Location: Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 51/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+1 EXP) @Archmage MC
"Modify time, you say?" Rubcik nodded, impressed. "That explains my sudden afflictions yesterday. I wish I could've seen it for myself..." Rubcik had truly missed a prime opportunity to study something interesting. He fantasized about the various applications of such an ability for a time, then Sectonia brought up the topic of his recent purchases.
"Huh? Ahh, yes!" Rubick exclaimed as he remembered. He reached into his robe and proceeded to pull out the components of the Scepter: the Staff of Wizardry, the Ogre Axe, the Blade of Alacrity, and the Point Booster. "Now if I just..." Rubick muttered as he rearranged the first three items so they all intersected each other in the middle, then proceeded to hammer the Point Booster into the intersection three times. On the third strike, the items suddenly merged into each other, instantly forming a long wooden staff with a large blue glowing gem as its head. "Behold, the Aghanim's Scepter!" Rubick announced, holding up his newly crafted Scepter.
However, when he turned to look back at Sectonia, he saw that she had already gone to have a meeting with the Koopa Troop and a couple others. Rubick joined them at their table, wondering what was so interesting, and listened in. It was mostly a recap and some musings about the events with Asgore and the giant clock, but other than that, there was little else of note. Once the meeting concluded, Rubick once again presented his Scepter to Sectonia, "Once again, here is the Aghamin's Scepter!" The blue gem glowed brightly, as if brimming with power. "Go ahead and examine it for yourself."
Location: Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 50/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+1 EXP) @Dark Cloud@Archmage MC
Rubick walked on, not a care in the world, as he window shopped in the Home of Tears. There were various shops displaying various products, from clothing to food to household objects. Sometimes there was a magic-related store that really caught his interest, and he took the time to stare through the window to marvel at their wares for a few seconds, then nodding in appreciation and moving on once again. He couldn't help but feel that he was forgetting something, though. Normally he didn't have a problem with that. After all, he forgot things all the time. But this time, it was different. He pondered for a moment, then turned around to see Artorias. Then he remembered. He was supposed to be returning to the Seekers!
And so Rubick increased his pace, making his way back to the hotel. Along the way, he noticed his body becoming increasingly... itchy. And his attempts to scratch were only met with pain as he realized he had suddenly gotten bug bites on him. He had no idea how that could've happened, but that was certainly going to be an annoyance. Not too long after, he was also hit with a wave of lethargy, as if he hadn't slept last night, and a mild case of nausea, like he had eaten something that made his stomach revolt. He leaned heavily on his staff as he walked, eager to return to the hotel to recover from whatever had suddenly afflicted him.
Once he arrived, Rubick said to Artorias, "Here we are. The Seekers are out today, but they should be back by tomorrow. And hopefully none of them will die." Rubick turned to the front desk and booked a room for Artorias, then proceeded to leave him to his own devices, confident that he could find his way around. Rubick headed back to his own room to rest and recover.
Rubick made his way down to the lobby and spotted a familiar bug queen. "Ahh, Queen Sectonia! How gracious to make your presence known to me again!" Rubick greeted Sectonia. "And I can't believe you all left me behind! I wanted to test my abilities against that Consul, and now I'll have to wait for the next one to show up!" Needless to say, he was upset. It had been one of the few things he was looking forward to when he learned of the Consuls' existence, after all.
Up from the bowels of the earth, he came, step by step and mile by mile. Away from the molded vale of carcasses, where the darkness itself had teeth. Away from the caverns of flesh that gurgled and groaned, and disgorged unspeakable things. Away from the pitch-black Abyss that threatened to swallow him whole. Up through the tiered, dripping caverns of Riverdeep, where the faint signs of civilization -cobblestone roads- wound between stacked natural formations like layer cakes of radiant reflecting pools and sheer waterfalls. Finally, weary and worn down by hours if not days of continuous travel and fighting, he reached the manmade cisterns of the Royal Waterways.
