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ღMap of Shibuyaღ

Black lines represent routes that connect the districts to one another.

ღLegendღ
Districts: Closed - Open - Walled* - Negligible
Missions: Start - Goal
Trends: 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 13th

*Walled Districts are districts with walls monitored by low-class Nobody NPCs. Once you meet the Wallkeeper's requirements, they will remove the wall for you.

ღDistricts & Trendsღ
Scramble Crossing - Open Start
Statue of Hachiko - Open
West Exit Bus Terminal - Closed
Station Underpass - Negligible
Trail of the Sinner - Negligible
104 Building - Walled Goal
Shibuki Main Store - Closed
A-East - Negligible
Dogenzaka - Closed
Pork City - Negligible
Center Street Entrance - Closed
AMX - Negligible
Tipsy Tose Hall - Negligible
Shibu-Q Heads - Negligible
Udagawa Back Streets - Negligible
Spain Hill - Negligible
Molco - Negligible
Shibu Department Store - Closed
Cadoi City - Negligible
Towa Records - Negligible
Miyashita Park Underpass - Negligible

[center]ღIntro // Plot // Rules // Character Template // Terms & Info // Missions // Map of Shibuya // Players // Organization XIII // Pacts & Ranksღ[/center]

I'd blown out 19 candles when I died. I'm an undisputed male and I like the ladies.
The Keyblade I got is called Oathkeeper and has a Light attribute. It responds with Positive and Ability Pins. I prefer threads from Dragon Couture, Gatito, and Pavo Real.
I loved J- & K-rock, playing my guitar, laughing with (and at) Ari, my rock band, sleeping in, RPGs, and anime and manga and tried to avoid people who act all high and mighty, jerks, heavy metal, bananas, and bright gaudy colours as much as possible.
People say I'm your run-of-the-mill teenage guy. I'm easy-going and laid-back, a bit of a goof sometimes. Most of the time I got by the "live for the moment" philosophy, but when it comes to things that can't be taken that way, I carefully deal with those accordingly. My band members joke that I'm the "cool type" of the group: serious and cool-headed in public, but friendly and a dork around friends. I guess they're right . . . huh. I never thought of it that way. Adults say I'm mature, knowing when to be serious and when to be relaxed. I try to be as reliable as possible; if something needs to be done, I'll see it done. I'm loyal to my friends and family, and will protect them to the best of my ability.
I'd say my biggest fault is my sensitivity. I tend to take some things to literally and overreact in sticky situations, then get snappish and sulk during and a little while after the incident. That, with the fact that I'm ridiculously stubborn . . . let's just say I'm not the best at admitting I'm wrong. I'm not a hothead, but I still have the temper you'd expect from anyone else. Ehh . . . well, I'm guilty of being a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my guitar, so sometimes my band buddies yell at me (I'm working on it though . . . seriously!!). Ari said she summed me up to being "the best overly dramatic and overly protective older brother an 18-year-old girl could have." Wait . . . does that mean I'm the best older brother who's overly dramatic and protective, or the older brother who's best at being overly dramatic and protective . . . ?
I had a good life . . . I was born and raised in Tokyo with my younger sister, Ari. My life was as normal as you could get: I went to school, made friends and hung out with them, lived in a happy and comfortable home and family, and butted heads with my sister every so often. Because we were so close in age, Ari and I weren't just siblings, but also tight friends. Her circle of girl friends thought of me as part of their group as much as my bunch of guy friends thought of her as part of ours. Sure, we had our sibling rivalry, but we never let it get in the way when the going got tough. I think it might be because I'm the older brother. Maybe it's because she's my best friend as well as my sister. Or maybe it's nostalgia from when we were kids. But I treasured - and still do - Ari. I think some part of me still wanted to be her knight in shining armour, like I used to be when we were small.
Ever since I was in junior high I wanted to become a guitarist in a rock band, and started taking guitar lessons. Ari wanted to be a manga-ka, which I supported with all my heart. She was a great artist; if anyone could make it, she could. We supported each other towards our goals. In her last year in junior high she published her first mini-series in a magazine, while I formed my band. I debuted about a year later. When our parents found out though . . . unhappy would be an understatement. They got into a huge fight with Ari over it, and I had the bad luck of walking in just when it got heated. I tried to diffuse the situation, but then I got dragged in too. Eventually Ari just ran out of the house, and I followed to cool off and to make sure she would be okay.
The two of us talked together in the park, and after a couple hours we'd cooled down. As we were making our way home, a thief stole Ari's bag. Ari gave chase, and so did I; the thief panicked and ran out onto the street. Ari followed, and stepped into the path of a truck . . . I dove out into the street and pushed Ari out of the way. The last thing I remember is hearing my sister scream my name and the screech of tires . . .
My price for this game was Ari and I have every intention to get her back.

Size 20: ღ

Size 18: ღ

Size 16: ღ

⇨ Ϣ ι т н ι и ۰ т н ə ۰ Ħ ѳ υ я ɢ ʟ ɐ s s ۰ ۰ ۰

• ∂єsтιиє∂ ι∂єитιтч: Your character’s full name
  
• яєιиvєитιиɢ тнє ωнєєʟ: Any nickname(s)
  
• тнє вєʟʟ cнιмєs συт: Age
  
• ιииєя ωσякιиɢs: Gender
  
• нєяσιc ιмαɢє: Appearance - Anime/manga images preferred! Links & URLs only! Please include any additional information on style, accessories, etc.
  
• тнє cʟσcкωσякs ωιтнιи: Personality - Kuro wants details!
  
• тυяиιиɢ вαcк тнє ρєи∂υʟυм: Biography - Again, details are love!

