ROM 4: New Horizons

Post by **Simeon** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:52 am

"Mahri.... wake up, little one." Simeon gently nudged at his little Inari'in, "We're going soon."

Mahri stretched and yawned, rubbing her sleepy eyes before clinging to Simeon's neck and burying her face into his mane.

"I'm scared, Guardian Father..." Mahri whispered.

"Of what, Mahri?" Simeon whispered back, "We've visted here before... You love it here."

"The crying... It's of a girl like me... She was taken from her father." Mahri's quivering eyes met her guardian's, "I'm scared of what took her."

Simeon only gathered Mahri into his arms and held her in a protective embrace. "I won't let anything take you."

"Promise?"

"Little one... you have my word."

-------

The group moved on past the village and decided to take the path past the gorge to get to the next village, which Simeon had called 'Shiloh'. It was one of the stops that the missing Dragoon dragon caravans took on their supply journeys.

The thought of something stealing all the food and making entire caravans vanish was disturbing to Simeon... and the fact that the Dragoons of Shiva were capable of becoming Dragons in case they needed to defend...

What could have been powerful enough to wipe out an entire regiment of trained Dragoon guards and the caravans they were supposed to protect?

Simeon's thoughts were then interrupted by Mahri tugging on Simeon's cloak in a desperate attmept to get his attention. The little fox-girl then pointed to the horizon.

Smoke.

... Smoke rising right from where the Dragoon village of Shiloh once stood.

Post by **Josiah** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:47 pm

*Worried, the group hurried to the village.*

"What happened here?" *David looked around, appalled at the destruction.*

"This destruction is pretty recent..." *Josiah frowned.* "Whatever did this is powerful. Possibly a sin..."

"I'm going to look for survivors." *Jeff headed off into the wreckage.*

"Good idea." *Josiah held up a card, summoning Midnight Wing, and jumped on.* "You guys give him a hand, I'm gonna scout around a bit. We don't want to be caught offguard by whatever did this."

Post by **Neo Zanther** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:20 am

Neo started with horror at the destruction before him. Shiloh was compleatly destroyed. It had looked as if noone survived. Neo fell to his knees as his heart sank. He had stayed in this very village for 6 months after making it to the mountains. He first had stayed cause he got snowed in but then needed some money and so worked and trained here for awhile. He had made afew freinds while here. He had hoped to see them again.

His anger then grew. Tsuekasa tried to comfort him but he just pushed her away. He was glad Zanther nolonger had an infulance on him as he probably would of darkneded right now. He would of found whoever had did this and it's death would of been swift. But the only side effect is he would of probably fought his friends and maybe in his rage destroyed the town they just came from as well. But all that wasn't going to happen. Zanther was safely put away in the Dark Forest, never to escape. "I will kill whoever did this. Mark my words."

Post by **Simeon** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:08 am

As the group combed the ruins of Shiloh, Mahri wandered away and stood at a distance. She had made friends with some of the Dragoon children here, and now they were missing. So far there was hope for hte children, but the adults did not fare so well... every few minutes, the body of a Dragoon adult would be recovered; some bodies somwhere halfway between dragon and human...

It was too much for a llittle girl to bear.

Then Mahri sensed something and ran off into the canyon to investigate.

-------

"GUARDIAN FATHER!!!!"

Simeon's ears perked up and his eyes went wide as he heard Mahri cry out from the bottom of the canyon.

The Gamers noticed the little fox-girl's shout, too... and they all scrambled to where Mahri's voice rang out.

There... they saw Mahri kneeling next to a Dragoon man half buried in the snow, a double-edged sword driven into his torso...

... and the dragoon-man was still alive.

((Alive, but unconsious. He has important info, and likely won't wake up until it is convenient to the plot. The most we can do is tend to his wounds.))

