Tides of Twilight - Chapter 11: The Dome of FrostA Chapter by Jobyn ...And so it begins. Check items. $: 1,500G Currency. "Did you know? Nael is the star of his own story now!" Check it out Here Not wanting to spend too much time dealing with the little Frost Walkers, you draw your weapons and make your way onto the creatures' ice. ~*~ You: (Loading your pistol) No offense, Mel, but I thought we'd be doing something a little more exciting than this. The sooner I can get back to H.Q. for a new mission, the better. (Walking out into the ice) Mel: (Shrugs) If you say so... Do be careful now. (Stretches her fingers as she walks onto the ice, sparking a few flames while doing so) Traveling the thickened, white ice "bridges", you make your way towards your first target. As you approach it, it begins to swirl around you in a sort of dance. You: It's a shame really, for such beautiful creatures to be the source of a bad problem. (You watch it for a moment) The Frost Angel circles you, releasing a tiny sparkle of lights as it moves. You suddenly find yourself bound. The Frost Angel has frozen your feet to the ice's surface! You: Ah! AH! Cold!  The Frost Angel readies: Ice Skewer The Frost Angel uses Ice Skewer! You take 39 points of damage. (361/400HP) You: Ow! That stings! (Caught by surprise, you quickly point your handgun at it) You shoot the Frost Angel 3 times! The Frost Angel dodges! The Frost Angel takes 62 points of damage. (238/300HP) The Frost Angel dodges! You: Gah, I can't shoot so well while I'm stuck here and this thing is moving all over... The Frost Angel readies: Ice Skewer You: Crap... Mel uses Cinder! Overkill! The Frost Angel takes 800 points of damage. (0/300HP) The Frost Angel melts away... Mel: I told you to be careful. (Smiles helplessly as she walks over to you) I expected the commendable Rook to be a little tougher to nail than this... You: I had him... That was just a little sudden. (Embarrassed) Mel: Not so boring now, huh?  (/sarcastic) Here, let me help you out of that bind... Mel uses her fire magic to melt away the elemental ice. You are no longer bound. You: Thank you... Mel: Don't mention it. Now that you know what to expect, try to be a little more careful, okay? I can't save your butt each time! I've got my own share to kill. You: Got it. They won't get the jump on me again, promise. The two of you split up one more, allowing you to fall into the groove of killing these things. In no time flat, you become quite efficient at it; Using your gun to draw them towards you while doing damage, and then dealing the killing blows with your sword. You: Gotcha' on my sights, punk... You aim down your handgun's sight and shoot the Frost Angel 3 times! The Frost Angel takes 67 points of damage! (233/300HP) The Frost Angel Takes 62 points of damage! (171/300HP) The Frost Angel takes 67 points of damage! (104/300HP) The Frost Angel engages you. The Frost Angel uses Ice Kick! You dodge the attack! You slash the Frost Angel twice with your sword. The Frost Angel takes 50 points of damage! (54/300HP) The Frost Angel takes 54 points of damage! (0/300HP) The Frost Angel shatters... You: Piece of cake! (Cheesy victory pose) Mel: (Walks up to you as the ice on her side starts to break and melt away) Hey, you're getting better at this! It's nice to see someone other than Flint who can handle a gun properly. You: Oh, heh... You think so? Well...  Mel: Now, Rook, don't get full of yourself. I only said you were getting better.  You: Oh, uh, of course. Mel: I think our shift here is just about done, then. What say we head back? You: Sounds good to me. As the two of you begin making your way back to shore, the ice you're walking on begins to rumble. You: Huh...? Is that the ice melting away? We should probably hurry and get to shore. Mel: (Narrows her eyes and looks at the crackling ice, scanning the area) Hmm... Yeah... Let's go. (Appears perplexed, but agrees to hurry) When you start running for land, the rumbling really starts to pick up. At this point it's as if there's an earthquake going on. A large bump of ice that's formed into a ring ripples out along the entire lake bed, knocking you off your feet and nearly doing the same to Mel, who manages to avoid it. You: Ah! What's happening!? (Jumping back to your feet) Mel: Haven't got a