⇨ Ɉ υ s т ۰ ɐ ۰ ￡ ι т т ʟ ə ۰ Σ x т я ɐ ۰ Ģ я ə ɐ s ə

• тιcк-тσcк, тιcк-тσcк:
  
  • Song Title ; Artist/Band

• sραяє ραятs: Additional information about your character

⇒ ₮нє вυттєяғʟч тнαт sтιяs тнє нυяяιcαиє۰

Ribbons, streamers, birthday cake are all used on this special date

✲ Birthday

The last time it was that date, there were plenty of candles on cake

# Age

The destiny related to your internal biology makes you a

♦ Zodiac (Saints)/ Race (Guardians)

That same biology makes you a

♀♂ Sex and Height

cσυʟɗ чσυ тєʟʟ мє тσ ʟσvє мч яєαʟ sєʟғ¿
Personality

тнєи ωнч ɗσиˊт чσυ sнσω мє тнєяє ιs α ғυтυяє¿
History

⇒ Ͼαтcн тнє ωнєєʟ тнαт вяєαкs тнє вυттєяғʟч۰

tierkreisSandaled foot tapped impatiently as a young woman stood at the entrance to the small but cozy abode she had lived in for as long as she could remember. On the split-level, a boy around her age was rushing about in a mild panic as he hurried to dress. Finally, unable to remain silent, she planted a hand on her hip and huffed.

tierkreis“Oi, hurry up Liu, or I’ll leave you behind!”

tierkreis“C’mon, Sigi!” the pastel green-haired Liu whined. “Gimme a break! I thought we were friends!”

tierkreis“We are friends! So that’s why I’m telling you to crank it up! C’mon, get going!” came her spirited reply.

tierkreis“I can’t believe this. You’re the one who can’t get out of bed unless someone drags you. You wake up early one lousy time and this is how you treat me?”

tierkreisSigi was given no space to retort or tease; at that moment a girl’s voice sounded from outside, sounding as exasperated as the silver-haired girl within.

tierkreis“Sigi! Come on! Are you still asleep!?” The two within the house turned as a girl with her snowy hair tied into long pigtails barged in, looking rather impatient and irate. Without bothering to take in the scene, she began to yell at them, namely Liu. “Liu, I know you must be up! Drag Sigi out of bed and—”

tierkreisIt was only then that she realized what she was seeing, and utterly shocked and confused, her words died in her throat and she stared, gape-jawed, first at Sigi, then Liu. This repeated itself several times, though the bewilderment never left her expression. Barely able to contain her laughter, Sigi grinned broadly at the other girl.

tierkreis“Morning Marica~” she sang cheerfully, and was rewarded with a slightly dazed return.

tierkreis“You’re… actually awake? And you’re ready and… everything?” Marica spoke a little slowly, as if she were choosing her words carefully, not quite believing her eyes or what she was saying. There was a pause, and finally regaining her composure, she crossed her arms and frowned suspiciously. “How in the world did that happen?”

tierkreisSigi returned her skeptical look with a playful grin and shrug. “I’m the one that said we oughtta go. You think I’d just lie around in bed all day instead?”

tierkreis“G-good point…” Marica mumbled, still trying to work out the sheer magnitude of this anomaly in her head. “So it was… Liu who overslept?”

tierkreisThe boy snorted. “Yeah, that’s right! Because somebody didn’t have the common decency to wake me up!” he explained, directing a pointed half-glare at his housemate.

tierkreis“You were supposed to wake her up!” Marica protested.

tierkreis“Yeah, but seeing as she woke up first, she could’ve at least—” Here Liu paused as he gave a small grunt, finally finished dressing. “There.” And so saying, he hopped down the short flight of stairs and for the first time that day grinned as broadly as the girl he’d slept over with as he gave a sigh. “I’m ready. Sorry, guys.”

tierkreisSigi let out a whoop and leap in excitement. “Alright! Let’s go!”

tierkreisDespite herself, Marica giggled. “Iunno what she’s so cheerful about. It’s not like we’re going on a picnic or anything.”

tierkreisThe laughter was contagious; Liu himself gave a chuckle as he watched the exuberant Sigi rush outside like a child ready to play. “I know, right?”

tierkreisStill, I couldn’t deny that that was made Sigi… Sigi. She was the sun, warming and brightening all around her. Fierce as the midday scorch of the summer sun, yet gentle as the first rays of morning. Her zeal for life was stunning, and at times it made me wonder if I’d ever compare to her. Sometimes I wanted to have that kind of attitude, to have that kind of confidence. But I was a coward at heart, and I knew it.

tierkreisMaybe that was why, even though we were almost adults, I still continued to live under the same roof as her. I’d expressed my concerns a couple years back to Elder Rajim, and he’d agreed with me. So I’d moved into another house, but I’d still had my worries about Sigi – she seemed to take great comfort in my presence. Marica had agreed to sleep over, just to make sure she would be okay, but the very next day I’d moved back in; Marica recounted a rather unpleasant and distressing reaction from Sigi. That wasn’t the Sigi I wanted. I didn’t want her to lose that energy and cheer and bravery.

tierkreis…On second thought, maybe I’m just being selfish. I’d already lost my other sun. I just didn’t want this one to go away either.

tierkreisAs they left the house, Sigi realized that there was one other person missing, and stopped for a moment, looking around. “Oi… where’s Jale?”

tierkreis“Probably at my house,” Marica shrugged. “My father wanted us all to stop by before we left.”

tierkreis“Elder Rajim said that?” Liu asked, mildly surprised.

tierkreisJust then, a familiar voice called out from the direction of the town square. “Hey guys!”

tierkreis“Hey, it’s Dirk!” Liu grinned.

tierkreisAs they made their way to the man in blue armour, Sigi instigated a mock tag race, and the threesome made a mad dash for the square, laughing and dodging each other’s hands until they stopped in front of him. Sigi made the last move, jabbing Liu in his exposed torso and earning herself a playful pout from the much taller boy. Once the morning greetings were exchanged, Dirk looked them over, smiling proudly.

tierkreis“It’s finally time, eh, guys? Are you sure you got everything you need?”

tierkreis“Aww, don’t make such a big deal out of it~” Sigi complained. “We’re just going on a little trip to the Eastern Hill!”

tierkreis“Yeah, but we’re gonna take care of those Laggarts too,” Marica reminded her best friend.

tierkreis“I’m glad you’re coming with us, Dirk,” Liu told the older man, rolling his eyes at the two girls. “I wouldn’t want to go without you.”

tierkreisTo this Dirk let out a hearty laugh. “Hey, I just wanna see you guys in action. Don’t think you guys can slack off just because I’m around too!”

tierkreis“Don’t worry, we won’t!” Sigi declared. “If I’d even thought I’d need your help, I wouldn’t’ve said I’d go in the first place.”

