The Guardfather (Cloud/SM) (Lv. 3)

Discussion in 'Classic Dungeons' started by Cloud, Jan 6, 2018.

  1. Cloud

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    (Disclaimer: No actual Darknuts appear within this dungeon.)

    Julius was in his office, reading over an up-and-coming Guardsman (who was really a Guardswoman), and was even being considered for a promotion to the Knights of Hyrule, up until she had directly, and I quote, "disobeyed instructions from her commanding officer". Now this was interesting.

    He hadn't... always, let's say, been the most obedient of the bunch. Sure, he hadn't always followed direct orders, especially when he knew a way that often would let more people survive, but it had already been so long since he had been a fresh recruit. And, while he was never really a recruit anyways, it was still something that they would call him, often to simply tease him.

    Then, he ordered the woman's commanding officer into his office, and ordered her to bring Bell in immediately. He wanted to know just what had happened. And he wanted to hear it from Threshrow.
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
  2. Eevachu

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    Nervous hands shifted the sallet resting on the girl's head. There was nothing in particular wrong with it- it set on her scalp well, just as she was accustomed to. In this moment, however, it had to be straight- it had to be right. She could not afford any errors now.

    It was only a handful of moments Bell was approached by her commanding officer and pulled out of her patrol. Initially, she worried something was amiss, for her commander to disrupt her daily tasks to pull her aside. She couldn't have heard better words than what they told her, though. Captain Julius Surgate personally requested for her to come to his office. Captain! Julius! Surgate!

    She hadn't the faintest idea what he could want with her, but just the thought left her in a state of bliss. After all, Captain Julius was the epitome of all that was good in the Guard. He was just, yet fair; righteous, yet hardworking; unwavering, yet kind; powerful, yet content. He diligently worked for the good of the people of Castle Town- of all of Hyrule,- and cared little about his personal achievements in the matter. He was Bell's role model, and everything she strives to become. While she had never met him in person, she knew well of his accomplishments, his skills- in her younger days, she would often find herself reading his public reports, or the reports others had made involving him that detailed his various exploits. She would hear stories from guardsmen about missions they had conducted at his side, and this only furthered his image of him.

    Truthfully, mixed in that joy was a bubbling pit of anxiety. Nervousness at meeting her hero, but also at the fact that she could not live up to his expectations- the worst thing would be for her to meet him, only to be cast aside with a disappointed sigh or shrug.

    Before Bell could agonize more, her commander called out to her.

    "Threshrow! We're here. This is Captain Julius Surgate's office." Bell quickly returned to reality. "Y-yes sir!" She replied, standing in place nervously before choking out, "A-Am I to enter, sir?"

    The commander sighed. "Lost your manners, Threshrow?" She approached the door and gave it a firm knock. Upon receiving the affirmative, she opened the door, calling out to Bell, "After you, Threshrow."

    It was like the gates of heaven were peering open, and the goddesses' holy light was shining directly upon Bell. It was blinding, in a cognitive sense. The girl knew standing around would serve little point- and would likely result in a harsher reprimand by her superior. Thus, she took a few paces into the office entryway to face Julius. She couldn't mess this up.

    Standing to attention, Bell called out to the captain, "Belladonna Threshrow, reporting for duty, sir!"
  3. Cloud

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    "At ease, Threshrow," Julius said, not even bothering to look up at her. It was more effort than it was worth, really. Instead, he invited her to take a seat, still too busy with reports to give her any actual notice. "This will take a while," Julius said, still writing down all that had transpired throughout Starsend.

    ...

    Eventually, he finished, and introduced himself. "I'm Captain Julius Surgate. My father served before I did-- fourteen years of distinguished service, what with being there literally as Ganon emerge from the portal to the Sacred Realm, as he calls it, while also being the majority land owner in Kakariko, bless its people now. He was what amounts to basically a legend, albeit a very real and factual one. A shame, then, that he likely died while Kakariko was being sieged by Ganon."

    He let quiet fill the room as he walked over to a window, looking wistfully at it. "But that is neither here nor there. Tell me, Threshrow-- it said you'd directly disobeyed an officer-- a Knight of Hyrule-- over something as small as a... plant, I believe it was? Now, why would you do something like that?"