Post by **Josiah** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:43 pm

*Josiah hadn't been flying long when a deafening shriek split the air. A moment later a black blur shot into the sky and fired a blast of flames at Josiah and Midnight Wing.* "A dragon!" *He quickly took in the attacker.* "Midnight Wing attack it with," *but the beast had already flown off, heading directly towards the ruins of the village where Neo, Simeon, and the others were.* "Damn... After it!" *Midnight Wing spun around and took after after the beast.*

((Wanted to do something longer but I have things that need to be done so this'll have to do for the moment.))

Post by **Celebifly** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:02 am

"Wait, was that a sin?" Opal blinked as the giant thing crepted away into the shadows.

"I belive so."

"Wow, that sin took after its name a *little* too much. Cause you know, in FMA, that Sloth wasn't all sleepy and such....hey wait - how could it have talked if it didn't have a mouth?"

"Um, a wizard did it?" Silver shrugged.

"And shouldn't we still have to attack it, even if it didn't want to fight? It IS a sin!" She brought up that point.

"Ah, can't we just get some sleep and save the world tomorrow?" Silver complained.

Opal sighed. "Fine, we'll save the world tomorrow if it'll make you happy." She laid down and tried to sleep.

Post by **Josiah** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:41 am

*Back at the ruined village Jeff, Neo, David, and Simeon were tending to the injured dragon when, without warning, the pile of rubble behind them went up in a tower of flame.*

"Up there!" *David was the first to spot the dragon.* "Go Armegeddon, use Loki's Illusions!" *Illusions flitted around the dragon, turning its attention away from the gamers.* "That move won't confuse it for long. Jeff, get Mahri and the injured man out of here!"

"I'm on it!" *Scooping up the unconscous dragoon, Jeff ran deeper into the village with Mahri hurrying to follow.*

*When they were safely away David began an offensive.* "Armegeddon, Thor's Hammer!"

Post by **Neo Zanther** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:58 am

"I'm helping you David. This creature will not go unpunished. I summon you Kuiia!" The large Wind Dragon came flowing out of it's card. "Lets see how you fair aginst a God! Kuiia use Hyper Beam!"

A large ball of energy formed in Kuiia's mouth and shot towards the Dragon that was already being affected by David's attack.

Post by **Josiah** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:51 pm

*Josiah and Midnight Wing arrived back at the village to find that David and Neo seemed to have the dragon in hand.* "Well, let's help them out. Midnight Wing, use Dark Radience!"

"Thor's Hammer again!" *David called, glad to see that Josiah was back.*

*The dragon screeched and countered with Cutter Blast, sending powerful blasts of wind at all three gamers.*

*Meanwhile, a stranger hidden in the rubble paused for a moment to watch the battle. The dragon would fight viciously until the end but it was unlikely to triumph. He however, was far stronger than any dragon, or dragoon for that matter. Turning away from the battle, he hurried to intercept Jeff and Mahri.*
((FYI: This is Gluttony.))

Post by **Simeon** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 6:43 pm

Simeon had mananged to remove the blade from the injured Dragoon when a dragon's roar pierced the air. Unsheathing his Archangel, and using the Dragoon blade he had just extracted from his patient, Simeon took up a defensive battle stance to protect Mahri and the Dragoon.

David then gave out the order for Jeff and Mahri to retreat and Simeon chose to stay with David to help fend off the dragon... when he sensed something else.

Quickly, Simeon unfurled his wings and flew at ablinding speed with both blades drawn after Jeff and Mahri...

((... Not happy with post. TT;; ))

Post by **Josiah** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:51 pm

((Moving things along...))

Josiah, Neo, and David continued to attack the dragon. Although it fought back viciously, in the end it was no match for their combined assault.

"Do you think that was what destroyed this village?" *David asked once the battle was over.

"Maybe, something doesn't feel right... Where are the others?"

"We told them to run when the dragon showed up."

"We'd better find them."

*Meanwhile...*

"You should stop where you are." *A voice called out. At the same time an extremely strong wind sprang up, pulling Jeff and Mahri backwards towards the speaker. "Don't try to run. I'd catch you in the end but running makes me terribly hungry and you don't want to see me when I'm hungry." *The speaker was a man, tall and very fat, with a mop of blonde hair.* "Now, I'll be taking that dragoon." *his eyes lingered on Mahri.* "And the girl."

