[Introduction] - Story of his life

[not_so_cool]

Zed's landing in the castle might attract some attention. Mostly because he actually, physically lands there. He hits the ground outside the front doors like a meteor from somewhere up above, hard enough that he skids for a fair distance before finally, mercifully, coming to a stop. There he lays for a while, in a demon-shaped crater, groaning and grumbling dazedly over how much everything hurts. It takes a little bit for it to sink in that he's still alive to even feel pain.

That's unexpected. It's unexpected enough to make him stand up, and then every thought flies from Zed's mind when he realizes where he is. He doesn't recognize it, but this place...it's beautiful. He must have landed back on Filgaia, somehow.

Zed starts to recover himself and his wits. Well, of course he did. A true hero would never die that easily!

He gets up, determined to explore, determined to try and find out what's going on and why the world is still here. It's then that Zed realizes that he didn't quite land entirely unscathed.

"D-Doom Bringer! Some nefarious, hidden rapscallion has stolen my trusty sword!"

Getting it back has to be his top priority, of course. Uncle Alzahad gave it to him! Much as he wants to take in the sights - the beautiful, alive, glorious sights - there is work to be done! Even if Uncle Alzahad is dead...and Zeikfried is the only one left...and Zeikfried told him to go and die anyway...

Nevermind that. He's a Quarter Knight, if only because everyone else is dead. He can't turn his back on that. What else is there?

Zed stands up, dusts himself off, and goes hunting. He searches high and low, inside the castle and out, in every shadow and under every table. He leaves no passersby unaccused of this terrible theft. If Zed lays eyes on you, he is almost certain to point and demand without hesitation: "You! Have you seen a sword around here? This is a most urgent matter!"

He leaves no stone unturned, except perhaps the stones in the great birdcage. A few peacocks chase him out of there, pecking at his heels and tugging at his scarf. Zed beats a strategic withdrawl...and then sits and watches them for a while. They're clearly evil birds, but they're also stunningly beautiful. 

((ooc: Feel free to run into Zed when he first crash lands, or let him run into you as he goes hunting. He's technically still a bad guy at this stage in his canon, but not by much, and without his sword there's basically nothing he can do to hurt anyone.))

Comments

[lawofcycles]

"Um..." A very pink looking angel stands a few feet away from where some....very angry looking boy!! is screaming at...the sky? Oh and there's also a crater...oh dear.

"Are you o-okay?" She twiddles with her gloves. "Um..you fell...really far! Like really really far...how are you still alive"

[not_so_cool]

Zed whirls around reflexively when he hears someone address him, reaching for his sword before he remembers himself. Not that he feels terribly bad about his reaction. What a strange, impossible creature! It doesn't help that they're such a...strange, impossible color. Zed's life up until now has not contained a whole lot of pink.

Vanity wars with wariness. Vanity, of course, ultimately wins - especially considering the bruising his took mere moments ago. The demon draws himself up to his full height, trying to strike a nonchalant yet noble pose.

"Of course! I'm perfectly well. It will take more than an explosion from some measly generator to defeat me, the great and almighty Zed! But in my moment of dazedness, as I was innocently trying to get my bearings, some bushwhackers made off with my treasured sword! Would you happen to have seen any nefarious characters?"

Besides the obvious, of course.

[lawofcycles]

She puts her hands up to her mouth in a barely repressed grin. She's never heard anybody talk like this before in her life. He sounds like the sort of fancy knight in an old anime.

"Um hehe, nefarious bushwackers? Uh, I don't think so!" She bows a little to hide her smile. "Its nice to meet you Mister almighty Zed. I'm Madoka Kaname. I'm glad you apparently survived your fall of.." She glances up "...several thousand feet."

"And I don't think I've seen any swords outside the old armory here. Then again this place is always changing...

[not_so_cool]

Oh! That's...new. And weird. No one's ever bowed to Zed, before. Part of him insists that of course she should bow to him, because he's amazing. But the rest of him kind of never thought this day would come.

"That is...very good of you to say. Although I never had any fear for my own safety, of course..." He says this last bit like he's trying to convince himself. "I am thankful I survived as well!"

He sort of half bows back to her, before he catches himself and straightens up hastily.

"'Always changing'? Hm...well, I suppose it would have taken some powerful teleportation magics, more powerful even than my own, to spirit my sword away that far so quickly." He looks around anyway, as if trying to see this armory she mentioned. It's only then that he sees the castle, right there. Zed staggers back a pace. "Wh-What the...? Where am I?" He only knows of two castles on Filgaia - and neither of them are in such a remote, beautiful place.

[dustless]

Frisk freezes, staring at his hand. The accusation's loud enough to rattle in their head, only that's not the reason at all--they want to lunge forward and bite that finger, and that isn't at all a thought they want to be having.

They skitter back a few steps. "No?"

[not_so_cool]

"Hmph..." They don't seem to be lying, as far as he can tell. And they seem appropriately cowed by him, which is always a plus. Zed at least lowers his arm so he can fold them across his chest instead. "Well if you do see it, please do come and tell me right away! It is a most notable sword. There's none other like my Doom Bringer! You'll know it as soon as you touch it."

