[center][h3]Tora & Poppi[/h3] [b]Level 5 Tora[/b] - (7/50) EXP and [b]Level 4 Poppi[/b] - (6/40) EXP [b]Location:[/b] Lumbridge [b]Word Count:[/b] 835[/center] Peach did not let the vista offered by the Land of Adventure to distract her for more than a few moments. After letting out a small sigh, she returned to her vehicle and put it into gear, and down the hill she went. Though the village lay only a short drive away, she caught up to Agoston, and the two reached Lumbridge together. They found themselves greeted immediately by a trio of appointed guardsmen: a purple-robed [url=https://assets.rpgsite.net/images/images/000/067/523/original/Dragon-Quest-XI_Hero-CG.png]warrior[/url], a little [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/64/1d/3e641dbd77b31bdc963d1481c462e189.jpg]mage[/url], and a youthful [url=https://www.ssbwiki.com/images/thumb/5/53/Young_Link.png/250px-Young_Link.png]swordsman[/url]. While not the most talkative bunch outside of the girl, they seemed welcoming enough, and in an odd turn did not seem at all repulsed by the idea of a bunch of strangers entering their town. Once they felt reasonably assured that the visitors would do the place no harm, they allowed the convoy to enter, once they left their vehicles behind. After exiting behind the mercifully near-vacant rabbid truck along with Linkle, Tora lent his egg-shaped body to help Poppi walk into Lumbridge. The place featured every conceivably trait of a cheery beginning-of-journey town, complete with numerous useful facilities and an atmosphere of potential. The foremost guardsman suggested that the heroes check in with the Guild, which occupied a central position in Lumbridge not just physically, but in all its affairs. A walk there brought the heroes past a few different stores, a couple fenced-in paddocks with livestock, numerous houses, and businesses like a tanner, blacksmith, and apothecary. From the moment that Hat Kid first started down the main path, the familiar activity of her hat suggested the presence of a nearby Time Piece, and a little searching brought her to the doorstep of the town's General Store. Its [url=http://static.tumblr.com/ed7636a2e56c3210bb6609a27f55ac40/fkdw6rh/f5Tnyxc53/tumblr_static_5l7wsv3nqeos00g8w888kwcwc.png]sign[/url], on a wooden board near the steps to the door, identified it as 'Malo Mart'. From the moment she entered, a little, round face peered at her from behind the counter. Though Malo looked like a toddler, there was no mistaking the intellect behind his eyes. “Buy something..” he told her, gesturing at the shelf behind him. A number of items were on display with their prices, with several of denominations accepted. Above all of them was the Time Piece, with no listed price. The savvy entrepreneur caught his visitor's gaze. “Interested in that thing?” he asked, his tone remarkably deadpan. “Can't just sell it. Quest reward. Ask the guild. Or me, since you're here.” Meanwhile, Peach led the main group toward the rather squat castle at Lumbridge's center, which constituted the Guild Hall. The transition from driving to walking allowed her to get a look at her team, however, and while she did assess the group's strength post-split, she found herself somewhat worried by Din. Dropping back to walk alongside her, Peach treated the dancer to a furrowed brow and concerned frown. “That's quite the drastic change,” she observed. “If you don't like it, I could try pulling the spirit out of you. Hopefully it'll put you back to what you were before.” Her conversation allowed others to take the lead and approach the guild hall. They passed by the [url=https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/darkestdungeon_gamepedia/thumb/d/d6/Hound_Master.png/300px-Hound_Master.png?version=59dc019bf7143da4e716fd2d4bec5ac2]town sheriff[/url] having a few words with a young, eager-looking [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fireemblem/images/3/35/Donnel_%28FE13_Artwork%29.png/revision/latest?cb=20130509152851]deputy[/url], the both of whom fell silent to eye the new arrivals but did nothing further. The lawman's enormous, fearsome-looking hound looked at them most pointedly, but with no word from her master she patiently restrained herself. Inside the hall, across a large common area with open floor surrounded by tables, the [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fanonmonsterhunter/images/4/43/Bherna_Guild_Receptionist_Render.png/revision/latest?cb=20160105114843]guildmarm[/url] doled out assignments and reward vouchers from behind her desk with the help of her catlike palico companions. The appearance of strangers, some pretty tough-looking, earned more than a few interested, wary, and awed stares from the hall's population. Nearest the door, a [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/char/granblue/gran-granblue-portrait-art.PNG]boy[/url] looked up from his lunch with shining eyes, and not far away, a genial [url=https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/24c763c4-dd6e-4a38-88b6-ccddd02050f7/d83erz5-47776e4f-7188-4b5d-b42c-4af12719ff34.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzI0Yzc2M2M0LWRkNmUtNGEzOC04OGI2LWNjZGRkMDIwNTBmN1wvZDgzZXJ6NS00Nzc3NmU0Zi03MTg4LTRiNWQtYjQyYy00YWYxMjcxOWZmMzQuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.bY_3brkarDz-IVfgJ62buAe9M_0mZ6WvK57vpG8jPRw]duo[/url] exchanged hushed words. A [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fireemblem/images/6/68/Athena.png/revision/latest?cb=20130901141116]mercenary[/url] watched with cold eyes, while a bizarrely-shaped [url=https://static.turbosquid.com/Preview/2014/10/26__02_09_20/2.jpgd785c584-c1f4-4cd4-9bab-bdcc1de5aa1eLarge.jpg]man[/url] looked up from some woodworking for only a moment. As fascinating as all the new faces were, Tora turned back from the guild's entrance to head toward the blacksmith. Even if they didn't have materials he could use to patch up Poppi, the felt sure that the ambient energy from the forge would help restore her supply of ether. After a few minutes of hauling his companion along, he struggled inside the smithy and keeled over in exhaustion. “Meeeeeh! So tired! Poppi much heavier than she looks.” Wiping sweat from his brow, he picked himself up to state his intentions, only for his jaw to hit the floor. The smiths, hard at work in the middle of a three-person project, were a trio of astonishing [url=https://dragalialost.gamepress.gg/sites/dragalialost/files/2018-10/Sisters%20of%20the%20Anvil-wyrmprint_0.png]sisters[/url], now looking up at the Nopon in a mix of irritation and curiosity. All of a sudden, Tora found himself flabbergasted, utterly unable to speak, and the next moment he keeled over once again. “Poppi...” he gasped. “Get Tora out of here! Cannot...function!” Since Poppi couldn't either, however, he soon realized he'd be getting out of nowhere fast. [center][h3]Nero[/h3] [b]Location:[/b] To the Dead Zone[/center] Nero watched as, one after another, a couple of Gene's friends pledged to join him on his divergent path. First to lend their support were the two techy duos, Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Dakster. He shook his head with pressed lips, hoping the pairs fought harder than they looked. Next, a antiquated but tough-looking monk showed himself, claiming a record of demon slaughter. If so, Nero imagined he'd be an asset, but fists, feet, and simple blades wouldn't do much against anything tougher than an empusa. Last to join was another partnership, half bear and half bird. Their competence the demon hunter found himself doubting very much, despite not wanting to think ill of them. It already felt like he was back home with the orphans, trying in vain to keep them organized and safe, but this time he'd be herding chickens on a battlefield. “If you're serious, well...I guess we'll get going.” He climbed into the passenger seat of the van, then leaned out the window. “I'll keep you safe, but please, if things look bad, you gotta turn back. No sense letting pride get ya killed.” Only at that point did he realize that the weird-looking robot girl would be coming along as well, piling along with the animal partners in their trolley. He said nothing though, leaving Nico to follow up on his rather genuine advice. “Ya don't got yer own ride, hop in with us. Let's get this show on the road, folks!” And in a matter of moments, she did just that. [hr] The sky grew noticeably darker, bit by bit. Dark clouds seemed to surround the Dead Zone, lending it an appropriately dire atmosphere. As the incoming vehicles grew closer, sharp eyes could begin to better identify a looming tower of darkness within the city center. Too cylindrical to be natural, or a building, its monolithic coils spiraled