Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 378: Measuring Atlantis
Date: February 4th, 2007.
Metal Man (GM): The group is on board the Q.S. Seeker. Having fully investigated the immediate area, and having been alternatively bored and nearly disintegrated, the people here today would be the only people feeling like doing some more work.
Dragoshi: *Leaning 'gainst the wall.* "...Hmmm... What to do, what to do..."
Aetos shrugs at Dragoshi as he paces by.
Metal Man (GM): There's the parts, the MM2, and finally a strange block labeled 'Interdimensional Disturbance Detected.'
Dragoshi: "...Interdimensional Disturbance? Fuh?"
SIMBER: "The disturbance is... orange in color. Meanwhile, you may also look for parts to defeat Erzez, or you can attack the MM2."
Dragoshi: "...I'm just one man against a whole metric flakton of stuff... Though, the MM2 would be sneaking around the place for the most part, right? Also, how bad is orange on a scale of colors to dimensional disturbances, if there are any?"
SIMBER: "It indicates some relation to the one with Garrick's cube."
Dragoshi: "...Huh. Peculiar. Any estimate on how long that Interdimensional Disturbance will still be there?"
SIMBER: "Unknown. They cannot be tracked. This one especially."
Dragoshi: "...Huh. Well, now I'm torn between this and the parts. Wonderful." *that.
Aetos paces back to Dragoshi. "Oh. Hi."
Dragoshi: "Hiya."
SIMBER: "It is your choice ultimately."
Dragoshi: "...But, lessee... Disturbance or parts..." *Pulls out a coin and flips it.*
Aetos: "Disturbance? Orange?... Like the Satellite from a while back... and the X-zone..."
Dragoshi: *Sees the coin land on tails.* "Huh. The coin landed on tails, so... Parts. Unless you have any objections."
Aetos: "I'm WAY more interested in the X-zone."
Dragoshi: "Well, we could always split up, but, there might be a rather big risk in that... And, I doubt that'd be wise on a planet like this."
SIMBER: "You are low on people as-is. Why make it worse?"
Dragoshi: "Eh." .oO(I've handled things on my own before, so it makes no difference to me...)
Aetos looks around. "...Is it just Dragoshi and I here?"
SIMBER: "It seems so."
Dragoshi: *Looks around.* "Apparently so..."
Aetos: "Maybe... you could try a PA announcement, to wake some people up?"
SIMBER: "I don't think that will work."
Dragoshi: "Yea. They might sleep like... Sod the bad one liners."
Aetos: "Anywho. Dragoshi, I thought you wanted to learn about using the X-zone abilities as well? Maybe our chance is with this current disturbance."
Dragoshi: "Yes, that I did. In fact, I suppose you might be right. Thanks for reminding me. So, disturbance it is then."
SIMBER: "Affirmative." A warp out appears... it is strangely orange tinged.
Digifanatic: "Alright..."
Dragoshi: "...Huh, another colored one... Just like that time we went to the Dark Temple... Huh. 'Cept this one's orange, but still..." *Puts on a breath mask and enters.*
Aetos: "Ah. Maybe that announcement wasn't so useless. ...Um... That's because this is like the one from the cube..."
Aetos enters.
Digifanatic: "Colors... yeah, strange stuff." *mask, warp.*
Aetos halts before entering!
Dragoshi: "...Know that, but I was just making an observation..." @_@
Aetos takes out Frozen Hatred. "Can you hold onto this for me, SIMBER?"
SIMBER: "Affirmative." He holds out a hand.
Aetos places Frozen Hatred in SIMBER's hand. o.O
Metal Man (GM): He takes it.
Aetos enters the portal.
Dragoshi: *Enters za portal.*
Metal Man (GM): The group appears... *WHOOSH* At the base of a winding ramp up some stone location, floating high in a strange orange-ish sky. The paving stones are ancient, and a high-speed wind is below... as is New York City. However the way down is blocked and one can only go up... strange runes are everywhere, and unlike the first place the Questers went to, the walls are solid.
Digifanatic: "What in the world?"
Dragoshi: "...What the-" *...Going up?*
Digifanatic: .oO(HEY, JULIAN!)
Aetos walks upward. "Heights... Igh."
Digifanatic: *walks up.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers quickly enter a wider area... and look up. This building resembles... Atlantis?!?!?!?!?! It's far larger and taller, though, and it appears to have been ripped off of something.
Dragoshi: "...Hmm."
Metal Man (GM): There's two doors, left and right, both enter the structure's rather large room inside, which is visible through narrow and tall glass windows. They slide open when approached.
Dragoshi: *Left.*
Digifanatic: *ditto but it doesn't quite look like it matters.*
Metal Man (GM): In here is a vast room... some sort of plaza between other rooms. ...All is not right here... in fact, nothing seems right.
Dragoshi: *Raises an eyebrow.*
Metal Man (GM): The speakers of the place play eerie,distorted and static-y music. There are several doors with numbers and names on them, however they're blocked by a white force field.
Dragoshi: *Looks for an open path.*
Metal Man (GM): In the center of the seemingly 100% flat plaza is a single pedestal with Atlantean controls on it... a white sword has been stabbed into it.
