Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone)

Last edited by DivingDart on Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:30 pm; edited 1 time in total

The kick struck home. Quite out of sorts to his prior performance the giant monk had failed to raise his mallet to the assault and buckled under the weight of Metamorphi. From the top of his helmet the kick smacked the Wuxia hard into granite rockery. Plated armour grinded like rails against stone. His weapon was relinquished, falling inert to Metamorphi's side with a cringing thud. After a moment of stillness the monk placed both hands against the ground and succeeded in raising its face to where helmet did not impede sight.

"I get the impression I'm in the way here." Scapegoat looked out at Meta from within the armour.

"What is this trickery?!" Now across the chamber, bathed in the glow of torchlight, a slightly less imposing figure of the monk stood perplexedly gazing at his new clothes. It appeared the armour had added some height. Quite a lot actually. Scapegoat's old rags stretched but still fit their new wearer. The monk pointed accusingly, "You dare interrupt a trial of valour, wretched one?"

The ghoul rose from his position clumsily, encumbered by the extra weight. In fact, he was unable to make it to his feet, "Where's the zipper on this thing? Crud. I shoulda gone before we left. Introductions may be necessary. Hi. I'm Scapegoat. Ten minutes ago I was dead. My buddy here threw me a nice funeral. I'm sure he blubbered." At least they shifted the rock, "And also, the Valiant says 'Abandon hope all ye who hope to abandon'."

It was a day to be taken aback. Rather than try to puzzle at this development himself, the Wuxia relaxed into a smile and stroked his beard, "So..." The monk began, "you travellers know the locution after all." Just to be sporting, Scapegoat would give the spirit back its armour if Metamorphi made a move against it. The vigilante had a reputation for striking during civilities.

Guest

"Very well then." The floating monk approached Flux, but the vigilante was the one who would be surprised when Titan Brave lunged off her shoulder from her fighting stance and attacked the monk. "Like hell you are! I'm gonna pummel-URRUGAHH!" Suddenly Kale was slammed to the ground and held there. That's when what the levitating monk was riding materialized.

The robed Wuxia wasn't levitating at all, he was riding a large lizard creature. The reptilian steed was at least the size of a full grown elephant and currently had it's foreleg pressing Kale to the floor. The Titan was too weak to even lift up the creature's hold -- he needed to eat. The lizard being was covered in different colored patches that shifted like an ink blot.

-------

"Very well then," the large rotund monk said. "You may pass." He pointed to Scapegoat. "You however, may not." The Wuxia said to Metamorphi. "I would finish this bout with you. If not for sport than anything else...But also, the locution is only good for one party member."

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:24 am

Flux braced herself for the monk's first attack, for him to... Fling a boulder, flying kick her into a wall - anything, she was good at reacting... But what she GOT was a hot-headed teenager bounding over her awkward fighting stance at the monk. She stared, more blank than surprised, as Kale was swatted like a bug out of the air and pinned beneath the claw of... a... REALLY big, pretty lizard!

She blinked, and... blinked again, then looked from Kale's pinned form up at the monk. "Huh... That's... A pretty lizard. Neat! she looked again at Kale, then to the Wuxia.

"I'm your foe though... not the Brave here. Can you like... Not crush him please?" she asked the monk in a dreamy tone of voice, distant as if it was coming from a long way off. She shook herself.

She rushed him at this point, her body sinking steadily into the ground, melting into a puddle over the ice that jinked and weaved, darting this way and that with viper speed as she made a break for Brave, her body undulating, then forming a sudden spike of solidified goo, right in front of the big lizard's face. He could move off of Brave, or he could lose his pretty eyes and get stuck like a giant scaly pig by that gleaming, crystal-sharp spine,

If the big lizard removed his paw from Brave, Flux would surge over him, grab him, and dart backward, spewing Kale backward before jerking in again, her arm forming once more into a sort of lance she'd rush the monk with, screaming challenge!

If not.. Well... she'd stick mister lizard.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:50 pm

(OOC: I am going to assume that the kick hit the Wuxia before Scapegoat switched with him)

Metamorphi felt the satisfying sound of kick hitting armor, he had never heard that sound before, but it was a nice sound, the Wuxia was knocked to the ground, it raised it's face and he drew his leg back to kick him in the face, but suddenly he was a different person, but he wouldn't mind kicking the face he saw Oh, it's you...

