Age of Warriors

[Dugan195]

Ethet looked at Dalia and frowned, "what if they are just innocents passing through? We could hurt them." She said with a whimper.

Buckle looked at the young girl, "That is highly unlikely, these mountains have probably been under the control of Artimus Finn for a while now, anyone who would pass through would probably be dead. I will go forward and identify the people." Buckle arched an arm to his back and a musket with a long scope detached from his back and folded out (like old school tommy gun from a suitcase). He stalked past Dalia and Ethet and made his way through the mountain. When he got near the three he climbed into a tree and looked through a scope. Instantly Buckle knew the three, they were all major legends in Kalbor and Buckle had fought along side Muez before.

Back with Dalia Ethet leaned into Dalia's skirt. I hope its not the Juna sisters. They were always so mean to me. They would tell me they were going to do aweful things to me if they caught me in the arena. And when Kalbor burned they tired cornering me in the arena, if it wasn't for you Dalia freezing them in place they would have plucked my wings off."

As Ethet finished Buckle walked back silently, "I have identified the three ahead of us. It seems to be Crux The Shield of the North, Iniac Carter The Stone Bear, and Muez The Puppet Master." After a short paused he spoke up again, "Dalia, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Iniac Carter a fighter for our enemy? Why is he with Crux and Muez? Do you think he has switched alligences?  

[Dugan195]

Iniac frowned at Crux, "Oh my boy, you mistake my caution for fear. It can't be helped I guess, these things only come with time. I was must same at your age, thinking you are invulnerable and the world can't hurt you. Very well, lets try and take this monster down. Best not wait for them to ready themselves more....wait," Iniac froze and looked to the tree line where Buckle had just left from. "Someone was watching us. My old bones tell me so. We are not alone out here. The only question is if it is the Stalker or some of Finn's crew." Iniac readied his ax and pointed to the tree line, "They are over there, lets go see who is spying on us."  

[Joa-Boo]

Muez was not a fan of being snuck up on. The thought of someone spying on him made him jump to action. He sprawled his fingers out wide in the direction Iniac pointed and shocked the forest alive. The tree Buckle left sprang to life in a might fury. It swung its branches, in no particular pattern, growly fiercely.

“Who goes there? Forfeit your weapons and make yourselves known or face the wrath of this forest.” Muez faked the best evil ghost voice he could. Without touching the figures, Muez wouldn’t know who was there.

“Muez you keep them distracted. I will jump them and snare them with gravity.” Crux said as he ran for the bushes. Just as he got close enough, the massive tank pounced in front of the group, unleashed his armor form and rooted the ground. “Gotcha!” Crux yelled. Muez readied a wave of splinters from his most readily available tree puppet. Crux froze with his blade close Buckles body, Muez caught on and backed down. Unfortunately Dalia was not so ready to back down and counter acted with a loud low C from her flute. The music caused a small blast that fired down on Crux, meaning to push him back, Crux didn’t move.  

[Dugan195]

Ethet looked at the trees and stuck her tongue out disintegrating her body into a huge swarm of termites. The termites swarmed the trees and ate away at them making them useless. When she returned to her fairy form she laughed, "That was yummy. My tummy was starting to hurt and I needed a bite to eat. Drawing her sling slot she flung a couple of wasp stinger like needles at Muez.

Iniac saw Dalia singing her song and growled sending a swarm of stones at her to stop her music from being played. The stones soared past Crux who was staggering after the explosion took him by surprise (didn't move him but would have shocked him). "Crux watch you back song. This isn't a one on one fight."

Buckle jumped back from Crux who was distracted with an unnatural length thanks to the pistons in his legs. Landing twenty feet back from Crux he brought his sniper rifle to bear and started to shoot the rocks aimed at Dalia turning them into dust with his powerful sniper rilfe. "I would advise retreating back a distance Dalia, least they interrupt you songs." Buckle advised without emotion. Just like the machines he revered he let no emotion sway his ability to do his job, and his job at the moment was to fight.  

[Joa-Boo]

“Well s**t, we backed off and these guys want a full on encounter. Muez let them have it!” Crux roared. He dove forward before Dalia could back away and swung her around onto the floor. Crux had her pinned and there was no way she would be able to pull her flute to her mouth. Crux watched her, weak and helpless. He smiled at her, cocking and knowing she was no harm, “So how is your day going?” He asked just to do away with the awkwardness of holding her there.

