User:Nextoy/Dissidia Alto/Blurring of Lines

Two warriors, travellers of worlds, are sent to the Dissidia. Though they realize that the universe is full of life and variety they begin to grow wary of their jobs as peacekeepers. Kevoriaz, a warrior based around his industrial prowess, wavers in the face of this new world and it’s demands of loyalty in the face of unknown allies.

''How typical. Not only do I get shot into another world, but this time they expect me to take part in some war that I have nothing to do with. Who is this goddess and what’s her game?''

''No matter, the only thing that worries me is Zeverex being summoned alongside myself. Our history is certainly nothing to talk about, but if he knows of my presence then it won’t be long till he suspects my intent. While I have no intentions to immediately turn on him this time, I have even less of a reason to take part in this inane conflict until I know it’s true nature.''

''Still, those two girls that tried to stop me. Why did they? What could they accomplish in keeping me there? Or are they just naive children? If they are children then why would they be summoned to war? Perhaps people could get away with creating child armies where I come from, but I find much of the universe is more sophisticated than that.''

''Either way it’s not my place to trust either side until I know for sure what I’m getting into. Until then I’m left with just my desire to explore this world and it’s “wonders.”''

As I walked along the grasslands outside of the place I awoke I find it to be oddly peaceful, despite what was said about our enemies being great in numbers. It was rare that I’d get a moment to myself like this, a moment to think.

Though as I headed northward, towards the shore, I found myself in the presence of odd, crystalline creatures. They looked like people, but they behaved more like zombies. Shambling around and searching for something. Perhaps a meal?

I decided to approach one, fueled by curiosity, only to find one having pulled out two curved short swords on me. They were made of the same glass-like material as the rest of him, but were razor sharp like actual blades. I gripped onto the saw and drill at my side, holding out my hand to it.

“I’m not here to hurt you, only to see what you are.” I told it, almost catching a blade to my face as it charged me. It’s movements were odd, a straight charge followed by some sword of flying strike. I was prepared for the charge, but the upward slash caught me off-guard. As it hit me it was able to seamlessly fuse the blades together, following up with a spinning slash.

''What is this thing? Why does it attack without warning?'' I found myself thinking, recovering from the spinning strike in time to draw my combat arms. Perhaps if I underestimated his aggression, he may underestimate the appearance of my weapons.

“If that is how it shall be then give me your all!” I taunted, revving up both weapons as I held their katar-type handles. The monkey-tailed creature darted through the air, barely missing me as I slid under and rammed my saw up into it. The pieces of crystal merely reformed however, almost as if it had some sort of organic healing factor.

It leaped off the air and threw it’s blades down, catching me again as they slashes through me. Though it was painful, for some reason I possessed the same healing factor it did in this world. But when it followed through with some sort of beam attack I wasn’t able to heal from it. At that point I realized that only our strongest of skills may work on these things. At that point I baited a hit, taking it as it chased after me.

“Fool.” I found myself blurting out, dodging to the side of it’s attack and then countering with an electrically charged drill strike. It shatters as the drill and electricity tore through the beast, sending glass-like shards everywhere.

I then fell to the floor and picked up the crystal shard, pulling down my goggles to examine it. Weirdly enough it seemed primarily organic, as if it was once a living person. Though how something of glass or crystal could be mobile in the first place was beyond me.

Then I remembered that I had seen others, and turned around to witness one of these creatures carrying a massive sword. I readied my weapons again, seeing another one with a more feminine form standing behind it.

One of these was hard enough, but two!? This is insanity! I couldn’t help but to shout in my head, feeling electricity surge through me. That’s right… it must of been that electrical storm that brought us here. I wonder if I can utilize it? I pondered, focusing the energy into myself.

As the two came at me I tried to use the electrically charged drill technique from before, but the energy wouldn’t come out. Instead I simply found myself punching the swordsman, instinctively carrying it into a spinning saw strike that knocked the other girl away as well.

''So it seems that I need to charge up energy for moves like that by attacking them. Interesting.'' I realized, wondering what else I needed for these new powers. Nevertheless I leaped into the air and chased after him, able to use my electrified drill technique this time.

