Stars in your Hand

[hybirdx]

"Whoa wait! Don't-" Surprizenly to Kenji, Kage did nothing to hurt Nani in any way "touch him..." Kenji slowly shook his head "Usauly Kage rips the person aprt for just looking at him... I think he likes you Nani!"

Kage quickly broke free, and jumped on Kenji's shoulder. "I'm headed down to that village over there, if you want I'll be glad to show you around."

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Nani still stared wide-eyed at Kage, a look of adoration on her face.

"Ohh! So cute!" She turned to Yoro, smiling widely. "Brother, let's go visit the village!"

Yoro brushed his dark hair out of his eyes and smiled. "Certainly, but..." He glanced over at Kyle, who was attempting to withdraw into the background. "Sir! What's the rush to leave? Won't you stay for some conversation?"

He tilted his head slightly, still smiling. "My sister and I are willing to aid you if you are in need of help..."

"What? Who? Oh! Hai!" cried Nani. "If you're being chased by bandits, I'm the one to call!"

"Sister, dear," murmured Yoro, "the men we fought weren't REALLY bandits, per se, just very desperate villagers... I wouldn't call them trained fighters..."

"Whatever the case!" interrupted Nani. "I am a fighter for justice!"

Yoro sighed again.

 

[hybirdx]

"Justice, you don't hear that word often in this world now a days..." Kenji said as he turned his head to the village, "We better take he short way, we don't want to be out at night..."

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

Once Daven and his retinue had put some distance between themselves and the town they dismounted and Daven dismissed the horses who reappeared on their card, Decorus Admissarius.

"So we can use magic to get to our destination now?"

Daven nodded,
"Yes, the Strigo Animus card is very powerful and would likely have drawn attention from any other card casters. I wanted to get away from there before using another powerful card."

"You know what else draws attention? Giant winged minotaurs..."

"Morologus!"

Risque was in front of Rhineard and had knocked him to the floor. Rhineard, who was ever curious as to the truth of Risque's true nature had barely heard the the assassin and was not able to make out anything besides the word.

"You stupid whore...bastard...uh...moro-logus! What the hell does that mean!"

"Risque called you a fool. Now let us go." With that he drew another card, Millies Dies Ambulo, the mighty transport card that allowed the caster to move as much as an army to any place within a thousand day's march. As he invoked its power the group vanished...

 

[poohlive]

Ooc: Just a suggestion, something that might bring all of the people together to be part of one group would be if a few guards showed up to take the key, and we all joined to defend it.




Ruko paused for a moment, at the animosity. Perhaps this was a popular road, and meetings such as these were common. The land of shadow had some peculiar occupants, to say the least.
He had heard of different talking animals. Spirit guides or animorphs in certain lands, but had never seen one up close. A very strange occurance indeed.
"Pardon me," He was already walking with everone else to the promised village not too far, "Would anyone know where Fardon might be? I'm supposed to be heading that way."

 

[cats]

Kyle

OOC: I forgot to answer your question Pooh, Any one can hold the cards but the majority of people can't use them. Theres no reason to check for card users, it's hard to make a liveing as any type of magic user so a good number of card users live on a farm and may only keep one or two cards for defense (Better then a sword and eassier for them to use.) The process of finding out your a card user is when a card works it's way to you and you simply know how to use it. Or thats how kyle found out any ways.

IC: 'Sir! What's the rush to leave? Won't you stay for some conversation. Well spoted but prehaps there is no reason to worry, the gaurds do seem to of left. 'My sister and I are willing to aid you if you are in need of help.' Oh thats it there looking for a hand out. 'If you're being chased by bandits, I'm the one to call' I looked at the sister of the man that spoted me. She sertinly pays less atention then her brother.

I stayed were I was a litle ahead of the group. Why are so many people all in one place? 'Justice, you don't hear that word often in this world now a days...' Justice isn't used any more can't you see there tring to get a hand out. They are just noble for money and nothing more.