    His Backshift Cape was still as regal in appearance as the day he had first obtained it. Its royal blue hue an golden crest of the Royal Family was still as lively as ever. He'd suspected that the Great Fairy had enchanted it a bit more than usual, causing it to never decay or look like it hadn't been put to extraordinary use. "So, let me hear it. Why would you disobey a direct order?"
  4. Eevachu

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    This sort of awkward tension, welling up in Bell's stomach, must have been a new kind of torture developed by Julius. She stood there, in silence, gazing at the tired, old man hastily scribing away at sheet after sheet of paper. This was the first time she had ever seen Sir Julius- at least, in person,- and his presence befitted that of his legend. Tired, heavy eyes gazed down, hinting at the many tragedies and horrors they had witnessed, and callused hands marked the sheets, showing the countless hours spent in the forge, on the battlefield, and who knew where else. She could see the many legends she had heard, the stories she had read, coming to life in her mind just from her eyes meeting him. . . And yet, still, it was awfully awkward to be called in, only to watch him silently fill out paperwork. Had he wanted her help, in some capacity? While paperwork was not her forte, Bell would be more than willing to work- Julius working even now showed his dedication, his dutifulness, and Bell would have to strive to act as diligently as he.

    Eventually, it seemed as though Julius had finished from his paperwork- at least for the moment,- his attention rising to meet Bell. He began introducing himself, and his family's legacy. He himself needed no introduction- Bell knew well the details of his major conquests and accomplishments. Yet, in regards to his family history, this was something new. The basic details, she was aware of, but the basics just. His father, present at the rise of Ganon? A legend who fought against his initial fleet? Bell listened to his brief, but compelling history with wide eyes masked partially behind her sallet. With such a pedigree, it was no wonder Julius was the legend he was- it was as though he was picking up where his father had left. Coming from the the farmlands, from the outskirts of Castle Town from a farmer and housewife, Bell could not even imagine having such a father, such a legacy to uphold. Yet, in her mind, he had not only upheld it, but surpassed it.

    . . .Then, Bell's inner visions were completely shattered when Julius mentioned the last thing she wanted to hear. A heavy knot hung in her throat and her mind clouded- she was being interrogated about her transgressions by Julius Surgate. This was simultaneously the best and worst situation imaginable. However, it was Julius Surgate, legendary swordsman of Hyrule who fought for justice. There would be no benefit in masking the truth to him- he likely knew what had happened, anyway.

    Forcing down the bundle that had clogged up her throat, she began spoking. "Yes, sir!" She confirmed. "What you have heard is true. While on a mission to exterminate a plant beast that had been assaulting nearby Hylians that had recently cultivated land on the outskirts of the Lost Woods, I disobeyed orders and attempted to save it. I have an interest in and knowledge of botany, and so while on the mission, I learned this plant beast was only responding violently because the land it lived in had been taken by the Hylian settlement- it was only reacting defensively. In the moment, I decided it was acting only out of its own self-survival; it did not deserve death, and I believed the situation could have been resolved by transporting the beast further within the Lost Woods to a new home." Bell finished her explanation. A well of anxiety flooded her stomach, and it felt like it would pour out of her mouth at any moment.

    ". . . For this reason, I disobeyed the orders given to me, sir." Bell admitted her guilt, another knot forming in her throat as her mind rattled in wait for Julius's response. Would she be reprimanded? She had been scolded a great amount since the incident, but coming from Julius would be the most difficult to swallow. Additionally, her punishment had been quite severe- she had been essentially, though not officially, stripped of any rank she had achieved and put on grunt duty, forced to perform menial guard duties around the Castle Town streets. And this punishment was when her plan had actually succeeded, and she managed to relocate the plant beast and prevent its extermination. She could not have imagined her punishment if she had failed, or resulted in further casualties.
  5. Cloud

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    "Hm," was all that came from Julius, as he gazed out the window. He spent a few more moments gazing; he always enjoyed tormenting Guardsmen with this. It was infallible; he'd call them in, ask them why they'd disobeyed an order, and then... Nothing. He never directly responded to them, usually babbling about something resembling a half-truth (though it was mostly a lie), but this one was... Different. He actually wanted to respond to her story and recollection of the events.

