Randomflyingobjects Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 (man, we really need to come up with a term or something for them. Casters? Mages? Idk, something) Rakurists? Rukists? Do you prefer a name related to Rakurai itself, or what it does. Because 'Rakurists' is my first thought, talking about Rakurai itself, but if you want a simpler, generic name like Mages, well, that completely changes everything. Another idea is to run things through Google Translate, come up with some sort of Latin name for Caster or something. That's what I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Rakurists? Rukists? Do you prefer a name related to Rakurai itself, or what it does. Because 'Rakurists' is my first thought, talking about Rakurai itself, but if you want a simpler, generic name like Mages, well, that completely changes everything. Another idea is to run things through Google Translate, come up with some sort of Latin name for Caster or something. That's what I do. Preferrably something simpler that doesn't sound forced. "Rakurists", while it makes sense, sounds very forced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Preferrably something simpler that doesn't sound forced. "Rakurists", while it makes sense, sounds very forced. How about Adepts? It's similar enough, and flows better off of the tongue. Anyhow, I'll do a detailed review in a bit. But I have to say the thing you were saying about how Adepts are naturally better at dueling than Non-Adepts as you were saying to random. I disagree with that. I feel that dueling skill should be inverse to Fighting skill in most cases. Well... slightly. Dueling should be a chance for non Adepts to stand a better chance, because it's an equal affair. If that makes sense? It's like a thing I feel. That a good duelist should be able to stand on even ground with an Adept. Simply because it makes things feel... more tense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 How about Adepts? It's similar enough, and flows better off of the tongue. Anyhow, I'll do a detailed review in a bit. But I have to say the thing you were saying about how Adepts are naturally better at dueling than Non-Adepts as you were saying to random. I disagree with that. I feel that dueling skill should be inverse to Fighting skill in most cases. Well... slightly. Dueling should be a chance for non Adepts to stand a better chance, because it's an equal affair. If that makes sense? It's like a thing I feel. That a good duelist should be able to stand on even ground with an Adept. Simply because it makes things feel... more tense. It's definitely one I'll consider. Given that when we do come up with a name of some kind, it's something that's more or less going to stick throughout the series, I don't want to rush into making a decision one way or the other. "Adepts" does have very solid flow, but I'm also not sure it captures the vibe I'm looking for. Looking forward to the full review, but to address your point, it's not so much that they're naturally better at dueling as it is the differences between the training, the game itself, and their own physical strength. Given that the non-magic duelists are normal humans with a much smaller tolerance for pain and not necessarily such sharp instincts, it's only natural that they wouldn't be on the same level. That's not to imply that there aren't humans who ARE on the same level, just that as a generality, that's not the case. Duelists like Orin are "National Champion" material, but only within the context of what society knows as "Champion" material. Obviously, they don't know (at least not most of them) about Calle, Calion, and the others to that extent, so it's not like they have a literal way to compare the two. It's more of a statement on the way they're presented to the people as opposed to suggesting that one side is completely better than the other, if that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 And here's a new one! Like I said, this week it'll be Wednesday/Sunday, but next week we'll go back to Tuesday/Friday for new episodes. Since this is going to be a huge arc packed with crazy action, I'm hoping to get out episodes as quickly (and quality-filled, most importantly) as possible. [spoiler=Episode 14: Invite to the Grand Thunder Clash!] Episode 14: Invite to the Grand Thunder Clash! “The problem when it comes to you is your reliance on your so-called lock as the only way to win,” Shotei declared, drawing a card as the audience watched with anticipation. “Your Hopper-lock is devastating against the right opponent, but you have no back-up plan should it fail. This is the reason you’re not a true duelist. You merely give off the illusion that you are. Because when the walls around you crumble down, you can’t build them back up.” “I’d like to see you even try to take me down,” Orin replied with a grin. “You can’t hope to touch me!” “Enough, I’ll end this here and now,” he said. “I summon Shadow Four (1200/LV4) in attack mode!” Another reptile, this one somewhat larger and green in color, with legs comprised of nothing but shadows hovered above the field. “And since Shadow Four is summoned, I can use the ability of the monster I searched with Lone Gecko, Kagetokage (1100/LV4)!” “He’s got two level four monsters on the field,” Damien remarked. “You don’t think he’d waste them both trying to Xyz Summon when he can’t even attack, do you?” But he got his answer. “Now I build the overlay network to Xyz Summon Rank 4 King of the Feral Imps (2300/RK4)!” The two small creatures shot up into the air, forming nothing but the units which would circle the new creature, a tall, muscular beast of a dark green color. With fangs nearly as sharp as its claws, the reptilian King stood strong over the rest of the field. “Whoa, now that’s a strong monster!” the MC exclaimed, worried that the fans might be starting to lose faith in their Champion. “That’s quite the monster you got there,” Orin said. But he wasn’t impressed. Countless enemies had brought forth the strongest of monsters and crumbled under the might of the Hopper-lock. It created such a simple, yet devastating lock-down that no opponent could break through it. Nothing bought him more joy than watching an opponent lose knowing there was nothing they could hope to do to save themselves. He cackled to himself. And here’s the clincher. Calle watched on, noticeably interested but only half-focused on the actual game-play as he racked his mind for answers about Shotei’s motives, and whether or not it had anything to do with the Four Star Siege. His gut instinct on that subject told him it was unrelated, if only because Shotei seemed very calm and collected, and it looked like he was dueling simply to prove a point, whereas Terrance had been very aggressive from the moment the two first met. In fairness, the duel had already ended. The difference between pro duelists and those like Shotei and himself were very noticeable to those who realized it, but not to those who were completely clueless. In other words, the public saw Orin as a championship caliber duelist, and so that’s how he’d remained. A loss to Shotei, a random nobody, might diminish that image entirely. And he sensed that was the objective. “Now it’s time to bring this game to an end,” Shotei declared, activating the effect of his Xyz Monster as the feral green beast consumed one of its units. “By detaching an Xyz Material from King of the Feral Imps, I can search my Deck for a Reptile monster and add it straight to my hand, so here I call upon Reptilliane Vaskii (2600/LV8)!” "Hold on, is that what I think it is?" Skylar looked back at Calle, just now coming to the realization that Calle and Tres had reached earlier. Reptilliane Vaskii, I hadn't even thought about that card being a part of his strategy, but now it makes perfect sense. This guy's gonna beat the National Champion in a single turn. "Wait, someone fill me in, I'm totally lost!" Andrea shouted, her mind torn trying to figure out what everyone was talking about. "So it appears you were right then," Tres said. "Not that this surprises me, but there's certainly some relevance to this whole thing." "Reptilliane Vaskii has a very unique ability," Calle said. "It's not necessarily the most practical card for a competitive player, but in the right situations, it's a game-changer. Taking into account that Shotei is well aware of what he was up against, he could play the card with very little risk. And now you're about to see exactly what I'm talking about." Huh...? Andrea decided not to press the question further - she turned her attention back to the stage. "I don't really care what monsters you search, none of them will make a difference," Orin taunted. "Did you not listen to me when I explained that none of my monsters can be attacked or targeted by your effects? What's the point?!" [spoiler=Shadow Crawler] LV4/DARK Reptile / Effect If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 "Shadow Crawler" from your Deck. 1700/1500[/spoiler] [spoiler=Kagetokage] LV4/DARK Reptile / Effect Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. When you Normal Summon a Level 4 monster: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand). 1100/1500[/spoiler] [spoiler=King of the Feral Imps] RK4/DARK Reptile / Xyz / Effect 2 Level 4 monsters You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card: Add 1 Reptile-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. 2300/2000[/spoiler] "It's about time to bring this one to a close," Shotei said, adjusting his glasses in such a manner that the sinister grin in his eyes went un-noticed, shielded by the reflection of the spotlights above them. "You spew empty words, a tactic that even the mightiest warriors will employ when they know they stand face-to-face with defeat. It allows them the illusion that they're holding onto their courage, or perhaps their pride, some combination of both." He smiled, drawing ire from Orin, who couldn't deny the words. "I take pride in crushing that aspect, in breaking down the un-breakable foundation and bringing it to the same level as those it believes are beneath it. You are nothing." Orin had noticed the change in Shotei's tone, but he wasn't the only one. Calle had picked up on it too, and the reasons were starting to make more sense. "Now watch as defeat rains down upon you! I activate the ability of Reptilliane Vaskii! In order to summon this great deity, I must offer two monsters as a sacrifice!" Smirking, Orin spat back. "You don't even have two monsters on the field!" "You're right," he said slyly. "But you do. And it just so happens that monsters used as a sacrifice for Vaskii's awakening must have zero attack points." "Hold on!" Damien exclaimed, nearly knocking over his drink on the table next to him. "He plans to use the Watthoppers as a tribute! Getting rid of both of them at once will completely break the lock!" "No way, that means he wasn't bluffing when he said he had this from the start!" Alistair and looked back at Calle, surprised by his acknowledgement of this. A dark light transcended upon the field, reducing the static electricity around Orin's monsters to nothing more than a fading spark, crashing down upon both creatures at once and swallowing them whole. Vanishing only to reappear on Shotei's field, the light brought forth a slithering woman, her poisonous tail a charcoal black lined with green stripes that symbolized the danger she brought forth. Spawning two arms on both sides, her might and royalty were evident by the jewels and crown that adjourned her being, and her presence brought a frightening feel to the room. "Whoa, it can't be! The challenger has enough firepower on the field to win the duel! Is it possible that our Champion could be beaten in just a single turn?!" Frightened at the cost of his failure in putting on a good show, the MC tried to save face with the crowd, but there were no boos nor cheers; the fans were fixated on the might that stood in front of them, in disbelief by the duelist's very presence. Something felt different. "That beast, there is something about her that makes me...what would you humans call it...uneasy. I don't understand it, but I sense this is not a normal being." Tres said. Calle was almost off-put by the fact that the Spirit had any comments on it at all, but he felt the same way. The fact that the entire room had become fixated on it was more than enough; it was like the monster's presence had drawn them out of the excitement of the duel and now they were just too stunned to react, one way or another. [spoiler=Reptilliane Vaskii] LV8/DARK Reptile / Effect Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Can only be Special Summoned by Tributing 2 monsters with 0 ATK from anywhere on the field. Once per turn, you can destroy 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. 