[Zorolo] Aegis Spade's Training

[Notsil]

The water was cold.

The journey had been long.

" 'n the view is bloodeh terrible..."

Groaning in annoyance, Captain Aegis Spade kicked his feet up on the plank in front of him, and laid back against the stern of the little boat he had been stuck in for about a week now. Sighing heavily, he rested his head back, and took another lengthy swig from his flask, swallowing down a healthy gulp of the miracle substance. He closed his eyes, and let his arm fall to his side. All this for tha' stupid mess'a tentacles 'n a buncha stuck up blue jackets... It had been over a week since he abandoned his crew in silence of a moonlit night to set out for the greatest treasure he'd ever tracked.

The Wind's Dance had taken port in Confressa, the famed "Pirate Capital", seeking shelter from a rather rough storm. Be it luck or the will of El Dios himself, Aegis had stumbled upon a very peculiar old man. He claimed to be an ancient hero, one who had conversed and even helped the great Kukulu, earning a life-debt with the beast. Intrigued, Spade, with the help of several pitchers proceeded to get rip-roaringly drunk with the man. By the end of the night, his secrets were all written down and sketched out on a dirty old piece of parchment.

Several nights later, after once again calling upon the assistance of a large amount of alcohol, Aegis slipped away from his crew, stumbled out onto the deck of the Dance, and into a small twelve foot, single sailed vessel christened the Errant Venture. He cut the ropes, and the small boat dropped into the calm seas. Within minutes Captain Spade was gone, nothing but the glow of a small lantern, surrounded by miles and miles of empty sea.

Now, a week later he was still following the same messily scrawled instructions under the light of a dim lantern. Better check te' headin', make sure I'm not 'pletely lost. He grabbed the wrinkled chart, and held it up to the light. After a few moments of contemplation, he glanced up to check the stars. He sighed loudly, and smacked himself in the forehead.

"'course there's no stars in 'dis damned cave..."

For the last two days, the Errant Venture had bobbed along the slowly moving water inside a massive, seemingly infinite cavern. The gracing energy of the wind had long since faded, so the Captain was forced to paddle his way into the unknown, or rely on the slowly moving current. He sure as hell didn't trust the current. Against his instinct, the exhausted sailor had caught a few naps while in the strange cave, though he was never sure quite how long he had slept. For all he knew at this point, this cavern had been his home for four or five days.

Luckily, many a fish had also called this place its home. Though it had taken quite a bit of trial of error, Aegis had become quite adapt at "Saberfishing", which was sure to become a popular sport when he returned to his crew. Raw fish was hardly his favorite meal, but desperate times called for the silence of his taste buds. Staring into the murky water, using his lantern for light, Spade had seen many common species of fish.

Though he didn't take a particular notice in it, the farther he drifted into the cave, the more fish were seen swimming in the opposite direction, many with as much "panic" as a fish can display. Occasionally, he'd notice what looked like large squid-like creatures, sharks, and even once a massive whale. This behemoth, over two hundred feet long managed to leap completely out of the water, its massive tail propelling it rapidly away from the depths of the cavern. It would take quite a bit to scare such a beast.

Hours later, Aegis was fast asleep, his open flask dripping slowly onto the deck of the ship. Then, slowly, a foul smell made its way up through his nostrils. He grunted and readjusted several times in his sleep, trying to block himself from the rancid scent. Eventually, it had grown much to putrid to ignore, and he sat up groggily, his face contorted.

"Wha' in Dios' name is'tha smell! I thought Rankor, the bloodeh lord of them island hunters food were tha' worst smell 'maginable, 'n tha' stuff was week-ole' fish'n straight rat'waste!"

Groaning loudly, he downed another swig, placed both hands on the oars, and started rowing. Best get outta' this smell while I'kin.

Before he had even made three full strokes, the terrible aroma was the least of his worries. The silent cavern was suddenly filled with the sound of rushing water. Aegis was on his feet in a second, holding his lantern high in an attempt to see the source. The sound rapidly grew louder and gained intensity in mere seconds. He peered out into the darkness, one sleeve covering his nose and mouth. "Ugh! s'gettin' worse!" Indeed it was, whatever that smell was caused by was somehow trapped up in these mystery-waters.

Then, things go much, much worse.

A single, pulsating strand of light appeared from the source of the noise. It was an sickly-orange "tentacle" of luminescence that pulsated rhythmically. The sound of rushing water grew louder as the tentacle began to waver back and forth. The Capatin's eyes widened. "That old bas'trd wasn't jus' drunk, thi'sn't jus' some cave, it's-"

A powerful shockwave slammed into the side of the Errant Venture, knocking Aegis to his feet as the small watercraft bounced into the air before splashing back down. Spade clammered back onto his feet, just in time to see the most amazing sight of his life.

Kukulu, the God of Ocean, dominated his vision. The foul, unholy being that had doomed countless ships to the bottom of his sea sat in front of him, his massive, pulsating form a sight he'd never believe he'd see. The form of a giant sea monster, with tentacles over ten hundred feet long was before him. Every vein in its body glowed with a dim pulsating orange light. The huge fleshy body was a dull grey, and bristled with "small" (in comparison) fins and smaller tentacles. At its base was a huge crimson eye, one that even from Aegis' distance looked the size of the most formidable Seran galleons. Kukulu emmited a constant sloshing and sucking noise, that sounded just as one would imagine the organs of a man being sucked out from his very chest. The Sea God smelled just as bad, too.

