| An Etrian Odyssey III fanfic.; I really don't know what to call this. | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 26 2012, 10:51 PM (591 Views) | |
| Stabby | Dec 26 2012, 10:51 PM Post #1 |
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Hello~
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I made this a while ago and posted it somewhere else. I...kinda forgot about it until now. As for whether or not I'll continue... Maybe. Chapter 1 “Gng!” A red haired youth struggled to stand up. In front of him is a mammalian creature with curved tusks. One of them appears slightly darker from the blood. His blood. On the ground between them is a simple sword which appeared to have hardly been used. The monster raised its head and barked loudly, as if it expected the boy to turn and flee. Instead, the boy jumped forward, reaching out to the sword and grabbed the handle. But before the weapon could be used the swordsman got knocked off his feet and was sent few feet before landing back down with a hard thud. He struggled to get up, preparing for a counterattack but the creature slammed its tail on his legs, nearly crushing them in the process. He screamed, feeling the bones bending at their limit. Through his hair he could see the monster raising one of its sharp claws, ready to maim at his body. The young boy closed his eyes; fear gripping him as he awaited the finishing blow. The monster cried out in agony before lying down, killed by a rather large arrow to its side. From afar a red haired woman lowered her crossbow over and gave the boy a frown. He knew her to normally responsible be for heavy artillery from the rear. Her brown eyes held a sense of disappointment over the boy. “How pathetic. Poor Fin can’t even handle a simple High-whatever you call it. I had to get out of helping the captain to do your job.” She appeared closer and closer while he recovers from his leg injuries. She passed by him and removed one of the monster’s tusk. What was once a sign of pride it is now to be sold for a relatively cheap price. She tossed the loot into the darkness ahead of her, caught by a large intimidating man in a lion mask and a spear in his other hand. He frowned at what he sees to be the group’s failure slowly getting up like a stumbling fool. “My name is Flynn, Lana.” He wiped the dust off of his pants. “Nolan Flynn. And I was just caught off guard. I’ll be more careful next time.” Nolan answered. Lana shot him a glare while muttering a few choice words under her breath that Nolan could not hear. Nolan ignored her and searched for his sword on the ground and found it near the carcass of the beast. As he walked over to his weapon of choice, a loud crack echoed throughout the cavern. Nolan once again fell on his butt. Between him and the sword was a small bullet hole. Hand Nolan been a few inches closer, it would’ve pierced through him. The other two members of the group that were standing turned to one of the larger rocks in the cavern. A pirate sat on top of the rock. With his brown pirate hat, and equally long brown coat and a distinctive eye patch, the red haired pirate would fit into the books of fairy tails. The frown on his face was similar to what Lana gave him, but his eyes appeared to be full of rage rather than disappointment. Nolan gulped in fear. The wrath of Captain Boomer was far worse than any monsters of the sea. “C-Captain Boomer! I-” Nolan stopped talking as soon as he saw someone who he once saw as his mentor is pointing the gun at him. He held his breath; afraid of what he’ll do to someone he considers weak. “You just don’t get it do ya? You spineless bastard! You ain’t got the skills nor the balls to be with us.” He got off his rock and walked toward the shocked boy. “I’ll do better next time. I promise!” He said in a high pitched, insulting yell. Lana laughed while the Wilding stood silent as before. He bent down and put his hand on top of Nolan’s head. Nolan didn’t bother moving for fear that Boomer might do something short of killing him. “Well kid, if you want to get better there a re a few things you should learn. Lana! Liwanu!” He removed his hand and stood up while the Lana appeared at Nolan’s left while Liwanu approached him from the right. Nolan is afraid of what is coming next as Lana aimed her crossbow at him, daring him to move, and Liwanu raised his spear, blocking his patch. “No. Please! You can’t do this!” His plea went on deaf ears. Boomer pointed the gun at his right eye. “First lesson.” He cocked his gun. Nolan closed his eyes. “Be careful of who you trust.” BANG! --- Nolan covered his eye as the rays of the sun shone in his face. He gave up trying to go back to sleep. He took a moment to check his surroundings. To his left, sunlight passed through a closed window. Beyond it lays the ocean where many travelers come abroad. Across the other side of the room is a small cabinet with a small mirror nailed to the wall above it. Through it Nolan could see his reflection showing his slightly muscular body and equally messy hair. Behind the hair, a white eye patch covered most of the upper right side of his face. Nolan frowned, the first this he did not want to see is his face. Next to that is a full body mirror, which he thought was redundant. He knew where he was. Aman’s inn is where tourists and adventurers can rest their feet with relatively small costs that can be adjusted depending on the situation. For some reason, the place also doubles as a hospital of some sort, having a nurse around to treat the wounds and even capable of reviving people. Of course, it was also due to that same nurse that he’s alive right now. Nolan let out a yawn and sat there, glaring at the blanket covering up his legs. It was always that same nightmare that haunted him nearly every night since that incident. From what he heard, other explorers came and found his body dumped just on the outside of the Labyrinth, heavily bandaged and unconscious. Someone took care of him while he was out cold. The gladiator tried to find out about the other people in his dream and was told that they never returned. Not to the Senatus, nor the inn or the shop. For all the people know, they could either be dead or running away. They just found him alone. The guild he was on was disbanded a few days later. He slid of the right side of the bed to a round table to grab his clothes. His body yearned to return to the bed for more rest, but the pounding headache of his mind prevented him from doing so. He wore the same sleeveless shirt and