2600/0[/spoiler] “Now let’s finish this, Orin Shiruji,” Shotei beckoned the queen to his bidding. “Vaskii, end this at once! My two beasts eliminate his Life Points! Shadow Venom Blast!” Orin’s Life Points: 0 --- It was over. Just like that. No sooner had he seen the attack fired in his direction, did he find himself on the ground in a state of shock. He could almost hear, as strange as it sounded, the sound of the crowd’s silence. He, Orin Shiruji, the National Champion beaten in a matter of minutes. His reputation had been completely destroyed, people had seen this happen, it wasn’t some kind of illusion. As bad as it was, he couldn’t shake the feeling of fear he’d experienced when he looked into that monster’s eyes. It all felt so...dark. Such a simple term, but the only thing he could see as a fitting description. When the smoke cleared, Shotei was no longer on the stage. Calle and Tres had both noticed the same thing in the midst of it all, no doubt about it. Before taking his exit the man had made sure to look in his direction, offering nothing but a nod of recognition. I have no idea what it meant, but I saw it, beyond a shadow of a doubt. “I felt it, too. It was as though that look, he wanted to keep it hidden. So that while he singled you out, he wasn’t seen by any of the others.” He must be with them. Calle replied. The Four Star Siege. It’s the only reasonable explanation for all of this. But this had added tons of complexity to the whole thing. Before it was like they were targeting Beatrice directly, but now they had gotten invlved with the general public. There was no mistake about it – the ‘spectacle’ just now was done solely to demonstrate their capabilities. Shotei must have been a part of The Four Star Siege. --- While his mind wandered in the distance, Calle was surprised and brought back to reality as Beatrice walked up behind him. Standing in the hallway nearby after excusing himself to get a breath of fresh air, the kids had remained behind at the table, as the MC desperately scrambled to restore a sense of normalcy to the place. As unexpected as her arrival was, it had nothing on the words she was about to speak. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said. “But he is not one of them. I’m certain of it.” Without turning to face her, he felt his eyes widen in shock. Her knowledge of The Four Star Siege was a subject on which he had hardly any information, but she knew something. “I’m not sure, however, whether this is a good thing or a bad thing,” she replied. “It’s unmistakable that this scene just now was done intentionally to send a message. I consider it widely received, but the Four Star Siege would certainly have chosen a route that made them far less noticed. Shotei revealing himself right off the bat ruled out any chance of there being a connection.” “So what you’re saying is,” he concluded, unhappy with his findings. “We may have more than one enemy on our hands. This is really going to mess with the training process.” He sighed. The more wrinkled this situation became, the more danger it meant for the kids. They had improved drastically in a dire time, but he had no idea what they were up against. Beatrice went to respond, but Calle cut her short, grabbing her arm and pushing her out of the way just in the nick of time as a ball of molten flame burst through the wall less than three feet from where they were standing. --- He’d noticed the pulsing energy increasing by the second just moments before it struck. Beatrice came to as Calle got to his feet standing in front of her, shielding her from whatever attack was about to follow. “There’s three of them, the blast was fired by the one on the right, who also appears to be the largest of the three,” Tres said quickly. Calle closed his eyes and zoned in on their energy pressure. Grateful for Tres’ quick reaction time, he unsheathed his sword, pressing his hand against the blade and awaiting the next move. "Calle, what is going on?" Beatrice demanded, trying to keep herself calm despite the initial shock. "That attack - where did it come from?!" "Listen, why don't you go check on the kids?" He asked, grasping the handle of his sword and speaking to Beatrice directly while not looking in her direction. His entire focus was on those outside. "You'll only be in my way here, and I'd rather not cause a scene." "But I -" She interrupted; should she stay? She would be of no use to him in her condition, and this area was far too small for her to engage an enemy in battle. Begrudgingly, she hurried back to the main hall, where thankfully the people hadn't been stirred from the explosion. "That's more like it," he said. "All the respect in the world for that woman, I suppose, but man she can be an annoyance. What do you say we bring the fight to them before they have the chance to bring it to us?" "Seeing as you're the one in control, I suppose I couldn't disagree even if I wanted to," Tres replied jokingly. "But I'm on board. Let's do it." Perhaps it was a bit unorthodox, but there were too many people in there to risk allowing whoever was behind the attacks to do any significant damage. Taking the time to formulate a plan would only give them more of an opportunity to do so. "Slice of the Howling Winds!" Leaving through the opening they'd formed in the wall, Calle swung his sword outwards, releasing a scythe-shaped blast of energy up into the air, not directly aiming for one thing or another. One of three targets, it seemed had not been expecting his move to come so quickly, and thus barely dodged it. But being out in the open air, he confirmed Tres' comments. There were in fact three of them. He couldn't see them directly as the darkness provided a shield for them, but they were there alright. "Well well, it would appear this was easier than expected." The first one to speak, a young woman, stepped out of the shadows atop the building, her flowing hair a bluish-green color, completely contradictory to the crimson-red armor that covered her chest and her lower body, leaving her entire torso exposed. A whip sat at her side, marked with strange symbols he couldn't identify off hand. "Indeed, so this is the one," the second voice said. This one belonged to a man, probably around the same age as the girl. With intentionally tattered clothes, he brandished a sword at his side, the handle of which appeared to be a coiled snake. He was covered with a purple vest, marked with the same strange markings. "He's got a nice shot, I'll give him that. Nearly clipped my jacket," the third and final voice said, this one also a man's voice, although very condescending in tone. The majority of his face was covered by a cloak attached to his jacket, and black seemed to be his color of choice, with the exception of the white markings along the left and right sides of his jacket that mirrored those of the others. "This is different," Calle said, glancing around from one end of the building to another to see all three of them. "I'm surrounded, and it looks like the plan to catch them off guard failed entirely." "Of course it did, don't be so naive," the girl replied with a sinister laugh. "You never stood a chance. But please, I'm aware it's quite rude to approach an enemy without proper introductions, so allow us to introduce ourselves. To my right here is Rais," she smiled, pointing to the man clad in purple. "His color choice might not look the most intimidating, but he's skilled in the art of poison and with just one touch of his sword, he can render your entire body useless." "To my left is Shadow," she pointed to the other man, who flashed a smile. "Such a fitting name for a warrior skilled in the dark arts. The darkness is his battle ground, and he stands unmatched against any opponent. And myself, I am Alexandra, the Crimson Maiden. A master of fire arts with the ability to burn even the strongest of warriors to a crisp." In unison, they spoke placing their hands together. "Together, we are the Blaster Axis!" --- “Such a strange-looking group of people,” Calle mumbled. But there’s no doubt about it. They’re extremely strong. The levels of energy I’m sensing even from this distance are incredible. Their motives were a mystery, but one thing was certain; there was no way he could take on the three of them on his own. “They’ve chosen to reveal themselves to us in the flesh, name and all,” Tres noted. “That means either one of two things; either they’re extremely foolish for blowing their cover or they’re confident enough in their abilities to kill us that it doesn’t matter whether or not we know of their whereabouts.” Based on the situation, Calle was going to assume the latter. And that wasn’t a good thing. Were they connected to Shotei? They had to be, at least in some way. The girl, Alexandra, appeared to be the leader, but not the strongest. It was the one introduced to him as Rais that he sensed the most danger in. “Blaster Axis, eh? I’ve never heard of such a group,” he said. “Tell me, why are you here? What is it you’re hoping to gain by destroying this place?” Rais stepped forward, much to Alexandra’s surprise. “Destroying this place? Trust me if that were our intention it would’ve been done before any of you could see it coming.” He wasn’t exaggerating. They had been here since the start of the evening and only allowed their presence to be felt when necessary. In other words, they had intentionally allowed Calle to discover them. “He’s right,” Shadow confirmed, his tone soft and low, never wanting to speak more than absolutely necessary. He preferred to keep to himself. Even his team-mates were surprised to hear him speak. “We have come here specifically for you, Calle Anden. We are here to extend our invitations.” Invitations? “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, sweat dripping down the sides of his hands as he held his sword tight. He couldn’t tell if they were planning another attack or what their next move would be at all. “The three of you are always going about things in the most hostile of manners. Seriously, have you learned nothing from me?” All three of them froze up as the figure behind the voice stepped out from the shadows. Shotei. And suddenly Calle wasn’t all that surprised at all. “Please, forgive their idiocy. They were merely following orders, albeit poorly,” Shotei explained. “It appears hostility is their solution to everything; the art of illusion is lost within their ranks. My name is Shotei, and I’m aware you already know this. Calle Anden, I am here to extend invitation to you and your underlings. An invitation…to the Grand Thunder Clash.” The Grand Thunder Clash? What in the world is that? “With all due respect, I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you. No reason not to be honest here. I have no idea what you’re talking about and I’m not about to put them in harm’s way.” “Completely understandable,” Shotei replied with a smile. “The way in which we’re meeting is certainly not the ideal circumstance, but I assure you this is something to consider. There’s nothing forcing you to do so, but the Grand Thunder Clash is the first of its kind, a major combat tournament featuring the best teams from all around the world. Using power level and skill as the determining factors, requests have been sent out. The students under your tutelage, while inexperienced, possess great power. And on top of that, you might find the answers that you seek will become much clearer by doing so. As I said, this is entirely optional. But it’s something to consider.” He turned to face him. “And turning it down would probably not be in the best interest of all parties involved.” To be continued...