Mordred -> RE: =DF= Mogloween War 2010 (11/1/2010 3:14:16)
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It 'twas a dark and brooding week for Mordred, yet again. The week went along the lines of this recollection of events... On the first day of the Uprising, Oct 22, 8005... A lone samurai was meditating inside the Moonridge Inn that day. He often contemplated the meanings of life, reasons to fight, ways to fight, and other ethical matters. Often, he could not find clear-cut answers either. He was not in battle armor, but his simple kimono, which he wore outside of combat situations. He had his crimson armor traditional of the samurai arranged on his bed, and the rack for his katana was empty. He had misplaced it some time ago on Sho Nuff Island. Or some pirate snuck something in his tea and made off with it. I digress. The samurai was interrupted by the loud thumping of armored fists against his room's door. "Mordred!", Captain Viamat cried out from beyond the flimsy wooden door. "We need you right away!" Mordred got up from his meditation and got up to the door in an exasperated fashion. "What is it now?", he said gruffly, opening the door to the fully armored DragonLord. "It is war, Mordred!" "War? I'll be on my way. Where shall we convene?" "The watchtower. From there, you can see the approaching army." "Very well. Go in peace." Mordred bowed respectively, placing a gentle fist against his open palm in a sign of respect. "I'll end up in pieces with my luck...", the captain grumbled to himself. With that, he stormed off haughtily to go yell at whoever let an army get this close to the town. Minutes later, Mordred was stalking his way to the tower in silence. He was now fully armored, and wore a broad-brimmed straw hat that concealed his face when he gazed down at the ground in thought. Thus, one would almost never see his face. He was quite the surreal character, actually. Garbed in an armor of antiquity, practically faceless, with long, sleek, black hair running down his tattered cloak the color of dried blood like water all the way down to his waist. More intriguing was his lack of a katana. As a replacement, he used a unique broadsword commished by the Avatar of Wind, Kahzri. The ethereal substance within seemed to burn with a fiery passion around reptiles and amphibeans. Soon, Mordred joined Viamat upon his lofty perch, along with a few other heroes. Gathered there were Eric Ravenwing, a plucky Doom Knight, Dornalca, an experienced paladin and battle-poet, Bryon, an odd MageKnight, (Stephan) Nix, a... penguin(?), Chisagen, a strange DragonLord who bore a... fish as his weapon of choice, Grrral, a warrior new to the business, and Aaron, also a DragonLord. "Viamat, can you guarentee us that the undead can't interfere?", Eric questioned. He was asking this because he was worried for the town. As much as the imposing Doom Knight reveled in war, he doubted that the heroes could take on two armies, especially one that's virtually endless. "Yes, Ravenwing, I'm sure our Knights can hold them off, so long as you can stave off the... mutants.", the captain retorted. "What, no undead?", Dornalca whined. "I will be sad today, for there are no undead to slay...", she sang in a melancholy tune. "Take heart, my friend!", Mordred greeted warmly. "These woods hold plenty for your insatiable appetite for exorcism!" "Mordred!". Bryon called out. "What'cha been up to lately?" "I've been meditating, as usual.", the samurai replied. "So, have you convinced anyone that defense is superior to offense?" "Not yet..." the MageKnight said wearily. "But I've got Aaron here almost swayed! And you?" "I'm still going to strike for where it will take the greatest effect, Bryon. I'll perfect the art, and never deviate from it, no matter how hard you try!" Mordred turned to Aaron. "And you! It's been a while since we've been able to see each other! When was it, that Zard War?" "Sure was!", Aaron said heartily. "And this year, I'll best you yet!" "We'll see, my friend." "Hey, what about me?", Nix called out, brandishing his blade of ice. "Ah, Nix, despite your appearence, none could overlook you! How have the Northlands been for you?", Mordred said, turning to his odd friend. "Cold...", Nix replied curtly, shivering a little. "Have you made any friends with the linus up there? Or what about the killguins?" "Nope, not yet. The linus are few and far between, and the killguin are too brutish for my tastes." "Suit yourself.", the samurai said bluntly. He turned to Grrral. "And you, my