiting. Xander stood on the left side of the door, spear in one hand and the other jumping every second to locate and terminate the birthing home of an potential itching spot on his pack made from the armor. The other guard that stood on the other side of the door was silent and slightly slumped against the wall. Xander couldn't stand there the whole time without at least a simple small talk. [B]"So, you a rookie too?"[/B] He asked, not knowing the indenity of his fellow guard partner. Nothing but Silence. [B]"Uh....Hello?"[/B] More silence. Xander inched farther out and try to take a glimse of his face. He was an old man indeed with a grey-filled mustache. The thing that shocked him the most was beause he was passed out and was sleeping on duty. He was no rookie either as he was clearly three times the age of himself. And if he really thought about it, when he walked past him awhile back, he did smell the scent of achohol from the man. Seeing this man in this state, Xander knew he clearly had a few too many. [B]"Well this sucks." [/B]Xander whispered to himself, putting all his weight against the stone wall and staring up at the ceiling. [B]"XANDER!!! YOU ARE THE WORST EXCUSE FOR A GUARD OF HYRULE!!!!" [/B] The up-roar made Xander flinch terribly, dropping his spear onto the ground, by the feet of the guard captain. "[B]Hey cap...."[/B] [B]"Slacking off on duty? No reason at all! What happens if an assassin enters from the broom closet, mmmhhmm? We all die because you were too damn lazy!" [/B]Of course, Xander saw so many flaws in what the captain told him, but he kept it quiet as always. There wasn't even a window in the closet. It was a closet! He gave a threatening look at him then he turned to the old soldier next to him. He someone transformed faces and smiled from ear to ear. [B]"Good job, comrade. Such an experienced officer indeed. Faking that your asleep to try and take all the blame for this rookie's excuse of lazyness and imaturidy."[/B] He gave one more disgusting look at Xander and stormed off from the empty hallway. Was he really faking? That question was answered swifty as the old fart collapsed onto the floor, snoring away.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.J. McKrafty Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 [center][FONT=Arial][COLOR=Navy][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/ariadoravatar.jpg[/IMG][/COLOR][/FONT] [/center] [FONT=Arial][COLOR=Navy] Ariador woke up to a meal being slid into the cell. He ignored it and rolled over on the pile of hay that made up his bed. He didn?t feel hungry. He had barely ate since he was brought to Hyrule. He fidgeted in the hay a moment more before he gave up on returning to sleep, and picked up the plate. Most of the food had sloshed off the plate when it was slid into the room. Ariador looked at the rest in question. He had never eaten anything like it. It had a gritty texture and barely had a taste. He finished quietly and slid the plate through the small hole at the bottom of the door. Ariador had just sat back on the pile of hay when the light from the hallway flooded the room. A bundle was thrown into the floor in front of the door. [B] "I suggest you get dressed quickly."[/B] The guard commanded. Ariador quickly opened the bundle to find his clothes and quickly threw them on. He stepped out of the cell and saw the young man from earlier standing with a torch in hand. He held a piece of parchment and cleared his throat when Ariador stepped from the cell. [B] "After being deemed not a threat to the kingdom of Hyrule, and a vouch for your release. You are being let go."[/B] Thee man motioned down the corridor and departed down the opposite direction. Ariador looked down the corridor and then started down it. The same empty eyes he saw before stared out at him. He couldn't help but feel their new found envy of his release. He didn't make eye contact with any of them and kept his gaze at his feet. He passed the wooden door where they took him the day before without a second glance and came upon a set of stairs. He climbed them to the top and found the older man from earlier leaning in the doorway leading outside. He starred at the kingdom in front of him quietly. Ariador stopped a few steps shy of the man and waited. [B] "I had a son in your position. For all I know he still is."[/B] The man said keeping his gaze outside. [B]"It must be a horrible life, living in servitude, never to be free. That's why I am offering you this chance at a new life."[/B] He turned and met eyes with Ariador. [B]"In hopes that in some way, it helps me absolve myself. For abandoning my son to that life."[/B] He walked up to Ariador and held out his hand." Ariador paused for a moment and then took it. [B]"Thank you."[/B] He murmured. The old man just shook his head. [B]"I don't deserve it."[/B] With that he left Ariador and retreated back into the dungeon. Ariador watch him descend the stairs and leave from view. He turned to see his longbow and quiver standing in the corner by the door. He picked them up and shouldered them. He left the dungeon into the kingdom. Into his new life.[/COLOR][/FONT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Warrior Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/lukkavatar.jpg[/img][/center] [indent][size=1]Lukka and Lugg darted into the woods with Captain Lore's crew not far behind. Lugg plowed the path, thrashing through brush like a stampeding bull. He pulled back branches as he rushed through, breaking most of them. The ones that he did not manage to snap came flailing back to rendevous with Lukka's face. "Watch it, you big galoot!" the pirate captain shouted with a mouthful of leaves. "Sorry, Boss," Lugg said in his usual customary primitive timbre. Lukka opened his mouth to speak again, but was greeted in the jaw by a sapling whisking by like a catapult launch. He spat out small insects and foilage and angrily hallooed, "Lugg, stop this instant!" "Stop?" Lugg repeated innocently. "Stop!" "Okay." Lugg stopped. Lukka crashed into him and collapsed to the mossy forest floor. Looking up at his doltish lackey, Lukka felt words delicately fall out of his open mouth as he found his body also doing its own form of falling. The ground beneath Lugg and Lukka gave way and they dropped quickly down into dark abyss. Upon arrival to the scene, Captain Lore was just as confused by his enemy's sudden disappearance as the rest of his crew was. "Where in the fresh hell did they do?" the captain cried. "One of you better start talkin' or yer losin' yer balls tonight!" "We're just as lost as you, cap'n," muttered one of the pirates. Captain Lore raised a fist as though to slog the minion right in