[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 Just bumping this up...:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomflyingobjects Posted July 26, 2013 Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 Blaster Axis, huh? That's a strange name, but not the strangest I've heard. For the duel, it was exactly like I thought. Shotei would use some simple, yet devastating combo that would quickly defeat Orin. There wasn't much surprise there. The only thing I didn't like was how Andrea has a few awkward phrases in there ("Wait, someone fill me in, I'm totally lost!"), out of character (or so I thought). It would be a little better to have a subtle confusion than an all-out thing like that. And you also had a lot of exclamation points in there. I like where this arc is going, with the whole tournament thing. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 Blaster Axis, huh? That's a strange name, but not the strangest I've heard. For the duel, it was exactly like I thought. Shotei would use some simple, yet devastating combo that would quickly defeat Orin. There wasn't much surprise there. The only thing I didn't like was how Andrea has a few awkward phrases in there ("Wait, someone fill me in, I'm totally lost!"), out of character (or so I thought). It would be a little better to have a subtle confusion than an all-out thing like that. And you also had a lot of exclamation points in there. I like where this arc is going, with the whole tournament thing. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. The duel wasn't supposed to be a huge one. While we won't see any duels in this arc, I've always been of the mindset that duels are best when used sparingly, because they mean more. I know Umbra feels similarly, and that's why I don't just throw out duels every other Chapter. Most of the time, when duels happen in Accel, they happen because there's a logical reason for them to happen. If that makes any sense. Regarding Andrea's character, she's a bit fiery, but she's also a girl and she's also easily frustrated sometimes, so it only makes sense, you know? I'm not trying to have her be extremely intense all of the time, you know? They're out for the evening and she's into the duel, but she's also confused, so she's "angry" and frustrated at the same time. That's the best way I can try to explain it, I think. The exclamation points (when the MC was talking) were done because, well, that's what MC's do, they yell. But yeah, I'm extremely excited about this arc, especially because I've already finished the next few episodes and I love where it's going. Right now Umbra's actually busy with work so I've been handling most of this myself, but I'm enjoying it - I'm hoping we'll eventually get some more readers back too, but for now just going to continue writing the best I can. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 [spoiler=Episode 15: The Battle Begins! Introductions!] When last we joined our heroes, upon the cusp of what was supposed to be a relaxing night out at a private dinner party, things didn't go quite as planned. After witnessing a duel between the Duel Monsters National Champion Orin Shiruji and a strange new adversary by the name of Shotei, Calle, Beatrice, and the kids themselves were stunned as the Champion was crushed in just one turn by Shotei's Reptilliane Vaskii, a monster born from the darkness itself. With the duel's conclusion, Calle and Beatrice were attacked by a group calling themselves the Blaster Axis, but before a battle could truly break out, Shotei made his second appearance of the evening, telling the group to fall back and inviting Calle and the kids to participate in a tournament called the Grand Thunder Clash that would be the ultimate test of their combat against some of the strongest teams in the world! Now, one week after these events, we rejoin them. After lots of thinking and serious discussion with the kids despite Calle's initial hesitation, they have decided to accept Shotei's invitation. Despite the fact that there are some serious potential risks, the most being the fact that the kids would stand no chance against teams on the level of the Blaster Axis, they needed to find out more information about their enemies and Beatrice insisted it would be an excellent training exercise. As we rejoin them now, their flight is about thirty minutes from landing down on the site of this competition - Rirous Island. --- Episode 15: The Battle Begins! Introductions! "At this point it would appear there's no going back, but I must say this should be a very ideal challenge." Calle sat in silence, staring out the window of the aircraft as they were just minutes away from landing down on the island at this point. He was still struggling in his head to convince himself that allowing them to go along with the decision was the right one. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was way out of the kids' league. But the other part of him knew they were determined and the toughness and pride they possessed would be a significant factor. As soon as they'd heard about the competition, all four of them had gladly accepted; but he still didn't know. His stomach was in knots. I'm not doubting whether or not it's going to be ideal. But ever since the events of Terrance's attack, we haven't had the chance to do much training at all. The advancements they've made up to this point have been from being thrust right into the center of a battle and having no choice but to tap into their inner powers. "Precisely why I think this could be a beneficial thing for them," Tres said. "They are going up against much tougher opponents, meaning they will have the opportunities to master their techniques that they've learned thus far and then some. Besides, if it's a competition, I can't imagine that anyone's going to be killed or seriously hurt - it's likely those in charge would put an end to the individual fight before it got to that point." I guess you're right. Calle acknowledged it. But still, nothing was going to calm his nerves. The circumstances which had brought about their invitation were just too shady for him to think that this was a good idea. “I’m excited,” Alistair declared, seated on the outer isle just one seat behind Calle. While they didn’t say so directly, the looks’ of the others suggested they shared the sentiment. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to do any training, but this is an unrestricted environment. All I gotta do is go out there and give it my all and then some. Duelin’ is a thrill for sure, but this should be a step above that. I’m ready to fight!” “Well it has been about a month, I guess enough time has passed that you can get yourself beaten down again,” Skylar quipped, staring out the window across the way. “It doesn’t make a difference to me, I’m coming out of this the victor.” “What makes you think you’re gonna win?” Andrea asked. “I’d be surprised if you even made it to the second round, especially after how badly I beat you down the first time we fought!” Skylar no sold her comments with a smirk. “I’ve got to admit,” Damien added. “I’m looking forward for the chance to try out my skills on a bigger level. This is different than what we’re used to, but there’s no better way to learn then being right in the middle of it.” “Listen to me,” Calle demanded his voice not full of the same excitement that the others shared. Beatrice’s ears perked up as she heard him address the kids, but she didn’t say a word. She was merely here to observe; they’d learned the rules of the tournament – a team based competition – would require a skilled fighter to lead the team, and thus having Calle in that role would better their chances of winning. This would produce the results she’d finally been awaiting. “I get it, you’re all amped for this, and in some ways I am too,” he said, grabbing their attention. Something about the way he was speaking and the emotion hidden within his voice commanded their full attention and then some. “Don’t forget, I’ve been in some very real battles myself, the likes of which I won’t get into here and now. The decision to enter this tournament was not one made with one-hundred percent confidence. While we believe in all of you, these teams we’ll be facing are anything but on our level. In fact, there are five teams total including ours and it’s without a doubt truth that they’re all stronger than we are.” Alistair turned his head to the side, trying not to show disappointment. Talk about a mood killer. “But,” Calle said, his lips curling to form a smile. “There’s a reason we were chosen to partake in this competition over the likes of other teams that might be more skilled than we are. Whatever that reason is, now that we’ve accepted the challenge it doesn’t matter. We’re here now, and that means now instead of wondering why they chose us, we’ll show them that not choosing us would’ve been a mistake.” “You mean….” Andrea said, teary-eyed, not that she’d ever admit to it. “You actually think there’s a chance we can win?” She was shaking as she spoke, trying to stop herself from sobbing uncontrollably at the same time. These words were coming from the same man who she’d instantly hated, from the moment he stepped off the aircraft that brought him to the facility and they found out he would be their trainer. But not only had he taught them that they had plenty to learn, he’d risked his life to save all of them. In part, she figured she hated him so much because she couldn’t handle the thought that she was weak, so anger was the initial response. But now, now she realized that she could be just as fierce a warrior as the rest of them, because she was going to surpass them all. “Crying already?” Skylar asked. “You haven’t even lost yet. Hmph.” “I wasn’t crying!” She exclaimed, wiping her eyes. “It’s jet lag, really wearing out my eyes is all!” Right… Skylar stared out the window; the clouds, they had begun to form a familiar face. Off in the distance, of