|
Post by InZanety on Apr 25, 2011 23:21:39 GMT -5
Minervum. A place of knowledge and history. The beauty of its knowledge is an infinite well of wonder, as the history is as rich as the world's best cup of coffee. This place is truly a sight to behold when the sun hits the horizon just right... as it is now. The floating Sky Tower surely adds to this view. The white and black unbreakable walls reflecting the sun's pink rays off the clouds will bring amazement to anyone's face.
The Tower swirls in the sky, forever hanging there by unseen forces at work, waiting to be entered for almost a millenia...
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 0:29:12 GMT -5
"Well, someone went a little overboard on the whole 'I'm king of the world' motif."
The voice which uttered those words was gruff, gravelly even. It emanated from a small creature that was about six inches short of topping four feet.
The creature most closely resembled some sort of cross between a small black bear and a badger. He wore a pair of grey camouflage cargo-pants and a matching tactical vest, along with a blue military cap set at a jaunty angle.
He was Bob Rasven, grudging servant of Valtheran and dealer of death to anything and anyone he didn't like all that much. And he wasn't all that happy at the moment. He was currently standing on the roof of the Grand Library of Minervum, staring up at the odd floating tower which hung just about the magnificent library. The burning annoyance was plain for all to see in his uniquely colored eyes.
Being a Tydorian Badger was generally a. . . welcome experience for Bob. He may have desired to be human, but still, he'd be the first to admit that besides being extremely short, his body performed well. Except when he had to figure out a way to get up to a floating tower.
"No bloody way can that thing actually float." He muttered, pulling a cigar out of one of the various pockets of his jacket and lighting it before turning his gaze back up to the obviously floating tower. "Of course," he admitted to himself, "there's the problem that it seems to quite easily float, so I'm screwed. Where's that pointy-eared punk when you need him?" He ended with a growl.
Of course, his partner couldn't be here for this particular mission, oh no. He was off supporting the kid as they researched different things below in the library. But Bob had seen some interesting references to the floating tower in the books of the Great Library. Something, not exactly his gut instinct but close enough that it made no difference, had compelled him to search it out.
The fact that it currently hung not twenty feet above him had also helped in his quest for it. As far as he could tell, the city was trying to decide what to do with it. A few helicopters buzzed around, taking readings of it most likely. And guards had been posted on the roof the Library to ensure no curious gawkers got close enough to do anything stupid.
Of course, the guards weren't on the lookout for a small magical monster like Bob. That and the fact that he'd snuck up here the night before had made this a pretty easy mission so far. But getting to the tower itself would be harder.
It was the kid who'd suggested he bring a rappel gun and a rope, and now he was glad he had. He glared at the distant guards, who were intently watching the access-ways to the Library, giving the floating tower a few sidelong looks when they thought no one else was looking.
With a shrug he stubbed out his cigar, aimed the gun and fired upwards. There was a soft "whump" and the hook sailed up towards the tower, catching the edge of something and sticking. He gave it a good tug for safety, glanced around to make one last check of the guards, (they were still intent upon their duties and hadn't seen him) and then clambered up the rope with the speed only a magical creature such as he could reach. he pulled the rope up after him and set it carefully by the doorway to the tower.
"Right," he muttered again to himself, wishing he'd brought another cigar. "five coins says there's a large, fire breathing monster behind this door." His partner wasn't there to take the customary bet. So he shrugged, reached up and opened the dooway, unsure of exactly what he'd find inside.
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 0:48:47 GMT -5
When the badger-like creature entered the tower, all was dark as the doors closed behind him. Then several floating torches lit up with a purple flame lighting the inside of the tower, and pretty bright too. He was on a floating staircase, which led to a floating platform, which branched off to 3 more floating staircases. There were no walls to be seen as well, just infinite purplish pink swirling space about the tower. There didnt seem to be a bottom either, for if you fell... its said to lead straight to a hellish nightmare.
If you were to look further, you'll also find several odd creatures slithering, flapping, FLOATING *cough*, and even squirming about this maze of staircases and platforms. On the very first area, however, was the Guardian. A being made purely of a deep purple and a bright golden energy locked inside of a crusader's armor. If Bob were to so much as glance at him... he'll find several, gruesome thoughts about many different ways to torture a badger. One of them showing Bob getting his stomach cut open and having his intestines being played with...
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 0:59:53 GMT -5
Bob's mind filled with images, mostly of him being torn apart and played with, like someone would play with a toy doll.
"oh...wrong move, tin-head." He said with a vicious grin. Drawing his revolver from its holster, though taking care to let the barrel point towards the. . . well, he wasn't quite sure if it was a floor, but whatever he currently stood on.
"I come in peace, which is a bloody rare occurrence, believe me. If you want a fight, I'll gladly tear your head off and use it as a football. But I'm mainly just curious about this place. So back off before I bite you."
Even as he said it, his gravelly voice was calm and non-threatening, as though he were merely having a conversation with the creature, rather than threatening to rip it apart.
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 1:09:17 GMT -5
The Guardian's only response was to tilt his head, as he did so, more thoughts, ALOT more thoughts entered the creature's mind in a rapid succession about torture... as this was happening, Bob found that his brain wasn't only being vandalized by disturbing images, but he could also feel it being searched through. This led to more frightening images and thoughts, about children being tortured as well.
Then a voice could be heard within the thoughts, a voice which rang with the screeching of demons and the crying of Angels... Leave now... or I'll make you your own personal hell.
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 1:20:43 GMT -5
Bob froze as the creature rifled through his thoughts. He was not a complete idiot, and being a magical creature offered several advantages, especially considering his unique creation.
