Monthly Archives: July 2014

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #4

Jaquan’s crew sat waiting for him just outside the entrance of the club.  He was thankful for them.  With all his admirers, it was easy to lose track of what was important.  To the fans, his victories could seem like inevitable ends to a game.  These three, his trusted friends, helped him to stay on top of the game.  They helped him train.  They went through his hardships and frustrations with him.  They deserved to be here just as much as he did.  Catlin seemed to agree with him.  She made dress clothes for all of them.  They were just as dazzling as his coal-lined suit.

The purple skinned Neely wore a somewhat white suit and pants and light blue tie.  He was at a table looking into the room.  Jaquan could see the back of the suit where the realistic image of a glowing blue arrow was placed.  His coat was enchanted to make the arrow look like it was moving at high speeds through clouds though it stayed in the same position on his coat.  The arrow itself was lit with a light blue flame.  The image of clouds swept through his clothes, continually changing the pattern.

Liana wore a simple but elegant black dress.  It matched her black skin and showed off her figure nicely.  On the lower right leg was a flame that came up to her knee.  It was a convincing image glowing brightly.

Catlin saved the best dress for herself, red and over the right shoulder exposing most of her left wing.  The open section went nearly down to her hip showing off her perfect green skin and some of her tan spots.  All around her dress were small sequins.  They were brilliant as the light hit them.  Instead of simply reflecting the light, small flames appeared as the light hit.  As more light that hit her, more flame would appear.  She stood in the light waiting, so it looked as though her whole dress was a fire.

“Fire themed,” Jaquan said honestly amazed as he approached “Catlin, you’ve outdone yourself this time.”  Her enchants had gotten much stronger since she started learning the Unholy Talent Set.  “Did you use your new talents again?”

“Don’t you know it,” she replied rising to meet him, “I didn’t turn,” she paused to correct herself, “that much, this time.”  Her enchanting was enhanced by the new Unholy Talent Set but using them had a drawback.  Turning into a large beast was a natural side effect of using the Unholy Talents too much.  She enjoyed going wild every now and then.  The reckless freedom was very liberating though she often caused damage, to everything.

“Be careful next time,” Jaquan said concerned as he hugged the short lady lightly.  The fire dress was of course an illusion just like the burning coals on his suit.  He really did appreciate the clothing, but if she hurt herself while making them, it would not be worth the glamour.

“We ready to go in then,” Neely finally spoke up in his quiet tone, almost mumbling.

“I don’t see why not,” Liana responded for all of them.

With the last and greatest member of the team there, they all went in together as The BigBad Crew.

#1 – Opportunity #3 – Opportunity #5

Sons of Sword: Tales of Glory – Lost and Found #2

Bacon, bacon, more bacon; strips of fresh mango, pineapple, and strawberry; add in blueberry syrup with waffles and breakfast cannot get much better.  Of course, there is the company.

Metcalf sat with about nine other students.  She had known most of these girls since they were children; they met at the dorms.  A few were newer friends that once challenged her in the training center.  By now, they were all good friends and did almost everything together.  They were all fierce warriors.  They were also teenagers.

The friends sat at a long table on the lowest level of the dorm’s cafeteria, a grand elaborate cafeteria with three semi open levels.  Each level was larger than the one above it.  All around there were lifelike paintings, carvings, and sculptures of things and animals found around rivers or streams.

The levels were connected by a double stairway through the center.  At the bottom of the stairway were the larger tables and the window.  Visible from the top of the stairs was a great window.  It took the entire area of the unused three story wall.  It curved into the side walls as well but didn’t take them over.  It provided a wonderful view of the mighty Thousand Flower River which was currently frozen over.

While admiring the view, the ladies talked and joked about everything and nothing.  Dreamy young men in dramas; homework and reports due; clothing; possible trips into town; rumors of heavy snowfall; impersonating teachers; no topic was off limits.

In the middle of all this, Metcalf’s handheld rings.  She answers in a way that does not display the image of the caller.  Answering the call, she gets up and turns away from them.  Her friends already knew who it was though.  It had to be Naoh or Koh.

“Metcalf, what’s taking so long?”  It was Koh.  Apparently Naoh, his older sister, did not find the situation urgent enough to call Metcalf herself.

“What do you want,” Metcalf said with a hint of annoyance.  They knew not to bother her in the morning.  “I’m eating.”

“The Center is filling.  You’re going to miss out.”

“You can do a few drills without me can’t you?  I‘ll be there when I’m done.”

“Naoh says hurry up.”

“Yeah sure,” at that, she hung up.  She really appreciated what they did for her after her first test but Noah and Koh were slowly getting more and more demanding.  She felt a little less sorry about planning to leave them.  They can get their own points next year.