clue! But keep moving! Just then, the ice around the area where the "ripple" had come from is blasted through by a large beam of light. It pulses once, sending a transparent wave across the lake that immediately freezes everything it comes to contact with, including the water. You are sure you won't be able to outrun the wave. Mel: (Stops and holds her hand out towards the wave) Look out! Before the wave engulfs you two, you catch a glimpse of Mel attempting to cast, but don't see it through as you throw your arms over your face. The Autumn Frigicite resonates within you... Everything becomes incredibly cold, so much so that your ears become sore. But when you realize you can still move, you remove your arms from your face. You: What... What just happened? (Looking around) You appear to be trapped inside a giant, frozen dome. It doesn't take long for you to realize that you have been somehow enclosed in the newly-frozen Lake Eden. But you are overcome with a grimmer realization as your eyes fall on Mel. She was frozen solid, her arm still outstretched as if she was ready to cast. You: Oh, no... Mel! (Eyes widen) What... What happened to her? She's completely frozen... What do I do!? It's so cold... Am I going to end up the same way? Before you could ponder why you didn't share Mel's fate, you hear a loud sort of wail that echoes throughout the dome. Hearing it come from above, you look up to see a frightening, yet magnificent sight. It was some sort of marine, celestial being resembling a large whale. Like the Frost Angels, its appearance was quite angelic and even beautiful. But you soon learn of its otherwise hostile nature as it spots you and wails again, gliding the air as if it were swimming and shooting a thin and precise stream of water at you. But because of the distance between it and you, you are just barely able to avoid it with only a graze wound as the stream nabs the skin of your shoulder. You: Uoh! That hurt... The stream of water freezes before breaking apart into ice shards that disperse to nothing. You: If I get hit by that thing directly, I'm done for... (You start to run along the dome, not wanting to stay in one spot) I don't have a choice... I have to fight! Warning! Now engaging... ___________________________________________ The Avatar of Frost (????/????HP) Incoming transmission on Segments... *Info: Segments are a series of choice sequences made up of various combat options that readers must vote on. This allows the fight to play out in the most favorable ways of the readers, using the best voted tactics from each Segment against the enemy. This makes it possible for there to be more than two choices that affect the battle. The results of a Segment will almost always play out in the subsequent chapter. Segment 1 Laevaten swoops down and lowers itself on the frozen surface of the lake. It spreads its wing-like fins out, revealing a clear crystal on each side of its body, where its "fins" otherwise envelop. It begins absorbing energy from the ice into its crystals, causing them to resonate with an increasing cerulean glow. 1). 2). So it protects the crystals with its fins? Then, now is my chance to attack! (3 votes) Segment 2 Laevaten becomes enraged and begins using its entire body to tackle the frozen lake under it. The ice where the frozen Mel stands on begins to crumble, and you fear that if you don't do something soon, she will be lost underwater. However, if you do retrieve her, you will become fully vulnerable and unable to fight back. 1). I can't just sit here and let Mel sink... I can't. (4 votes) 2). I'm so sorry, Mel... I have to lookout for myself! (1 vote) **Story-Altering Segment! Picking choice #1 will affect your personality and earn you respect, as well as an increase in rank. Picking choice #2 will sacrifice Mel, but you will receive a very important item that affects the story's ending. Segment 3 Firing another Streamshot that just barely misses you, Laevaten manages to create a crack in his own frost dome. You are sure that with enough damage, you can break your way out of the dome and make a brief escape to seek help. All the while, Laevaten is once more charging up its crystals... 