friend! This is your chance to make a name for yourself!" "Thanks for reminding me...", Grrral growled. "Something the matter?", Eric asked. "Hmmm? What, oh no!", Grrral said quickly. "I just wish you guys wouldn't underestimate me." "I'm a penguin...", Nix said flatly. "How could I underestimate anybody?" Bryon quickly intervened. "Please, guys! If you can't even speak defensively with each other, how will you ever fight defensively?" There was silence at that. "Well...", Viamat started, before Dornalca interrupted him. "We'll get back to you on that, Bryon. So, who's ready to kick some mutant butt?" Cheers errupted from the gathered heroes at the prospect of war. "Yes, let us bring ourselves honor on the battlefield!" Mordred called out. "Hold the blood-lust, you guys!", Viamat shouted above idle banter. "All the other heroes are already at the mansion. You should get down there and talk with the wierdo and those strange sisters in ninja costumes. Pheh, kids these days. thinking ninjas are better than pirates." However, by the time he said "get down there", the heroes had rushed off. After the day of battle, most were exhausted by the day. Even Eric had to lie down for a bit, due to cheast pain. Mordred suspected said chest-pain was the darkness of his Doom items gnawing away at his heart. "Grah, I'm sick of these TARTs.", Dornalca grumbled groggily. "I've had to eat so many today..." "For what? To stave off the infection?", Mordred asked cynically. "What's wrong, Mordred?", Bryon questioned. "This war is self-destructive. It only serves as a distraction from the true threat, while thinning our numbers." "Whatever do you mean?", Dornalca asked, raising an eyebrow. "Take a look around us, Dorn!", Mordred shouted, no longer in his calm reverie. He gestured with his arms around their camp. "Look among us, and tell me who's missing!" Eric, Bryon, Chisagen, and Dornalca all looked around them, unsure of what they were looking for. "Um, could it be Grrral, Aaron, and Nix by any chance?", Eric guessed. "Of course." Mordred shot out. "They're probably off fighting, Mordred...", Bryon said in his own reverie. "They are... for the zardbies...", Mordred said dryly. "What?", Chisagen shouted, spitting out his moglinberry juice. "Samuraisaywhatnao?" "You're crazy.", Eric said, shrugging it off. "You've had a bit too much Barry's tea, I suspect." "No, I've not had enough." Mordred's right temple was pulsing, and went unseen from underneath his hat. "You all fail to realize that these zardbies you've been slaying are in fact heroes. You kill them without a thought, and they could be one of your friends! It just boggles my mind! I've made sure that I only incapacitated them, but you've been killing left and right!" "Calm down, Mordred.", Eric said soothingly. "They've all made their choice. The didn't want to eat their TART, so they'll pay the price." "These are our friends. They made one bad choice, or couldn't get back to camp in time, and you turn your backs on them? Right now, Aaron, Nix, and Grrral are all competing for the Red Queen's favor. They're her, its, slaves now. And you'd kill them for it?" "We do as we must...", Dornalca said calmly. "I can't believe this..." Mordred stormed off, barging out of their shared tent and into the cold night. "Wait, how does a penguin become a zardbie anyways?", Bryon asked his remaining three companions. Day three of the Uprising, Oct. 25, 8005. Mordred was sitting quietly in the tent he had prepared in the middle of the battlefield, sipping on golden Barry's tea and munching on pumpkin cake. He now had a new katana, taken froma zardbie. He had to pay Cysero to fix it up, including ridding it of the Z-Virus. It worked marvelously, though. Great reach. As he was sipping some tea, Bryon strode into his tent. "I see you still won't return to the camp.", he commented. "Of course not.", Mordred replied curtly between sips of his tea. "Care for some?" "No, I prefer mineral water." "How sad." "I would like some of that pumpkin cake, though..." Bryon said, reaching over with his gloved hand. This was met with a sheathed katana, quite literally. Mordred had rapped it against Bryon's outstretched hand. "Ooooowwww! Overreaction much?" "No. This is my pumpkin cake." "Fine. Well, I only came over here expecting you to not come back." Bryon got up to leave and return to battle. "Wait, I have a question to ask of you. Why do you fight for the heroes?" Bryon thought about this before speaking. "Hmmmmm... Mostly, I'm neutral like you, but I fight with