headband he always wore. Both were a much brighter shade of red. His white shorts were already on when he fell asleep. Nolan walked over to the small mirror to “fix” his red hair which he had grown in the two months he had spent at the inn. What was once short and tame now runs wild all over his head. Nolan heard once that his hair is technically vermillion, which was orange head, but he preferred calling it red for simplicity. When Nolan had finished, the right side of his head was covered by an unusually large bang. He flexed his muscles slightly. Nolan wondered if it is some sort of magic of alcohol or the some other sort of divine miracle that he was able to retain his appearance despite not holding a sword for so long. As he put on his gloves someone softly knocked on the door. “Hey boss! It is time for you to get up.” A cheerful, high pitched voice called out. A voice Nolan knew to be the son of the innkeeper; the young boy who’d welcome explorers, with his signature “Hey boss” and a cheerful grin. He sometimes found his happiness to be contagious. Other times, Nolan would find it annoying, but it was hard to stay angry at the young child. Now that he thought about it, Nolan never actually knew what his name was. He grabbed his small dagger, the only weapon he had left, and opened the door revealing it to be empty. Nolan thought the kid ran away, tending to other guests at the inn. The hallway was neat and tidy as it had always been and the stairs lie at the end. Nolan was still confused as to how a small boy was able to do so much work. The lobby below was split into three areas. On one side, were the stairs leading to the second floor and a door leading to more guest rooms. On the other side is the entrance to the dining hall where guests come in to eat. He did not know who cooks the meals. In the center is the reception desk for checking in and paying the fee. Behind the desk is the is the entrance to the medical center where the wounded are treated, by a brown haired woman, presumably the innkeeper’s daughter. Nolan stared at the unusually empty reception desk. Normally there would be someone at all times during the day, taking in explorers who are looking for a place to stay or someone who can use some healing. But nobody was around. Nolan considered taking a job here, as the receptionist or a bodyguard. He brushed it off, thinking that he wouldn’t be qualified anyway. “Hey boss! How may I help you?” Nolan nearly had a heart attack as a small, brown haired boy popped up from behind the desk. His cheerful smile radiated from his face. Nolan silently admitted that were it not for his tie, he could easily be mistaken for a little girl. “Eh, nothing much.” Was all he said. He left through the large door and into the outside. Te streets of Armoroad were filled with merchants selling various wares. Most of them were jewels and coats made from the monsters of the labyrinth. One stall sell their “famous” Armoroad seaside seafood. Nolan remembered eating one of those once. Tasted decent, but could be better with Armoroad beer. He heard a traveling troubadour telling of a great calamity 100 years ago, how the city renowned for trade was nearly destroyed along with the trade routes. It also marked the appearance of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. Nolan did not care for the back story of the city and instead entered the bar the troubadour was standing outside of. The one place Nolan welcomed in his heart, the Butterfly Bistro, where the food and drinks are great, the services decent, and the one place where explorers post and accept quests. “Welcomings to you!” The jolly tone came from Missy the barmaid. Her innocent tone of voice was complimented by her large brown eyes and constantly pure smile. Her pink hair and blue dress which shows off her unusually large breasts however, did not. “Would you like more of the usuals?” Her mish mash of the English language did not help matters either. Nolan nodded. “The usual, please.” The usual, Spotted Frog Sweat is easily one of the more expensive items at the bar. Despite of the disgusting name, the legend goes that in 3 drinks the victim would forget most of their problems. 30 drinks at any time would make one forget all the bad things from their memories. Of course, Nolan wasn’t so foolish as to drink 30 of these in a row. He had been buying a constant supply; 3 at a time. However as the gladiator learned, no matter how many times he drinks it, the stuff was not enough to quell his subconscious. “Okie Dokie Lokie!” The barmaid grinned in acknowledgement and went into the back to concoct the drink. Nolan wondered how someone so bubbly and innocent would make such horrid nightmares. While he was waiting, Nolan overheard two other regulars talking amongst themselves. “So, have you heard? A new guild has just formed and is looking for recruits.” “And that would be new because of what exactly?” “Well, a new guild hadn’t been made in a while. And they keep saying something about conquering the labyrinth for the future of Armoroad or so I hear.” “Again, how exactly about is that new?" “Here a you go! 3 Spotted Frog Sweat! That’ll be for 135 En.” Missy put down a tray with glasses full of purple liquid with a small umbrella in it. Nolan never understood why bars added unnecessary stuff to their drinks. He opened up his pouch and paid the fee. After paying, he continued staring at his now empty wallet. After the guild was split up, he had some amount of money divided among the remaining members, but it would never be enough to satisfy his drinking habit. Organizing money was not his specialty. Eventually he had to resort to selling his gear to that greedy witch at that shop. An now, Nolan stared at his mid-life crisis. “Oh, that looks kinda bad.” Missy leaned slightly over the counter and took a look at his empty wallet as well. She leaned back and smiled. “You’ve been my regular customer for 2 months. Maybe you should join a guild and-“ “No.” Nolan suddenly cut her off. Joining a guild is out of the question, especially not a guild that had already been formed. He wouldn’t be able to tell who the thieves were and who were not. Ignoring his flat objection she continued anyway “Make more money to buy drinks off of me and-“ “No.” “Invite your fellow explorers in the process!” She finished. Nolan responded by calmly drinking his first glass and slamming it with a hard thud. His one eye glared at the pink haired woman. Missy’s smile did not waver and her eyes indicate that she missed the