'Pardon me, Would anyone know where Fardon might be? I'm supposed to be heading that way.' "I don't know why all you people insist and talking here in the woods with complete strangers but I will be.... going.... now?" My voice trailed off as I herd something big rustleing in the bushes.

Two large men covered with bruises poped out. 'There you are!' How the hell are they talking about? They were stareing at the boy and girl in the group. "Oh I get it the theives you two beat up right?" 'So there more then just the two of you? Good thing we brought the entire gang.' Several more people poped out the woods.

The rustleing didn't stop but infact was joined by a pounding. "What the hell?" 'Even the boss came.' I saw a big stone figure come threw the bushes. On the shoulder of a large golem was a man about 30 or so. 'No one messes with my gang even if the two members just joined today.'

"Oh hell, why didn't I just keep walking?"

OOC: Well every one was talking about bandits so I brought some. JC, hope you don't mind me useing your desprate villagers.

 

[hybirdx]

"Oh this is just great..." Kenji muttered as he taken a step back, "If you guys know what good for you, I'd sudjest you leave!"

"And why should we you little runt!" Said one of the men, grinning, "You can't do nothing!"

"Oh Realy? Kage!" Kenji lifted his shoulder giving Kage an slight air resistance advantage. The little fox punced one of the men easily beating it down.

"Well thats one down!"

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Yoro slapped his forehead with his palm, sighing gently.

"You're still following us?" he groaned. "And after we let you off? Look, if you just started farming and stopped trying to raid the neighboring villagers, maybe--"

"Don't be stupid, kid!" snarled one of the "bandits". "It's hard enough surviving in this world with rogue magicians and bandits attacking our villages. Once our Boss came by, with his Golem, why, we finally had a chance to get an edge. Now our village can prosper!"

"Not at the expense of the other villages!" cried Nani. "It's good that you can defend yourselves, but if you use that power the Creator has blessed you with for evil, then you're nothing more than bandits! You're becoming what you hated!"

Yoro turned to look at the rest of the boys. "Look, sirs, I'd recommend you leave. This is not your affair, and I wouldn't want anyone getting hur--"

Then Kenji ordered Kage to attack, and all hell broke loose. The bandits screamed, wielding dull yet dangerous pikes and scythes, and charged forward.

Grimacing, Yoro leapt forward and grabbed Kyle and Ruko, shoving them both back and into the woods opposite from the bandits. "This isn't your affair!" he shouted again. "Kenji, call off your fox and get out of here!"

"Don't stop them!" cried Nani. "They might be fighters for justice too!" Spinning, she kicked the haft of a bandit's scythe, breaking it in half, and then planted her foot in the bandit's forehead with a double-kick, knocking him to the ground. Yoro swept into a crouch gracefully and then rose, two bandits falling to the ground from his whipping arms and legs, and then a glint of light reflected on a card that had slid from Yoro's wide kimono sleeve into his hand.

He brandished his card -- an image of a purple and orange runic marking on a black background, and then closed his eyes and pumped his fist, causing the glimmer on the card to fade as the magic was expended...

"STUN HEX!"

Immediately, the three other bandits that remained standing gulped, wavered, and collapsed, their eyes crossed and their limbs akimbo.

The Boss growled and leapt off the back of his golem, landing behind it as the golem marched forward, and he pulled out a card of his own. "How DARE you kids mess with me?" he snapped. "MYTHRIL SWORD!"

Immediately, a wide blade of glimmering silver appeared in the bandit leader's hand, and he pointed at Yoro. "Rock Golem, go!"

Yoro smiled softly. "What, blades now? Very well!" He shook his sleeve again, and another card popped out. "SWORD OF REVEALING LIGHT!"

The sun seemed to blaze, and as everyone flinched away from the light, the energy crystalized into a long, sparkling blade of pure sunlight. As the Boss continued to blink the light out of his eyes, the Golem charged forward, and Yoro leapt into the air, swinging his Sword of Revealing Light and slamming it into the Golem's head...

...causing a mere crack.

