The Rostical Guild - Sceldrant's Comet

by Michael Rogers

  Nathan: "How many years is many many?"

  Trevour: "I'm not sure, sir. He definitely used Astragons to slow down his aging process."

  Champion: "Where is he now?"

  Trevour: "He escaped with the number one captain at the time.. I don't know where he is now."

  Nathan: "So he was spying on his comrades, continue?"

  Trevour: "You have captain classed warriors from number one to nine."

  Champion: (Captain warriors are single digit warriors pretty much-)

  Trevour: "What he found out, is that there's another addition of warriors."

  Nathan: "Another addition?"

  Trevour: "The Black Brigade. Their power rivals those in the top three."

  Champion: "That can't be possible."

  Trevour: "Champion?"

  Champion: "If that woman was in the top three of ranking, we wouldn't have survived."

  Nathan: (She was powerful, but she wasn't top three in ranking.)

  Trevour: "I'm not too sure."

  ----------

  *Tara suddenly appeared on top of a grassy hill, looking down to an enormous meadow below.*

  Tara: "How dare-"

  *Tara dropped to her knees and took deep breaths.*

  Tara: "I thought this was going to be an easy task.. Someone of my power...-"

  ?????: "What's happening?"

  *A man dressed in the same coloured leather as Tara appeared behind her.*

  Tara: *She noticed a distinctive faint buzzing sound, causing her eyes to widen.* "Tyson, Quintess and Synthoss are out on mission. Is that Blake or Zazark?"

  ?????: "Bitch please-"

  Tara: (Blake.)

  Blake: "I like, heard about your little mission. Where are they?" *He folded his arms and leant to one side, smirking as if he knew she failed.*

  Tara: "I underestimated the entire situation."

  Blake: "Fufufu, are you telling me, you lost to fodder?"

  Tara: "Shut up."

  Blake: "Fufu! Wat a turn off." *He giggled like a girl and shook his head in disappointment.*

  Tara: *She stood up and turned around, facing a slender man with charcoal coloured hair and eyes.* "I will not fail next time-"

  Blake: "Bitch, please." *He sighed and looked at his fingers, observing nail polish on them.* "I've already sent Zazark."

  Tara: "But how-?"

  Blake: "Bitch, I am the leader of the brigade, rite?"

  Tara: "Right." *She gritted her teeth and lowered her head in respect.*

  Blake: "Next time, not matter how ugly or pitiful they are, don't fail." *He turned around, causing his leather garments to make stretching sounds.* "You'll give us a bad name, fufufu."

  Tara: "..."

  Blake: "And like, remove your Neuron limiter next time." *He hissed in disgust and leant forward, flashstepping out of Tara's sight.*

  Tara: "My Neuron limiter?" *She looked down, noticing a black tattoo-like glyph on her wrist.*

  *Tara gasped with a widening smirk, as if she just remembered.*

  Tara: "I had my limiter on while I was interrogating those commoners! If I don't, I'd kill them with one hit of my whip! How foolish of me!"

  *Tara placed two fingers on the glyph and pushed down, causing the glyph to suddenly splinter off her skin.*

  Tara: *She slowly inhaled and stood up straight, puffing out her chest in confidence.* "I was fighting them with half my strength, fufufu.. If Zazark doesn't do the job, it won't be the last time they'll see me..."

  ----------

  *Luna slowly opened her eyes and blindly looked up, staring out into nothing.*

  Luna: (I still can't see...) *She sighed and plopped her arm out, causing her to accidentally knock something off the wall.*

  *Luna gasped with widening eyes and awkwardly leant over the side of the bed, blindly reaching out.*

  Luna: (Wat did I just knock-?)

  *Lune felt around and tried not to fall off the bed, suddenly grasping a piece of wood.*

  Luna: (Ah!-) *She lifted her arm and attempted to place the item back on the wall.* (It feels like some sort of wooden decoration-)

  *Luna stopped in mid-thought as soon as she felt a string, causing her to sit up on the side of the bed.*

  Luna: (A string?) *She lowered the item and started to inspect it again.* (It's a bow...)