Aegis gulped. Whatever he had planned on coming here for was gone from his mind. He sat before the very overlord of the sea, a servant of El Dios himself. He could only hope his typical luck would hold out. Trying to maintain his composure, Captain Spade reached for his flask with shaking hands, and took a very long draw from it, his wide emerald eyes fixed upon the gargantuan crimson one ahead of him. And then, it spoke.

If a serious of relatively nasty sucking and crunching noises mixed with gurgling water counts as speaking. Aegis raised an eyebrow as he lowered his flask. As the ancient sea god continued, a voice sounded in Aegis’ ears, a cold and heartless whisper, You know who I am, pirate, but who are you to venture into my home without your kind’s vessels of war? Aegis paused before answering,

“I’m Captain Aegi-“

Captain? The cold whisper chuckled, You come to me with titles and ranks, as if they make any difference to one such as myself? The massive tentacles loomed closer to Aegis’ tiny ship, and the sounds of Kukulu’s voice grew louder as they approached. The smell intensified as well.

“’sorry to offend you ‘n your…power, I am Aegis Spade and I’ve come’ta you wit’ nothing but an agreement that’d benefit us both, ver’much.” The long glowing stalks drifted closer, extending in height as they did. Spade began to sweat as his mind raced, “Y-ya have’n child, a son! A young god wit’ enough ‘tential to become as mighty as yerself!”

Kukulu’s giant eye seemed to glare across the water. More noise came from him, followed by another silent voice. This much is true, sailor. You indeed must have come with a good reason… Another glowing light appeared from the depths, this one a bright blue. It grew closer to the surface, showing itself to be only a fraction of the sea god’s size. The new being surfaced next to the ancient one, it was but a tiny version of its father, only it glowed far more intensely than its parent. However, only the veins very close to its center were luminescent. Its small tentacles floated in the dark, only lit by its father’s own light.

Aegis frowned slight. “He’s sick, isn’ he?”

You are correct, sailor. My son was born weak, injured because of your kind’s violence. Oh, he shall be mighty one day, and claim many lives. However his outcome shall only be a fraction of his possibility-

“Unless, I can help ye’.”

Spade hoped interrupting a god wasn’t a death wish. Kukulu glowed brighter, and a series of broken up squiddy noises sounded, followed by a deep throaty laugh in Aegis’ head. Help me? You wish to aide myself? Alright sailor, I am not fool enough to ignore aide when it comes to me so…willingly. One of the massive tentacles was only a few meters from the Errant Venture. Aegis stared up at it in awe, it was easily eighty, a hundred feet long, bristling with suction cups larger than his head. It glowed eerily, casting its sickly orange hue on his skin. He couldn’t hold back a shudder, and his flask was quickly once again at his lips. Alright sailor, I’ll accept your aide. In return, I shall give you what many a man desires, my very own power. You shall be forever marked with my…blessings. Raise your hand, sailor.

Clearly sure this was on the list of “Stupid Things Aegis Spade Has Done”, he raised his free hand in front of him, holding it only inches away from the malicious looking stalk before him. At once, the tentacle leaned in, and one of the smaller suction cups latched onto Aegis’ palm. Suction was applied against his flesh, followed by a few very wet and slimy sensations. ’the hell is this thin’ doin’ to me?, but he did not struggle as the cup sucked on his hand. Then, it released its grasp, and the tentacle slithered into the depths.

The pirate quickly retracted his hand, and stared down at it intently. A large black spot of an unnatural looking ink had appeared on his hand. It slithered and wobbled on it’s own accord, but didn’t feel like anything was there. He prodded it with his left hand, but the flesh felt no different than it had before. He shuddered, this wasn’t a very good sign. Looking back across the dark water, Kukulu spoke again. You shall travel to a place of great knowledge and power. Some humans call it an “Academy”, some “The Dome”. For one such as myself, it holds great importance, though I cannot simply enter it myself. Sailor, you must go there and learn from those who teach. They will not turn you down, this I can assure you.

Spade once again arched his eyebrow. “But what do’ya wan’ from a place like that? How kin’ they help yer kid?”

Another booming laugh pulsated through Aegis’ mind. I can’t tell you that just yet, sailor. I have marked you, and I shall be watching you. When the time comes, I shall tell you what you need to know.
Aegis crossed his arms,

“And what’s in’is for me?

Time shall not pass here while you are gone, Sailor. When you return with what I desire, and my son is restored to his full strength, I will wipe out both the Avelian and Reman navies, making the seas safe for your crew and your people. You will be the most powerful man on the seas.

A smile spread across Spade’s face. Captain Aegis Spade, Commander of the Sea God himself…Like the sound’a that. He took a nice long swig from his flask, allowing the amber liquid to fill his mouth completely before swallowing. He sighed contently afterwards, wiping his mouth clean of any residue with his sleeve.

“Ya gotta deal, send me on mi’way, to this ’Dome’ you’lk of.”

Very well, sailor. Very well…

Kukulu and his son slowly descended into the dark waters below, their glowing auras slowly disappearing in the inky blackness. Aegis sighed again, and glanced down at his palm. It pulsated slowly, showing no signs of change. He scratched at his with his left index finger, but it made no difference. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning exploded from above him, and it struck the water with an explosive force, followed by a deafening thunder clap. Startled, the pirate held his lantern high once again, peering out into the darkness. The water below his ship began to move, the current carrying him towards the point of impact of the thunderbolt. Another explosion of light slashed through the sky, followed by an even louder boom of thunder. The water quickened, and a cloudy haze began to envelop the tiny ship. Another bolt of lightning, followed by several more struck closer and closer to Aegis’ little boat. He grasped onto the side, and held on tight as the water began to toss it back and forth.