Digifanatic takes a look at the pedestal and sword...
Dragoshi: *Does the same.*
Metal Man (GM): A man lays on the pedestal. He appears heavily wounded.
Dragoshi: *Walks over to the man.*
???: "Must... remove... sword..." He grips it, and attempts to pull on it... it doesn't come out.
Aetos: "Oh... dear."
Digifanatic: "And you are?"
Metal Man (GM): He falls over, facing Aetos and Dragoshi.
???: "You must... leave this place... We... have been... cursed..."
Dragoshi: "...We? Cursed? Ah, hayell."
Metal Man (GM): Before he can mention more, though, a sinister laughing erupts from nearby. A shadow walks right through one of the fields and faces the group. It looks vaguely like a person.
Digifanatic: "Doesn't seem too unusual, but what i--oh."
Shadow: "Heeeh heeeeh haaah heh! Humans in the X-zone! You're so dumb!"
Dragoshi: *Looks at the shadow, trying to see if it looks similar to anyone he'd know.* "...I'm not a human."
Metal Man (GM): It looks like no one Dragoshi knows..
Dragoshi: *Note that Dragoshi is a Yoshi/Dragon hybrid.* >_> *Of dewm.*
Shadow: "Heeeh. You'll be dead soon! And I will see to it!"
Digifanatic: "X-Zone? Figures."
Metal Man (GM): He holds out a hand, and the dark energy from it hits the near-dead Atlantean by the sword.
Dragoshi: "...I've heard that same song before, sir."
Metal Man (GM): He suddenly morphs into a monster of sorts. Wearing dark armor, inverted colors from normal, and now 15 feet tall, with long arms and massive, metallic boots.
Dragoshi: "...Eh."
Shadow: "See you deader!" *Walks through another wall and vanishes.*
Digifanatic: "Ah."
Dragoshi: "..." .oO(That was just stupid.)
Metal Man (GM): The monster screeches a strangely metallic screech before them smacking the sword.
Aetos: "Is that some kind of taunting?..."
Dragoshi: "Woah."
Digifanatic: "We've seen worse..."
Metal Man (GM): Suddenly the fields spin around the Questers, out of control, and the monster itself takes out the sword.
Digifanatic: "But it's still a bit freaky."
Aetos: "Hey! NO! Bad monster! Drop that sword!"
Metal Man (GM): It turns to face the group, wielding the strange-looking Atlantean sword... and to attack!
Bonecrusher warps in via an X-zone portal.
Metal Man (GM): The thing marches at the group with the sword. It brings itself near to Dragoshi and Aetos before making a very quick rotary spin with its sword, threatening to gash both of them and knock them back.
Aetos is gashed and knocked back!?
Metal Man (GM): The barrier is 5 feet away, and it looks... dangerous.
Dragoshi: *...From full health to 1/4th in less than a second. Yea...*
Metal Man (GM): The thing brandishes its sword in triumph, before then trying to use all of its force to impale Digi vertically with the sword.
Digifanatic: *Stabber awright.*
Metal Man (GM): *SCHLORK* The sword pins Digi (and the thing) to the ground. Locations now: Thing is 1 foot away from people who haven't moved, 0 feet from Digi, 2 feet from Dragoshi and Aetos. Barrier is 5 feet away, the thing is in the center of the arena.
Dragoshi, obviously wanting some retribution quickdraws his scythe and starts carving up ??? at a distance in an attempt to knock HIM (Or it. Whatever.) closer to the barrier.
Metal Man (GM): The first one hits, knocking him away from Digi. Once freed, he parries the next two blows before being hit by the last one. He is now 1 foot away from the barrier. This also makes him 4 feet from Digi, a whopping 6 feet from Aetos, and 3 feet from Bonecrusher.
Aetos: "Rawr!" *Moves 2 feet closer and uses his Megaman-esque Wind Buster to fire a blast of wind energy at the monster.* *One last chance!*
Metal Man (GM): He parries it expertly with the sword. Then is hit by that one. Then his sword glows once and he -barely- manages to prevent being hit by that one. He is now 1 foot away from the barrier. This also makes him a whopping 4 feet from Aetos, and 3 feet from Bonecrusher.
Bonecrusher opens fire with 8 fireballs.
Metal Man (GM): One... two... three four hits, one of them is a crit. The monster is knocked into the barrier and takes extra damage.
Dragoshi: "...Hmmm... Keep 'im pinned to the barrier!"
Metal Man (GM): He gets right back up, though. The ??? does not look pleased at Bonecrusher. He revs up his sword and slashes vertically at him... at him. Not intending to slash him... because it shoots a white ray across the floor at him instead. He then moves away from the barrier and into the center of the arena... reducing the distance of everyone from him by 5 feet.
Dragoshi zooms over to ???, then does a triple carve!
Metal Man (GM): Hit, hit, hit. And he's knocked right back where he came from, making him 5 feet further away. He also takes more damage from hitting the barrier. He is now 0 feet away from the barrier. This also makes him a whopping 5 feet from Aetos, and 4 feet from Bonecrusher, and 5 feet from Dragoshi.
Aetos forces out 5 darts made of wind energy into the monster from his 5 feet away.
Metal Man (GM): Lessee... hit hit hit hit miss.
