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Post by Araxis on Dec 27, 2003 15:53:28 GMT -5
Longshanks wandered about in the wastelands, his feet creating crunching sounds as he planted them firmly on the rocky ground. His long strides allowed great coverage of the area, and his great endurance made longer exploration possible. This dark, dull terrain seemed a likely place for a Cython to haunt, and Longshanks hoped that his query would be discovered here. It wasn't as hot as the deserts, but was warm enough for a Cython under the burning mid-day sun. Keeping his ravenesque wings spread over himself as a kind of parasol to keep the unrelenting sun off his back, he continued his search.
If only Cython felt emotion, it would be easier to search for the futzy buggers. Or if he could have been born with telepathy and reading a Cython's jumbled mind wasn't a definite road to an insane asylum . . . But that was wishful thinking, and such thoughts were not productive. Therefore, the Orion wandered on in search of his prey.
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Post by Triunis on Dec 28, 2003 17:39:14 GMT -5
The thundering of the herd souned for miles.
Thousands of three-legged creatures bounded across the landscape, driven by some instinct deep within them. Bones of long-starved creatures were crushed under the hooves of the behemoths, and the advancing wall seemed to stop for nothing. Even the most enormous trees were uprooted and torn to pieces, and enormous bolders were turned to dust by the monsters.
Standing on the back of one of the tripods was a robed figure, a small flute-like object pressed against his lips. His eyes closed, he pushed out the same notes that had driven the monsters into their frenzy in the first place.
If you cannot travel in comfort, you should at least travel in style.
Suddenly, over the horizon, he saw a lone creature walking along. He played one note flat instead of natural, and the wild beasts diverged, going around the creature. Triunis jumped off as they passed him, and approched him.
"What could you be doing out here?"
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Post by Araxis on Dec 29, 2003 15:12:29 GMT -5
Engrossed in thought and the search for a Cython hole, it took Longshanks a moment to place the thundering bombarding his ears as the roar of thousands of hooves crashing to the ground behind him. Turning to observe the source of this cacophony, he found thousands of massive tripedal herd creatures bearing down hard on his position. One somewhat humanoid shape stood upon the back of one of the things in the midst of the herd, and the high notes of a small wind instrument wafting about through the dry air. About to launch himself into the air as the creatures continued to thunder towards him, but, as they drew nigh, they split slightly so as to pass him by without trampling over him, and he instead remained stock still in the midst of the passing creatures.
As the last of the herd thundered by, the figure that had been atop them leaped to the ground before Longshanks. It was tall, taler even than the tall Orion, and saurian in appearance. The emotions readily apparent were a curiosity about Longshanks and his purpose, and perhaps a passive feeling of love deep within the fiber of its being for another creature. "What could you be doing out here?" it asked.
Longshanks scratched his beard and smiled good-naturedly. "I could ask the same of you, eh? But let me introduce myself before I reveal my purpose." Bowing slightly, without use of his wings, he said upon straightening, "I am Llafrodedd Angantirr, more often known as Longshanks. I am out here in search of a fell threat, a Cython assassin of a new, deadlier type. Have you seen an insectoid with the body of a hominid, by chance?" He arched one eyebrow, though the expression remained hidden beneath his shock of chestnut hair.
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Post by Triunis on Dec 29, 2003 15:35:15 GMT -5
Triunis thought for a moment, and recalled Cethyn, the insectiod creature from the desert. He sized up Longshanks, and tried to decide if he should explain that to him.
"I am Triunis, lord and king of Kasyune. Perhaps I have seen this insect . . . Why do you want to find him?"
He pulled out his piccolo and began a new tune. Though it was imperceptible, the noise was calming to those who heard it and, incidentally, made them open up a little more. Triunis had a pronounced musical talent, and used it to his advantage whenever he could.
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Post by Araxis on Dec 29, 2003 20:17:19 GMT -5
Longshanks detected an amount of uncertainty in Triunis as he spoke of possibly having seen it. As the lizard pulled out his wind instrument, which was unfamiliar to Longshanks, and began to play it, the Orion started to explain his reasons. "This being I hunt is a deadly assassin, a new breed of Cython bred specifically for hunting down and killing Orions. It promised to be the most deadly ever developed by that twisted race, and was to be sent forth in secret. Fortunately, we Orions learned its location, and I volunteered to hunt it down. Ironically, just as our agents sabotaged its ship, Cython agents sabotaged mine, and my vessel has been drifting after his several months behind. Now that I have disembarked, I must finish my quest and execute this abomination."
