Fateful Night (Ciroton)

Leaves crunched underneath Zachary's feet as he looked around the room. The once proud, highly healthy forest that had once been Zorlo's room had wilted and gone into a state to autumn. The ice mage had forgotten that, with its Master dead, the room had no source of energy to maintain a constant state of being alive. Without Zorlo, his room was liable for all the seasons as well.

The Replicator entered the green haired man's cabin. The monkeys had clearly been here recently. Papers were scattered all over the fencer's desk, and the rest of his stuff was in chaos. The sorcerer walked forwards, only looking for something he had forgotten to take earlier. After all, if he hadn't forgotten it the first time, he wouldn't have had to return.

Between all of the random notes about people, the ice mage continued searching for one person of relatively interest. Someone he had met months ago. A woman with beautiful armor. After her battle with a man who Zachary found himself incapable of remembering, Zorlo had said something interesting.

"She has amazing latent potential of some kind... its just hidden under that armor of hers... That armor is hiding her true potential. I hope to find a chance properly test what I sense."

"Well Z, you didn't have a chance, but I'm gonna take up that job then," Zachary said as he picked up a sheet that had been marked for "Emile Velos". "Good, I've found her, now then... I need someone to test her, since I need to help Monroe," Zachary said as he ruffled through pages on the table. "I think I'll try my hand at fate!" the red haired warrior said as he reached out and grabbed a sheet.

Zachary smiled as he looked at the name. "Arin, huh?" he asked as he headed back off to write up a letter. He'd contact this Arin person. Perhaps he'd be worthy of fighting Emile.

o=)-------------- Where Emile is --------------(=o

It had been at least three months since the tournament in Tybalt. Since then, Emile had found it hard to fight in Roller Battle. After all, everyone there was so weak... and she wanted to be strong. What she had learned from her experience in Tybalt was that to become strong, one had to fight strong people. But... no one here was anything like the crazy people she'd met in Tybalt...

The purple haired woman stood up and continued to walk around the park. After all, she found herself wearing her armor, skating around the park tonight. It helped her clear her mind and to relax when she wasn't trying to work on her spear skills. After all, if nothing else, she would get good with her weapon. After all, as she had learned, her armor could be destroyed, no matter how hard she fought.

"One day... I'll find a way to be as strong as those people are. I'll prove to them... and to me... that I'm every bit more powerful than a normal person! After all, I've got technology on my side. By making newer and stronger armors, eventually I can fill the gaps in our power. One day."

With that, Emile continued to skate around the park, clearing her mind in the only way she knew how.

Out of all the times of day to travel, the mage in the rainbow robes loved morning most of all. The heat of the day had yet to build and the cool of the night still lingered, casting frost onto the grass and making ones breath visible to the naked eye. Alas, it was not only the scenery that appealed to him at this time of day, but the lack of noise and traffic along the narrow paths allowed him some time to think and reflect.

However, as he headed south for the Ellid desert, he would find the morning peace disturbed in a most unusual way.

Walking down the forest road, he had no clue of what awaited him around the bend. In fact, had it not been for a gentle, foreign crunching noise, he probably wouldn’t have noticed the envelope laid out on the road in front of him. “What the-? Oh, it’s a letter,” he spoke to himself, taking his foot off the snowy-white paper before picking it up. “I swear, those letter carriers are getting lasier and lasi- Hmm? It’s addressed to me?”

Taken aback by the letters on the now dirty and crumpled face, he began to wonder the letter’s origin, having not recognized the handwriting. “This is spooky, but I guess I’ll have to open it eventually.”

Sighing, he tore into the paper and extracted the note within, reading it as he continued on his way.

Mr. Arin,

Although you do not know me, I’m sure you’re aquatinted to a man by the name of Zorlo.

“Zorlo, Zorlo…” the mage paused as he tried to remember the face that went with the name. “Oh yeah,” he said in a sudden burst of memory. “He was that guy I fought Jacentar with, the guy with the abnormal fixation on green.”