Bonecrusher advances 4 feet to the enemy and then Uppercuts.
Metal Man (GM): He is knocked into the barrier again. *ZAP.*
Bonecrusher then throws 2 fireballs.
Metal Man (GM): Not enough knockback to knock him into the barrier with those, though. He is angry. Angry and blitzing with energy. So in a desperate attempt to stop the Questers, he spins at Bonecrusher twice.
Editor's Note: Bonecrusher didn't bother to tell us when he was hit this time or a few others. Annoying.
Dragoshi: *You know the drill, zoom 5 feet forward, multicarve ??? into el barrier.*
Metal Man (GM): Hit hit miss. The second hit is what does him in. The skin of the beast cracks with light energy, before the disintegrating. It reveals the same Atlantean... except he is now dead. The sword floats up and cracks, too.
Dragoshi: "..."
Metal Man (GM): Then it splinters into 7 pieces. 1 re-stabs the control panel. The others fly through walls and into nearby rooms. A door is unshielded: Door I, the 'Flight Laboratory.'
Dragoshi: "...Ooookay..." *Enters door number 1.*
Aetos follows in.
Bonecrusher enters as well.
Metal Man (GM): The door slides open. There are number of novel anti-gravity devices in here... this room is very tall and wide, so people can fly around. However, the open space part of it cannot be accessed; a counter where a lab assistant would usually be along with some sort of magical grate to prevent breaking in are in the way. Where there should be an assistant, however, there is no one. There is a bell, though.
Dragoshi: *Looks at the bell, curious.*
Bonecrusher takes the club to the bell.
Metal Man (GM): It dings very loudly.
Dragoshi: "...Ringing the bell, huh?"
Metal Man (GM): ...And nothing else. Atlantean bell. Too tough to break easily. The magical grating is firmly fixed into the wall and in the way of just walking on in. It glows green and blue.
Dragoshi: "..." *Pulls out an albatross and has it poke the grating.*
Metal Man (GM): Rustling noises come from beyond the counter, but... the group can't see it from here. The albatross bounces off the grating.
Aetos: "...HELLO?"
Dragoshi: "...Odd. The grating did nothing to it."
Metal Man (GM): No response. The grate did move a little when it was hit.
Dragoshi: *Continues having the albatross poke it...*
Metal Man (GM): It moves around some more. The grate itself is very sturdy, but it doesn't seem very well attached to the wall...
Aetos: "Um." *He holds out his palm to the grating, and then an instant, powerful burst of wind strikes the wall, knocking it backward...*
Metal Man (GM): The door is knocked back a bit... it hangs on by a little bit.
Dragoshi: *Flip kicks it, then.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi bounces off of the door and skids backwards into the wall. This may be harder than the Questers thought.
Aetos: "Erm."
Bonecrusher hacks at the door.
Aetos blinks.
Metal Man (GM): Bonecrusher chops the door down... using knowledge of where the hinges are. The flight room is now accessible... the sword fragment dangles, a whopping 10 feet above everyone.
Dragoshi: *Gets up, a little dazed, then walks forward, noticing the fragment...*
Bonecrusher: *Looking up.* "What that?"
Dragoshi: *Searches around for a ladder.*
Aetos pokes one of the novelty anti-grav devices.
Metal Man (GM): No ladders. Douglas pokes a device... it accelerates into the wall, then bounces back to him.
Dragoshi: *Checks if the wall is climbable.*
Metal Man (GM): The wall is perfectly smooth. If you had something to make it climbable with, yes.
Aetos taps his foot. He tries to throw an antigrav device at the sword piece.
Metal Man (GM): It flies up, and by the sword piece, then right back to Aetos. It cannot grab the sword piece.
Aetos jumps up.
Metal Man (GM): Too far away for that.
Aetos: "...Maybe if we think happy thoughts... This IS the flight room after all."
Dragoshi: "...Maybe one of us could grab onto that thing you're throwing and then try to throw ourselves up into the air while attached to it, then try to reach out and grab that fragment..."
Aetos: "Go ahead. There are plenty of them..."
Dragoshi: *Takes an anti-grav device, raises it upwards, and tries to jump to the part of the ceiling that has the sword fragment in it, trying to use the ant-grave device to reach el ceiling... Or something along those lines.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi grabs the device and jumps... ZOOOOOM. He begins flying at the ceiling.
Dragoshi: *When the time is right, Drag jumps OFFA the thing and towards the sword fragment in an attempt to grab it.*
Metal Man (GM): This is rather fun. Unfortunately Dragoshi doesn't know how to stop or go down... he's heading towards the sword fragment though. He reaches the sword fragment... and grabs it... and jumps off of it... and begins falling... falling... *CRASH* His athletic ability prevents him from being simply smashed into the ground, but he takes a bunch of damage from that fall. He has the fragment though!
Dragoshi: "...Oww..." @_@ *Looks at the fragment.* "Though, at least I'm victorious! *Pockets it, and leaves the room.*
Metal Man (GM): The group enters the main area... the sword piece can be placed on the control panel.
Aetos: "We've got... what? 5 more doors?"
