Abenteur (CYOA)

[Vinestar]

In the near future, technology has gotten to the point where it could create virtual worlds so real that they could constitute as independent universes- with virtual people who live true lives. Supported by a certain supercomputer, a certain program sprang into being from nothing but 1's and 0's to the point of seamlessly becoming a true dimension in its own right. Based upon fantasy literature and media as well as rpg game mechanics, this new world is under scrutiny by the world's top minds as its story begins playing out. After having nudged the fledgling world in the right direction, the programmers- or "Gods" as known in the world, withdrew and watched their creation with interest, sealing off any outside interference. And so the little world turns... This is <<<Abenteur>>>.

---

Prologue- Year of the Lord 1170

"Fuyah..." Yawning, a girl with golden hair yawned as she easily swung a wooden sword in a languid arc, knocking her opponent off balance with her last move. Twirling her bokken around in a small loop to redirect momentum, she lightly nudged the raven-haired boy off his feet with the tip of her equipment. "Well, Genis, this makes my win." Grinning and holding out a hand to her fallen friend, Alice Lancaster knowingly winked at her best friend, Genis Klein.

"You got lucky." Muttering under his breath, the taller boy got to his feet without help and began patting down his clothes to get rid of the dust that nestled in his white cotton tunic's fibers. In comparison, Alice's sky blue dress had not a single stain upon it. "Still, you're better than all the boys... Except me. The sun just got in my eyes." Now, a small smile crept onto the youth's face as he regarded that roguish imp standing in front of him.

The two best friends were both eleven summers old, with Genis being two months the senior. Whereas Alice was small and doll-like, Genis was lanky and string-beanish. Alice had eyes that sparkled like sapphire and hair that was as lustrous as the precious metal it was named after. Genis had brown hair and eyes with a healthy shine. Along with another member, they were a well-known trio of children around their home place, Verda Village.

"Well, seeing as I whooped you for the eighth consecutive time in a row, I decree that you should carry the equipment and such back." Alice decreed. Genis complied and began hefting the various items onto his back and strapping them on, albeit with a flushed and sour face. "Think of this as training for raising your <<<Authority>>>." <<<Authority>>> was a term that described something that could only be defined as "self-belief". People can increase their <<<Authority>>> in Abenteur by winning contests or practicing enough of a craft to ascend to another level. One can also raise that level by defeating <<<Monsters>>>, though such beings were trapped on the other side of the <<<Impasse Mountain Range>>> that separated the kingdom of man from the <<<Badlands>>>, a dark and hellish place where the sky is eternally blood red and the land littered with all sorts of nightmarish <<<Monsters>>> like orcs and goblins.

"What now, oh benevolent overseer?" Genis asked with a grit in his mouth from the excess load weighing him down as the two began making their way back to Verde Village from the outskirts of the forest.

[ ] Meet up with the third member for lunch.
[ ] Walk around the village and interact with more people.

[Deleted]

Meet up with the third member for lunch.

[Rain]

[ ] Walk around the village and interact with more people.

[VitaVitaAR]

[ ] Walk around the village and interact with more people.

[Roxas]

[ ] Meet up with the third member for lunch.

[dblade26]

[ ] Walk around the village and interact with more people

[Krautman]

[] Lunch is awesome.

[Mahou Moerin]

[ ] Walk around the village and interact with more people.

[Vinestar]

"Your mistress dictates that we have a leisurely stroll around our beloved birthplace, coinciding in one full circuit around the village." Hearing a groan from her pack mule, Alice chuckled a bit before amending her statement. "Fine, as she is feeling charitable, your mistress commands you to walk her back to the Abbey." Not far from the entrance of the enclosure was a tidy building made from white limestone. As they entered the building, a Sister dressed in a conservative black and white habit emerged from a door to see who had come in.

"Alice Lancaster, does the Codex not say that every person has to do their fair share?" Rebuking the girl with a gentle smile, the tall Sister reached out and easily hefted the gear upon her own shoulder. Somewhere in the distant past, the Sister Amethy had been a swordswoman of great renown known as the <<<Violet Spark>>>. Despite Alice pushing for details on the glamorous occupation, the gentle Sister continued to stay quiet about her accomplishments with a humble face and tone. Patting Genis on the head and invoking a scarlet blush on the young boy's face, the Church member turned to Alice to remind the girl of her appointments. "You have another hour of break before chores and studies."

"I know..." Mumbling under her breath, Alice and Genis darted out from the building while the smiling Sister began tidying up. The two then began walking about aimlessly, enjoying the balmy day. All too soon though, the peace was shattered by the appearance of a certain group- Graham and his lackies. Graham was three years their senior, and his frame was properly filled out unlike Genis' lean and spindly form. With close cropped hair that was reminiscent of a reaped cornfield, the teenager stood in the middle of the dirt path with his posse.