course, he thought he could still see her, smiling at him from wherever it was she’d gone to. In some ways, Andrea drew a strong correlation. He was the first to fall when Terrance and his armies attacked, he was unable to fight alongside his...comrades – the word didn’t seem to fit, but at the same time brought him a comfort he would deny – whereas Andrea had been able to defeat one of those things all on her own. The same girl who couldn’t dodge a simple strike of his Seishin kyota in their first fight...she’d come a long way in a short time. I wonder when you’re out there watching over me, I wonder what you see. I’ve never put my trust in anyone but you, and yet through my memories of you, I seem to...to trust them. It feels like their lives matter to me. It’s a strange feeling, but I can only imagine you’d feel the same way, wouldn’t you? “It’s true you may not all see eye to eye with one another, but like it or not we’re a team,” Calle said. “I know the battle with Terrance forced you into situations that may not have been your first choice, but you worked together and fought through it, and at the same time developed bonds that you tried so hard to prevent. Life is about making the most of every day, and building friendships that will last an eternity...and then some.” He remembered his old friends, alright. The ones who sacrificed their lives for those they held closest. It was at that moment he realized just how important this tournament really was. It wasn’t just about winning – there was something he couldn’t teach them in training that the Grand Thunder Clash would teach them all. “It may be single battles but remember – we’re fighting for the sake of our team! My job is to train all of you to become the best you can be, but spilling out instructions is quite the boring way. So your next task...” He paused, confident in his mind now that this had been the right decision, for all of them. “Your next task is to emerge from the Grand Thunder Clash victorious!” He put his hand out into the center aisle, and one by one, starting with Andrea and finishing with a very hesitant Skylar, they closed their eyes and smiled. “We might have our own reasons for wanting to become strong, but that’s our common goal – we all want to become strong. And that’s why we’re gonna win this.” “Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Alistair said thrusting his arm into the air. “Seconded, we got this!” Andrea smiled. “None of those teams will stand a chance!” Damien added. “Just make sure none of you lose,” Skylar said. “After all, it’d be no fun if I was the only one representing our team in the finals.” --- Meanwhile...inside the Stadium packed with thousands upon thousands of excited fans, ready for the first day’s festivities to begin, the Master of Ceremonies takes center stage, prepared to introduce all five of the teams that will be competing in this most prestigious of events! “Ladies and gentlemen, ARE YOU READY?!” Thunderous roars of excitement boomed throughout the open-air stadium as the cameras panned throughout the crowd, showing the excitement on the faces of fans both young and old. “What we are about to witness is the penultimate battle between the five strongest teams the world has to offer! Over the next two days, we will see a series of one-on-one battles with any and all winners earning a sum of points for their team! After these battles have commenced, we will move to a series of two on two battles, and then the two teams with the most points will battle it out to decide the victor! Anyone defeated in a two-on-two battle WILL be eliminated from the competition!” “With that out of the way, I ask once again, ARE YOU READY?!” The fans burst into cheers again. “Then without further ado, it’s time to meet the teams competing! First off, they are one of the most skilled combo-based teams and masters of spell Rakurai, they are Team Star Gate!!” The fans continued to cheer as the first announced team stepped out of the entranceway. Led by a beautiful middle-aged woman with bright blue hair, who despite her age looked young enough to fit in with the rest of them, Star Gate took to the field. From right to left, a dazzlingly gorgeous girl, her hair a snow-white, short, mushroom-cut style, spun around a chain in her right hand. To her left was a girl with dark brown hair, and a boy who bared a similar resemblance. One of them wielded a halberd while the other, the boy, had no weapon. At the end of the line was a slightly older man, holding a sharpened lance in his hand. “From right to left, the team’s Leader, the beautifully youthful Rain Hiroshi!” He paused for cheers. “And her underlings, the team itself, the mysterious Kissana Violet, the famed twins Tenjo and Tenja Ikaruma, and finally the brawn of the team, Luke Archer! Together they form Star Gate!!!” “Secondly, I present to you the next team in this competition; they are well-known around the world as one of the most ruthless, destructive group of warriors ever assembled, the Blaster Axis!” Calle grimaced as the team stepped out onto the field, with his own team still waiting in the wings. Lead by the cunning Shotei, the devastatingly powerful group which had ‘invited’ them to this tournament in the first place, took to the field. “From left to right once again! We have the team’s leader, the expert tactician, Shotei Miruno! And at his side, the Crimson Maiden Alexandra! The mysteriously dark Shadow, and last but not least, he’s just as dangerous – if not more – than he looks, with the ability to render even the strongest opponent powerless, the poison master Rais!” “Thirdly, I welcome to you a team notorious for their incredible skill on the battlefield! With the mighty Voltaire at its helm, the R-Team!” The man leading them to the field caught Calle’s attention instantly. His face was covered by a red veil, leaving only his eyes visible to those who wished to see him, but what caught him was the immense magical presence he carried. He was followed by a boy with bright blue hair wielding a pair of nun chucks, a girl who appeared as temperamental if not more than Andrea with flowing green hair almost down to her shoulders, weaponless, a tall, bald man with the most muscular figure he’d seen in the longest team, and armor that somehow resembled that of Ancient Roman fighters, and lastly a stunning girl wielding a pair of katanas, the holsters of which matched the sleek silver of her hair. “Joining the Leader, the speedy Daisuke Ritos, able to outrun even the fastest of enemies! The menacing Leah Mikami, just as frighteningly ruthless as she is beautiful! The team’s strength and a master of the ground itself, Clay Pischoto! And finally, the unmatched in both skill and beauty, Angel Shiro!” “What’s this...it would appear that the fourth of five teams has yet to arrive to the Stadium!” The crowd booed as the MC appeared to panic, receiving instructions through the headset while looking around frantically. “There’s no need to worry though! They were not scheduled for competition on Day One anyway, so as long as they make it here before the day is over there won’t be any problems! With that said, I’ll introduce you to the fifth and final team!” “That’s our cue,” Calle said, nodding at the others as they did the same. “The newest team and undoubtedly the underdogs of this competition, led by Grand Championship Duel Monsters finalist Calle Anden, can the duelist extraordinaire translate his impressive duel skills into the field of combat?! It’s Team Wind Gear!” Following Calle, they stepped out, dressed up a bit...different than usual for the occasion. Skylar, notably, was sporting a lengthy trench coat, black with gold lines along the sides. He stood with confidence, as did the others. Even Alistair had changed up the look a bit, though the hat was still very much intact. The Aussie-style jacket had been replaced by a black vest covering his white undershirt, complemented by silver armor along both sides of his arms. Damien and Andrea hadn’t changed much, but their confidence was all too clear. All of them were ready for a fight. “Wind Gear’s Skylar, Alistair Maelstrom, and brother and sister duo, Damien and Andrea Tistro!” “We’re just moments away from the first round of this battle, and it’s all action from there ladies and gentlemen! May the best team win! Best of luck to you all! Let’s hear it for the competition!” The crowd roared one last time at the MC’s request, allowing the cameras to pan around and grab footage of all the teams, save for the fifth one which hadn’t arrived yet. Everyone was ready. --- “You seem perplexed, is everything alright?” Tres asked as Calle took a deep breath, seated on the bench inside the stadium hallway, just outside the room where the kids were getting ready. There was the possibility that any of them could be called upon to compete in the opening match. The truth was, while he was confident, the fact that one of the teams hadn’t yet arrived left him with an uneasy feeling. With the introductions, all of the teams had gotten the opportunity to at least look at and familiarize themselves with the opponents they could potentially face. This other team, by not partaking, remained completely hidden. In other words, they knew what they were up against, but the teams themselves had no idea. I’ll be fine. Just a bit uneasy. I think the pressure’s on. He replied. Hearing footsteps, he looked up from his seat. Walking towards him was the man the MC had identified as Voltaire, the leader of the R-Team. His face was still concealed, but his eyes met Calle’s. “Perhaps we could speak for a moment?” Voltaire requested. His voice appeared different than his exterior would suggest. Deeper, older even. Something wise to it. Calle nodded. “What is it, exactly?” Voltaire took a breath, then began to speak. --- “And with that ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for our first round to begin! Please, direct your eyes to the screen as the first random pairing will be revealed!” More cheers as random images of all the competitors flashed across the screen, from Wind Gear, R-Team, Blaster Axis and Star Gate. They’d come to learn that while all the competitors would be competing tomorrow as well, the yet-unknown team would not be added into the mix until tomorrow. “So the first matchup begins! It’s...” The first image stopped. And then the second. SKYLAR [Wind Gear] vs. TENJO IKARUMA [Star Gate] “Looks like you’re up,” Calle said, but Skylar was one step ahead of him. Watching from in the stands, Beatrice sat in a skybox, along with the others like her, watching their teams and Leaders prepare to do battle. Victory would bring about bragging rights, but also recognition. Something they all wanted to achieve for their own reasons. She was confident in Skylar. “Well, looks like we’re in luck. We’ll start things off with a lead in the points,” he said, not concerned in the slightest about his opponent. Allowing himself to worry would only weaken him on the battlefield. “You could probably learn a thing or two out there,” he said, looking not at Calle but at the others. “Hey,” Andrea called out, and he stopped, turning to face her. “You better not lose out there. It’d be awful embarrassing if I win my fight, but you lose yours, don’t you think?” “Heh. Not gonna happen.” “Alright, let’s go into the stands,” Calle ordered. Here’s hoping he’s got a better grasp on his power than the last time. Because there’s no telling how far these teams will go to win, and at this point I can’t intervene. Whether or not they made the right choice, it didn’t matter now. The Grand Thunder Clash had begun. To be continued...