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Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #18

Brisa tied on the equipment as best she could.  The maul was the hardest piece to place.  She had never even thought of carrying a maul around before today.  This maul, her maul was almost twice the size of a normal one.  Swordsmen she saw in videos usually held swords on their waist so she tried strapping it there.  It was wrong, the weight of the maul hung off of her belt threatening to fall off or pull down her pants if she ever needed to run.

That is, if she could run.  The plated boots and gauntlets were made of compressed metal.  They were even heavier than they looked.  She turned to see herself in the mirror.  Her legs got a workout from that simple action.  Her arms also got a workout from putting on her equipment.  Perhaps it was a mistake to put the gauntlets on first.

Brisa checked herself in the mirror.  Even she knew she looked pretty bad, little worse than average.  Catlin said that most adventurers dressed like this.  How could they?

The chest piece was loose.  The pants didn’t fit well with her chest piece.  The tying straps didn’t reach each other but that could be normal, possibly.  How is any of this supposed to protect me from anything?  The mask was especially ghastly and hard to see through.  Ragged but finished, she checked herself one last time in the mirror.

She stepped out of the dressing room to the sound of Catlin’s giggles.  Catlin tried to hold back but once she started laughing she just couldn’t stop.  “So,” Brisa said seriously.  She had convinced herself that her reflection could be acceptable.  Catlin’s response told her the honest truth.  “Wrong then,” she asked after a pause.

At this, Catlin lost control of herself doubling over in laughter.  For a brief moment, the sight of Catlin laughing truly scared her.  Brisa couldn’t place why she was so scared; it had nothing to do with her armor.  It was very confusing.  She giggled slightly.  Part of her wanted to laugh along with Catlin.  Another part was frozen in place and knew that running was pointless.  How could such a kind, generous, and helpful person be so frightening, especially when she’s laughing with a friend?

Catlin saw Brisa’s horrified look.  Looking a little startled as well, she quickly calmed down and spoke again, “If you don’t mind.”  Catlin paused before approaching Brisa.

Brisa’s doubt’s quickly vanished.  She stood before the mirror allowing the experienced warrior to assist her.  Within a few minutes, Catlin had retied Brisa’s armor.  Most of her mistakes were simple ones.  Catlin taught as she fixed Brisa’s gear.

“When am I going to meet your friends,” Brisa asked changing the subject.  The paralyzing fear was gone.  Still, she couldn’t ignore the fact that it was there.  Why was it there?  She gave up trying to remember.  Catlin could not possibly be dangerous.

Catlin had no problem lifting the maul from Brisa’s left holster and onto the mount Brisa never saw on her back.  “We’ll be in West Drop in a few hours.  I think we have enough time for one more meal before we land.”

“So, I’ll meet you in the food court later.”

“Sure,” Catlin said signaling she was done by stepping away.

Brisa looked herself over in the mirror.  She still looked ridiculous.  However, she also looked ready to fight.  She could walk easier though it still took a great deal of effort.

“Okay, out of the gear,” Catlin ordered, “I see some changes I need to make.”

“Like what?”

“I’ll surprise you.”  Catlin was smiling deviously again, “You’ll love it.”

“Okay?” Brisa said walking back into the changing room.

Getting out of the armor was a lot easier.  Her hands moved much faster without the gauntlets.  In a few minutes, she was in her reporter’s uniform again, minus the bowtie.  It was burned too much to tie again.  She left it in the fitting room to be thrown away by the shuttle staff.

“See you in about an hour,” Catlin said as she walked off with Brisa’s equipment in a shopping cart.

Brisa smiled as Catlin walked away.  Things were looking up.

#1 – Opportunity #17 – Opportunity #19

Sons of Sword: Tales of Glory – Lost and Found #14

As they walked out of the bleachers and through the training center, Metcalf couldn’t help but stare at Lance’s sword.  It was huge!  It was wide enough for her to hide behind!  And with the ease he was able to handle it; he could probably cut through a squirrel in a single swing!

She was so startled by its size she could only blurt out the obvious.  “That’s a huge sword,” she shouted, “How do you lift it!”

Immediately the student with knife and chain started giggling.  “Not now Will,” Lance’s other companion said.  Will tried to stop as best he could.  The joke escaped Metcalf.  It seemed to be an inside gag between the two of them.

Because of Lance’s armor, Metcalf couldn’t see any muscles but he looked fit enough.  His dark brown face was average at best, serious and observant.  There was no hint of strain.  Carrying the massive sword was easy for him though it could possibly be heavier than he was.

Lance was a large Crisho, almost six centimeters tall.  He dwarfed his companions easily.  At six and a half centimeters long, his sword dwarfed him.  He attracted a lot of attention by just walking with it.  Metcalf couldn’t help but think how much attention he got when he entered the training center.

He had not been here long enough to be experienced with the school.  He could possibly be experienced with combat.  There were rumors that he rescued a team of Protectors on one of their missions.  She didn’t know all of the details, but to save those trained intensely to save countries from warlords and militants took some skill.

