Resonance

[Ricky Maze]

Resonance
Summer 84th 514 AV, ??th Bell
Location: ???

Sounds... there were sounds as Ricky felt himself slip on down, he had drifted away into an endless deep quite a while ago. Only now... now he hadn't a clue where he was. Soft gurgle noises could be heard all around as though he were underwater, yet even so he was still able to breathe the air as no hint of moisture clung to it. Where had he sunken to? Or fallen to? Did he fall? No... He felt as though he dove within. Deeper and deeper as the plunge took him so far down, until at last he felt his body turn over to where he no longer plummeted head over heals. Now he drifted downward on his back, his limbs stretched out apart as he felt the very fabric of air move all around him. Once opened his eyes all he could see was darkness, a thick rich darkness so heavy that even the blind wouldn't wish to ever see. What exactly was this black depth he'd found himself fallen into? He didn't know. There were no answers nor any need to question it, for he felt something quite odd here that he'd never felt before.

As his sluggish everlasting descent finally slowed to a halt, his feet naturally drifted below him as he landed on something firm.... though he couldn't see what. His landing led him to be on one knee at first, his bearings finally came into a grasp as he looked up all around him. Darkness. Nothing but everlasting darkness within, as he could only rise to stand tall with high curiosity. What was this place? What did he feel underneath his feet? In his body? Something foreign to him coursed through his limbs, it was a feeling he'd never knew existed and yet..... felt so familiar to him at the same time.

Confused the fisherman took a step forward, his gaze fixed on the impenetrable darkness before him, that it until a flash came from underneath his foot to reveal a bright light underneath. Bright and mysterious this light grew and expanded outward from beneath, his sight blinded for a brief moment as he shielded his eyes with his wrists. This light he must've stepped on grew and split outwards, and created a strange and unusual looking glyph that spanned all around Ricky. Yet the glyph and the symbols had the same sense of familiarity as this place, even though it was an area Ricky never believed to have visited before. When he could finally look around once more, he could see that the entirety of the darkness had been lit, the glyph and symbols all around bright as their glimmer gave off smaller light particles that danced about in their own gentle way.

Step forth... closer to the light.... Can you do it?....

The voice he heard seemed so far and so distant, as it were a mere echo on deaf ears. Yet still he heard it as its traces came from all around, yet examination of his surroundings proved that he was the only one here. With a gulp of anxiety Ricky listened to the voice that called to him, and took several steps further into the center of this light.

[Ricky Maze]

Once he'd stood in the center of the whole mysterious light, he felt something underneath him shift as though the world gave one silent shudder. Deep within there was something that stirred after he stood there, something that responded to his presence being there as though it had waited for his arrival. There is power that sleeps within you... To the north end of the glyph a illuminated circle of light glimmered just a litter brighter as a small but bright orb rose from it, bursting into a sudden flash before it took the form of a material object he was already familiar with. In the presence of where the light was, a sword seemed to float there instead as though it waited for a hand to reach out and grab it. If you give it form, then it'll give you strength.

To his east and west the same thing occurred as two more objects finally shone themselves, and then finally the fourth and last object behind him revealed itself with the others. Are you ready?... Choose well... With the faint echoes finally receded it was left up to Ricky to choose one of these four objects, tools that seemed to serve a man in his struggle against the world by the looks of it. They were weapons... weapons that represented something, something so deep and so powerful that their very forms were but manifestations. So what did Ricky want to choose? He had to think on it a bit but he knew, somehow he already knew that these were weapons he used daily. Deep down they were tools everybody used, therefore the choice to pick one wasn't so hard to begin with. His options were... the sword, the shield, the staff, and then the bow.

When he looked at the sword first he could feel himself connected to it, words that came in the form of a whisper soon filled his ear as he focused more on it. The power of the warrior, a font of never ending valor, wielding a tool of terrible destruction. His gaze shifted from the north to the east next, where a round shield floated in wait to be received. The power of the guardian, a resemblance to outstanding courage, wielding a shield to repel all. Ricky turned to look southward at the bow next. The power of the rogue, a shroud of vast skill, wielding a bow wicked treachery. And then finally his gaze landed onto the staff in the western side. The power of the mage, carrier of immense wisdom, wielding a staff of great wander and ruin. He looked at the sword a couple of times, and then at the shield couple times more, the bow once or twice, and then of course the staff in turn as he felt a connection with all four.

