Saiyan

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@ZapdosYup lol sounds like him.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

With the rest of the front-liners at the head of the column, Zell decided to take up rear-guard duties, walking solo in contented silence as he kept a vigil on the surround. Two days travel from Hommas to Valhiem. This meant that today would be nothing but walking. Boooring! was his thought in assessment. His body could handle it, but his mind was far better suited to being occupied with something interesting. Like money. Or beer. Or how to get money to buy beer. Nonetheless he would do it without complaint. Perhaps Professor Bradford's influence that had led to a turnaround in attitude over the last few months would pay dividends for this new stage in his life. He had a task to complete. It may involve uninteresting stretches and require an extra effort of attention and concentration. Get it done to the best of one's ability. For the good of the future.

Yes. The old university lecturer had finally gotten through that thick skull. And those truths that Zell needed to hear were perhaps more important now than ever before.

Zell's eyes drifted skyward to catch sight of the falcon that had befriended Fenna, gliding high up in soaring circles. It only occured to him now that that the bird of prey's interest in the ranger might have something to do with The Gift. What a world this was. Like a medieval marvel movie or something. Zell's media knowledge didn't extend far enough that he had anything else to compare it more accurately to, but he felt the fantastical potential of it all, and wondered if sword fighters like himself had ways and means of attaining special abilities too.

So many questions, so few answers - A running theme since he woke up in the recently-rennovated bathroom of ol' Edric and Lilian.

He took his eyes off the surrounding woodland once more to see up ahead, James and MacKensie chatting. Then he heard and saw Clive talking to Lillianna. The sights brought a slight smile to his face. It was good that the team were building chemistry. The stronger the bonds, the stronger the will to run through brick walls for eachother. It'd be hard to establish such a strong connection between strangers so quickly, but they would have to make do with the hand they were dealt. And everyone was trying. That was the important part.

Alright, enough mushy stuff asshole, Zell told himself, his smile growing as he looked away to focus back on his job. Doesn't suit you one bit.

After an hour or so, he took his backpack off to retrieve some rations that were easy to eat on the go. His relatively disciplined regiment of diet and exercise was going to go out of the window in this world, he could feel it already. Still, skipping breakfast completely would be a crime, so he munched on some bits n pieces as he walked, his hands ever-ready to drop everything and draw his sword, should his senses detect an attack.

The Second Falling of the Big Brother Government - (A Tale by KrystalKleo & Saiyan)

At Zara's report of the goods in the cave, Isaac commented, "Score." He checked both ways for danger before walking into the cave to stand beside her at look at the teddy bear. "Cute. Yeah, see what you can do with it."

He appraised the knives they'd acquired, testing the grips and looking down the edge of the blades for nicks and rust. Zara was right, they were decent indeed. They took everything of value, including some choice canned foods that would make a decent meal on the road, then exited the cave together. "No need to stop here, the day's still pretty young. We can still make some distance to Liberty Point before dark. Let's get back to the Sheriff. Tell him job's done."

And they did.

A deputy was sent down to the molerat den to confirm the job while Isaac and Zara hung around in the Sheriff's office. Isaac was sat leaning dangerously far back two legs of a chair, his feet up on the windowsill as he looked out at the sky.

"You two drifters?" the Sheriff suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had fallen on the room. Isaac looked at him. "Which way is wind takin ya?"

"Over the ways to Liberty Point," Isaac answered the second question. "Got some people that way."

The town's leader nodded a few times, sticking a pinky finger in his ear to dig a little wax out, then flicking it on the floor. "Good folks up yonder. Good folks." Isaac agreed, then the Sheriff continued. "Colour me surprised you got our little pest problem solved so quickly."

Isaac pointed at Zara. "You can thank her for that," the wastelander replied.

The Sheriff raised his bushy grey eyebrows in approval and tipped his hat in salute to Zara. "That was your handiwork, was it?" he said to her. "I had a couple men take a look for where those pesky rodents were coming from. Musta been half a dozen times I sent them out. Couldn't find anything past their noses. I thank you for your service, young lady." He then asked, "You do this kinda thing often?"

Eventually the deputy came back, then Isaac and Zara got paid. When the Sheriff asked if there was any loot at the den, the deputy looked at the two wastelanders and said that everything had been taken. Isaac smiled and shrugged at the Sheriff who conceded a shrug back. First come first serve, as always in the wasteland of New York.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

Zell sat up in a flash, one hand grabbing his scabbard next to him and looking to his left where the disturbance had come from. It seemed in his wariness of this new world, even the security of watch-shifts wouldn't stop him from being a light sleeper. He was next to the well-made shelter of Lillianna, staring at the wall of branches near the mouth that was the entrance. A scan of the camp showed no movement - no further noises of the same sort - the only activity coming from MacKensie and Adam, who were quietly chatting and hadn't noticed him. The sky was pale, dawn was here.

Coast clear. The swordsman's muscles relaxed, no longer ready to spring him into action. Reluctantly he let go of his weapon and dug the heels of his palms into his eyes to wake himself up a bit. There was no point in going back to sleep now anyway.

"Oww..."