the heroes to defend myself and Lore from the Virus." Mordred nodded politely. "'T'is a decent cause to fight for." "And what of you?" "... I don't know what I fight for..." "I'll get back to you on that, then." With that, Bryon left Mordred to ponder that great question. Later that day, Aaron the zardbie stumbled upon Mordred's tent. He had already "fed", so he was tame enough to have a conversation with. As soon as Mordred saw the shambling creature, he drew his blade. "Who goes there? Speak!" "...Morrrrr... dreddddd..." , the creature moaned. The samurai quickly recognized the creature's hair as Aaron's. "Aaron! Come in, come in, care for a drink? Some cake?" The creature plodded its way into the tent before plopping itself down. "Nuuuuu... thank youuuuu. No... TARTTTTT?" "Now, I'm beyond trying to shove those wretched things down your throats." "That makes... Aaron... happeh..." The creature then attempted to smile without a lower jaw. The result was not good, to say the least. "Why do you fight for the Red Queen, Aaron?" "Red Queeeeen give powah... Red give neeeeew!" "I see. Anything deeper?" The creature cocked his head, puzzled by the question. "Nuuuuu?", it said, more asking itself than answering Mordred. "Aaron, I want you to know that you must do as you will. Let no one sway you. Let no one govern your actions. Now, with that knowledge, you should be off, before Eric comes and kills us both." As he said this, he shoved Aaron out of his tent and into the evening air. The sixth day of the Uprising, Oct. 28, 8005. The war was nearly won. Yet the zardbies still fought back hard, despite imminent defeat. That night, in fact, Mordred would get a surprise visit. Mordred was preparing for bed, about to remove his armor, when he heard rustling outside. He grabbed his katana, and went out to investigate. He searched around, and eventually found a rustling bush. He was wiser than to look at it from closer than five feet. He could tell a hungry zardbie was about to pounce. And pounce it did. Over the dark ground it leaped, claws stretched out in an attempt to claw Mordred's face. Mordred would have none of that. He quickly brandished his blade, and struck down the creature with the flat of his blade. Unceremoniously downed, it stumbled back up to its feet, pulling out a bone from it's leg in the process. It quickly figured out what to do with it, and threw it at Mordred, who was smacked in the face. Enraged, Mordred took his blade to the creature, and gave it a good smacking with the flat of his blade again and again. However, the zardbie flipped backwards after taking four hits, uppercutting Mordred solidly. It gave a final roar before retreating back into the shadows. Ugh, who was that? Could it have been... Grrral? Mordred thought to himself, before picking himself up and going to bed sore. The final day of the Uprising, Oct. 29, 8005. Mordred had gathered at the gates of the mansion, where the heroes had cornered the last zardbie, Nix. He was kind of adorable, in his zardbie/penguin(zardbiguin?) way. "Who would dare fight against me, the greatest of all the Red Queen's servants?", the creature asked the heroes, "Who can summon the courage to face me in battle?" "Why don't we all gang up on you instead?", chisagen asked. It was no idle threat. "What honor is there in that?", Mordred questioned chillingly. "Should we forsake honor, and thus, what makes you heroes in the first place? Would you become the likes of Zorbak, or Noxus, who stoop so low as to be devoid of all my repect? I shall not stand by an army of 'heroes' that know not of what they fight for." There were whispers among some of the newer heroes, who had just taken up weapons only recently. "Who is this nut?", one murmered. "What the heck is this honor thing?", another interrogated, deadly serious. Mordred's mind roiled in anger at this. Has our society already permeated the young minds of up-and-coming adventurers? Do they really know naught of why we, I, fight? Or at least how we fight? "You make a good point, Mordred.", Chisagen conceded. "I may have plenty of fish(until Pie ate it all), but no one has as much honor as you." Many others agreed to this. "C'mon, Mordred!", Dornalca cheered. "You could trash this mutated traveler of the north!" "So, you choose the samurai?", Nix inquired. "The only man with the sense to remain neutral, and fight for both?" "I may not agree with Mordred's choices, penguin," Eric began. "But he is loyal, and remains steadfast against evil. I will consent to this