    "You know, I read the reports on the situation. Quite a daring deed you pulled there," Julius responded, finally turning away from the windows behind his desk. "Thankfully, I was quite the daredevil during my time as a Guardsman. Quite the daredevil indeed," he said, leaning against the desk. "So, here's what I propose: I'll find somewhere and you'll accompany me. I'll try to not let those enemies found inside be too..." he stopped. Strong? Was that the word he was looking for? "Powerful, for you to handle." He cleared his throat. "I know you're... rather underdeveloped for a Guardsman, so I hope this will begin to point you in the proper direction for your development. Strong, swift, and durable. One of those conditions must be met for you to be eligible as a Knight of Hyrule," he paused, "in my case, it was my utmost durability. Because of this," he pointed to the scar over his left eye, "I swore to myself to never let this happen again. I was wrong, of course, but I learned from my experiences. I spent..." he paused again, trying to remember all his time spent as a Guardsman. "Let's say... five years, as a Guardsman. Because I failed a rather important mission to the Crown."

    He had been a Knight of Hyrule right out the gates; his legacy practically demanded it. But, he figured, after failing a mission as important to the Crown as it had been, he understood why he had been stripped of Knighthood and relegated to being a simple Guardsman. Not that it wasn't fair; he thought the opposite of it, but once he had enough experience as a Knight of Hyrule, he understood why.

    He chuckled to himself. Man, what an experience that had been. "Anyways, regardless of my history, I still see something in you. Not sure whether that's a good something or a bad something, though, but I suppose you'll prove that to me sooner, rather than later, no?"
  6. Eevachu

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    Bell could not possibly believe what she was hearing. Was she dreaming? This was a dream she had almost certainly had many times over, but now it was happening in actuality- if it would not come off as so strange, she would actually pinch herself. Was Julius Surgate- THE JULIUS SURGATE, THE LEGEND OF THE GUARD AND HER HERO, - offering to personally escort her on a training mission? Did he even seem to show approval towards Bell’s decision to save that beast? “I. . .” She blurted out, completely stunned and how to continue.

    She thought of how to reply. She wasn’t worthy? Of course, she was not. This was an opportunity even seasoned Knights of Hyrule would do anything to have even a chance at having. That was not even a question worth considering. She couldn’t burden him? Bell had far too much confidence in her own ability to say such a self-demeaning thing. While it was true she was nothing more than a civilian compared to the experience and skills Julius possessed, she was far more than a mere fool with a stick. Was she even allowed to? That did not even matter- this was Julius Surgate, if he wanted he could overrule any punishment or guideline he wanted.

    It was then Bell’s attention was drawn back to reality, where she had been standing more than a couple moments when no reply. “I, um,” she stammered, “T-There is nothing I would like more, sir!” She blurted out, before realizing how embarrassing that sounded. “Um, what I mean is,” she corrected, taking in a deep breath, “I am still inexperienced and would be honored if you would be willing to take me on a field exercise, Captain Surgate, sir.”

    . . . Would that suffice? Would he retract his offer after her bumbled reply? Ugh, she was a mess. If she were to go on a field exercise with Julius like this, she’d find herself on the wrong end of an enemy’s fangs. She could compose herself, she knew it. It would just be. . . kind of difficult.
  7. Cloud

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    "Well, I still need to do some research, and some menial paperwork besides. Dismissed, Threshrow." He watched her leave, and with that started on the paperwork; it'd only take him maybe an hour to complete, so it wasn't really that bad. As for research, he had two options: scour the libraries, or do some offsite investigations. First, he'd scour their archives; after that, if he found anything, go to scout it out.

    ...

    A day later, he called for Threshrow. Upon her arrival, he dismissed whoever brought her along, and sat back at his desk, leaning back into his chair. "So, yesterday I was doing some research in the archives, and I think I found a place to take you. It's a dungeon not far from here, said to contain some relatively weak monsters." He said, yawning. "I'll intervene if necessary, but consider this a sort of evaluation. I won't necessarily be grading you, but I'll still be evaluating your overall performance. If you get a high enough score, I'll consider giving you something like a Mirror Shield."