After passing through a rank sewer, where rats and far more despicable vermin skittered and chittered in the gloom, he stumbled upon a bonfire in a corner of a great dingy corridor. There he settled down, watching the vivid Riverdeep water stream through a series of big, thick pipes. How much longer, he could only wonder, before he reached the light of day? Still, even if the surface lay a long way off, he was glad to be far away from the horrors of the Under's depths. At the same time, however, he got the sinking suspicion that his troubles were far from over.
Heaving ragged breaths the knight failed to notice the eyes watching him from the darkness that gleamed a sickly yellowish glow, too many questions plagued his somewhat broken mind. Scarred by the horrors both in his fragmented memories and the pulsating and nigh living Abyss below. A muffled grunt escaped the cowl of his helmet, as the knight massaged his left arm, setting the bone with a sickening pop why couldn't he remember how his arm had broken or how severe it had been? How could he even remember it was broken? It didn't seem so, it simply popped out of joint at times? But how many times was it?
A shrill squealing drove him to his feet, armor clattering as he stood in the breadth of a heartbeat a disturbed animalistic grunt escaping his pale lips from the helmet that hid his face. In the passage ahead he swore he saw the tail of an oversized rat, yet it disappeared fast behind a corner.
The darkness farther down the passage was too thick to make out anything, the knight's eyes furtively darted breathing heavily as his maddened red eyes searched for whatever was lurking, whatever made him feel as though he were being watched. Eyes shone in the darkness and disappeared, they reminded him of something…No, he shook his head the darkness was closing in, or was it his memories?
It mattered not, for the eyes got closer and closer causing the knight to let loose a guttural howl that bounced off the walls of the dingy waterway. Like the vermin they were, several furry humanoids crept towards the light resembling rats closing in on a corpse to pick at or a dying animal yet they made a mistake for the knight that towered above them like a giant was no dying beast.
Rubick sighed. He had been left behind by the other Seekers. Perhaps it was his fault for rushing off to buy his Aghanim’s Scepter right after they had just gathered together again, but still. Regardless, he was sure there would be an opportunity to regroup with them, but for now, he was stuck wandering the lands while the others were undoubtedly doing something exciting. Probably off fighting the big bad Consul. He had been very much looking forward to seeing what one was capable of, as well.
Sighing, he went off to go blow some steam. Blasting some weak enemies with a spell or two might make him feel better. After some walking, he noticed a distinct lack of things to launch his spells at. Puzzled, he wondered where the enemies could be. Maybe he just hadn’t looked far enough? He continued walking, and soon came across the Royal Waterways. Normally, Rubick wouldn’t even think of heading into a location like this, but the thought of blasting some sewer-dwelling pests sounded appealing to him. He fished into his pockets for a light source, but found none. He then remembered he had one within his staff, and Rubick called out his Puzzle of Perplex, which emerged from his staff and glowed with a bright green light.
He ventured in, following the echoing of screams and stuttered callouts; judging by the frequency of them, there must’ve been quite a few of them. Eventually, he came across the sight of a distant light with an armored knight near it, and many creatures surrounding it. Rubick retracted his Puzzle of Perplex and readied his staff, waiting for the combat to begin. Having the Skaven be fully focused on the knight would provide the best opportunity for him to jump in should the need arise.
When the knight loosed his howl, it seemed as though the vermin’s paused eyes widened slightly. Sparks suddenly flew, as the sound of metal scraping against the stone floor echoed against the sewer walls. The knight hefted a blade almost as tall as the vermin, moving forward swinging the weapon upward as though it were nothing followed by the sound of flesh being torn and a ribbon of crimson as one of the Skaven was bisected in one fell swoop, in such close quarters the imposing figure if the knight could only do so much without his blade glancing off the walls around him. Fear suddenly filled the vermin, this was no simple man they were fighting.
Before they could even skitter away, their frantic chittering was drowned out as the knight dashed forward swinging the mighty blade in his hands horizontally "RAAAAAAAAH!" the enraged knight roared, blood spattering his armor as he slaughtered two more of the creatures.