With a massive blast, a circle of water erupted around the Errant Venture, rocketing thirty feet into the air. The sound of rushing water and thunder drowned out his own shouts of surprise, and more lighting split the cavern’s sky. He felt the sea come out from under his ship as it spun faster and faster, its bottom quickly filling with water. Aegis was thrown to the floor, soaked and wind blasted. The map and lantern were launched away through the wall of water into the unknown. His eyes opened in horror as his flask began to drift into the air in front of him. He reached hard for it, straining his arms to stretch farther than ever, but that to was swept up and away.

Suddenly, the small ship tipped upside down, and Aegis plummeted into darkness. Then there was a flash of bright light, followed by darkness. A cloudy image of a bright blue sky, then what looked like a distant field of grass. A small castle-like building sat off in the distance. A falling sensation filled his stomach, and what looked like broken timber and a metal flask floated in his vision.

A sickening crunch, followed once again by darkness.

[Zorolo]

Okay, so far, I like this. Just a few things:

You wrote:

You are correct, sailor. My son was born weak, injured because of your kind’s violence. Oh, he shall be mighty one day, and claim many lives. However his outcome shall only be a fraction of his possibility-
“Unless, I can help ye’.”

Spade once again arched his eyebrow. “But what do’ya wan’ from a place like that? How kin’ they help yer kid?”
Another booming laugh pulsated through Aegis’ mind. I can’t tell you that just yet, sailor. I have marked you, and I shall be watching you. When the time comes, I shall tell you what you need to know.
Aegis crossed his arms, “And what’s in’is for me?

Should be:

You are correct, sailor. My son was born weak, injured because of your kind’s violence. Oh, he shall be mighty one day, and claim many lives. However his outcome shall only be a fraction of his possibility-

“Unless, I can help ye’.”

Spade once again arched his eyebrow. “But what do’ya wan’ from a place like that? How kin’ they help yer kid?”

Another booming laugh pulsated through Aegis’ mind. I can’t tell you that just yet, sailor. I have marked you, and I shall be watching you. When the time comes, I shall tell you what you need to know.

Aegis crossed his arms, “And what’s in’it for me?"

For these, your character (who's dialect I enjoy quite greatly) is listening to one thing in his mind and then speaking, is how I took it. For that, each speaker gets their own paragraph. When you have two people speaking, even if it is only one word, each person gets their own paragraph.

Example:

John said, "Hello."

Steve responded, "Hello."

So just keep that in mind. Same thing if one character is thinking and then someone else starts speaking. Fix this up, and I'm not too sure if you're done yet, so if you aren't, tell me when you do finish and I'll give you your next assignment. ^_^

[Notsil]

Alright, cleaned that all up. Consider this post done.

If it's alright with you, I'd like to move onto my next assignment, simply because my mind works weird, and I'd rather have the posts broken up as such. Feel free to...well, you're the teacher. Whatever you wish.

[Zorolo]

Okay, good post, like I said, and now that it is all fixed up, here is what I want you to do:

Have Aegis wake up in the Infirmary. He'll be greeted by the person taking care of him. After that, that person will tell Aegis that he's arrived in the Dome and give the basic outline of what the Dome is. From there, the person will tell Aegis that he has a teacher that is looking for him at that moment who will be training him in the Dome. End your post with the door opening to the infirmary room that Aegis is in.

Oh, and Monroe Vossler will be Aegis' teacher, so make sure you read up on him. ^_^

[Notsil]

The closest way to describe the feeling in Aegis' head was to imagine how it feels to have a cannon dropped on your head from twenty feet up.

Twice.

Aegis' head felt as if it was constantly spinning as he opened his eyes. He quickly shut them once again. Where ever he was, it was very, very bright, and very, very white. The air was just a little chilly, though much more comfortable than the cavern he had spent the last lifetime in. Whatever he was laying on felt quite soft and comfortable, much unlike the plank of wood he'd grown accustomed to using for sleep. Sighing heavily, he propped himself up against the backboard of the bed, and took a look around. As his straining eyes noticed at first, this place was very well lit. Small lanterns hung from the white-stone ceiling, emitting unnaturally intense light across the room. His eyes squinted constantly from the illumination; it played hell with his headache. The dimensions were roughly twenty by twenty. A strip of black carpeting ran from the only door in the room to the opposite wall. A chair sat in the corner, and on it lay his clothing, personal effects, and much to his relief, his flask. A smile crossed his face, the first one in quite awhile. His head continued to throb.

"Well, all's not lost, I 'ppose. Hell ofa' ride though..."

Though this was quite an odd place to wake up, Aegis had been in more uncomfortable and much more threatening locations upon coming to. Figuring he was brought here by someone for a reason, he decided to stay in bed while he could. Migh'as well make the best of'it. Just then, a soft knock came from the door across the room.

"Hello? Are you awake yet?" A soft, young female voice sounded from the other side.

Aegis, slightly caught off guard paused for a moment, "Yeah, I'am."

The door opened slowly, and a smallish red headed girl stepped into the room. She wore a plain white knee-length dress, white boots and white gloves. Aegis looked her over quickly, and decided she'd look much better in something lacy. She smiled sweetly, and shut the door quietly.

"My name is Alice I am a medical attendant, a nurse if you will. Do not be alarmed, you are only here for recovery." She spoke quietly and very smoothly, almost as unnatural as the lights. "Though you seemingly fell from a height that would turn most people into nothing but a reddish pulp, you survived without a scratch. It was most interesting, especially with all the water and broken wood around you." An overly cheery smile spread across her flawless face.