"You know the rules, gotta pay a toll if you want access." Smirking, the broadfaced boy looked like a particularly ugly gargoyle was leering at them. Behind him were similarly smaller kids, though they had on evil looking expressions too.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Genis growled, his hands itching to clench themselves into fists. Nearby, the normally exuberant Alice was giving off a cold expression while holding onto the boy's hand, attempting to calm him down.

"Normally that would be the case since we're all locals. But your girlfriend-" Pointing to Alice bluntly, Graham's face contorted into something bordering on disgust. "She's a <<<Lost Child>>>. She wasn't born here and her unlucky self appeared out of the blue five years ago. Now she freeloads off of this hardworking community and enjoys free meals in that Abbey, doing no real work." <<<Lost Children>>> were rare individuals that were spirited away by an outside force and deposited far away without memories of their prior lives. As such, they were regarded with suspicion and distrust for fear of other children going through the same fate. The only reason Alice was able to live in Verda Village at first was because Sister Amethy's influence. Now Alice was a part of the community, though not all its inhabitants embraced the change in attitude.

Turning her head, she saw that two of Graham's four lackies had sidled around their back and blocking the way off the road. While she was distracted, Genis shook off her hand and began running toward the larger boys with fists swinging- enraged at their insinuation toward his dear friend. The golden haired girl could only let out a small gasp as Genis was easily tripped from behind and stomped on by Graham and his ilk. Anger began welling within her, liquid fire flowed through her veins at the casual cruelty inflicted upon the curled up boy.

[ ] Don't give in to anger and call for help loudly.
[ ] Pick up a wayward laundry pole and wade into the throng.
[ ] Pay the toll.

[Rain]

[ ] Pick up a wayward laundry pole and wade into the throng.

[VitaVitaAR]

[ ] Pick up a wayward laundry pole and wade into the throng.

[Psyga315]

[X] Pick up a wayward laundry pole and wade into the throng.

[Mahou Moerin]

[ ] What they said.

[Vinestar]

Holding onto the short pole much like she did with a wooden sword, Alice thrust and suddenly whipped her wrist upward. Dealing an audible rap on the jaw to a boy that then crumpled, the girl then pirouetted to backhand another one flat on his back. By the time two had fallen, the remaining three fanned out and attempted to bring her down by numbers. "Dirty bugger..." Snarling, Graham rushed forward like a bull. Holding her short pole horizontally, Alice then raised her free hand to palm strike the wood into the bully's nose bridge with a crack. Flinching from the unexpected blow, another one came in the form of a firm kick in the nads by a deceptively dainty foot. Graham went down like a cut oak tree and Alice felt a bit of her <<<Authority>>> increase.

Panting slightly from her exertions, the grim face of the golden haired girl made the remaining two run off in a hurry. Gently setting the cracked borrowed property down, Alice then knelt down and picked up the skinny lad before draping him onto her shoulder. "You owe me." Dragging off the beaten Genis towards the Abbey, the young lady prepared herself for Sister Amethy's quiet wrath.

After her friend was treated to first-aid and absconded, the Sister had her charge clean up the entirety of the Abbey. "A young woman should not resort to such violence." By the time she finished up, her arm and leg muscles were cramped up from the exertion. Falling into her bed and succumbing to exhaustion, the last thought in the Lost Child's head was "It was worth it."

---

The next day, the full trio had met up. Besides the boisterous Alice and wry Genis sat a girl with crimson red hair tied into a ponytail. A light dusting of freckles were sprinkled across the nose and intelligent green eyes peered at her companions with a knowing look. "So... you guys got in another kerfuffle again?" Looking at the bruised Genis and the sore looking Alice, Rianna Fowl adjusted her spectacles and continued to make them feel awkward. She only relented when her bosom buddies reluctantly nodded their heads. "Honestly... Well, at least you guys won." Alice kept quiet for respect of the bruised boy's pride, for Genis looked like he was about to plant his face into the ground. After a quiet period of munching on cold chicken and hard bread, the trio finished up and stood as one.

