The Rostical Guild - Sceldrant's Comet

by Michael Rogers

  Kerry-Anne: "Are you serious?!"

  Tara: *She formed a fist of her waist and swayed her arm up, causing a string of sparks to cut across Kerry-Anne's face.* "Don't you dare raise your voice at me!"

  Kerry-Anne: "Argh!" *She screamed in pain and spat out blood, watching it drip off her chin.*

  Tara: "Now-" *She flicked her wrist, snapping a whip by her side.*

  Kerry-Anne: "W-Where did you get that whip from-?"

  Tara: "Where-" *She swayed her arm across, flicking the whip down Kerry-Anne's face.* "Are you from?!"

  Kerry-Anne: "Kah-?" *She coughed in shock and closed one eye, as blood poured into it.* "I-I'm from fuckin' Earth?! Are you fucked in the head-?!"

  Tara: "Too bad.." *She spoke with an emotionless face, gripping onto the whip's handle in anger.*

  Kerry-Anne: "I wanna go home.." *She whimpered on her breath and looked down, watching the blood run off her chin.*

  Tara: "Die."

  Kerry-Anne: *She suddenly gasped with widening eyes.* "D-Die-?"

  Twenty-Three: "I thought this was an interrogation? Why is she being sent to death-?"

  Thirty-Three: "Shh." *He angrily covered Trevour's mouth.*

  Tara: "I will send you to The Astral Plains."

  Kerry-Anne: "Wat the hell is The Astra Planes?"

  Tara: "What is The Astral Plains? What's next? You're going to tell me what Rostical is?"

  Kerry-Anne: "Rosti-what?" *She spoke with a trembling voice.*

  Tara: *She frowned, gritting in teeth in an annoyed-like manner.* "Azure Burst.."

  Twenty-Three: (Does she really not know any of this?)

  *Tara's body glowed a shade of blue, catching the warrior's attention.*

  Thirty-Three: (This is it..) *He smirked in an evil-like manner.*

  Tara: "Serpent's Touch." *She stopped her movement and watched the whip slither towards Kerry-Anne, gently touching her on the chest.*

  Kerry-Anne: "H-How is your whip moving like that-?"

  Tara: *She flicked her wrist, causing the whip to pulse, cracking Kerry-Anne's ribs.* "Hermph."

  Kerry-Anne: "A-...?!" *She gasped with a loss of breath, as blood oozed out of her mouth.*

  Tara: *She swayed the whip across Kerry-Anne's face, as it gently flicked her hair to the side.* (What little Neurons she had, is now gone.) "Fufufu."

  Thirty-Three: "Captain?"

  Tara: "Bring me the Scoldrant User! Then I'll have fun with the other one."

  Thirty-Three: *He bumped Trevour, implying for him to go get Nathan.* "Now."

  Twenty-Three: "Right, boss!" *He turned around and left the room.*

  *Trevour stepped in a small puddle and listened to rattling chains echo in the facility.*

  Twenty-Three: (Why would that girl in the strange clothes lie about something so tedious? Earf? I don't get it.. She could've lived if she just answered Tara's questions.)

  ----------

  Nathan: *He stared at Luna, watching her silently sit in the corner of the room.* "You're going to die like the rest of us-"

  Luna: "Don't you know when nobody gives a shit what you have to say?"

  Nathan: *He smirked in a competitive-like manner.* "Whereabouts are you from?"

  Luna: "Why do you ask?"

  Nathan: "I've never heard your type of accent before."

  Luna: "Accent? I got no accent, dipshit."

  Nathan: "Okay, I've never heard someone talk like you before."

  Luna: "On what planet are you from? 'Cause, it certainly ain't Earth."

  Nathan: "Earth?"

  Luna: "Aha, you're funny, aye." *She sniffed, trying not to touch her face.*

  Twenty-Three: *He rested his back on a stone wall, listening to Luna and Nathan's conversation.* (She said Earf too?)

  Nathan: "I'm curious now. Where are you from?"

  Luna: ".. Dee Highs?"