He left me with a task I have no time to accomplish myself, the letter continued, so I wish to ask you to do it for me. I know I’m a complete stranger to you, but think of it as a learning experience. Please, come see me in the dome’s fountain room if you accept the task. You will receive further instruction there.

Zachary Leos.

Conflictions quickly set into the mage’s mind, unable to decide what to do. He’d only know the fencer for an hour, at best. Why would this man use his name? To grab his curiosity? That certainly worked. He sighed at his curiosity, how often had it dragged him into trouble? Still, he moved on, feeling a door to the dome just a little way ahead.

*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*

Eventually, he wandered through the door and down the hall to the fountain room. All the while, he kept his eyes on the road, away from wandering like he did the last few times he wandered these halls. Why did fate keep bringing him back here? As he approached the fountain room, he shrugged these questions away, leaving him to ponder some other time as he opened the doors.

The sound of quiet water flowing through the fountains had always helped Zachary to relax. Unlike Zorlo, he didn't like to appear out of nowhere, since that wasn't as appealing as meeting a person face to face to Zachary. As the ice mage stood up from where he had been sitting, his jacket fluttered slightly. The Replicator looked at the man in the multicolored robes and crossed his arms. "I'm guessing your Arin, then?"

The man nodded as he looked at the red haired warrior. "And I'm guessing you're the guy that asked me to come here."

"Astute observation," Zachary commented as he uncrossed his arms, still looking at the man. "I called you here because there is a woman that I wish for you to fight. She wears futuristic armor and has a spear that shoots lightning from its tip. Anyway, according to Zorlo, she has some kind of pent up power that she can't reach because her armor is holding her back. I want you to do as much damage to her armor as possible, and then return to report to me your findings on if this whole power thing is true."

The Replicator crossed his arms again as he looked at the mage. "I don't have much I can give you, although I'm sure this test would be good enough for you. After all, this foe is not one to be laughed at or mocked. If she really has a latent power she isn't realizing, you'll get more than your share in a fight with her," Zachary stated as he looked at the man again. "What do you say?"

So this is what it boiled down to. According to the man, Zachary, all Arin had to do was damage or destroy her armour and see if she had any hidden powers. He couldn’t find anything wrong with this request, seeing as it wasn’t like a hit order, but he still hesitated for a few minutes. Did he really need the delay in his trip? Sure, that ancient Ellidian spellbook wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but there was still the possibility that someone could snatch it before him.

Besides, even if she was a tough opponent, all he’d have to do is strip her of her armour. Still, the spear put him off somewhat from taking the job. Then again, he could use the experience from the battle. If she really was as tough as Zachary said, he might benefit from the fight after all.

“Hmm… I guess I can take the job, but why exactly are you too busy to do it yourself?”

"I'm policing the boarders of the nation I'm living in with another teacher here to make sure that no nasty beasts are escaping from the Dome into our world. Recently, demonic and vampiric activity have been on the rise, so we need to keep constant tabs to make sure that none of these things begins to flow into our homes. I'm sure you can understand that. While not a difficult job, it is, however, time consuming. Anyway, if you'd be so kind, I must be going. The door your looking for is out the door you came in and it'll be right in front of you."

"For now, I bid you farewell," the ice mage said as he walked out a door parallel to the one that Arin had entered from. He had to get back to Rubato and start planning with Monroe. This wouldn't be a short hunting mission, since the rumors of monster attack had already popped up in several towns in Florheim. It wasn't going to be too hard, but again, the Replicator steeled himself for a long, long journey.

o=)------------ ------------(=o

Emile sat upon a hill in the park and continued staring up at the sky. I'll be leaving soon... and I don't know if I'll ever be coming home. Well, I think the only thing that kept me here longer was the fact I didn't think I could leave. After all, here I've got everything I could want... but still, what I want isn't here. I need something more.

Adventure. That was what Emile had decided upon. Since the incident in Tybalt and the tournament she had spent her time preparing her armor for, she could feel it. It was finally time for her to leave her roots and begin out on her big adventure. Like some hero setting out from the comfort of home for the first time, she intended to travel the world and find what she sought. Still, she hadn't left and already felt homesick.