"Right then, after the unpleasant talk is done.." Glaring at her innocently smiling friend, Alice then turned to look at the two with her. "Let's explore the cave." Pointing to a mouth growing out of the rocks, Alice regarded the entrance with interest. The trio had chanced upon the cavern one day while exploring the forest, almost missing it underneath a curtain of old ivy. After pulling the dead creepers off, a jagged crack was revealed. A week had passed before the tree got enough nerve to begin putting together supplies for exploring the interesting new place. After all, life in a village was pretty boring. All three were now armed with wooden swords, rope, and a pack of hard rations and healing herbs. Rianna was wearing a palm sized rough pitted rock with bits of crystal jutting out every now and then around her neck, a <<<Light Stone>>>. Like its name suggested, the item absorbed the sun's energies and casts off light in darker areas.

After a bit of squeezing through the jagged opening, the trio felt their way through the slightly winding path, the two found a larger area with two holes. The left one had what appeared like a trail of glowing lichen lining its way, so that they could see further in the path. The right side was dark, though the sound of running water could be heard. "Which way, leader?" Rianna quipped, drawing a frown of consternation from the head of the party. They had to walk a fair amount to get to the cave and there wasn't much hours of sunlight left. They most probably had enough time to explore only one path for the week so the decision was that much more important.

[ ] Head towards the left path with the glowing mushrooms.
[ ] Head towards the right path where the sound of running water could be heard.

[Rain]

[ ] Head towards the right path where the sound of running water could be heard. BATHTIME BEFORE ADVENTURING.

[VitaVitaAR]

[ ] Head towards the right path where the sound of running water could be heard.

[Deleted]

[ ] Head towards the right path where the sound of running water could be heard.

[dblade26]

[ ] glowing mushrooms path! glowy stuff is fun and never ever possibly dangerous, nope!

[Vinestar]

"I say we go right. Because going right is the right choice." Alice stated with the confidence of a leader, prompting a grimace from Genis and rolled eyes from Rianna. As the two walked into the darker of the two paths and continued onward, the sound of rushing water intensified. When the trio could smell moisture, they hurried up and came onto a large natural corridor with a foaming water that churned and lapped over the banks every now and then. The flow continued down slope, eventually disappearing through a hole in the cave wall.

"Ooh... I never knew there was a river running beneath our territory." Rianna stated, adjusting her spectacles under her wide brimmed hat and taking notes in her small journal. Unconsciously getting a bit closer to the river to peer at the waters, the bespectacled girl leaned forward. At the same time, a ring of bubbles frothed up nearby.

Following her instinct, Alice reached out and dragged back her friend who let out an irate squeak. Just as Rianna was about to lay into the blonde girl, something leaped out of the water and flopped on the bank. It was in the shape of a large dog with gills whose head was waist high, and its fur was long and falling out in some places. Emaciated was a proper word to describe it, considering its ribs were jutting out at the side and the thing had a wraith like appearance to it. Its fangs were yellow and brown with pinkish saliva threading down black gums and its eyes were extremely bloodshot. The beast drew back its lips and growled, ears flattening against its skull and legs splayed out. If one looked carefully at its paws, they would find it webbed. "What in Sol's name is that abomination?!" Genis shouted out, his voice higher pitched at the end of his sentence. The boy was clutching his bokken like a lifeline, prompting the other two to do the same in different stances.

"If I'm not mistaken... That beast is a <<<Aqua Hound>>>. Normally they consume fish and small marine life, with the occasional terrestrial game that wanders nearby. They do their best to avoid humans was what the books say. Though... seeing this one, I would have to guess that it's rabid." The redhead announced, her hands shaking slightly as she held onto her weapon. "If it bites any of us..."

"Then w-we won't let it. We'll shoo it away." Alice stated unconvincingly, for she knew that rabid animals fought to the death. As it were, none of the three had fought against a <<<Monster>>> before, let alone a rabid one. As she was talking, the diseased thing let out an ear splitting howl before rushing at the would-be adventurers in an unsteady lope.

Boss Encounter: Rabid Aqua Hound

[/font]

[ ] Guard with the bokken and draw its attention so teammates can help out.
[ ] Evade and counter attack with bokken.
[ ] Swing bokken quickly to attempt to draw first blood.

[Rain]

[ ] Swing bokken quickly to attempt to draw first blood.

ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK.

Rabid animals are scared of water... XD

[VitaVitaAR]

[ ] Swing bokken quickly to attempt to draw first blood.

[dblade26]

[ ] Swing Bokken, attempt to draw first blood

[Vinestar]

Shifting her center of gravity so that it was lower, Alice swung her blade in a right to left diagonal arc with her whole body weight behind the pivoting motion. The wooden blade rebounded off the Aqua Hound and throwing the girl off balance, the thing being a lot denser than she had thought. Still, the animal's path was diverted enough that only the smell of moisture and rotting fish touched the girl, though even now the Hound was shaking off the injury and getting ready to rush at Alice. "This one reeks of death..." Wiggling her button nose with distaste, the novice sword user got back into a ready stance.