tierkreis“That’s the spirit!” Dirk grinned, slapping the girl on the shoulder. “Anyway, I know exactly how good you guys are, seeing as I’m the one who taught you. As long as you don’t let your guard down, you oughtta be able to handle those Laggarts without too much trouble.”

tierkreis“Won’t know unless we try though~”

tierkreis“There you go with that again,” Marica teased, rolling her eyes.

tierkreis“You’re always saying that, even when you know you’ll be fine,” agreed Liu.

tierkreis“But you can’t know how something’s gonna turn out until you try. That’s the whole point of trying!” came Sigi’s huffed protest.

tierkreis“That’s what I like about you, lass,” Dirk laughed. “Remember, if you let a bunch of Laggarts kick you around today, no more lessons for any of you.”

tierkreisMarica smirked and flipped a pigtail causally. “Just watch us!”

tierkreis“We’ll give it our best!” Sigi put in.

tierkreis“Getting rid of a few Laggarts oughtta be a piece of cake!” Liu added. Here he paused, then continued, a little nervously, “Uh… hopefully a small piece.”

tierkreisThey were rewarded with another warm chuckle from Dirk, who merely nodded and shooed them off. “Now, go see Elder Rajim before you leave. I bet Jale’s already there.”

tierkreis“Aye!” Sigi warbled, only to be cut off as Liu got revenge for her last attack.

tierkreisWith a cry of protest she took off after him, leaving Marica to catch up. Winding through the streets of Citro Village, Sigi fancied for a moment that she was a child again, chasing not Liu, but Jale around in this exact fashion. Though time had passed and they’d grown up, nothing much had really changed in this little village. The people were still kind and helpful, the buildings didn’t change a whole lot, and life went about as usual. There was a timelessness that the peace within the village had, one that made the girl love this place, not just as the place she lived, but the place she called home.

tierkreisNearing her house, Marica darted ahead of the two bickering housemates to win their private race, and it was to their good-natured complaints that they stepped inside. Waiting for them was a woman with raven hair, who beamed brightly at their arrival and clapped her hands together.

tierkreis“My, my! And how are we all today?”

tierkreis“Oh! Uh, hi, Sisuca!” her sister blurted out, to be followed by a politer “good morning” from Liu.

tierkreisSigi, unfortunately, followed Marica’s path. “Aw, yikes! Sisuca!”

tierkreis“What do you mean, ‘yikes’!?” Sisuca demanded, offended. “What kind of manners are those, Sigi!? I didn’t raise you to be that kind of girl! Do you enjoy bringing shame on your poor mother like that!?”

tierkreis“Aw, c’mon Sisuca, y’ain’t my mom!” the younger girl protested.

tierkreis“But she did raise you,” Marica reminded with a small smirk.

tierkreisHer best friend opened her mouth to retort, only to close it again and grumble reluctantly, “…Good point.”

tierkreisLuckily, she was saved from further embarrassment as a deep voice acknowledged their arrival and a stout middle-aged man emerged from the depths of the house. Marica smiled as she saw the man.

tierkreis“Here they are, Dad.”

tierkreisThe man, Elder Rajim, gave a mumbled grunt of acknowledgment as he stroked his bushy moustache. “I guess it’s a little late to be asking this now, but do you kids really intend to go?”

tierkreis“Of course!” Sigi’s response was immediate.

tierkreisRajim mumbled to himself, but Sisuca was more vocal about her concern. “Be careful, okay? Don’t do anything reckless and make Mommy worry, you hear?”

tierkreis“Ugh, Sisuca, I told you already, y’ain’t my mum!”

tierkreis“And come back safe, now! If you get hurt, I’ll wash out your wounds with salt water!”

tierkreis“Oh, c’mon Sisuca, that’s going too far! That actually hurts you know!” This time it was Marica who complained.

tierkreis“Then you better stay out of trouble!” her older sister replied matter-of-factly.

tierkreis“Is that a threat!?” Liu asked, albeit a little apprehensively.

tierkreis“To be honest, I feel the same way.” Their father’s deep voice cut through the conversation. “Had I my way, I’d rather you not go at all. Marica is my daughter, but I think of all of you – Sigi, Jale, and Liu too – as my children.”

tierkreis“Same here!” Sisuca immediately piped up. “Each and every one of you is my special little baby~”

tierkreis“Buh- I’m your sister!” Marica sputtered.

tierkreis“And Jale has his own mom,” Sigi quickly added.

tierkreis“Speaking of Jale, where is he?” Liu realized, looking about. “Isn’t he here yet?”

tierkreis“Oh, he already left,” explained Rajim. “Said he was going to stop by the general store first. Why don’t you guys go get him and come by the town square? I want to talk to you before you go.”

tierkreisWith a vocal salute, Sigi and her friends filed out of the house. This time it was a much calmer walk, chattering amiably about the adventure that awaited them and jokes all around. As they neared the red-roofed building, they spotted a young man with his pale blond hair pulled into a ponytail. Recognizing him, Sigi’s face split into a grin and she waved as she called out.

tierkreis“Hey Jale!”

tierkreisHearing her voice, the youth turned, and she saw a flash of a smirk tug on his lips as he detached himself from the counter and sauntered towards them. “What took you guys so long?”

tierkreisMarica grinned and rolled her eyes pointedly at the tall green-haired boy. “Liu overslept.”

tierkreis“Yeah yeah, it’s all my fault,” grumbled their scapegoat, rolling his eyes right back at her. “Anyway, what are you doing here, Jale?”

tierkreisIn response, Jale merely marched right up to Sigi and dropped four bottles of medicine into her hands. She blinked in surprise and stared at him blankly, to which he smirked at her again.

tierkreis“You didn’t bring any medicine, did you? I know what you’re like.”

tierkreis“Oh, you bought this for us? Aww, how thoughtful of you!” Though her tone was teasing, she meant it.

tierkreisHearing their conversation, the old lady who ran the general store turned to them and wagged a finger at the blond. “Jale, shame on you! You know very well I gave you that medicine to share with everybody! Don’t you try to pretend you bought it with your own money!”

tierkreisThe smug look on Jale’s face froze momentarily before he shook his head, still grinning. “…Busted.”

tierkreis“You’re incorrigible,” Marica sighed, though she was clearly trying to stifle laughter as Jale and Sigi bumped fists.