Dragoshi: "Yep." *Drag places it on the control panel.*
Metal Man (GM): *Glow.* Not one, but two doors are revealed. Door VI: Armory, and Door IV: Library.
Dragoshi: *Armory... Wheee...*
Aetos coughs.
Dragoshi: *Stops before he enters.* "Yes?"
Aetos: "You don't even ask if the rest of us want to go in that one?" *He begins following him.*
Dragoshi: "...Hmmm... Good point. Want to go to the library instead? 'Cause, I really don't mind either way."
Aetos: "Me either, but I just wanted to show some fairness."
Dragoshi: "...Okay. I'll just be sure to remember that..." *Pulls out a notepad and writes down something... Then puts said notepad away, then enters the armory.*
Aetos follows him in.
Metal Man (GM): It's not a good sight. Hordes of Atlanteans can be seen here. Mostly dead. They appear to have been fighting something.
Aetos: *Expects arms.*
Dragoshi: "...Good god."
Metal Man (GM): Their weapons and shields have failed, and been broken.
Aetos: "Wonder what they were doing."
Metal Man (GM): They appear to have been guarding something... something still intact.
Dragoshi: "...Fighting something... That apparently slaughtered them all."
Metal Man (GM): Here is one of the most powerful artifacts of Atlantean use sitting inside a very powerful magical field.
Dragoshi: "For the most par-Huh."
Metal Man (GM): It is a glove with a number of runes on it. It'd fit over the right hand. However, it's inside that field. Not even the foul being which killed them all could grab it.
Dragoshi: "Hmm. Interesting." *Looks around for anything that might be of use in disabling that magic field...*
Aetos: "I wonder what it is..."
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi looks; a control panel! ...Nope. In desperation it was sliced apart and destroyed by an Atlantean.
Aetos: "Are you sure trying to take it is a good idea?"
Metal Man (GM): The Atlantean in question was brutally ripped to pieces. Not gory ones... almost as if he was disintegrated.
Dragoshi: "...Hmmm... Yea. Good point." *Tries to search to see if there's any fragments to the sword they're trying to repair...*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi hears the noise of a fragment, somewhere in here, amongst hordes and hordes of busted Atlantean weapons and shelves and debris and dead people.
Dragoshi: *Tries to use his sense of hearing to discern where it is specifically...*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi hears it near one of the walls... he can't tell which.
Dragoshi: "...There's a shard somewhere near one of the walls, but I don't know which one."
Aetos: "Oh. I see."
Dragoshi: "...Think you could take a crack and figure out which wall it is with your sense of hearing?"
Aetos: "Hearing?... Hrm." *Uses his Eyes of Truth to see which wall contains the piece of sword they are looking for.*
Metal Man (GM): Aetos sees a blazing white energy right to his left, sitting cleverly behind a book.
Aetos: "Ooo. A book." *Grabs the book.*
Dragoshi: "Hmm?"
Metal Man (GM): It is "The Art of Battle" by Shanis Zu, an ancient Atlantean.
Aetos: "...Hm? Oh... The sword piece should be right here." *Points at the space behind where the book was.*
Dragoshi: "Ah. Good job..." .oO(How'd he figure that out so quickly, though?)
Metal Man (GM): The shard right there is right there.
Aetos doesn't even look as he flips through to the table of contents.
Metal Man (GM): Table of contents: 1. Engaging your opponent. 2. Weapon styles. 3. Opponent weapon styles. 4. Common mistakes. 5. Solarian combat. 6. Escaping combat. 7. The issue of whether or not to kill. 8. Final concerns.
Aetos flips through to Final Concerns...
Metal Man (GM): 8. Final Concerns. 'For those in battle with any opponent, you must try to find a weakness, or, lacking that, a strategy that can damage them. If you fail at this you fail at all that has been said previously... and will likely die. For success to be common, you must not try. You must win. And you must never give in to your foe. In the case that they do not seem beatable, then you must run. Always make sure to fight the opponent on your own terms; if they have you in a corner your abilities are likely to mean little. And be sure to leave enough of yourself to survive for another fight; it is integral in case more warriors are on the field.' That is a short excerpt from the many-pages long chapter.
Aetos: "Hm. I think I could learn a lot from this book." *He grabs the shard.*
Dragoshi: "...Mind if I have the book?"
Aetos frowns.
Dragoshi: "After you're done, that is."
Aetos: "Definitely."
Dragoshi: "Forgot to mention that little detail, sorry."
Aetos: "Let's go to the library now."
Dragoshi: "Aye."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers go to leave...
Dragoshi: "Think we should at least put the fragment in with the others first, though?"
Metal Man (GM): ...one of the Atlanteans stands up in the doorway.
Atlantean: "You. There. That book. Explain yourselves."
Dragoshi: "...One of you is still alive? Huh. I thought that, whatever ran through this place slaughtered everyone... Peculiar."
Aetos: "Bonjour monseiur! Parlez-vous francais?"
Atlantean: "Earth languages, as complex as they may pretend to be, are nowhere near Atlantean. Now. Tell me. What are you doing here."
Aetos: "Hrmph. We have come to reassemble that sword, and continue to find the shadow... I think."
Dragoshi: *Nods.*
Atlantean: "And you want to do that why?" He makes a strange expression at you.