Muez conjured a real puppet of his. He tossed a thick box of an assortment of pieces. After waving his fingers over it the mechanical puppet sprung to life just in time to intercept the incoming projectiles by spinning its sword arms like a fan. The puppet ran for Ethet, spinning its sword arms still like fans blades. As soon as it moved another puppet shot up in its place, this one was smaller and moved along one small wheel. It’s spear like front shot forward to impale Buckle once it made it to him. Once it moved out of the way, Muez was nowhere to be seen.  

[Dugan195]

Ethet giggled as the puppet came charging towards her. She danced around it as it swung at her. When it got close to hitting her she turned into a swarm of butterflys and swarmed around the puppet to reform behind it, "Hey slowpoke I am over her, na nana nanner you can't catch me." She teased sticking her tongue back out at the puppet and turned back into the butterflies that scattered in all directions looking for Muez's hiding place.

Buckle looked at the wheel mounted puppet charging towards him and made no move to dodge the oncoming attack. As it came crashing towards him he shot out his left hand and hit the the robot in several places. The places that he had hit were critical joints for the machine and Buckle had used tools on his hand that disconnected them joins causing the puppet to fall apart harmlessly onto the ground in front of Buckle. "Muez, I am quite surprised. Why would you try and use a mechanical puppet against me? Surely you should know better from fighting alongside each other."

Iniac seeing that Buckle was distracted calling after Muez took the advantage to send a dust cloud of crushed rock, thanks to Buckle, to blind him why he jumped forward swinging his ax at him. Had Buckle been an organic he would have been severely hindered by the dust, but as a machine it only slightly hindered him. The ax attack was not as unexpected as Iniac had hoped and Buckle was quick enough to bring his musket up and block the ax swing, however the swing bent the rifle. Jumping back again Buckle looked down at the bent rifle. "How dare you commit this blasphemy you barbarian."

Iniac landed with a thud and looked at Buckle, "And destroying Muez's creation wasn't sacrilegious?" he laughed as he readies himself for another go at the old man.

Buckle let out steam from his joints in frustration, "No ofcourse not. I only dismantled the machine Muez made. It perfectly capable of being reassembled no harm done. You broke my musket. It's completely different."  

[Joa-Boo]

“I only sent the puppet at you so you would grab it. The truth is Buckle; I have always wanted to add you to my collection. Now that you have touched my puppet my strings are on you.” Muez harked as he slowly began to gain control of Buckle’s left side. “Lucky for me you are mostly inanimate. That makes taking control a little bit easier.” Muez let the ground move him along an open area so he was closer to the converting mechanical golem.

“My day actually hasn’t been that bad.” Dalia said with a sweet voice that caught Crux off guard. He wasn’t sure if she was coming on to him or not. He glanced at her with the most confused look. All Dalia had to do was wink and the idea was planted.

All of a sudden Crux saw a mass of black shadows form up and rush toward him. In fear of being ran over by Rentus he back off and three up his shield. As the black cloud contacted him he shut his eyes and braced for the worst. The false image fell over him like a wet mist. By the time his eyes were open Dalia was standing, flute in hand, and playing a low D. The sound shook the earth beneath Crux, causing him to lose his footing. She jumped back another pace or two and fired an explosive round of notes toward Iniac.

“You conniving thing you. Get back here.” Crux yelled. He charged forward with his lance form out and again rooted Dalia. She barely twirled the blade of her flute in time to block the incoming attack. It still knocked her over.  

[Dugan195]

Unfortunately for Muez, taking control of Buckle was harder than it looked. Being a golem that worship machinery his control of the body was intensely strong. It took all of Muez attention to even get half his body under Muez's control. Buckle's right side started flail around, "You b*****d, you ******** b*****d. What are you doing. You can't do this. ******** you, you will not taint me with your puppet strings." Using all of his will Buckle moved his arm up and started to resist Muez's control.