tierkreisLiu shook his head in wonder. “I’ve lived in this village for three years now, but sometimes I still don’t get you, Jale.”

tierkreisWith calls of thanks and returns of “good luck!” from the kind elderly woman, the foursome sauntered back towards the town square. Marica complained about her wish that her father wouldn’t go off on one of his endless lectures, to which the others made unanimous, though teasing, agreement. Once they had all assembled, the Elder stroked his moustache in thought before asking the question they knew they were going to hear from him.

tierkreis“Let me ask you one more time. Do you really think you’re ready?”

tierkreisSigi threw up her hands. “Like I said, we won’t know unless we try!”

tierkreisHer words (or rather catchphrase) prompted an exasperated sigh from the man. “That again! Why do you always—?”

tierkreis“That’s her mantra, Elder,” Jale shrugged.

tierkreis“You’ll never get any other answer out of her,” Liu agreed.

tierkreis“You oughtta be used to it by now, Dad,” tittered Marica.

tierkreisTo this Sigi giggled and gave a thumbs-up to the elder. He couldn’t help it; the Elder let out a disbelieving laugh. “Dear me, I don’t know whether to think you kids as very brave of just very reckless. It worries me that you don’t seem to comprehend how serious today will be.” A sigh. “Listen. You may think that they’re ‘just Laggarts’, but lately they’ve been getting more and more vicious. They’re forming packs, destroying farms—attacking people! That’s what you’re up against! You should—”

tierkreis“Elderrrrr, you told us that a million times alreadyyyy!” Sigi interrupted with her own exasperated whine.

tierkreis“Maybe you’re getting old, Dad,” giggled Marica. “You say the same things over and over—”

tierkreisRajim bristled at that taboo subject, but seeing this, Dirk wisely intervened. “Now, now, Elder. These guys are preeeetty good. You don’t have to worry about them so much. ‘Sides, I’ll be with them.”

tierkreisCatching himself, the Elder took a few moments to regain his calm before begrudgingly mumbling, “Well… if you say so Dirk…” Another pause, and he took up a more formal tone. “Very well. I won’t say another word. I leave the matter of the Laggarts in your hands! Just… don’t be foolhardy. If it proves too much to handle, get yourselves out of there!”

tierkreis“Can’t know until we try~” Sigi grinned.

tierkreisA sigh. “There you go again… Alright. I suppose you should leave now, if you’re going. Please be careful.”

tierkreisAs they made their way to the village gates, Dirk debriefed the youngsters on their mission. Laggarts had been harrying the outskirts for some time now, and it was these Laggarts that they were going to put down. Their destination was the beasties’ lair on the Eastern Hill.

tierkreisThe morning sun shone down brightly from a blindingly blue sky as they set out. From the hill that Citro Village sat upon, the vast rolling flatlands of Citro Plains could be seen for miles, patches of thick woodland dotting the otherwise unsheltered green expanse. The fluffy white clouds that scudded the clear sky skimmed patches of shadows across the terrain as they walked, spirits high and conversations tinged with eagerness.



It was about midday when they came across their first stop: the farmlands that belonged to a fellow named Yadima. Here they stopped for a lunch break and to patch up some of the scratches and scrapes they’d gotten from the few aggressive critters they’d stumbled into. As they ate, they spoke with the solitary farmer. As Elder Rajim had told them, the Laggarts had been more aggressive of late, damaging farmland; Yadima’s crops were no exception. When he learned that they were going to hunt the creatures, a smile broke his weathered face as he told them to give the beasts a good wallop on his behalf. Rested and refreshed, they headed out again.

They hadn’t gone very far into the Hills – only at the foothills, really – when there was a rustle and a pack of Laggarts leaped out from the long grasses. Liu let out a yell of surprise and stumbled back, while the others readied their weapons as the golden-furred creatures charged with surprising ferocity. The fight was intense but short-lived; soon the two Laggarts lay dead at their feet.

“Did you guys think those Laggarts were way more vicious than usual?” Marica asked as they all caught their breaths.

A murmur of agreement rippled through the assembled team, and Jale narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the hills. “…Something weird is happening on this hill. I can feel it in the air.”

“You guys can feel it too? Very perceptive.” Dirk was proud, impressed.

Unlike the others, Liu’s reaction wasn’t as tolerant to the changes. “Whoa, whoa! What do you mean, something weird is happening? Like, dangerous weird?”

“I’m not sure…” Their mentor’s brows knit together in a pensive frown, but then looked to his pupils. “What do you wanna do? Should we turn back?”

Sigi’s response was immediate, puffing out her cheeks indignantly. “No way!”

Her two childhood friends concurred, and all eyes fell on the lanky teen. “How about you, Liu?”

The boy hesitated, nervous beneath their gazes, until his pale green eyes flickered upward to meet Sigi’s. Her silver gaze was… pleading, almost. Actually, it was a mix between that and demanding. He felt something inside him cave to her unspoken plea and nodded.

“…Sure. Let’s go on.”

Marica wasn’t so sure. “Are you sure you’re okay with this, Liu?”

“Yeah.” Her question had nearly caused him to chicken out again, but he had better reasons to stick with them. “Citro Village accepted me without a word, even though I just drifted in outta nowhere. This is my chance to pay back what I owe you all.”

There was a short silence, one that Sigi broke. “Liu…”

“Yeah?”

“What’s the punch line?” Totally innocent, totally sincere.

“Wh- I’m serious!” Liu spluttered, feeling his face grow hot.

“Yeah, I know.” Sigi tittered. “I’m an outsider too, remember?”

To this Liu had nothing to respond with. It was true, they were both technically outsiders. It wasn’t long after he’d first arrived in Citro that he’d learned about the girl whom he lived with. Found by Sisuca as an infant, Sigi had been raised by Marica’s family and had only recently moved into the house the currently resided in now. The villagers never gave a second thought about their origins, just took them in with open arms and treated them like they’d been born part of the village. Liu’s thoughts were broken when he heard what sounded like a cuff upside the head and Sigi’s indignant yell.

“OW! What was that for, Jale!?”

“I don’t wanna hear you talking like that.” His face was dead serious, as was his tone.

“Same goes for you, Liu,” Marica nodded. “If you ever say anything like that in front of my father or sister, I’ll pound you.”