Aegis glanced down at his hand, which still featured the blackened mark of Kukulu on it. He shuddered, and covered it under the blanket as Alice spoke.

"This, is The Dome, an academy for the greatest education possible to any man, woman or intradimensional phase drag-"

"This is tha' Dome?" His eyes widened a little, and the bright lights didn't hurt quite as much.

"Yes, this is the Dome. From here, one can literally access anywhere which one chooses. Across continents, through time and even other plains of being." Her voice paused awkwardly, and her facial expressions went blank for a moment, before she continued speaking. "It has stood for millennia as a bastion of both awesome power and infinite knowledge."

Captain Spade let out a low whistle. "Guess ole' tentacle-face wasn't lyin', eh?" He spoke up, nodding towards the attendant. This was just the kind of place that Kukulu would want, it must hold some sort of power. "'ey Alice. 'ow's this place ran? Meanin', wot gives it it'sself's powers?"

Alice's face blanked for a moment, before returning to its cheery smile. "I'm sorry, you do not have proper clearance to access that information." Aegis raised an eyebrow at her response.

This'ne seems a bit off. Maybe she should be the one'n the hospital...

"However, here is someone who might be able to give you that knowledge." Her voice was even calmer than before, and another unnatural smile came over her face. Before Aegis had a chance to question her, the doorknob across the room turned, and its door opened.

[Zorolo]

OoC: Good post. I can tell I like Aegis already.

Assignment 2:

Well, the person that came though that door is, in fact, not Monroe. Monroe has sent a messenger to go speak to Aegis, telling the pirate to meet him in a place simply called the "Armory". What Monroe forgets to have the messenger tell Aegis is that the "Armory" is far away from the infirmary, in a deeper, darker part of the Dome. For this, be inventive on the darker part of the Dome, and end your post with Aegis finding the door to the "Armory". 600 word minimum.

[Notsil]

A thin beam of blue light reached out to the door knob as the door slowly opened. In its wake, a small floating metal orb gently glided into the room. The beam of light was seemingly projected from a circular emitter in the machine's center. The silver sphere glowed blue, and emitted a quiet humming as it bobbed slightly in the air. It spoke in a monotone male voice.

"Welcome to The Dome. A request has been sent by Master Monroe Vossler for you to report to the armory as soon as you can. Thank you."

And with that, the little orb spun in its axis, and zoomed out of the room. Aegis sighed, lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Master? This place's got Masters?...'n what the'ell was that talkin'...floaty thing?"

Alice spoke up as she headed towards the door. "Yes, Master Monroe Vossler, one of the greatest fighters here at The Dome. You should be honored to be requested to meet him in person. Do not test him, for he is a very adept warrior."

Aegis let out a laugh, "Adept, is he? Well, I'll see fer m'self what he's cap'ble of..." He swung himself out of bed, and onto his feet. Alice gasped slightly, obviously taken back by the fact Aegis was wearing but a pair of light shorts. Captain Spade, not one to miss such an opportunity, reminded himself of how she'd look in something with a bit of lace, and strolled over towards the red headed attendant. He smiled with a cocky arrogance, " 'course, ya kin tell how capable I'm, right?" He laughed again, and stepped closer towards her. He reached out to place his hand on her side when his face exploded with a very familiar pain.

Alice's palm slapped against his cheek, leaving a burning feeling Aegis had felt many times. She glared at him sternly, fire burning in her eyes. Then, her face returned to its cheery, unnatural smile. "Please, follow Master Monroe's requests. It is not wise for one to...trifle with those who work here, even one such as myself. Your death will be quick and painless if it happens again. Have a wonderful day!" With that, Aegis was alone in the room once more.

Massaging his cheek, he quickly pulled on his pants and shirt, buckled up his boots, tightened his belt and holster, threw on his jacket and fastened his saber. Lastly, he raised his flask into the air, as if making a toast with a wine glass. He muttered something about weathering storms, then downed a healthy swig of liquor, enjoying the subtle burn as it spilled down his throat, blotting out the small annoyance that was growing in back of his mind.

Tha' stupid floaty thing din' tell me where to go!

-------------------

Aegis sprinted across the grassy plains, his red coat billowing out behind him like the tail of a crimson comet. He held a still smoking handgun in one hand, and his saber in the other. The pirate had no intentions of looking behind him as he sprinted back towards the seemingly innocent door ahead of him. It was a typical wooden door, with the exception that it was connected to no wall. Furthering the door's lack of innocent intentions, was the fact that it had taken Captain Spade from a dark hallway, into a beautiful field of green grass, the perfect spring time meadow.

Which, was populated by a horde of fire breathing cattle.

Tongues of flame lapped at the hem of Aegis' coat, singing the red material a dark black. With every spurt of fire came the most menacing "moo" one could possibly imagine, followed shortly by a shout of exertion from the one they were chasing. Aegis' voice was a stream of never ending curses that could quite possibly turn an innocent baby to a life of crime.When he was but a few meters from salvation, he leaped into the air, and kicked the door open with his boot, before toppling onto the dingy concrete floor on the other side.

"Who...in El Dios' name...came up wit...a place...like that..." He panted, out of breath, quite content with staying right where he fell.

The sound his demonic bovine attackers brought him back to his feet, and he slammed the door shut an instant before another pillar of flame immolated his face. Letting out a huge breath of relief, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up and down the hallway he was now in.