Her demeanor was completely different when she turned back to the table.  Watching her this whole time, her friends knew exactly what was happening.  They didn’t like her going to the training center to gamble with the Lai Siblings, but it was how she stayed in the academy.

“You don’t need them,” Haruna Huai said.  Though not the oldest or the strongest, she was the shortest and most outspoken of the youths.  “They’re using you.  I bet you could go much further without them.”

“I was thinking about that myself,” Metcalf was relieved that she was not the only one that understood her situation.  “I’m going to Master Fu next week to see what training I can do.”  The conversation continued for a short while.  After that she excused herself and left.

Lost and Found #1 – Lost and Found #3

 

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #5

AD7’s body was stiff, cold.  Royal could see why Cyd described her as a mannequin.  She felt AD7’s skin; it did not feel at all like a living person.  Her eyes locked in horror, were still looking in the same direction.  At least she wasn’t looking in their direction anymore.

After marking her location in the computer system, Cyd signaled the retrieval network and walked GarDNAnge1 back to the lobby.  There was another employee there now.  He saw them all and gave a questioning look.  It seemed as though patrons were not usually allowed in the back room.  However, the worker was busy with other patrons.  He did not have time to ask about them.  Cyd lead them around the counter and into the employee area.

By the time they reached the reanimation area, AD7’s body was being prepared.  They could see her through the window that separated them from the recovery room.  Large machines surrounded her.  They scanned her body for the most likely places to monitor her vitals.  Once found, small devices attached themselves to her.

The group was surrounded by machines too.  These machines read her vitals to make sure everything about her reanimation went well.  Cyd directed them to stand in a corner where they would not be in the way.  With all the machines and information around them, it seemed like he would need help, until they saw him at work.

He hovered around all the controls with expert precision, mumbling slightly to himself.  “Machine retrieval complete.  Alright, vital scanners in position?”

It made since what he was talking about.  There was obviously an order to this process.  They looked at AD7 through the window.  Her body was still in the same position.  However, she was hanging by her legs with her back towards the ground.  The machines had a hold of her joints and supported her back.  Monitors were stuck to her head, fingers, and feet.

“Tissue relaxer,” he said while pushing a few buttons on another control panel.  AD7’s muscles relaxed at his final tap on the machine.  Slowly at first, then they suddenly went completely limp.  She laid hanging by the machines grip for a short while.  Cyd rushed to another machine where he used the controls to lay her down softly.

“Fluid replacement.”  The machines that held her arms for so long retracted back to the walls.  They were replaced by other machines with needles.

“Oh Kay,” Cyd said with ease.  Clearly in his element he looked at Royal, “Princess was it?  There is a red lever on the machine right next to you.  When I give you the signal, I need you to raise it slowly.”

Royal looked at Tirzah for permission.  Tirzah instead had the other two back away from Royal slightly giving her the distance she needed.

Royal found the lever and held it, “I’m ready.”

The needles pierced her skin a little at a time.  Cyd was very careful.   Obviously this was a delicate step.  He gave Royal the signal and she obeyed his order to the letter.  AD7’s body showed notable difference as blood and water filled their places.  It became thicker and looked much more like a living person’s.

“Blood pressure is optimal,” he said working levers of his own, “Water is also optimal.  Thanks Princess, please lower the lever.”  Royal nodded as she obeyed.

“Lower level brain functions reboot,” at this she received light electric shocks from the table.  It seemed odd until the machines monitoring her circulation and brain functions started beeping.

“Heart rate, circulation, brain activity, alright,” Cyd said turning to them quite pleased, “we’re done.  She will be quite disoriented for a while.  Please try not to push her too hard.  Make sure she drinks plenty of water.  She will have a great deal of lost memories.  Her brain was almost completely destroyed when they picked her up, but items from her past could remind her of who she was.”  The machines beeped again.  This time Cyd seemed surprised.  “She’s regaining consciousness faster than normal.  It should be only a little time before she…”

“Aaiiiiaaaah!!”  Cyd was cut off by a blood curling scream.  AD7 was awake and seemed to have had a terrible dream.  Her hands and legs instinctively went back to the sitting position as she screamed.  She looked to the left expecting to see something.  Then her limbs lay back onto the table.  Her eyes focused and confused, were now conscious of the world around her.  “How did?  What?  Where am I?”

Cyd handed Tirzah a microphone.  She used it to speak with AD7, “Madam Aa Dee Seven.  We are team Guardian Angel.  We humbly request your aid.”

#1 – Awakening #4 – Awakening #6