duel, as it seems to be general agreement among us here to nominate Mordred." The heroes gathered there began to cheer. Maybe it was the thought of seeing two warriors duke it out. Maybe it was just the craze that war often has on us mortals. Who can say? Mordred began taking slow steps foward from the group, drawing closer to his old friend, and temporary foe. He could feel his sandals resisting his movements, trying to stay embedded in the mud. Soon, the crowd was chanting "Mordred, Mordred, Mordred" in time with his steps. As they did, a rain begain to build up to the point where it was a steady, heavy downpour. Mordred didn't notice; his hat was broad enough that he wouldn't even notice if he wasn't so focused on Nix. When he stood only fifteen feet from his foe, Mordred stopped abruptly, and reached for the katana hanging on his left hip. Grasping the handle firmly, he slowly drew the worn blade from its sheath, and took it up in a battle stance. However, unseen by most, he played his fingers along the blade, casting a spell on it often used by samurai for sparring. The spell essentially made it impossible to do more than bruise with the weapon in question. Mordred saw no need to kill the infected penguin. "Now, take up your weapon, Nix." The penguin merely scoffed at first. "Oh, look at you, using one of our weapons! What do you think you'll do with that?" "Win." "Ouch. Well, you may have your honor, but I have the power that the Red Queen's given me." Saying this, the innocent looking Emperor penguin took on a terrible transformation. He doubled over, grunting in effort, gowing exponentially in size. His white feathers slowly turned a mottled green, his beak protruded to a decent foot away from his face, and horns of bone grew from his back. worst was the horrible purple glow his eyes took. "Now, GET IN MAH BELLEH!!!" Nix then proceded to waddle towards Mordred at an uncomfortable speed. Not caring to be squashed under a ten foot tall freak of "nature", Mordred dodged to the side, narrowly missing being impaled by a horn on one of Nix's elbows. "Nix!", Mordred called out to the lumbering beast. "I understand why you'd side with the Red Queen." He was soon interrupted by deadly flippers bearing down on him. Again, he was forced to dodge, narrowly avoiding being driven into the ground like a stake. Nix's downward blow rent the very earth itself. "She offers you power, that's obvious. That appeals to you because-" Mordred cut himself off to get in a few strikes at the penguin's back. "You've always been belittled for your appearance." Again, he was cut off, this time by the rampaging monster. Nix was again bearing down on him, this time trying to crush him under a body slam. After dodging that, and making a quick, ineffectual counterattack, the samurai continued. "However, this is not the way to show people that you're worthy of their respect." Nix cocked his horrible head, considering Mordred's words. He then shrugged them off, and made a lunge at Mordred, trying to bite down and devour the warrior. Of course, Mordred could not stop the attack of such a beast, and rolled ahead, underneath Nix's extended flipper. Bouncing to his feet, he turned to see Nix rising. "If you won't listen to reason, then I'll have to end this." He then ran up to the monster's back, and using his spiked tail as leverage, he leaped up high into the air, and brought down his katana on Nix's head with such strength that the penguin monster was downed with a heavy crash. Mordred, recollecting his senses from the ensuing collision, got up calmly, sheathing his weapon. He turned to see Nix attempt to rise with his flippers' strength, but he blacked out. Eric then quickly ran up to him and shoved a TART down his throat. "That should do it!", he said triumphantly. "Mordred, that was a great display! I hope to never end up against you in battle. Nix will return to normal soon, just like Aaron and Grrral did." "Now, we bring down those doors with fish!", Chisagen yelled, bringing their minds back to the true threat. With that, he ran up to the sealed doors, and beat it mercilessly with a fish for an hour, at which point the doors collapsed. The heroes quickly flooded into the the building, leaving Mordred to ponder over his actions and their consequences. What do I fight for? I fight niether for the immediate threat, nor for power... He continued rolling it in his mind, trying to philosophically find the answer. Nothing could come to mind...
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