Suddenly, one of the Skaven began to float up into the air for a second, then proceeded to slam back down into the ground. The impact released a magical shockwave that stunned the nearby Skaven. “Mind the drop!” Rubick yelled as his spell took effect. Rubick also let loose a green Fade Bolt at the nearest Skaven, and the spell continued to bounce to multiple different Skaven until every Skaven within range was hit once. “Seems you could use some aid, knight! Allow me to grant it!” Rubick yelled.
It took the knight a moment to grasp the words in his state, eyes hidden neath his helm red "Hmmm…" was the only sound to escape the shadows but it was acknowledgement enough with his mind only grasping at things he could understand at the moment, and his attention snapped to the remaining enemies as they tried to run. The knight almost stepped forward to follow them yet hesitated, battle fury fading.
Heaving a heavy sigh the knight turned back to the fire after he carefully looked the cloaked stranger up and down with a piercing gaze, it took him a moment to grasp for the words before he spoke up staring into the bonfire "...the shadows below…I knew not from whence I woke, it is…Nice to hear a voice other than mine own…I …" he struggled to remember the last time he even introduced himself by name, momentarily lapsing as he slung his might blade over his shoulder "I was called Abysswalker once, Artorias." the title weighed heavily upon his tongue stained by a disdain; he had failed his own namesake after all.
“Well then, Artorias, I am Rubick, the Grand Magus,” Rubick greeted him back, flourishing his movements in a grand gesture of his left arm. He retrieved his Puzzle of Perplex and set it back onto his staff, the light illuminating their immediate surroundings. “We should talk more once we exit these waterways. They’re hardly a safe location to stay in, after all.” On that note, Rubick turned around and made his way back through the path he had taken and out through the entrance of the Royal Waterways. It was certainly nice to be back in some form of light again, even if it was still somewhat dark in the Under. Turning around, Rubick said to Artorias, “And here we are. Now, do you have any plans moving forward?”
"Hmmm…" rumbled the knight, growing silent as he peered off into the darkness at faint lights above like stars in the night sky. There was no answer that came easily to Artorias, so many things had yet to make sense to him "There arte so many questions I have, alas I know not the one you ask." the knight's eyes became clearer yet still they remained red with the touch of an entity he knew not was shrouding his mind and perceptions.
“Hmm. In that case, come along with me!” Rubick proposed. “There will be perils aplenty, and foes to defeat! Much work is needed to be done, more than enough to keep you busy. All will be answered when we join up with the rest of the Seekers of Light!” Rubick marched on happily, his previous depressed mood forgotten, content with the knowledge that he had potentially gotten a new recruit for the Seekers.
Location: Home of Tears -> Gallo Tower Level: 3 Experience: 46/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+1 EXP) @Archmage MC@Double
100 Geo wasn't much, but Rubick supposed it was a start. He was going to ask the Koopa Troop for additional funding, but Sectonia's next words were a surprise to be sure. "A currency exchange shop?" Rubick asked. "That's perfect! Then I should have enough money to purchase what I need from that magic emporium! Thank you for this information, Queen Sectonia." He collected his money from Sectonia, then bowed in respect. Rubick then proceeded to teleport in rapid succession towards the direction he believed the currency exchange shop would be at. Fortunately for him, he found it easily enough and proceeded to exchange some of his Gold into Geo. There was a line, to which Rubick rapidly tapped his foot on the ground in impatience, but he soon got some Geo and proceeded to make his way over to the magic emporium.
Once inside, he looked around for the components he was searching for. The Staff of Wizardry, the Ogre Axe, and the Blade of Alacrity were in their respective locations, but there was one more item missing... Then, he spotted it. The Point Booster, found in a more remote corner of the shop. Rubick went to the front desk and made his purchases, then dashed out of the emporium and teleported back as fast as his Blink Dagger and Weaver's Warp allowed him to.
When he got back, however, everyone was gone.