After all, in other places she wouldn't be infamous or well known like she was in her home town. Then again, how infamous was Emile Velos? Emile wasn't the person who was famous, it was the Silver Beauty or Divine Lancer that was. Emile Velos was a nobody.

It was that prospect that made her want to travel. She no longer wanted to act like a super hero, having two identities. She wanted to find herself and become notorious for who she was, not some person she pretended to be. The lancer wanted to be herself, and not someone that people knew by some dumb alter ego name. It was time that she step out of her old, little girl shoes and into her shoes as a woman of the world. One that would make the men who challenged her cry.

The woman picked up her spear and put back on her helmet. "Good bye, everyone," she called out as she stood up. "I guess I'm leaving. When I come home, I'll bring tidings of stories for everyone who cares!" she called out mockingly as she began to walk down the hill she sat upon. She couldn't wait any longer. She had to go, before she wound up staying longer.

Turning around, the mage made for the door the ice sorcerer told him about. If this woman was as tough as he made her out to be, this could turn into quite a welcome diversion from his journey. After all, what would a few days difference be to a book that had been sitting for thousands of years?

The door opened with a slightly unsettling creek as the hinges rubbed against each other, moonlight spilling out from the threshold. Looking forward, he saw what looked like a park, the path illuminated by electric lamps. Stepping out into this strange realm, more lights met his eyes; lights that stretched into the sky.

Slightly taken aback by this strange sight, he nearly missed the silhouette of a woman coming right for him. My target, no doubt, he thought as he prepared himself.

The bright moon light shone down upon the street that Emile walked down at this point in time. Although a bit ominous, the lancer didn't rightly care. The armored woman stepped forwards towards the lamps. The added light caused her armor to sparkle a little more than normal, causing it to reflect in a beautiful way.

As the Silver Beauty continued to walk, she could feel an odd breeze as a door into the street opened. A man stepped out from the door wearing an oddly colored robe. Whoever this guy was, he was clearly out of place here. Emile noted that his clothing wasn't just abnormal, but borderline otherworldly. The woman clad in metal walked past the robed man and looked up at the moon. "Beautiful night, isn't it?" she asked him calmly as she turned to him.

"So, who are you and why are you here. You're clearly not someone from here, so what's your business here?" she asked as she moved her hand towards her spear. This would be her best best. To strike him quickly before he had a chance to block, but still, this guy didn't seem at all normal. Even so, this would be fun, she hoped. "If you're here to fight, you've got a good one here. If not, then go back to wherever you're from."

“Oh, you can be rest assured I’m here for a good fight, Miss,” He asked, becoming aware he had no idea what her name was. Ah well, he’d ask her mid-battle.

Suddenly, from out of the darkness, a stab came from the woman’s spear. In fact, the strike came so quickly, the mage only barely managed to dodge it, wheeling on the spot and jumping back. She pulled back for another strike, a look of sheer determination on her face. Arin had to admit, he did like how she wasted no time, unlike some people back home who’d gloat of their neigh undefeatable skills.

Dodging another strike from her spear, it soon became apparent he’d need to distance himself first before using any spells. With the small window of time he had, the mage pointed his staff at his feet and cast a Wind Arrow. The spell launched him from the ground and on top of a building, out of her reach, as he prepared an Ice Barrage.

Well that had been, for lack of a better term, annoying. The purple haired woman glanced up at the man as ice began to form around him. That was certainly annoying, if nothing else. Now then, she found herself looking at two possible courses of action... One involved her punching the building's structure and trying to bring it down with him on it. All in all, that one was more appealing, but Emile didn't want to draw out any interference. Namely, the police.

The second option, although possibly less attractive in methodology, involved her running part way up a building and then doing something she'd only seen in movies: she would have to jump from wall to wall until she reached the roof. Although it wasn't nearly as appealing a way to fight, it was less destructive, and Emile had to keep that in consideration.