    With that, he stretched, got up, and strung his blade so that it was opposite his Adventure Pouch. "Follow me," Julius said, a note of tiredness still in his voice. "I've let the staff know that I'll be gone for the day; they shouldn't need me for much anyways," he said, closing the door after Bell had exited. "Anyways. Expect Chuchus, Keese, the usual kinds of things. There aren't likely to be any Bokoblins or Moblins down there-- the most you could reasonably expect is a Goriya or two. Anyways. I'll give you half an hour to gather your survival gear while I finish up some last minute stuff."
  8. Eevachu

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    The sound of that dismissal was the biggest relief giver Bell had ever received in her life. "Y-Yes sir! Then I shall await your command, sir!" She called out, before departing from Julius's office. As soon as the door shut, Bell had to hold back letting loose a scream of joy. Had that actually just happened? No way Captain Julius Surgate just called her into his office, seemed to sympathize with her actions which had been condemned by all other higher-ups, and even assigned her a personal training mission with him as the mentor? She was almost positive she had had a dream like that at least once before, so it was entirely possible this was all in her head. She pinched herself. And again. She was still standing outside his office- it was real!

    The girl darted off before she actually let out a squeal of joy, something that would be of the most embarrassment to her. For now, she had preparations to make, as she would consider it an insult to both herself and Captain Surate should she not put her best foot forward.

    . . .
    . . .
    . . .

    . . . That being said, it would be difficult to prepare when she had little to no idea what sort of locale she would be traversing. It would be something relatively close to Castle Town- likely within a day's trip by horseback, if she had to guess. Yet, there could be countless different places they could go. There were caverns, mountain ridges and gorges, abandoned shrines, forests, and lakes all scattered within the nearby vicinity- the ocean was not too far off, as well! And those were only including things she knew about! If it was Captain Surgate deciding, he was surely aware of any den of monsters that rest close to the crown. Her mind was scattered with worry- with so many locations, how would she prepare? She could not possibly prepare for them all, that would be foolish. Over-preparation could be almost as much of a killer as under-preparation.

    The girl's mind scattered as she darted around the small, individual barrack she called her home, anxiously tiding up the already fairly neat room as if she was expecting him to drop in and perform a check-up. That decided it, then- she would try to come up with solutions for all possible scenarios, and act on whichever ended up being correct once she learned of the locale.

    . . .
    . . .

    That just stressed her out more. Why was thinking of so many different possible scenarios so difficult! At this point she would just end up stressing herself out and exhausting her mind before the big day. Taking a deep breath and attempting to calm herself, she decided she would have to deal with it tomorrow. For now, she would make sure her equipment was in top condition- that her blades were free of rust, her armor tight and fit, and so on. Though she took care to maintain her gear every day, this was a special day- she would have to make her standard issue blades shine like Captain Surgate himself had crafted them. Not that she could make them rise to that quality, anyway.

    . . .
    . . .

    She had never felt more nervous going into work. While she was not exactly stone-faced in the face of danger, she was generally able to hold her composure. With the pressure on her today, though? It would be a true test in controlling one's emotions. With that, she stepped into Julius's office. She had prepared a small assortment of goods- a small trip's worth of rations, light medical supplies, nothing overly specific for their quest but enough to not come empty-handed.

    . . .

    Something crafted by Captain Surgate himself, for her? If that was not encouragement, nothing would be- she didn't even care what he made for her! She would use it.

    "I understand, Captain Surgate, sir." She nodded affirmatively as he explained the enemy types she would be facing. Nothing particularly wary, in her mind- they were all creatures she had faced in battle before. However, Bell was not an arrogant fighter, and knew even weaker creatures could pose a serious threat when pushed to their limits. "If I may, sir, I have a question," She interjected, swallowing the whelp that had formed in her throat as soon as the words left her lips. Was she allowed a question?

    "What sort of locale will we be entering?" She queried, hoping that Captain Surgate would shed some light on where they would be going. It would make her final preparation slightly easier to do, and more importantly, set her mind that had been scattered from overthought about what to bring at ease.
  9. Cloud

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    "An old training ground for Guardsmen in the mountains," he said, sitting at his desk and looking over some paperwork. "Nothing too crazy. Maybe a half an hour trip on horseback. It's been abandoned since Ganon attacked and forces were recalled to prepare for if he attacked north. Of course, what with him hibernating in Death Mountain, it's starting to get dubious as to whether or not he was nearly slain, and if so, I'd have to imagine that the main Chieftain of the Gorons had something to do with it."