As Yoro sighed in frustration, the Golem knocked him out of the way, causing him to sprawl on the ground.

Nani, meanwhile, had been concentrating on a single card...

The card was white, with a rosy tint, and depicted a fully-armored paladin on horseback, his handsome face glimmering with exurberance and good humor as he drove a lance into the belly of an evil-looking dragon. The man's lance seemed to glow with an odd red light, and in the background, the face of the Creator smiled upon the man.

"Blazing Light of Justice, come to me!"

"Oh, Nani!" cried Yoro. "That's not necessary!"

"Blazing Light of Justice, I set you free!"

"Nani, please!" Even as the Golem threatened to stomp on Yoro, the young man was still yelling.

"Destroy those fools that stand before me! Worshippers of Evil, the name you fear... is here!"

The Boss could only blink, eyes wide, as huge amounts of energy began to coelesce around the girl and her card.

"DRAGONSLAYER!"

And everything became rosy white.

A huge surge of energy emitted from the Soul Card Dragonslayer, disintegrating the Golem before slamming into the Boss and sending him and the semiconscious bodies of the rest of the farmer/bandits rocketing into the sky. Hopefully, they would land near their village.

When the dust cleared, Yoro was weeping.

"Nani!" he cried, tears streaming down his face. "No, no, NO!"

Nani stood with a happy little smile on her face before slumping to her knees, panting heavily. The card appeared to have vanished. "Ooowh," she grumbled, "fighting evil is hard."

"NANI! LOOK WHAT YOU DID!"

Yoro pointed frantically to the long line of trees that were now lying flat and blazing. Birds and wildlife fled the area as the forest fire began to spread.

"Eeeegh!" cried the normally composed Yoro, before he rushed forward and waved his hand, amazingly causing a stream of water to fountain from his sleeve. As her brother got the flames under control, Nani turned to the group of three stunned boys and one stunned fox, and smiled sleepily.

"Hee hee," she giggled, "me and Yoro are Card Magicians! That was my Soul Card, the Dragonslayer! It's strong because I'm strong and because I fight for justice!" She pumped her fist into the air, and then sighed and let it drop. "It makes me tired, though. But it lets me do this!" With a smile, she raised a finger and it lit on fire, burning with a white and pink light.

Yoro spurted water on her finger, putting it out. Behind him, a line of smoking and charred trees. "My Soul Card allows me some command over water," he murmured, "as well as... other things." He shrugged. "Nevertheless, we're... sorry to trouble you."

He tossed his Sword of Revealing Light on the ground, and it vanished with a glimmer of light. He cocked his head, turning to Kyle with a soft smile. "So, as you can see, we're quite capable. If you are in danger, don't hesitate to ask us for help..."

"I want to see the village!" cried Nani, though she was lying in an exhausted heap.

Yoro sighed softly.

 

[hybirdx]

"Sorry about jumping in the fight like that, But people had been trying to get me and Kage for an long time now. Guess I lost my temper." Kage gave an low growl "I would have been more of help if my cards wernt stolen, thats why I'm headed back to Black City."

'I want to see the village!' Cried Nani, while Yoro sighed.

"Its not far, probaly two or three minutes. But like I said, we better get their before it gets dark, there are some mean things in this forest."

Two men suddenly ran up panting "Is... every thing alright here? We heard screaming!"

"Its all right, we're fine"

"Yes it seems so, but just in case we better escort you to the city. Its not safe here."

"Isn't that obvious?"

 

[cats]

Kyle

IC: The vilagers were armed with old rusted swords that should of beeen sold long ago. Or syths, those tools had a use but they weren't maintained either, these vilagers could be to lazzy to farm or to poor. I almost regret seeing them like this but my success is mine and not theres.

I would not hesitate to beat these fools but that golem has me a bit unnerved. Prehaps a diplomatic solution can be found like every man for himself? I moved my foot back. "Every body stay calm." My voice was quiet.