Of course, that still leaves him stuck in a mysterious castle without a sword and who knows what will happen if anyone he knows finds him here. Nothing good, that's for sure.

"Then you will tell me what you know of this place. And quickly, or else I'll teleport you into a bunch of monsters!"

whoops. this escalated quickly

[dustless]

They could do that, or they could definitely not, because swords aren't something anyone in the castle needs--though right now, maybe someone could, in case Frisk can't get food and their nose leads them forward...

The rest of that catches up to them, they think. The last part.

A switch is flipped. Frisk roars.

"NO!" Doesn't matter why, they aren't going near any monsters as things are right now! Their friends aren't things to be taken hostage to hurt them! They--

--Something in their chest makes a disgustingly wet crack.

[not_so_cool]

Zed staggers several steps back in shock. The vehement reaction should be good, they should be afraid of him, except they don't sound afraid they sound angry. And a little human kid shouldn't be able to do much to him, but then they make that sound and their body jerks like that and oh god. Now he knows what's going on. Now he knows why everyone seems trapped in this place.

Zed looks around desperately, then screws up his face and calls out. "Alzahad! Why are you doing this?!"

No reply. Frisk doesn't look so great.

Maybe he should run. Or maybe he should have already been running. Morbid fascination keeps Zed rooted to the spot, though. It's not like it's the first time he's seen people turned into monsters, after all.

[dustless]

Rage and regret sink around their throat, they crash to the ground, body breaking open and knitting back together in agony, spattering the floor with pink-and-gold blood. It always lasts too long, an eternity in their head.

Only seconds on the outside. Only seconds before the wolf shakes out of the shreds of their clothes and twists their head back to look at this threat, scrambling back to their feet.



They shouldn't have done this. They're empty again. FIGHT or flee?

[not_so_cool]

Fight? Flee? He doesn't know. He's seen fiercer monsters, but always when he was armed. Of course, he has an alternative. But he also knows that his transformation takes longer than those scant few seconds.

He should be happy! He thought his uncle was dead. They all did. And yet, this can't be anyone but Alzahad. Zed has seen it before. Entire towns cut off and then transformed.

He should be happy, but Zed feels a little sick. How shall we bring about more death? Ziekfried always asked, but now he's here and Zed is wondering why life is so bad.

He settles on fleeing, after two seconds of deliberation, turning sharply on his heels and bolting off down the hallway.

[dustless]

There are no good decisions to be made here.



They're starving, he's running, and those two facts combined obliterate all thought beyond PREY.

Instincts still leave them acutely aware of how alone they are; desperation keeps them ignoring there's nobody else on their flank to help as they start chasing with scrabbling claws over stone. (They're fast, but mismatched front limbs guarantee their speed is lower than a real wolf.)

[jakey_d]

[Jake had been heading to get some food when he found himself being yelled at by a green haired stranger. Looking for a sword?]

Ah, no, sorry dude. But I'm like, still really new here so, I haven't even seen the entire place yet. I could help you look if you want? [He's not that hungry, he could stop to help out. Besides, the guy said it was urgent.]

I mean it's a castle, there's gotta be a sword around here somewhere, right?

[not_so_cool]

[Hm. What a...suspiciously helpful human. Worryingly calm, too. Doesn't he know a demon when he's looking at one? Is he that confident in his own fighting abilities? Or maybe just really stupid.

Zed leans forward and squints warily at Jake as all these thoughts run through his head. He can't find any evident signs of a threat, so mostly he just looks...faintly confused, when he settles back on his heels.]

My thoughts exactly! What better place to attempt to hide a sword? But my Doom Bringer is not some needle to be carelessly tossed into a pile of hay! [He folds his arms and nods emphatically to himself, as if in self-assurance.]

I do not know how much help you could be. But it is generous of you to offer.

[jakeyd]

Woah man, you named your sword 'Doom Bringer'? That's dope as hell!

[It's probably pretty obvious now that he falls pretty solidly under the 'stupid' category. Or at the very least, a bit dim. Completely pumped now, though; with his hands balled up in fists out of excitement. It's kind of a real treasure hunt to see a cool sword!]

Does it look as rad as it sounds?!

[not_so_cool]

[A bit dim, certainly, but that's gradually becoming less important. Because this dim human seems...excited? Excited while talking to Zed? He thinks "Doom Bringer" is a cool name? zed knows he doesn't know for sure what "rad" or "dope" means, but in the tone the human is saying them, they sound like a good thing.

This is the most amazing and impossible day of his should-have-been-over life.

But, being Zed, he recovers quickly. Zed always recovers quickly. He actually fistpumps in his own enthusiasm.]

Of course it does! I wouldn't dare to be seen with a sword that didn't! I see you are already a human with excellent taste!

Come on! As you said, any castle worth its weight should have an armory. Perhaps we can find you a sword that is almost as cool as mine!

[jakey_d]

[Jake's enthusiasm only builds off of Zed's, and he's already bounding over to follow the guy, one arm in the air.]

Yeah man!! Let's Indiana Jones this shit!

[It hits him in his excitement that he doesn't actually know this guy's name yet, so he throws in; ] Oh! I'm Jake, by the way. What's your name?