Aetos: "Because he turned one of your people into a monster, and he tried to kill us with him..."
Dragoshi: "Yep."
Atlantean: "But... what do you want here? There is nothing for you. Clearly you are here to steal! Aren't you?"
Aetos: "No, of course not!... I'm sorry if you thought that. We were sent here to investigate why this dimension started leaking into our own... As an added mission... My friend and I are trying to discover how to manipulate this realm... you know, someone called it X-zone Manipulation Ability."
Metal Man (GM): He suddenly laughs.
Aetos: "As for the book... I was hoping to read it. I think I could learn a lot from it. If you want it back... you can have it."
Dragoshi: "...I do not like that laugh."
Atlantean: "You aren't very good at it if you haven't seen the truth yet."
Dragoshi: "...The truth?"
Aetos: "Well... I only was lucky enough to explode a light post before..."
Metal Man (GM): The shadow thing emerges from the body and vanishes, as the body itself morphs into another of those tall, steel-booted sword wielding things. It forms a sword out of thin air and blocks the doorway.
Aetos: "Ugh! What a jerk!"
Dragoshi: "...Gaw DAMMET."
Aetos: "Let's hurry to the library, ok?" *He tries to blowback the beast away from the doorway.*
Dragoshi: "Sure thing. Though if it catches up to us, we're going to have to slam it against the remaining barriers in the main room..."
Aetos: "Aye."
Metal Man (GM): Nope. The beast is too big to fit through the door! It continues sitting in the way.
Dragoshi: "...Grrr... Maybe we could smash it into that..." *Looks at the magic field...*
Metal Man (GM): The magic field around the glove is very powerful, but is on the other side of the room as the monster.
Dragoshi: "...Think we should fight it? Yanno, if there's no other choice, that is."
Aetos: "Alright. Um. Mr. Monster... did you know there's a shiny glove over there that can give you ultimate power!?"
Dragoshi: .oO(...Luring that thing... Hmmm... Brilliant.)
Metal Man (GM): It stands there as if you said nothing.
Aetos: "...Hey, Mr. Monster being thing... could you scoot out of our way so we can return you to normal and save the rest of your friends?"
Metal Man (GM): It continues to stand in the way.
Aetos: "MINDSLAVE! MOVE NOW!"
Metal Man (GM): It's surprising it hasn't attacked the Questers yet, considering the other one was ready to kill them.
Aetos taps his foot.
Metal Man (GM): It continues standing in the way.
Aetos: "I'm reluctant to get close and touch it..."
Dragoshi: "...Maybe it's just supposed to stand in the way and attack us if we get too close..." :/
Aetos: "Anything could set it off."
Dragoshi: "Mhm."
Aetos: "Alright. Let's see..." *He moves back over to the field surrounding the glove.*
Dragoshi: *Follows keeping his front to the monster, being careful, and making sure not to touch the field.*
Metal Man (GM): The field appears to block any attempts to reach inside of it. It is very powerful, considering every other piece of Atlantean tech failed here but this one.
Aetos: "I've got three ideas. Two which could kill me, and one which could destroy this sword piece."
Dragoshi: "...Tell me all three."
Aetos: "We could use my energy control powers to try and move the magic energy... We could try X-zone manipulation to negate the energy... or we could try to disrupt the magic with the sword fragment, if it's really anything special..."
Dragoshi: "Those all sound rather risky."
Aetos: "Hence my forewarnings." *He waves the sword shard at the monster.* "I wonder if he will react to this? TORO! TORO!"
Dragoshi: *Gigaton facepalm.* *Moves outta the way.*
Metal Man (GM): He just stands there.
Aetos mutters. "Ok. You have any ideas, Dragoshi?"
Dragoshi: "Sadly, none."
Aetos: "Let's do this then! You try first. Use X-zone Manipulation!" *He stands away from the magic field AND Dragoshi...*
Dragoshi: "...Sure thing." *The target: magic field, apparently.*
Metal Man (GM): The attempts merely ricochet off of the field.
Dragoshi: "...Nothin'. Heeey... Speaking of that, maybe we can try it on the monster and turn him back to normal."
Aetos: "Alright. Fine... But if I blow up, I'm going to haunt you."
Dragoshi: "Okay, then."
Aetos faces the monster and shuts his eyes, concentrating on the Atlantean that was shown before the shadow turned it into a monster. He tries to will the monster back into that form.
Metal Man (GM): Aetos feels a presence much stronger than his own... it cannot be undone with unskilled X-zone magic.
Dragoshi: "...Dang."
Aetos gasps for air. "Wow that's tough."
Metal Man (GM): That is probably also what destroyed the Atlantean technology.
Dragoshi: "...Wanna try to dispel the magic field as a team?"
Metal Man (GM): Yet... that glove withstood all of it...
Aetos: "...Yeah. If we can get that glove, I bet we can defeat this Shadow."
Dragoshi: "...Though, I still find it eerie that the field AND glove sur-Mhm."
Aetos: "Ok. Concentrate on just diverting the energy so a gap is made, enough for one of us to reach through it and get the glove. Ready?"
Dragoshi: "Yes."
Aetos nods. "Don't blow yourself up."