Then the fox of the boy jumped forward and started the battle. "Damn it and I turned around to avoid fighting!" A man with schyth came my way. Quick actions are called for. I pulled out a card with a picture of a wood handle a curved peace of metal went from one side of the handle to the otehr curveing around a fist. "Jagged Cetus." The weapon apeared in my hand the metal blade had sharp spines faceing forward at the was a gap as if some one took a hole punch and poped a circle out of the blade.

I made an upper cut catching the blade dead center of my cetus. I then twisted my hand breaking his old rusted blade intwo. "Should take better care of your gear." I kick him the chest and he falls to the ground.

A second man comes at me with a sword I quickly punch him in the gut with the cetus he drops the sword in pain, but it's force carried it right into my shoulder. The wound there wasn't very deep due to all the bone but the rust will make me regret the wound soon.

I droped to one knee holding my shoulder my cetus still in one hand. My foe droped to teh floor never to rise again. "The bastard hit me." I was a bit suprised. I herd the man yell no and I turned to see what he was doing. The golem was about to step on him. Poor bastard but I'm not pushing him out of the way.

Just then there was an explosion of bright pink light. With a burst of flame the light ended and all the theaives were gone includeing the one that wounded me and he was laying on the floor badly hurt, oh well the ass had it comeing.

I stood up after all it was a minor wound for now. The boy set himself to puting out flames while the girl explained her soul card. I tuned out that explanation. I was checking my wound just to be sure I didn't have any damage to my bones.

 

[cats]

OOC:

I know I didn't mention this before but JC's post reminded me.

Stronger cards use more magic power makeing you tired, but they also take longer to recharge. So if theres likely going to be mnore then one fight you should save some of your stronger cards just incase.

 

[hybirdx]

Kenji looked at Kyle who had an slight wound, "Here, let me take an look at it..." Kage examined thje wound carefully "Its minor, nothing looks too bad," Kenji said as he pulled out some bandage from his back pocket, and gave it to Kyle "It ought to hold you for an while."

awkwardly, the two men Kenji was talking to disapered, unoticed to be more exact "Hey... where did they go?"

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Nani smiled weakly. "He's ignoring us."

Yoro eyed Kyle wearily. "Well, if you aren't interested in our help, just say so..."

Nani slumped to the ground.

"H-Hey! Sister!" The young man knelt down next to the girl, lifting her head. "...ugh. She passed out. It was too much... she used up far more power than she needed to. And from her Soul Card itself..."

Yoro looked up worriedly at Kenji. "Kenji, please take us to your city. I need to find some place where my sister can rest..."

 

[hybirdx]

Kenji nodded and walked over to Yoro and Nani, "Yes, lets go" Kenji Picked up Nani and carefully put her over his shoulder "Come on, I know an short cut. Kage, go ahead of us." Just as quick as Kenji told him so, Kage dispered withen the shadows, Kenji then turned and looked at the other two, "You guys comming or not?"

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

The group appeared within a pleasant courtyard, rife with beautiful flowers and perfectly trimmed hedges. Rhineard whistled in approval and Kronsis shook his head once to the right, causing his rings to jingle pleasantly.

"We are now in my winter home in Bellatrix, just a few days south of Black City. I took the liberty of teleporting us to the courtyard to accomadate our friend Kronsis."

"Why are we here then m'lard? What business have we here?"

"No doubt master Daven wishes to peruse Bellatrix's library. He has interpreted the latest soul card but we still know little of it's power."

"Quite right, I need to research the inner meaning of the symbols, however obvious they are. It could take several days so please, make yourself comfortable and try not to cause any trouble. I happen to like this city."

 

[cats]

Kyle

IC: "You say you fight for justice and for a decent hearted desire. Seems like quite a scam to me. Not a bad angle but needs some work before I by into it."

I move down the road a bit before they mention a short cut. A shorter path soudns nice after walking aslong as I have. I fallow the others into the bushes. I get there find that girl give her the key get my reward and then leave town, not a very dificult plan.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

"S-Scam?"

Yoro's eyes widened, and then narrowed.

"...hmph."