Lost:
850 Gold
100 Geo
Gained: Aghanim's Scepter Abilities:
Small amount of extra health and health regen
Small amount of extra mana and mana regen
Small attack speed increase and armor increase
Potential unique upgrades to a character's abilities, or even granting an entirely new one. Rubick Aghs upgrade targets his Power Steal, allowing him to copy and store two spells, and any ability he copies has the potential to be upgraded by the Aghanim's Scepter.
Location: Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 46/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+2 EXP) @Archmage MC@Double
Rubick eventually met back up with Ganondorf, and he was quick to boast of his victories in the Thorn. Holding up his winnings, Rubick proudly continued on, "...and a Fade Bolt to finish him off. Your dark magic really aided me in my victory." Rubick would've continued further, but a familiar face came forward with her usual cat puns. "Ahh, hello, Nadia!" Rubick greeted her. "A shame we missed the fun, but we had a need to acquire some funds!" He held up his bag of Geo to show her. "I spied a few components in the magic emporium I need to craft my father's scepter. The Aghanim's Scepter, it is called. It will increase the strength of my abilities, and possibly any I copy from the others as well. Now, the shops await!" With that explanation out of the way, Rubick then pulled out his Blink Dagger and blinked away, quickly making his way into the emporium.
Rubick browsed the shop's wares. It was easy enough to find what he was looking for, but it turned out that Rubick still lacked the necessary amount of Geo needed to afford them all. Disappointed, Rubick sighed and made his way back out. Rubick would've liked to get more Geo, but he doubted he had the time or stamina to go through more rounds in the Thorn. He would have to locate funds somewhere else.
Reconvening with the rest of the Seekers at the gates, Rubick looked around, wondering who might have enough to borrow from. His eyes eventually landed on Sectonia and the Koopa Troop. Surely they, being royalty, had enough funds to borrow from. He decided to try his luck with the bug queen first. Making his way over to Sectonia, he greeted her, "Hello there, Queen Sectonia! I was wondering if you would be so kind as to grant me a small amount of Geo. You see, there are a number of components in a magic emporium in this city I need to purchase. With them, I aim to craft the Aghanim's Scepter, which will boost my powers immensely. What do you say?"
Location: Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 45/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+2 EXP)
"Our next contestant to face our Grand Magus will be... Chad and Gram!" the announcer yelled as the gate opened, and two blue-skinned creatures emerged from the opening, one riding the other like a mount and wielding a large one-handed hammer. "These two brothers might pose a tougher challenge for Rubick. Maybe this time he'll fall! Or will his magicks prevail again? There's only way to find out!"
Rubick began by swinging his staff, launching bolts of grey energy at Chad and Gram. Gram leaped above the attack and toward Rubick, firing his own green slime projectiles from his mouth at Rubick. Rubick sidestepped the attacks, which landed harmlessly on the ground, and continued to retreat, attempting to gain some distance. But Chad and Gram would not make it easy, immediately chasing after Rubick after they landed. As Chad swung his hammer at Rubick, Rubick would reach into his robes and take out his Blink Dagger, teleporting himself next to a brazier. He touched it with his staff, and his body would envelop itself in fire. Rubick would then continue to launch more bolts of energy, this time enhanced with fire. Chad and Gram would continue to chase Rubick down, still trying to get within melee distance, while either dodging or tanking the bolts of energy.
They were fast, but Rubick was faster as he would envelop himself in white webs and teleport away again. However, it seems Chad and Gram were expecting it this time, as they had already turned around and launched more green slime globs. This time, they hit Rubick, and he flinched at their sudden impacts. That was the opening they needed to advance, with Gram suddenly sliding on the ground over to Rubick at blinding speed. Rubick could barely get off a Fade Bolt before the blue brothers launched a combo of melee attacks with both Gram's tongue and Chad's hammer. If they took any damage from Rubick's attack and his fiery state, they didn't show it, and Rubick was certainly taking more. They ended their combo by swinging upwards, knocking Rubick's body into the air, and leaping upward and slamming their bodies into Rubick, sending him flying even further. Rubick's body crashed roughly onto the ground. Chad and Gram landed nearby, watching over Rubick to make sure he wasn't dead.