Dragoshi: *Nods back.* "Same to you."
Aetos closes his eyes again and concentrates on opening up a hole in the energy, just like described.
Dragoshi: *Closes his own eyes, and helps Douglas in the attempt of concentrating to open up a hole in the energy, just like described as well.*
Metal Man (GM): The field eats the energy... relatively easily. But then there is something else. Energy other than the X-zone energy comes out of Aetos' hands... this is the Quester signature energy, used in the revival mechanism... An Atlantean mechanism...
Dragoshi: "...Zuh?"
Metal Man (GM): It touches the portal and opens it for the Questers, several runes appearing on the walls. One of the Questers can now wear the glove.
Dragoshi: "Do you want the glove?"
Aetos: "Maybe... But if you really want it, you can use it. ...Wait... Do you have hands?" *looks.*
Dragoshi: "...Well, I guess. But after this is over with, I'm giving it to ya." *Yes. He has hands.*
Aetos: "That is quite generous of you. Now... It is time to discover what it does, and why the shadow would want it... if that is who did this."
Dragoshi: "No problem." *Takes the glove and puts it on his right hand.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi's head is filled with voices. An ancient Atlantean sage is projected before both of the Questers.
Dragoshi: "...woah."
???: "...Unknown Atlantean power users, the fate of the universe is in the hands of you and your friends."
Dragoshi: .oO(...Voices. What do they say...?)
???: "A dark power overwhelmed out own and destroyed our civilization, and others, whenever they reached too far. Your own has probably reached this threshold, if you see this. That dark power will stop at nothing to destroy you all... yet it is likely you have seen it over and over again. It is not true darkness. But chaos. This glove can only help you in this portion of the realm... it will return to this pedestal once you are done."
Dragoshi: "...Chaos." .oO(Like that from the X-Zone...?)
???: "You must defeat those who carry an ancient artifact and reassemble it... then you can unlock the evil and destroy it yourself."
Metal Man (GM): The hologram vanishes. The hand shoots a beam which causes the cursed dead body to become normal and... dead again. The way out is clear.
Dragoshi: "...I see." *Pulls out a notepad and writes this down...*
Aetos: "...Do... you think there are more X-zones?... X-zones... could just be worlds... overrun by massive amounts of chaos."
Dragoshi: *Puts it away...* "...That's always a possibility."
Aetos: "That's what it seemed like that sage was saying... Anyways, let's go save this place."
Dragoshi: "Aye." *Exits the armory... It was the armory, right?* "Now, I believe we have a library to search."
Aetos: "Alright, now that we aren't threatened... let's put this one back, then head to the library." *He pieces that shard back with those other two on the pedestal, then goes back to Dragoshi.*
Dragoshi: "...Well that's another fragment down."
Aetos nods.
Metal Man (GM): Another door unlocks after the shard has been inserted. Door III: Power room.
Aetos: "...Library still?"
Dragoshi: "...Don't see why not."
Aetos goes into the library with Dragoshi, then.
Dragoshi: *Yep. Into the library.*
Metal Man (GM): Here are hordes of books the Questers cannot understand--these are clearly intended for those who know Atlantean, while the other room had common books. Odd. Another sword fragment sits in here, however it is completely surrounded by a strange spell.
Dragoshi: "...Peculiar." *Aims his gloved hand at the strange spell, wondering if the glove'll dispel it or something.*
Metal Man (GM): The glove indicates to Dragoshi it is a strange spell, probably used to prevent the Questers from accessing it, as they are not Atlantean. Perhaps that can be fixed somehow.
Dragoshi: "...Think we should try to manipulate it to allow us to acquire the fragment?"
Aetos: "We could try to manipulate OURSELVES..."
Dragoshi: "Mhm."
Aetos: "Let's play WHO WANTS TO BE ATLANTEAN! Let's see... How does one characterize an Atlantean?..."
Metal Man (GM): Most of the ones Aetos saw possessed mental abilities above a human. As well as innate attunement with magic.
Aetos: "Alright, Dragoshi, let's up your Intelligence score, first of all."
Dragoshi: "Maybe one of these books could tell... Unless you remember anything important." *Puts his glove up to the books, curious...*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi picks up the book. He can't tell what's in it at all.
Aetos concentrates on manipulating Dragoshi's magical attunement, trying to make him more brilliant and magically inclined. *As an Atlantean...*
Dragoshi: *...Checks if the glove can translate.*
Metal Man (GM): The glove cannot translate. Meanwhile Douglas causes Dragoshi to suddenly look Atlantean.
Aetos: "...Can you understand that book yet?"
Metal Man (GM): Somewhat. The book still makes no sense. However he can try the field.
Dragoshi: "..." *Tries to see if he can pass through the field.*
Aetos: "Hrm. Perhaps you don't have the knowledge as an Atlantean would acquire through learning... but just as a baby human can't read when it's born... it's still human."
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi's hand goes right through the field. He grabs the piece... that's piece #4.
Dragoshi: "Perfect." *Exit library.*
Aetos: "...I do believe we're getting more skilled... however, I don't think this is the training that being was talking about... could it be?" *He exits too.*
Dragoshi: "Possibly..."