    He looked over various reports of a few situations. Thankfully, they weren't anything too major; just battle reports, unit refill permissions... the usual, in other words. He signed on all of them; it really wasn't his concern, as old as he was. He overlooked them all carefully, trying to look for any errors. Not that he could find any, thankfully; with what had happened recently, he wasn't surprised if many of his fellow Guardsmen and Knights faced heavy casualties. Sighing, he got up, not having heard Bell leave.

    "Well then. Shall we continue?" He asked, opening the door for Threshrow and closing it behind himself. A while later, they were at the stables, Julius having already put in the request for two horses just this morning. "Never," he yawned. He couldn't remember what he was going to say any more. "Never mind." With the horses being presented to them, he saddled up, feeling a slight discomfort from his legs. "It's been a while since I last rode a horse, now that I think about it. Probably been a while for you as well, eh, Threshrow?"
  10. Eevachu

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    They'd go to an old guardsmen training ground? Fitting, it seemed, since this was a mission to receive training. "I understand, sir, " She nodded, affirmatively, adding, "then, I will finish my preparations quickly." She spoke, before exiting the room to finish. As the door shut, she let out a heavy sigh of relief- a mountainous terrain, it seemed. It was probably a cavern of some kind, as was common for guardsmen to use. A cave would be far more comforting for her than a lake or forest- she had no experience with underwater combat, and was not confident in her ability with it. Along with that, forests were wide and it would be easy to be ambushed. While she did not have the most experience with exploring caves, it seemed the most straightforward, as if it was an old guardsmen training ground, there were likely maps drawn detailing its innards.

    With that, she set off to finalize her preparations. First, she would gather a couple additional tools that would assist, then following that see if there was also maps drawn of the area.

    . . .
    . . .

    Her rank stops her yet again. While gathering the tools was no issue, the officer in charge saw no reason to issue such a map to someone in her status for a remote, unused area such as that- it was likely he had either not gotten word of the excursion today, or did not believe that a captain would escort a low-ranking soldier like herself through it. However, her time was running thin, and she did not want to delay things further by bringing Julius into it. Complaining immediately would reflect poorly upon her anyway. Thus, she would return to Julius, no map in hand.

    . . .
    . . .

    Returning, it seemed like Julius had finished what he was doing, and the two headed off to the stables.

    Bell looked over the large, huffing beasts. It was something any guardsman was familiar with- after all, even if a soldier were a master of the blade, if they could not mount a horse, they were useless to deploy in the guard. "I have not been deployed since my punishment, so I haven't ridden a horse in recent times, not since then." She answered, before quickly interjecting, "N-not that there will be any issue, Captain Surgate, sir! I still remember well how to ride a horse." She flustered, quickly mounting the horse.

    It was a distant, but familiar sensation. While she tended to find relaxation among flora most, this horse was not just an object to her. It lived, breathed, hurt. Horses were often used as tools, particularly by the guard, and she would be a hypocrite to criticize that, as she too took advantage of them. But, they were still creatures who lived too, and it was important to keep in mind. Gently brushing its mane with the back of her armored hand, she muttered out loud, "Horses seem so imposing, but in reality they're quite gentle. . ."

    Then, she had realized she actually spoke. "U-um, I am ready to depart, sir." Bell quickly interjected, quickly making sure her belongings were attached properly to the horse's side and hoping Captain Surgate hadn't heard her comment. It was a tad embarrassing to say aloud to her superior, especially since in reality it seemed like something foolishly simple.
  11. Cloud

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    Julius was very intently studying a map he'd brought along, already knowing the general location of it. "It's somewhere near Rolling Ridge, close to the front, and not buried very deep. I say buried because it's likely become covered with rubble in the past fifteen years of disuse we've given it." He cast a look over to her, having not heard her.

    "Anyways, seeing as you've mounted your horse, I'm to assume that you're ready. Allow me to take point, and I'll guide you there safely." With that, they rode through the gate, their destination set.

