Lost Times (ShadowVaati)

Tacheon sat out on the dock, watching the fish swim back and forth. Shadows from the monolithic clouds passed up above. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked. He knew that this was where he was supposed to be, but there was nobody in sight, let alone anyone with as wild of a discription as he had recieved.

The sunlight gleamed off of the katana that was left slightly unsheathed next to him, and his bare feet nearly touched the crystal clear water, but not quite. Something sounded behind him. Instantly, he was alert and on his feet. It was the man. This he knew. He was here at last.

"Hello," he said, extending his hand.

Kartaikian was on his horse, Stormrider; who was now galloping. He could see the water in the distance, in the direction he was headed. It was a sunny day, and Kartaikian moved in and out of the shadows cast by the clouds overhead. It didn't take long, and soon he had arrived. He slowed down his horse when he could see the dock.

He dismounted, and walked up to the dock, where a man was sitting with his feet hanging down over the water. Kartaikian noticed the sword next to the man, gleaming in the sunlight. As soon as Kartaikian's boots hit the wood of the dock, the man got up and turned around.

"Hello," he said, extending his hand.

Kartaikian shook the man's hand, and returned the greeting.

"I assume you know why I have sent for you, correct?" Tacheon began. He was nervous, but he tried not to show it. "The tremors that are afflicting this land are growing more and more powerful everyday now, and we've no idea why," Kartaikian nodded his understanding before Tacheon continued, "So the council has elected you and me to go to the source of the vibes and correct whatever activity is going on around there."

He pulled out a map, and pointed to a little note on it. "This is where the activity's epicenter seems to be located. The only problem is that once we get there, every single enemy of the state will be waiting for us. We probably won't make it back alive," Tacheon waited for some reaction, but there was none. "So, you in?

The pleasant sound of birdsong, the beautiful flowers that grew near the water, and the warm sunny air that filled the skies were in contrast to the dark mood and bad news that Tacheon Alexander Black bore. As Tacheon explained the situation, he showed Kartaikian a map of the lands, the epicenter of the mysterious tremors marked. This was the reason that Kartaikian had been called from his world, a long travel to these unknown lands. It wasn't too much of a bother to him, as he enjoyed travel, and he was always looking to help people from great evil. However, Kartaikian had a few questions to ask Tacheon before he joined this supposed suicide mission.

He thought for a moment, then proposed his questions.

"Before I say 'yes,' which most likely I will, I must know a few things. I'm sure you'll understand. First off: who is the council that chose me to come all the way here? Second: who are these enemies in supposed wait for us? Lastly: why would your council choose me to come and face these enemies?" Kartaikian asked. "Answer me those, and I'll help you out."

This Kartaikian Stormcloud posessed a shrewder intelligence than Tacheon had thought at first. He was at least intelligent enough to know when he wasn't being told everything, and collected enough to know when to throw out the bargaining method for information. Tacheon took a few moments to collect himself, for he expected less of an intelligence from someone so... warrior-like..., and then spoke.

"I suspected you'd want to know as much," Tacheon lied, covering up his own shock, "but I'm afraid that I am simply a messenger and a drone, so I don't know everything that I feel you deserve to know. The council that you've been informed of is none other than the Intergalactic Council for the Cessation of Peacetime Strife and Other Malfunctions That Would Normally be Nothing More Than a Nuiscance, or IGCCPSOMTWNNMTN. Hence, the Council for short.

"The enemies that are waiting for us are known as the Gni. But the point is, it doesn't really matter who the enemy is, but rather why they want to stop us," Stormcloud opened his mouth again, most likely to try to ask why, then, they wanted to stop this crusade, but Tacheon held up his hand instead. "And don't bother asking why, because you've already used up all three of your wishes." Tacheon chuckled to himself, even though his joke wasn't all that funny.

"The council has chosen you, Kartaikian Stormcloud, to accompany me on this quest to the nether-regions and back, for a few simple reasons. You're a skilled fighter, you think harder in unusual situations, and you're a wanted criminal in the IGCCPSOMTWNNMTN database. If you die, nobody will shed a tear. That's why they chose me as well. So my offer still stands. Will you join me in arms?"

Tacheon's wide, infectious grin filled up his face. The scar under his right eye twitched slightly, but betrayed no signs of malice or deception. His weapon was back on the dock, fully sheathed. He didn't want to be unnerving, after all...

Stormcloud listened carefully to Tacheon's explanation. He smirked at the unintelligently long and confusing name for the Council, and the even more unintelligently long and confusing abbreviation. Never would a council of any sort take on such a bulky name in Kartaikian's lands. He listened as Tacheon spoke of the enemy, the "Gni," and was about to ask who the Gni were when Tacheon interrupted with a silly pun.