the cheekbone, but he lowered it just as quickly. He stared down a small hole on the edge of the trail. There was something strange about it. Turning to the crew, Lore began to bark orders like the ruthless captain he was. "When you ladies are done [i]kissin'[/i], there's treasure to be got back! So move it! Handsomely now! I want the small one alive!" The drop appeared to take forever because Lukka was growing bored before they finally landed on a soft surface below. Lukka would have been fine if Lugg hadn't landed on him, but the impact knocked him unconscious, blurring out most of the harrowing pang of ribs cracking and a collapsed lung. When Lukka finally jerked back awake, he found himself slung over Lugg's shoulder like a burlap sack. "What's the meaning of this, Lugg?" "You look awfully cute when yer sleepin', Boss," Lugg giggled. Lukka smacked the large dullard over the head with a weak fist and grumbled. "Put me down!" Lugg did so, however Lukka regretted it short after the sharp pain of his cracked ribs pulsed through his body upon percussion with the ground. Lugg lightly sat the treasure chest down with great care as Lukka cried out in pain in the backdrop. "Ohhh, my chest... I can't breathe..." Lugg began to assemble straps for the treasure chest so it'd be able to be carried securely on his back like a bag. Lukka continued to weep. "I taste blood..." "We must go now, Boss," Lugg said, hoisting the chest around his bulky form and anchoring it to his shoulders. Lukka pulled his head out of the mossy carpet of the ground. "You... hebetudinous ignoramus... oh, how I hate you." "I think I hear a voice, Boss." Lugg peered over into the darkness. Lukka's eyes followed his large minion's gaze until a small light could be seen. It glistened in the obscureness, possibly from a lantern of some sort. Lukka began to panic at the sight of a figure approaching, but was too hurt to make an attempt at an escape on his own, much less mouth words to warn Lugg. "We... must... leave... idiot..." "But, sir," Lugg argued, "he's just an old man." "He wants you... to think that... and then... next thing you know... bam! You're eating Deku nuts... through your orifice holes in your nose." The old man approached Lugg and smiled. His voice was soft, calm, and his features attributed many stories sewn into his history through his summers. "Haven't seen many folks down here." "We fell," Lugg replied. "Shut up!" Lukka screamed from his position in the mud. He clambered to his feet and stumbled over to Lugg and the old man. Upon tripping, he caught himself on Lugg's pants and used the garments to pull himself back up. "Shut up, you cretin. Don't say a word!" "And who are you, angry little man?" asked the old fellow. Through eyes barely open, the old man examined the tired and beaten Lukka. "I am the Dread Pirate Lukka and you shall fear me!" To say such a line with great emphasis took everything Lukka had left in him. He began to cough and moan, leaning on Lugg's arm for rest. "So I will," the old man said with a smirk. "Heeey," Lukka whined. "That's not fear. That's a smiiile." "Who are you?" Lugg asked. "Shut up, I said!" shouted Lukka. The old man smiled and waved a hand over Lukka's frail form. Suddenly, the monkey pirate felt much stronger. "Yeah... what Lugg said... who are you?" The old man smiled. "Come. Castletown is near."[/size][/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spectacular Professor Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/falvoavatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/egaliaavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"]As Falvo made a small number of ceremonial flights around his family roost on Death Mountain, he noticed a number of strange, rock-like creatures wandering the lower parts of the dormant volcano. "The Gorons look well," the young Rito thought to himself. It was strange that despite all of the differences between the two races, they coexisted rather peacefully, whereas the very humanoid Rito were still despised and rejected by the Hylians and Humans. Falvo had always taken it as a sign that there was still hope for peace in the world, and vowed that he would do everything in his power to achieve such a thing. At the end of his third circling pattern, the boy decided that he would make a few stops before finally arriving at the Castle to enlist. His first just happened to be at the foot of the mountain, so he adjusted his flight pattern accordingly and lit neatly in front of a wide, fancy cave entrance that had obviously been hand-chiseled. "Falvo, my boy!" laughed a large, rotund Goron, "how are you, ya little chick?" "This one is doing quite well for himself, Uncle Link," replied Falvo, "I can see that thou art not faring too badly either!" The Goron laughed and patted his chest. "Ah, but those are just the perks of being the leader of our clan, young'un! What are you here for, anyway?" Falvo took a breath. He was aware of the history behind the great leader's name and needed to approach it very delicately. "Well, Uncle Link, I am finally embarking upon my great ritual journey. I plan to join the Hylian army to combat the evil of this world both outward and within and I need to know about... The Hero of Time," he ended sheepishly. Link's face had been gradually growing more solemn with every word, and with the phrase "Hero of Time," the look in his eyes made Falvo think that he would never feel happiness again. "Aye," he said, "The Hero of Time. I wish not to speak of the violent thug plaguing the countryside as we speak, but I will say this; the Hero of Time, the legendary harbinger of justice and light and my very namesake, is not the blackguard everyone speaks of today. That unspeakable criminal is not the man I once knew." "Thank you," replied Falvo, "I understand thy plight and appreciate thy help." "Think nothing of it!" replied the Goron, back to his usual chipper self, "If I didn't do all I could to help you, why I'd never be able to negotiate with your father. As for your mum, she'd outright kill me!" Falvo smiled a little, finding it hard to picture his overprotective mother capable of murder. "Anyway, you'd better take this," said Link, holding out a black cloak, "we all know how it is out there, and it may be best not to reveal your true nature until you've arrived at the Castle." "Thou art too kind, Uncle Link," replied Falvo, jumping up to catch the wind, "I shall see ye again someday!" [CENTER]. . .