  *Luna smirked with nostalgia and stood up off the bed, stepping forward.*

  Luna: (This is kool-) *She face palmed the door, causing her to grunt in frustration.*

  Nathan: "So there're six members?"

  Trevour: "I think so. There's an average of five members."

  Champion: "Why do you look so concerned, Trevour?"

  Trevour: "They operate outside the rankings."

  Nathan: "What's so special about that?"

  Trevour: "I heard they can get away with a lot of naughty things-"

  *Luna suddenly barged out of the hut, falling face-first into the ground.*

  Trevour: "Luna?" *He looked at Luna with a puzzled smile.*

  Champion: "That's a way to get noticed." *She smiled with her eyes slightly squinted.*

  ?????: "Yeup." *She easily jumped out of the champion's arms and hopped towards Luna.*

  Nathan: "Why are you up?"

  Luna: "Because I'm no longer asleep? Wat a stupid answer, dipshit."

  Nathan: "Fine, last time I'll care."

  Trevour: *He noticed the bow in Luna's hand, causing him to look intrigued.* "How interesting, madam."

  Luna: "Madam? That's me, aye?"

  Champion: "Oh dear." *She stared at Luna with a smile.*

  Trevour: "Ahem. Yes." *He coughed to clear his throat.*

  Luna: "I found a bow-"

  *A rack of arrows suddenly fell out of the hut, rolling across Luna's legs.*

  Luna: "And some arrows!"

  Trevour: "Heh heh."

  Champion: *She smiled.* "..."

  Nathan: "You need some rest."

  Luna: "Settle down, mother. I can rest without sleep ya know."

  Champion: "During the busy times of Battling Oxident, the only rest I get is by taking some time to myself."

  Nathan: "..."

  Luna: *She awkwardly leant up, blindly trying to collect the arrows.* "I don't mind a rest.. But I ain't sleepin'."

  ?????: "Yeup..." *She hopped up to Luna and started to rub herself against her leg.*

  Luna: *She listened to the Scoldrant purr, causing her to giggle.* "'Sup, hairball?"

  Nathan: *He stared at the bow and arrows in Luna's hand.* "Does anyone know archery?"

  Trevour: "Negative, sir."

  Champion: *She shook her head.* "No, I don't sorry."

  Nathan: "Drop the weapon and get some rest-"

  Luna: "Don't tell me what to do!"

  Nathan: "No!-"

  ?????: "Hsssssk!" *She angrily hissed at Nathan, causing him to pause.*

  Trevour: "Perhaps leave her to do her own thing?"

  Nathan: "Whatever." *He sighed and looked at Trevour, as if he no longer cared.* "Tell me more about the warriors."

  Trevour: "Well, each captain has their own ability."

  Champion: *She hobbled up to Luna and smiled at the Scoldrant.* "She has taken a shine to you, hasn't she?"

  ?????: "Yeup." *She purred in agreement.*

  Luna: "Yea." *She looked up, staring in the champion's general direction.*

  Champion: "Are you hurt?"

  Luna: "Nah, not really. I was more weakened if anythin' aye."

  Champion: "She took some of your Neurons?"

  Luna: "Yea. If I had to describe the feelin', that's what I would be."

  Champion: (How odd. If she doesn't have Neurons to use Rostical.. She should've died by that attack..)

  ?????: "Yeup.." *She purred in Luna's arms.*

  Luna: "Aha, settle the fudge down, girl."

  Champion: "Looks like you saved each other."

  Luna: "Aye?"

  ?????: "Yeup?"

  Champion: "It's the first
time I've seen you actually smile..."

  Luna: "..."