“You’re both part of Citro now. That’s all there is to it,” Dirk grinned.

The two housemates stared at each other before returning their mentor’s grin. The tension that had been in the air before vanished as the little band struck off deeper into the hilly land. Along the way they had to beat back a few more packs of Laggarts, but finally they began to climb rockier terrain as they neared the mountains. Here the land dipped into a large gorge, the other side which was visible from where they hiked. Grass dotted the plateaus with green caps, and a mock scuffle ensued when Sigi made a teasing comment as to how they resembled Liu.

Laggart numbers increased as the path turned inward into the craggy hold of the mountains. After what seemed like hours they finally found some respite and rested, tending to injuries and some pelts they had managed to keep relatively intact. Liu sighed as he flopped down on a large rock.

“Whew! I’m beat.”

Scanning the area, a troubled frown darkened Sigi’s features. “Where is that Laggart lair supposed to be, anyway? We’ve climbed all the way here and I didn’t see anything.”

“Maybe we missed it somewhere along the way?” Marica suggested.

“Well, it’s your call guys,” Dirk told them.

Sigi took this with some thought. “Iunno… that weird feeling’s still bugging me.”

Her remark made Liu jolt a little, looking uncomfortable. “Y-you mean that ‘something weird’ Jale was talking about? I don’t feel it. You still feel it, Jale?” The blond merely quirked an eyebrow at him and nodded, which only caused the other male to grumble. “Great. Just great.”

“Alright, we’ll head back for now, but let’s keep our eyes peeled along the way,” Dirk decided.

Quietly the group made their way back down, but as they passed by the cliffs, a sudden wall of green light surged upwards from the gorge below. The ground shook violently, and with shouts of alarm the five-man party stumbled as they tried to maintain their balance. Sigi toppled over, falling rather harshly on her behind, but the pain was quickly forgotten as the strangest thing began to occur on the other side of the shining wall. What looked like massive chunks of earth and trees dropped from the sky, crushing the plateaus beneath their awesome weight. Even as that happened, the earth below shifted and heaved, leveling out the falling slabs of land and raising a large stone monument high above the treetops that suddenly flourished there. As the shaking ceased and the light died, they were left staring at a completely changed landscape.

Sigi couldn’t help but voice her disbelief as she staggered to her feet. “Wh-what’s going on!? The valley turned into a forest!”

“What’re you talking about, Sigi?” Dirk asked, looking at her with confusion.

“Who turned into what now? Nothing has changed, you big silly,” Marica agreed.

“Wh- Are you kidding me!?” Angrily, Sigi turned on the pair, jabbing a finger out at where the megalith rose above the canopy. “There was this huge light, and all of a sudden, BAM! We have this huge forest!”

“Are… you sure you still aren’t asleep, Sigi?” Liu looked as skeptical as the others, though his expression was more concerned.

The silver-head wasn’t having any of it. “Do I look asleep to you!?” But before she could argue further, something… changed. As if suddenly snapping from a trance, she blinked rapidly, confusion etched on her features. No matter how much she tried to remember back, all she could conjure was an image of the forest. Finally, she muttered, “C-come to think of it… maybe this forest was here before…”

“Of course it was here before,” came Dirk’s matter-of-fact statement. Like Liu, he was starting to look at her with a little concern. “Sigi, are you feeling alright?”

“Are you that tired? Even Liu hasn’t complained yet,” Marica teased.

“What am I, the weakest link!?” Liu demanded.

“Iunno… I don’t feel that tired…” A frown had worked its way onto the other girl’s face, more a pout because she was becoming increasingly confused. Finally, she gave up. “Ah, well, whatever. Must be my imagination.”

“Well, I guess I could stand to be stronger, link-wise…” her housemate mused aloud, totally oblivious to the rest of the conversation.

Jale, who had been silent until now, grumbled in what sounded like frustration. All eyes turned to him as Sigi inquired, “What’s wrong, Jale?”

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna start saying there wasn’t here before too,” sighed Marica, crossing her arms.

“No, that’s not it,” Jale shook his head, waving a hand. “The Laggarts’ lair… I think it might be in the forest ruins.”

Their mentor slapped a fist in his hand. “Oh hey, yeah! I bet you’re right!”

Marica slapped a hand to her forehead. “Ugh, it’s so obvious! Why didn’t we think of it before!?”

Having decided to ignore her confusion for now, Sigi had regained all her energy and eagerness. “C’mon, let’s go check it out!”

Together they turned and made their way through the foot of the mountain to the forest. As they stepped into the lush, cool shade, however, Sigi lagged behind, causing her friends to stop and turn to look to her. The silver-haired girl twirled her thin rattail in her fingers as she surveyed the forest around her. Finally, Jale broke the silence.

“What’s wrong?”

The girl sighed in frustration. “It’s just… was this place really always a forest?”

Liu cocked an eyebrow at her. “So you are still asleep.”

“I thought you’d said it was just your imagination.” Marica crossed her arms, looking tired that they had to go over this again.

“Yeah…” The short-haired girl scratched her head, not really fully convinced. “Must be… just my imagination huh…” No, she couldn’t figure it out. Not wanting to worry her friends further, she dismissed it for now. “Sorry guys.”

“Sigi. Are you sure you’re alright?” Dirk was gazing at her with some worry, as if he was afraid she’d suddenly keel over.

She quickly dismissed him and pressed on ahead into this familiarly alien forest. Her worries about the nature of its existence quickly disappeared with the appearance of monsters that they had to beat back. These were real enough, and so were the scratches that they left on her whenever a strike landed. Soon they had arrived at the entrance to the ruins. The dilapidated structure’s opening yawned at them like the mouth of a great beast. Liu stared at the entrance and shuddered.

“Yeesh, could this place get any creepier?”

“I sense… something in there,” Dirk nodded thoughtfully, also gazing in the direction of the inky hole. He received a grunt from Jale that confirmed the other male sensed it too.

“The Laggarts’ lair?” Despite her earlier sass, Marica was now a little apprehensive.

“I can’t tell.” Dirk seemed troubled by this revelation, and he squinted as if it would help him better discern the danger level.

“You mean, it might be something else!?” Liu’s voice almost cracked in his panic.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out!” Sigi grinned, twirling her staff.