[/CENTER] Falvo's arrival in Castle Town was quite discreet. He made sure to conceal any loose feathers to prevent telltale molting and pulled the cloakthe bottom of his face in order to hide is beak. He continued down the street relatively unnoticed. A little way down, he saw another Rito sitting beside the street. His wings were unkempt and his beak was slightly cracked on the left side. He was very thin and his eyes betrayed neither happiness nor even a glimmer of hope. Falvo bowed his head slightly as he dropped a small amount of coins into the worn hat beside this pitiful creature. The other looked up and smiled weakly, which made Falvo all the more upset with the poor Rito's plight. Further along the street, Falvo espied an apothecary. He approached to see if the shop was open. No such luck. Not one to give up so easily, he decided to see if the owner was still in. He rapped the door sharply several times. Egailia's head poked around the door. "What do you want, boy? Make it snappy, I need to make the cats stop playing with my leftover boar's blood." "Pray, what be the blood for?" questioned a slightly shaken Falvo. "Just a divinity I'm working on. Now what is it you're after? I'm a very busy woman." "Are not divinities forbidden in this land?" Egaila sighed. "Look you little upstart. I'm working on a top secret spell and now that you know the nature of it, I really ought to kill you. Know why you're still alive? because I've taken interest in you and I think you'll be useful for this, Rito." Falvo's eyes widened. "How did you..." " I know a lot of things," she interrupted, "now get inside or there's a ritual sacrifice in your future."[/FONT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellerby Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/babaavatar.jpg[/img][/center] [SIZE="1"][COLOR="DimGray"]Baba walked along the trail in Hyrule Field towards Kokiri Forest. Every thousandth moon since he was turned into a Deku he trekked from wherever he was and set up a temporary hut in Lost Woods. As a Deku he felt much more at peace there. It was now the seventy-three thousandth moon. His feet began to ache. Thrusting his over-sized baba staff into the ground he sat in front of it, leaning back for support. He gazed at the bright full moon. His mind wandered to the night when that strange Gerudo man stopped him on the trails. "[I]...blasted Gerudo thief.[/I]" Baba thought. His eyes began to close as he stared at the starry night sky and not much later he drifted into a heavy sleep.[/COLOR][/SIZE] [CENTER]~ * ~[/CENTER] [SIZE="1"][COLOR="DimGray"]The next morning Baba stepped excitedly towards the hidden forest village. He had a wonderful dream while sleeping that really encouraged his hopes. As soon as he awoke he scribbled down every little detail he could remember as not to forget the dream. Baba was a great believer in dreams being a personal prediction of ones future. He also only dreamt once every few hundred days so that excited him too. [INDENT][i]Dream Log 342 A man in the shadows claims victim after victim, not being caught once. I walk into the dark and he reveals himself as not a man but just the shadow of a man. Bright light from behind me sends him away and I'm in a large grassy field. Hyrule Field? In the distance I can see my staff stuck in the ground. End. [U]Thoughts[/U] Man in Shadows - Recurring fear? Am I afraid of the man who stole my life? Bright light - Support from an outside party. Be more social. Staff in the field - [strike]My staff is in Hyrule Field?[/strike] No, too literal. Perhaps it is in an obvious spot.[/i][/INDENT] Now under the impression that each step guided him closer to his former life Baba trotted quickly and happily into Lost Woods.[/COLOR][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newlinkavatar.jpg[/img] [size=3][b]March 3rd[/b][/size] [i]Journal Entry[/i][/center] Before I saw her, I could smell her. Young. Ripe. Frightened. She was lost. Why had such a young woman ventured so far alone? So foolish, so innocent. I ran in her direction without a care. I could taste her smell on the breeze. That she was lost and confused made it better. Her reaction to a stranger in the dark may have been one of fear at first. A tall silhouette approaching her slowly, panting in the cool air. She did not bother to run; where could she possibly go? Every direction is a dead end. Don't bother to run and waste that wonderful energy! Doing so would upset me greatly. My efforts would be useless. She did not run and much to my surprise and delight, saved her energy for me. She resisted! How delightful! Pressing her down and positioning myself at the same time was a welcome challenge. It made the moment of truth so much more enjoyable. As I knew, even from far away, she had never given herself to a man before. And now, as I made my mark, her cries seemed to betray her true feelings. At first, resistance - the most wonderful kind of game for a hunter such as myself - but then, something else. Her hands pressed against my shoulders, pushing me away. And then they gripped my arms, almost tearing at my tunic. Part fear, part horror, part confusion and the slightest undercurrent of pleasure. 'Do I keep resisting or do I submit? Horror or pleasure?' She seemed to be asking herself these questions. As I invaded her body, I could see the conflict on her face. And then, when I was finished and had no further need for her, it stopped. I looked down over her where she lay. Her energy was gone and she did not attempt to move. Her skirt fluttered up around her stomach and her white porcelain legs sprawled out on the moonlit grass. I smirked. A slither of fabric lay in her palm, where she had torn it from my shoulder. She didn't throw it away in disgust, but instead seemed to grip at it gently. It was a memoir of her first sexual experience. Somehow I knew she would keep it. Maybe she would never tell anybody, but she would always know. My mark would stay with her. [center][size=3][b]March 4th[/b][/size] [i]Journal Entry[/i][/center] I have been dreaming of such horrible things in recent days. What is happening to me? I'm all alone. My tunic is torn. I don't have the fabric to fix it. I have sewn the gap together. It has been stitched in so many places now. It is like my own skin, scarred and worn. I feel so tired. Why? As I sit at my writing desk and put quill to paper, I can hear the distant crack of thunder. It seems to rain constantly in these woods. I hate the sound of thunder. Whenever I hear it, I am reminded of the hooves of the Gryphon. Sometimes I think about the Hyrulian Guard when these storms roll overhead. When will they find me and bring me to justice? Perhaps they have simply forgotten me. I am not worthy of their consideration. What terrifies me now, more than anything, is the knowledge that I am not alone in this little cottage in the woods. Someone else is here with me. He is always standing