Scapegoat blabbered on for a little bit and Metamorphi rolled his eyes a little, quite often actually You were buried in snow, I didn't do anything. I actually hoped you wouldn't come back, it was wishful thinking though he looked back to the Wuxia Sorry about him

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:13 pm

((OOC: Changed the locution. The passage now inspires the later warning in Dante's Divine Comedy.))

It may come as a surprise that the passcode of a 300 year dead wizard resurfaced in the mouth of one decrepit, stinking, dogsbody of a ghoul. Scapegoat was by and far not a scholar. He did not know the life history of the Valiant. Nor was he capable of piecing clues together from obscure sources in order to attain information long forgotten. Someone had helped him. Something had guided this sneaky little hellion to a wealth of knowledge which he now used to his Master's advantage. All in order to gain access to this magical vault long forgotten.

Metamorphi dispensed his opinions of Vernon with his usual level of tact. The ghoul laughed jovially, "Ha! You kidder. That's what I like about you, Metamorphi - you have no redeemable qualities whatsoever no way no how. Weighs less on the conscience when I inevitably double-cross ya." If this was a threat, Scapegoat did not betray that fact through his tone of voice, which remained chipper and welcoming.

The Wuxia took heed of the magic words and granted its speaker access. However, he was quick to point out that this did not afford the rest of Scapegoat's party any benefits. Far from objecting on behalf of his raiding party, the ghoul put a finger to his nose and pointed with his other hand at the monk, nodding eagerly. Bingo! Spot on the money! Correctomundo! Get this man a prize! He would not use the words for the sake of the others.

"Yush! Well said Mr Cave-Dweller person. Sharing may be caring, but not sharing is leaving your allies to an impossible to win no holds no spar death-match. As the old adage goes." Scapegoat traded places with the monk again, putting the behemoth back in his armour. The torchlight in his corner suddenly blew out. Only Vernon's voice continued to echo from that crevice of the cavern, "Leave his corpse here. I'll pick it up on my way out. Not that I'm gonna bury ya, buddy. Nah. I'ma have a feast! Though I'm decent enough to erect a tombstone. 'Rest In Peace Chrisward: He was kinda stringy'." Relying on his night vision, the ghoul scampered further down the passageways, leaving Metamorphi to his fate.

Guest

As Flux approached the Lizard, it suddenly disappeared from view and the monk leaped into the air. This lizard msut have been quick for it's size, because Flux struck nothing but air. Kale was grabbed and thrown to the ground, where he rested for a second favoring his sternum.

Meanwhile, the Wuxia stood firm while the lizard remained out of sight. Flux charged the monk, but was cut off by a roaring lion creature. The rhino sized lion leaped over the monk's head and materialized mid-leap. The creature was aiming to pounce atop the heroine and tear her apart.

She probably could use back-up, but if she looked back. She would find Kale was nowhere to be seen.

-----

Meanwhile, the monk was now back in his armor. "Shall we continue?" He said picking up a SUV sized stone with one hand. Regardless of Metamorphi's reply the Wuxia struck the boulder with his mallet after tossing it intot he air. However, instead of flying at Metamorphi like a cannonball, the stone ignited and shot at Meta like a lighting bolt, exploding on impact.

-----

Elsewhere, Kale staggered to the last check-point. He was holding his side and breathing heavily. If he reached his goal the others would be spared and he could end all this. He had to keep moving. In this state he was useless to his comrades.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:13 am

The gigantic predatory cat would indeed have been quite a heel for the young heroine, but claws and fangs lose their potency against water - and that was what they struck at, slashing though her liquid quicksilver (if mercury was orange) form with terrible ease. She simply squeezed out from between his claws, stopped dead but hardly harmed. By the time the monster cat's dagger fangs were brought to bear she was already an orange mist flowing out of its grasp. She'd left some of herself behind - and that bit of herself affixed the great cat's mouth shut and stuck fast by elastic to its paws.

"Oops." Flux said jauntily, and grinned at the Wuxia as the cat struggled against its bonds. Strong it may be... But she had it by the head in a fairly awkward position.

"If I had to bet... That's not really a lion at all, is it?" She said, and chuckled. "I know a thing or two... Either that kitty is an illusion, or... You are. Am I right? Got no places to keep animals around here... And there are no big lizards or lions that size... At least... Not anymore. So you're the clever one - the test of cunning."

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Thu Apr 24, 2014 2:07 pm

Metamorphi smirked at Scapegoats speech about how he was going to double cross him, he did not seem to care that Scapegoat gave the Wuxia back his armour and abandoned them in the dark, after his eyes adjusted he could see well enough to make out outlines, which was all he needed to see. Right before Scapegoat left Metamorphi would call out to him Wait! The others are ahead! Help them when you catch up to them! If I find out you abandoned them I'm gonna kick your ass! and he meant that last part.