The strongest connection was with the shield more than anything, and so he approached the object without hesitation until the manifestation lowered into his hands. The power of the guardian... is this the power you seek? He already knew the answer to that, even now when he looked upon the reflective surface of the steel, he could see that this was the embodiment of the power he wanted to "awaken" within him. After he gave a short but firm nod the shield was veiled with a glimmer, as it morphed into a ball of light once more that quickly died out before him. You've chosen the guardian... but what power would you give up instead? Ricky's eyebrows rose as he didn't feel to sure about this choice, his eyes filed between the three options left before him once more. The sword, the staff, and the bow... He had to give up one of these manifestations then. Did he want to give up power? Or wisdom? No... he needed wisdom. What about skill? How could he be a guardian without skill though? Yet a guardian without power?

He felt conflicted for a moment, until he realized what decision would be the better one for him. After the consideration had passed, he was already headed toward the very object he could do without. When he arrived it did the same as the shield did, and with it the echoes spoke to him once more to ask if this was his final decision. Do you choose to give up the power of the warrior? The blade of terrible destruction... it served as a font of valor but for Ricky, he needn't valor when he already had courage within him. He didn't want this kind of power to begin with, he only wanted a power that allowed him to protect those around him. After another firm nod Ricky watched as the same reaction occurred with the blade, the voice returned once more to ask if his decisions were concrete in their making. You've chosen the power of the guardian, and given up the power of the warrior... is this the path you seek?

Did he really want to take this path? Was there the option for something else? He could easily change his mind sure, but deep down he felt that there was no need. He made his choice, and he felt sure it was a good one. Yea... Oi choose dis path. He felt another quake underneath his feet as the whole circle of the glyph seemed to pulsate, a surge from underneath caused a reaction he didn't expect to occur. At the center where the main circle of light was a dark hole seemed to open, as the glyph itself seemed to open from the heart and pour into the black abyss. The other manifestations merely faded into the black while Ricky felt what solid form of land he stood fail him, the world around him slippery as though he were trying to resist a current underwater. The pull was too strong for him to resist, and the end result was Ricky being swallowed in with the rest of this place. Darkness surrounded him once more, as the plummet that took him deeper within this place continued.

[Ricky Maze]

Darkness still enveloped him from every direction. No matter where he looked he couldn't find any sense of visibility to penetrate the endless abyss, that is until he realized that he'd come to hold his eyes shut after falling for what felt like an eternity. Once he felt some form of solid flooring beneath him he stirred and opened his eyes once more, the sight of the endless darkness above only a monument of wonder when it came to knowing how far he'd fallen. He'd been laying in the center of yet another strange glyph that slowly danced on the floor, this one containing runes that glimmered within two outer circles from the center. Behold. Upon the whisper of the word the central light shone as particles of light streamed outward, and flourished their separate ways to the outer reaches of the glyph, only to rebound and fly forward back to the center high above Ricky.

The colors changed then, where the lights and glimmer of the glyph held only a white luminous tone the hues then changed, flaring off a vibrant red color as the newly formed ball of light resonated above the glyph. Here is where your abilities take root, where your power takes its form. Ricky continued to watch the ball of light in his mystified state, unaware of the movement that started to appear in the shadows of the glyph. Beware... Ricky could hear it then, the sound of scratching noises, as though claws or something raked against the surface of glass. When he turned to face the source of the noise, shock soon became present as before him stood the most horrific and unusual creature he'd ever seen. Shadows will hide even in this place, don't allow your guard to drop. Ricky retreated a few steps back as the shady figure came closer to the light he stood in, its form still remained as black as night in the approach it made towards him. Its form reminded him of a Yukman but much more sinister, like a darker twisted form of the creature had developed instead.