It was quite a bit different than the last one he had been in, which was made entirely of mirrors. Two before this, he was wandering a corridor that was constructed as a massive hedge maze. So far, he had opened several doors, each leading to more and more ridiculous places. The first was some sort of medieval battle ground which he quickly ducked out of. Several doors later, he was standing on a gargantuan dinner table, surrounded by massive turkey legs, huge bowls of mashed potatoes and platters piled high with all sorts of giant vegetables. Spade walked (and ate) his way from one side of the table to the other, before leaving through another door.

This one, much to his pleasure, opened to room decorated completely pink, with several images of a "Rabbit at'a cocktail party", as Aegis had envisioned it. The room was filled with young, beautiful women dressed in one-piece outfits wearing what looked like rabbit ears on their heads. Not one to ask questions in such a situation, Aegis rolled with the punches. The ladies were quite interested with the fact that he was a pirate, but kept asking him to quit "role playing so much". Spade simply ignored this slight interruption, and left through a bright pink door an hour or so later.

He sighed again as he adjusted his glasses. "I could use tha' rooma' lasses again, 'fter them fire breathin' cows. When I figure out how'ta get a map to this place, thas' the firs'place I'm headed to..."

The hallway he was now in was quite a contrast to the dreamworld he desired to be in. It was quite clear he was, or was supposed to think, that he was far below the ground. It was a little cold down here, and water occasionally leaked from the large pipes on the ceiling above. The corridor was lit only by dim hanging lanterns, which used some sort of glowing orb that Aegis wasn't too familiar with. Most of them flickered and fluctuated in intensity, while several were not producing any light. A few of them ever swung back and forth, as if blown by a gust of wind that only effected themselves.

Along the walls were a vast number of doors, just like every other passageway he had walked through. However, unlike the rest, these were fixed with massive over sized padlocks and iron bars. Occasionally a vicious roar, or a bloodthirsty scream would emit from behind these locked doors, and sounds of unspeakable violence followed the voices. No matter the intensity, the doors remained securely locked, keeping whatever was behind them safely inside.

Eventually, Spade reached the end of the narrow hallway, and was met by a set of massive metal double doors. Above them was a simple metal sign, which simply read "THE ARMORY", in large block letters. On the floor sat a large unlocked padlock, which was wrapped in chains. A shiny gold key stuck out of the lock's hole.

"This mus' be the place. 'n I thought Confressa was'a weird place at night. Ain' got nothin' on this."

Captain Spade grasped both handles, and pushed the doors apart with considerable effort. They made no sound as they slid apart. Aegis' boots echoed in the silence as he stepped through the massive doors, into the darkness behind. He gripped his hand tightly on his saber's hilt.

"But damn, would't kill some'ne to get some lights'n here?"

[Zorolo]

OoC: Good post. Fire breathing cows. I love it. ^_^

BiC: Snap!

The lights in the warehouse style room exploded to life. They from the ceiling by long cables, firm in strength, and shone their expanding brightness upon the setting. Racks and shelves of weapons of all sorts, save for weapons of the machine age (guns and the like) lined the shelves of the room. This was the favorite room of the bounty hunter, save for his personal chambers, that was.

The dark clad man, ever the forward person he was, stood upon a single light. The lights had a strong, thick, Hexagram shape. Monroe stood atop one, crossing his arms and looking down. He cursed Zorlo a few times for giving him this pirate as his student. At least this guy had to have something useful about him. Well, the bounty hunter wasn't too sure.

Monroe plucked a photon dagger from his vest and launched it at speeds comparable to just under a bullet. The dagger buzzed past Aegis' face, leaving a burned cut on the man's face, but missing the initial target. "Well, at least you know when to dodge," the modern fencer stated as he leapt down from his perch and looked at the man. "Or maybe you just got lucky, I've never been one to guess at that kind of stuff," Monroe stated upon landing on the ground, dust rising from his landing.

"Aye, and who're ye?" the captain asked, still clutching the hilt of his sword.

The former assassin took note of the blade and smiled. "Nice sword," the bounty hunter stated as he wrapped his hand around his own blade and flipped it into his hand, spinning the bladeless hilt until it pointed at the pirate captain. "However, mine trumps yours," Monroe stated as a bright green, almost to the point of being neon, blade emerged from the handle.

Like the dagger he had thrown, Monroe's sword made a distinct buzzing noise that filled the air around him. "As for who I am, I'm Monroe Vossler, and I'm your teacher at the Dome!" Monroe stated as he spun his sword around and stabbed it into the ground.

OoC: Okay, that seems about right for now. ^_^

Assignment 3:

Now that Aegis and Monroe have met, it is time to start off the important part of the training: the question area. Monroe will answer any questions that Aegis has about the Dome or where they are, since Monroe does dominate the armory now. After that, Monroe will say it is time for Aegis' next test. End your post with Aegis asking about the test.

[Notsil]

Aegis stared on, his eyebrow cocked farther than it had been since his arrival at the dome. The eccentric swordsman stood behind his saber, arms crossed, looking rather pleased with himself. The two stared at one another for quite some time, Monroe in his stance of supreme-badassary, and Captain Spade in a state of mild confusion. Then, slowly, Aegis reached for his flask, tilted his head back, and took a sip. He spoke in between gulps, watching Vossler closely.

"Ah, very' nice weapon ya got there, Master. Looks like ya aren't th'same as the res' of these crazies." He lowered his flask, released his saber, and stepped towards Vossler slowly and calmly. He stuck out his hand in greeting.