When Scapegoat dissapeared down the passageway Metamorphi turned back to the Wuxia and it asked if he wanted to continue, he needn't have asked. He was already paper and getting ready to move when the ignited stone came at him so he had no problem rolling away from it. The explosion sent him flying, but he manoeuvred in mid-air so that when he landed against the rock wall, he lessened the impact by crouching against the wall, but then rebounded against it and flipped to his feet.

He kicked off against the floor and came at the Wuxia, instead of aiming at the Wuxia however, he shifted his centre of gravity so that his foot, after he shifted into steel, would smack against the Wuxias' hands if successful, hopefully making him drop it. If he did his fist would swing at the Wuxias' face in an attempt to stun him and would try to roll the hammer off the side of the mountain with his foot quickly.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Thu May 01, 2014 1:27 pm

((OOC: Sorry for the delay.))

Flux's appraisal of her situation met with a response from the opposite end of the cavern, "Oh hey I just left a test of cunning. The two back there were cunningly throwing their fists into each other's faces. You see? Because causing concussion makes you more cunningful than the other guy by default." And this was exactly why boxing was known as the thinking man's sport. To Scapegoat. He also considered dodgeball to be the game of champions. And swore that chess was an extreme sport. You could impale yourself on the king if you weren't careful.

The ghoul had just entered the chamber by traversing a narrow near-vertical incline. A spire of rock sticking out of the ground provided him a suitable handhold to right himself. It was damp to the touch and Scapegoat wiped that humidity down his shirtfront. A kindly smile extended to these apparent strangers. He was told to expect monks but no one said anything about the ancestors of Flubber. It was nice to finally see one outside of the film industry. May his people live long and fruitful lives.

It hadn't taken long to run the trail. Meta's words still echoed to Vernon. His initial reaction was to scoff at such absurdity. Then the ghoul had begun to worry. He wasn't a demon yet. For all intents and purposes he still had a conscience. What if it... What if his conscience attacked him! With sharp pointy teeth! An 'attack of conscience' was a thing. Right? He didn't want to get this far only to fall prey to rogue snuggly feelings. Then his torment would only be prolonged.

So nuts to Meta and his wicked temptations. Scapegoat would not give in to his conscience. He would continue to be vile and sinful and not a nice potato. Thus ensuring his path to freedom. "Is this a 'none of my business' thing? I didn't want to intrude. But just walking passed you people without a word seemed like it would have been even more awkward." Especially if he'd forgotten to wear pants this morning. Uh, wait... HAD HE FORGOTTEN TO- oh. No. False alarm.

Guest

Kale finally arrived. It was a shrine illuminated by only a pale light, standing a midst a worn room halfway turned to rubble. Century old brick lay scattered about the area. There was no roof to this temple and all mater of furniture had decayed ages ago, but through a gaping hole in the ceiling a ray of light drowned the shrine in eerie light.

The light almost seemed to have magic properties, because while everything else in this chamber was in ruin this cabinet/birdhouse like structure wasn't aged a day. It seemed like a closet or doorway at about 4 feet high with intricate markings strewed all about it's exterior. Inside lied the last few valuables of Kale's father, Voromir the Valiant. Kale was only looking for a specific item however, anything else his comrades could have.

Kale stepped forward, he was tired, and wounded, but the journey was almost over. Now he just had to-- "AAAUUUGH!" Blood dripped from Kale's back as a slash formed across it, followed by a blur and then another slash on his chest. This repeated four more times until Kale was flat on his back and bleeding from multiple lacerations.

"So you've made it this far?" The final Wuxia's voice rang out as he appeared in a cloud of smoke. "Half dead I see, pity. I wished to know your true strength, but if you're truly the son of the Valiant you will overcome this obstacle."

"You can count on it!" Kale snarled, but failed to rise. He fell back down breathing heavily.

------

Elsewhere Meta's attempt to disarm the Wuxia was successful but the large ghost jumped backwards avoiding Meta's fist and clapped his hands. This created the affect of a concussive grenade at such a close range, attacking the eardrums and the equilibrium. Next the Wuxia stomped the ground, magically causing multiple stones to prop up into the air in front of him. "I don't need my weapon child," He began punching the stones with the same affect as before causing them to fly at Meta like lightning bolts. "That's for show!" He also took a deep breath as he did this. If Meta turned to paper again he would exhale and blow the teen off the mountainside. The Wuxia was learning Meta's tricks.