Seeing the struggle between the two Iniac smiled and jumped forward at Buckle landing a slash at Buckle's left side. The ax dented the metal,but but it was a strong steel and the ax was not strong enough to completely cut through that easily. "Damn you b*****d. Why don't you have skin like the rest of us!" Iniac started to raise pillars of stone out of the ground to beat Buckle's body. "You aren't gonna wrestle control from him Muez, but we can settle on just holding him still for me to beat." Iniac called out with a sneer as the rock pillars pounded Buckle, denting his body all over. Buckle's body started to let out steam and bolts dropped off as he was pounded, but he couldn't quite break Muez's control to respond to the assault.

As Muez was distracted he suddenly felt a tickle on his cheek. After a second he realized it was the flapping of small wings on his cheek. Within a second he felt more and more all over his face then all over his body. Suddenly the wings turned into a crawling feeling as Ethet turned into a swarm of ants that started to bite at Muez's body all over.

Ethet's attack on Muez broke his control over Buckle's body and Buckle regained the ability to move. With a tea-pot shriek Buckle jumped from the pillars assailing him and pistols started to drop off his body onto Buckle's hands and he started to fire at Iniac. Iniac dodged to the left and right avoiding anything more than a graze here and there.

Suddenly a noise brought all of the fighting to an end. A loud inhuman shriek echoed through the trees. A ring of shadow formed around the fighters and started to spin. Another shriek echoed all around them, as it was originating from the ring of shadow around them. Iniac looked at the shadow and jumped towards the center of the ring away from the edge, "Gods be damned, its Rentus. Everyone stop this nonsense. I think the Stalker has designated all of us as enemies."  

[Joa-Boo]

“Oh s**t!” Crux was the first tell curse and the loudest of them all. There were so many people to protect and he didn’t have much time. “Muez get to me!” He yelled has he retracted his lance bone and grabbed a hold of Dalia to protect her. Dalia was taken by surprised and shrieked. She swung her hands around, flailing like a school girl. She was afraid Rentus had a hold of her. “Hey there, calm down now.” Dalia looked at Crux’s eyes and her imagination pulled a big beautiful sunny day. She calmed and readied her flute.

Muez used his connection to Buckle to pull himself to him. The golem would be the next strongest seeing as he couldn’t reach Crux from his location. The puppet master stayed on the inside of the group and brought to life a few sacrificial drones to ward off any initial harm.

“This can’t really be Rentus. Guys this is not good.” Dalia cried.

“It’s going to be alright.” Crux lied to her. He had no idea but he wanted to show her it would be alright.  

[Dugan195]

Ethet returned to her human form and flung to Dalia clinging to her skirt screaming. She was terrified, Artimus Finn was told as horrible story of the past on the farm she was born. Rentus was the boogyman children were told of to be good. To a 7 year old girl Rentus the Stalker was the scariest thing in the universe. "Protect me Dalia. Don't let him take my soul. Please don't let him take my soul." She said begging as a swarm of armored beetles shield her exposed back from the world.

Buckle felt the Muez cling to him and started to back away towards the middle where the others were, "As we have bigger problems now Puppet Master I will overlook you trying to steal my body for the time being." He said, once again emotionless as the group gathered in the center of the circle. Buckle didn't believe in fear, it was a useless emotion, but even golems vacated the area for miles around wherever the Stalker was.

Iniac looked at the circle around them and looked at the group gathering in the center of the circle. In all of his years he knew nothing like the Stalker. Even with his advanced age he had only seen the Stalker fight a couple of times, and they were some of the most terrifying fights he had ever seen. In fact those times could barely be called fights, they were out right butchery. "Some of you might disagree, but I have hundreds of legends, and I can say for sure Rentus is the strongest creature I have ever seen. Fighting him would be suicide. We must get away from this beast or we will all die here."

The circle around the group spiraled faster and faster, soon the shadow was rising out of the ground forming a wall trapping them inside. At the same time the wall was rising the circle grew smaller and the wall of shadows got closer and closer. A unnatural sense of terror fell on everyone in the circle and they all felt like it was impossible but it seemed like human faces that were twisted and distorted in pain were spiraling around in the wall. The spinning made the wind cause a sound that reminded the group of legends like the screams of the dying.