"The name's Aegis Spade, Captain of the Wind's Dance. Pleasah' to meet you, Vossler." He glanced around the room, taking in the sights of many weapons that were far beyond his understanding, the cracked a good natured grin. "Though I mus'say your choice'a decoratin's a bit odd, typical fer' a kid like yerself."

Monroe barked a short laugh and pulled his photon sword from the ground. He spun it around his fingers once, twice, three times and then disengaged it. "You could say that, Captain. I owe these "crazies" quite a lot, so I do my best to keep them well supplied. The young always serve the old, it seems..."

He smiled and grasped Aegis' hand. Pirate and assassin shook hands as one, and one was quite relieved that nothing else would be thrown at him. Yet, anyway. Monroe paused, looking his new student over once again before speaking. "As I said, I am a teacher here at The Dome. My specialty is weapon based combat training. I've become quite adept at using many types of weapons, but my personal favorite are blades, such as the ones you just 'experienced'."

He pointed to the small cut on Spade's cheek. "Now then, I'm sure you have questions for me."

Captain Spade ran his thumb over the small mark, wiping some blood away. Where to start? Better get'ome of the not-so-basics first, I'm pretty sure I get th' gist of this place.

He pointed to one of the weapon racks. "Where'd ya get all of these? Bein' a soldier's one thin', but an armory like this? Thas' 'nother."

Monroe nodded before speaking. "I'm no soldier, Aegis. I'm a former assassin. That line of work alone gets you in on quite a few weapons trading deals. That, coupled with the diversity of locations here at The Dome, and I'm sure you can see why we have such an extensive stock-pile." Vossler drew his Colt SSA from his holster, and held it out for Aegis to see. "This here is a Colt Single Action Army. Though we are not from the same realms, Aegis, you can surely tell your own handguns are the ancestor to this design.

The Pirate nodded slowly, and drew both of his Ebonies. Sure enough, the similarities were quite obvious. However, the SSA was obviously far more advanced in design, and Aegis quickly understood that this wasn't the only piece of equipment that he was "behind the times" with. He shrugged it off.

"Hm, gotcha. I'll stick to mah' own any day though." He quickly holstered his two pistols.

The teacher frowned. "Aegis, don't be ashamed of your tools. Though they are not the most advanced equipment here at The Dome, there's far more to a fight than what you bring to it."

"Aye, got tha' right, future boy. Now, I can' really say I'm here on mah own will, but that dosn' make much ofa difference, does it? Wha' do you have in store for me, as my teacher?"

"First, I have a test for you."

"A test?"

"Yes, a test."

Aegis scratched his chin's stubble and adjusted his glasses. "Somethin' tells me it won' matter tha' I don't have any ink on me..."

The pirate and the assassin laughed together.

[Zorolo]

OoC: Good post. I really need to start remembering to leave word counts. >_>;;

BiC: The modern fencer smiled. "Okay, I lied. These aren't really my weapons. The Dome collected them, I'm just putting them to good use. Now then, test time," Monroe stated as he stomped his foot and the floor beneath the pirate fell out from under him. "Find your way back to me!" Monroe yelled as the floor closed.

OoC: Assignment Time:

Now that Monroe's ditched the poor captain down a long, dark hole, the poor captain will wind up in the sewer system of the Dome. Have him navigate his way to an exit. How he finds the exit, I leave that to you. However, their must be a guardian at the exit. End your post with Aegis emerging from the sewer. 800 word minimum.

[Notsil]

Not able to react quick enough the ground dropped out from under Aegis' feet, and sent him plummeting into the darkness below.

"What the fuuuuuuuu..."

Spade landed with a splash, as the floor above him closed up. He was a foot deep in water, in a dimly lit stone tunnel. It was about seven feet high, and four feet wide. A series of flickering lanterns were fixed at intervals along the walls, illuminating the waterway enough to make out his surroundings. He rubbed his back as he stood up, "Damn kids..."

'right, time t'get movin'.

Aegis began to walk in the direction he was currently facing, which was following the current of the murky, and no doubt quite unsanitary water which he stood in. After his time in Kukulu's cavern, this stench wasn't all that bad. With a quick swig from his flask, he walked on.

After a good ten minutes, he heard a new sound over the ambiance of slowly moving water. It was an odd scuttling noise, like a two rocks being tapped together in rapid succession. Not about to take chances already, he drew one of his two Ebonies and kept moving, his senses a little more alert. Up ahead, there was an intersection, three directions to chose from. All three were lit the same, and generally identical. He picked his left, but was quickly met with a sharp drop no less than thirty feet down the path. He glanced over the edge and let out a low whistle. Ain' no way I'm makin' it down there. The pirate turned around, and made a left at the intersection, continuing the path he originally had chosen.

Again, the scuttling noise returned. Aegis froze in place, handgun at the ready. He pivoted, looking behind him and in front several times before continuing his advance. "Souns like'a big crab'r somethin'." He came to another intersection, and turned right. The current at his ankles began to pick up pace as he walked down the flickering tunnel. Up ahead, he could make out some sort of drop off, and what looked like a large room. Curious, he picked up his pace. Twenty feet later, he skidded to a stop at the edge of a massive cliff.

The square end of the tunnel met with the wall of a massive cylindrical room. At steady intervals all around the room's walls were holes exactly like the one Aegis now stood in, each one with a small waterfall of green liquid. The flow of water under his feet simply fell off of the ledge, plummeting to the massive reservoir of sewage water at the bottom. Spade held on to the wall's edge and leaned out over it. He whistled again, "Nope, not makin' that one, either." He glanced to his left, and right outside of his tunnel-hole was a metal ladder. His eyes followed the ladder up, and up, and all the way to the top, where it reached a somewhat-strong looking catwalk that crossed the room. At its apex was another ladder that reached up to a small iron door on the ceiling.

