Aug 26, 2024 8:04:33 GMT
Post by Liek on Aug 26, 2024 8:04:33 GMT
The crisp air of the misty morning sharply bit at the young man’s lungs as he inhaled as he soared at a leisurely pace through the skies of the Western Continent, the gentle greens of grass and foliage spreading out in all directions on the surface, broken up by the winding and meandering roads built by human civilisation. Spotted here and there where signs of human habitation, service stations providing opportunities for vehicle operators to recharge or refuel themselves and their vehicles, and remote farmhouses overlooking vast fields of carefully raised crops and livestock.
It was curiosity that drew the young hybrid from the sky down to a small village on the outskirts of Korin’s Forest. Once, not so long ago, he’d soared right past the sleepy little down, but back then his mind had been focused solely on his goal of ascending Korin’s tower. But now, there was no pressing concern driving his actions, just curiosity and the urge to explore.
As the young man set down near the centre of town, in an alleyway to avoid notice, he chuckled to himself at how quiet the place was, there was hardly anyone wandering around as he walked out of the alley, just a small group of children outside a convenience store, and elderly couple out for a stroll and the occasional person driving past in an older model vehicle. Smiling at how rustic everything looking the youth started to walk down the street at a relaxed pace. After nearly an hour of wandering the small town he’d seen most of what it had to offer already and was getting bored.
It was then that a voice cut through his internal musings, “Sir? I’m so sorry… sir, please… I beg you…” Looking towards the origin of the voice he saw hunched over man with a sullen face and sunken eyes. His skin looked leathery and withered, not from age but from circumstance. He was clad in dirty rags and had a raggedy beard. The odor of old sweat and other muck lofted off the man. The moment Liek turned towards him the man cowered away as if apologising for his existence, bringing a subtle frown to Liek’s lips, before meekly asking, “Sir… by chance… could you spare some food…” The man bowed his head, “Not for me… for…” He lifted his arm to reveal a small child clinging to his side, the little boy looking up at the young man with frightened but hopeful eyes as the man continued, “For my son… anything you can spare, please?”
Liek stood for a moment before reaching into a pocket, “I don’t carry a lot of food with me.” From the pocket he withdrew four snack bars before kneeling and offering them to the child, “But you can have these.” He smiled and nodded as the child’s eyes widened, a grin then broke out on the little boy’s face as he eagerly took the bars and tore one open, hungrily devouring it. After watching for a moment Liek looked up at the man and asked, “How did you find yourself like this? Surely the people of this town don’t leave you like this?”
The man looked down, “I used to work at Capsule Corp, but fell in love with a woman from this town. She was the darling of the town, everyone loved her here, and she never liked living in the big city. I also have no surviving family, so I left my job and we moved here to be closer to her family.” The man sighed, “But one day my beloved’s mother, a seer who has often helped this town prosper, foretold that should my love bear me a child it would cost her her life… I insisted it was nonsense… but the town took my love’s mother’s side.”
Liek sighed in revulsion, “She didn’t survive and now the town blames you and the child…”
“Yes…” The man confirmed.
Liek closed his eyes and reached out through the Orgone Layer, “Volda?” He asked through his telepathy.
“I have heard his tale and shared it with mine Sister.” The Dragon Gods voice echoed back, “She hath replied and our consensus is thus; the cycle of Humans is not ours to govern, why the mother passed we cannot say. But blame should not lie with Sire and Son.” There was a pause and then, “But just as the Dark of Night but precedes the Dawn so to can Suffering precede Fortune. Consider what thou seek and what thou can offer.”
Liek eyes opened wide as the meaning clicked in his mind. Standing tall he looked the man in the eye and asked, “What is your name… and what did you do at Capsule Corp?”
“Flash… my name is Flash Drive. And I was a Senior Technology Engineer… why?” The man replied, curious.
Liek smiled, “I can’t do much for you right now, but how would you like to get out of here and put your skills to use?” At the man’s surprised and curious expression Liek explained, “I’ll soon be in need of capable people with skills like yours. If you’re willing, when the time comes I’d like for you to join me.”
“I… I…” The man stammered, somewhere between accepting out of desperation and apprehensive over the uncertainty of the proposition, but before he could formulate a proper reply Liek raised his hand and cut him off.
“No need to reply straight away.” He assured, “You can make your final decision when I come back.” The young man turned away and started to drift into the air, “And trust me, when I come back it will be very hard to miss.” And with those parting words he rocketed off into the sky.
“Daddy…?” The little boy asked.
“Y… yeah son?” Flash gaped.
“Was that an angel…?”
“I… I don’t know…?”
-----
As Liek soared, uncomfortable with the dark thoughts flowing through his mind directed towards the people of that town a figure appeared before him clad in Fury Armour. Softly the figure spoke, “So Concludes the Trial of Compassion. A True Fury knows that strength lies not only in the glory of combat or victory, but within the selfless acts of kindness that can change the world, one person at a time.” The figure smiled, “May Basireous’ Light Guide your Path, and Volda’s Darkness await a Journey’s End.”