He raised his free hand and waggled a small finger, "Ah, no. Out of my head, loser. The images with the kids was the total wrong move." With that, Bob tilted his head to the side in a sarcastic mimicry of the guardian's move.
The creature would soon realize that it could no longer search though Bob's thoughts, no longer exploit them for weaknesses.
"Going through people's heads without their permission is rude. Fortunately, I recently ran into an empath who's taught me a fair bit about blocking off my mind from other people. So once again, tin-head." He said, his grin returning in full force. "I'm here out of curiosity and my patience has just about left me. Let me pass, or I bring your lovely metallic existence to an end."
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 1:28:05 GMT -5
Then the Guardian raised his hand... showing a picture that had recently been in Bob's possession. A picture of an elf girl along with operating tables and several other items to complete the scene. Afterwards... a transparent ghostlike being appeared, looking exactly like the one in the picture.
It spoke... "I don't need much time to sift through your mind.... Last warning. Leave now, or enter a living Nightmare."
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 1:33:50 GMT -5
This caused a very strange reaction from Bob. Laughter. The image of the girl, the elven girl that was obviously important to him, caused laughter instead of anger.
He laughed because he knew for a fact that all the guardian had gotten was the image of the picture, and perhaps some other snippets of Bob's own thoughts on the girl. The true information about her, the reason she was so important to Bob, was safely locked away in his mind. Hidden behind barriers that had taken years to erect.
"That," he said with a chortle. "Looks nothing like how she looks now. She's a little older, and far prettier." He thought about it for a moment, "at least, when she wants to look like that." He conceded.
"Believe me, metal beast. You know nothing of me except images gleaned from my mind. And now, frankly, my patience has run out." With that, he turned and headed back the way he'd come, towards the doors that led outside.
Whether he truly intended to leave or simply meant to use it as a diversion was unclear. But he turned his back on the creature nonetheless and moved as if to leave.
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 1:43:10 GMT -5
"Begone."
As it may not damage the creature, it will still knock him away pretty far... A Chaos Beam was released as Bob turned, as well as the doors to the Tower opening to blast him out. As the doors opened, Bob will see that the Tower is no longer right above the Library. It is in fact now much higher... as time is slow within the tower unless the doors are opened to the outside. As a matter of fact, 2 days have passed by outside.
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 1:51:54 GMT -5
Bob felt something rush towards him as the creature uttered the word "begone". And with a growl he danced to the side, allowing some form of magical attack to just barely miss him and speed out of the now-open doors.
He'd been fully expecting an attack, realizing the creature wasn't one to merely let a loud-mouthed intruder leave. he growled again, a low guttural sound that emanated from deep within him, harkening back to great and deadly predators.
He raised his pistol, sighted down it and fired a pair of shots, backing up as he did so, making sure he was now just barely a foot outside of the doors. If the guardian didn't dodge, the explosive bullets would hopefully knock the creature down with the sheer force of their impact.
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 2:03:37 GMT -5
The bullets flew and landed, but not on the Guardian. Once the explosions dissapated, a dome shaped barrier of Golden energy could be seen around him, totally absorbing the damage. Then it flashed to purple, and the Guardian threw it as a giant energy ball at Bob.
Using the energy ball as a distraction, the Guardian then fired another Chaos Beam in Bob's direction.
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 2:14:26 GMT -5
Bob saw the energy ball hurtle towards him, and decided it would be best if he got out of the way. With an annoyed grunt he side-stepped out of the doorway and to the side, hiding his form entirely from view. The energy ball passed by, and a second magical attack came seconds later.
He made a low whistling sound, realizing he had just dodged a painful "bullet" as it were. He called out to the Guardian inside, "So, what do you do for fun?" He joked sarcastically as he flipped open the revolver's chamber and emptied the two shell-casings. He didn't really expect an answer, but in a fight like this, Bob was in the mood to talk. The creature had gone through his head, and that wasn't exactly a good thing.
But then again, it hadn't found anything truly important, and it wasn't like it would tell anyone about it. He spared a second to gaze around him, realizing that day had turned to night on the outside of the tower.
"What the. . ." He slammed two new bullets into the chamber and closed it with a metallic snap.
"You son of a toaster and a blacksmith, you can screw with time?" he shouted incredulously. Realizing that a fair bit of time had passed on the outside of that tower.
Whatever had compelled him into the tower now had lost all interest in exploring the place. His instincts told him to kill the creature, but the reasons that had brought him to the mysterious tower with such great force now prodded him to leave it as quickly as possible.
However, annoyance and his usual vicious nature meant he couldn't help himself from tossing in one last barb for form's sake. "You know," he called out sarcastically. "I'll bet this is the only way for you to have fun anymore, seeing as your boss'man is dead and probably not sending you your ghostly paychecks anymore, eh?"
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 22:07:45 GMT -5
As Xurdius was charging up for another Chaos Beam, Bob mentioned his Master to be dead. The energy at his finger tips died and he relaxed his battle stance as well as the ghostly image of the elf girl disappearing. He may not be able to read Bob's mind, but he can still communicate with it..
How do you know of this?
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Apr 26, 2011 22:11:01 GMT -5
Bob gave a bark of harsh laughter. "Why should I tell you, Tin-head? You tried to kill my furry self. I take offense at that."
He cast a quick glance over the edge of the floating tower.
Drat it all. Why didn't I bring more rope? he thought with annoyance. Gauging the distance to the ground. If he were lucky, he'd only break one or two bones. Considering his highly magical nature, he'd heal quickly. But still, broken bones were not fun.
|
|
|
Post by InZanety on Apr 26, 2011 22:20:11 GMT -5
My duty is to prevent others from advancing through this tower, by any means necessary. I'm simply doing my duty as a Guardian. If my master truly is dead, I would have no need to be here.
|
|