  Nathan: "I've never heard of that before. Is it a backwater village?"

  Luna: "Dee Highs? A village? It's a bloody city."

  Nathan: "A city? Is it located around Surpreon?"

  Luna: "Espreon? What? No. If you want to play games, find someone else, aye."

  Twenty-Three: (The tone in her voice.. She's serious..)

  Luna: "Why are you in here?"

  Nathan: "Oh, so now you want to talk?"

  Luna: "Fine..." *She looked away, symbolising she didn't want to talk.*

  Nathan: "..." *He sighed and looked up, noticing infected skin around his wrists from the chains.* "I was trying to stop the warrior's tax."

  Luna: "Tax?"

  Nathan: "I don't like their version of keeping safe."

  Luna: "What do you mean?"

  Nathan: "They don't give you an option if you want their protection or not. It's either, pay tax or get destroyed by them." *He spoke with emotion, as if he was recalling a past event.*

  Luna: "..."

  Nathan: "They somehow found out I was a Scoldrant User-"

  Luna: "Wat's a Scoldrant?"

  Nathan: *He stared at Luna with a blank face, as if she was playing a joke on him.* "Have you lost your memory?"

  Luna: "Aye?" *She looked towards the sound of Nathan's voice in a blind-like manner.*

  Nathan: "Where are you really from?"

  Luna: "I thought this was a joke.. Or maybe even a dream.." *She whispered on her breath.* "I don't think I'm from around here.."

  Nathan: "Huh?"

  Luna: "'Bout these Scoldrants?"

  Nathan: "They're the creatures your companion was talking about."

  Luna: "A creature attacked Kylie?"

  Nathan: "Some of the Scoldrants around The Twilight Forest and Swirling Marshes are attracted to blood."

  Luna: (Blood?) *Images of Kylie's cut wrists flashed in her mind.*

  Nathan: "Some people have the ability to communicate with those creatures. Some even have the ability to connect to a level where they become lifetime partners."

  Luna: "Pssht! And wat, do you keep them in little balls and go to gym battles?"

  Nathan: "Huh?"

  Luna: "Don't worry.."

  Nathan: "Scoldrant Users have been hunted like animals. So, they've had no choice but to go in hiding."

  Luna: "I'm sorry.. This is too much for me-" *She grunted and curled up into a tighter ball.*

  Twenty-Three: *He closed his eyes and rested the back of his head on the stone wall, as if he wasn't sure what to do.* (How is this possible?)

  Luna: "I wanna go back to Dee Highs." *She tightly closed her eyes, causing a tear of blood to run down her face.*

  Twenty-Three: "..." *He opened his eyes and silently walked across the cell, looking at Nathan.*

  Nathan: "So, it's finally my turn?"

  Twenty-Three: *He nodded his head, discreetly glancing at Luna.* (If for some reason, they're telling the truth. We have no right to kill or even hurt them..)

  Nathan: "What, can't talk, scum?"

  Twenty-Three: (I don't blame you for being angry towards us.. I didn't know us warriors, the protectors of people, caused an entire clan to go into hiding-)

  Tara: "I'm waiting!" *Her screams echoed in the distance, catching Trevour's attention.*

  Twenty-Three: *She shook his head and opened the bars, readying to grab Nathan.* "You will now be asked more questions by a single digit warrior."

  Nathan: "If I don't see you.. Good luck finding a way home." *He shouted at Luna, as Trevour pulled him by the chains around his wrists and ankles.*

  Luna: "..." *She pretended she was asleep, ignoring Nathan.*

  ----------

  *Twortz walked up white stone stairs and stopped at the tower's entrance, staring at a glyphic-like pattern on its large circular doors.*

  Twortz: (How does this open?) *She looked to the side, noticing two men in white robes walk up the stairs.* "Excuse me, but how does one enter this tower?"

  Man A: "The tower of sanctuary-" *He looked up, admiring the tower's height.* "You need a pass to enter."

  Twortz: "Oh? But I don't ha
ve one of these passes. How could I get one?"