  ?????: "Y-Yeu...." *She meowed to herself, suddenly triggering a flow of flashbacks.*

  ----------

  Luna: "Oi! Why you pickin' on it!" *She shouted and stormed towards the hairballs, catching their attention.*

  ?????: "Hsssht!" *It hissed, glaring at Luna with its large bug-like eyes.*

  Luna: "Gaghraghr, yaself!" *She screamed and quickly picked up a rock, instantly throwing it towards them.*

  ?????: *The rock hit one of the hairballs and broke into crumbs on dirt, causing it to squeal in fright.* "Hierrrk."

  Luna: "How you like bein' picked on, aye?!" *She screamed and picked up another rock, trying to intimidate the hairballs.*

  *The hairballs meowed and hissed, quickly floating into the distance out of Luna's sight.*

  Luna: "Yea, that's what I thought, dipshits!"

  --

  Trevour: "Luna?" *He looked at Luna, noticing she sat silently with an emotionless face.*

  Luna: "Umm, yea..." *She stroked the Scoldrant, unknowingly leaving smears of blood on her fur.*

  ?????: "Yeup." *She shook, swaying the dirt out of her fur.*

  Trevour: *He walked closer to Luna and leant back in shock.* "Blood?" (One of them is hurt!)

  ?????: "Yeup?"

  Luna: "Oh yea, the whip jabbed me-" *She awkwardly smiled and opened her hand, revealing blood everywhere.*

  Champion: "Oh my-"

  Trevour: "M-Madam!" *He quickly hobbled towards Luna.*

  Champion: "She chose to protect the Scoldrant over her own well-being." *She whispered to herself.*

  ?????: (Yeup?) *She discreetly glanced at the champion with heightened hearing.*

  --

  Luna: "Nah, not really. I was more weakened if anythin' aye."

  Champion: "She took some of your Neurons?"

  Luna: "Yea. If I had to describe the feelin', that's what I would be."

  Champion: "..."

  ?????: "Yeup.." *She purred in Luna's arms.*

  Luna: "Aha, settle the fudge down, girl."

  Champion: "Looks like you saved each other."

  Luna: "Aye?"

  ?????: "Yeup?"

  Champion: "It's the first time I've seen you actually smile..."

  Luna: "..."

  ----------

  ?????: "Yeu-eu-"

  Luna: "Aye? Is somethin' wrong-?" *A heartbeat-like pulse thumped through her body, causing her to gasp in shock.*

  Champion: "Luna-?"

  *Luna and the Scoldrant suddenly panted in exhaustion, causing the champion to step back in a worried-like manner.*

  Champion: "N-Nathan, Trevour.." *Her voice filled with concern caught their attention.*

  Luna: "Wat's goin' on?"

  ????: "Yeup?"

  Nathan: *He stood next to the champion, observing Luna in confusion.* "What's happening?"

  Champion: "I was hoping you could tell me-"

  Luna: "Gah-?!" *She suddenly leant back in pain.*

  Trevour: "Is the Scoldrant hurting her-?!"

  Nathan: "No..." *He intensely stared at the Scoldrant, as if he had an idea of what was happening.*

  Luna: *She suddenly shut her eyes and squinted them in pain.* (It burns...)

  Champion: "Oh my, they're even breathing at the same time?"

  Luna: "Somethin' burns!"

  ?????: "Yeup?!" *She hissed, as if she was in pain too.*

  Trevour: "Separate them!-"

  ?????: (Why?) *Her voice echoed in Luna's mind, causing her to gasp with her eyes still shut.*

  Luna: (Is that-..?)

  ?????: (Why did you...)

  Luna: (Because you were in pain...)

  ?????: (I feel your pain too, yeup.) *Transparent blue strings suddenly shot out of her body, causing Nathan to gasp with widening eyes.*

  Trevour: "What are-?"

  Nathan: "Soul Link?" *He suddenly held the side of his head in pain.*

  Champion: (It looks like his memories are finally coming back to him-)

  ?????: *The blue strings connected into Luna, causing them both to gasp with pleasure and pain.* "Yuew..."