"You've already used up your three wishes," Tacheon said.

He then went on to explain why the Council had chosen Kartaikian, of all the millions of people (and of all people, one from a world they would likely never visit!) Skilled fighter: couldn't argue with that, although Kartaikian was sure he wasn't the only skilled fighter the Council could find. Think hard in unusual situations: he couldn't really argue with that one either, but how would the Council know that? A wanted criminal in the--

A what?! That not only went through Kartaikian's mind, but also through his mouth.

"I'm a what?! How in the world, or any world, could I be a wanted criminal in any "database," let alone your IGCCPwhatever's database? I've done nothing wrong, and surely nothing that your Council could know me by!" Stormcloud's slight irritation at being labeled as a "criminal" soon dissolved into curiosity. "How does your Council even know of my existence? Have I been that prominent in my travels?"

As Kartaikian left his question hanging in the air, he couldn't help but feel that Tacheon was still hiding something from him. Oh well, if he didn't reveal it now, he wasn't going to anytime soon. Stormcloud would find out for himself, and Tacheon would likely regret holding whatever it was back. Yes, Kartaikian would make sure that any deception or malice would not go unpaid for...

Kartaikian seemed to draw into himself for a few moments, and Tacheon decided to wait and see if he remembered whether or not he had asked a question. Tacheon drew back the hand he had held outstretched, which remained unshaken, and picked up his sword. Kartaikian startled at this, his hand flying to his hilt, but Tacheon merely reattatched his sword to his belt. He got up and started to walk away, hoping Kartaikian would follow him.

He considered how much he would tell him as he walked.

OoC: Sorry that it was so short, I'm suffering from a minor brainfart at the moment. I hope you understand.

OoC: Of course I understand. Happens to everybody.

BiC:

Tacheon seemed to ignore Kartaikian's question, as he turned back towards the sword that lay on the dock. Stormcloud saw him pick up the sword, and instinctively put his hand on his own, which probably startled Tacheon more than Tacheon had startled him. Tacheon attached the blade to his belt, and began to walk away, clearly expecting him to follow.

Kartaikian did so, and spoke as he did. "In response to your offer, the answer is 'yes,' I will join with you. However, I think it's only fair that you answer my question as well. How did I ever become a criminal to your Council?" Again, he let the question hang in the air. Tacheon couldn't ignore him now...could he?

Crap. Appearently, Kartaikian was more perceptive of the minutiae of manipulation than Tacheon had at first thought. Rather than letting the question remain ignored, Tacheon closed his eyes and sighed in feigned exasperation.

"I would be more than glad to answer your question, comerade, but I'm not the one to ask about the specifics. All I'm aware of is that it has something to do with the murders of many top Council members, and if half of the more gruesome bits are true, then I'm proud of your work! More likely, however, someone you know who may bear a grudge against you decided to give an "anonymous tip" so that they could get rid of you. Now, I have two questions for you... who would do such a thing, and why does it matter what you're convicted of? We're going to be heroes anyway, when all this is over and done with..."

Tacheon's eyes flicked down for an instant, and then back up into Kartaikian's. "Actually, make that three, comerade. Why is your blade glowing?"

Tacheon sighed in supposed exasperation, and explained that he had no explanation for the situation. He mentioned something about a brutal murder of some people that Kartaikian had never met, and asked who would want to frame him. Kartaikian went deep into thought, wondering the very same question himself...

While he was thinking, he put his hand on his blade, and played with it for a moment, as he tended to do. Although he'd only had a slight bit slightly unsheathed, Tacheon had noticed it, and asked a question.

"Why is your blade glowing?"

Kartaikian unsheathed it again, and looked down at it. After just a moment of examining the eerie green-black metal, he returned it to it's scabbard.

"It's not glowing. Sometimes it looks like it is, but it's not. It must have something to do with the unthinkable powers embedded into it..." he trailed off, letting his mystic revelation remain shrouded in mystery.

"As for someone holding a grudge against me, I can't truly think of any. I'm definitely not one to make friends, but I can't say I have many, if any, enemies. As far as I know, that is... anyway, it does matter to me. If I'm to be convicted of something I didn't do, I want to at least know why and how. But, alas, if you do not know, I guess I'll have to be the one to find out myself..." that suddenly led him to remember something Tacheon had said earlier. "Say, why are you a criminal? That is what you said, is it not?"

Kartaikian was becoming pleasantly annoying. It had been a long time since Tacheon had had anyone even remotely intelligent to talk to, and the back-and-forthedness of it all pleased him.