1). If I can just break out of the dome and call for help... (4 votes) 2). **Results have been tallied. ~*~ Eden Meanwhile, back at headquarters; in the Lobby... Okina: (Checking in at the front desk) Hi... Please tell Lady Claire that my team has returned from our mission at Makalin Village. (Anxious smile) Receptionist: (Bows her head) Of course. Welcome home, Okina! As well as Lillian and Ben. (Smile) Lillian: (Smiles and waves) Thankies! It's good to be back. Ben: Hey... Goddamn I'm tired. Get me the keys to my room, yeah?  Receptionist: Right away! (Makes her way to the file cabinets behind her) Lillian: Ben... You slept like an ox last night before we departed for Eden this morning! How can you still be tired?  Ben: Dunno. Pretty crazy, huh? Lillian:  Okina: Hmm... I wonder where- ???: ...Okina? Okina feels her heart leap up to her throat as she hears the familiar voice, though matured voice. Turning around, she sees Stiff standing there gazing at her while rubbing the back of his neck. He has a somewhat rigid smile on his face. It's obvious that he was quite nervous about seeing her again after so long as well. *Info: Steffan will now be referred to as Stiff. Stiff: Heh... It's almost hard to believe that it's been three whole years, isn't it? Since we last saw each other, I mean... Okina had a hard time looking into his eyes at that moment. Well, not that she wasn't... It's just, when she did, she kept looking into his eyes. Yes... He kept smiling at her in that silly way of his. So much life in his eyes... So much innocent ignorance and bliss. The way he looked at her during their first night under the fireworks at some festival. The way he kept gazing at her when he thought she wasn't looking, moments before they kissed for the first time in their young lives. She kept having to plead to that image to make way for the one who stood before her now. This young, seasoned man who's body alone had a story to tell. A man bearing an eye patch over his left eye, and a deep gaze with a strange... utter sadness in his untouched eye. He smiled, of course, ecstatic to see her again after so long. But it was just easy for her to catch that sadness that was once not there. She could hardly hear him for some reason. His words were strangely drowning out. Gazing down at his hands as he stretched out his arms and went over to hug her; she let her eyes fall to the gauntlet on his left hand. Another piece of his story that wasn't there before he went on his three year journey... He froze when he saw her so... unresponsive. Stiff: O-Okina...? Are you okay? (Lowering his arms and hiding his left hand behind him, thinking it was creeping her out) Okina: (Blinks, snapping back into reality) Uh... Sorry! (Scrunches up the bottom of her top) St-Stiff... It's really you... Isn't it? You look so different... now. Stiff: (Tilting his head) Oh... Is that... a bad thing? I mean it has been three years, heh. (Playful grin) You've changed too, you know! You've gotten a lot cuter than you already were...! Okina: Mn... (Blushes, looking to one side) You think so...? Stiff: (Gives a thoughtful nod, holding one finger up) You know, I'm still fixing on collecting those kisses that I talked about earlier, on that interview! (Points atone of the video spheres) You were watching, weren't ya? Ben: (Whispering to Lillian) Hey... Sup with Okina? She's acting... weird. Lillian: (Whispering back) Yeah... Come on, let's give them some private time.(Drags Ben into one of the lifts after he collects his room keys) Okina: I... "Look, no matter what happens... I'm going to protect your happiness." Okina: What...? (Staring blankly) Stiff: (Blinks) Oh, the uh... The interview? When I got here, they put me on video sphere and everything... (Rubbing the back of his neck) But I guess you didn't see it. Ah, well. "When you're happy, I'm happy..." Okina: When I'm... happy? Stiff: (Getting concerned) Okina...? "It's that smile of yours. When it's not there, I'm just... out of it, you know?" Okina: Stiffy... Stiff: (Going over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders) Hey, hey, I'm here, alright? Stiffy's right here in front of ya. I'm not going anywhere... Stiffy's here to stay. "Don't ever change." "Okina..." "Okina!" "I wish you could come with me..." "Hey, Okina!" "I know I've broken promises before in the past, but..." Okina: (Shutting her eyes tight and placing a hand over her