point of him glaring, or who the target was. She turned to take someone else’s order. He was thankful for the brief momentary silence. “She’s got a point, you know.” A soft voice, and yet stern called out behind him. Nolan turned. The woman who spoke was wearing some sort of blue dress with similar blue blouse. Her short, blonde hair made her look somewhat younger though her eyes reveal some degree of experience in combat. The smile she gave to Nolan somehow seemed both genuine and forced at the same time. She walked over and sat down next to Nolan. “You’re a gladiator aren’t you? I’m sure the guild would like to help you with money problems so you could buy more drinks.” Nolan drank from his second glass. Whoever this person was, she wanted Nolan specifically. She raised her eyebrow at the strange liquid. “What are you drinking anyway? I’ve never seen a drink of that color before.” “It’s called Spotter Frog Sweat.” Noland smirked at the shocked look on the woman’s face before trying to maintain her composure and politeness. He figured that she must be new around the city. Probably a member of the new guild he heard the other regular talked about. “I. I see.” She tried not to sound nervous and cleared her throat as if doing that will wipe her memory of the name. Perhaps, Nolan thought, a drink should help conquer her fears? She looked at his face while trying to avoid the remaining full glass on the table and continued her talk. “Well, my name is Silvia and I am from the guild Polaris. It was newly made. Just today actually. And our goal is to explore the deepest secrets of the Labyrinth. And we’re looking for hired hands to help us. And we could help our members as well.” Nolan responded with a bored expression looking down at the remaining glass. It was clear that this Silvia person is new at introduction and just plain sucks at presentation. He only caught Silvia’s name and the word Polaris. And Nolan thought that it was a weird name for anything, much less a name for a guild. He closed his eye in thought. Be careful of who you trust. Nobody has seen Captain Boomer leave the ruins, nor were there any records on the ships log. They didn’t report to the Senatus or the Explorers guild. They didn’t rest at the inn, according to the innkeeper. So where could they have gone? The only place he didn’t check was the Yggdrasil Labyrinth itself. And he very much couldn’t go there alone. He opened his eye and still saw Silvia’s hopeful expression. He looked down at the counter with his last Spotted Frog Sweat. Two options weight in: to become a drunken beggar constantly trying to forget his trauma or to go with complete, possibly inexperienced strangers of a newly formed guild at the risk of the very same trauma to happen again. He took the glass and slid it in front of Silvia. “I’ll join only if you drink this.” Nolan resisted the urge to laugh at the pale, horrified expression of her face. He wondered what was going through her mind when those very words were uttered. Her face slowly grew even more pale and her eyes, once filled with slight determination now shows complete fear. He wondered why she didn’t just refuse his offer and ran out the bar screaming like a lunatic. Instead of what he expected to happen, she fell from her chair and fainted on the spot. Nolan got off his seat and shook her shoulder. A few patrons rose from their seat, wondering what had happened while other continued drinking, figured that it was someone who couldn’t hold her liquor. After shaking Silvia a few more times, Nolan gave up and sighed. “I was only kidding.” |
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| Cedi Fonei | Dec 28 2012, 10:33 PM Post #2 |
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Dragon Lord in Training
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Ah, Etrian Odyssey III... I recently have gotten back into it, to get hyped for IV. I'm curious to see where this fanfic may go :U |
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| Stabby | Apr 15 2013, 06:25 PM Post #3 |
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Hello~
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Remade. (Chapter 2) The seagulls crying the air and the fresh ocean breeze did little to brighten Nolan’s mood as he followed a girl a couple of feet ahead of him. She showed no sign of slowing down as she marched on to her destination. He knew why he was following her and the dull aching pain on his entire left side of his face continuously reminded him why he was following her from a distance. One of the two things he didn’t count on was the girl, Silvia, waking up as quickly as she did. The other thing that caught Nolan off guard was her fist instantly on his face. And as far as he knows, she might still attack him on sight if approached closely. By the time Silvia slowed down to a stop in front of a particular architecture the dull aching pain became numb. A brick building took up a large space on the block. Several windows were perched on top so that many would enjoy the view. Instead of a door, a tall archway serves as an entrance, welcoming all. On top of the arch is a clock with both hands being on the 3. Silvia appeared to stare at the clock in disbelief. “3:30 already?! C’mon, we have to go!” Nolan was hesitant and not because of Silvia. A wooden sign planted in front of the building read “Explorer’s Guild Join up today!” To their doom, Nolan would sometime add mentally. Despite the fuzzy memories there was one thing he remembered about the Explorer’s Guild. Before he could pray that the person retired within two months, Nolan felt Silvia’s sudden grasp on his arm and got dragged inside. The one thing he noted was that Silvia is stronger than he thought. The courtyard of the Explorer’s guild might as well be a garden with dirt and grass accompanied by a brick road splitting off into several more wooden arches inside the building. The bright and yellow flowers that decorated the insides the building would look appealing to most budding explorers and tourists, but Nolan always thought they’re distracting and an eyesore; a perfect trap for a carnivorous plant to eat its prey. Silvia stared around the area, observing other people conversing about various topics and behind the palm trees while Nolan took a seat at the many benches that are stationed around the courtyard. Leaning his back against the bench, he blankly stared at the empty sky with an occasional seagull passing by. After a few minutes, he heard someone sitting down next to