Aegis shook his head, "Not takin' this one without a good drink'a three." He quickly downed what seemed to be the entire contents of his flask in several large gulps, before closing the lid and wiping his mouth with his jacket's sleeve. Spade holstered and secured his Ebony, muttered a few prayers to El Dio, took one long look at the black spot on his palm, and let out a long breath. He knew all too well that a fall like this would be lethal.

"'s showtime."

Captain Spade reached his arm out, and grasped onto the first rung of the ladder. He swung himself out, and put his full weight onto the metal construct. It held fast, much to his relief. He glanced upwards, it looked like a good two hundred feet before he'd reach the catwalk. He started climbing, hand over hand. It wasn't so bad really, once he got used to the sound of rushing water all around him. At about seventy feet however, he heard a sound he didn't want to be hearing, that damned scuttling-crab noise. But this time, it sounded much, much bigger. Aegis didn't risk a look behind him, and hurried up the ladder.

The sound of screeching rock was joined with a bubbly "Csh-csh-csh", which sounded very much alive. At about a hundred twenty feet, Spade glanced down behind him just in time to see a giant greyish pincer, easily fifty feet across reach into the room far, far below. It was followed by another larger one, which were both connected to a wide, flat disc shaped armor plated body. Two small beady eyes sat on elevated stalks which were fed into slots on the creature's armored shell. It floated out into the center of the pool below, hundreds of lets skritching and splashing to move it along. Spade's eyes widened, and he climbed with renewed vigor. It's salright, that big ole' thing can't climb up here, I'll be fine...

More scritching. Aegis glanced back down as he climbed, and saw that the "Crab's" legion of legs were more than capable of pulling it up the wall. The beast csh-csh-chs'd louder as it ascended, holding it's gargantuan pincers high in the air. Its grey armor was covered with small holes which looked like they were decayed due to some sort of nasty infection. They pulsated a sickly looking purple as their host moved. Spade's boots clanked against the ladder's rungs loudly as he climbed. Looking up, he was a mere thirty feet away from the long catwalk.

Within twenty seconds, he pulled himself onto the grated metal surface of the catwalk, and leaned over the rail. His pursuer was still moving, and was gaining on him. It was already past the point where he had started his climb. Cursing under his breath, he sprinted across the shaky catwalk as fast as he could, praying desperately that the thing didn't fall out from under his feet. The constant csh-csh-csh grew louder, and now Spade could hear the crushing force of the beast's pincers as they reached higher and higher.

He was at the last ladder, which was only about fifteen feet and ended at the heavy looking iron door. Not bothering to check his surroundings, he bolted up it, reaching the hatch in seconds. Grunting with exertion, he pushed up at it with all his might. It didn't budge. Csh-csh-csh.

"Damn thin' must be old!"

He struggled again, but the blasted thing didn't move at all. Spade cursed vividly, and glanced below him. The crab's pincer was only fifty feet down now, and it snapped menacingly up at him. Starting to get rather worried, Aegis grabbed one of his revolvers, aimed it at what looked like the hatch's hinge, and pulled the trigger. The bullet ricocheted with a metallic ding, not effecting the door's surface in the least bit. He fired again for good measure, but it was no use. Frustrated, he stomped down on the ladder hard and let out a exasperated shout. Below him, the monster was getting closer, much closer.

Csh-csh-csh.

"Dios damn this! 'wish this bloody catwalk'd have fell down when I firs saw it! Then I wouldn' be....stuck up...Thass'it!"

A grin cracked over Aegis' face, he'd found a way out. Or at the very least, a way to get rid of this damn crab. Without pausing, Aegis took aim at the far end of the room, where the catwalk's supports met the ceiling. He fired off two shots, one for each support. His revolver kicked in his hand as he heard the sound of breaking metal over the sound of his impending death. Quickly, he swung around the ladder, and took another shot at one of the supports on the far side. Now, he waited.

A huge armored claw swung in Aegis' direction, smashing into the stone ceiling above him. The beast growled bubbly in frustration, and large chunks of stone plummted down from the ceiling. Spade held onto the ladder tightly with one arm, and aimed downwards with his pistol with the other. He squeezed the trigger again, sending his fifth bullet towards the monster below.

The round struck one of its huge black eyes, splattering the shell behind it with a bloody pulp. The crustataion screamed in anger, its grip on the wall slacking, letting it slide down a bit in recoil. Blood streamed from the eye stump, as the beast stabbed its claw forward with great force and speed. Aegis braced himself, clinging to the ladder for his life.

The point of the beast's pincer slammed through the iron door, mere feet above Aegis' head. The ladder shook wildly as more stone was dislodged, but it held fast. A column of light shined down into the room, illuminating it for the first time in ages. The monster screamed in agony, averting its remaining eye from the blinding light. Spade swung around and took aim at the final catwalk support. He fired, knocking the last support free.

With a tremendous screech, the iron catwalk fell free, and smashed directly into the monster below. The force of its fall cracked the beast's armor, and tore its legs from the stone wall. The beast let out one more scream and it fell from the wall. Aegis hung from the ladder, his revolver still smoking in his grip, and watched the creature's long trip down, not breaking his gaze until he heard the colossal splash as it hit the pond's surface.

"I realleh gotta stay'way from places tha' smell. Tha' must be what that damn kid was tryn' teach me..."