He turned away, holding his sister in his arms, and looked sidelong at Ruko, who looked a bit dazed by the whole bizarre occurance.

"Sir? Who might you be?"

<<--->>

OOC
If poohlive doesn't post for a while after this, I'll NPC him unless you guys wanna.

 

[poohlive]

Ooc: Sorry, not sure what to post. Seems like I'm not much needed. A couple of you able to take out a whole village, including a rock golem. It would take like two or three dragons just to make us break a sweat.



Ruko walked down along the path, letting the pebbles ricochet off of his doeskin boots as he took each step. The sword on his back weighing heavy as it rocked from side to side. A sign of both victory and defeat.
"What? Oh, I'm Ruko. Just trying to find a city that no one knows. Hoping a new town might get me started in the right direction."
He gave a bit of a smile, before moving back to more important things, the pebbles that continued to get in his way as he walked.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

OOC
Hah! Sorry if we seem overpowered. Though, even though Nani's soul card attack was really strong, she IS passed out, now...

And it wasn't exactly a whole village. I think really all it would take would be trained soldiers to make us break a sweat... ^_^

 

[hybirdx]

kenji Smiled "Well, I guess we're all intro duced now! Lets go to black city!" Kenji said cheerfuly, but inside he was lying, he was unhappy, he didn't want to return to black city, he hated his home town.

***

"I'm sorry, but the reservations are call filled up! You can try tommorow!"

"Aw come on! We have an passed out girl here!" Kenji said fustraited, he then turned around and headed out side, "Sorry guys, but this one is filled up too... Its like there is something big going on!"

Kenji looked around, and whistled, signaling for Kage "Kage?! Where are you little bud?!"

There was an smaal howl, signaling where Kage was, "There you are!" Kenji slowly led the others to an old Dojo "Is this old place still up?" Kenji knocked on the door slightly nervouse, he heard foot steps, they were soft which ment the person may be an assasin. Just in case it was, Kenji prepaired an shuriken... Just in case...

When the door opemned, an old man appeared yawning "Yes? What do you need?"

"Um... We need an few rooms for the night... There is an girl here that needs to rest badly... Could you lend us a few rooms?"

The old man looked at Kenji and smiled "of course! Come on in!"

 

[cats]

Kyle

OOC: I think I agree with Pooh. Bunies chara isn't in the main group so I can accept her being strong. Maybe I should ask what she's planing but I'll do that latter. The battle was anti-climaticso please don't do that again. Fortunatly the Rock golem is the weakest Golem. The thing I have trouble figureing out is how she blew away all the enemy fighters but not the allies, that's a brain racker so lets just go on and leave the past wear it is.

IC: I fallowed the otehrs I would need a place to stay for the night. I must find this Samantha Rhads. Once I get the reward I can give her the key and be gone. If war has broken out amung the two countrys here I should travel to a difrent land. I here the land of water is quite nice.

We came to an old Dojo. Nice place, prehaps I should stop by a card shrine before we leave. I bet my Cetus will improve. I've used it alot lately.

 

[poohlive]

Ooc: I can understand Jacob. I just thought the point of the fight was to bring everyone together, have them all fight for the same cause, and then bond and join the quest, or whatever we're about to be on. I don't have a problem with your characters being strong, or your writing, it's good stuff, just thought we could have done more with the scene, is all. My two cents, I'll get back to role playing now.