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

Finally, Flux had trapped the Monk's creature, but the bald Wuxia only raised a quiet palm and smiled at her in response. "You are quick-witted young one. The Valiant's boy did well to bring you along," He snapped his finger and the lizard appeared next to him, no longer camouflaged. "But you are incorrect on the illusion."

The monk shed a single tear, which he wiped onto his index finger. "Water creates life, and those who can fully understand it's properties also can muster this power." He flicked the bead of water and in mid air it morphed into a large gorilla, with the same crazy cameo markings as the lizard and lion. The gorilla beat it's chest and roared at Flux.

"Did you know the Monkey King could create a being from a single hair from his tail?" Both the gorilla and chameleon turned invisible again just as they began dashing towards Flux.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Sun May 18, 2014 9:04 am

Flux sniffed a little at the comment about how the young titan was wise to brin her, and looked a little awkward as he began to do something else. She was an inherently honest person. She'd always felt that that was one of her biggest character flaws. It was this honest, moon-sized lump of her personality that corrected him.

"Actually... He rejected me out of hand. Said I was too young. Didn't want my death on his hands. So I came anyhow." she said, and smiled radiantly at him as he cried but a single tear... And made a gorilla! Holy cow! Even in the face of his air-shaking roar, she maintained that smile, her eyes full of wonder and a kind of fierce joy and determination.

"Best decision I've ever made I think." and as the invisible beasts charged, she met the Wuxia's gaze, not moving an inch.

"The monkey king... Sun Wukong? Journey to the West? That monkey king?"she said, and her eyes sparkled. The beasts were really getting close now. She shut her eyes, and drew in the water, the filth, the dust, the impure organic matter all around her, and, her being spreading over the ground between the stones and lines of cobble beneath her feet, transparent as water. It looked as though the snow were melting at her feet. She could not see the wuxia's minions as they clumsily stepped in and through her. But he could feel them do so, feel them shake the ground, and see... Utterly see. They were as visible to her as if they were plain. And still behind her the lion struggled against its bonds. She could not hold him... But nobody said she had to. He was still restrained for now. Good enough.

"I always felt bad for Sha Wujing... He was always my favorite." she said thoughtfully, maybe a little sadly. It WAS a sad story about him. "but... At least he found friends, hm? More or less. Hm. Better than cleaning the altars, I bet." she said, and opened her eyes to meet his... If he would meet hers, that is.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Sun May 18, 2014 4:10 pm

Metamorphi jumped back to evade an attack he thought was coming, but instead of an attack the Wuxia clapped his hands loudly. Meta placed his hands on his ears to try and drain out some of the noise and cried out in pain, his legs wanted to buckle and bring him to his knees so much they screamed at him, but he ignored the shouts and stayed proudly on his feet.

He saw the stones fly at him, he turned to paper and was able to effortlessly evade the rocks, but he had fallen into the Wuxia's trap and was blown by the powerful wind coming from his mouth. He tried to change material and hold his ground but he was not fast enough and came off the mountainside, disappearing out of sight.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Sun May 18, 2014 6:51 pm

Even more awkward than walking passed people? Speaking to them and not being noticed! This truly was a higher-level of social anxiety. The monks must have trained in these remote mountains for thousands of years to be this cringeworthy during interactions. It might have been quicker, but doubtless the Grand Master had a fear of speaking to people, which forced his students to tease the wisdom out of him step-by-step by inviting him to continuous parties, despite the fact he was such a buzz-kill. Perhaps they had a rogue student somewhere whom they had vowed eternal vengeance upon for killing said Grand Master via one day scandalously wearing the same robe as him. Death by mortification.

Backtrack. Scapegoat had gone off an a tangent. Which was always risky because he sucked at maths. Yet despite that concern he arrived in the third and final chamber. His journey complete. Surveying all he could see in this vast land of claustrophobia, Scapegoat's eyes wandered over the battle scene twice before apparently noticing that there was anyone else present. Kale had just been beaten to the ground by his ghostly assailant. What the dragon boy sought was inside that primitive temple. Meanwhile what Scapegoat wanted was available outside. The chamber's intricate markings did not all stem from the age of Voromir. Nine distinct sigils had been chiselled by hand. By human hand. Long after the ancient wizard was dead and gone.

"Leave that man alone! I shall be your opponent!" The ghoul tucked a forward roll before heroically leaping onto the flat of Kale's back. Atop the fresh laceration marks, painful. He stuck a one-legged crane pose, teetering uncertainly before deciding he was probably best on two legs, "Welp. He was too tough for me. I'm tagging you back in, Brave. Did me best. I'll be over there tracing those markings." If his pencil broke this entire trip was for nothing.