Aetos ponders about why a strange being that looked like Kuja would be... interacting with the Questers in the X-zone in the first place...
Dragoshi: *Puts the fourth piece back to the sword it belongs.*
Aetos: "...Perhaps he's like The Void of the first X-zone..."
Dragoshi: "Yea. Possibly."
Metal Man (GM): Lessee... The final room accessible is room V: It is read as 'Hazardous Materials.' This, and the power room are left.
Aetos blinks and says "Power Room?", nervously.
Dragoshi: "...Yeaaa. Let's save Hazardous Materials for later."
Aetos goes to the Power Room, while trying to steer clear of the door to the hazardous materials room.
Metal Man (GM): The power room opens, revealing an insanely powerful, unknown artifact which keeps the place running... ...And it's not even on.
Dragoshi: *Follows Douglas.*
Metal Man (GM): There's several sets of beads in here. The glove activates.
Dragoshi: "...Okay. That's cree-Woah!" *Sees the glove activate.*
Metal Man (GM): 'This glove, used by novices to learn the ways of Atlanteans, is built to also allow inexperienced people to use control panels like these in times of danger. However, once this power is activated, this glove will have served its purpose. You will have to earn or make your own later.'
Dragoshi: "...I see."
Metal Man (GM): '...It is likely whatever guards this place will attack once this power is activated, as it can challenge the X-zone's power.'
Dragoshi: "...Hmmm. That is a little disconcerting."
Aetos: "We ... perhaps should finish the sword first. That Atlantean was desperate to attain it. Maybe that sword can be used to harm the Shadow."
Dragoshi: "Aye. Let us finish the sword first."
Aetos looks for the sword shard in this room.
Metal Man (GM): It lies right on the control panel.
Aetos holds it and then nods to Dragoshi. "Alright. One more?"
Dragoshi: "...Mhm."
Aetos: "We'll come back here once we get that sword." *Exits.*
Dragoshi: "..." *Exit.* "That was eerily and conveniently placed, though."
Aetos: "...Let's wait for the last one, before we put it back, then." *He gulps and goes into the Hazardous Materials room.*
Dragoshi: "Mhm..." *Tries to keep calm and enters the Hazardous Materials room.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers enter that room, seeing materials like they've never dreamed of contained in powerful Atlantean containers. However, signs in the most basic language warn that... 'DANGER: MATERIALS WILL KILL ONCE RELEASED.' Phazon is the lowest level contaminating agent in this room. The lowest. The higher ones must be able to go through air-tight containers.
Aetos: "...Do you see the fragment?"
Dragoshi: "...No. I just hope it isn't in any of them."
Metal Man (GM): Neither Quester can see it in here, though.
Dragoshi: *Looks around, making sure not to break or damage anything.*
Aetos: "Well... with Link, his Eye of Truth can see through containers... I think my eyes work like that... but I don't know." *Keeps scanning the room.* "Oi vay..." *He looks behind the signs. Maybe it's hidden there...*
Metal Man (GM): Aetos' eyes of truth cannot see anything... but that doesn't mean it's not in here.
Aetos: "Alright, well. Is there a computer in here? Hello?"
Metal Man (GM): Aetos doesn't see any computer in here.
Dragoshi: *Tries to carefully, and I STRESS TO THE EXTREME, carefully search for the fragment of the sword.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi searches around and hears something funny behind a big container of 'Compound X'
Dragoshi tries to get the fragment from behind the large container of Compound X without breaking it.
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi edges it out, taking the sword component from behind the shelf.
Dragoshi: *Carefully, and carefully makes sure to not break anything...*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi has the piece now.
Aetos: "Alright... Get back here without knocking anything over?"
Dragoshi: *Exits the room with carefulness, making sure not to break anything.*
Aetos follows him out safely. "Let's reassemble the sword." He puts his piece in.
Dragoshi: *Charges up something as he puts in the last fragment...*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi puts it in... aaand nothing. It's still missing a piece! But the stairway up is unshielded.
Dragoshi: *Keeps the charge up and enters the stairway up.*
Aetos taps his chin. "Ok then." *Follows him.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi walks up there, and into the top part, as the way up no longer exists. With a view of the sky, he can see the Shadow being picking his teeth with the last piece.
Dragoshi: "..."
Shadow: "Even with that glove, you are fools to be here. There are two of you and thousands of us. I'm not going to just give you this back... besides. It belongs to us. All technology... all of it. The Magitek isn't cursed. It just belongs to us. Nanotech is mostly ours. And nobody even remembers Atlantean tech... it's ours."
Dragoshi: "...And, who are you to make such massive claims?"
Shadar: "A member of the Shadar, a tribe of chaos beings from before this pitiful universe existed." He pockets the piece. "I possess all the great technologies your people have made but one... and what I have is good enough to stop both of you."
Aetos: "...Lighttech...?"
Dragoshi: "...Please. He'll prolly' say something about it being laughable or somethin'"
Shadar: "Lighttech? Maybe. But your Fighter Remotes and your Kuja tech is far more interesting." He laughs and then turns to face both of the Questers. "I'll give you this shard if you turn over that glove."
Dragoshi: "...There'd be one simple problem... This glove can't be taken out of this portion of this realm."