As I came back down I heard the sounds of a high-powered rifle, turning over to see the other girl be torn asunder by whatever it had shot. Unfortunately I knew exactly who had fired the rifle.

“Are you sure running off like that was a wise choice?” Zeverex asked, walking towards me as his rifle shrunk back down to it’s regular size. We never did figure out why it’s able to reshape itself, but neither of us really mind.

“Are you sure believing these strangers is a wise choice?” I asked in retort, turning back to my on-and-off partner. “After all, they were the ones who trapped us here.”

“Our job is to aid those in need, is it not?” Zeverex asked, glaring at me. “Will you again abandon the prime directive for the sake of appeasing your own paranoia?”

“Not until I know which side is truly in danger. And if I do you shall be the first to know, I’m sure.” I answered, making sure to follow up with the appropriate level of sarcasm.

He grunted, realizing that I’d cornered him, and walked past me further north. “It’s strange how small this place seems at times, isn’t it?” He asked, looking across our known surroundings. “I can imagine that we’ll be able to see our initial landing zone from any part of the world as things stand now.”

“Perhaps.” I replied, stepping beside him. “And yet at the same time the world is always at its smallest when you don’t know what’s truly out there.” I added on, putting away my weapons and taking off my goggles. I could hear him chuckling despite how noisy my weapons can be, much to my silent irritation.

"I have no doubt in my mind that our clashing personalities is probably why we were paired up." Oh god not this speech again. "Still, I hope you understand why it is that we must show faith in our apparent allies for now, do you not?"

"Perhaps, in part, but it is still my nature to examine everything before taking a side. You know this." I remind him, tiring of such talk. He looks as if he wishes to speak further, but we have traveled together long enough for that tone to be plenty recognizable.

It wasn’t long before we had hit the shore. I’d estimate a couple hours, if I had to. The waters seemed as dark and brooding as the rest of the world, as if it’d seen naught but war for thousands of years. It all seemed so familiar, like many of the other worlds we visited. This one was different, though. It seemed much more sinister, with its waves splashing a diluted white as they came in from the indigo seas.

“This place is rather empty, surprisingly enough.” Zeverex pointed out, dropping his formal tone from earlier. “Even the Manikins we saw earlier were all but abundant.”

“Is that what those are called? Strange name, but I suppose it makes sense given their nature.” I replied, my question entirely rhetorical.

“Still, it's not much of a great war if there’s nothing around.” Zeverex mused, crouching down to feel the ocean waves crash against his hand.

“Generals without soldiers. That’s what we are. And it disturbs me quite a bit, especially considering that this world is smaller than what either of us are used to.” I pointed out, fiddling with my spaulder. “Especially since our gliders don’t seem to be working at the moment.”

“It’s curious that they won’t activate. Still, maybe they just need to recharge.” He pointed out. It’s true, the gliders do have a limited charge and need solar energy to keep going, but it was rare that they’d completely shut down.

Still, our walkabout kept us along the coastline. With such an empty world it made me wonder what used to be here. Perhaps our call here was some kind of trap.

“This seems far too odd.” I mention, walking along the coast. “Perhaps we should investigate separately.” I offer, turning back to Zeverex.

“Indeed. Besides, we’re on the same side so it shouldn’t be much of a problem.” He replied, a tinge of distrustful sarcasm in his statement.

Along the coast we come across a bridge, with me crossing it northward and Zeverex continuing west along the coast. Though the world was small, the emptiness made it seem much larger than it actually was. Even with the Manikin attacks that happen every now-and-then it was a lonely place.

“What could have caused this?” I asked myself, and as if to answer my question, a voice called back from behind me.

“No doubt that witch Cosmos and her bloody war.” A man spoke, his voice olden and rugged. Yet still, there seemed to be a smooth aura about him.

“Who’s there?” I ask, turning around to see a man in brown robes with an emblem embroidered upon his chest and silver trimming along his sleeves and bottom.