Guest

As the girl met his gaze, she would see the Monk bawling tears. "Oh blessed be child. You understand his struggles...It almost brings me to my knees that this battle must end with your life forfeit...but know I will sing of your valiance for another millennium." As he spoke the tears raining from his face fell, but remained suspended by his chest before hitting the ground.

30 tears amassed around his body as he spoke and then swirled around him. Each of them taking shape and growing bigger while all the animals he had formed before (gorilla, lion, lizard) suddenly turned to just giant puddles of salt water. The tears swarmed into giant birds - not huge - but the size of midget men and then all shot at her. Each buzzard like bird soared towards Flux to crash into her like kamikaze pilots. All of them bursting into droplets upon impact.

-----

The rotund monk looked over the edge of the mountain and saw Metamorphi was gone. He exhaled a deep breath. "Blessed be child. You were a warrior, and have my eternal respect." The armored monk turned to walk away.

------

"That's fine." Kale said to Veron, as he huffed and puffed while getting to one knee. "I want him to myself anyway." The dragon mage's fangs bared as he looked at the monk before him with vigor.

"You think you can defeat me? Oh Blessed be to you child, but I am above your level. Turn back now claimed son of Voromir, and if what you say is true return to me when you are powerful enough to defeat us all single handedly," Kale rose up and clenched his fist while the monk flashed his blade. "By my estimation you have 100 more years before you're ready for this level."

The monk suddenly disappeared into smoke and brushed past Kale again, slashing the boy directly across his sternum and dropping him to the floor as he appeared behind him. "Forgive me Valiant one, but a boy at this level cannot be your kin."

"I told you already," The monk seemed shocked at hearing Kale's voice, and turned around to witness Kale getting up to his feet again. This time as a cloud of smoke was being sucked into his mouth left behind by the Wuxia itself after that slash. As the Titan devoured the mist the magical substance caused his body to emit it's own fog all around the boy. "I am the son of Voromir and this is far from over." Kale's body turned to mist just as monk had before and struck the Wuxia in the jaw with a sturdy right cross, causing him to slide backwards across the ancient stone flooring.

"Interesting child," The final Wuxia said while wiping his mouth as Kale reappeared with no visible wounds and no sign of the ailments he had earlier. "Come. Show me your true strength and your inherited will." The Wuxia disappeared into a cloud of smoke, as did Kale. Both clouds clashed again and again only - materializing into the two figures to clash for a brief second and then disappear.

Subject: Re: Are you 'Brave' enough? (Open to anyone) Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:31 am

Flux blinked.

The man... was bawling. He was crying his heart out as he spoke to her, and she tilted her head a little at him, her own eyes huge as the beasts charging her became... water. Droplets of them spread across her substance extended outward, intermingled with the cobblestones, and with her. She could almost feel the pain he felt - he didn't want to kill her but... he had a purpose in being here, and would only violate it by letting her... live.

And suddenly, with a stillness and crystalline moment of horror, Flux was afraid of the man. He wasn't an evil spirit. He wasn't cruel. He was... a good man pressed to do a thankless, dirty job... and he was probably thousands of years old. She was a child. Gulp. She was so far out out of his weight class that she might as well have been a rainstorm upon the sea. She didn't even need to look back to know the Lion had melted too.

Craaap!

Flux was shaking now, terrified, and the reason... really was simple. Good men didn't hesitate. They didn't go into some stupid monologue about how much better they were than her - they didn't care about that, they just had work to do. A good man like this monk... would kill her without a word if he felt he must, because he isn't interested in being in power over her. He just wanted her dead.

His tears were salty... and flux hurriedly pushed the water away from her, severing those parts of her that had touched his tears! He could control them - she couldn't let him get control over her body too, or even risk that! It was a pretty late realization - and her shock had obscured for a moment too long what his birds had been doing - and they struck around her. The first missed. The second did not.

The girl managed a scream as the bird hit her body, and splashed up and around the room in a tidal wave of orange, the blow jostling her core, stunning her somewhat with its sheer concussive force - and so it was that the room went still, the heroine apparently crushed utterly as orange water made a massive pool, mixing freely with the salty tears-water in her stunned moment.

Oh, such crap.

» Oh Brave New World! (open)
» Brave
» Brave New World
» Left the Window Open (Open to 1)
» The First Act (Open)