    While the scenery passed them by, Julius thought more about his impending doom. "Bell," he began, "just call me Julius, please. I'm not due with any of that unnecessary respect; all because a few others and I took down a fragment that even the Royal Guardsmen couldn't, doesn't mean you need to address me respectfully. I'm actually..." His eyes scanned the environment. They were at the foot of a hill. Telling Bell to go around, they reconvened and he continued.

    "Pardon me for saying this; while I do intend to aid you develop into a proper Knight, and that was my primary reason for choosing you, but I chose you partly because you've got little connection to me. I'm going to be very blunt. I think I'll be retiring some time soon. I've got a boat ride scheduled in the coming weeks, and I've already taken time off specifically for that. After that, I'll probably be assigned to a shard known as 'Sunwell', wherein gravity is apparently tied to the presence of light. Quite a dilemma indeed, but they seem fit to think I'd be able to handle that if I took out Starsend."

    They were about halfway there before they were ambushed by a pack of Bokoblins. "Ugh." With that, he drew his cursed blade, and activated its enchantment. "Be on guard!" He told Bell.

    With that, he began striking down Bokoblins with no fear or mercy. Activating his blade's icy blast every now and then, he froze a great many of them, their wooden (or metal) clubs bouncing harmlessly off his armor. One was nocking a bow back, but Julius saw this, and steered his horse clear from the arrow. "Gods damn it," he muttered. "Just a few more."
  12. Eevachu

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    What was she hearing? Before the girl could reply, they split apart- for a moment only, and they would reconvene at the other side of the hill, but it was a moment she had to think. He wanted her to call him Julius? Admittedly, she was not entirely surprised. She knew that Captain Surgate was a great man that acted for the good of the people, not for any lofty title or rank- hence why he had stopped at the rank of Captain instead of rising further. So, for him to hold no strong grip towards rank and file, and the power of his position, was not shocking. But, could the girl really refer to him with such pleasantries? She held such respect for him, it would be a dishonor on her part- she could barely bring herself to speak to him. No, no, calling him Julius was too much, even if he said such. And what was this about unnecessary respect? Everything he had accomplished, it was deserved, more than any other in the guard. The most recent event he spoke of, Starsend, was incredible, yes- Bell had heard whispers of the great feats, though official documentation had yet to be forged, and it was likely it would never reach the common eye. But even regarding that, Captain Surgate had contributed so much good not only to the guard, but to all of Hyrule. He had changed lives for the better. If he was not worthy of her respect, then who was?

    That is what she would tell him. And so, they reconvened. But, before she could speak, Julius continued.

    . . .

    She did not know what to say. Was this some sort of test, part of her examination, to see how she would react? "Um. . ." She mouthed, the words escaping her lips. He was going to retire? It was true Captain Surgate had his fair share of years, and had contributed more than enough to the guard, would they really thrive without his example? And why would he tell her of his missions? Surely they were top-secret. Was this also a test of her loyalty? Still, though, it was true that if they were going to send a soldier to deal with such a threat, there was only one proper choice.

    "I. . ." She struggled to find the words, so much so she was almost thankful their conversation was interrupted. At Julius's call, Bell took a deep breath, calling back, "Right!" She would have to calm herself- there were enemies afoot now. Troubling as their conversation may be, if she let it affect her in the midst of battle, there would be far worse ramifications. With that, she quickly drew her weapon of choice- her glaive, long and slender, the sun bouncing off its shining, spotless steel exterior.

    With the advantage of horseback, Bell was easily able to ride past the Bokoblins, taking care of them with wide side swipes of her pole arm. However, her eye caught wind of a Bokoblin a short distance away. It was drawing an arrow from its quiver, in an attempt to strike her from range. That was not something she could avoid, and while she herself may be able to avoid being hit, the same could not be said about the horse. Bell would have to think fast. As the Bokoblin notched its arrow, Bell's body moved- the glaive moved back, lifted by her arms, before propelling forward, launching through the air like a makeshift javelin and striking the Bokoblin in the chest. It dropped down, its bow and arrow falling out of its grasp with it, squeals and cries of pain escaping in between gasps.