“I don’t suppose you guys would, uh, consider coming back some other time…?” Liu laughed weakly.

Marica grinned cheekily at him. “Do you want to go back alone?”

“I-I’ll come with you!” was his quick reply.

“Listen guys,” Dirk warned them. “Even though they’re only Laggarts, they can be dangerous if you get surrounded in a tight spot. You saw how they acted in the hills. Stay focused!”

Though the youngsters gave affirmations, even Sigi couldn’t hide her apprehension as they drew closer to the ruins entrance. Her silver eyes wandered up, taking in the entire structure. The thing was massive, shaped in the bust of a man – or at least a person. Riddled with cracks, chips, and vegetation that had found root in the crumbling crevices, it was obvious the megalith was incredibly old. But what purpose had it served? Was it a temple of some sort, perhaps, and the entire building crafted into the likeness of the deity that was worshipped within its walls? The thought seemed rather eerie and odd to the girl; it was like entering a person’s body to praise them about how good they were. Feeling a shudder of discomfort, she quickly dismissed the strange conceptions that bubbled up and followed Dirk into the dim interior of the ruins.

Within was as ancient as without. Afternoon sun barely filtered in from the windows that lined the walls, but it was enough that vegetation could flourish here as well. Ivy and mosses grew along the walls and crept along the floor, and in some places the intricate patterns were disrupted by the thick roots of the surrounding trees that burst through like breaching whales. Their footsteps echoed faintly in the vast atrium, and they hadn’t gone very far when Liu piped up.

“W-well! What do you know? Nothing in here!” he was visibly jittery, but he was trying to keep a casual front. “We got worked up for nothing!”

A rather blatant attempt to say, “let’s leave”. But before anyone could make any comment, Dirk held out an arm, his grip on his spear tightening as his dark eyes flashed about, alert.

“Look sharp! I’m sensing something!”

His words of warning had scarce left his lips than a terrific roar reverberated through the ruins. Shocked, they whirled about, searching for the source of the sound, only to find that they’d been approached from behind.

“Wh-what is that thing!?”

Sigi blurted the words out before she even had time to process it. But there was nothing else she could say. The creature they beheld was like none she’d ever seen before. It looked like some horribly mutated mushroom: no arms or legs or appendages of any kind in sight, only a relatively cylindrical body of a bright scarlet that pulsated faintly, like raw flesh. Perched atop this was what looked like a barren human skull, only no human had a head this big. Blackened flesh ringed its pus-yellow eyes, which held nothing; no pupils, no iris, just a flat glassy yellow. Where a human jaw would be, however, was a row of wickedly sharp, slavering teeth, each easily as long as Dirk’s hand. It was from this gruesome maw that an inhuman groaning sound was coming from.

“The head Laggart!?” Liu’s sputtered words would’ve been absolutely hilarious if the situation hadn’t been so bizarre or dangerous.

Marica attempted to fight her own fear by answering as angrily as she could. “Does that look like a Laggart to you!?”

Sigi heard Jale shout a warning, but the hideous beast pounced upon the group with a hungry roar. Caught off-guard, they stumbled back, fumbling with their weapons. Acting fast, Marica let an arrow fly the moment she’d pulled the string on her bow back. It flew true, lodging itself into the creature’s fleshy body. The monster roared and immediately went for its attacker, but by then the other three were ready. As Marica fired off another bolt Dirk and Sigi charged in from the flanks, the man’s spear slashing into the flesh beneath its cheekbone and the girl’s cudgel giving a resounding crack as it collided with the side of the skull. It reeled, but recovered in time to retaliate as Jale tried to deal a blow straight for its face. His yell of pain intermingled with his friends’ cries of alarm and the subsequent snap as a stone thrown by Liu broke one of the arrows that had hit, driving it deeper into the beast’s body. The scarlet thing howled again, and in a rage charged towards him. His face went paler than before as he gave a scream and back-pedalled, only to trip on a protruding root and collapse on his behind. The monstrosity was upon him in an instant, slavering jaws snapping at the prone boy.

“Liu!”

Yelling out a battle cry Sigi body-checked the creature, shoving it off of her friend with as much strength as she could muster. No time to pull the taller boy to his feet; she whirled around and faced the beast with brandished club. Dirk bellowed a command over the din of battle.

“All together! NOW!”

As one the three melee fighters rushed the recovering monster, while Marica pulled her bow back so far it groaned beneath the strain. She sighted, and just as the others’ weapons met with the creature she let it fly. The arrow whistled faintly as it soared through the air, plunging into the sunken socket of the skull’s eye. Its bellow was ear-shattering, but the younger pair exchanged knowing looks and, countering its roar with their own shouts, they drove their weapons home: his fist into the arrowhead, the butt of her cudgel into its uninjured eye. Seizing the chance his pupils had given him, Dirk brought his spear down in a vicious jab, piercing it straight through the back of its head. The eerie life in the monster’s pus-crusted eyes faded, and it let slip a raspy moan before sagging to the ruins floor.

The group took a moment to catch their breath. Nothing had to be said, for they all were thinking the same thing: they had to get out, now. Never before had they encountered anything of such strength and stamina, and it had taken them almost all their skill to bring it down. They were in no condition to fight another one, let alone a pack.

Alas, there was no such luck. The moment they turned around to make a mad dash for the door, their hearts filled with dread, for the worst-case scenario had just come true. Their singular exit was blocked, and there was more than one of the grotesque monsters. There was no way they could fight against such numbers; as one the five turned heel and fled deeper into the ruins. If there was another exit, any exit, they could escape through there. Yet one fear permeated all others: what if there wasn’t another exit?

Through sun-dappled halls they ran, footsteps and laboured breaths echoing in the cavernous space. Had any spared the moment to consider, it was ironic how the sunlight filtering in belied the critical situation they were in. None dared look back, just continued climbing the low stone steps and searched desperately for any notion of a way out. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached a circular room filled with row upon row of connected arches, but no means of escape. A dead end. Dirk made a sound of desperate frustration and slammed a hand into one of the pillars. Liu’s frightened eyes wandered from one grim face to the next.

“Let’s double back and look for some other exit!” he cried, unwilling to believe that they were in a very, very bad situation.