behind me, just over my shoulder. Yet he is always just out of sight. If I pass a mirror, or if I turn quickly I sometimes catch a slight glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye. But he is too fast! I can not describe how he looks, except to say that he is a lot like me. He is older, perhaps, and he has very dark eyes. His face is obscured by shadow. He is always angry. He laughs at the most horrible things. He makes me sick. I suspect that it does not matter whether or not I am ever caught or arrested. This cottage is my prison and the Dark Man is its warden. Sometimes I call out loud and ask what he wants. I scream at the top of my lungs until I am so frustrated that I drop to my knees and plead. He's always there, very close, but he never responds. He is driving me crazy and he knows it. I don't think he wants to kill me. I think... ...I think he wants to destroy my soul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 [size=1][indent][center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/shiekavatar.jpg[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newvalenavatar.jpg[/img][/center] With several well-placed jumps. Sheik bounded over the palace walls towards her chambers. A thousand similar escapes had taken place on a thousand similar nights. but never before were her errands more pressing. The approach of the Gerudo was inevitable, and as such it was of the utmost importance that she accomplished her mission. The Queen climbed up the walls to her quarters, but a pair of voices could be heard conversing from within. She immediately slid behind a balcony door as they spoke, hoping not to be noticed. "[b]We have failed the monarchy, Valen,[/b]" a gruff, older officer commiserated, "[b]How could Queen Zelda have been snatched away in the middle of the night?[/b]" Valen nodded. He was younger, in his 40’s, with shoulder-length black hair tied behind his head. Only moments ago he had been summoned to the Queen’s personal quarters by Guard Commander Song, unaware of what had taken place that night. When he arrived the scene he saw was shocking,: drawers were emptied, walls torn into, blood splattered carelessly throughout. Whoever had done this was looking for something, Valen thought to himself, and they were wasting no time doing it. In the corner of the bedroom lay Impa. She was still in her rocking chair when she died, clutching tightly onto an ocarina when she was slashed across the throat. "[b]Guards are always positioned along all sides, sir. I can only assume that supernatural forces were at work... or an inside job.[/b]” “[b]What are you insinuating, Valen?[/b]” “[b]It’s nothing. I‘m merely stating a possibility…[/b]” “[b]Possible, perhaps, but unlikely,[/b]“ There was a pregnant pause and the older man waved his hand dismissively, “[b]You were merely called here because I knew I could trust you with this.[/b]” Valen nodded, “[b]You don’t intend to keep the Queen’s kidnapping secret, do you?[/b]” “[b]Of course not,[/b]” Song replied as he motioned towards the other end of the room, “[b]But I’m afraid your speculation is unnecessary. We already have a suspect.[/b]” “[b]Who is it, sir?[/b]” “[b]Take a look at the woman’s body. I imagine you’ll be able to figure it out for yourself…[/b]” He pulled a large sheet from the bed, and carefully placed it over Impa‘s body. It was then that he noticed a familiar symbol, etched in blood on the woman’s hand: The Triforce. “[b]Is this what I think it is?[/b]” he asked. "[b]Whatever it is, it must be kept a secret of the highest priority. I am trusting you with finding the Queen and apprehending this madman at once.[/b]” “[b]You expect me to apprehend the Hero of Time?[/b]” “[b]It’s talk like that which turns farmers into legends, and petty criminals into warlords. Assemble a team if you must, but I don‘t want any of this information leaving the palace walls.[/b]” He turned sharply towards the door, and began to walk out, “[b]Should there be any… complications, notify me at once.[/b]” “[b]Yes, sir...[/b]” Valen let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead softly, “[b][I]…what have I gotten myself into?[/b][/I]”[/size][/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newlinkavatar.jpg[/img] [size=3]The Gerudo Campaign[/size] [i]Journal Entry[/i][/center] When I was a child, I enjoyed a relatively peaceful life. Back then, we lived in a little house in Kokiri Village, south west of Castle Town. It was a quite life and although I was aware of the rise of Aghanim (and that my father foiled his plot), I do not remember feeling any immediate sense of danger. While my father was running across the countryside doing whatever heroes do, my mother raised me and ensured that our home life was as carefree as possible. I did miss my father though. At times I rarely saw him, but no matter what, he made sure to return home at the end of every month. He might only stay for a day and, if I was lucky, he might stay for three days. Sometimes when he came home he was slightly distant and he regularly wore the evidence of new bruises and scratches (as well as other, more serious injuries). Whenever I cried to my mother about him being away, she would sternly tell me that ?he is keeping the darkness at bay, so that it may never reach us here.? I was proud of him and I came to understand why Hyrule needed such a hero. When dad was home, he would always choose one night where we would all sit around a freshly-lit fire and listen to his wild and wonderful stories from abroad. We heard of strange beasts, powerful magic and ancient artefacts. I used to sit on my mother?s knee with a glass of warm Lon Lon milk while I listened intently. She used to stroke my hair, which was bittersweet, because I?d often fall asleep before the end of the story. Of all the subjects my father mentioned during those nights in front of the fire, it was his encounters with the various races of Hyrule that most interested me. He first spoke of the powerful, ancient and majestic Zora, who lived in an enormous lagoon (adjoining Lake Hylia) to the far south. When describing the Zora, I could see the look of joy on his face. He discussed their culture in great detail and even recited several legendary Zora ballads (which had been given a fresh coat of paint from an upstart music group in more recent times). In particular he spoke of Princess Ruto, the Child Princess. Here was a girl with great power thrust upon her at an early age, yet he spoke of her in such adoring terms. She was disciplined in her studies and spoke several languages, including Hylian (which impressed me, as native Hylian is truly the only civilized language in our fair country). The world of the