Buckle looked around and rotated his head towards Iniac, "It appears that the Stalker has cut off our route of escape. I believe we are going to have to fight our way out of this." As Buckle finished speaking a bolt of black energy shot from the wall at Buckle and he rolled to the side. More bolts of this black energy shot from the wall as it closed in on the group. Iniac rolled past one and cut another in half so it went around him. Ethet terrified and losing her wits turned back into butterflies and tried to flee through flying up over the wall. As she got above the wall a loud shriek was let out and the shadow shot up quicker than before and formed a dome trapping Ethet. Some of the butterflies were caught up in the shadow and they all simaltanously fell back to the ground and she returned to her normal form shrieking in pain. More energy was shot at her as punishment but Buckle jumped in front and took the blasts on his body and steam shot out of the hits and scortch marks were left on his armor.  

[Joa-Boo]

Crux was surprised to still be alive. He flinched at first but after seeing the lack of instant destruction it gave him hope. This thing works just like any other magic filled champion. There is a weakness somewhere and he was ready to exploit it. Crux was taking a risk here but if anyone would be able to do it, he was the one. The tank of a man moved in front of the spiraling black wave of death, threw up the strongest defense he could, and rooted. He was ready to take on anything Rentus focused him with. He was mostly hopping to at least find the shadow.  

[Dugan195]

Iniac looked around as panic and fear spread throughout the group. Ethet on the ground in tears, Buckle shooting steam out of his battered body. Everyone was in danger. Suddenly Crux stepped forward to challenge the Stalker. "You fool Crux, the Stalker can ignore that armor you pride yourself on and attack your soul directly. This fight can't be won."

Buckle turned to the old man and made a cackling sound as the steam poured from cracks in his body, "Iniac Carter, it is 6 of us vs just 1. It would be logical to assume that we can win this fight. Even any of the 4 Champions of the Arena couldn't handle us all at once."

Iniac looked at the golem in shock. "Fool, this isn't a legend we are fighting, it is a demon." Iniac saw that everyone around him either looked to fight or were too terrified to do anything. Iniac looked at the ground and sighed, He waved his arms in an intricate series of twirls, circles, and lines suddenly rock rose up around the group of legends and enclosed them in a dome of earth. It was pitch black and Ethet screamed. Iniac started to whisper as the ground help the dome shake. At first the group thought Rentus was attacking the dome but suddenly they felt a falling motion. The group, except for Crux and Iniac, started to tumble and fall about in the dome as it fell.

Ethet tried calling out for Dalia, but the sound of rocks being smashed were too loud for any of the group to talk to each other. Bodies flailed and slammed into walls as the dome moved through the ground. After a minute or two of this the dome suddenly changed and inside of falling it started to shoot up. This forced the tumbling bodies to crash into the ground and be pinned down as gravity fought them. After a while a loud pop shoot was heard the dome stopped moving spending the pinned bodies sprawling across the dome.

Iniac fell to the ground as the rock dome around the group crumbled causing a huge dust cloud to block out everyone's vision for a minute. When it had settle the group saw themseleves on a different part of the mountain by a river in the forest. Buckle was the first to recover from the dust and stood up tampering with some of the screws in the joints on his body, "Is everyone alright?" he asked as he set about to fixing his damaged body.Ethtet slowly got to her knees and crawled over to Dalia who was still laying on the ground and wrapped her arms around Dalia's waist. "Is he gone?" she asked as blood tinkled down a cut on her small forehead.

As the group slowly came to terms about what had happened they looked over and saw Iniac collapsed on the group. He was panting, but his breaths very shallow. "Gods be damned, I am too old to be doing things like that." His voice grew faint as he spoke, "Used all my energy to do that...think...I might...rest a while," Iniac's eyes closed as he laid there motionlessly.

((respond with your three chars reacting to the dome, trip, getting out, etc Iniac is passed out so you can check him to find that out))  

[Joa-Boo]

Crux was crushed. Time after time Iniac compromised his intention. He just didn’t understand how the bear could be such a woos. Crux glared at the weak version of the man who moved them across a mountain. If he hadn’t passed out Crux probably would have knocked him out. If Rentus wasn’t to attack his soul let him. Crux probably had the strongest soul out of the lot of them. Then once again he would be doing his job, taking the blunt hit so everyone else could counter. It was probably for the best the Iniac retired. He just didn’t have the balls to fight legends anymore. Crux dusted himself off, retracted his armored skin and helped Muez to his feet.

