NENGO 327年11月15日 12:00 PM - 46 Days until culmination
As the boat ride wore on (and everyone was awake and coherent), the party continued to bullshit and converse as they watched the sea go by. TRITHAL had busted out is favorite water pipe and a ziploc bag full of green goodness. THRAX, AXEM and Anri were dealing with a bout of sea-sickness. TRITHAL accosts them for staying up late and partying instead of resting, implying that they wouldn't be a sea sick if they just went to bed.
Danika (to Rihac): "So, how come you didn't leave Ghon-Ki when everyone else did?
Rihac: "Well, that's a strange thing... Since I moved there, I found that people seemed to be quite interested in listening to my outlook on life, or whatever I had to say about pretty much any topic. People seemed to think I had some answers or something. It's my own fault for saying anything about anything. I should have known better than to share my Macha logic on those people there. I dare not move, because someone would definitely notice the hordes of people flocking around me... and that would be the exact opposite of keeping a low profile."
By this time, THRAX and Anri were just about over their sea-sickness and have joined in on the conversation.
Anri: "I don't get it. Why were you afraid to move?"
Rihac: "As Mugen and I were saying earlier, 80 years ago something happened that.... well... we're less-than proud of. Due to a stroke of bad luck that was a direct result of said incident, I had to change bodies on the fly. I'm sure there were plenty there who got a good look at my new appearance, and who wouldn't hesitate at the opportunity to 'bring me to justice' should the opportunity present itself. There in Irumac, I blended in really well... and it being such a backwater town, no one would think of looking for me there. For a while, I didn't feel any apprehension at all about doing whatever I chose.... but, then about 50 years ago when the civil war ended, the new government of Ghon-Ki took over. This new government used military force to assert it's control of the prefecture. This was about the time when everyone decided to forsake the area and leave. In Ghon-Ki now, it's more like the military controls the government instead of the other way around. If I were to move -- and if everyone who claimed to 'follow me' were to do so literally -- someone would have figured out who I was eventually.... so I decided that it would be better for me just to stay where I was... hidden in Irumac."
Before anyone had a chance to pry into Rihac's past to find out what exactly happened 80 years ago, TRITHAL interjected, "Wait a minute... Back the truck up here, Kuta.... You speak as if you've kept the same host for the past 80 years. I've never heard of a Macha symbiont surviving longer than 50 years in the same host... and that's only if the host is very young. The host you assimilated when we last saw each other was already in his mid-twenties! There's no way you could be using the same host now!"
Rihac: "Look at how old I am! I'm 112 years old! You'd think I would dump one body for an older one?"
TRITHAL: "But... how have you kept it going for this long? The longest I've ever kept a body is 30 years. Eventually the body grows old and uncontrollable, and you can't use it anymore."
Rihac: "I guess you could say it's mostly luck... and plenty of meditation and physical conditioning. I'm very much in tune with this body today as I was the day I assimilated it."
TRITHAL: "Wow... But, what will happen when that body dies? Will you die with it?"
Rihac: "Dunno... I guess we'll find out. That boy Nguang up there, I've kept him around as my 'apprentice'. I've 'trained' him as a disciple, and I intend to at least try to use his body after this one dies."
Anri: "Does he know about that?"
Rihac: "How would you explain it to him? Most people nowadays never even heard of the Macha... let alone understand the nature of their existence."
Adeth, who has been zoned out most of this time, finally tuned into the conversation and said to Rihac, "Hey... are you another one of those dudes who can, like, swap bodies or something like the Sensai?"
TRITHAL, "Yes, Dude, he is."
Adeth: "Woah, that's cool, man!! This Nengo era is pretty awesome!"
Rihac: (whispers to TRITHAL) "What's his story?"
TRITHAL: "I'll explain that later."
--------
Nguang (from helm above deck): "Hey! What the hell is that?"
The party looks out in front of the vessel at a large object swimming in the waters ahead of them. A split second later, the creature was in front of the vessel confronting the party.
TRITHAL: "Fudermonkey! I just finished loading a bowl!"
A SeaSerpent engages the party.
BATTLE MODE ON
The SeaSerpent picks up TRITHAL with it's tail and throws him into the water. TRITHAL gets all wet, but suffers no damage.
TRITHAL swims up to the serpent stabs it repeatedly with his Divine Daggers. The SeaSerpent loses 872/1024 HP.
Adeth: "Woah there, Serpent Dude! That was not cool throwing the Sensai in like that!"
Adeth walks up to the SeaSerpent and stick it square in the jaw. SeaSerpent loses 56/152 HP.
THRAX's eyes suddenly change into the likeness of a dragon. The amulet and his Dragon Dagger begin to glow bright orange.
Nguang: "What the hell is going on with that guy?"
AXEM: "We think he might be part dragon or something. I don't know..."
THRAX spends 30 SP and does a multi-attack. The Amulet of Xanatos bursts into flames. The Dragon Dagger changes into a flaming baseball bat.
THRAX: "Batter UP!!!!!"
THRAX throws the amulet/fireball into the air and swings the bat (heh-heh). The amulet/fireball thingy launches down the SeaSerpents throat and explodes. THRAX uses 30 SP. SeaSerpent is destroyed.
BATTLE MODE OFF
All members gain 340 EXP
TRITHAL GAINS A LEVEL
LV 27>28; HP 114>117; SP 108>112
AXEM GAINS 2 LEVELS
LV 22>24; HP 96>100; SP 95>99
Danika GAINS A LEVEL
LV 27>28; HP 98>100; SP 91>94
Adeth GAINS 2 LEVELS
LV 12>14; HP 45>50; SP 16>18
Nguang GAINS 2 LEVELS
LV 12>14; HP 44>48; SP 89>95
TRITHAL (LV 28; 114/117 HP; 108/112 SP; 7340 EXP)
AXEM (LV 24; 96/100 HP; 95/99 SP; 5930 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 152/152 SP; 7754 EXP)
Danika (LV 28; 98/100 HP; 91/94 SP; 6630 EXP)
Anri (LV 29; 100/100 HP; 100/100 SP; 7724 EXP)
Adeth (LV 14; 45/50 HP; 16/18 SP; 1452 EXP)
Rihac (LV 86; 29/29 HP; 412/412 SP; 127008 EXP)
Nguang (LV 14; 44/48 HP; 89/95 SP; 1966 EXP)
TRITHAL: "Well, that really didn't have anything to do with anything. Everybody gained some much needed experience, though."
Just then, everyone noticed that THRAX's amulet and Dragon Dagger were still glowing. They appear to be attracted to each other for some reason.
THRAX: "What the...? (struggling) I can't...stop it!"
Suddenly, the two items slam into each other, fusing into a single item.
THRAX GAINS NEW ITEM "Dragon Saber"
AXEM: "Stomp!"
THRAX: "There appears to be and inscription here... 'He who successfully wields this sword shall be granted the fire of the dragons.' .... wow, I bet that's a stomp ability!"
THRAX sheaths his new weapon, sits down. and lights a smokage. The party continues forward.
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