“Merely a man looking out for others.” He spoke, walking towards me. I drew my combat arms in a readied position, but he remained in a calm neutral stance. “There is no need for that,” He continued, “I merely wish to talk.”

“Then speak, I have all day.” I assure, refusing to replace my tools. The cloaked man shook his head at this display, however his lack of any true response was as unnerving as his sudden appearance; if not more so.

“We are in a world of pure strife. I am from such a world, but that one does not believe in the folly of having protection of gods and the promise of peace.” He began, catching my interest. “Worlds like this will not know peace until their inevitable destruction. I’m sure you know this, Traveller.”

“Such worlds are not unfamiliar to me, but how do you know of my stasis as a traveller?” I ask, tightening up my stance.

“I, too, am a traveller. Ones such as us find it quick to identify each other with such elegant and alien emblems embrazzelled upon our cloth.” He answered, a faint smirk visible beneath his hood. At which point I remembered: my spaulder isn’t exactly custom made. It’s one they give to many of our Order. “Worry not Traveller, in this world we are all drifters. Your secret shalt not leave this planet.”

It felt as though his eyes met mine even though I could not see them, causing me to back away a step. It was no doubt he noticed this by the way he laughed; old and gruff as his tone, yet still hearty like a man half his age.

“Traveller, allow me to show you one thing. Then I shall be rid of your way.” He explained, offering a hand. He knew very well I wouldn’t take it, from the looks of things, but I still cautiously approached.

He soon brought me to a peninsula looking out upon the ocean, pointing to a raging volcano in the far corner of the world. “Thus you seek is the Land of Discord. Within lies the truth of this world. Find it, and the world’s answers shall be yours…”

“...So that’s it? I just travel to the edge of the world and I magically gain whatever knowledge I need?” I ask, understandably paranoid of the situation as I draw my tools again. I’m sure he noticed the moment they left their sheaths, but the iconic whirl of the drill and saw would be enough to change his aloof attitude.

“...You dare bite the hand that feeds?” He asked, the emblem on his back beginning to glow a sinister red. With a slow motion he begins to hover a half-foot off the ground and turns to face me.

“You’re arrogance shall be your destruction!” He utters, flames crawling along his robe from the emblems on both his front and back. He swings one arm towards me, nearly singeing my hair off in a diagonal shave. Though my attempt to counter with a side step is interrupted with a sudden gust of wind from his other hand.

“Fusion Art: Lightning!” He shouts upon feeling contact, the flames and winds circling around me before converging into an electrical maelstrom that sends me down to one knee. Though, thankfully, I play with electricity as well. He seemed to gain a surprised look as the electricity forms down into my tools, attempting again with my drill thrust. However he casted up another gust of wind with a quick spin of his arms. I manage to twirl myself to the side in time to evade, having to dodge in sequence as his other arm quickly rose, both now in the air, as blasts of dirt erupted in my path.

Wait a minute...

“Fusion Art: Ash!” He announced, collapsing both arms down in a quick drop to the ground. Suddenly both the winds and the dirt he casted aloft circled around in a fine powder, blinding me and attempting to seep through my nostrils. I find myself doing nothing but coughing up the ash as he calmly stands back up, seeping water from the ground and dancing it around himself.

“F-*cough*-Fool!” I shout, blasting a beam of electricity at the water wave. He wrapped it in a shield in front of himself in reply, however - despite not actually holding it - he seemed hurt by the attack; starting to crumble beneath it.

“Extreme Art: Ice!” He replied, forming the water barrier into a sizeable icicle and punching it forward at me. As this one flew at incredible speeds it pierced my leg in a poorly-timed dodge, causing me to fall and spin out a bit.

My blood feels… cold… I find myself thinking, breathing heavily as I tried to stand. Once I finally regain the strength I’m met with the flaming sword from before, hovering inches from my face and just over my shoulder. However, one of his arms looked limp as the burning runes from before were rather faint over it. No matter how much I was injured, his own damage seems to match.

“While worthy, to end you now would be wasteful.” He assured, his breath much calmer than mine despite the visible damage.

Was he more accustomed to battle than I? Before I could ask I find his body fade away to dust.