him. Nolan assumed it was Silvia and didn’t even face her. A heavy sigh confirmed that he was correct. “Good. We’re not late.” “So, we’re waiting for someone?” Another gull passed by with a squeal and some light clouds started entering his vision. The wind gently blew his massive bang slight, but not to the point of revealing his eye patch. “Yeah. We’re supposed to meet la, I mean, our glorious leader Audrey. ” The sarcasm on the word “glorious” made Nolan close his eye to imagine his future boss would look like. Audrey sounded like a girls name and sounds like a glory hog. He imagined her as a blonde haired spoiled princess who was covered from head to toe glitters and jewels that would make any thief in the streets drool at their future bonus. Suddenly Nolan started to doubt whether this Guild Polaris would be the ideal guild for him to join. He heard her murmur something and laughing nervously. “I never got your name.” “You didn’t?” It just dawned on Nolan that he had never once introduced himself. “I guess you didn’t. It’s Nolan Flynn.” The sight moved from cloudy skies to palm trees with ferns. “Well Mr. Flynn I hope we can…” Silvia’s voice trailed off. “Oh. She’s here.” Nolan took a curious look to his right where Silvia once sat. She was on her feet walking towards another girl. He got up as well and slowly caught up with her. The girl raised her hand in front of Nolan. “Hello Mr. Flynn. My name is Audrey leader of Guild Polaris. I hope we can count on your experience to help the guild achieve fame and fortune!” With a wide eye he stared at the girl in front of him. Audrey was different from what Silvia hinted at. Instead of a princess like he imagined, Audrey appeared to be dressed in ripped clothing that would be best described as something a martial artist would wear. From her baggy black pants and orange jacked to her tied yellow sash to her bandaged hands and cheek. The rambunctious tone of her voice, her rough, dark blue eyes and her bright red hair, though much longer and tied in a braid, quickly reminded Nolan of Captain Boomer. Even the smirk appeared similar! Behind her, he could see Silvia motioning to take her hand, which he did. “Uh, yeah. Please. Call me Nolan.” The strength of her grip cause d him to wince slightly, but the gladiator refused to yield to her or anybody else. She eventually let go and Nolan resisted the urge to shake off the pain in his right hand. He also noticed that she was staring at him. He didn’t know what she was staring at or why, but it is getting a little uncomfortable. Eventually a smile formed on her face once more. “C’mon. We should get you registered. Silvia.” The girl walked to her leader’s side. “Yes, Audrey?” Nolan noticed a slight pause. It was as if she meant to say something else before stopping herself. “You need to meet the other members of the party. Follow me, then.” The girl twirled around and Nolan was amazed that her ponytail didn’t just collide on his face or move much at all. He followed her to a door at the far end of the Explorers Guild. HE also shook his hand to while silently moaning from the pain. The room Audrey led them in was nothing more than a desk with papers, a display of armor, and a large window. Nolan could see a large wall and several people talking to hooded men with spears. The Armoroad soldiers the last line of defense between the Ocean City and the monsters from the Labyrinth on the other side of the road. But instead of focusing on the entrance to the Labyrinth, he focused on the man sitting behind the desk. Nolan cursed his luck for the man had not retired during his two month absence. If Nolan had a word for his entire attire, it would be beige. A beige cloak, a beige pants, a mostly beige hat with little red and blue on the bottom with a chain connecting the tip with a light blue crystal. Through the hat, long bangs of black hair flowed on either side of his head. The only thing that aren’t beige at all are his red shirt and sash tied around his waist, his two swords on each of his sides, and the three golden bracelet on his right hand. He could see the scars on his muscular brown arms and a scar across his face, just below his eyes and above his smirking mouth. He was the Guildmaster; the man responsible for officiating any formation of a guild to travel in the Labyrinth. Nolan remembered that smirk quite well, for it was the same smirk that he gave Nolan when he told him that Captain Boomer’s guild was nowhere to be seen and he should just cut his losses. A man sitting in a chair in front of the Guildmaster stood up. He was taller than Nolan but is slightly lankier in somewhat loose clothing. He is wearing a gray collared shirt with a blue apron over it and green denim pants and a pair of leather gloves. Nolan paid little attention aside from his wild blonde hair and goatee. The Guildmaster spoke. “Heh. Welcome back. I take it you’ve finally got the balls to join a different guild eh?” Nolan’s hands clenched into a fist, but did not move from the where he stood. The Guildmaster would remember anyone who joins a guild. And his smug, insulting tone neatly compliments that skill. He knew it would be unwise for an unarmed man to attack someone who is armed with far more experience. “Alright, take a seat.” Nolan had no choice but to comply. He took several steps forward and took his seat. The Guildmaster placed a document and pen in front of him. “I’ll make this quick: just sign your name here, and you’re in Guild Polaris.” Nolan took a look behind the seat and stared at his potential co-explorers. Silvia seemed to be nice enough, but her boss, Audrey resembled Captain Boomer in more than just appearances. Her boisterous attitude and her dream of fame and glory from what he heard gave Nolan a headache. The other guy, who he doesn’t know just stared at him blankly through his glasses. He could barely make out the blue eyes behind them. The team could theoretically have one more member in the group. Perhaps Audrey will find another person. He stared back at the paper and reading over its contents. He could retire at any time and she wouldn’t be able to stop him though he’s also unable to stop her from gossiping to others about it and dramatically lowering his chance to join another guild. After all, no one would want to team up with a coward who ran away scared. The Guildmaster cleared his throat rather loudly. As much as Nolan wanted to annoy him some more, it was time for a decision. He placed the pen on the paper and signed his name. This was his last