"If you must know, friend, I happen to be one of the survivors of the Great War, and the council wasn't too keen about the outcome of it, so they declared that anyone higher than Captain on the winning side to be terminated. I managed to escape that slaughter, only to be forced into bondage by them instead. I was more than a little reluctant, though," he reached up and traced the scar under his eye with his pointer finger.

Kartaikian remained silent for a while.

"So, friend, how's that for an answer?"

OoC: Aah! Can you be the catalyst for a while? I've run out of ideas, seeing as how it's past one here.

OoC: 1 o'clock is pretty late... So you want me to come up with something? (That means I have to think...;D)

BiC:

Tacheon answered the question, pointing to his scar for emphasis.

"Well, that's a good enough answer for me, I suppose," was Kartaikian's response. "Now, let's move on. From what you've told me, our errand is urgent." Tacheon agreed, and continued walking. As they walked, Kartaikian's horse followed them close behind.

Tacheon led them along the edge of the water. As he led, they walked in silence. Kartaikian was thinking over this new mission of his, and wondering about how much he could trust his comrade. Tacheon was thinking who knows what.

A dog's bark broke the silence, startling Stormcloud and Tacheon, who'd both been absorbed in thought. "So, uh, where are we headed, anyway?" Kartaikian asked.

OoC: Yeah, it seems I can't think of much either...

OoC: Meh, these things happen. What time is it wherever you are at the moment?

BiC:

Kartaikian asked Tacheon where they were headed.

"You'll see," came Tacheon's reply, "Now check this out. I'm pulling a Moses." Again, Tacheon chuckled to himself, looked to Kartaikian to see if he would laugh. Kartaikian blinked. Tacheon sighed. The water atoms were easy to move en masse, and soon Tacheon had a nice little passageway through the water opened up. A boulder at the bottom of the lake moved to the side, revealing a small tunnel that they entered through.

Tacheon pondered Kartaikian's question again. Tacheon had been going where he had been told to go, and from there he didn't know how he knew where to go, just that he did. Hell, Tacheon himself didn't know where exactly they were going, and he had spent several months on this planet already. The tunnel was torchlit, but it was still so gloomy and humid (them being under the water, after all), that it was hard to see nonetheless move.

Tacheon grabbed one of the torches off of the wall, and Kartaikian did the same opposite of him. The tunnel they followed eventually fed into a large, circularesque room with a large, shaded shape in the middle. It stirred slightly. Tacheon doused his flame. He looked over at his ally to do the same, but he was too engrossed with the mass. Tacheon looked back to see why. He turned a little too late.


OoC: Is it pathetic to be sitting here waiting for you to make another post?

OoC: At the time I am writing this it is 11:53 pm.

BiC:

"I'm pulling a Moses," Tacheon said. He chuckled to himself, and gave the impression that he was trying to be funny. Kartaikian didn't laugh. Tacheon sighed, and began to move aside the water, making a passage way through the lake leading to a large boulder. The boulder, when moved aside, revealed a dark tunnel. The nature of Tacheon's ability interested Stormcloud, but he didn't ask about it.

The tunnel was lit only with torches, and when Tacheon took one of the wall, Kartaikian followed suit. From there he just followed Tacheon, who led them into a large circular room. There was something in the middle of the room, something that moved slightly as they entered.

Tacheon had put out his torch, but Kartaikian was still watching the dark shape in the room. Tacheon turned to look at Stormcloud, but as he did the form suddenly leaped from where it stood, right towards Tacheon.

Tacheon looked back, but it was to late.

OoC: Question: is the tunnel big enough for the horse, or did we leave him outside?

OoC: Two things, first of all, the horse could totally come along, I was sort of leaving that up to you, and secondly that was amazing the way you just completely repeated what I said...

BiC:

Tacheon looked into the gaping jaws of the beast that was mere inches from his face. It was still trying to consume him, even though Kartaikian had drawn his blade and lodged it in the creature's face, keeping it at bay. Tacheon couldn't move for several moments.

"What are you doing, foolish man?" Kartaikian shouted, his voice dampened even though the room was cavernous, "Run!"

Tacheon did not run. He formed a massive stalagmite out of the ground (they are the ones that come out of the ground, right?) and it pierced through the creature's chin, but missed the top of the skull so that the tip protruded out of its mouth. The creature vomited, and the acidic bile started to dissolve the rock formation and part of Tacheon's torso. Soulsplitter, Kartaikian's blade, was unaffected.

"Let's get out of here!" Tacheon shouted to his ally, who had the same idea himself. When they began to run, the behemoth roared and rose to its full height, crashing into the ceiling. Rocks and stalagtites began to fall from up above, sealing off the two entrances in the process. They were trapped there. The horse whinnied but did not move from Kartiakian's side. It was loyal to the bitter end. Tacheon could not help but despair.

It roared again.