  Man B: "It would take a while to collect one."

  Twortz: "Blast." *She frowned in thought, trying to think of something.* "What would be the quickest way to get in? Your thoughts?"

  Man A: "If you're able to use Rostical or have the blood of Astragons and Neurons, you'll be able to enter."

  Twortz: "What's so special about these?" *She pretended to know more than she did.*

  Man B: "People that can use Rostical are already held in high regard."

  Man A: *He nodded his head and started to walk towards the entrance.* "Please excuse my rudeness, but I'm late for my class."

  Man B: "M-Me too!" *He smiled and waved at Twortz.* "You can register for a pass at The Library on the other continent!"

  Twortz: *She watched the glyphic-like pattern glow to the men's passes, causing the door to spiral open.* "Wow, it spiralled open?" *She spoke in amazement, watching the door spiral back behind the men.*

  *Twortz took several steps closer to the door and squinted her eyes, inspecting the patterns around it.*

  Twortz: "How fascinating. A town that looks old, yet, has a tower of perfect ingenuity-"

  *The glyphs on the door responded to Twortz and started to glow, causing it to spiral open.*

  Twortz: *She stepped back, ensuring nobody was walking out.* (Did it respond to me? I don't have one of these passes? Nevertheless, I don't waste an opportunity, I need to find what's happening.)

  *Twortz stepped inside and noticed holographic-like lockers along the walls and large test tubes, showing a peculiar animal.*

  Twortz: (This looks like a school crossed between and laboratory-)

  *Twortz focused her attention to the large test tubes and walked up to them, noticing a golden plate with no writing.*

  Twortz: (It's blank-?) *She rubbed the golden plate, attempting to remove any dust.*

  *The golden plate shined to her touch, causing a holographic-like screen to display itself on the test tube.*

  Twortz: "What is that-?" *A large white stone pillar to her side glowed and activated, responding to her voice.*

  Rosterology Pillar: "Scoldrant, specimen, canine-dash, location, Snowfrost Mountains." *An orb on top of the pillar glowed with each word it spoke.*

  Twortz: "A-Ah..?" *She stepped away from the pillar, as if she was unsure how to respond.* "Call for help?"

  Rosterology Pillar: "No immediate threats located. Four Rostical Users located in-dash facility."

  Twortz: *She rubbed her head, frowning in confusion.* "Okay. What is that animal?"

  Rosterology Pillar: "Rostical Using Scoldrant. Located-dash, in Snowfrost Mountains."

  Twortz: "What is this place?"

  Rosterology Pillar: "A facility for teaching the arts of Rostical, Azure Bursts, standard-dash, attacks."

  Twortz: "I don't understand any of this? What is happening to me?" *She hissed at herself and bent at the knees, violently grabbing hold of her head.*

  Rosterology Pillar: "Scanning.."

  *A wave of laser-like lights flashed on Twortz, causing the pillar to make computer-like noises.*

  Twortz: "What did you-?"

  Rosterology Pillar: "All vitals are clear. Unknown origins, -dash, unknown energy signature, unknown-dash hybrid energy signature."

  Twortz: "What-?" *She slowly looked up to the pillar.*

  Rosterology Pillar: "A Score User and-dash a Sacred Dancer! Ability has been banned, threat located!-"

  *Red lights spiralled on the roof, followed by a loud siren-like noise alerting nearby people.*

  Rosterology Pillar: "Threat located, threat located, threat located!"

  Twortz: "W-Who? Me?! I'm not a score-"

  Rosterology Pillar: "Activating defence-dash protocol-"

  Twortz: *She started to run out of the facility, causing the door to spiral open.* (What is going on?!)

  ----------

  *Nathan spat out blood and smirked, staring at Tara in a cocky-like manner.*

  Tara: "Wipe that smirk off your face!" *She flicked the whip, wrapping it around Nathan's head.*

  Twenty-Three: "What's she doing, boss?" *He leant to one side and whispered to the warrior next to him, while keeping an eye on Nathan.*

  Thirty-Three: "I've only seen one other Black Brigade interrogation. Do you know why members of The Black Brigade are usually chosen by the Consultants to do these tasks?"

