[three_fourth]
Vekk came crashing into the Guild Hall Common Area via White Base. He immediately ran up to Angel, who was looking a bit burnt. Vekk, panting: Bookah! Where is SHE?
Angel: What did you just call me?
Vekk: Not Now, Bookah. This important.
Angel: You said it again.
Vekk: You haven’t seen her?
Angel: Who?
Vekk groans.
Angel: There are multiple “her” around here, you know.
Vekk: People are dying in there, and you’re having self-pride issues.
Balreth comes to join Angel from White Base.
Vekk: Bookah! Have you seen her?
Balreth, clutching his pouches: Yeah, her Tower.
Vekk: Thanks!
Vekk runs off in a hurry.
Angel sighs: There’s more than one person that fits the description of “her” around here you know.
Balreth: Well, dear, if he wanted you he wouldn’t have asked me about a “her”
—
Vekk arrives at an island only to discover the Tower is on a different island with no visible bridge. There is only a sign that says “Welcome to the Zeal Islands” with “the handful of people who will see this sign” scribbled underneath.
Vekk mutters “spike” to himself.
“SEKI-HA-TEN-KYO-KEN!”
Vekk remembers that voice and runs off in the appropriate direction.
Vekk spots Rain and Crysania dueling on an adjacent island.
Vekk: Damnit! How does anyone get around, here? Vekk suddenly found his tail-end in a bit of pain and flying through the Mists. He looked behind him to see Spike’s arms in the air yelling “It’s GOOD!” He looked forward in time to realize he was about to impact.
Vekk hit the ground roughly which abruptly ended the duel. Rain bowed to Crysania then turned to address Vekk: So what brings our friendly-neighborhood-Aerosmith all the way out here?
Spike and Stabbith landed near Vekk. Vekk: You can JUMP that?
Crysania caught up: Only if you believe, our friend. Vekk: Fine. Later. We need your help, immediately.
Crysania: …So, what’s up?
Vekk: Come, I’ll brief you along the way.
Spike: How many Asura does it take to screw in a light-bulb?
Vekk, angrily: Shut It Bookah.
Crysania, Vekk, and Stabbith all return to the Dock Island to summon White Base.
Rain: Well I want to know.
Spike: We don’t know. They’re still arguing about who gets credit.
Spike and Rain laugh before moving to catch up.
—
The group enters the common area, with Crysania dashing to the Storage Chest.
Angel: That still doesn’t make it right.
Balreth: If someone comes asking for ‘the old guy’ they’re probably referring to me or Dandd. Since Dandd doesn’t go out on sorties anymore, they’re probably referring to me.
Angel: Come on! You TOTALLY fit ‘the old guy.’
Balreth: Your argument was about multiple people fitting a description. Multiple people fit ‘the old guy.’
Angel: That’s not the same. “Her” Is much less specific.
Crysania grabbed what she needed to and everyone got back on White Base.
–
The group arrived to find Nyx’s Menagerie has changed drastically.
Crysania: No cages I presume.
Vekk: No. Nyx prefers the more natural approach.
Crysania : So what prevents escape?
Vekk: We had installed a barrier all around Nyx’s territory, including a dome to prevent any physical beings to come in or out. We’re standing just outside it now.
Crysania: A Biodome of sorts? Vekk: We called it Skynet. I’ll spare you the details of how the structure makes that name a natural fit, but we had a issue with Skynet.
Crysania: This is where I come in?
Vekk: Yes. Skynet caused a power surge in Janie while I was working on her recognition systems.
Crysania sighs.
Vekk: Instead of identifying Nyx as the master, it identifies Nyx as a target to be terminated.
Crysania chuckles sadly. Vekk: We need your help locating Nyx, and disabling the Golem. Intact would be nice, but we’ll take what we can get.
Crysania: Anything else I should know?
Vekk: Yes. Nyx has gone Commando.
Spike: Me too! It kind of chafes in this heat though.
Everyone groans painfully except Rain, who gives Spike a High-Five.
Crysania: What exactly does that entail?
Vekk: Nyx stockpiled small explosive devices. She was last seen with a good shield, a backpack full of grenades, a baton and a knife between her teeth crawling through the jungle.
Stabbith: She almost sounds menacing.
Vekk: If it wasn’t for the dog wagging her tail next to Nyx, yes.
The group chuckles again.
Vekk: See this glyph on the ground? There is one on the other side too. Step on it and the entrance to Skynet will go down for five seconds. Please don’t stand between the glyphs after that.
Crysania nods and turns to her group: You all stay here. If I’m not back in 3 hours, come find me with reinforcements.
Everyone nods.
Crysania steps on the glyph and into the jungle she went.
—
After wandering around for a bit, and encountering numerous varieties of critter, She heard two explosions, one a heartbeat after the first. Crysania ran towards the sound. There were the sounds of trees falling in the same direction. Crysania thought she could hear Vekk angrily screaming too. She tried running faster.
Crysania was too far away, she knew it was too late. Dodging and weaving through the jungle slowed her down.
Crysania found a fallen tree, and next to it was Janie!
Janie: Mission Accomplished. Awaiting Orders.
Crysania quietly approached from behind Janie.
Janie: Mission Accomplished. Awaiting Orders.
Crysania was too late. She found Nyx’s body, then Georgia’s body some distance away.
Janie: Mission Accomplished. Awaiting Orders.
Janie: Presence Detected. Crysania Detected. Password Needed.
Crysania panicked. “Password?” the thought to herself…
A momentary pause.
Crysania offered: Forcechoke.
Janie: Password Accepted. Mission Accomplished. Awaiting Orders.
Crysania: Deactivate?
Janie: Command Accepted. Deactivating.
The lights on Janie went away and Janie settled into a base position. No movement, no sound.
Crysania cheered to herself, before reviving Nyx.
Nyx was completely disoriented. She collected herself enough to see Janie so close. Nyx panicked and reached for a grenade, of which there aren’t any. Then she remembered, and calmed down a bit.
Crysania: You ok?
Nyx revived Georgia: I am now.
Crysania: What happened?
Nyx: Not sure, other than Janie tried to kill me and I grabbed grenades and a shield and tried to hide.
Crysania: Janie find you?
Nyx: Eventually. This place isn’t THAT big, but that wasn’t the problem.
Crysania: Oh?
Nyx pat Georgia: No. The problem was I have a dog that likes to Fetch.
Crysania laughed: Grenades?
Nyx nodded: Georgia brought back the live Grenade.
Crysania: Which set off the backpack full of grenades.
Nyx and Crysania look around at the newly formed jungle clearing.
Nyx: How did you take out Janie?
Crysania grinned: Nothing a little ‘forcechoke’ couldn’t help.
Nyx: Oh.
Crysania: Come on, let us let everyone else know you’re ok.
Nyx nods and leads the way towards the door.
Crysania: So…No more Commando/Ranger for you, eh?
Nyx laughs: Now That’s Not Right!
Crysania smiles to herself, Another day in Quinland.
[/three_fourth]
[one_fourth_last]
Episode 45
4 Apr 2011
Notes: Full references to be added soon.
References: Guild History
[/one_fourth_last]