Zora sounded mysterious and wonderful. It was clear that my father held a deep respect for these people. And, despite the fact that they were clearly not the Chosen People, the Zora managed to live peacefully in Hyrule's south, without impeding on Hylians in any way. Perhaps if they had tried to settle in Castle Town or Kokiri Village, they would have been unwelcome, but few Hylians lived in and around Lake Hylia. On other occasions he mentioned the Gorons, which were a curious sort, perhaps even more so than the Zora. The Gorons lived inside Death Mountain. They were, like the Zora, an ancient race with many customs and traditions. My father told stories about his father, who had saved the entire race of Gorons from the great dragon Volvagia. As a result, I thought that the Gorons must surely owe their entire existence to the powerful Hylians. My father told me that the Gorons began fashioning objects from rock, which they gave to the Hylians as a kind of tribute. The third story that confirmed my faith in the Hylian was related to the Story of Creation and the Three Goddesses. Every single record, every single historical account supported the core truth that Hylians were and are the true Chosen People. The Goddesses intended for Hylians to rule the world and to bring order to it. To me, this entire account of history was a kind of natural selection. Clearly, the Goddesses protected and cherished Hylians; we are in every way the superior race in Hyrule and beyond. The Zora and Gorons are curiosities of nature, with their funny traditions, curious languages and laughably simple economies. They owe their existence to the power and purity of the Hylian race and it is by our grace that they continue to remain healthy and safe. When my father retired and eventually passed away, the mantle was passed to me. While I may have been utterly convinced of Hylian superiority and the glory of my country, I wouldn't say that I was keen enough to go out and defend it. Of course, that view quickly changed when Hyrule entered a brief period of political turmoil, which was triggered by an assassination attempt on Queen Zelda. I was not immediately aware of the nature of this threat. I had always been told that Aghanim was from "a far away land", but had grown up as a citizen of Hyrule. In other words, he was a naturalized Hyrulian. His betrayal was largely no different to the betrayal of any Hyrulian citizen, or so I thought. After meeting with the Queen at Hyrule Castle, I began to gain a new understanding. I had heard of several strange races from my father, but he had omitted (or simply never encountered) one of them: the Gerudo. "Gerudo" was a word that I would come to hate with every fiber of my being. The assassination attempt had been made by a Gerudo female. When I first learned the details of the attack, I did not consider there to be anything unusual as such. The Gerudo, I assumed, were perhaps no different to Hylians. They were human, at least. And I naively thought that these Gerudo were simply looking for the same thing as everybody else: power and riches. But I did not know the full extent of their barbarism. I did not learn the true nature of the Gerudo (and by extension, the true importance of the Hylian) until I was commissioned by the Queen to travel to the Far East, into the Desert of Doubt. My mission was simple: track down the Gerudo capital and gather what information I could. At that stage I was not even required to conduct an assassination or a battle. The Queen's mercy - and the endless mercy of the wonderful Hylian people - knew no bounds. True power, the Queen told me, was not in the killing of others but in the exercise of restraint and mercy. Shortly following my discussion with the Queen, I set off for the Desert of Doubt. All I had was my trusty steed (who had still been a foal only one spring prior), as well as a small collection of food and items (I carried my father's slingshot, which was not particularly useful but which I cherished nonetheless). I rode for several days and nights, only stopping briefly for sleep and to wash in streams and creeks that dotted my path. As I continued to move further east, Hyrule's landscape changed. The villages and small towns were spread further apart and the people became increasingly different; I'm not sure how, exactly, to describe this difference except to say that they were less and less like the traditional Hylians I knew from home. Eventually I came upon a place called the Border Territory. It divides Hyrule Kingdom from the Desert of Doubt, although most Hylians would consider the desert part of Hyrule's sovereign territory. At this stage, I can distinctly remember the oppressive heat. When I looked behind me, I could no longer see the expansive grass plains of Hyrule Kindgom, even though I had only just passed over them. It was as though one became completely enveloped by the stifling heat and endless sands upon entering the desert. I continued to ride for several more days. At times I was lucky enough to come upon a small oasis, but these became less frequent the deeper I travelled. There were times when I feared that I had become hopelessly lost and panic began to set in. Enormous sandstorms rose from nowhere and covered the sky like a dark, impenetrable cloak. Over time I became convinced that the desert was slowly driving me insane. It was then that I began to write my first journal entries. At that time, I'm sure I began to feel quite different - that is to say, not quite myself. I can't explain it except to say it became increasingly difficult to navigate the desert and I began having conflicting thoughts on a regular basis: "Why are you here? Do you even remember?" "You have a job to do, you can't let the Kingdom down!" [i]"Zelda sent you here to die."