[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Let's cheer you up with my semi-regular review of chapters I feel needed reviewing. Firstly I wanna talk about 13 and 14: The duel in those is actually my favourite duel of any duel you've ever done. I actually liked how you used a real card for the finishing, and it felt a lot like the duels Matt used to do. Which are the sort of duels I love the most in fiction. So that was a plus. Nextly, the latest chapter: It was alright. I was expecting some kind of training chapter before the actual entering the tournament (Given you even said a week passed), or at least them debating properly over the decision of whether to enter or not. But I guess it kept the chapter flowing better. I had an issue with the end of it, namely introducing two of the other teams at once. It's a lot of names to remember in one chapter, and makes them individually standing out a lot harder. I would've preferred something like one of the other teams being introduced somewhere that wasn't the grand announcement in like a training chapter, and then the third team. It might seem like the thing with Blaster Axis, but you could've had a more friendly team as it were, and it would let you make the teams seem more distinct. I'm assuming that one of the teams will be some kind of ally, and Blaster Axis will be the bad guys of the arc. Blaster Axis will kill someone from the ally's, and then Calle and co will get vengance or something like that. That's my prediction of the arc at least. But yeah, things were alright actually. Some room for improvement, but nothing I'm outright disappointed by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Let's cheer you up with my semi-regular review of chapters I feel needed reviewing. Firstly I wanna talk about 13 and 14: The duel in those is actually my favourite duel of any duel you've ever done. I actually liked how you used a real card for the finishing, and it felt a lot like the duels Matt used to do. Which are the sort of duels I love the most in fiction. So that was a plus. :D Thanks! I was trying to add a sense of realism and there wasn't much of a need to create cards for that scenario, so I'm glad that worked out. There won't be many duels in this Arc, but when we do get back to them I'll make sure to keep that in mind. Nextly, the latest chapter: It was alright. I was expecting some kind of training chapter before the actual entering the tournament (Given you even said a week passed), or at least them debating properly over the decision of whether to enter or not. But I guess it kept the chapter flowing better. I had an issue with the end of it, namely introducing two of the other teams at once. It's a lot of names to remember in one chapter, and makes them individually standing out a lot harder. I would've preferred something like one of the other teams being introduced somewhere that wasn't the grand announcement in like a training chapter, and then the third team. It might seem like the thing with Blaster Axis, but you could've had a more friendly team as it were, and it would let you make the teams seem more distinct. I'm assuming that one of the teams will be some kind of ally, and Blaster Axis will be the bad guys of the arc. Blaster Axis will kill someone from the ally's, and then Calle and co will get vengance or something like that. That's my prediction of the arc at least. But yeah, things were alright actually. Some room for improvement, but nothing I'm outright disappointed by. That's not to say there won't be training, but I didn't think that was something that really needed to be covered. When you take into consideration the fact that this Arc is going to be quite lengthy (at least 15-20 chapters) because of all the tournament matches that will be going on, I wanted to make sure that anything that was unimportant in terms of details would be left out. As far as it goes with the introduction of the characters (teams) all-in-one, I agree that might not have been the best way to do it, but I wanted to get to work on the actual story of the Arc and dedicating two Chapters to just introductions didn't seem necessary. On the plus side, you'll learn more about teams and their individual members as the fights continue (like in 16, which is already done and will be posted tomorrow), so there's that. I left out the last team for now because their introduction will come a bit later in the arc. Umbra's been extremely busy with work so I've been going at this alone for a bit. While I understand it's not perfect, I do appreciate all the critiques and I'll do my best to improve in those areas. I think the fights will more than make up for some of the lull that's gone on for the past couple of Chapters, so stay tuned for that and as always, appreciate the feedback mate! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomflyingobjects Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Like Barty said, the names were sort of all thrown out there, but then again, that's how it is in real-life competitions. Story-wise, teams usually are introduced more in-depth earlier on if they mean something, but then again, the characters not knowing anything about their enemies makes them seem a bit more out of place. If the characters were stuck in a competition with all their rivals from throughout the series, it seems like they were meant to join, but this way, it makes our heroes strangers. I'm not sure that's exactly what was going through your mind when you wrote this, or if what I said even makes sense, but if you did, it works well. For the chapter, not much happened. It was a necessary part of the arc, but there wasn't much character depth explored, no fights, and no duels, so there isn't much to say for that. Andrea doesn't make much sense to me; tough girl fighting people, and then randomly becomes teary-eyed? Teary-eyed is one thing, but I wasn't really sure why. The only thing that really bugs me is the names of the people. 'Wind Gear' seems kind of odd, but it's your fic. Maybe a little explanation as to why they chose that name, because that part isn't so obvious. The only other problem was that they have an opponent named 'Sky'. It's not a bad name, but you already have a 'Skylar'. That's the same name, just three letters difference. They'd be neighbors in a dictionary. Just pointing that out. And I think that Voltaire might be from the Four Star Siege. He's important, no doubt. If not, the Four Star Seige has something to do with the team that didn't show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Like Barty said, the names were sort of all thrown out there, but then again, that's how it is in real-life competitions. Story-wise, teams usually are introduced more in-depth earlier on if they mean something, but then again, the characters not knowing anything about their enemies makes them seem a bit more out of place. If the characters were stuck in a competition with all their rivals from throughout the series, it seems like they were meant to join, but this way, it makes our heroes strangers. I'm not sure that's exactly what was going through your mind when you wrote this, or if what I said even makes sense, but if you did, it works well. For the chapter, not much happened. It was a necessary part of the arc, but there wasn't much character depth explored, no fights, and no duels, so there isn't much to say for that. Andrea doesn't make much sense to me; tough girl fighting people, and then randomly becomes teary-eyed? Teary-eyed is one thing, but I wasn't really sure why. The only thing that really bugs me is the names of the people. 'Wind Gear' seems kind of odd, but it's your fic. Maybe a little explanation as to why they chose that name, because that part isn't so obvious. The only other problem was that they have an opponent named 'Sky'. It's not a bad name, but you already have a 'Skylar'. That's the same name, just three letters difference. They'd be neighbors in a dictionary. Just pointing that out. And I think that Voltaire might be from the Four Star Siege. He's important, no doubt. If not, the Four Star Seige has something to do with the team that didn't show. Definitely understand what you're saying as far as it goes with the introduction of the Teams. Like I said, I could've done it over a few Chapters, but there was really no point. It wouldn't have made any sense to waste the space and time of another Chapter. As far as Andrea, I think her character came across as very one-dimensional. I'm going for the vibe that there's something there between her and Skylar, obviously she hates him but at the same time she's protective; it'll make more sense if I just let that play out instead of trying to explain it. What happened with Skylar and the change in his mentality means he's going to be slightly less distant. The names weren't perfect - don't forget there's been plenty of characters in the first series so the name selection isn't as easy as I'd like it to be. As for "Sky", it's a nick-name, it's not her real name; when the actual fight happens and her character gets more of an introduction, I'll use the real name to make it easier. Of course, there's a reason that's her nick-name, too. Voltaire? I can't say one way or another. Rather important plot element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomflyingobjects Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Voltaire? I can't say one way or another. Rather important plot element. Figured as much. The names weren't perfect - don't forget there's been plenty of characters in the first series so the name selection isn't as easy as I'd like it to be. As for "Sky", it's a nick-name, it's not her real name; when the actual fight happens and her character gets more of an introduction, I'll use the real name to make it easier. Of course, there's a reason that's her nick-name, too. But if there's an obvious reason, couldn't it as easily just been 'Cloud' or something along those lines? I know it might be picky, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted July 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 I'll think it over and maybe change the name to something similar, but different. Appreciate the comments. :) Anyway, it's Tuesday so here's a new Chapter! [spoiler=Episode 16: Arrogance or Brilliance?!] In the center of the jam-packed Rirous Island Stadium, the excitement in the hearts of the fans cannot be contained as the first round matchup is about to begin, and it’s sure to be a spectacle! On one side, Wind Gear’s Skylar takes the field, his face showing indifference aside from a half-smirk as his golden black jacket blows in the wind behind him, both of his hands at his side. His opponent, Star Gate’s Tenjo Ikaruma, stood steady, both of his hands at his side with his palms pressed outwards. His messy brown hair matched his all-brown outfit, a unique look but wearing that much leather was sure to catch up with him once the fight began. And now it’s time. Episode 16: Arrogance or Brilliance?! “So, Tenjo Ikaruma, is it?” Skylar asked, examining his opponent from head to toe, trying to familiarize himself with the man he’d be facing. “I can’t say that matters much to me, but it’s nice to put a name to a face. Unfortunately for you, your chances of winning this battle were immediately thrown out the window when we were paired as