Rubick coughed, then managed to prop himself back up with his staff. Perhaps if he hadn't weakened Chad and Gram's attacks with his Fade Bolt, he might've gone down, but he still had some fight left in him. Now angry, Rubick proceeded to launch himself into the air with his Telekinesis, then using his Power Steal on Gram, taking the ability to fire those green slime globs. Gram leaped after Rubick, but the magus was already casting his Weaver's Warp, enveloping himself in webs of light again and teleporting away. Now below them, Rubick took out another Staff from his robes and proceeded to launch a flurry of projectiles, each one either fire-enhanced, green goop, or a thin laser beam. After the barrage, the brothers crash onto the ground, unmoving.
Rubick walked forward, also wanting to check to make sure they were still alive. It wouldn't do if they died; he'd be disqualified to receive his winnings, after all. Suddenly, Chad leaped up and swung his hammer at Rubick. However, Rubick was already expecting a sneak attack, and used Telekinesis to lift him up into the air. Chad tried to swing his hammer some more, but it was a fruitless endeavor, and Rubick simply slammed him back down into the ground next to Gram and Fade Bolted him, finally ending the combat.
"And we have a winner! Once again, it's Rubick, the Grand Magus!" the announcer yelled. Rubick waved as the cheers from the audience came in, then he proceeded to give a thumbs down, signaling the end of his reign in the Thorn. With that, Rubick would proceed to collect his winnings and make his way out, intent on using his newly earned money to go shopping.
Location: Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 44/30 (Level up available) Word Count: 755 (+2 EXP) Ganondorf @Double
Rubick was forced to wait as there were fights already taking place, and he apparently needed to drink something called a Dwarven Flask to be allowed to participate. It seemed like it was a safety net that allowed the participants to fight at full strength without the risk of death. Rubick disapproved, believing that taking on such a risk made for the best entertainment in a duel, but he took a sip of it regardless. Perhaps he could gain some insights on some of his competitors who would probably be more keen to launch stronger attacks now.
The two battles he witnessed displayed impressive feats of strength and agility, and Ganondorf revealed an interesting use of his Dark Magic. As Ganondorf passed him, Rubick replied, "Of course. I'll catch up to you soon, Ganondorf. Oh, and I'll be borrowing this." Rubick proceeded to use his Power Steal on Ganondorf, granting Rubick a copy of the Gerudo King's Warlock Strikes. It wasn't really to Rubick's tastes, but Rubick was able to quickly alter it to his liking. With his preparations ready, Rubick confidently strided out into the arena.
"Now, before us stands a newcomer in the Pit! Give it up foooorrrr... Rubick, the Grand Magus! And for our other contestant, we have an inseparable duo! What they lack in size and strength, they make up in speed and cunning! Introducing Yooka & Laylee!" The announcer yelled. The gates opened, and the fighters entered the arena, Rubick from one side and Yooka & Laylee from the other. Rubick eyed his opponents carefully. If they were as smart as the announcer claimed, he would just have to be smarter.
Yooka began by launching its tongue at Rubick's staff. It landed, and Rubick reflexively pulled back, launching the two creatures toward him. Laylee's tongue retracted back into his mouth and began to launch it again, this time at Rubick. This time, Rubick was ready and sidestepped the attack, and he proceeded to counterattack by enveloping the head of his staff with Ganondorf's dark magic and launching his own version of a Warlock Strike: a Warlock Staff Bash.
However, Laylee was able to react and lift Yooka up just in time to narrowly miss Rubick's strike. Rubick, not wanting to lose his momentum, pivoted on one foot and swung toward the duo with his staff, firing a bolt of green and dark energy. It blasted them directly, and Yooka & Laylee came crashing down into the ground. Rubick would then run over to them and proceed to use a Dark Impact, swinging his staff toward the ground. Yooka and Laylee would recover quick and flee to avoid a direct blow, but could not escape the shockwave and were blown away.