As he drew back he felt a weight build on his right arm, and out of no where the shield he chose from earlier materialized from thin air. Don't be afraid... You have the power to fight. The whisper echoed as he felt the weight of the shield lighten, whether or not it was his arm getting used to the shield though he didn't know for sure. Either way the creature bounded for him with a wicked leap, along with a eerie howl that made Ricky's skin crawl just by hearing it. Once he raised the shield up to absorb the impact of the coming lunge, he shoved the creature back hard to create an opening in the being's defense. The move somehow worked without a hitch, and as soon as Ricky had himself an opening to attack, he turned the shield over to where the side could be used to hit the dark being, and bashed it into the creature in a manner of a punch. The monster dissipated as the black form it held turned into mist that dissipated, leaving him to be alone as he took a moment to calm his breathing.

Behind you! Ricky jumped out of surprise as he reeled around to see what he didn't know was there, as three more of those creatures had managed to show up within the shadows between the glyphs lines. He braced himself for coming engagement, and charged forth with his shield propped before him so that he might tackle the creatures head on. The first of the three he hit right on and sent backwards into a stagger, while the other two moved about to avoid chances of getting hurt themselves. Somehow one out of the two dunked into the dark reaches and vanished, while the other slide over to Ricky's left and went in for the charge. Ricky gasped as he tried to take a defensive stance in his position, but failed to realize that the previous shadow being that disappeared had managed to reappear elsewhere behind him. The end result was his back being hit, as he fell forward onto his hands and knees with a painful jolt sent through his whole body.

[Ricky Maze]

He felt them. He literally felt the entire weight of these dark creatures as they piled onto him, their forms an immovable boulder on his body as they enveloped him. They swallowed him whole, and he only continued to sink further deep as the night surrounded him to no end. He felt himself drift only further in, further deeper as the air around him began to feel moist and salty. His eyes shut for only a moment but that was all it took, as he found himself looking blindly into a familiar world he knew. He needed a moment to adjust his sight to the new found brightness, as the transition into this world wasn't something he didn't expect to come. It was calm here, calm and safe from the shadows that haunted him. He stood on a beach somewhere in the landscape of Mathew's Bay, only this landscape had a very different look to it. There was also no Zeltiva, or city for that matter. It was just him, alone in this isolated place.

Hold on. Before you continue any further, there are things you should think about. Ricky looked to the sky with a furrowed brow then, his hands balled into fists as a sigh followed. There are three memories there waiting for you, seek them out and when you answer their questions, you'll then move on to the last place you need to see. Ricky looked down at the ocean then, eyes focused on that for a moment before he panned the environment. He could already see the first person in the distance, a large man with a burly exterior and worn face. He looked familiar... But with the way everything seemed familiar in this place, Ricky wasn't initially surprised as he took to approach this man. No. The surprise came when this man turned out to resemble the very man that raised him since birth, as Burten stood before him with arms crossed as he patiently awaited Ricky's presence. "What d' yew want out o' life?" The father asked once Ricky stood firmly before him, but the fisherman hadn't an answer to give right away.

What did Ricky want out of his life?... Such a question should be easy to remember, but given the circumstances there were far to many answers to reflect on that question. He knew though, he knew no matter how he would want something else, that the answer he chose was the one he reflected on the most. "T' live a happy normal life." Burten's blank expression never changed, instead he only looked over his shoulder to another area. One that was littered with boulders and rocks from the mountains, where another man in the distance sat with an azure uniform. The next person, or so Ricky assumed anyways. When he looked to see his father once more, the memory of him had already faded away, dissolved into thin air without a single word to follow. The fisherman moved onward.

He had to admit the scenery was quite beautiful to look at, given the realism found in his environment. He wondered what this place was exactly, and where in Mizahar it would be located. That wonder of course faded away the closer he got to the man in the uniform, as he knew good and well that he donned the garb of a Wave Guard. This man had the appearance of a hero Ricky once loved, the man that could only be his old guardian and Godfather. "What's de most important t'ing t' ya?" Odis questioned as he looked to Ricky with the same exact look Burten held earlier, Ricky took a short gasp of air before he went to think on that question. It sure seemed like it had an easy answer, but there was so much important to him already. Family. Friends. Love. Peace. These were things he all valued, and truthfully he only found one that called out the most.