OoC: Yeah...sorry about that. I was hoping something would come to me, but I couldn't think of much...

BiC:

They were trapped. Debris blocked both entrances. The dark creature that had attacked them was hunched in the middle of the room, its head touching the ceiling. How it had ever managed to get in this room was a mystery to Kartaikian. The only thing emitting light was the torch that Kartaikian had dropped, which was now lying off to the side of the room, against a wall. One could only assume that the creature could probably see in the dark. If that torch went out...

Stormcloud sheathed his blade, and nocked a gray-feathered arrow into his recurved bow. He released a few shots at the behemoth's head, one of them missed and hit the ceiling, landing back down on the ground a couple seconds later. The others must have stuck in the monster. Kartaikian urged Tacheon to work some of his magic, while he nocked another arrow.

By now though, the monster was angered. Drops of steaming blood poured down off his face, along with acid spittle. It crouched down for attack...

...and the blood from its face doused the torch.

All was consumed in darkness. The horse whinnied.

The creature roared.

OoC: Ooh, good twist.

BiC:

It was dark. That much was obvious. Tacheon knelt down and searched for something in the ground that could be used for illumination, magnesium, quartz, sulfur, anything, but there was almost nothing he could find to use for lighting. Then he thought of Kartaikian's blade, and he started to shout out to him, but something bashed the back of his head, on the one spot that was not okay to be hit in. Things gained a new degree of blackness, and he didn't even feel the ground rush up to hit him. Blood trickled out of his ears.

OoC: Sorry about the super-shortness of that post. I'm getting ready to leave for somewhere right now. Mea Culpa.

Kartaikian heard the thump of a body hitting the ground, and knew he was next. He needed light! Likely, if this creature was a subterranean monster, it was more used to dark than light. Light could possibly stun it, or at least throw it off guard. Unless it was naturally blind, as is common with subterranean creatures...

Stormcloud quickly began to search through his backpack, for anything he might have that could make light. He found some flint, but had nothing to light. Suddenly, an arm like a tree flew into his side, knocking him against a wall, and sending the contents of his pack flying about the room. The blow hadn't done much damage, luckily, but now his stuff was everywhere, and his flint lost.

Kartaikian got up, and found his nose was bleeding. He noticed something barely glowing nearby, and crawled toward it. He heard the creature roar again, and felt its arm crash down on the ground a few feet away, sending chips of stone into his face. Finally, his hands were within reach of the small glowing objects. What were they?

Crystals! Kartaikian liked to keep a few crystals on hand, luckily enough. He tapped them hard against each other, causing them to flare up with a bright piercing white light.

Just in time to see the arm.

Tacheon was back on his feet in a flash, when the light came back to him. He had no idea how long he was out, nor did he care. The only thing important to him now was that his... ally... was in trouble. The beast was in the middle of building up for a massive power punch, and Kartaikian looked better when he wasn't smeared against a wall, as people usually do.

Tacheon drew out his katana and, combatting dizziness and the ground's pull on him, rushed at the colossus, desperate to stop it in its tracks. It must've seen him coming or something, because as he ran up to it it stopped building up power and instead, from the very same position it was in, elbowed him in the face. Tacheon went flying, and so did some of his teeth. He had heard his own nose break when he lifted off, and several of his bones did the same when he landed again.

"Tacheon!" Kartaikian shouted, rushing toward him but keeping a large diameter around the beast, "are you okay?!"

"Yeah," Tacheon muttered, "give me five minutes."

Tacheon went about to repairing himself, which would take a while with the amount of gashes he had endured, and Kartaikian looked back upon the beast and grinned.

Although Kartaikian had dropped the crystals, they still lit up the room. Despite the painful blow to the side, and the wall that had been in his way, Kartaikian was not seriously injured...unlike Tacheon.

Before the creature had time to attack again, Kartaikian had found his blade and picked it up off the ground. The monster was still bleeding, and clearly injured. As it came down to swing his tree-like arm at Kartaikian...again...he instead got a slash to the wrist.

Stormcloud's judgments were correct, and he'd hit an artery. A steaming stream of blood came out of the gash in the behemoth's arm. It must have been painful, as indicated by the way the creature recoiled and started to throw rocks from a distance. However, stuck throwing rocks with what was apparently not his dominant arm, it had very bad aim. Kartaikian rushed up to it and slashed at it's legs.

He sliced a tendon, causing the creature to fall to its knees, and almost landing on top of Stormcloud. Leaving no time for the monster to respond, Kartaikian climbed up on its back, and stabbed his blade into the base of its skull. As it hit the ground, Kartaikian jumped off, landing next to Tacheon, who had mostly healed himself by now.

Sheathing his blade, Kartaikian set about gathering his stuff.