The purple haired woman saw as the razor sharp ice blades began to rain towards her. If she was gonna decide, it would have to be quickly. The woman didn't hesitate as she quickly ran to the side, avoiding a few of the ice blades that cut into the ground. Quickly, the woman started using her skates to help her run up a wall before leaping onto the wall of another building.

Best chance to try this... she thought as her boosters fired up and the woman shot herself so she spun and landed one roof away from the robed man. Although the backflip she did nearly got her skewered by his ice blades, it did look cool as she landed and skidded to a stop. Quickly firing her booster and kicking her leg out, the Silver Beauty narrowly escaped a few more ice spikes that shot past her.

Well, that was that. He had used up all of his ice spears... for now at least. Now required some more effort! The lancer moved back and rushed forwards, leaping from the roof she was on onto the roof the mage was on and slashing her spear down at him. "Take this!" she called out as she brought her weapon down, aiming to impale him.

Right into the trap.

A curious thing about airborne people: they’re very susceptible to the wind. Stepping back to avoid the blade, just in case, the mage let loose another blast of wind. At first, the ploy worked, the woman successfully thrown off balance during the jump. However, her reaction time was greater then Arin anticipated, allowing her to recover and land on the ground near flawlessly.

Without missing a beat, she blazed after him with her spear at the ready, looking for blood. She’d have to be disappointed though, since the mage used another wind arrow to slow her down, and propel him across the gap to the next room in a single motion. In fact, the pressure cause by the impact nearly made him fall off the other side, but he dug in his heels and stopped with a foot to spare.

However, the woman trailed behind, in hot pursuit of the mage as she crossed the cavernous gap to the roof on which he stood. Sure, the trap didn’t work as planned, but it still bought enough time to unleash another Ice Barrage, and this time, at such a close range, some were bound to hit the armour, and maybe even send her the message that he was not one to be taken so lightly.

The ice spikes again. That was an annoying trick to keep using. Even so, Emile couldn't evade the attack. She crossed her arms, protecting her neck and lower part of his face as the ice spikes pummeled her armor. Although the spikes were strong, the lancer's armor was stronger. The spikes struck and shattered, but still, the damaged her armor a little bit.

Emile uncrossed her arms and rushed forwards, thrusting her spear with as much force as she could. The mage dodged the attack and stepped back slightly. Still, he had moved just how she hoped he would. Quickly, the woman swept her spear towards him. The blade of Emile's spear narrowly missed clipping the man's robes as he stepped back again.

It hadn't been long, but the armored woman could tell this guy wasn't an amateur. It was fascinating, actually. Still, she had time to prepare. Quickly, Emile pressed down on one of the buttons on her spear and caused it to open. In the next few seconds, she pressed the button a few times, firing off a series of lightning blasts.

The first one shot close to the mage, but he managed to side step it when he saw the attack coming. Still, Emile quickly began to run to the side, readying to jump onto a building diagonally and then charge at the mage from that vantage point. As she leapt towards the roof, the Silver Beauty fired off two more blasts of lightning at the man, each of which he narrowly evaded.

Emile's boots screeched as she skidded to a stop on the building across from her attacker and fired off two more lightning bolts. They were the best she had for now to keep him busy. With that, the woman let the tip of her spear close and rushed forwards, leaping towards the man again and stabbing her spear down where he was standing. "Take this!"

If training with Chronos taught the mage one thing, it was to think on his feet. With the spear coming towards him and the blasts of lightning trapping him, there was no helping it. Very carefully, he tried to find out where she would strike. Grabbing his staff with two hands, one on each end, he waited and even preyed a little.

Like an eagle on a helpless mouse did the silver beauty descend, her mind’s eye probably picturing him yielding to her superior strength. He felt a little sorry for her, since she’d obviously never heard of Elf Crystal. Then, she struck. A great clank resounded through the rooftops as metal met crystal, and the two weapons met.

Arin smiled at her, the poor woman had no idea what was coming. In a great burst of speed, the staff grew a sharp spear-like attachment in the middle, which sailed right into her chest plate, just above her right lung. He had no clue if it went all the way through or not, nor did he care at the moment. Firing another Wind Arrow, he got out of her grasp and began to charge an Eruption.