As the Orion finished, he scratched his beard in the realization that he had said more than he'd meant to. Narrowing his eyes (which remained hidden under his hair) and smoothing his whiskers again, he observed the lizard's wind instrument, still playing it's high notes, and thought to himself 'Interesting; a form of hypnosis perhaps? Heh, I've got a couple tricks of my own.' Smiling inwardly, he focused on his inherant empathy and projected feelings of trust and openness into Triunis as he asked, "It is imperative that I find this abomination; have you seen it, or heard of it?"
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Post by Triunis on Dec 29, 2003 21:20:19 GMT -5
Triunis felt an unusual rush of emotion. He wondered what the Orion was doing, but spoke to him.
"That thing? Deadly? An abomonation? The last I saw of it, he was sitting there trying to grow his legs back. If you want an abomonation, you should meet one of my ex-employees . . ."
The Treachu looked at the ground, a humorless grin on his face. Aknada Setthirosa. The swine had been employed as a bodyguard, and was gone when the king needed him most. He looked at Longshanks.
"That insect has nothing on Setthirosa. Setthirosa is capable of leveling cities. He's proved it. And his bullets . . . they do not miss their mark. No, if Setthirosa wants you dead, you are dead. That doesn't make up for his foolishness and insanity, though."
Triunis gritted his teeth.
When I see that treasonous swine, I'm personally going to ensure that the Mahandronis finds its way off his body and into my coffers.
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Post by Araxis on Dec 29, 2003 21:47:49 GMT -5
Interesting. Something deadlier than a newly bred Cython assassin . . . something like what he had fought in the desert city, perhaps? It seemed like some things in this world were more powerful even than Orions or Cython, the two most powerful interstellar empires of the Arm. Perhaps he had been drifting for a longer period of time than he'd thought . . . long enough for technology to advance for primitives like the humans that populated this planet.
"I do not know who this 'Setthirosa' you speak of is, nor why he would want me dead, but I do know that it is imperative that the Cython I seek dies. You said his legs are gone? That makes my task easier. But I still need to know where he is." He continued to project feelings of trust and openness into Triunis, though he slackened it slightly considering that the lizard was confused by it. Longshanks also noted frustration and anger rising in Triunis after the lizard mentioned Setthirosa's name.
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Post by Triunis on Dec 29, 2003 22:56:57 GMT -5
Triunis sighed.
"I don't know from what I've seen of him that he's in any way dangerous. He seems . . . calm, even good natured. I'm not going to give up his location until I see some evidence of his violent nature."
He suddenly felt a presence that chilled him to his soul. The shimmering stone on his necklace began shaking, and emitted a strange glow. He stared at it, and wondered what it was doing that for.
It usually only does that around . . .
. . . other Relics . . .
************
A figure in a blue trenchcoat limped across the plains, sobbing sporatically. He had wounds on his legs, his coat was torn in many places, and the place where his right arm should be was an empty hole which was bleeding profusely. Setthirosa whispered to himself quietly as tears streamed down his face.
"Away . . . I've gotta get away from it!
. . . Can't run from myself. Can't run from what I've become. Can't run from . . . it . . ."
He saw two figures on the horizon, and continued towards them. He couldn't see anything more than their most basic figures through his charred and cracked goggles. As he approached them, he called out.
" H-help me! Gaea, please help me . . ."
He came between them, and fell to the ground. Blood continued to leak from his arm.
Can't . . . let go . . .
Can't . . . get away . . .
Can't . . . fight . . . him.
************
Triunis looked stony faced as Setthirosa collapsed in front of him. He slowly nudged the Archarialite with his foot, rolling him over. The figure winced up at him, and recognized his former employer.
"N-no . . . Why? For the love of Gaea, why?! Why must it be you?"
Triunis laughed as he drew his sword.
"Because it is fate. It is fate that you pay for what you have done to me."
He put the sword under Setthirosa's chin, ignoring the creatures sobbing pleas for mercy.
"I beg of you, spare me! I can explain everything!"
Triunis moved his sword, and looked over at Longshanks.
"What do you think, Orion? Does he deserve to live?"