"What is this?" Rubick taunted. "I came here to be tested!" The duo readied themselves, apparently eager to make a comeback. Laylee would fire a Sonic Shot at Rubick, leaving him stunned. Meanwhile, Yooka would run toward Rubick while firing his tongue at something made of metal, turning his body metal as a result. Yooka would then proceed to spin around to strike at Rubick with his tail. Somehow, this granted additional weight to his attacks, knocking Rubick away and onto his back. Grunting as he propped himself up with one arm, the duo would pounce towards him, eager to continue the assault.
It was then that they would freeze in midair. Having cast Telekinesis on them, Rubick got back onto his feet, brushing himself off. "Apologies, but it seems you weren't a match for me after all," Rubick said, sending them crashing back into the ground. Rubick would then use his Power Steal on Laylee and proceed to Sonic Shot Yooka, stunning him as well. There was another Power Steal, this time on Yooka, and Rubick touched Yooka with his staff, taking on the same metal property as Yooka did. Finally, Rubick would strike them with his staff as if it were a golf club and them the ball, blowing them away. When it was clear they were no longer moving, the announcer would say, "Yooka and Laylee put up a good fight, but it seems Rubick completely overwhelmed them! And with their own abilities to boot! The winner is Rubick!" Rubick held his arms up to bask in the crowd's cheering. Feeling confident, Rubick lifted a thumbs up, indicating that he wanted to continue fighting.
"Oh? Looks like our Grand Magus will be continuing his current reign in the Pit! So let's grant his wish!" The announcer yelled.
Location: Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 42/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+1 EXP) Ganondorf @Double
Rubick chuckled at Ganondorf's words. "Oh, but a war story sounds absolutely delightful! I was in the middle of a war myself before all this happened," he said, waving his hand around and gesturing to the general area around him. He even twirled his staff around with a flourish, as if to prove something to the Gerudo King. Then Ganondorf proceeded to drastically change the subject by talking about the Thorn. Already forgetting his interest in Ganondorf's life stories, Rubick tilted his head to the suggestion, "Oh? Is this a stage to test one's might, perhaps?" For Rubick, his choice was clear. "Then I will accept your invitation and enter this 'Thorn' with you!" Rubick announced. "I could use some money as well. I spied some components in a magic emporium not too long ago, but they unfortunately do not take gold as payment."
Following Ganondorf to the Thorn, they eventually came across a female figure who greeted Ganondorf, evidently already familiar with him. Not wanting to be left out, Rubick also chimed in, "And so will I: Rubick, the Grand Magus!" He continued to enter the Thorn shortly after Ganondorf, excited to see what this arena had in store, and how Rubick could test his might against theirs.
Location: The Under - Ash Lake → Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 41/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+1 EXP)
Unfortunately for Rubick, Kamek didn’t have much of an answer to his question: ”I’m afraid you know just about as much as we do. That one we encountered on our naval voyage was our first encounter with one. They had been quite the non-factor before, and then all of a sudden we encounter 3 in quick succession.”
”Guess it took a while for us to catch those slowpoke’s attention.” Bowser guessed.
”Perhaps.” was all Kamek could offer in response to that. ”So other than having a lot of influence due to being embedded in the world, I really can only speculate. Some other, slower, defense mechanism of Galeem perhase? Its rulers by proxy? Some cabal that got free by some other means and simply took over. Who can say?”
”Well I can say that they are jerks. One where we were doing that boat stuff just stood by and let the people fight despite claiming to be on their side. Or maybe he was making shields and stuff, but I dunno if that was him or not. Either way, big full of himself jerk.”
”Given that F seemed to control time, and had incredibly powerful plant manipulation powers, it is perhaps best that he stood back. It's an odd pattern actually, all three haven’t attacked directly. Two by proxy, and one via dropping us down a pit he must have known we would survive. Including me despite the fact that I took him on directly after he stopped me from catching you all.”