forehead) Nnh... "N-No... My name's Stiff, not Stiffy." "Wait, Okina!" "I'll do whatever it takes to keep that smile on your face." "I love you." Stiff: Okina!? Okina passed out against Stiff as he held onto her. He had not the slightest idea why. Stiff: Okina? (Shakes her) Okina! (Furrowing his brows, confused) Damn... What happened to her? He looks up as he hears the surprised gasps from the employees and guests in the lobby. At first, he thought they were looking at Okina... But then he saw them all running over to the windows and outside of the building, pointing at a giant beam of light shooting into the sky. "It's coming from Lake Eden!" One of them had exclaimed. Stiff: (Laying Okina against him on the floor, looking up at the light in surprise) That light... ~*~ Many of the other Brigadiers and recruits were looking at the exact same thing from the windows of the building's second floor. It had disrupted Annie's training session. Salnar: (Crossing his arms, raising a brow at the light) Oi, now what in the bleedin' hells do ye' suppose that there is? (Leaning towards Annie) Annie: I don't know... (Narrowing her eyes in thought) That's definitely coming from the lake. We need to get down there asap... Mel and that "Rook" are down there. Salnar: Aye. Annie: (Turning away from the window) You go inform Lady Claire. I'll round up a team and head down there now. Roki: (Nudging Naaj on the shoulder as he joins her at one of the large windows) I've never seen anything like that before... What do you think it is? Naaj: I fear this does not bode well for us... Such power to have created this light. ~*~ On the roof of the building; the garden and hangar... Lion: My, that's a new one... ???(Man with long black hair and fancy, pirate-like clothing): It's pretty as hell, I'll give it that. I sense some excitement, my friends... (Turns and walks towards a smaller and sleeker airship than the others) Now, let's get our asses down there. (Snaps his fingers and whistles at his crew) Lion: (Smiles and shrugs) Whatever you say, Captain Sekai. Sekai: Tell Stiff to be there. I want to see what kind of man my little churl of a thief has become. (Grins as he walks up the ramp of his ship) Lion: Tch, tch... You know that kid, he'll be there. (Follows behind) ~*~ An undisclosed room, located somewhere in headquarters... Lady Claire: So, you still choose not to speak? (Looking at a man wearing a camouflage suit who's strapped onto a chair inside magically-fortified jail cell) How stubborn. To think even your methods of interrogation have failed, Vero. Vero: (Pacing the room left and right, infuriated) I hate when I don't get what we want. But I'll get what I want when you give me the green light to kill this stubborn f**k. I'll find a way to make him squeal, even if only from pain. (Glaring at the bound young man, whom had been unmasked) Prisoner(Short brown hair, thick scar across the bridge of his nose): (Sits there with a hardened look on his face, not saying a word nor showing any fear towards Vero) Lady Claire: (Shaking her head at Vero, crossing her arms) That's not the way we do things. You know that. I'm sure Captain Sekai can get something out of this guy. His methods are rather... Interesting. Vero: Tch. (Spits on the floor, cracking his knuckles) 'Get those damn dragons in here, see what kind of methods they use on soft "tender-skins" like the rest of us... Lady Claire: That is an option I am willing to try. Prisoner: ... (Again, emotionless, not saying a word) There is a knock on the steel door. After that, a small hatch opens up, where Salnar peeks in. Salnar: Ma'am. Sir. Lady Claire: Yes, Salnar? What is it? Salnar: Yer gonna want to come and have a looksie' outside. There be a light pokin' high into the sky, like some kinda bloody beacon... Claire and Vero turn to each other, then curiously look over at the bound prisoner. Prisoner: (Smirk) ...And so it begins. ~*~ To be continued... (Leave your choices in the Comment/Review section below) © 2012 JobynAuthor's Note
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5 Reviews  Last Updated on July 10, 2012 Tags: Adventure, Excitement, Interactive, Anime, Manga, Fantasy, Romance, War, Comedy, Humor, Mature, Brotherly, Friendship, Love, Book |
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