Emile skidded back on the heels of her boots as she leapt backwards and landed on the ground. The tip of his weapon had narrowly pierced through her armor, causing a small cut on her. It didn't hurt all that much, but still, it was a hole in her armor she'd have to patch later. The woman looked up at the man and pondered his weapon for a second.

The armor clad woman looked at the mage and continued to ponder this man's weapon and powers. That stick of his grew a spear tip and pierced my armor. Not to mention this guy has all kinds of crazy magic skills. Its pretty impressive now that I think about it. I should be careful... the woman thought quietly as she skated again and began to move quickly enough to make sure she couldn't cut down her momentum.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she spun her spear and fired off a few blasts of lightning towards her target. The Silver Beauty felt more alive than she had in months. "This is the first time in weeks I've felt this alive. Don't let it stop!" the lancer commented as she fired off a series of lightning bolts again.

Oh the sweet smell of a plan coming together. Little did she know of the molten trouble brewing under them as they danced upon the rooftop. He dodged her lightning bolts with great skill and poise, having dodged electric attacks before when sparring with fellow mages in school. It hurt like hell the first few times, but eventually he quickened the pace enough to dodge most of them, but there still had to be a few he couldn’t evade.

As she sped towards him, he slammed the tip of his staff on the ground, causing the building to shake, and the woman to lose her footing. She tried to get back up, but as soon as she did, a pillar of lava erupted in front of her, spewing molten rock into the air and down upon her. Doubling back, the Silver Beauty missed most of the lava, but still some landed on the armour heating and melting parts of it slightly.

With her attention diverted for the time being, Arin quickly created another Ice barrage attack, sending it flying on either side of the pillar of fire. Yet despite all this, the woman hurtled towards him, trying her best to dodge the razor-sharp pieces of ice as they whizzed past.

“Might I know the name of my first challenge in such a long time?” Arin asked.

The superheated pieces of her armor, followed by the icicle barrage ripped and tore at her armor. Before she knew it, the whole of her Absolute Defense, the armor on her left arm, was missing, leaving her left arm exposed to possible damage. Aside from that, several large holes had been melted onto her leg armor and chest plate, along with damage to Knuckle Duster. Still, the woman was undeterred as she continued to barrel head long.

The woman moved quickly as she leapt up at Arin, leaping clean over him. I couldn't do that before. Maybe it was an effect of the adrenaline? she thought as she turned quickly and, with the fierceness of a demon, began thrusting her spear at the mage. The mage quickly and narrowly evaded some blows and deflected others with his staff. He was a truly impressive foe, but she still had more fight left in her.

"I don't know. Normally the lady doesn't give her name out until the man has decided to be a gentleman and tell her his name," Emile muttered as her spear struck his staff and they met face to face. "After all, why should a hero like me give my name to a nobody mage like you?" she asked, pulling her left arm back and slugging Arin in the face. "Now then, if you'll be so kind, what's your name?" the woman asked as she spun her spear in her hands and pointed the tip at him.

Almost time to show him Gae Bolg. After that, we'll see how long he holds out. After all, even that Mercutio guy had a hard time against Gae Bolg. True, he defeated me, but still, it did shock him for a moment.

“Arin Bryant, and this is my Crystal Staff of Lleyta,” he said, shaking the staff in his hand a little. He’d show her no quarter, especially since he sensed something… abnormal… with that last jump of hers. It was very faint, and he couldn’t tell what it was, but it was something enough to make him cautious.

Launching another Wind Arrow, the mage swiftly moved to the next rooftop and began charging one of his more powerful spells: Meteor Storm. If this didn’t cause massive damage, he didn’t know what would. Predictably, the spry lass quickly caught up to him, unleashing more bolts of lighting in faster succession and increasing accuracy.

The saving grace of Meteor storm was that, although he needed to concentrate to make it work, he could still send out his wind arrow to slow her down and evade, which he used to his fullest extent.

“Well, aren’t you going to tell me your name?” He spoke.