Inside the shop was dank, void of any sort of fresh air. It seemed infected with a damp taste that crept into the back of his mouth and stayed there, long after he left.
An old man at the back, with a rugged scar running down the side of his cheek gave him a once over, and then went back to his work. Ruko glanced over, trying to see what it was. Sharpening or cleaning something, but he couldn't tell from where he stood.
Walking past rows of fishing poles, tackle, and an assortment of bait that either crawled, of gave off a vary purous odor, he leaned against the side of the far counter.
"May I help you?"
The man didn't even look up from his work. A long blade, with rust on one side, and gleaming steel on the other. It looked as if it had been in the field a long time, which was a shame, the handsmanship on the hilt made it appear to be somewhat valuable.
"I'm looking for a town," He showed the man the parchment, with the name of the city, "Could you tell me where it is?"
He gave Ruko an annoying look. Eyebrows cocked in a somewhat funny, but very weird glance that Ruko could only just give a weak smile to. A rank odor that he hadn't been able to detect before made it's way to his nostrils. Ruko tried not to breathe, with no avail.
"Ain't no such town in this country. Might want to try further south."
Ruko twitched his nose, putting his hands on his hips. The man hadn't even looked at the name on the paper, and now moved back to his work.
"Well, thank you for your time."
With a wave of his hand, he brushed Ruko off. His hand came to the sword sheathed on his back, but he didn't let it loose. This man might be something of an asshole, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to use that sword he was cleaning. No need for a useless fight that might get himself injured.
He had a town to go to, and bigger fish to fry.
He left, deciding to visit a local tavern, and see if he could down a few mugs of ale to get the bad taste of the shop out of his mouth.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

OOC

Eeegh! I'm really sorry... I think I blew it this time.

I was a bit surprised when Cats brought on the bandits (I hadn't meant that to really be anything) and so I kind of just wanted them out of the picture... and figuring that they wouldn't be that tough anyway and that a rock golem isn't exactly a superpowerful creature, I just wanted to boot them with a big post. It frankly didn't occur to me that an early fight could be a bonding experience...

Though I did plan for Nani to get really sick after she used her Soul Card... since she's basically draining her own life force to attack...

They weren't SUPPOSED to be that powerful. I hope I can manage to tone it down a bit more...

Once again, sorry, guys.

(Oh, and she blew away only the enemies [and the trees] because Yoro pushed everyone behind him. Remember?)

<<--->>

IC

"N-Nani," whispered Yoro, looking down at his silent sister, "that really wasn't necessary..."

He turned, glancing back at Kenji and Kyle, Ruko having left the dojo. "She's just so excitable... every chance she gets she lets loose the full extent of her power..."

Nani lay quietly on the floorboards of the dojo, her face serene and empty of emotion, a look very unlike her. Yoro sighed and adjusted his moon headband, and then rolled his shoulders.

"This Shadow country is a dangerous place," he murmured. "You can never see those that lurk, and there is deception in every game..."

He looked up at Kenji and Kyle. "Both of you are traveling alone?" he asked softly. He turned to Kyle, smiling gently. "And you are a Card Magician as well, correct...?"

 

[hybirdx]

Kenji onl nodded to Yoro's questions, he then abruptly said in an stoic and slightly agrivated tone. "I am going to talk to the old man... I will see you in an bit." With those words, Kenji left without saying another word.


***

Kenji walked out of the room an down the stairs, he then saw Kage laying near the old dojo master. "I thought you died years ago... Old Man!"

"Ha ha ha! This old fool can not die so easily my boy! You should know that, I did raised you for an majority of your life!"

 

[cats]

Kyle

IC: I had my place to stay now I had best go find this Samantha Rhads. 'So you two traveling alone?' I nod my head. I shouldn't take the key with me if I'm going to ask around for her, it wouldn't be safe. Prehaps I should of left it some where in the forest.

'So your a card magicain aswell?' I nod my head again. Magicain it's amazeing how the phrase differs ever so slightly from where I come from. Theres has more respect in it but is so less acurate then mine of card user.

'I am going to talk to the old man... I will see you in an bit.' I will leave the key here then. Hmm I know the perfect spot to keep it safe too. "Forgive me but I also have biuness to atend to."

I walk into the other room were the girl lied out cold. I take out the key and place it under her pillow. It will be safe there. No one has a reason to search under her pillow.

I then walk out the door on my way to a local pub. Bartenders seem to be the few trustworthy people in this country. The war here had raged on for generations before there was temporary peace. Now the king of the kingdom of light attacks the kingdom of shadow run by his own sister. Sibling rivalry starts the war again.

OOC: Edited for spelling.