chance to find out the truth. If he fails this time, he might as well die with the guild. He handed the forms to the Guildmaster, who smiled. “All right, looks like you’re ready to go.” He motioned for everyone to leave the room. And for Nolan, it was not a moment too soon. Once everyone arrived at the courtyard Audrey turned to everyone and clapped her hands for attention. “Alright everyone, we’re done here. You can all go wherever you want, but make sure to come at Aman’s Inn at 7. Okay? Aman’s inn at 7. Silvia will buy you your weapons and armor. So please tell her what you want. I’m gonna be over at the Senatus if you need me, though I doubt that will happen. Oh yeah, I’m gonna have another member jhoin later. Let’s all introduce ourselves at the inn. What else…” Nolan grew incredibly bored with Audrey’s long winded speech. “Ah, right. Here.” She handed Nolan and the other guy some papers. “I want you to read this. Maybe tonight or later today I don’t care, just as long as you’ve read them. Silvia, don’t forget to get me a hammer. Okay, that’s all, bye!” Before anyone could get another word in, Audrey walked quickly away. “Honestly, that girl…” Silvia heaved a sigh before facing the two men before her. “Okay, um, what weapons do you wish to have?” The man stood up and for the first time, Nolan noticed how tall he was. “Just get me a crossbow. That’s all I need to shoot stuff. See you at the inn.” He walked away. Nolan wondered f the team could pull together in the Labyrinth or be torn apart one by one. He noticed that Silvia was staring at him. “I’ll take one sword and a shield if you can afford them.” He paused as Silvia repeated his order. He decided that there is no way he could trust someone else to buy his stuff, even if they are using their own money. “On second thought, I’ll come with you.” Silvia shook her head. “Oh, no. I can’t ask you to come with me; you’re free to do what you want.” “I know. And I choose this time to pick my own stuff. A guy can’t let someone else pick his sword.” Somehow that sounded wrong to Nolan. The small blush on Silvia’s face confirmed that he could have chosen his words better. “You know what I mean. Let’s go. He walked out of the building and downm the path they came from with Silvia following not far behind. He briefly stop to glance at the clock. 3:20. Nolan decided that they have plenty of time to shop and eat lunch. “So, where are we going?” She inquired. They passed by the inn and the bar and delve into the shopping district. hordes of people stopped by here for various reasons whether it would be tourist buying trinkets or residents eating freshly caught fish. The store Nolan stopped at was someplace he heard from the Innkeeper a while back; a store that sells weapons and buys items from the dungeon. After all, a reliable shop and a dedicated shopkeeper should be very important when exploring in a very dangerous area. …Or so Lana said to him before the group tried to murder him. In front of him was a store. It wasn’t a glamorous store with large display windows or light shows. It was a simple wooden building with small windows and a sign at the very top. ”Napier’s Firm” It said. And below it appeared to be its motto; “Professional-Quality Provisions”. “Is this it?” Nolan ignored Silvia’s question and trying to remember whether or not that Napier’s Firm is indeed the place the innkeeper told him about. He figured that the only way to find out was to enter and find out. As soon as the wooden doors opened, the bells sounded throughout the empty store. Nolan stared at the various armors and weapons stored in crates. In the very back of the store, a girl walked through the beaded curtain and stood behind the desk. “Welcome~” A sweet voice sang out from her lips. She wears a red oriental robe, of which Nolan is not familiar with. Her purple hair was tied in a bun held on by sticks that he never seen. In her hand is a device he once saw with his former group. Captain Boomer called it an abacus and it was used to count money. Based on her height and appearance, most people would automatically assume that she was a child. However, her green eyes seemed to be filled with ambition and desires. The smile on her mouth almost appears to be hungering for something. Suddenly, Nolan thought that this was a very bad idea. “What’s this…? Unfamiliar faces? Let me guess, new explorers lured by the sweet scent of profit?” Upon hearing her fist actual sentence, Nolan wanted to get out of here before the girl consumes all their money. However, he saw that Silvia didn’t notice the sinister implications and nodded. “Why, yes. We just formed today. Not sure about profit, but Guild Polaris would like to have some degree of glory.” And just like that, Nolan thought, Silvia took the bait and is about to get eaten alive. The girl just covered her mouth and chuckled before extending her arms left and right. “In that case, welcome to Napier’s Firm. We carry all the weapons, armor, and tools you’ll require. Here at our Firm, the customer is God!” She bends down slightly and bowed to her two future prey. “I, Edie, will spare no expense for those who line our coffers.” While bowing, Nolan could have sworn her heard Edie mutter something under her breath. “Though that is conditional on you participating in a transaction.” Nolan shook his head as Silvia accepted a paper from Edie. “Please, look through here and determine what weapons, armor, or items you’d like.” The gladiator took a step forward, about to voice his objections. As if reading his intentions, Edie coughed. “You seemed…troubled. Here’s a free piece of advice.” The shopkeeper’s glare kept Nolan glued to the spot. “Skilled explorers have few qualms at parting with their money. Stringiness never saved a life. All things depend upon money. “ She pointed her finger at Nolan. “Your finances dictate whether you master Yggdrasil or die penniless” The icy tone of her voice lowered the temperature by a few degrees. Somehow, Silvia failed to notice the tense atmosphere. “Do you sell and Adriane Threads?” Silvia somehow failed to notice the tense atmosphere that was broken once she voice her question. Edie let out a sigh. “I’m afraid not. New guilds fresh of the market cannot purchase them unless the Senatus allows it.” She voiced her disappointment before returning to her alluring voice that once sounded when the two entered. “So the, what else can I get you?” Nolan walked out of the store feeling slightly nostalgic with a sword on his left side and a shield strapped to his