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Post by Ribitta on Nov 17, 2007 1:31:51 GMT -5
The Master Chief stared long and hard at the long and treacherous plains of earth held together by permafrost inches into its surface. He had been given time off by the staff, and he intended to use it as many would in the real world. He would explore nature. It seemed odd to another to see a seven foot tall behemoth in full pearelescant green battle armor who wanted to take a hike to the top of the Peak. But then again, there was indeed adventure in this that could easily fit to any individual. He had his supplies, he had his route, and he had his motive. Nothing was stopping him now, except perhaps the occasional pop up of an animal from the beastiary. Something he would welcome as recently his mind was being put to use more than his body.
Perhaps companions would make things interesting, but if no one joined him, he could still enjoy the core purposes of the hike. Who could know, maybe he would even find out something new about the system he had never seen before even after looking through so much coding. As the snow fell, footprints began to dissolve in the wake of the Master Chief as he began his journey.
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 17, 2007 3:31:51 GMT -5
It was no secret that the lands beyond the Great Wall were a dangerous place, where safe havens were few and far between, while dangerous monsters and lethal hazards were abound. It was easily a place where the average player could not survive. Only those with skill, strength, and courage could hope to push their way past the perils of the frozen north. But even then, they would not last long without safe places to rest and relax. Thankfully, there were such places.
Throughout the frozen wastes, fortified structures had been erected, protected by NPC guards, and each containing inns and shops to restock on supplies and rest up. The sight of these buildings often brought feelings of joy and relief to weary, battle-worn players as they journeyed through the lands beyond the Great Wall.
Within one such structure, high in a private room, a fire burned merrily in a fireplace, warming the two occupants inside. One of them was laying down in a bed, reading a book he had found in a small cave out in the wilderness. Rua's coat and shirt had been stripped off, and a white bandage covered up a wound on his left arm, crossing over between the two tattoos on it. Sitting by one of the windows, a blanket drawn around her slender form, sat Alasea. She was watching the snowfall outside, quietly humming to herself.
"So, what are you thinking about?" Rua asked, murmuring as he flipped a page in his book. Alasea stopped, looking over at him in slight surprise. Rua closed the book slightly and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. Slowly the girl turned her gaze back to the window and sighed, her humming forgotten.
"I'm just... worried," she said finally, "I'm just worried."
"About what?"
"About what's happening. Things are going wrong, glitches are everywhere, the virus is running amok... its insane. Its like..."
"... I know," Rua said, knowing where she was headed with it. It was just like the Epsilon Project, a hellish period in their lives. "At least we know we can deal with it. Just like last time."
Alasea sighed again as she looked outside, watching the tranquil snowfall. Would they be able to deal with a living hell again?
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 17, 2007 17:11:38 GMT -5
The Master Chief continued walking. Ruins of half hearted towns that had tried to start and failed littered the area. A lone building though stood above the rest, its crenelations and towers hardly damaged, and the flickering light of a fire danced about the half shut windows of the frame. "Cortana," mutter the Chief. "Copy heat signatures and tell me if theres anyone in that room."
Three seconds later, the reply came from Cortana, "I'm reading several heat signatures Chief, up in that room though is two human signatures of a male and female." This information didn't really help John too much, it didn't matter though, perhaps he might investigate. The system always had a hard time locking onto beings in the area beyond the Great Wall. Weather conditions and such.
Walking brisquely, with his shields subtly bouncing off the snow that was steadily falling he reached the wooden door of the building. He could hear voices inside. Easing the door open he found a shabby tavern which seemed to be connected to an inn part of the building, no doubt where the fire was coming from. Walking up to the counter he ordered a drink. He might as well rest for a little while.
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 17, 2007 19:55:46 GMT -5
There was the sounds of bedsprings creaking as Rua got up off the bed. Alasea looked startled for a moment, but then felt his arms wrap around her, holding her against him, and she leaned into the embrace. A bare hand reached up from the folds of her blanket and rested on one of his.
"We'll be okay," Rua murmured, "I promised I'd protect you. I'm your knight, remember?"
Alasea smiled slightly, remembering when he had "vowed" to protect her, a Daughter of Dawn, as her knight back during the Epsilon Project. However, those thoughts, like usual, led back to the horrors they'd both faced in the beta test, and her smile died, becoming a frown. "What's going to happen this time, R.D.?" she asked, her voice wavering. "How many people are going to be sacrificed this time around?"