“There was no other exit.” Dirk’s tone held frustration, a finality that destroyed all doubt… and also all hope. “If we go back, we’ll just run into those things again!” Liu made a strangled noise, but the older male was speaking again, mind working overtime to try and figure out a plan. “Okay, we’ll lead them into this room and look for a way to slip out past them. It’s the only way we can hope to get out.” He kept his gaze as firm as he could, and fixed each of his pupils with it. “Are we clear?”

They nodded, but just as they were about to get into position, Sigi noticed something on the floor. Her pause and curious grunt caused her mentor to turn.

“Sigi? What is it!?”

“What’s that?” One by one, the others turned to look at where she was pointing.

“What is that?!” Liu gasped.

“A… book?” Confusion on Jale’s part.

Indeed, it was a tome that lay there, its golden embellishments peeling and scarlet cover faded. The entire thing was crusted with dirt and debris, and covered in a thick layer of dust, as if it had lay there for countless years. Marica murmured something, but Sigi was too captivated by… what? What was it? It felt like a magnetic pull, drawing her inexorably to it. Dirk’s voice, pitched with urgency. But that went ignored too, drowned out by the pounding of her heart, that small unspoken voice telling her to just touch the book, to brush the grime away…

A brilliant scarlet symbol flared up before her eyes as her fingers made contact with the dirty cover. Flash. A regal, floating figure, top half of their face hidden by their headdress, seeming to radiate an inner light as their mantle flapped around them. Flash. A battle-scarred fortress, thick with blood and the dead. Flash. Four figures fighting for their freedom and their friends.

Images, sounds, voices filled her head and overwhelmed her senses, and with it a sense of enlightenment, as if something had just clicked in her mind. It happened so suddenly that she was left reeling, disoriented, until Marica’s voice anchored her back to reality.

“Did you see that?” Her usual sassy voice was gone, replaced with wonder and, to a lesser extent, uncertainty.

Jale grunted his affirmation the same time Sigi replied, “I saw it too.”

“See what? What are you guys talking about?” Confused and concerned by their sudden silence, and now their words, Dirk asked what any sane man would.

“Th-that was…!” Liu looked like he’d been hit in the gut with a ton of bricks.

“Did you see it too, Liu!?” The older man wasn’t quite sure what to feel: relieved that the other three weren’t losing their minds, or angry that he seemed to be the only one left in the dark.

“I, uh…” The lanky youth glanced briefly at Sigi, then shook his head, refusing to look at her. “No… Not a thing…”

His friend and housemate glanced in the direction of his voice but didn’t turn around. However much she knew he was lying, something told her that now wasn’t the time to press the issue, for at that moment a low guttural growl seeped into the circular room. Like pinpricks of light, eyes glowing with madness and hungry bloodlust stared out at the small party from the dark recesses of the ruins. Dirk whirled around, a warning shout on his lips as he tensed and tightened his grip on his spear. Liu stumbled back, fear plastered all over his face as a whimper escaped him.

“C’mon, man up! No time for crying!” the older man snapped, hoping that by sounding angry he could shake off his own fear as well as Liu’s.

“…Dirk…stand back.” Behind them, Sigi had finally risen from her crouched position before the mysterious book, her tone shockingly calm given their situation.

“What?” Caught off-guard, her mentor stared dumbly at her as she stepped forward towards the beasts. “W-wait!”

“Don’t worry. Leave this to us.”

Marica and Jale were only steps behind Sigi, their expressions and voices as collected as their friend’s. An unreadable expression flashed across Liu’s face, and for a moment his muscles relaxed. Dirk was still so dumbfounded by the sudden change in attitude that it took the monsters’ snarling, slavering fangs to help him find his voice.

“G-guys, stop! You’re gonna die!”

To that, Sigi only tossed him a cocky grin. “Hey, won’t know ‘till we try.”

And without looking back, they charged towards the scarlet monsters. There was more than one of them this time, their inhuman groans sounding like the chorus of the underworld. Fanning out a little to protect the two behind them, they readied their weapons.

“This power that I’m feeling… can it be…?” Marica murmured, more to herself than anyone else.

“It’s those marks of the stars, isn’t it. I wonder if we can really use them?” Jale wondered.

No more time to ask; seeing the three of them draw closer, the fleshy beasts charged them with speed born of animal hunger. Blocking one of them, Sigi heaved it back, swinging her club viciously to land a sharp strike against the creature’s temple. As she readied her weapon again a sudden thought occurred to her. Most all creatures she knew balked at the sight of fire. Could she or her other friends conjure fire with their newfound marks?

Her thoughts had distracted her, and the creature she’d been fighting leaped at her. Liu’s shout was drowned out by another roar, this time human, as something large and blue rammed into the thing, knocking it off course. Dirk grinned at her mildly shocked surprise.

“Hey, what kind of teacher lets his pupils do all the protecting?” he smirked.

Her reply was a returning grin, one that was quickly wiped off her face as she saw the skull rush for the older man. Ducking around him she gave a wild yell, the image of the strange scarlet symbol, like an abstract soaring bird, flaring up in her mind’s eye. To her shock and glee, fire erupted from the end of her cudgel as it crashed into the beast’s temple again. Its shriek of pain was ear-splitting, and combined with the pungent scent of burning flesh it almost made her heave, but the silver-haired girl managed to keep her lunch in her stomach. Taking advantage of its pain she shifted her grip on her blunt weapon and went for another blow on the other side of its bony head with the other end. Once more she imagined the insignia and flames burst to life, searing at the pulsating flesh of her foe. This time, it engulfed the creature entirely, the fiery tongues lapping at the crimson body as hungrily as the beast had eyed her before. Its banshee screams continued until whatever in it that served as vocal cords was burned to ash.

“Yeah! Now we’re talking!” Sigi gave a whoop.

Jale was having equal amounts of success harnessing his new power. Electricity crackled around the blades of his claws as he hooked a vicious right at a second beast’s eye. Blood and pus exploded out from where he slashed the soft tissue, and the electrical shock caused the monster’s body to twitch and spasm. Unrelenting in his attacks, the blond served up a rapid chain of punches to the thing’s body, the repeated contact of electricity gradually paralyzing it completely. Now helpless in the face of its opponent, the predator had become the prey as the youth reared back, his final strike splitting the hideous creature’s bony skull open. The shock killed it effectively, and it slumped to the stone ground in a heap.