"De people Oi love an' cherish most." That reflected on more than just his family and a few friends, so it was by far the better answer he could give in knowing that quite a number of people had earned his love and care. Odis merely blinked and looked over his shoulder to the next place Ricky was suppose to go to, a trail that stretched up along a rocky path within the mountainside revealed itself then. This time Ricky made sure to watch and see what happened to the memory, as Odis merely faded into a opaqueness before the fisherman's very eyes. He was gone. Now who was left? Just one more person. The fisherman wouldn't keep them waiting, instead he marched onward along the trail. It led him into an area with a cove, where the winds grew strong while the salt of the sea blanketed the air. He reached the top of this cove and soon found the last person, a woman who stood at the edge of this cove as her brown hair danced in the wind. Natalie.

"What is it that scares you the most?" She asked as she turned to face Ricky, he wasn't surprised to find the same blank expression as the first two. Another question he had to think on, one that he should've guessed coming all the same. He found it rather odd that these people were resemblances of his memories, and that the questions they asked somehow reflected upon them when they actually lived once. He was afraid of several things though; losing his loved ones, dying before he watched his family grow, seeing his friends get hurt, failing the ones that counted on him. The answers seemed to crop up one after the other, all begging for him to choose while he sorted his thoughts for the right one.

"Bein' different from everyone else." He chose as he answer echoed in his every fiber of being, somewhere deep down he felt a sincere truth resounding out behind the words. He didn't want to be different or special, he only wanted to be an ordinary fisherman right from the beginning.... so what changed that? Was it the loss of Odis when he was a dog? Was it when Ricky joined the Wave Guard? Nothing had been normal since he returned to Zeltiva, and now that he finally reflected upon that he felt part of him grow a little sad deep within. Natalie vanished just like the others did before her, and the echoes of the voice from before filled the very air around Ricky.

You want to live a happy and normal life. The people you love is the most important thing. You're afraid of being different from the rest... You must value and treasure all the small things in life, knowing that they're what's most important. You've a long road ahead of you, and it starts by finding it in yourself to achieve personal goals.

Ricky looked to the sky once more with wonder in his eyes, his curiosity engaged as he tried to consider how to reflect upon the wisdom within the words. The lighting of the environment grew, until it reached the point where Ricky needed to shield his eyes. When it seemed to die down once more and he could see, he stood in a highlighted circle much like before. Darkness remained all around him as he stood within the only light there was, as he wondered then what was to come next.

[Ricky Maze]

Although he stood in the only area where there seemed to be light the darkness around him seemed to lift a little, as particles of light glided through the space around him to generate a path of light that led him to a larger circle that glimmered brightly before him. At the center of the glyph that shone there was at last some form of light high within the dark abyss that shone above the center, as it remained mystical in its appearance while Ricky went to approach. He felt as though the whole black of the void could swallow him whole as he trekked along the path lit before him, as if there were no type of ground or floor to land on should he fall over one of the sides unexpectedly. It unnerved him greatly, but nevertheless he found himself at the edge of the larger circle then as the glyph remained where it was. Somehow as he arrived he felt the footing underneath him pulsate, as it reacted to his arrival with a brighter glow once he reached the inner circle.

Another pulse. His eyes watched the shimmers and particles curiously as he took a step further, as his gaze then went from the floor around him to what he could only think of as the sky above. A single light that reminded him of a beacon, but it was more than that it seems. He didn't know for sure what it was but somehow it felt important, as if he were connected to it in some way he had yet to realize. Be careful... Something within the abyss stirred all around, the shadows moved and he felt as though many eyes were on him then. The closer one gets to the light, the darker their shadows become. He gasped in awe as he turned to face behind him, a sudden shadow formed from black liquid as it took a larger form. This form looked similar to the ones he faced before, but it had more human qualities to it before when it came to appearances. In fact when it finally stood large and tall it matched Ricky's own size and in fact held the same shapes and features Ricky had as well, only its entire form remained as dark as night while the creatures own eyes lit up with eyes that held an amber glow to them.