  Twenty-Three: "No, boss. Why?"

  Thirty-Three: "It's because of their weapon's ability."

  Twenty-Three: "Her whip?"

  Thirty-Three: "It's able to absorb the Neurons right out of someone's body."

  Twenty-Three: "But, that could damage-"

  Thirty-Three: "I know what it could do."

  Twenty-Three: *He stared at Nathan, triggering a flashback of his previous conversation with Luna.* (I didn't know we forced tax on villages.. I just.. Didn't know-)

  Tara: "Last chance. Where is your tribe?!"

  Nathan: "Go to The Astral Plains, you dirty lamp."

  Tara: "D-Dirty-?!" *She gasped in disbelief.*

  Thirty-Three: *He chuckled in shock.* "How just used the worst swear word to a member of-"

  Tara: "Ougi! Multi-Vein Snap."

  *The whip violently zigzagged and stabbed into Nathan's neck, causing him to gag in fright.*

  Tara: *She licked her lips and smirked.* "Yes, your Neurons taste odd? Like, they're not ripe yet?"

  Nathan: *He gritted his teeth with a growing frown, as if he was trying to hide the pain.* (I can't-) "Argh!"

  Tara: "Yes, submit!"

  Nathan: "M-Make it quick!" *He grunted over the tightening whip around his neck.*

  Tara: "Fufufu! Don't get too excited! I've got you for another session-" *She smirked and lowered her arm, causing the whip to become loose.*

  Nathan: "Tssk-" *He sighed and became limp, causing the chains to rattle.*

  Tara: *She turned around and snapped the whip to her side, causing it to whirl into a ball.* "Fufufu." *She placed the curled whip on her waist, causing it to become invisible.*

  Twenty-Three: "..."

  Tara: "Dispose of the woman, and send that dirty lamp back into his cell."

  Thirty-Three: "Yes, ma'am!"

  Twenty-Three: "Yes, madam!"

  ----------

  Rachael: (This feels and sounds like something from a classic fictional story. Either way, sounds like I'm in a different country. It's the only explanation-)

  Lezard: "Are you okay?"

  Rachael: "Yeah. I can't wrap my head around how different some cultures are. I know I've travelled to different countries before, but-"

  *The ground vibrated underneath Rachael's feet, causing her to look down.*

  Rachael: "What was that?"

  Lezard: "What was what, my new delicious friend?"

  Rachael: "I felt something rumble?"

  Lezard: "You did?" *He looked down in a curious-like manner.* "I certainly didn't feel anything?"

  Rachael: *She felt the ground rumble again, causing her to look at Lezard.* "I felt it again!"

  Lezard: *He shook his head, sarcastically pouting his lips in failure.* "I don't feel anything?"

  Rachael: "C'mon?"

  Lezard: "Honest-, scout's honour." *He giggled and saluted with three fingers, emphasising his honesty.*

  Rachael: "It almost feels like footsteps."

  Lezard: "I'd hate to see his dinner plate, bwarharh."

  Rachael: *She smiled with a loss of concentration, as she continued to focus on the vibrations.* "I wonder-"

  Twortz: "Rachael!" *She waddled out of the city and awkwardly ran up the road-like path.*

  Lezard: "Bwarharh, I'm not being mean, but were you talking about your friend there?" *He awkwardly pointed at Twortz.*

  Rachael: "Lezard-" *She hissed, hiding her smile and faced Twortz.* "What's wrong?!"

  Twortz: "S-Something is wrong, there was this pillar and it spoke to me?!"

  Rachael: "A pillar spoke to you
?"

  Lezard: "That sounds about right."

  Twortz: "Then there was this monster inside a test tube-"

  Lezard: "Probably a Scoldrant-"

  Twortz: "Then people were talking about Neurons and Astra something."

  Lezard: "Astragons."

  Twortz: "And-"

  Rachael: "And?"

  Twortz: "There's a fifteen foot monster behind you."