opponents.” “Quite the arrogant perspective, don’t you think?” Tenjo replied, gritting his teeth as he too tried to take in what he was up against. “Admittedly, I know very little about you or your team, but I take that as a reassurance. If you’re so obscure, there’s no reason to believe you pose a threat to me. Star Gate will emerge from this battle victorious, and I will ensure we get on that track by taking you down!” “Well then,” Skylar beckoned, placing his right hand at his front and motioning with two fingers for his opponent to strike. “I invite you to be the one to initiate this battle. There’s no point in continuing the conversation any further.” “I wholeheartedly agree!” Tenjo declared, vaulting off the soil and flying straight in Skylar’s direction. “And so I’ll beat you to a pulp!” Fists blazing, he went for a strike to the jaw, but Skylar flipped backwards out of the way, leaping into the air in the process. Attempting to return the favor with a kick of his own, Skylar found himself blocked, causing the sides to switch again. So, it appears he’s got some speed of his own. Catching himself in the air, Tenjo kicked off the stadium’s walls and charged headfirst, his speed drastically increasing. Skylar jumped to block it, but the boy altered his direction and struck him straight in the chest, gasping the crowd as Skylar too gasped – but for air. “And the first contact has been made!” The MC excitedly declared as Skylar tried to keep himself from falling, but to no avail as Tenjo held on with his shoulder, thrusting him straight into the ground. At the same time that they hit the ground, Skylar felt himself cough up a bit of blood, a combination of the impact and the lack of air as he crashed into the unforgiving soil. “No way, he got hit hard!” Alistair shouted, grabbing the metal railing on the balcony from which they were watching; how had someone managed to take Skylar down that fast? “That’s crazy, he matched Skylar’s speed and then topped it!” a blown-away Damien added, shocked at the sight of Skylar already being grounded. “I guess he let his arrogance get the best of him, he’ll rebound though right?” Andrea asked, turning to Calle. But their teacher said nothing, simply staring forward and watching the battle. Keep a cool head. Thinking you’re better than he is, that’s part of the trick. But at the same time you can’t let yourself get overwhelmed. The confidence you give off is meant to fool the opponent, but you can’t let it fool you, too. Remember what I told you. --- Damnit, I wasn’t expecting his speed to increase that much that fast. He hit me pretty hard, I’ve—I’ve got to keep my distance from him, at least to a point. There was no way he would be able to hit him with an arrow if he was constantly moving at that speed. “Color me impressed,” Skylar said, getting to his feet while his opponent took his distance, thinking he’d already had it won with that one strike. “That was one hell of an attack.” “I wasn’t expecting you to get back up at all,” Tenjo said, cold. “So if anything I’m the one impressed. You talk a big game, but you let yourself get knocked down so easily that I can’t take anything you say seriously.” Skylar shook his head, smiling. “You’re good, but that’s a mistake. This fight’s just getting started. Now you just look like a hypocrite.” “Heh,” he said, looking up in the stands at his sister and the others of Star Gate. Rain, their Leader, kept a stern look on her face – she would not accept his failure. Especially not to a mediocre team like this. “I’m gonna enjoy wiping that smirk off your face!” “Hey, Skylar!” Andrea shouted from the stands. Perplexed, he looked to her, and was surprised to see the look in her eyes. It was one he couldn’t quite describe with words, but it was like she was trying to...trying to tell him something. Then, borrowing a page from his playbook, she said, “Who’s the pathetic one now?” A smile lit up her youthful face. “Even your team-mates have already lost faith in you,” Tenjo mocked him, the rest of his team cheering him on unwaveringly. “Can’t say I blame them. Drop the tough guy act, I can’t believe a team like yours was even able to enter this tournament in the first place! I’m embarrassed, I feel like I’m being handed a free first-round win.” “Brother watch out!” His sister, Tenja screamed from the stands, but she was too late. Damnit, what?! The boy turned around, bewildered to see Skylar standing behind him, and ate a punch straight to the jaw that sent him half-way across the stadium. With the crowd getting behind Skylar, he kicked off the wall this time and flew across, connecting with another punch, followed with a third one that blasted Tenjo right into the stone wall, cracking it as the boy’s body ricocheted off and struck the ground. Skylar caught himself, landing on both feet, taking a second to catch his breath. “This is crazy, Skylar rebounded with his first big flurry and I didn’t even see him move a muscle!” The MC exclaimed. Alistair nearly fell over the barrier watching; that’s damn near impossible, how did he move that fast?! Now that’s more like it, Calle thought. Just keep your composure and don’t let your guard down. “That’s some impressive speed,” Tres chimed in. “I did see him move, but it became difficult to track his movements. There’s no way the crowd would’ve been able to see it. With the two of them moving at that pace, it should be interesting to see what happens next.” “You actually struck me, but how?” Tenjo asked, trying to pull himself to his feet, shaking off the pain. Don’t tell me this brat can match my speed. I didn’t sense his movements at all. His sister had seen it, but her senses were her greatest attribute. She was extremely capable in almost all of those fields, so it was no surprise she had seen it coming before he did. What he lacked in sensory perception, he made up for with his abilities. But if this was gonna be a battle of speed, he could turn it up a few notches. “Going against your own advice didn’t suit you well, did it?” Skylar asked. “Now come on, you talked a big game too, so let’s see you hold up your end of the bargain!” Skylar charged at him, and Tenjo returned the favor, the two of them striking fists. They split back, charging again and meeting the same fate. They cycled around the arena, matching each other’s speed perfectly, neither one being able to land a direct blow on the other. Switching it up, Tenjo swung his right leg for a roundhouse kick, but Skylar ducked underneath it and struck with a punch to the jaw. Tenjo rebounded, this time connecting with a punch of his own, sending Skylar back. The boy went flying downwards, and just as he’d hoped, Tenjo followed suit. He’s right in the scope. Fell for it perfectly. “{1st Stage: Seishin kyota}!” When Tenjo realized what he’d done, there was no time to move out of the way, and though Skylar had no way to brace his fall, he extended his right arm, firing an arrow of charged spiritual energy straight into Tenjo’s chest. The entire Star Gate team nearly lost it, completely stunned at the development. Calle, who had been sitting, stood up too; it was ingenious. He took the punch directly knowing that he’d try to finish him off with a second strike. And just like he knew would happen, Tenjo fell right into his trap. I wasn’t expecting him to bust out a Stage Technique yet, but this might have just sealed the victory. “How could he allow himself to get hit with such a basic trick?!” Rain stood up, maddened, and the rest of her team backed away, giving her space as they didn’t want to get on her bad side. “He should have had this battle won already; his opponent is a pathetic excuse for a fighter! But instead he’s making us look bad out there!” Brother... Tenja felt worried and off-put by Rain’s comments. He wasn’t out yet, she knew it. But still, it was like Rain cared so little about the wellbeing of the team. Skylar hit the ground unprotected, his head taking a pretty hard crash into the dirt. It hurt like hell, but he was still in the game. Across the way, Tenjo hit the ground as well, a hole torn the upper right section of his chest from where the arrow had penetrated. The Rakurai would seal it rather quickly, but he’d already lost some blood and his energy had taken a hit. “You...” Tenjo coughed multiple times, trying to catch his breath; the Rakurai was taking longer than it should to close up his wounds. “You’ve embarrassed me in front of my entire team, and the world! But don’t think that means a damn thing. I will beat you here and now, no matter what it takes do you understand me?!” Figures, the two most arrogant competitors in the tournament get paired up against one another in the first round. Calle joked. Still, it’s strange to see Skylar in an underdog position. There are so many things about this kid I just don’t understand... “Indeed, it’s amusing. I can feel a change in the air; I believe Tenjo hasn’t been fighting with his full power up to this point,” Tres said. “I expect to see the intensity of this battle kicked up.” "That's enough talking, this fight is over!" Skylar leapt across the field, determined to end it with one final blow. Making a fist with his right hand and pulling back as much as possible, he thrust his fist straight. What's this?! Tenjo grabbed it just before the blow could connect, using both of his hands. His eyes began to glow a radiant purple, and he let out a battle cry; pulsing winds struck Skylar and blasted him into the air, unbelievably. He didn't even touch me and somehow he managed to...attack! Skylar tried to steady himself, but his body was in pain, whatever that move had been, the pulsation had struck him hard. He managed to adjust his angle and try to hit him again, but simply moving tilting his head upwards, Tenjo attacked him again. There was no way to block a move he couldn't see - he couldn't get close enough to him. He gasped as he flew into the air, plummeting into the dirt. "What the heck is that, he didn't even touch him and he sent Skylar flying like a kite!" Alistair exclaimed, looking to Calle for answers. The fans, too, were watching, amazed and yet stunned by what they'd seen. The only ones watching without some kind of confusion were Star Gate themselves. In fact, among all her bravado, Rain cracked a smile. Finally, he was turning things around and using his real power. "It looks like he pushed Tenjo to his limits," Angel remarked. "I admit, I didn't think the brat would get that far. Either way, it doesn't matter, it's over now. His impulse magic will absolutely tear the kid apart." Calle stood up, walking up to the barrier himself, watching as Skylar lay on the ground, trying to catch his breath and writhing in pain. "I'm not an expert on it, but from what I can see it looks like impulse magic." "Impulse magic?" Damien asked, walking up to join them. "It's a type of power that there's very little information on," he said. "More or less, the Rakurai is controlled by the user's mind, and its strength depends on the level of control that person has over themselves in combination with their focus. If Tenjo was being thrown around constantly as we speak, he would lack the focus necessary to utilize this. But standing as far away from Skylar as he is, he can simply focus all of his energy and not have to worry about being hit in the slightest." "So what can he do? There's gotta be a way he can beat this guy," Alistair said. He'd fought alongside him; Skylar wasn't the type of guy to just let himself get shown up