Dirk, upon seeing that Sigi could handle the one she’d been fighting, had gone to help Marica battle the third skull. She was still relying on her bow, but the silver-head noticed that her best friend kept glancing at their mentor before firing off another arrow. Her foe now resembled something of a pincushion, most of the shafts broken by Dirk’s spear slashing away at the fleshy portion of the beast’s body. The man misjudged a stab, leaving himself open, and before he could cover it the beast sank its fangs into his arm. He snarled out in pain, but used the butt of his spear to slam a few of the lodged arrowheads into the scarlet flesh, the rewarding howl releasing his limb. The pallid-haired girl closed her eyes and lifted a hand towards her mentor. As if on cue, a soft blue light glimmered to life around the man, settling gentle shimmering motes on his wounds. When they faded it was as if the injury had never been there at all. The girl’s arrows prevented the monster from taking advantage of Dirk’s jolt of awed surprise, before the now-revitalized spearman lashed out with his pole arm, dealing a finishing blow that dropped the creature’s lifeless corpse at his feet.

While the battle had been made all the easier with their newfound powers, it had still been an arduous fight. Sigi flopped down onto her behind with a sigh, Liu following suit in a slower, more relieved manner. The three childhood friends looked to each other as they all caught their breaths, grinning triumphantly. It was finally Dirk’s incredulous voice that broke the silence.

“Y-you guys… how did you do that?”

Sigi shrugged. “Dunno. Touching this book must’ve given us some kinda powers or something.”

“Book?”

“Uh-huh. This—” Holding out the tome that they’d found on the ground, she opened it up, only to find… “Huh? The pages are blank.” She flipped through it quickly. “Nothing. It’s completely empty.”

“But I think I saw some people fighting when I touched it. And then, all of a sudden, I felt like I could do things I never could before,” Marica explained, half musing.

“One of them said ‘marks of the stars’. I think that’s what these powers must be…” Though he was confident, Jale’s voice trailed off as he further pondered the mysteries of what he’d seen and experienced.

“M-marks of the stars?” Confusion from Liu.

“That’s… that’s ridiculous!” His mouth moved faster than he could process it. The moment Dirk spoke he realized he’d sounded harsher and more critical than he’d intended.

“But true.” This time Jale’s tone didn’t waver.

“Why don’t you try touching it yourself, Dirk?” This suggestion came from Sigi, who held out the book, now cleaned of dust and grime, towards her mentor.

“Uh… okay.” Apprehensively, the burly man strode over and gingerly laid a hand on the faded cover.

“Well?” Her tone was expectant, eager.

She was disappointed; Dirk shook his head, frowning. “No… I don’t feel anything.”

“Huh? That’s strange.”

“Liu! What about you?” Marica piped up, turning to the boy.

The greenhead jumped slightly. “Wh-whhat, me? I, uh… I’m good, thanks.”

“Oh, don’t be shy. C’mon!” his silver-haired friend turned the book towards him.

Her gaze, like it had before, caused the lanky boy to relent. “F-fine.”

“Feel anything?” Dirk’s tone was unreadable, curious to know, yet dreading the answer.

“N-no. Nothing here, either.” Liu shook his head as he removed his hand from the tome.

“What? Really? That’s weird!” Sigi sounded disappointed, yet confused.

“Dirk!” Marica turned to their mentor, pleading. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I swear we’re not lying!”

“No, I… I’m not calling you liars.” The older man shook his head, his frown turning pensive. “There’s no denying you guys used moves nobody ever taught you before. I agree that’s gotta be some kinda special book.”

This piqued Sigi’s interest. “A special book, eh?”

“What are you gonna do with it?”

To this, Sigi grinned. “Bring it back to the village, of course! Like Marica said, we saw some people fighting, fighting against a really powerful enemy. Iunno what it is about that, but I think it might be really important. So I’m taking the book!”

“I see…” There was a pause, and he sighed heavily.

“What is it?”

“I’m tired. Let’s just go back to the village.”

Marica nodded. “Yeah. I’ve had just about enough of this place too.”

As they made their way out, Dirk spoke again. “Oh, by the way, thanks guys.”

“For what?” Sigi asked, surprised.

“The only reason I came with you guys was because I thought I could help you if you got into trouble,” was the explanation she received. “Who would’ve thought you guys would end up bailing me out? Ha ha ha!”

For a moment guilty worry flashed across Marica’s face. “Dirk…”

The group remained wary as they made their way back the way they’d fled, but thankfully all was quiet. The dim interior suddenly seemed a little brighter with the immediate threat of strange powerful monsters gone, and as the exit came into view their hearts lightened further. Stepping out into the forest once more, Sigi stretched her arms up to the treetops.

“Maaaan, I feel like I haven’t been outside in forever!”

“I didn’t think we’d ever see the light of day again!” Liu agreed, sounding immensely relieved to be out of those ruins.

Jale was silent for a moment as his gold eyes roamed the area. “…It’s gone…” When the others turned to him inquisitively, he continued, “That feeling is gone.”

Dirk followed suit, and nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “You’re right. I don’t feel that agitation in the air anymore either. I bet it was that feeling that stirred up the Laggarts. They’ll probably calm down too.” He paused, frowning in thought. “But… I wonder what it was.”

“Oh, hey, wait! Didn’t we come here to get rid of the Laggarts? I totally forgot!” Liu realized suddenly.

“‘I can’t believe you, Liu!’ is what I’d like to say, but… to be honest, I forgot too,” Marica admitted, albeit a little sheepishly.

The sheepishness was echoed in Sigi’s expression as she chuckled weakly and scratched the back of her head. Dirk turned a teasing grin to Jale.

“What, you’re the only one that didn’t forget, Jale?”

“Nah. I just remembered a little while ago myself,” was the blond’s rather calm confession.

There was a silence, then Sigi burst out laughing. “Oh, get it together already!”

“Look who’s talking!” Marica giggled.

The laughter was contagious, and also relieving to hear. Despite himself even Dirk was grinning. “Eh, no surprise you’d forget. We had more important things to deal with back there for a while. Like those…” He didn’t have to say anything more; everyone knew what he was taking about. “Sorry. Alright, I guess we’ve done enough for today. Let’s head home.”