Post by **Simeon** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:21 am

((Just remembered that Simeon's body is unstable and often changes elemental strengths and weakness. I'm hoping reintroducing this trait may make things more interesting... And I'm using dice to choose those elemental pros/cons. ))

((Ability Roulette -- Strength: Water -- Weakness: Water-- Interesting...))

Simeon swooped in and scooped up Jeff, Mahri, and the wounded Dragoon-man, then promptly set the three atop a cliff before swooping down to square off with the rotund vagrant.

"I'm afraid you'll need to skip a meal, Gluttony." Simeon growled, sensing that the fiend was one of the Sins. The lionman took up a battle stance with the Dragoon blade his right hand, and the Archangel in his left. "The girl and the Dragoon are under my protection, and as the servant of the Great Spirit, I stand against you."

Simeon's crystal eyes glinted with a look of absolute focus.

"In short... to get to them, you'll have to go through me first."

((Cue battle music!))

Post by **Simeon** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:12 am

((*BUMP!!*))

((Simeon's Ability Roulette: Weakness - wind | Strength - fire))

"Master Jeffrey!" Mahri tugged at Jeff's sleeve, "Uncle Pedr is waking!"

Sure enough the Dragoon Jeff wound up guarding was muttering something unintelligible.

"Ne anak ehi ma... Vo ribog das ehi... Ni asa vair ehi..."

Jeff gingerly put Pedr down so Mahri could get close.

"Uncle Pedr! What's wrong?"

"Aria..." Pedr could not recognize Mahri in his delirium.

"Aria? What does that mean?" Jeff muttered.

Mahri's fox ears swiveled toward Jeff. "Aria is Uncle Pedr's daughter, Master Jeffrey!" Mahri looked very worried. "Oh no... that scary dream was real! Aria was kidnapped!"

"Vo anak... Vo ribog dol vo anak... The demons want the incarnations..."

"Incarnations? Of what?" Jeff looked at Mahri, half-hoping the little girl would know.

Mahri's answer was a frightened and blank stare.

-------

"What are you after Gluttony?!" Simeon demanded as he went toe to toe with the Sin, "Why are you so interested in taking Mahri and Pedr?"

Gluttony just licked his lips. "My Mistress seeks the Virtues... or rather, their vessels... Every innocent soul I am to collect for my Lady of the Taint. She inspects them, and if they aren't what she seeks..." a greedy grin spread on Gluttony's rotund face, "I get a free meal..."

"And my... aren't you full of meat, Guardian Father?"

Simeon slammed the dragoon blade into Gluttony's widening mouth, slicing the cheeks and wounding the Sin in an effort to evade getting eaten.

... Then again, Simeon mused, I'd likely wind up giving him a hairball to remember....

Post by **Josiah** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:13 pm

*Hearing a commotion, Josiah, David and Neo headed towards it, finding Simeon facing off against a very fat man.*

"Not the most intimidating bad guy..."

"Considering the whole Deadly Sins theme our enemies have going I'm gonna guess that he's Gluttony."

"Correct." *Gluttony ignored the blood trickling from the wounds Simeon had inflicted.* "I saw you three fighting my poor dragon. I think it's time for a more fitting test of your skills. Besides, I always enjoy a good workout before I eat." *Gluttony began to transform, shifting into a disgusting brown blob like monster capable of swallowing an entire building in one gulp.*

((Gluttony - Monster Form: Earth/Water
Attacks: Inhale (creates a strong vortex, attempting to suck everything into Gluttony's mouth), Toxic Breath (weakening and poisoning targets), Tremor (shakes the ground, casuing targets to lose their balance), Tongue Lash (lashses out with long tongue to damage and snare targets).))

Post by **Neo Zanther** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:10 pm

"Well you might be ugly but what you have done is unforgivable. Now it is time for you to loose weight, perminently. Lets see how you fair aginst a God! Kuiia use Hyper Beam!"

A massive beam of energy shot out of Kuiia's mounth hitting Gluttony in the center of the massive blob.