by another opponent, even if they were stronger. "There's got to be." Calle sighed. "I'm not sure there is. Well, I shouldn't say that outright," he explained. "There is a way, but it's highly risky. And I don't know if his body can handle it." "You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting, are you?" Tres asked. Calle nodded. "It would be incredibly risky, but if the circumstances called for it and he was able to unlock his 2nd Stage, he might be able to draw the power necessary to win." There was so much untapped energy stored up inside the boy, but his ability to use it had proven to be not so great in the past. Still... --- Skylar stood once more, his body noticeably wounded. He was breathing heavily, and Tenjo could sense that the few attacks he'd used had taken a lot of energy out of him. "So...you weren't fighting me at full power. I guess I shouldn't consider that a surprise," Skylar remarked, knowing full well that he wouldn't have won the fight with just one Seishin kyota. Still, he couldn't even get near him now without being knocked away. He saw it, the first time Tenjo grabbed his fist and stopped his attack, the color of his eyes had changed. Was it a stage technique? "I can tell you're wondering how I managed to turn the tables so easily," Tenjo said nonchalantly. "You see, I don't use Stage Techniques like you; Team Star Gate is expertly trained in spell Rakurai; in other words we use our power to cast and command different levels of magic energy. Mine is a power known as impulse magic." I've heard of it before; I don't know the full details, but that would explain why he was able to deflect my attacks without getting near me. "In other words, no matter what you do, you can't hope to touch me," Tenjo laughed as he spoke, grinning - he had this battle won. It had been that way from the start. "All I have to do is allow my mind to control my power, and the possibilities are limitless! Surrender to me now and I'll spare you the humiliation and pain of a crushing defeat. You see-" "That's enough," Skylar interrupted, much to his ire. "I have no desire to hear the details of your powers." Focusing his powers, Skylar's body became surrounded by a white aura, his power levels rising once again. What's he doing? If he tries to attack using Rakurai he's only going to drain more of his energy. Calle watched on, concerned. "There has to be some way to break through it, right?" He asked. "And I'm going to find out what it is! Take this!" Again he tried to strike, but ran right into another attack, this time finding it difficult to even get within a few feet of his opponent. Twice more he tried, but it was always the same. Not only did each attack hurt more than the prior, but it started to become extremely painful. He had to stay strong. "It's pointless, don't you see that?! You're only going to hurt yourself more, at this rate!" He landed on the ground, none of his strikes having any effect on his opponent's state of mind. Placing his right arm outwards, index finger extended, he built an arrow. "Let's see this! Seishin kyota!" And it fired. But like the attacks, it was blasted away by the forcefield. And he fired another, then a third, one after another all having the same result. He was running out of power. "It looks like Skylar may have lost it! All of these attacks are meaningless, and he can barely stand at this point!" The MC declared, as the fans couldn't help but feel sorry watching these pathetic attempts at a comeback. He collapsed to the ground in an instant, having fired five arrows in the process, each of them weaker than the last. The kids and even Calle gasped, wondering just why he had gone through all of his energy so quickly. But their judgment on his decisions was quickly replaced by fear for his life. Going through that much power in that amount of time would leave his body at a great risk. "I don't know what to call that, outside of a pathetic display of failure," Tenjo noted. "Our battle is over. You can no longer stand and it appears you've even lost your sanity. It was never worth my time." "And ladies and gentlemen, your winner is--" "No way..." "{2nd Stage: Wings of Thunderous Light}" In a marvelous flash, a massive column of energy struck down on Skylar's fallen body, a light so bright even the fans were forced to shield their eyes. In an instant, Calle felt the energy levels change, almost like Skylar had become two times stronger than before. Standing had become but an effortless chore, and even his body appeared to be less exhausted. There was visible energy swirling around his arms resembling a lightning bolt. "I get it now!" Calle exclaimed. "At first it wasn't making sense but I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out! Skylar knew the only way to tap into the powers of his second stage would be to completely use up every ounce of Rakurai in his body first!" What a genius. Seriously, he hadn't realized it sooner but Skylar knew what he was doing all along. He wanted those attacks to be deflected. "So you mean he..." Andrea cut herself short. "The entire time we thought he'd gone off the deep end he was really just trying to use up what was left of his power so he could get this new form! I can feel his energy from here, it's totally incredible!" "Aye, I'll second that one, this ain't the same guy we saw fighting just a few minutes ago," Alistair said. "He's so much stronger than before!" "That was an ingenious battle tactic," Damien shook his head, shocked that he of all people hadn't thought of it sooner. "He took a huge risk, there was no guarantee that it would work but it looks like that faith paid off." "I don't understand, how's the brat standing again?!" Angel declared, furious. Rain growled, but offered no words. This couldn't be... "But how, damn you!" Tenjo's sharp words echoed throughout the arena, the disbelief clear as day. "How could you have any sort of power left, let alone visible Rakurai?! I wasn't even certain you'd survive my attacks, but not only did you survive, it's like you got stronger!" Brother, how could he have overcome your magic? I don't understand this. Tenja reached out to to her brother, a telekinetic ability that ran in their family's bloodlines. In essence, they could communicate without having to speak aloud. I...I don't know... Tenjo's hands were shaking; he couldn't come to terms with it. Perhaps I...she hesitated, looking around to see if anyone was watching. This was a risky move, but if she could be of some kind of help, perhaps it was in their best interest. Besides, it she was subtle about it, no one would see. She placed her hands together, forming a small red sphere. Closing her eyes to concentrate, she released it into the air. The pressure senses would surely distract him long enough for Tenjo to regain advantage. "H--hey, what's that chick doing over there?" Andrea asked, grabbing Calle's arm and pointing to the orb the girl had released into the sky. "That thing, you see it?" "I do," Calle nodded. The others looked along with him. It would've been impossible to miss it, the move was specifically designed to release large amounts of spiritual energy, a distraction and nothing more. So they're interfering already...it would appear someone's quite concerned. "Shouldn't you say something?" Andrea persisted. "I mean come on, I don't like him either, but this is totally against the rules! Not to mention terrible sportsmanship, that broad," she crossed her arms. The nerve of that girl interfering, if anyone was gonna beat Skylar at some point it would be her. Looks like the teenage girl instinct in her is still alive and well, Calle sighed. Still, I'll stay out of it. At this point, we've got to see what Skylar's new technique can do. He's making his move! Tenja warned. Skylar was staring at the ground, and his stance didn't change as he drew a circle in the air with his right hand, a white line trailing along with it. Tenjo kept a strong stance as well, aware of his sister's assistance but wondering why Skylar hadn't been distracted by it - was his focus just that tight? Did he really not see it? "Lightning Wing Slash!" He clapped his hands, and suddenly what had once been an empty circle became filled with an electric charge, rocketing upwards into the sky and obliterating Tenja's creation in seconds. There was so much force behind the attack, she could barely remain in place. Even the crowd sitting on that side was caught off-guard. What no way! Tenjo exclaimed. He did see it! He saw it from the second it happened but gave us the illusion otherwise! Just what kind of fighter was this guy? What kind of human nearly dies and then gets up two times stronger? "Whoa! I've got no idea what the strange object up in the sky was just now, but in what could best be described as a brilliant display of power, the newly-recharged Skylar just put on a show!" The MC declared excitedly; officials were scurrying around in the background attempting to find the source of the outside interference. This was live on TV, they couldn't risk something so unprofessional being noticed. Skylar nodded, much to Tenjo's displeasure. "Should we address the elephant in the room or is it best to just let it go un-noticed?" He smirked. "You know, this is an interesting fight for me. While I admit this whole tournament happened so fast, my difficulty comes not from playing the role of the underdog, but because I just don't understand you." The boy was unsure how to respond, his frustration was growing but with Skylar keeping his distance, there was no way he could strike him with impulse magic. And if he got within range of the lightning attack, he was done for. He had no choice but to listen. "I never make my intentions public, it portrays weakness. But every warrior has something which he strives to achieve, this is a fact that holds true no matter the person," he said. "When you watch a warrior fight, you begin to understand his purpose, even if you don't grasp it fully, you respect them because you know they're fighting for something, just like you are. Whether it's to become stronger, or to avenge a fallen comrade, or even those fighting on the side of darkness...there's still a reason. But with you, I can't read it, I can't sense it at all. It's like you're so empty inside, your entire purpose of fighting is nonexistent. And if you have no reason to fight..." He paused, drawing a second circle with his index finger. Again the light charged and compressed, forming an electric beam. The crowd stood from their seats, anxiously awaiting what looked to be another spectacle. "...You have no reason to risk everything to win!" Stepping backwards as his power levels continued to surge at crazy amounts, Skylar pushed his palm outwards, and the beam released itself, a massive stream of electrostatic energy. Brother, you have to dodge! Now! I can't! I can't move! I'm frozen in place! He tried to leap, and at the last second managed to get his feet off the ground, but as he did, the beam changed its trajectory, following him up into the sky. "Moving into the sky? I imagine there would've been a better plan of attack, after all, since my Lightning Wing Slash hones in on its target once the circle is drawn, there's really nowhere for you to move!" Tenjo's eyes widened with fear. "I guess you could call this a sort of impulse magic, too. Like the Wings of the Holy Thunder Dragon, I fly forward without fear! Once I've struck a target, I'll see it through to the end! This is the might of Lightning Wing Slash! Now fall, this battle is done!" It took a second, but he'd figured it out, what Skylar's words had meant. By jumping into the sky, he'd only increased the velocity and acceleration of the attack. He'd only made it stronger. He'd sealed his own fate. And as the light struck him, the last thing he saw before crashing to the ground in a crumbled heap was the disappointed look on his Master's face. He'd failed her. --- "Ladies and gentlemen, your winner of the First Round! Team Wind Gear's Skylar!" "Aye mate, you got it!" Alistair shouted, amazed by the whole scene. "I may not like him much, but I can't deny the skill," Damien said. "Looks like he's set the bar pretty high for our performances." Andrea smiled, looking down at the field. "He did it. That's one step closer to me getting my revenge!" But it's nice to know he's alright... "I gotta say, he managed to get a hang of that technique real quick," Calle said. "Well done. He's still got plenty to learn but I guess it's true what they say, in a moment of desperation you can do the unthinkable." Do the unthinkable... Tres echoed the words. I know so little about humans, but in my short time here I've been amazed on more than one occasion. Truthfully, these kids don't stand a chance. But something inside me...perhaps it's impulse...tells me we might have a chance. "We're gonna take a ten minute break to clean up around the area and get the participants some medical attention, but don't go anywhere, because the Grand Thunder Clash is just getting started!" To be continued...