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Post by Araxis on Dec 29, 2003 23:32:02 GMT -5
Hatred began to build in Longshanks as he observed the man in blue stumble across the broken ground of the wastelands. The rage that had smoldered deep within his heart burst into flame anew, a raging bonfire of fury and wrath. The man that had destroyed his wings in the desert city, who had attacked from behind without honor, just like the futzy Cython. His hand grasped the hilt of his sword with a white-knuckled grip. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and slowly forced himself to release the grip on his falchion. He suppressed the ire yet building in his heart, remembering that the last time he had fought with anger in his heart, the man had been increased in strength.
As the man in blue collapsed between the Orion and Triunis, blood pooling from his numerous and grievous hurts, Longshanks' empathy welled up within him, and the pathetic creature's anguish wrestled with the Orion's wrath, caused pity to swell forth, augmented by Longshanks' natural good nature. " Dammit!" Longshanks swore as he was dragged in two opposite directions by these titans of emotion. Hands to head, he fell to his knees, wrestling with his feelings. "He destroyed my wings, dammit! He deserves to die by my sword! But . . . aughh! . . . I . . . I . . . I cannot bring . . . bring myself to . . . to draw my blade, to kill him in justice! I . . . Fenris, I pity him, dammit, I pity him . . ." Tossing his hair out of his eyes as he looked back up at Triunis, he cried, his usually hidden eyes revealed, their normally grey-blue hue changed to a startling azure that burned hot with the fires of emotion, "Stay thy hand! Let this creature live. I . . . I may yet regret this decision in the future . . . but . . . but . . ." At a loss for words, Longshanks simply stood slowly, shaking his head as his emotions continued to clamour in the depths of his soul.
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Post by Triunis on Dec 29, 2003 23:42:35 GMT -5
Triunis looked at Setthirosa with a cold hatred. Then, a solitary visage appeared in his mind.
Saya.
He sheathed his sword. Saya would not approve of him killing Setthirosa.
"Get up, you coward. You'll not die this day."
Setthirosa looked up at his enemy, and joy spread across his face.
"My master . . . Thank you! Thank you! I finally have all the obstacles out of my way. I finally can start a new life . . ."
His eyes misted over as he thought of what he could do. His sanity was returning, he could feel the hatred drain out of him . . .
My life is going to be all right . . .
Suddenly, a voice boomed out around him.
[glow=silver,2,300]"Not with me alive, it won't!"[/glow]
Setthirosa looked around, fear following him. He knew that voice. It was the voice of Mahandronis, the spirit contained within the arm he had shot off. He wondered how it could have survived . . .
[glow=silver,2,300]"Fool! Did you think your simple little gun could stop me?"[/glow]
Tears filled the Archarialite's eyes again, and he cried out in pain. From his sholder, mechanical wires and cords shot forth. They wound together and solidified, making a mechanical arm that looked like the original save color and texture.
[glow=Silver,2,300]"Aknada Setthirosa . . . As long as you listened to me, there was no need for me to kill you. But now, you've disobeyed and even tried to get away. Today, Setthirosa, you die."[/glow]
Setthirosa looked up, and into Longshank's eyes.
"Tell Kathryn and DarkUmbra . . . I'm sorry."
There was a burst of energy, and he fell backwards, his eyes closed. Suddenly they snapped open, and a fierce silver light shone out of them. He sat up and looked around.
[glow=silver,2,300]"No more of that sniveling coward. Only I remain."[/glow]
He stood, and looked at Triunis.
[glow=silver,2,300]"I'll bid you good day."[/glow]
Slowly he turned and walked away, his arm glinting in the setting sun's light.
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Post by Araxis on Dec 30, 2003 0:04:50 GMT -5
"Bloody Hell," Longshanks cursed. The man's emotions swung from anguish to relief to an undying desire to destroy that which was good. His emotions continued to wrestle in his heart, and pity had just lost most of its weight with the strange transformation of the man in blue, Setthirosa. Rage once more began to fill his heart, and though he tried to suppress it, the Orion was little successful. He cursed the fell whimsical nature of his emotions, due mostly to his empathic abilities, to himself under his breath. Unbidden, his right hand sprung to the hilt of his blade and had it halfway out of its sheath before he regained control of it. Violently shoving the falchion back into its scabbard, Longshanks turned his back on Setthirosa--or perhaps what had once been Setthirosa? He had told Triunis to stay his hand, and now, if he did not, Longshanks' honor would be awry, forfeit. He would not strike down that blight upon the world, he would restrain himself. If Setthirosa appeared again in the future, performed more acts of needless cruelty and violence such as he had done in the desert town, it would be there that the Orion would take his vengeance.