left arm. In his other hand, however, is a hammer that he could barely lift. Silvia carried the same shield, a spear and a large crossbow tied behind her back. Any other equipment she bout is within a small plastic bag. Nolan wondered how a small girl like Edie was able to lift all of these easily. His first thought was that she wasn’t human, but rather an otherworldly being who thirsts for money and nothing more. But the thought was behind him, and he walked along side Silvia back to the Inn. “Thank you. I thought I’d be able to carry all of this, but apparently not.” Silvia turned her head to Nolan, who responded the thanks with shrug of his shoulders. “Well, I had to make up for forcing you to drink the-“ He was cut off before mentioning the Spotted Frog Sweat. “Okay. Okay. But after we drop off the equipment you can do whatever.” Silvia quickly muttered before remaining silent. It would appear she didn’t want to talk about that incident or the drink that was involved. Nolan guessed that it had to do with the name. After all, who would want to drink frog sweat without knowing it was just a name? Once the doors of Aman’s inn, open, the little boy was quick to greet his two guests. “Hello boss! What can I get you?” Nolan dropped the hammer near the kid’s feet and Silvia carefully all of the weapons and armor she was carrying on the floor. People passed around them to talk to the actual owner of the Inn…or admit themselves to the hospital. She stared at her companion with expectation to drop his weapons off. “Nope. These are staying with me.” Nolan shook his head. The feeling of having a sword and shield, even if it was a small buckler, Silvia turned and told the boy about their staying arrangements. They will stay in two rooms, one for the girls and one for the boys. “Wait. You want me to share a room?” He asked incredulously. Silvia nodded. ‘Uh huh. As a team we must get used to each other. Without getting molested while we sleep. If you have problems, talk with Audrey at 7.” She paused. “I’m sorry. But those were her orders.” Nolan took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Even in his old guild he slept alone and now he’s sleeping with a complete stranger who might as well be a serial killer or something. “I am so sleeping with my sword.” He muttered as glanced at the clock. 4:30; the swordsman wondered where all the time has gone. “Whatever. I’m going to the bar to eat.” He walked out the door of Aman’s Inn leaving Silvia alone. Edited by Stabby, Apr 28 2013, 11:55 PM.
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| Stabby | May 4 2013, 01:41 PM Post #4 |
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Hello~
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I redid chapter 2 because I didn't like it. (Chapter 3) Nolan walked past several people, tourists, explorers, whatever to quickly get to the bar. Even though he objected to the idea of shared rooms, he couldn’t do anything. Voicing his objection to Silvia would not do much, since it wasn’t her idea in the first place and she even agreed to it. He would have to have a talk with Audrey later. The one person he currently did not want to see was the Senatus herself. With her wrinkles and deceptively cunning eyes, she would trick anyone into doing her bidding. He opened the doors to the Butterfly Bistro and took a seat at one of the stools near the counter. “Welomings! I am so happy to see you return!” Missy happily approached Nolan with the menu. From what he could see, her amazing bouncing breasts caught the eyes of many patrons to his left. The one that hasn’t noticed drank from his mug. Nolan recognized him as the man he met in the Explorer’s Guild, the guy who he will fight alongside with in Guild Polaris, the person who he’ll be sharing a room with. “I’ll have the Clam Chowder.” He quickly gave the menu back to Missy without looking at its contents. The Butterfly Bistro was known for several things. Their clam chowder was one of them. “Gotcha! I will come soon with the somethings.” She placed a glass of water in front of him and retreated back into the kitchen. While he waited, he took another look around the bar. Several stools seated by patrons and windows that appeared so clean there might as well be none. Some explorers also came by to talk to Missy about quests for various reasons. The guy is still drinking from another mug. Nolan wondered how he managed to stay conscious. Several minutes later, Nolan’s dish had arrived. After Nolan paid for the meal, he left the bistro and walked out. The sky turned into a slight mix of orange and blue. The gulls are now few in number and the number of people on the streets started dwindling. Before leaving, he saw the clock on the wall. It was 4:50 when he left. It would be around two hours before the meeting. Nolan thought of many things to say to Audrey without sounding too whiny or cruel. He didn’t pay much attention when someone bumped into him. “Oomph.” “Oh. Sorry about that.” The man quickly walked past him. Nolan briefly glanced behind him to see the back of the man he bumped into before walking along. He stopped a few steps later when he heard that same voice screaming. He turned around and saw that the blonde haired man gripping the shirt of another, much smaller man whom Nolan never saw before. The former said a few words to the latter, who shook his head in denial. The blonde haired man, in response, lifted the man a few feet off the ground and shook him. Nolan stood by and watched, not knowing how to react. His first instinct was to rush hover and save him, but a crowd started to form around the two. And he would rather not be affiliated with a rogue maniac. Suddenly the smaller man raised his arms. “Okay, Okay! I’ll return the money!” At this, Nolan quickly checked his pocket for his pouch. Sure enough, it was missing. Before Neither Nolan or the man could do anything else, a cold, icy tone pierced through the murmuring, silencing it. “What’s going on here?” A female Shogun approached the two with one hand on the hilt of her sword. Nolan heard somewhere that the weapon is called a katana. The girl was wearing a eastern style clothing. He had never bothered to learn the name of what she was wearing and all the gold and brown armor underneath that made it more irrelevant. What is oddly clashing is the flower hairpin on top of her dark blue hair. Her golden eyes glared at the bearded man. “Drop him.” The man glared through his glasses before throwing his victim on the floor. Before the little thief