[/i] Despite the setbacks, I eventually stumbled upon the outskirts of a Gerudo encampment. This was clearly not the main Gerudo city, though. It comprised of a thin row of stalls as well as some small houses (which could better be described as shanties, more than anything). There were several merchants and travelers in the encampment and they had tied up their horses and boars at one end of the strip, where several large wooden posts had been erected in the sand. I had not seen any of these people in my travels; where had they all come from? None had encountered me and I had come directly from the Border Territory, along the single Hyrule road that led to the desert. If they hadn't come from Hyrule, then where? I decided to stop and relax for a moment before pressing on. I tied up my horse and began inspecting the various stalls. Each were very simple and consisted of plain wooden frames covered in cheap fabrics. They were tattered and torn. The goods were simple fare: bland ceramics, exotic spices and odd-looking potions. As I passed these stalls, I noticed that they were all manned by Gerudo. The Gerudo were people I had heard about, but never met. And, truly, they were stranger and more bizarre than any race I'd yet encountered or heard about. There was not a single man among them. Some casually cradled babies in one arm while using the other to handle rupees. There were only a few babies. They looked wiry and malnourished. Among their many unattractive features were tiny black eyes (like little stones), long and slightly hooked noses, exceedingly long fingers (more like claws from what I could tell) and the most awful kind of cry I had ever heard. It wasn't a cry so much as an eerie squeal, like that of a distressed pig. How their mothers could tolerate such noise was beyond my comprehension. The women themselves were no better than their children. Often tall, wiry, with long matted red hair. All of them. It was as though they were bred from the same shallow gene pool. Their skins were almost unnaturally tanned (from having spent years in the desert, no doubt) and they featured the same small black eyes and angular noses. They had no hips, no shape to their legs, no breasts. They were androgynous and repulsive, with strange accents and awful toothy smiles. [i]These[/i] were the people who had attacked my beloved Queen? These "people" had ambitions of conquering Hyrule? The thought turned my stomach. At least the other races within the Kingdom had some slight claim to culture and civilization; at least they had some small element of pride and sense of order. But these Gerudo? A race of female nomads, with no culture (other than the sale of cheap pottery and gimmicky potions), no real society or history and certainly no ambition. These "people" were the only ones who could live in the desert, presumably because if they had tried to live elsewhere they would have become extinct long ago. Somehow the desert had shown them mercy. The desert is where they belonged, if they arrogantly insisted on their continued existence as a species. They were the aimless wanderers of the desert. Even the Goddesses had not bothered further with them (after one famous attempt to wipe them out long ago). They had no past and it was obvious that they had no future. So here they were, trying to [i]create[/i] a future. These Gerudo reminded me of a terrible virus that had to be cured. I have only vague memories of what followed these revelations. I remember standing in the middle of the thoroughfare and coming to the realization that my role was now clear: it wasn't enough to simply "gather information" on the Gerudo. I had to stop their dreaded progression towards the Kingdom. I had to finish the job that the Goddesses had started long ago. I had to exterminate them all. I may have failed to carry out this task, but I at least destroyed the encampment. When I began to slowly withdraw my blade, the silly idiots stared blankly in my direction. They were like stupid sheep. Or perhaps they thought I was going to sell my sword to them. I bet they were all counting up the rupees in their mind as soon as they caught a glimpse of that blade. And then I went into another world, only briefly pausing to survey the damage. As I write this, I do not feel an ounce of regret. If someone else finds this journal and reads it one day, long after I have passed away, they may wonder how it is that a man can willingly eliminate so many "innocent" people without a care. All I can say, with any degree of certainty, is that if you ever encounter a Gerudo in your life, you will not ask this question. There is no such thing as an "innocent" Gerudo. Destroying the Gerudo is no different than poisoning the rats in your cellar. If your precious food - and your very home - are being encroached upon by vermin, you would not think twice about killing them all, would you? And what of their children? The same principle applies. Children grow up. If you destroy only the adults, their offspring will simply replace them. What's worse, they may indeed seek revenge upon you. So it is prudent to dispose of them in the first place. When I returned to Hyrule I was branded a murderer. They said I committed "crimes" in Hyrule itself, well after the Gerudo Campaign. I do not recall doing such things, at least not to my beloved Hylians. Gerudo, though? Those were not crimes. They were necessary acts of self-preservation. I encountered people in Hyrule who looked strange - they were just like the Gerudo. They were probably Gerudo spies, attempting to blend in with the Chosen People. How could anyone suffer such an offense? They might have cried and pleaded that they were in fact Hylian, but I did not believe this for a moment. A Gerudo would, after all, continue this act of deception even in the face of imminent death. It is the kind of desperate act that dogs, rats and Gerudo have in common. As long as a single Gerudo is left alive, Hyrule will forever remain threatened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raiha Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/egaliaavatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/falvoavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [LEFT][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"][i]Egalia gave the silver basin another tug, checking against the compass Falvo was holding up in front of her, mostly illuminated by the torches she'd set him trotting around lighting in the circular chamber. He shirked from her whenever she stared directly into his eyes, and part of that made her half wonder if he'd been raised to fear magicians. Or just transvestites. She shrugged and then made sure the basin was in the exact location specified on her scroll. Falvo peered at the basin, still empty and then over to the table where an enormous marble mixing bowl was sitting. She leaned back and then stood up, satisfied at last. Gesturing with one hand, she walked back to the work counter, consulting the recipe once more. Then she pointed to the beakers and Falvo began handing them to her as she began grinding with the pestle.[/i] "So will this really work? I mean this isn't exactly done every day." "My master claimed the scroll was accurate, and that he'd managed to get it rolling once." "So based on that only you think it'll be a success?" "Well we'll find out. That and we want it to work. Otherwise I won't get paid as much." [i]Falvo blinked a few times. Thus far Egalia had struck him as entirely scholarly, if a bit short tempered. So for her to wonder about the payment struck him as entirely confusing. Either way, she continued to stir, the package of rhubarb adding a very pungent, sickly sweet smell to the entire mix. Finally she picked up the silver stirring spoon and had Falvo count aloud for her.