As Setthirosa disappeared into the distance, Longshanks began to calm down; gradually his blood pressure lowered and the adrenaline that had been pumping through his veins dissipated, leaving a slight feeling of weariness that momentarily wore off. What was that that Setthirosa had said about DarkUmbra and Kathryn? Tell them he was sorry? For what? Longshanks pondered these things, reflected on the events that had just transpired, and decided that he would treat that request as a dying man's wish, and take it upon himself to see that quest fulfilled. Now he had three missions; eradicate the Cython assassin, deliver that message to DarkUmbra and Kathryn--whoever they were--and finally to exact vengeance for damages to his wings.
Turning back to Triunis, Longshanks spoke again of the Cython he hunted. "You will not disclose to me the location of my quary? Are you absolutely certain?" Angry with his emotions, the Orion no longer employed his empathy as a fulcrum to gain what he wanted.
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Post by Triunis on Dec 30, 2003 0:55:02 GMT -5
Triunis could barely contain his anger. He was not responding to Longshanks, but instead focusing on Setthirosa - no. Mahandronis. He now knew what his necklace had responded to.
So. Mahandronis is a Relic. And now he has form . . .
He shivered. No power was equivilent to that found within a Relic. He drew his sword, and magic flowed into it. Suddenly, he sighed, and sheathed it again.
"So. Setthirosa wasn't doing any of that on purpose. He may never have even lost his mind. Mahandronis was making him do it all along . . ."
He sighed and turned to the Orion.
"He cannot be allowed to live. He represents pure evil, he will grow powerful and become invincible. He will devour the universe . . . "
It seemed fitting, still. The creature had taken the lives of billions, and the force that had made him do it had consumed him finally.
" . . . Do you know who he speaks of? DarkUmbra and Kathryn?"
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
The Relics are supposed to be furious artifacts of rage and hatred. They hunt down love and joy and hope.
. . . What will happen to . . . Saya . . . ?
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Post by Araxis on Dec 30, 2003 1:29:57 GMT -5
Triunis ignored Longshanks' question, instead asking one of his own, about DarkUmbra and Kathryn. "I do not know who they are," the Orion replied. But Longshanks cared little that Triunis had ignored his question. If the lizard's words were true . . . the Cython assassin was an egg beside an Antaran Queensnake, to quote that ancient Orion proverb. " Devour the universe? Is it that powerful?" Longshanks felt a shiver run up his spine, shuddering his great ebony plumage. That was what the Orions had feared the Cython would do. It had been fortunate that the demon insects had been contained to the several systems they had managed to overwhelm. But now there was apparently a new threat, one that outweighed the small possiblility that the Cython would ever break free. Longshanks felt, through the tide of anger at the Setthirosa creature that Triunis felt, a sudden wavering uncertainty linked to the love deep in his heart.
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Post by Triunis on Dec 30, 2003 1:40:51 GMT -5
Triunis shook his head. As Mahondronis disappeared over the horizon, so did the king's fear.
"Mahandronis is only a threat to this world for now. He is not much of a problem yet. But if he isn't stopped, there isn't much he is incapable of."
Triunis remembered some of the havoc caused by other Relics. The Makaan's Mask had ravaged and destroyed worlds, the Orean Pendant had annihilated the capital city of Oreas . . . And now, the Mahandronis Weapon, as it went by its full title, was out to deprive every living thing of love and life. He inclined his head in anger.
"Let him go. Let him try and stop love. He cannot do it."
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Post by Araxis on Dec 30, 2003 12:24:38 GMT -5
"He seeks to stop love? A fell task, and likely a hopeless one. Nevertheless, he should be stopped." An image of Mellira danced briefly behind Longshanks' eyes. "How might it be done? How can we stop this abomination?" Longshanks' grip on the hilt of his falchion was white-knuckled again. "I will not suffer the needless loss of thousands of people, or a city or a world, let alone hundreds of people." The Orion's ebony wings spread to their maximum span in wrathful determination, shining glossy black under the sun.
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