    She had stopped the attack, but now Bell was without glaive. She quickly drew her longsword, metal hissing against sheath in warning, in anticipation of the other Bokoblin.
  13. Cloud

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    He'd noticed Bell throw her glaive away and towards the same Bokoblin that was, presumably, about to shoot him. He nodded, silently, at her intentions; pure of heart as she was, that would only come to alleviate the pressures that the Hyrule Guard would place on her spirit.

    He'd sensed some more Bokoblin bandits; maybe six or seven of them at best. He steered his mount towards them, spying that they were also on horseback. "Fuck me," Julius silently groaned, "this just keeps getting worse." Of course, for a man as well-prepared as he was, nothing was truly a challenge for him, aside from a few oddities here and there-- like Darknuts and Lynels, or even a Goron. There was plenty for Julius to be fearful of; however, with a few well-placed and well-timed bombs, there likely was nothing that couldn't be done. His skills as a Weaponsmith, and having certain weapons on him, also contributed, ever-so-slightly shifting the odds in his favor.

    He struck at one Bokoblin, wounding him rather gravely. He was also struck; his plate armor did help, but was ultimately more of a hindrance than anything. Grunting through the pain, he roused more of his stamina, before getting into the saddle properly. He moved a hand to see how bad the wound was, and was surprised when the pain he felt betrayed the actual wound. A smidgen of blood. "Fuck," he groaned again. He readied his sword, and continued cutting down Bokoblin bandits.
  14. Eevachu

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    Mumbles and jitters scattered across the Bokoblin tribes, before being followed by a triumphant blow of their horn. On its cue, the lingering 'Blins kicked at their horses, turned their hinds to face the duo, and began retreating. They were quite the cowardly race- having realized they were outmatched, they were left no recourse but to flee. That was not something Bell could see as a weakness, though. Even if they had stayed and managed to claim the lives of the two guardsmen, it would not be without numerous additional casualties on their part. The sacrifices of their brethren were certainly not worth whatever spoils they could have potentially claimed from that conquest.

    Before the guardswoman could let out a sigh of relief, she was struck by one final blow from their raid. An arrow loosed by a fleeing Bokoblin soared towards the Hylian girl, and found itself embedded not in her, but in her horse's side. All things considered, it was a relatively minor wound. The beast's life was not in danger, and with proper treatment would heal well. Bell was thankful for that, too- she would not want to have to deliver a mercy killing unto it. The horse was not thinking about that.

    Bell felt herself launched out of her saddle, the high pitched whine and throw of the horse far too much for a normal Hylian to bear. Crashing to the ground, the beast shot off like a train, bolting in a random direction across the plains and far out of distance for either Bell or Julius to easily rein in and calm.

    Ugh. Pain shot through the girl's body as it crashed into the ground, her mind swimming. What had just happened? It only took a moment before reality hit her, and she bolted up, her sore muscles numb from the quickly-draining adrenaline rushing through her. Her eyes glanced at the scenery, to see the fleeing Bokoblin far in the distance- a short distance adjacent from them, her fleeing horse.
  15. Cloud

    Cloud friend admin

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    Julius let out a short sigh at the sight of the horse running off. Well, now was as good a time as ever to offer Threshrow a ride. "Get up. We still need to get to the training grounds." There was... enough room in the saddle for the two of them, but Julius wasn't exactly interested in the fairer sex, anyways.

    With Bell now saddled properly, Julius rode towards their destination once again. Silence filled the air.

    "I don't like uncomfortable silences." Julius remarked, eyes scanning the horizon through his helm; no obvious threats that he could detect, which was always good, but gods damn if this wound in his side didn't hurt more than anything. "Erk," Julius responded, "This damn pain's getting to me."

    ...

    They got to the training grounds soon enough. The entrance was covered in ivy, making it look more ancient than it was. Nevermind that the thing appeared to be carved directly into a mountain. The scale was truly impressive. Why had they gotten rid of this?

    Julius tied his horse's reins to a pike that he'd planted into the ground, putting the hammer into his Adventure Pouch after completing the task.