"?" Zell grunted, sat there for a second as his mind put together the pieces - the sound of the disturbance along with Lillianna's report. He got up, then went and squatted down at the shelter's front entrance to get the final part of the puzzle; the sight of the wizard lay there rubbing her head. He smirked as it all began to make sense. "Morning Lilly pad," he greeted, continuing his streak of giving nicknames to the gang. "You alright there?"

His eyes were drawn to the gold, metal cube cradled in her arms. So this is it, he thought. The oh-so-important package requiring a nine-man courier team. It certainly looked special. Fuck knows why Lillianna had seen fit to hold it like a small baby while she slept, but Zell didn't ask. In fact, not wanting to stare overly long, he looked away, then reached over to grab his backpack and then the end of his bed roll, before dragging it toward himself so he could begin rolling it up to pack away.

MacKensie and Adam had begun waking up the others. "Morning guys," he offered, before turning his attention back to the woman in the shelter. He rose to stand, offering a hand out for her to grab and aid his comrade to her feet. Just like with handing out nicknames, with the formation 'team talk' yesterday evening, he was having trouble leaving the sports habits back in the old world.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

I really wanna go but I'll wait for a couple more folks to get some words in.

@CalleIt's morning now. No official update this weekend, we're pushing on without xenon

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Dark CloudMy bad, mate. I dunno what timezeone you're in, so when you said 'tonight' I didn't know what you meant. It's closing in on midnight here in England and I have a lot of shit to do tomorrow so, yeah...

Have a fantastic weekend people!

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

After everyone retired, Saiyan got up and walked over to a tree that was providing a canopy above the campsite. He folded his arms and leaned against the trunk, crossing an ankle over the other as he looked on the surround. He could barely see anything, making him wonder just how effective a sentry he could be in this darkness.

What. A. Fucking. Day.

Zell let out an audible breath. So far he'd just gone along with the flow, but finally he had a moment to himself. In his mind he envisioned his brain with legs and arms, stood with it's back to a crowd of anthropomorphised questions who were like, 'er excuse me.' The brain was trying to ignore them, but they started walking up and tapping it on the shoulder. 'Can we have some answers now please?'

To delay having to answer any those questions, the swordsman shook his head, annoyed. "Those traffic lights were fucking red," he muttered into the night. "I hope that dumbass gets locked up."

He had a second chance at life. But it just happened to be in a world that was about to get destroyed unless something changed. Not much of a second chance, really. That police chief, Vadim, said he and the others were here for a reason. Could it be true? Was this some kind of destiny? Were they supposed to be the difference-makers? And was that difference more than just playing U.P.S for this skeleton cube thingy? More importantly, what were the options here? He'd told Joji that he was down to kill the Witch Queen - that he had nothing better to do. His trademark nonchalance. But even in the short time Peter and Paul had talked about adventurers, some of the famous ones sounded unbelievabley powerful. Ten times more powerful than Zell's team. Dante Valeron - the leader of the party; The Good Fight, and chairman of the Council of Heroes - would obliterate those ogres and skeletons on his own? If that was true, and this same famed adventurer... this same Council of Heroes... haven't been able to help The Empire win a single battle!?

What the hell are we expected to pull off?

He eventually went to sit back down on the log, watching the campfire slowly die down. It all sounded so insurmountable. But if he wanted this second chance at life, he'd have to fight for it. He'd have to get stronger - get to the Adventurer's Guild, find out how to get this Source stuff fast. Whatever it takes.

For himself. For his new friends. For his new world. But first order of business - delivering this cube.

He stretched and yawned, then cracked the kinks out of his neck. "Those lights were red," he muttered again tiredly.

A little later, he woke James and Joji for their shift on watch, then lay flat on his back with a hand for his pillow and fell asleep.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

Screw it, I'll just post.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Dark CloudAre you gonna be posting in the next few hours? If so I can wait to see what the man, the myth, the legend is doing lol but I won't be around Fri/Sat so I have to post tonight.

The Second Falling of the Big Brother Government - (A Tale by KrystalKleo & Saiyan)

The molerat's head blew up with a spray of red, it's body skidding and tumbling to a stop before Isaac's feet. The wastelander looked at the corpse dispassionately for a moment, before thumbing the safety back up on his Taurus and holstering it. Then he knelt down to grab his things off the floor and resumed reloading the Beretta, sparing a glance up at Zara as she spoke while he did it.

"Hey, don't sweat it. That was the dumbest shooting lesson in the world. Besides..." he sharply pushed the magazine back and jerked the slide to load a round, then looked at her properly. "...pretty sure you hit one," he told her, his eyebrows raised as if daring her to be proud of herself. "Not bad, huh?"

He accompanied her to the den, Beretta in one hand and knife, reverse-grip, in the other. There might be one or two more defending the nest, but if he could get away with it, he wouldn't waste any more bullets. The Sheriff was going to shit a brick when they came back so quickly to report the job complete. Isaac reckoned he would just give directions to the den and then wait around while someone from town went to go and see the evidence that the job was done. Even so, they'd be back on the road in record time, thanks to the tracking skills of his new buddy, Zara Singh.

Pulling her weight already, who'da thunk it.

When the coast was clear, he waited on guard while she checked for loot. "Anything good, emerald eyes?"