As the figure faded the boy’s Dragon Radar started beeping as it pinged the signature of one of the mythic orbs.
WC: 1,110
PL: 89,759
Weighted PL: 22,439.75
Zenny: 26,963
Bonuses: Looters (-25% due to racial)
Super Heavy Weights 75% bonus
Pre-Workout Mix 10% Bonus
It was curiosity that drew the young hybrid from the sky down to a small village on the outskirts of Korin’s Forest. Once, not so long ago, he’d soared right past the sleepy little down, but back then his mind had been focused solely on his goal of ascending Korin’s tower. But now, there was no pressing concern driving his actions, just curiosity and the urge to explore.
As the young man set down near the centre of town, in an alleyway to avoid notice, he chuckled to himself at how quiet the place was, there was hardly anyone wandering around as he walked out of the alley, just a small group of children outside a convenience store, and elderly couple out for a stroll and the occasional person driving past in an older model vehicle. Smiling at how rustic everything looking the youth started to walk down the street at a relaxed pace. After nearly an hour of wandering the small town he’d seen most of what it had to offer already and was getting bored.
It was then that a voice cut through his internal musings, “Sir? I’m so sorry… sir, please… I beg you…” Looking towards the origin of the voice he saw hunched over man with a sullen face and sunken eyes. His skin looked leathery and withered, not from age but from circumstance. He was clad in dirty rags and had a raggedy beard. The odor of old sweat and other muck lofted off the man. The moment Liek turned towards him the man cowered away as if apologising for his existence, bringing a subtle frown to Liek’s lips, before meekly asking, “Sir… by chance… could you spare some food…” The man bowed his head, “Not for me… for…” He lifted his arm to reveal a small child clinging to his side, the little boy looking up at the young man with frightened but hopeful eyes as the man continued, “For my son… anything you can spare, please?”
Liek stood for a moment before reaching into a pocket, “I don’t carry a lot of food with me.” From the pocket he withdrew four snack bars before kneeling and offering them to the child, “But you can have these.” He smiled and nodded as the child’s eyes widened, a grin then broke out on the little boy’s face as he eagerly took the bars and tore one open, hungrily devouring it. After watching for a moment Liek looked up at the man and asked, “How did you find yourself like this? Surely the people of this town don’t leave you like this?”
The man looked down, “I used to work at Capsule Corp, but fell in love with a woman from this town. She was the darling of the town, everyone loved her here, and she never liked living in the big city. I also have no surviving family, so I left my job and we moved here to be closer to her family.” The man sighed, “But one day my beloved’s mother, a seer who has often helped this town prosper, foretold that should my love bear me a child it would cost her her life… I insisted it was nonsense… but the town took my love’s mother’s side.”
Liek sighed in revulsion, “She didn’t survive and now the town blames you and the child…”
“Yes…” The man confirmed.
Liek closed his eyes and reached out through the Orgone Layer, “Volda?” He asked through his telepathy.
“I have heard his tale and shared it with mine Sister.” The Dragon Gods voice echoed back, “She hath replied and our consensus is thus; the cycle of Humans is not ours to govern, why the mother passed we cannot say. But blame should not lie with Sire and Son.” There was a pause and then, “But just as the Dark of Night but precedes the Dawn so to can Suffering precede Fortune. Consider what thou seek and what thou can offer.”
Liek eyes opened wide as the meaning clicked in his mind. Standing tall he looked the man in the eye and asked, “What is your name… and what did you do at Capsule Corp?”
“Flash… my name is Flash Drive. And I was a Senior Technology Engineer… why?” The man replied, curious.
Liek smiled, “I can’t do much for you right now, but how would you like to get out of here and put your skills to use?” At the man’s surprised and curious expression Liek explained, “I’ll soon be in need of capable people with skills like yours. If you’re willing, when the time comes I’d like for you to join me.”
“I… I…” The man stammered, somewhere between accepting out of desperation and apprehensive over the uncertainty of the proposition, but before he could formulate a proper reply Liek raised his hand and cut him off.
“No need to reply straight away.” He assured, “You can make your final decision when I come back.” The young man turned away and started to drift into the air, “And trust me, when I come back it will be very hard to miss.” And with those parting words he rocketed off into the sky.
“Daddy…?” The little boy asked.
“Y… yeah son?” Flash gaped.
“Was that an angel…?”
“I… I don’t know…?”
-----
As Liek soared, uncomfortable with the dark thoughts flowing through his mind directed towards the people of that town a figure appeared before him clad in Fury Armour. Softly the figure spoke, “So Concludes the Trial of Compassion. A True Fury knows that strength lies not only in the glory of combat or victory, but within the selfless acts of kindness that can change the world, one person at a time.” The figure smiled, “May Basireous’ Light Guide your Path, and Volda’s Darkness await a Journey’s End.”
As the figure faded the boy’s Dragon Radar started beeping as it pinged the signature of one of the mythic orbs.
WC: 1,110
PL: 89,759
Weighted PL: 22,439.75
Zenny: 26,963
Bonuses: Looters (-25% due to racial)
Super Heavy Weights 75% bonus
Pre-Workout Mix 10% Bonus