could run away, he found himself staring in front of the katana. “Don’t move.” The emotionless tone of her voice meant that she was willing to use force if necessary. The man moved forward. “Easy. The man is a thief but there is no need to-“ He was silenced by another katana, a shorter one, pointing straight at him. “Identify yourself.” The crowd had long since dissipated, not wanting to get in the crossfire. Only Nolan stood near the three characters. “My name is Gustav. Gustav Johansen. I am an Arbalist for Guild Polaris. The man before you stole a wallet from my fellow guild member here.” He pointed directly at Nolan before quickly lowering his arms. “I was just trying to get it back.” This appeared to be convincing enough for her to lower the blade pointed at Gustav and glaring straight at the thief. “P-please. I’m sorry. I’ll return what I stole. Just don’t kill me! Please!” The man was pathetically begging for his life. Though very few people would stare at death In the face and laugh haughtily. Better to live and fight another day than to die and go into the unknown. Time had seemed to stop while the shogun was eyeing the man’s body before thrusting her sword at his side. Nolan would not blame him if he pissed his pants at the spot. Then again, he thought, the man deserved some humiliation. The girl lifted sword and swung it slightly in his direction. He barely caught the pouch with both hands. She withdrew her blade, bent down and picked the poor guy up with one hand, forcing him to stand before tying his hands with rope.. She glared at Gustav once more. “Well, Mr. Johansen, since you were well meaning, I will overlook it this once. Next time use see any trouble, report it to me. Or any other authority you see.” She turned to the criminal and walked forward, the long ropes tied with the hands forced him to follow behind. “Thanks.” Nolan walked over to Gustav who cracked his knuckles and adjusted his glasses. Now that they both are standing up close, Nolan is clearly dwarfed by this man. “Tch. Who did she think she is? Shoguns. Never liked them.” He heard the arbalist mutter. “Um, hey.” The stared down at Nolan. “Oh right. It’s no problem. My eyes never failed me. Not now, not ever.” His once stern face softened slightly. “I would suggest you watch out for your belongings, especially at night. Damn Shoguns can’t see everything.” With a shake of his head, he turned and disappeared into a crowd of people. Nolan walked quietly to the Inn. When he opened the door the boy lead him to his room. He droned out the cheerful things he said and just entered his new room. It had two beds, one bathroom and two cabinets for clothes. Nolan was glad that it wasn’t a bunk bed. The boy told him that he should pack up his old room and move in here. He walked out and packed up the things form his old room, which was 3 doors down the hall. The move was relatively quick taking only 15 minutes. Seeing how there was plenty of time before the meeting he hopped on to the bed, thinking that someone might wake him when the meeting starts he fell asleep. All around Nolan there was nothing but blackness. From a distance he could hear a sound. A dull, soothing sound echoing all around him. “Hello?” He tried to call out if someone’s there. But there was nothing when suddenly a flash of pain erupted from his abdomen. For e brief moment he saw red eyes, which slowly vanished as Nolan remained down where he is. The sound slowly quieted down, as if everything was moving away from him. Be fore everything was silent, a monotonous voice called from the darkness. “Stay away.” “Hey.” Nolan moved slightly as someone was shaking him. He opened his eye to see a familiar looking beard. Gustav shook a few more times before Nolan got the hint and started to wake up. “Wake up. The meeting is about to start.” After a bit of stretching and yawning, He followed Gustav out of their room and down into the lobby. He was slightly confused as to why there was a different dream, but he brushed it off, thinking that it was a one time thing. Rather than some sort of conference room, the meeting is to apparently take place in the Inn’s dining hall. The guests of the Inn all made their seats around various roundtables eating and conversing with each other. Nolan guessed it was about the Labyrinth. Gustav led him to a table in the far back, where a familiar girl in a blue blouse waved. As he and Gustav were seated, it was apparent someone important was missing. “Hello Nolan.” Silvia greeted. She waited for Nolan to return her greeting with a nod before continuing. “Well, Audrey told me to meet in the dining hall before she went off, saying she needs to do something.” A waitress brought up glasses of water and a menu for everyone. She let out a sigh after sipping on hers. “I’ll have the Roast Vegetable Lasagna please.” She turned to Nolan who ordered a beef brisket with garlic mash potatoes. “I’m sorry about earlier. I was kinda tired about the whole ordeal today and just agreed to whatever Audrey said. If you want I could talk to her and-“ She was cut off by a raised arm. “It’s fine. I’ll just get used to it.” Nolan mentally noted that this will be temporary. As soon as he find Captain Boomer’s crew, and finding answers... Nolan hadn’t thought about what would happen afterward. He closed his eye. The only reason he was even in this Guild was because of Captain Boomer. Nothing else would matter… “Hey everyone!” A familiar voice called out behind him. Nolan just raised his hand while Silvia and Gustav stared with confused looks on their faces. While he was adjusting his glasses, Silvia was the first to speak. “Audrey…what are you doing with that child?” He looked over his shoulder and joined the other in the confused staring. In front of Audrey was a little girl who stood up slightly above the monk’s stomach. She wore a brown dress with matching brown hat and leggings as well as brown boots. Her strawberry blonde hair reached passed her shoulders. Her amber eyes gleamed with happiness and curiosity. Definitely a child, Nolan confirmed. Audrey merely grinned at Silvia’s question. “It is simple, my loyal hoplite. Everyone, this is Keziah Mason.” The girl did a curtsy. Nolan knew where this is going and he’s definitely sure if he’s not going to like it. “And she’s joining our Guild!” Everyone in the dining hall continued to eat, but for one table, time seemed to have stood still. “Hey. You okay, boss? You don’t suffer any trauma or-“ His mouth was quickly covered by Silvia who glared at their “glorious” leader for a moment before softening her eyes at the smiling girl. “Hey there. Um, Keziah was it? Why don’t you sit next to me? You can order whatever you want.” The girl nodded and went to take her seat. Meanwhile, Audrey settled in to Nolan’s right. He didn’t felt like facing their insane leader. “Um, are you sure this is a good idea?” He spoke as he watched Keziah ordered a swordfish dish. The monk cleared her throat a little before speaking. “I’ll have the baby back ribs if you will.” The waitress jotted it down while another one brought the other three their meals. “Of course it’s a good idea. The place serves food for cheap!” Nolan sighed while slicing through the medium steak with his fork and knife. “I meant about our new…addition to the team?” His voice was just above a whisper, just enough for Audrey to hear, but not enough for Keziah to pick up. She was occupied with Silvia anyway. “Of course. Everyone! Listen up!” She tapped her glass with a fork and spoke with some degree of force and authority. “Now that the team is complete, let me re-introduce the members of Guild Zodiac. I’m Audrey Driscoll, not only am I your leader, I am also a monk who uses qi to heal. It saves on money that way.” She pointed to Silvia who stopped eating. “This is Silvia Stone, my loyal Hoplite and second in command.” Nolan faced his meal, trying to avoid eye contact. “The Senatus issued the first mission for Guild Polaris. We are to travel around and make a map of the first floor of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. Obviously that would mean we needed someone who can draw maps.” She extended her hand to Keziah. He took a little peek and saw the little girl blushed in embarrassment. “And being a zodiac, she can draw one. She can also support us with attacks from the rear.” Nolan did not know much about Zodiacs. “Petty, pretentious, pricks!” Captain Boomer used to say about them. From the corner of his eye, Silvia and Gustav seemed a bit more impressed. Before Audrey can speak some more, Gustav stood up with a grin on his face. “Hello. Name’s Gustav. Arbalist extraordinaire! My crossbow can his any target and I’m also good with animals.” Finishing his introduction with a wink he sat back down. The entire group went silent, as if expecting someone to stand up and introduce himself. Reluctantly, Nolan got up. “My name is Nolan Flynn. I’m a gladiator who uses swords.” Before he could sit back down, Audrey continued from where Nolan left off. “He’s also been to the Labyrinth before. Anything you can tell us so we can prepare?” Nolan stopped. He tried to remember what it was like in the first few floors of the Labyrinth. He hadn’t joined any guild for two months, and he hadn’t been to the first few floors of the Labyrinth for a few months before it. The only thinghe remembered was fighting something yellow and running from something green. The memory became clearer after a few moments. “Be cautious when fighting a yellow…cat. And for the second floor, it’s best to visit at night.” That was all he said before he resumed finishing his meal. Nobody else had any questions despite the short answer and resumed their own meals. The rest of dinner went by quickly. “Okay, people. At this point you can do whatever you want. I suggest you sleep early. We’ll be meeting at the lobby at to go to the Labyrinth. Don’t forget.” Their leader yawned and stretched before leaving. Probably retreating to her room he thought. Everyone else retreated to their room except for Nolan, who stood outside the Inn and stared at the sky. Night has fallen and several stars formed various constellations through the dark sky, thought he didn’t know what’s what. It has gotten noticeably colder, but he didn’t care. In the peaceful silence, he kept staring at some of the brighter stars and only jumped slightly at a sudden voice from behind. “Couldn’t sleep?” Silvia stood next to Nolan. “Yeah. Tomorrow’s the day I re-enter the Labyrinth.” He stretched his arms and grinned. “I’ve had my last meal, said my farewells and have no regrets. It was nice knowing you all.” The hoplite giggled at his joke. The atmosphere turned awkward as Silvia continued to stare at his face. “…What?” “You know, there’s something I’ve always wondered about you and I don’t want to seem rude, but…” Silvia paused. She looked away from him. “Nevermind. It’s a personal thing.” “You want to know about my eye?” Silvia hesitantly nodded. “I don’t really know either. One day I woke up, beaten and bleeding. My eye went missing; took a few weeks to get used to it. I’m still getting used to it right now.” He neglected to tell Silvia about the dream. “Don’t trust anybody” The words still rang in his head. “I see. I’m sorry.” “It’s fine What about the girl? Have you talked to Audrey about it?” Nolan was curious about the girl, who never spoke even once during the dinner. Silvia sighed and rubbed her temples. It would seem she was agitated and tired from their leader’s stubbornness. “I did. She told me not to worry about it. Saying that zodiacs are useful for their elemental attacks and stuff.” Elemental attacks? Nolan was now more curious to ask what zodiacs are. “Oh yeah. I’ve been meaning to ask, but what does a zodiac do, exactly?” “Hm, how do I say this. They are skilled in science and math. They would use certain equations to form magic circles and create magic. To see one so young, needless to say, is surprising. They can also make accurate charts of the stars and constellations and are skilled map makers. I know that they’re a necessity, but to pick one up who a little girl? What was she thinking? Honestly.” She stopped. “Sorry, I went off a bit on a rant there.” Nolan said it was fine. “Welp. I’m going back. Are you coming?” He followed her into the inn and up the stairs. The innkeeper was up to take any guests in. He assumed that the boy was asleep. “Up the stairs Silvia stopped at the first left door of the halls. “Get some sleep. We got a big day tomorrow. Good night.” “Night.” The girl entered her own room while Nolan opened the door to his new room and walked in. He saw that Gustav was already sleeping, his back turned from him and he was quiet. Thankful that he wasn’t snoring, Nolan removed his boots and laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. As much as he hated it, it was time to re-enter the nightmares he had for the last two months. The unmoving fan was replaced by darkness as he closed his eye and slept. |
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9:38 AM Jul 11