[/i] "Six, seven, eight, nine.." [i]She switched hands and he counted again, then picked up the slingshot she'd brought down earlier and trotted behind her to the basin against, picking up his toes as best he could to not smear the blood. The cats continued prowling around behind him, making him just a bit nervous. Natural predators after all, especially when they were bigger. Egalia set down the marble bowl and pointed to the direct center of the basin, where Falvo placed the slingshot.[/i] "Why a slingshot?" "It's a part of whoever-it-is that I'm going to center the spell on. If it wasn't, we'd just get a random sampling of all the men in the land." "Sounds tricky." "Only if you let it go out of control." "What happens then?" "Well we could either accidentally summon a demon, explode my house, explode us, or perhaps nothing at all." "That last one sounds nicest." [i]Egalia began tipping the bowl into the basin, noting the dark purple color the mixture had assumed while they'd spoken. While the recipe didn't indicate a final color to aim for, she crossed her fingers anyway and kept pouring.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR][/LEFT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 [INDENT][size=1][center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newvalenavatar.jpg[/img][/center] Valen?s mind burned as he stood alone in the Queen?s bed-chambers. The initial sight of it had almost been enough to unbalance his carefully constructed façade in front of Commander Song. But only almost. If he were perfectly honest with himself, Valen was still quite wary of the fact Song had only summoned Valen himself, and none of the remaining Guard-Captains to the grizzly scene, and then tasked him solely with her rescue. Mild paranoia suggested that Song had somehow become aware of his actions and was using this scenario as a means of gathering evidence to convict him of treason. Valen brushed the thought from his conscious mind. In the years that Valen had served beneath him, he had come to view Song as a fool, graced with his position through a combination of mediocre skill and the right connections. As such, and the main source of his negative status in Valen?s mind, he clung to captains whom he viewed as particularly capable, depending on their skill to augment or replace his own. His parasitical reliance did have it?s benefits however, a more astute and perhaps less trusting Commander might possibly have discovered Valen?s activities or at least, identified the possibility that there were sympathisers among the Guard. The mask of indifference remaining firmly fixed to his face, Valen casually walked over to the corpse of Lady Impa for further inspection. He had only met the woman a handful of times, but they had been enough to leave a lingering sense of respect towards her as a person. She had been, for the lack of a more encompassing term, the Queen?s protector but as Valen now stared into her grim, frozen expression he couldn?t help but wonder why Impa had been so loyal. Slowly his eyes drifted down to the roughly cut Tri-Force emblem on her hand. If Link, the Hero of Time had indeed been responsible for the murder here, as well as the Queen?s kidnapping, then this had been intended as a message. Equally however, Valen had to accept the possibility that Link had no involvement at all in the act, and this crude wound was simply a poor attempt to fool the Guard into accepting his involvement. Valen was no fool, he knew that public opinion had turned against Link, therefore strengthening the possibility the mark as a ruse. Unfortunately he could dismiss neither. The ocarina which lay gripped in her fingers puzzled him even more. Lady Impa had been a formidable warrior by all accounts and yet there were no signs of a struggle at all. It was as though the assassination had come completely unexpected. Yet if that were true, her hold on the musical instrument should have been significantly slacker. Valen could come to only one conclusion, she had been protecting it. Carefully he pried the ocarina from between the dead woman?s fingers, wiping off the smears of blood with his handkerchief. It was certainly well crafted, and bore the royal seal, but neither of those two facts would explain why Impa would give her life to defend I. Further examination yielded nothing, it did not seem to house anything important nor were any of the markings on the instrument indicative of some greater hidden value. Sighing he placed the ocarina within the pocket of his cloak for further study later hoping that it might still reveal some clue to him, then gently folded Lady Impa?s hands into a more natural, and sedate pose. The gash in her throat was unfortunately of little use to him in a larger investigative sense, it had been a clean cut, thus a knife or other straight-bladed weapon and there were no other wounds on the body to give him any sense of what sized weapon may have been used. Another cursory evaluation of the room left him with no new answers either. It had been torn asunder by someone looking for something, and Valen grew more and more certain that that something was the ocarina now sitting in his pocket. There was also the possibility that the intruder had found that they were searching for among the ransacked furniture but something about the chaos of the scene suggested that this had not been the case. In the end, Valen was left with no substantial leads aside from the Tri-Force wound. Intending to depart the room himself, Valen gave a final look at the late Lady Impa and surprised himself by what he found himself uttering. ?[b]Requiescat in pace.