"None, if I can help it," Rua replied, stroking her hand. "We know we can do this, Alli. We know we can. We managed to conquer NightShade, the Seven Beasts, and Ziatoch. If we can stop them, we can stop anything."
The girl stood up, turning around in Rua's embrace while looking at her boyfriend. The two stared at one another for several long moments, and seeing the desire for comfort in her eyes, Rua brought his lips down onto hers.
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 17, 2007 21:27:57 GMT -5
The Chief took his drink. It was one with low alcohol levels and a thick fluid. Irish. For the next hour and a half the Chief sipped at it quietly through a straw. The residents of the poor tavern did not recognize him in the slightest. His ears slowly became attuned to the slightest of all sounds. Noises were coming from a room above, in he direction of where the fire had been lit. With the people coming and leaving though, he had yet to see one person proceed up the stairs. After his second refill, the Chief approached the bartender/inn keeper.
"Exactly how many people are currently lodged here?" He asked in his menacing growl.
The bartender, not wanting to show signs of fear, nor wanting to cause problems with this man, replied quickly and honestly, "Two, came together. Man and a woman. Neither looked too good."
"And which room are they in?"
"I can't te..." The bartender caught a glimpse of the two sidearms and the rifle on the Spartan's back, then corrected himself. "Room two. Now please, if you don't mind, you're intimidating my customers."
Deep in his mind the Master Chief had the urge to retort with the question 'What customers?' as it was nightfall now, but he restrained himself, he was indeed a staff member and was above such petty remarks. He walked quickly up the stone staircase until he made it to door number two. With a soft knock on the door, he placed a hand on a sidearm and waited.
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 17, 2007 22:02:48 GMT -5
The knock, loud in the silent room despite how soft it was, caused the sleeping form of Alasea to stir slightly, and she murmured something before pulling the sheets around her bare form tighter. Beside her, Rua also stirred, but, having been sleeping much more lightly than his girlfriend, awoke. He irritably opened one eye, knowing that despite there was only one knock, the other person would be waiting.
Whoever it was.
Sighing, the green-eyed warrior sat up and slipped out of bed, grabbing his pants and roughly pulling them on before stepping to the door, grabbing a Phase Blade from the table before moving to the door, quietly. He unlatched it and opened it enough to allow him to peek through. It was not amused when he saw the gold visor and the green armor of a familiar Administrator staring back at him.
Again he sighed, and opened the door all the way. "What do you want?" he asked gruffly, his expression relaying his irritation at the interruption. On the bed, Alasea stirred again, moaning softly in her sleep at the sound of the noise coming from the door; she was slowly achieving consciousness.
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 17, 2007 22:31:50 GMT -5
John's HUD quickly scanned everything in the room including the man standing in the doorway. Rua Dragonheart, Loal Kateran, or Rising Dragon. Before he could speak, Cortana picked up even in the dim light of the shabby room something John did not which she did not restrain herself of commenting on, "Looks like Mr. Dragonheart has not been alone this evening."
John winced slightly at this comment, it did not help that the staff and Rua were on bad terms as it was. Cortana was not helping the situation. "I apologize for the intrusion, Rua," The Master Chief said, "I was investigating who would be willing to spend a night in a place like this. Makes more sense though now that I know it's you." He gave a quick glance at Rua's bandaged arm. "What exactly have you been doing, Rising?"
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 17, 2007 23:22:09 GMT -5
An eye twitched as Rua heard Cortana's comment, and a frown crossed his face. That comment was a little low. His irritation only increased when he heard how Master Chief addressed him; he barely tolerated Kalmar calling him that, and now the Staff were calling him that?
"I've been gaming, Chief," he said flatly, "For once, I'm able to game like a normal player."
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 18, 2007 0:05:34 GMT -5
Cortana was quickly pouncing on this new comment with a witty retort of her own, "Gaming? You do--" The Chief quickly cut her off, "Cortana, that's enough." The Chief sighed and removed his helmet revealing an incredibly scarred and pale face. "Listen, I'm not here to be rude or barge in on you. Our meeting is purely coincidental. I myself am doing a bit of just gaming, all this codework is frying my brain. I know you and the staff don't communicate well, but if you're interested in 'gamin' a bit with another member who's taking a bit of a vacation from work, I'll be here. I'm renting a room for myself tonight, if you feel a little trip would be worth your while. I'll be here. If not, I apologize for the intrusion."