high into the dusky air, leaving little doubt as to the dire nature of the phenomenon dominating the city. Nero and his friend remained quiet as they got closer, the presence of strangers putting a damper on what would otherwise be occasional friendly banter, but they left the radio on, and Nero did consent to light her cigarette despite clearly hating the smoke. Of the two, only Nero glanced at the sign that passed on the right heralding the ruined metropolis' name: Redgraccoon City. Almost immediately, the zombie attacks began. Shambling, ragged, rotting things stood on the road, wandering among the wreckage in a vain, endless search. Nico showed no compunctions whatsoever about pancaking the things, crushing them into vile brownish-red pulp under her van's weight, but the smaller vehicles following behind had no such luxury. For a couple, in fact, a collision meant a totaled kart or a closer encounter of the vicious kind with a struck zombie's upper half. However, the road wasn't as full as it might have been; a few other nauseating stains suggested the passage of another sturdy vehicle a short time prior. Nero leaned out the window, examining the road ahead. A handful of shapes loomed a short way in front of a burning truck, larger and stranger than the dead things all around. In a flash, he produced a handsome silver [url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Eq4h4xlsrfQ/maxresdefault.jpg]revolver[/url] of prodigious size from his jacket, and fired. A hole appeared in the head of one of the demons, and a second the next instant dropped it to the ground. Another, clinging to an exit sign, was too far to the left for a good shot, so instead Nero aimed for a nearby traffic sign. His bullet sheered through the metal, sending the sign spinning through the air, and with uncanny precision its sharpened pole impaled the demon straight through. While not terribly hurt, it fell from its perch with a shriek, and the pole stuck in the ground, pinning it. Nico's van hurtled by the next moment, and another demon leaped onto the driver's side. For the first time, the heroes could get a good look at it. The [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/devilmaycry/images/b/b3/Empusa_DMC5_Artbook_Render.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190515191811]monster[/url] was grotesque, a lowly mockery of human flesh. Without so much as looking Nico plucked her cigarette out and smushed it against the empusa's nose, and the thing tumbled away with a shriek. “First things first: find those kids,” Nero shouted into the rushing wind. “Once they're good, we need to meet up with a guy named V. Then, straight for the Qliphoth. I think.” The last bit he didn't enunciate quite as well. After a few twists and turns, the van came to a stop at a wreck-glutted intersection with an especially high number of zombies. [img]https://i.redd.it/10hjelzsbrg01.jpg[/img] From the other side, up the street, echoing shouts could be heard and the glow of magic could be seen. How exactly the four friends from before managed to clear this infested intersection was a mystery, particularly given the presence of a couple interesting specimens, both [url=https://giantbomb1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_medium/3/33873/1844895-503px_boomer_2.png]more conspicuous[/url] and [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/left4dead/images/e/e6/Smoker_2.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/310?cb=20100224011524]less[/url]. A few had been re-killed by empusa, who were busy harvesting blood from the corpses. “I'll get those,” Nero asserted. “Rest of you wipe out the shmucks. Let's clear a path.” Casting him a glance, Nico leaned over. “Y'know, I could prob'ly just ram straight in, won't hurt the van too bad.” Nero shook his head and whispered, “This'll be just a second. Plus, I need to get an idea of their abilities.” With that, he stepped outside. On his back was a gorgeous [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/devilmaycry/images/7/70/DMC5_Red_Queen.png/revision/latest?cb=20190216010555]greatsword[/url], picked up from somewhere inside the van. When he brandished it, it flowed in his hand like water, or maybe liquid fire. In that moment, before the demon hunter even took a swing, his new friends could catch a glimpse of just what sort of man they'd tagged along with.