Emile slashed her spear faster and faster, and began to move at speeds even she didn't know she could as he continued to evade her attacks and get away. "I guess I have no choice," the woman said as she leapt backwards and rode the wheels on her boots until she stopped. She felt as strong and fast as ever. It was amazing. The pure power rushing through her body. Adrenaline is a wonder drug, she told herself, not realizing that a red-pink mist was, very slightly, radiating off her body where armor no longer covered her.

"I'm Emile Velos," the woman stated as she spun her spear and held it in her hands, the spear standing almost completely upright, as she readied her next attack. "And this, sir, is Gae Bolg!" Emile stated as her thrusters began to fire up. Suddenly, a powerful explosion rocketed from the boosters, blowing off a section of the house she stood on and launching her towards Arin. "This is it!"

She rocketed forward with a torrent of flame and soot in her wake. The sudden red mist that slowly seeped off her body followed in her wake as the wave of energy from her spear hurtled forward. There was no way his staff could handle an impact like that, or at least, that he could. So, thinking quickly, he twisted on the spot and brought up his shield for the first time since he started adventuring.

The glass-like bubble of energy shook and threatened to burst from the energy of the attack, even though the main portion missed both him and the bubble.

Lowering the shield, he realized he needed to act, and act soon. Raising his staff into the air, he called upon the magical properties of space, and summoned huge meteors to rain down upon the battlefield while he charged another Ice Barrage.

It was insane. Flaming meteors were falling from the sky now. Emile had seen many things in her days, but this was the most insane thing she had ever seen. This guy had just summoned meteors to kill her. What in the world could person do in this situation? The only thing she could think of: dodge.

The lancer danced around the flaming balls of death as they engulfed and incinerated large parts of the area the two were fighting in. Still, despite the armored woman's best efforts, a series of explosions from the impacting meteors trapped her in a series of red hot blasts. The heat was intense, melting away most of her armor as she tried to dodge. Still, when all was said and done, and the fireballs from the sky had stopped, the Silver Beauty had no armor that hadn't either melted onto her clothing or that hadn't been ripped off her person, on except her damaged helmet.

A sudden flurry of ice blades moved towards her. Quickly, Emile spun her spear quickly. Although the fires had hit her, they had, luckily, mostly missed her undamaged spear. Quickly, the spikes were stopped by the spinning weapon. Still, after the lancer stopped spinning her spear, a single ice blade pierced her defense and struck her helmet, causing it to split in half.

The two halves of the helmet fell to the ground and clanked loudly on the ground. Emile's eyes looked up as the red mist continued to spread violently. Anger, rage, hatred and frustration were all radiating out of the woman. Here eyes began to become a deepened color of red as she let out a loud howl and fell to her knees, clutching her spear tightly as the red mist exploded into the air and spread out, slowly dissipating.

The woman looked up at Arin, her natural eye color returning, and even greater anger filling her, but not one that seemed to become visible. "You bastard... How dare you treat me, the Silver Beauty, a hero, like I'm some kind of rodent to be crushed under some meteors. Man up and get down here and fight me like a real warrior, you coward!" she called up. She didn't know if she could handle fighting him without her armor, but she had to try. This was personal.

The mage didn’t want to leave quite yet, despite accomplishing the job he set out to do. Not yet, at least, not when he only just began to have some real fun. “… Fight me like a real warrior, you coward!” he heard Emile call out. Like a real warrior? Obviously being a magician meant nothing to her, in fact, he figured only close-range combat would satisfy her.

Too bad. He was a mage and mages liked to keep their distance.

“You call me a coward just for doing what I do best? Why, a real warrior could take anything dished out to her, Miss Velos.”

He’d struck a nerve, the red energy around her building up. Now the mage knew something, although he didn’t know what, was begging to manifest in her. “I’ll make you wish you never said that!” She screamed in anger, rocketing forward with all she had.

Even without the rocket boots, her speed was still considerable, probably due to the red mist that nearly engulfed her. As she ran, her spear fired off more bolts of lightning that he dodged with relative ease. However, the last one came witching the width of a hair from his robes. He’d have to be a little more careful now.