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 18, 2007 0:26:50 GMT -5
Rua sighed. That A.I. must be incredibly annoying for Master Chief as it is. He shook his head slowly and ran a hand through his hair. He opened his mouth to say something, but then heard the covers shift and movement from the bed.
"R.D....?" Alasea murmured, waking at last due to the sound of voices. She sat up slightly while pulling the covers up over her chest. "What's the ma--"
The girl finally spotted the Administrator at the doorway, and cut off with a startled squeak, clutching the sheets even more and curling up slightly, her face turning bright red. Rua sighed once more.
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 18, 2007 0:39:00 GMT -5
The Master Chief gave a quick glance at Alasea then turned back to Rua, "Think about it, Rua, I'll be here." With a curt nod to both occupants of the room, he turned quickly and walked back down the steps to work out a room with the inn keeper. He set up the bed to withstand more weight than normal, and quickly fell asleep. The morning would be host to continuance of his journey, and perhaps the joining of others. Only time would tell.
At six o'clock the next morning the Spartan rose on instinct. Sitting on a stone groove next to the fireplace on the lower level, he ate in silence. His helmet removed yet his body in the shadows. When he was done, he donned his mask once more and waited.
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 18, 2007 1:05:11 GMT -5
Rua quickly shut the door after the Chief had left, and leaned up against it. On the bed, Alasea sighed and relaxed, rubbing her eyes slightly. "So what's the matter?"
"Nothing," Rua said, standing up from the door. "Master Chief invited us to game with him tomorrow if we felt like it."
Alasea cocked her head to the side, looking at her boyfriend thoughtfully. She knew of the distrust between the Staff and Rua, and she couldn't blame them for not trusting him, but she also couldn't blame him for withholding that information. Their travels with Matt had been a strange experience and they didn't know what to make of it. So, the best thing to do was to keep quiet about the entire ordeal.
Rua was walking towards the bed now, stretching as he did. He placed the Phase Blade back on the table and undressed, slipping back into bed with his girlfriend. "So are you going to accept?" Alasea asked, wondering what he would do.
"Maybe," he said, "I'll think about it. Let's just go back to sleep."
The girl nodded and smiled softly, laying back down and snuggling up against him. The two quickly fell asleep, and night passed.
The next morning, Rua and Alasea came down the stairs, fully clothed and equipped, holding hands with one another. Alasea's face seemed flushed, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Together, the two of them surveyed the tavern, and upon spotting Master Chief, quickly joined him at his table.
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 18, 2007 1:17:30 GMT -5
The Master Chief rested his helmeted head on the stone of the fireplace, his legs to he side of the table as he was too tall to fit them under it. When Rua and Alasea came down and sat at his table, his interest peaked slightly. Perhaps he had not been too gruff the previous night and they were considering his offer. For once he had no secret reasons behind his want to team up with another player or two. It was simply for pleasure, a challenge. The 12,000 mile walk would take them to the very top of the Peak.
After they had gotten their food, the Chief spoke, "So, what'll it be? You interested in taking a route with me players haven't tried to tread in so long a time the path hardly exists anymore?"
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Post by Rising Dragon on Nov 18, 2007 1:34:31 GMT -5
Rua and Alasea contemplated the offer for many moments, allowing the flush to die out from Alasea's face. They wondered if they had stumbled upon the trail before, and Rua wondered if the Administrator had any hidden orders. He didn't think so; the two of them had hardly any trouble in the past. After a moment, Rua said aloud, "Do you think we can make it? Its still snowing out there, and visibility is rather poor."
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Post by Ribitta on Nov 18, 2007 1:55:56 GMT -5
Raising his head from checking his pistol's safety Master Chief let out a slight invisible smile, "We'll make it. I'm sure we're all fully capable of survival. I've been dealing with coding for so long now that Cortana has memorized it all. I can find the path and direction no problem. Also, I guess I haven't bothered to tell you where exactly I plan on going." With a quick motion he reached inside a belt pocket and withdrew a small hologram case, administrator issue. With a touch it lit up covering the table. It zoomed in all the way to upper Kouchi. "I've started here," he said pointing to the Great Wall. "And I intend to make it all the way to here," he finished pointing to the very top of the Peak. "From there, I intend to do a bit of work. Rumor has it something's been hiding up there, spreading around miniature viruses. It's a pain seeing you have to kill it in person. Anyways, that's beside the point. That's not even remotely the reason why I'm doing this, or why I'd enjoy company. I can provide transport out at any point should you feel you've gone far enough."
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