Baka Eponymous
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Sorry I'm late...
*ahem* Lmfao, TheDude, Mintaka and Efli!
Here I go. Now to tie everythin' in so far for me and
me team. For the record, I'm setting this before Beowulf meets
Ramza and co in FFT.
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Beowulf clutched at
his side, gasping in pain. He looked down - blood seeping from
a gash. That one got too close... I cannot let this man
defeat me! He raised his Ice Brand, and pointed it at the
knight.
"I know you have Reis. Let me pass, and I will
spare you! I know she is here!"
The knight howled a
battle cry and rushed him, as Beowulf stepped deftly to one
side and lowered his blade under the enemy's. The knight
stopped, shuddered, and slowly collapsed to the floor.
"I tried. I really tried to save you...Reis! Reis!
Where are you!" Beowulf spurred himself forward, running down
the corridor. In the room at the end, a shape could be seen, a
creature? Reis? His vision blurred slightly. Please god,
don't let this wound take me now! Let me just reach my
love! The blur came again, and this time, it wasn't just
his vision. He stopped abruptly, and looked around in
confusion.. as the room faded.
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Where
am I? A grey, shifting space? Wait.. colour...
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Slowly, around him, visions coalesced -
a clearing, a full clearing... he shook his head, as the blur
faded. Stumbling from the shock, he grabbed at a nearby figure
for support, and jumped - the figure was cold, metallic to the
touch!
"W-what are you? Where is this?" he stammered -
and then a hush fell over the clearing, as two figures
appeared before the crowd.
The first stepped forward
and formally bowed. "I welcome you, warriors, to the
Tournament of Champions. The challenge will test your skill,
your wits, and your will to live. I am Mian and this is my
compatriot Volnes. We are conducting this tournament to find a
person worthy of joining the Eternal's Echelon. I assure you,
this is as great a prize as anyone can offer."
So...it was you snatched me up, brought me here?
...but where is here? And who are you really, fiends? You...
took me away, I was so close to her, to Reis!
"The
tournament shall last seven days. When a contestant has become
too weak to continue, we shall remove them from contention. We
don't want you to die; that would harm the realities that you
come from."
Wait.. a tournament? I..have to fight
these people?
He looked around at the strange
group assembled. That one there - Izlude... and that one in
the gold armour, I know him.. I'm sure I know him... But wait,
that Volnes person is continuing...
Volnes stepped
up and took over. "Today's challenge shall take place on this
island." Today's? "The jungle shall provide you with
cover, but may also conceal your enemies from view. There are
also demons roaming through this jungle, as I'm sure a few
have you have already discovered." He smirked as he looked
over the crowd. So... some have been here longer than
others... "Those of you capable of flight, I do not
recommend trying to get to the other islands; the air currents
are turbulant between the islands, and I guarantee that you do
not want to fall into the energy barrier." Flight? Truly
these people amaze me already! "Before I let you go, I
should mention that a few individuals have managed to enter
this dimension without our assistance. They are not contenders
in this tournament, and I would recommend not wasting your
energies on attacking them."
Mian spoke last. "When
you leave here, you will have one hour to spread yourselves
out before you begin battle. Anyone who fights before the hour
is up shall be disqualified. Good luck, warriors. May the
Creator watch over you." Volnes suppressed a smirk when Mian
said this.
Something more is happening here. There
is something they are not telling us! Who are these fiends,
these devils? To snatch me from my beloved.. and these poor
people, to steal them away, too?
Suddenly, Beowulf
had a thought, and pressed his hand to his side. So.. my
wound is still there. This could ail me.
The
figures on the dais disappeared, and the contestants began to
part. He looked up at the figure by him - a strange, cloaked
figure, but seemingly coated in metal. "Pardon me, friend, I
know this may seem untimely, but might I ask who you are?"
The figure turned and looked at him. What is
that... mask... over his face? "I am Zynk."
Beowulf blinked. With no prompt for further
conversation, he pressed it himself. "I am Beowulf Kadmus, of
Lionel. Might I enquire as to where you are from?"
"I
am from..the past."
The metal man - Zynk - seemed, in
those five words, to express an eternity of sadness, and
Beowulf felt himself wanting to open up to him.
"Friend, Zynk, I assume you were brought here from the
same kind of situation I was from."
Zynk remained
quiet.
"What I mean is... we are all here for this
'tournament'." We are all being manipulated by this Mian
and Volnes! "But...why do we all have to fight?" Why
should we obey these puppet-masters? "I propose... an
alliance. If we have to venture out into this jungle, we
shouldn't be alone." And unless this wound is treated
soon...
The...creature...seemed to think for a
minute, then nodded. "That is acceptable. And I believe this
man here will wish to join us, too."
Beowulf turned,
slightly painfully, to see a dark-haired warrior, carrying the
biggest sword he'd ever seen, run up to them. "Look," he
began, "I don't know what's going on here, and quite frankly,
I don't care. All I know is that I'm not where I should be,
and I'm not gonna face that lot" - he gestured around the
clearing - "on my own. My name's Arngrim. And you are?"
Beowulf shrugged. "I am Beowulf Kadmus, and this seems
to be - " "I am Zynk" the metal warrior intoned. "I will
fight with you, Arngrim and Beowulf." And with that, the
warrior turned and walked off into the forest. Arngrim looked
Beowulf up and down. "You look hurt."
"It's nothing."
It's more than that, but I cannot show weakness! After
everything, I am a Lionel Knight, and I must act as such!
"You should follow him - I'll be along in a bit. It shouldn't
be too difficult to follow his trail..." Arngrim grinned.
"Take care of yourself, Beowulf. I'll meet you again soon, in
battle." And with that, he turned and followed Zynk.
The Temple Knight sighed. This was a strange, strange
land, full of strange people. Maybe, with the help of these
two, he could find Mian and Volnes, and then...they could
return Reis to him... he sighed, pressed his hand to his side,
and followed his new companions into the
jungle...
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// Baka //
Terminal Wannabe // Otaku-in-Training // m00 //
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