[/b]? [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newvalenavatar.jpg[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/faustavatar.jpg[/img][/center] In the hour it had taken Valen to return to his own barracks, his mind continued to replay the scene and the information he had gleamed from it. His loyalty to Queen Zelda as monarch was non-existent. To him, she represented everything that was wrong with the world. She was the sum-total expression of both Hylian arrogance in their domination of Hyrule at the expense of other races, and the folly of the Goddesses who had created the Hylians themselves. Zelda represented the continued oppression of his people and the continuation of Hylian tradition itself. But equally, and oddly, he found himself arguing that Queen Zelda herself was young, barely more than a child and that as an dutiful upholder of the law, he was honour-bound to save her, not out of loyalty, but because she too was a citizen of Hyrule and it was his duty to protect them. It was an unwelcome and perplexing situation, and Valen found himself wishing he could simply hate her as a symbol and be done with it. Of course there was also the fact failure was simply not an option. The subsequent briefing with his senior staff had gone over much as expected, while they likewise expressed concern about being given the mission, it was accepted that for the sake of their overall goals the search and rescue mission for the Queen would have to be given their utmost ability. Valen?s decision in the end had been to order a the majority of his men to pursue the investigation assuming that the Hero of Time had not been the perpetrator of the murder of Lady Impa and kidnapping the Queen. What this was likely to mean of course was an even more thorough investigation of the Gerudo population, as well as the possibility that a human dissident group like themselves had been responsible. Valen himself would take a handful of his most skilled men and go confront the ?Hero of Time? directly, and if possible take him back alive for questioning, though Valen suspected the confrontation would likely end in the deaths of one party. By the time his office had been left quiet again, all Valen could do was collapse exhaustedly back into his seat and hope for a few hours rest before setting out. Unfortunately no more than thirty minutes later, a series of sharp raps at his door had jolted Valen from his brief sleep. Hoarsely he called to find out who was there and the response caused him to quietly curse under his breath. ?[b]Show him in.[/b]? Willing the fatigue away, Valen watched with an appearance of cordiality as Faust slowly entered his office. In truth, if he had not been sure he could convert the boy to their cause with a single conversation he?d have requested Faust return another day. It had not been easy, getting a pardon for the boy, nor had it been easy to cover up the fact that Valen had been the one to acquire it. Political favours were the common currency among the elite of Hyrule, money simply could buy certain things that people desired. Extending his open hand, Valen requested Faust take the empty seat in front of the expansive desk separating them. Taking his seat, the boy?s mouth opened and closed several times, as if choosing the best opening to make an impression. ?[b]Thank you for freeing me.[/b]? Well, he has manners, that certainly improves his chances of surviving in society, Valen thought silently. The smile on his face never wavered. ?[b]You?re welcome Faust. Losing four years of your life, especially at such a critical age was most unfortunate. I?m simply glad I was able to arrange for your release.[/b]? Faust merely nodded in response. Yet again he seemed to question was he was going to say, before finally speaking. ?[b]Sir, if I may, there are many other innocent human prisoners still locked away in the dungeons?would you be able to free any of them ?[/b]? Valen?s face changed to a sad frown. ?[b]Unfortunately no. Securing your pardon required considerable resources, and I?m afraid if I release too many people, others may catch on to what I?m doing and put a stop to it.[/b]? There was also the fact most of them weren?t worth the resources it would take to free them now. But Faust didn?t need to know that yet. In time, when the boy fully understood their mission, he would see things Valen?s way also. Faust?s expression became crestfallen. ?[b]I?m sorry to have to disappoint you Faust.[/b]? The boy shook his head. ?[b]No, it?s fine, you?re doing what you can.[/b]? ?[b]Yes?and that?s part of the reason I asked you here today.[/b]? ?[b]Sir ?[/b]? Raising himself from his seat, Valen walked towards the window of his office facing the city. He glanced back to Faust with the veneer of a troubled face. ?[b]Do you believe in justice Faust, truly ?[/b]? ?[b]I?I don?t understand what you mean.[/b]? ?[b]Do you hate Hylians ?[/b]? Anger swept across the boy?s face instantly. ?[b]Of course I hate them ! Do you know what they?ve done to me ?! To my family ?! To so many humans ?![/b]? The outburst was not unexpected, but still unwelcome. There was potential in the boy certainly, but hate like that would make him sloppy, and would endanger all of them. Instead Valen put on his best paternal voice. ?[b]Your hate has probably kept you alive in prison Faust, but out here, back in the world if you cling to it, it will destroy you, I can promise you that. I can offer you the means to survive, the means to fight the injustice you hate, because it is their injustice rather than the Hylians you truly hate. All I ask is that you give up that hate now and trust in me.[/b]? Faust seemed to consider the words before nodding. ?[b]Tell me what I have to do.[/b]? Walking over to the boy, Valen clasped his shoulders. ?[b]You?ve already taken the first step. Faust, I am not merely a sympathetic Guard-Captain, I am the leader of a small, but growing organisation dedicated to political change in Hyrule by working behind the scenes. I intend that one day, all men, Humans and Hylians both, will be able to live together in peace equally. I want you to join us, because I think you can help us achieve this goal.[/b]? ?[b]What can I do ?[/b]? ?[b]Well, first, you?re going to have to join my guards, so as not to arouse suspicion. There are certainly very many against what we?re trying to do Faust, and this way, we can operate would drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves.[/b]? He paused and then smiled. ?[b]It will also give normal people hope, seeing that even if you were falsely imprisoned, you still believe in justice.[/b]? ?[b]I understand.[/b]? ?[b]Good, I?ll write up the forms for your acceptance. I?d like you to report to my second in command, Lieutenant Gast now, he?ll provide your gear, assign you some quarters and see to your training. He?s a good man, my most trusted friend, so you should trust him as you would me.[/b]? Faust smiled, and thanked Valen once again before moving to open the office door. ?[B]Wait, Faust. I?m going to supervise your training personally. I want to go to Gast and tell him you?ve been assigned to the mission to the Lost Woods instead.[/b]? The boy nodded vigorously before closing the door behind him. Find himself alone once more Valen finally returned to his seat and allowed himself to drift into gentle sleep once again, satisfied he had yet another asset to complete his political insurrection in Hyrule. [/size][/INDENT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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