Genis meanwhile was running pell mell towards the thing before punting it in the shoulder blade. "Oof!" Hopping on his right foot as the boy wasn't experienced enough to avert the toes upwards, the lanky boy only barely managed to jam his blade into the things mouth to hold it at bay. "I did not train to become dog meat!" Genis grunted as the wood began cracking, panic welling up in his voice.

"Thanks for enticing the thing with your meat." Rianna wryly stated as she finished chanting, holding up a ball of red light. The girl had the rare gift of being able to use <<<Arcane Arts>>>, or put simply, magic. At her level, she couldn't do much and even a single simple spell was enough to exhaust the redhead. Still, the particular Art she had activated was known as <<<Reinforce>>>, which made an object temporarily more durable than it should be. <<<Reinforce>>> was why the trio never had to buy new bokken after a particular hard bout of training. It was only thanks to the Genis and Alice's teamwork that she could continue uninterrupted. Panting and lobbing the light ball at Alice's bokken, her friend's wooden blade soaked up the energies and looked like it was clad in crimson varnish. Now she wouldn't have to worry about her weapon breaking.

"Right then... That is my pack mule you are trying to eat, mongrel." Glaring at the slobbering big dog with menace in her eyes, the protective golden haired child got ready to flow into motion, muscles tensing up for the next attack.

[ ] Deal consecutive blows.
[ ] Try to end it in one big attack.

[Rain]

[ ] Deal consecutive blows.

[VitaVitaAR]

[ ] Deal consecutive blows.

[Deleted]

[ ] Try to end it in one big attack.

[dblade26]

[ ] Deal consecutive blows ending in one big attack?

[Vinestar]

As the wooden sword cracked and broke under the weight of the Aqua Hound's jaw, Alice swiftly closed in on the monster with sapphire eyes glinting. The reddened blade reaching outwards, time appeared to have slow down. Perhaps it was due to instinct, but the berserk animal attempted to extricate itself from the guarding boy to turn around and lunge at golden streak closing in.

"As if I'd let you!" Adrenaline driving the boy, his hands broke the cracked blade and twisted the jagged ends forward and upwards. Catching in the bloodied mouth, Genis grunted and dug in his feet before using the entirety of his weight to reel in the dessicated but still hefty hound. It was like reeling in a fish, except one mistake might result in the loss of life.

What followed next was the dancing blade. Red sparks began jumping out of the weapon's length as something amazing happened- a the beginning of a <<<Weapon Skill>>>. Only by training mind and body rigorously could one even hope to attain even the lowest level of ability in those amazing techniques. The trio constantly attempted to activate it through secret training sessions away from the disapproving eyes of the adults to no avail- for not once had it ever appeared. Eyes widening at the sight, Rianna mouthed her wonder at seeing such an amazing thing.

Moving so fast that not even the wielder could see anything but a red blur, continuous strikes were swung at amazing speed towards the same point- the hound's exposed neck. Ordinarily one couldn't even hope to land that much blows on a mobile target such as an Aqua Hound. But because it was held in place in a specific way, a situation that could only be described as "extremely lucky" was obtained. The girl continued raining down hits on the trapped thing until eventually it snapped greatly to one side, the hound' head. Only then did the girl stop and slumped to the ground.

"We... did it?" She asked, surprise and disbelief on her face as she watched Genis hesitantly threw down the carcass. It was lying in an unnatural way, with its hateful eyes' light extinguished. With all the excitement over with, it seemed like the young girl couldn't move her body like she wanted it to. Every now and then, her frame shook with a tremble.

"Y-yeah..." Genis pulled up first the blonde and then the redhead before supporting them both on his shoulders. "Let's go... Before anything else comes."

---

Trudging back out the way they came, the friends' quiet contemplation ground to a stop when they saw thick plumes of dirty smoke billowing from where the village should be. As one, the three began running until they arrived in an underbrush that hid them from view. From their vantage point, they saw that the wooden buildings were indeed on fire and crudely armored... things were patrolling the area, each armed with rough metal machetes. They looked like pigs fused with adult men, but with green tinted skin. "Orcs..." Genis whispered with dull surprise. "I thought... the darkness was on the other side of the mountains..." Falling silent, the three could only watch with dismay as the orcs set fire to more buildings.

[ ] Continue hiding to find more information.
[ ] Sneak into the village to attempt to find survivors.

[Deleted]

[ ] Sneak into the village to attempt to find survivors.

[Rain]

[ ] Continue hiding to find more information.

NO SUICIDE FOR ME, TODAY.