[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomflyingobjects Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 So Skylar wins... no surprise there... Though I am a bit surprised that he unlocked 2nd Stage so soon. He hasn't fought in a month, and even then, he hadn't done a very large amount of it. I guess he needed to, but in Accel 1, they didn't get 2nd Stage for quite some time. The enemy was worthy, difficult enough, but still easy enough to be fought early-tournament. Well played there. There isn't much else to say, other than the grammar was a little shaky in some places (lack of commas). Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted August 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 So Skylar wins... no surprise there... Though I am a bit surprised that he unlocked 2nd Stage so soon. He hasn't fought in a month, and even then, he hadn't done a very large amount of it. I guess he needed to, but in Accel 1, they didn't get 2nd Stage for quite some time. The enemy was worthy, difficult enough, but still easy enough to be fought early-tournament. Well played there. There isn't much else to say, other than the grammar was a little shaky in some places (lack of commas). Keep up the good work. Exactly, and that was a huge flaw in the first series. I spaced it out way too much. By the time the series ended, none of the characters were able to use their 5th Stage, and even Calle only knows up to 4; (Calion as well). I didn't want to make that mistake again so I want to have them learn their moves sooner rather than later. Given that training isn't really the best method to unlock stage techniques (it's all about being right there in the middle of the fight and unlocking your power), there's no reason to believe that they can't advance. On top of that, Skylar already knew his 1st Stage when the story started, so while the others were able to learn their's, he wasn't. The enemy (and Star Gate as a whole, except for one member) are meant to be just a buffer team more or less to get the fights started. They're not the main villains of the Arc or anything like that. The grammar's not going to be perfect, especially because I have to write a ton of fights (think about how many pairings we're gonna see in this tournament). Even though I plan to skip a few that aren't all that important, everything involving Wind Gear and Blaster Axis will have to be written in full so there's a lot of work ahead of us. While I do check for that stuff, sometimes I'll miss something small like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hmm... I think this is where the rush of the tournament is causing it to suffer a bit. Unlocking his second stage against a fighter we know next to nothing about just feels... for lack of a better word, lame. It took a lot out of it. And it didn't feel significant. I would have much preferred Skylar to lose this one, then fight back from the humiliation of that to become better, and have more of a drive to unlock his second stage. It even adds a better dynamic in for the rest of the group putting them in no doubts that it isn't going to be.. easy. So that's my story niggles. As for the actual writing itself. One thing I notice you like doing is: "It's a type of power that there's very little information on," (So how does he then explain it?) he said. "More or less, the Rakurai is controlled by the user's mind, and its strength depends on the level of control that person has over themselves in combination with their focus. If Tenjo was being thrown around constantly as we speak, he would lack the focus necessary to utilize this. But standing as far away from Skylar as he is, he can simply focus all of his energy and not have to worry about being hit in the slightest." You like explaining the stuff ala Bleach. With the characters spending explaining the mechanics of attacks. You don't need to do that. Such as in the ending. You don't need explain that Skylar's second stage homed in, you could just have it home in. It's more effective in terms of story, and would show the shock going through the other persons mind a lot better. I mean in a fight of this nature knowledge is power as is speed. It makes no sense for him to be explaining what his ability does when it's giving his opponent an advantage of sorts. Hell it's giving the rest of the tournament knowledge of it. Otherwise though, the actual writing of the fight was very good. Sorry if I always seem critical with my comments. It's just telling in detail what was good helps a lot less than saying what wasn't so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted August 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Definitely agree with a lot of it. On a side note, I appreciate that you guys offer criticism and tell me where to improve. I'll work on less explaining and just letting things unfold. The one area I do disagree with is your comments regarding Skylar. Its not that were rushing the tournament, but rather it's going to be lengthy as it is so I don't want to have fights span across episodes if I can avoid it. That being said, there was a storyline reason for Skylar learning his 2nd Stage so soon and because of that I think this was the right move to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 The one area I do disagree with is your comments regarding Skylar. Its not that were rushing the tournament, but rather it's going to be lengthy as it is so I don't want to have fights span across episodes if I can avoid it. That being said, there was a storyline reason for Skylar learning his 2nd Stage so soon and because of that I think this was the right move to make. I meant rushing into the tournament. Since the idea we were going to a tournie was sprung on us at the end of a chapter, and then we were there, with little time to process that. Also you don't have to necessarily do every fight involving the main cast in detail. I can understand you wanting to, but in some cases it's easier to jump to snippets of it towards the end for the ones not against Blaster Axis. If they are road bumps of sorts, you may as well treat them as such. It saves you the hassle of writing it all, and it keeps them from seeming to repetitive. Since like with duels, the fights are best not used to much in excess. If there was a storyline reason I have less of a reason to complain. But like I said, having a early set-back in this kind of thing is normally something very helpful to keep things fresh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomflyingobjects Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 I see what you were saying, because thinking back, Skylar DID have a considerably better flow of Rakurai at the beginning, so it would only make sense that he learned Stage 2 first. Though I do agree with Barty, because Skylar wound up evolving an entire stage against some random opponent that doesn't actually mean all that much. Like you mentioned the ones that really matter to the story are Blaster Axis and Wind Gear... so why did you give Skylar's opponent strange and unheard of powers? I also agree with Barty on the part about the opponents sort of explaining their secrets to the entire tournament. If you were in some huge duel tournament, would you go running around, telling people about your foolproof combo in detail? I doubt you would. I think it might be better if you let the characters figure that out for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted August 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Wait I'm confused. There was no part in the Chapter where the entire audience learned of anything. The only thing was Calle telling the kids what he knew about it. Nothing said was said out loud. Also, there's another relevant team. I'd say 3/5 actually matter. I won't say which ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 "Moving into the sky? I imagine there would've been a better plan of attack, after all, since my Lightning Wing Slash hones in on its target once the circle is drawn, there's really nowhere for you to move!" There's that. The fact that Skylar said that takes the mystery from it. It might seem obvious to someone watching, but if the fight happened at the speeds you were saying they did before, then he fact he avoided the first attack might not be seen, or they assumed Skylar predicted where his opponent would be when he attacked. That's something vital, it means his future opponents will know better than to expend energy avoiding it. That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. You could say that no one else would know that... but there's still no good reason he should say it to his opponent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomflyingobjects Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Wait I'm confused. There was no part in the Chapter where the entire audience learned of anything. The only thing was Calle telling the kids what he knew about it. Nothing said was said out loud. Sorry about that. I guess Barty's comment confused my memories of the chapter, without Calle explaining, but Tenjo explaining instead. But yeah, there wasn't a good reason for Skylar to tell his opponent his strategy. Calle is a smart guy, as is Tres, so one of them probably would have figured it all out and explained it. Or Skylar could tell his team later. But now the entire Star Gate now knows about Skylar's ability. Thus, Skylar fighting them again might be... unpleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted August 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 That's true, and perhaps a valid point that I didn't take into consideration. But alas, it's happened so we'll roll with it. New Chapter should be coming Tuesday. :D I think the next couple of fights will definitely be a step-up from the first one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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