“Are you alright friend?” Crux asked as he shook the dirt from the puppet master’s shoulder.

“Well I am not dead at the hands of Rentus, a little shaken but alive.” Muez said while using Iniac’s incapacitated voice to speak. Muez and Crux got in about 2 breaths and then jumped back, Crux carrying Iniac over his shoulder. Two puppets formed with big shields made from the rock rubble. Crux was back in armor form.

“I only want to have to ask once but are you three done fighting?” Muez asked, once again using Iniac’s sleeping body.

The other two were shocked. Were these two serious? They all just about died. Dalia slowly came to and sat up. Ethet jumped up and down on her lap while pointing out the other two. Dalia moved her head with a thick confused expression clouding her.

“What the hell are you two doing? It is the middle of night and the sheep are jumping. If you keep thumping I will have to share a scar in your name.” Dalia shared with the others through her barely conscious haze. She looked as though she was still getting over a hangover.

“Uhh, is that a no?” Crux shook his head. He wasn’t sure what she just said. Dalia was instantly at her feet, Ethet flailing through the air behind her quick movements, and playing a mid F chord. A heavy tiredness came over them all. Dalia wanted to wait until morning and she was going to have it her way no matter what. The four, except Buckle who was unaffected by the tune as he did not sleep, all passed out for the night.

By the time they woke they were in a pile snuggling. It took less than a few seconds to separate and ready to continue the search.

“Any more questions?” Dalia asked with her flute close to her mouth and her hair flaring in the wind. There was no telling what she could conjure if someone asked a question.

“How about some breakfast?” Ethet asked curiously. Dalia died under her cuteness.

“aww silly, that’s not how it works,” She answered, bending down to speak close to Ethet.  

[Dugan195]

When the group woke up they found Iniac still laying on the ground unconscious. His breathing was shallow and he was pale, shooting the dome across the mountain had taken so much energy it had nearly killed him. Buckle walked up over and stared down at the body blankly, "Dalia we seem to be in a quandary. Iniac is an enemy of our state and thus we should assassinate him while he sleeps. It would save us alot of time and energy later. However, Iniac Carter did just save our lives. This leaves us a problem. One I do not feel capable of deciding on. What do you suggest Dalia?" Buckle froze while he waited for Dalia's response. Suddenly another question popped into Buckle's mind., "Wait Crux why were the two of you with Iniac Carter? Do you not fight for Necroplia still? Or have you turned traitor?" Buckle's hand went towards his pistols incase things turned ugly again. Without Iniac this time the three Yultan's might stand a chance against the shield of the north and the puppet master.  

[Joa-Boo]

“That would be a messy thing to do wouldn’t it Buckle. Killing a man who had just saved our lives because outside this fight he fights for our enemies just sounds wrong. Then again we could use him to our advantage. We will need all of the hands we can get to fight the horrors of Finn. Then again he is asleep. His dreams define him right now. I could do so much to him right now that he would come back as our slave.” Dalia thought out loud. She reached for her flute with a sadistic smile but it didn’t come to her. Crux held onto the other end firmly.

“I would not do that Heart warmer. I hate him too right now but his mind being his own is the most use we are going to get out of him.” Crux said brightly and with a smile. The smile had nothing to do with his words. When Dalia reached for her flute she accidently grabbed at his hand too. “When he wakes, we will need him. Besides, I don’t think he will be doing much fighting for his own country anyway.”

“Why is that Crux? Have you two convinced him to betray his country too?” Dalia asked. The question gave Ethet the perfect opportunity to stick her tongue out at Crux. She did so in the most obnoxious way possible; long and loudly.

“Why do you three keep suggesting that? What have I done that goes against my kin or country?” Crux asked. He was beginning to take offense.”

“You attacked us, did you forget that.” Dalia chirped, showing Crux a bruise he gave her on the bottom side of her arm.

“Hey now, we backed off and you guys committed. Who is to say you guys didn’t betray your country?” Muez defended their names with solid evidence. They did hesitate at first in battle once they discovered their adversaries. “We initiated, but you swung the first strike.”

“Regardless, we should put that fight behind us. When our target is someone like Finn, there are no sides other than against his.” Crux finished. He moved to his feet, helped Dalia to hers and then asked if Muez could move Iniac. They needed to keep moving if they would ever get anything done.