”Buncha amateurs who think they're too good to get their hands dirty, and that they can toy with us instead of finishing the job. I’d say they’ll learn their lesson soon enough, but once I’m done with 'em, they won't be learning anything anymore.” Bowser declared, before clarifying, ”Because they’ll be dead.” very redundantly.
Rubick nodded, deep in thought. All in all, it seemed the Consuls were still quite the enigmas. This F and P were already intimidating enough, and he had no clue what the other members of the alphabet could do. It seems they would have to find information about them the old fashioned way, whether encountering one in the flesh or by other sources like the ex-king Asgore.
The next day, Rubick joined the others at breakfast and ordered a few things to eat. It was nice to enjoy the local cuisine, but the gossip around the table was plenty more enjoyable. The two separated groups of the Under, now together again, were sharing their knowledge of the areas they traversed, and Rubick noted Sectonia's descriptions of their experiences. It seemed like they did have a harder time, for which Rubick was saddened he had not been there. It wouldn't have been his first time encountering eldritch horrors; heck, he even remembered fighting such a creature or two back in the War of the Ancients. Their magicks were truly remarkable, and he regretted having not written their spells down.
Eventually, the group split off to perform their much-needed errands, and Rubick was left to explore the city. Unfortunately, he had no Geo to his name and the others were not around to spot him. Instead, he decided to wander and browse. A few knickknacks were around, and the sights were enjoyable, but each quickly lost Rubick's interest as he moved from place to place. The skeleton blacksmith's shop was also such a place, and it was there that he spotted a familiar Gerudo King.
"Ahh, we meet again!" Rubick greeted Ganondorf as he walked over to him, just as the man seemed to have just completed his transaction. "Ganondorf, was it? Quite the adventures this group has gone through, yes? Perhaps a few tales ought to pass the time as we meet back up! Maybe even a magical secret or two if you'd like."
Location: The Under - Ash Lake → Home of Tears Level: 3 Experience: 40/30 (Level up available) Word Count: <750 (+1 EXP)
"Well that was a sight to behold," Rubick remarked after all the excitement with the gigantified Bowser had calmed down. It was a shame they were from different worlds; with such power, the Koopa King would've stood among the top heavyhitters in the battle of the Ancients and be a fine ally to have. And that Flame Clock was certainly quite durable if it managed to withstand that onslaught of attacks. It made Rubick wonder just how valuable its contents were if it needed to be so unbreakable.
Asgore's tale was also rather sad, but more importantly, it shed a bit of light on the enemies the Seekers faced. This "F" was evidently a powerful foe and wasn't afraid to wield that strength. Everyone else seemed to know more about them as well, and Rubick hated being kept in the dark about such matters. "I would like to more about these 'Consuls' we're facing. It seems I'm the only one who knows less about them than everyone else here," Rubick complained. "You must tell me all you know about them soon."
Bidding their farewells to Asgore, they made their way to the green pipe that seemed rather out of place in this environment. However, the Koopa Troop were quite familiar with it, so it was likely safe to use. Curious, he observed the others entering the pipe, the structure making the same pattern of noises every time someone descended into it. Now fascinated, he stepped onto the pipe as well and was delighted to experience this new mode of travel.
When Rubick finally exited the pipe, he was about to drop into the water. "Oh dear!" Rubick said, quick to react by casting Telekinesis on himself, stopping just an inch off the water's surface. "Ah, that was close. I'd hate to get my robes wet. Well, wetter than now." Reorienting himself in the air with his spell, Rubick took in the sights of the city surrounding them. He was relieved to be in an area of civilization again, having quickly grown rather tired of the cave and root systems.
Setting himself back onto the ground and following the old Koopas Bowser and Kamek, Rubick took the opportunity to ask, "So, the Consuls. I've yet to face many of them myself, apart from that one back near the surface of the Chasm. Now that we have the opportunity... Please, tell me more about them."
Fetzen
Forsythe
Vampiretwilight