The pirate let out a relieved sigh, and climbed up the remainder of the ladder, into the bright light above.

[Zorolo]

OoC: Good job. I must say, I like Captain Spade more and more you post. ^_^

Assignment 5:

Well, Captain Spade's found his way out of one part of the Dome and into another. The good captain will arrive outside of the sewers and into the Garden Rooms. On a bench near Aegis, he'll find a letter from Monroe telling Aegis where the Aegis himself is and where Monroe can be found. MOnroe is in Gardens 4, and Captain Aegis is in Gardens 3. However, the adventure is not so easy because of a hedge maze between the two Gardens. Be inventive as to what is in the maze, and know that Aegis won't simply be able to run through the plants. Word minimum: 700

[Notsil]

The sunlight only grew in intensity as Aegis climbed up the ladder through the narrow concrete shaft. Far below, he could still hear the running water of sewer system, but he knew its dangers were far, far away. He continued to climb up and up the old metal ladder, El Dio above, why's this damnedthing so long...

Several minutes later the pirate hoisted himself up and out of the shaft, and rolled onto a blanket of green grass. He let out a long sigh, and threw off his glasses, content with taking a small break. Spade gazed up at his surroundings, above him, the sky was clear and blue. Several large white clouds floated along lazily in the gentle breeze. Around him was a square of grass, dotted with several tufts of brightly colored flowers. The area was fenced in by a four meter high hedge. A small, ancient stone bench sat at one side of the small garden.

All in all, it was extremely peaceful. Spade sat up, and shed his red coat and undid his belts, tossing them to the side. He took a large swig from his flask, and threw it on top of his jacket. With a loud, long yawn, he laid back down, and shut his eyes. "Ah, jus' a lil' rest, tha' can't hurt much..."

--------------------------------------

The sun was setting when the napping pirate came to. With a sleepy yawn, he downed a shot of liquor, threw on his glasses and jacket, tightened up his holster and saber belts, and was ready to move. It was significantly darker out, the bright sunlight had been replaced by a dull orangey purplely glow. "Oi, tha' probably wasn'he bes'ime for a nap." He shook his head as he stood up.

Across the way sat a small white envelope sitting on the stone bench. Spade picked it up and tore it open. It was written in fancy handwriting and green ink. It wasn't very long, just explained where he was, and where he should be going. Apparently, Aegis was in the third garden, while Monroe was in the fourth. Also, it was noted that unless it was nightfall, the gardens are completely safe, and he was encouraged to take a look around and enjoy the sights. At the bottom was the teacher's overly eccentric signature.

Spade laughed as he folded up the note. "Well, tha's good. Only one garden away. Shoudn' take more then a minute or two ta' get there." Aegis turned and headed for the small gap in the hedge to his left. Expecting to see another garden directly infront of him, he groaned in despair when he saw a long line of hedge, with several turn offs on each side.

"A maze..." He knew damn well there was no way he was going to figure this place out. He was going to have get lucky, or do this the hard way.

The sun was setting quick, he had to hurry. Aegis took off at a light jog, heading down the first corridor of hedging. He skipped the first right and swung around to take a left hand turn. A small opening, nothing important. He sighed and continued on. The sun was setting quickly.

After a good ten minutes or so, a thought came to mind. Why the 'ell am I so stupid? I'll jus' go over these, 'steada 'round 'em... Smirking in self amusement, Spade quickly made his way to the nearest wall, and grabbed onto a few sturdyfeeling clumps of flowery hedge. He hoisted himself up the wall, and climbed ontop of it.

"Ah, much better." From here, Aegis could see the entire system of hedging. Off in the distance, there was a large illuminated glass dome. It looked as if it had been there for many years, plant life and broken spots were visible from here. It glowed like a small moon in the halfdarkness. A giant red number four had been painted across its' surface. Spade downed another swig from his flask, the horizon was starting to fade. With a deep breath, he started running and leaping from hedgetop to hedgetop, heading towards his destination.

----------

Out of nowhere, a cosmic noise similar to a gunshot blasted through the gardens, just as the last big of sun faded into the distance. Before Aegis could react, something snared his foot, and sent him flailing through the air, off the hedge, and crashing to the grass floor below. A sharp pain erupted in his ankle. Quickly, Spade grabbed his blade, and lashed out towards his foot. What looked like a green tentacle had firmly wrapped itself around his ankle, and had begun to push itself into his flesh. With a grunt of pain, Spade ripped its severed end from out of his lower leg, and tossed it aside. He could walk fine, and he got to his feet to examine whatever the hell it was that attacked him. It was a small vine that had come from the seemingly innocent looking hedge that he was standing on. So thas' why he said not to be out at night...

Well, now he'd have to do it the hard way. Luckily, he was now standing under the dim lights of garden number four. Dusting himself off, he made a mental note to stay far away from the walls, and quickly headed off, sword in hand.

The gardens had remained quiet for quite some time now, as Aegis finally reached the entrance to the large glass dome. A twenty foot tall metal wall made up the bottom of the building, which supported the giant glass bubble ontop of it. Small electric lights dotted the area, illuminating it quite well.He walked quietly up to a large metal door painted with a giant red numeral four on it. Next to it, a dimly glowing green pad was affixed to the wall. Spade leaned over to push it, but before he could, the cold gravely voice of an old man was heard behind him.

"Ho' there, boyo. Don't be pushin' no doors open in my garden, ya hear?"

Spade turned and looked back over his shoulder. An old graying man wearing a brown shirt an denim overalls was walking up behind him. The