He was obviously well practiced at manipulating motion.  How else could he lift such a large object so easily?  Metcalf was glad she didn’t challenge him to a three strike drill.  Even a simple slap with that thing would knock her out.

As he walked through the other students, he adjusted sword’s angle so that it was almost vertical.  He took care not to hit anyone accidentally.  As a result, the tip of his sword poked about a decimeter into the air becoming a beacon to anyone looking for him.  Obviously Metcalf wasn’t the only one amazed at his sword.  Conversations stopped as students turned to stare  as they walked.

“Its name is Aido, ” Lance said.  The starting conversation took Metcalf’s eyes away from his sword.  Only then did she realize that she was being spoken to.  Lance continued, “Some of my friends in Dust Wind made it for me.  They kept adding layers to it as I got stronger.”

“Isn’t it a little uncomfortable to walk around with,” Metcalf asked, “You could hurt someone with that thing.”  Metcalf had seen large weapons before but this one was extreme.  Heavy, sharp and impossible to sheath, he probably had to prepare for every doorway he walked through.

As soon as she finished talking, Will started giggling again, louder this time.  Again, it was followed with the other student saying, “Not now Will,” this time with more emphasis.

“A friend taught me a technique for moving things,” Lance said smiling, “There are a lot less people in Dust Wind too.  I’ll have to get used to crowds.”

Metcalf was having the worst luck with  targets today.  First she’s picked by a student from the top twenty percent, and now she picks a student that could possibly have crazy skills.  Thankfully, Lance was a new student and unfamiliar with the school drills.  She could pull out a surprise tactic that he would never think of and beat him that way.  Then she would be done for the day.

They reached the push drill area.  It was relatively empty but that was no surprise.  Academy points moved too fast for most students to be comfortable gambling here.  The drill guard was happy to see them.  This would be a well-used drill during the other times of the year, just not now.  With midterm coming up, he was just plain bored.

Just as Will described earlier, there was a smooth rock from the river placed perfectly in the center.  There were also two platforms on either side.  Metcalf walked to hers while Lance and his friends took the other stand.  Metcalf was ready to enter in all the information but it seemed that Lance was discussing things with his friends.

#1 – Lost and Found #13 – Lost and Found #15

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #18

AD7 stared at the empty lot in disbelief.  She walked slightly inside the lot and then to the right.  Turning around she looked to the left.  Besides the large restaurant, the sky line was unmistakable.  The buildings were worn and the sidewalk was missing but this was the place.  This is where her seat would have been.  This is where she was when it happened all those years ago.

With all the changes to the city, AD7 couldn’t expect the shop to go unscathed by time.  Even so, there should at least be a shop here, a boarded up building, something.

Oyintsa turned away from the bounty posting.  Seeing AD7 he saw the disappointment in her eyes.  “It was here then,” he asked.

AD7 said nothing but nodded a positive response.  She was still unsure what type of business was here.  But it had to be incredibly important and convenient for her to remember the way even with her fragmented memory.

“It’s been a really long time,” Royal said still looking at the restaurant.  She was getting really hungry, “Your place could have gone out of business.”

“Of all places, I only came here,” AD7 spoke almost to herself.

“Bosstown is pretty ragged these days,” Oyintsa commented, “They could have moved out.”

The scent of the spiced meat was really getting to Royal.  AD7’s struggles were real and if anyone could relate to her problems it was Royal.  Of all the members of GarDNAnge1, Royal was the most familiar with the side effects of rejuvenation.  Things change suddenly.  Life skips over an unknown period of time.  Important matters occur that everyone else knows but spend little time talking about.

She felt AD7’s pain.  Right now though, Royal was hungry.  “The best way to sort out any problem is over a good meal,” she said still staring at the large restaurant in front of her.  The hint was obvious enough for both AD7 and Oyintsa.  Wasting no more time, they went into the noodle shop.

Opening the door, they were all shocked and impressed.  All signs of despair disappeared at the door.  Inside the door was luxury: polished stone entranceway, thick hardwood floors, generous lighting, and live music.  This had to be one of the remaining tourist attractions in the city.  Either that or it was easy to keep clean.

Inside the door was another bulletin board with even more bounties.  The server showed them directly to their seats, stealing Oyintsa’s chance to read them all.

The place was fairly busy.  It had the greatest concentration of people that the three had seen in Bosstown.  Within minutes they had ordered and sat waiting for their food.  Their seats were on the second level of the restaurant with full view of the street and the vacant lot.

Oyintsa saw AD7 sit in quiet contemplation, staring sadly at the lot.  She was the one they had come for, the only one that could help them with the trails.  If she was going to help them, she would need a clear head.  Oyintsa decided that even if the news was bad, AD7 should get the whole story about her missing shop as soon as possible.

Seeing the waiter again, he asks what happened to the vacant lot across the street.

“Oh the old lot,” the waiter replied with pleasant shock, “you know a lot about our cities history.  That is where this store used to be.”  AD7 took a sigh of relief when she heard that.  She turned to the waiter giving him her full attention as he continued, “It blew up and burned down about fifty years ago.”

#1 – Awakening #17 – Awakening #19