Aetos: "...He probably can't be taken out of this portion of this realm."
Dragoshi: "...How can we be so sure?"
Shadar: "So says its old, outdated, ATLANTEAN creators." The being laughs, before pulling out its left hand. It has a far more advanced glove. Which has been enhanced with Magitek crystals. "I have two of the technologies with me, and neither of them belong here either!"
Aetos sniffs.
Dragoshi: "...Zuh?"
Aetos shakes his head. "We wont give you the glove."
Metal Man (GM): He snaps his fingers and the glove glows an evil orange glow. He laughs and generates for himself an entire contingent of 10 Atlanteans with pikes... although they are the opposite of their normal colors.
Shadar: "You better like dying, then. I always get my way."
Aetos: "Hold on."
Dragoshi: "..." *Readies his glove... Charge still up, and machinegun in his non-gloved hand.*
Aetos: "Do you know about IVANTEK?"
Shadar: "Maybe. Do you have some?"
Aetos brings out a glowing vial. "It's very advanced for our dimension."
Shadar: "Skip the nonsense. What is it?"
Aetos: "Why. You could find out yourself. Curious? The amazing powers in this liquid can defy mortal limits. Of course... I could give it to you for your own use, for that sword shard."
Shadar: "...You're lying. If that's true, you should be able to go through all of my guards."
Metal Man (GM): He just sends all those guards at Aetos. All 10 slowly advance on the Questers.
Aetos holds it up. "You'll NEVER KNOW if you kill us now!"
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
Aetos tilts it a bit, as if threatening to pour it away.
Shadar: "Meh. So what. I can crush planets."
Aetos: "You clearly want to know all the technology of the universes. Even if you have better, wouldn't you like to know how each one works? Maybe you can even use the unknown technologies like this, to create even more powerful ones yourself. In this vial is something that I've found most people lack the power to do. Even X-zone beings. What's one sword compared to an ability no one else has?"
Metal Man (GM): The soldiers advance. They'll attack in a quick moment.
Shadar: "I can reverse engineer it later."
Aetos: "Not if you never see it again!"
Metal Man (GM): The soldiers decide to try to steal the potion from Douglas. Miss...
Aetos then drinks it! He tosses the empty vial to the ground. "You missed out."
Dragoshi: "...Think we should just go 'sod it' and take 'em on?"
Shadar: "A healing potion? What a joke." He begins walking away. The soldiers go into combat formation.
Aetos frowns. .oO(Eleven enemies?... That's not a good idea...)
Metal Man (GM): Towards the massive hole where the upper half of this place used to be.
Aetos: "GET BACK HERE! Dragoshi! Use the glove!" *He motions to the possessed Atlanteans.*
Dragoshi: "...'K." *Uses the glove o' dewm on the possessed Atlanteans.*
Metal Man (GM): It... doesn't work. They're evil images, not Atlanteans.
Dragoshi: "Got any more ideas...?"
Aetos: "I don't know..." *He tries to move past them.*
Metal Man (GM): They stab at Aetos.
Aetos: DEAD! Just a little too much damage for him to take! D:
Metal Man (GM): Like they just did.
Dragoshi: *Backs away, quickly switches out his machinegun for his shotgun... He tries to utilize the power of the shotgun with that of the glove.*
Metal Man (GM): The glove has no real attack power. It can only make enchantments go away... and these things are too powerful. However, the way back down is open.
Dragoshi: *Quickly puts his shotgun away and heads back down.*
Metal Man (GM): Aetos revives Dragoshi walks back down, pursued by the illusions.
Aetos shakes his head. "Ugh... Uh... Keep going!"
Dragoshi: "To where?"
Aetos: "You pick!"
Dragoshi: "...I can't think of anything."
Aetos goes back to the unfinished sword, for a moment.
Metal Man (GM): It glows... the pedestal it is in is unpowered. It cannot be removed.
Aetos: "To the Power Room, quick! We're going to do one of three options we have left!" *He runs in there, right behind Dragoshi when he goes.*
Dragoshi: *Runs into the power room.*
Aetos: "Do it. Use the glove's power!"
Metal Man (GM): The Questers in the room... Dragoshi has the glove.
Dragoshi: *Uses the glove!*
Metal Man (GM): The power turns on... the dark Atlantean images are dissipated as the fragment powers up. Energy pours out of the main console, and the sword is shot out of it... the sword flies upwards and where the next area would be. However, instead, there is a warp out.
Dragoshi: "...Huh."
Metal Man (GM): The glove teleports back to the field where it came from, leaving a last message. 'The fight has only begun... come back later.'
Aetos: "...But we leave the sword here? Shadar, we'll come back for that last shard, and no matter what you do, we'll get it!"
Metal Man (GM): 'Yes... it is in the other side. It is harder than you think to retain.' *Glove vanishes.*
Aetos walks into the warp.
Dragoshi: "...I see." *Enters the warp.*
Aetos nods to Dragoshi. "We'll get him next time."
Dragoshi: *Nods back to Douglas.* "Aye. Hopefully so."
Aetos: "I want to speak to the being that looked like Kuja, though... I have a couple questions to ask, hopefully before we see Shadar or his team again."
Dragoshi: "Mhm."