  Luna: (I can feel wat you're feeling-) *She hissed in pain, placing one hand on her thigh.* (Something burns!-)

  ?????: "Yeuuuuuu-" *She suddenly opened her eyes, causing a purple iris to spiral around her pupils.*

  Luna: (Gah-?) *She noticed sketch-like figures of the environment, causing her to gasp.*

  Nathan: "They Soul Linked. A special bond between Scoldrant and their User..." *He gritted his teeth and slightly bent his knees, as if the pain grew in strength.*

  Trevour: "A Soul Link?"

  Champion: "They're calming down now..."

  Luna: *She glanced at each party member, observing their sketch-like silhouettes in shock.* "Trevour.."

  Trevour: "Yes, are you okay-?!"

  Luna: "You're kinda pudgy.. And champion, I never knew how big that hunchback of yours was."

  Trevour: "Heh heh. You can't fool me again-"

  Champion: "You can see us?"

  Trevour: "What-?" *He looked at the champion with a fading smile.*

  Luna: "I can see black and white sketches-" *She blinked several times.*

  ?????: "Yeu?"

  Nathan: "A Soul Link is a rare and special link.. It raises each recipient's attributes, including longevity."

  Trevour: "Wow."

  Champion: (Things like this could happen without us even knowing about it..)

  Nathan: "There were cases of Soul Links, repairing unfixable damage on either Scoldrant and human."

  Trevour: *He looked at Luna in understanding.* "That's how-"

  Luna: "I can see-" *She awkwardly stood up and looked around, watching the trees sway in the wind.*

  ?????: *She heard a noise and turned around, causing Luna to suddenly collapse on one side.* "Yeu?"

  Champion: "What happened?"

  Luna: "My eyes... I didn't turn and I can see behind-?"

  Nathan: "Unless a wound is too badly damaged, it's possible to share senses." *He dropped to his knees, squinting his eyes in pain.*

  Luna: "I can see wat you're seein'?"

  ?????: "Yeu?" *She looked at Luna.*

  Luna: (Is this wat I look like?) *She gently touched her face, observing the old black makeup smears on her cheeks.* (There's blood... Why hasn't anyone said anythin'.. I look disgusting.)

  Nathan: "Memories-..." *He wheezed and collapsed to one side, catching Trevour and the champion's attention.*

  Trevour: "Nathan-?"

  Champion: "It looks like he couldn't handle most of his memories returning at once."

  Nathan: "S-Soul Link.. Scoldrant Users..." *He sighed on his breath, as he slowly fell unconscious.*

  Luna: "Umm-" *She slowly stood back up, glancing at Nathan.*

  ?????: "Yeup." *She hopped up, suddenly landing on Luna's shoulder.* "Yuw?" *She sounded surprised.*

  Luna: "I can feel your emotions.. You're surprised 'cause you weren't expectin' to jump so high?"

  ?????: "Yeup!" *She purred in agreement.*

  Trevour: *He tried to pull Nathan up, causing him to wheeze in a defeated-like manner.* "H-He's heavy."

  Luna: "He is?" *She looked at Nathan, as if he didn't look heavy.*

  Champion: "It's probably muscle."

  Luna: "So wat are we gonna do then?"

  Trevour: "Unlike you, we can't carry him to Silver Wind Island-"

  Champion: "And what about your wounds, Luna?"

  Luna: "They don't hurt as much as they did a minute ago."

  Trevour: "Blast the Astragons.. Looks like we're staying here for a little while." *He sighed to himself, as if he wanted to keep moving forward.*

  Champion: "Even though it's still daylight, perhaps we should set camp."

  Luna: "Why?"

  Trevour: "We certainly aren't walking remotely near The Twilight Forest at night."

  Luna: "Wateva."

  Champion: "It is dangerous
."

  Trevour: "You don't have to burden yourself with us, madam."

  Champion: "Oh my, it's fine." *She smiled, as if she didn't care.*

  Trevour: "Well, I'm good at setting camp. I've gone on a lot of missions out in the wilderness."