    "Well." Julius said, crossing his arms. "Here we are. Remember: I won't be handling any enemies, unless something goes wrong or awry. That being said, though, I doubt anything will go wrong." Julius chuckled to himself. "What can go wrong, will go wrong..." He muttered, still chuckling all the while.
  16. Eevachu

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    . . .Was this actually happening? Bell felt so embarrassed she could've died then and been better off. It was a necessity though, sharing a horse. Bell's horse had fled, due to her own mistake, and the training grounds were far too distant to reach in a reasonable time on foot. But still, this? Sat behind Julius, it was all too much; arms gripped at his side, armor gently chiding against one another with the gallop of the horse, the awkward silence that had developed. It was not for any sort of romantic reason she felt this way, but rather she had never even shook his hand before and now she was practically embracing him. It was like if Princess Zelda herself rode horseback with Bell, more or less the same feeling. Regardless how she felt, she couldn't stop the nervous pattering of her heart, anxious for the moment they disembarked.

    . . .

    The training grounds couldn't have come soon enough, but Bell was happy to be greeted by the aged stone masked by ivy feverishly spread over it and draping its gaping entrance like a curtain. While Julius secured their mount, Bell took to examining the entrance. So far, it is as she had heard- a cavern carved into the face of a small ridge, supposedly used as an old training ground for the guard. Closer examination beyond the vines would show faded markings symbolizing the guard, though it was difficult for Bell to discern their meaning due to their age.

    Breaking Bell's train of thought was Julius's voice, giving her instructions as to how things will operate. "Yes sir, I'll try my best- I-I mean, " She stuttered, catching the lack of assurance that carried, correcting, "allow me to take point, Captain Surgate." She needed to get her mind under wraps. Bell had handled combat well enough earlier, but her mistake still caused her horse to flee. Bell took a deep breath of air, then brought her glaive and shield to her hands. Stepping forward, she cut at the foliage masking the cavern entrance, and peered inside. Dark, as expected. Taking a moment to bring tinder to a lantern she had brought, Bell latched it onto her side and stepped further in.

    . . .

    A short few paces down a narrow pathway led them to their first room. It was rather spacious- at least, it seemed so up until where the illumination from Bell's lantern reached, as it had not met a distant wall. Immediately, it was clear what this room was for. Even nearby the entrance, rotted, decaying wood sat, collapsed in places but somehow still standing in others. It was clear to Bell what they represented, though, so to a master smith like Captain Julius, it would be obvious at a glance. They were weapon racks, and shelves, for holding all manner of tools and equipment.

    "The guard probably used these to gear up when conducting training missions. . ." Bell mused aloud, before pointing out, "but, it seems like the weapons they held are gone. I guess the guardsmen took them when they abandoned this place, right Captain Julius?" She asked for confirmation, though she knew if they abandoned this place in a hurry, it was likely they weren't able to take everything- so there should be lingering tools somewhere, right?

    That was when Bell noticed something else; right next to her, fixated on the wall was a sconce. Drawing a torch from her bag- she had prepared a handful of them expecting this, - she embedded it into the sconce and lit it up. Though it did little to illuminate the room further at the moment, it would help when others were lit, which Bell assumed there were in other parts of the room.
  17. Cloud

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    Julius was observing how Bell would handle this situation, sipping from his flask when the question came up. "Mmm. Not so. Bandits, adventurers, and others likely picked this place clean over the years." He took another sip, enjoying his vodka, "There were never any claims in the records stating anything from this training ground came back, despite being adequately supplied. A shame, too, this place was top-of-the-line at the time."

    His mind was clear, so he looked further ahead, spying a hallway with another entrance across from it. It lead down to the right some more,but he couldn't see anything else from their current position. "Not going to check positions of entry first, hmmm? Disappointing," he said with a solemn tone. Placing his flask back into his Adventure Pouch, he said, "You're lucky you're with me, Bell. You don't have to worry about me dying." He laughed.

    Then, there came a skittering sound -- Gohma? -- Julius listened further, expecting a red eye or two to pop up in the darkness. He was immediately on alert; drawing his blade and arming himself with his typical shield.

    Three red eyes lit up at about stomach height. "Oho, looks like it's got a Gohma infestation." He wasn't feeling the liquor, seeing as how it was a very crisp day out. "Anyways, I'm here if you need me, but that'll detract points." He reached into his Adventure Pouch and pulled out an Armor Seed from his stash, gulping it down with aplomb.