Game 1Game 1 Outline| Game 1 |
Game 1 Outline |
Three days later, you find yourself at the mouth of a mountaintop cave overlooking a large cliff. Only Drago and the wizard are with you; Akensa has long since reclaimed his axe and gone off on his own path, but not before stating that you will be seeing him again in the future.
Pushing these thoughts aside, you stride forward to the cave entrance, the only opening aside from the one overlooking the cliff. In the dim light streaming in from the entrance, you can make out the figure of a thin man dressed in what appears to be a martial arts gi, both shirt and pants; all colored a light beige. He has longish grayish-brown hair and pointed ears, and isn't wearing any shoes. His right hand rests near a shortsword at his waist, his left holds a small bowl from which he periodically takes a sip (you assume it to be some kind of soup).
"You've arrived," he says simply as you enter the cave.
Drago glares at him. "Can the pleasantries, Zenki. What do you know about Tetsryuu?"
Zenki smiles and takes a sip from his bowl. "Tetsryuu. The name given to the Dragon's Claw Sword, one of three items forged from the donated eye, claw, and scales of a mighty dragon. The Dragon's Eye is the amulet you already wear, granting the enhanced senses of a dragon. The Dragon's Scale is a gauntlet, granting a dragon's endurance, hidden in a mountain shrine not too far due south of here. The Dragon's Claw - the mighty draconic sword - stored in a temple on Dragonfang Isle. The key you seek is simple: If you want the Claw, you must simply collect the Eye and Scale, and the temple will let you in."
Drago grins. "That's all I needed to know." And with that, he turns and quickly walks out of the cave. Just before he disappears you think hear him say "Be seein' ya,"
Zenki turns to you. "I know you have questions too. Speak, and I will answer."
The wizard steps forward. "Zenki, perhaps you can convince the girl. Tell her she is the Chosen One of the Prophecy, repeller of the darkness and future mother of the Legendary Hero!"
Zenki eyes him quizzically. "You're telling me what the situation is? [sigh] First of all, there is no 'Legendary Hero'. It's just a myth, nothing more." Zenki pauses to sip from his bowl and turns back to you. "It is the warrior maiden herself who must defeat the Dark One, but cannot do it alone. But that's all I'll say on the subject. I cannot explain everything, or it will lose meaning."
You want to ask Zenki about the female voice in your head, but the wizard is still standing right beside you, so you use a more general phrasing, asking about the world's visceral attempt to force your acceptance.
Zenki simply smiles sadly at you. "That I cannot explain. If I tell you everything, I rob you of the ability to discover it yourself. I rob you of the growth, and of the journey, as you search for your own answers. But I will tell you this: No matter what anyone says, and despite how things may appear, you always have a choice. The future is made of Fate and Freedom. The former lays out the paths you can take, the latter lets you choose among them. Although there are several constants, the future is still highly malleable."
Just one more thing. That wyrm in the woods...you need to get stronger...you put this request to Zenki, and he smiles, as if he'd been waiting for you to ask this. He sets his now-empty bowl aside, and draws his shortsword as he rises to a crouching position. Dragging the tip of the blade in the dirt, he draws a circle in the dirt with runic symbols etched within it.
"The sword you need is stored in a temple, just as Drago's Tetsryuu. This one requires no key, but you must pass its trial to claim the prize." With a flourish, Zenki drives his blade into the center of the symbol he has drawn, and the etchings light up with a blue glow. "Step into the teleportation circle, and you will be transported there."
You are of course a bit suspicious, but the look of utter seriousness on Zenki's face stops you cold. You look at the wizard to see him regarding Zenki with equal seriousness, but not suspicion. You take a deep breath and clench your fists to steel yourself, and step into the glowing symbol.
You are greeted by a blast of wind blowing upward from the symbol. Instinctively, your hands snap down to keep the dress from blowing in the wind. *Oh... you cover yourself like any woman yet still deny you are one...* whispers the now-familiar voice with a tinge of amusement. You hiss a quick shut up, and barely a second later, the wind shuts off all at once - and you fall to the ground on some kind of plain or field. Cursing Zenki for teleporting you to midair, you stand up, brushing yourself off - and catch sight of a large marble temple, built into a large rockface edging the field.
Written by Paradox
(This page has not yet been checked by the maintainers of this site.)