But don't be afraid. He retreated back several steps with a gulp as the figure started to approach him. And don't forget. His retreat led him to the edge of the glyph where his foot slipped off the edge, and nearly sent him down into the reaches of the darkness behind him. You still have the power to stop your enemies. Was he feeling scared or desperate? He didn't know for sure, only that when he looked for some source of courage he found it, and it resided within the light he worked so hard to get to. After one last look at the source of hope above him Ricky took a deep breath and once more recollected himself. With his right arm brought over from his left he called in the power he had inside, and brought it out to take the form he believed would help him most. The Shield of the Guardian. The shadow figure rushed forward in the blink of an eye, a deathly claw raised high to strike downward against the block that Ricky thrust against it.

When the figure felt the impact of his own attack bounce off, Ricky used the chance to bash him back with the surface of the shield, and go in for a deathly blow. He raised his shield in a curved angle and brought it over from the right, smashing it into the form of the figure's head to hopefully disorient the thing. In turn he followed up with a straightforward attack that mimicked a punch, and brought the shield to smash into the chest of the figure as he tumbled back defensively. Ricky then took the initiative and went into an all out offensive attack, and leaped through the air to bring the side of the shield down in another forceful smash attack. The figure moved to the side however and managed to dodge the incoming blow, and shot a harsh kick to the stomach area to stun Ricky for just a moment. Long enough to get around the father in another swift blink, and then send Ricky forward with a spiraling kick that knocked the fisherman off his feet.

Ricky made a swift recovery even if he felt his front and back sides hurt, yet the pain seemed dull now compared to first impact. Thus he was able to tuck into a roll that brought him to his feet before he hit the ground, his shield raised before him defensively as he glared at the figure once more. The shadow form took to stand in lofty posture as it mimicked Ricky's manner, and created from the shadows a black and wicked shaped longsword. It became clear then that this was going to be a harsh fight with the figure, one that Ricky didn't intend to lose.

[Ricky Maze]

The two lunged at one another with fierce determination as they aimed to overpower one another, Ricky brought his shield over from the right in a horizontal bash that met against the shadow forms own shield, while the sword shot forward in an effort to stab Ricky right in his gut. The fisherman managed to dodge as he pulled over to the right and twist just a few feet away from the figure, with his shield arm lowered as he regained his footing to balance himself for a passively aggressive stance that allowed him to switch into defense had he the need to do so. The shadow appeared to be just as quick as he was of course, as it'd already went in for an overlapping blow from above after he'd gone into a clockwise turn to gain a little bit of momentum. Ricky managed to raise his shield up and push against the midnight blade as a loud clang sounded out in a loud echo, one that continuously filled the endless reaches of the never ending chasm from within.

Ricky shoved the shield back in hopes to stagger his opponent but the shadow recovered quickly, as he pulled his weapon back swiftly to go in for another blow that banged against the surface of his shield. The fisherman grunted anxiously as he felt a shudder come upon his spine, his need for victory soon turned into a desperate struggle to overcome the impossible. He had to be outmatched by this things skill and power, as he didn't even think it possible for him to wield such a weapon like that. Of course he couldn't give up just yet, not when he still had enough strength to carry on. The fisherman gazed upon the mark he'd been granted by Priskil, a sudden reminder of the favor he'd been given as he shown promise in a incredible endeavor. That paid off then and it could certainly pay off now, that is if he were at least willing to use it. Give your power form... His eyes went on the shield in his hand as he loosened the grip right then, the weapon ready to fall were he to release what little grasp was left. And it will give you strength.

He understood the words now, enough to realize that he needn't any sort of weapon, not when it came to fighting his own battles at least. The shadowy figure went in for another strong blow as the blade came from above, ready to smite down on the right shoulder and cleave through Ricky's torso. Yet that wasn't what happened, as Ricky re-raised the shield once more still with the loose grip he had. In turn a glow came from his hand as he closed his eyes, and tapped into the center of his very being. The very heart of his own heart, or as some would call it, the soul that resided within him. From deep within he felt an inner strength he wanted to call out, and as soon as he managed to tap into it he felt a significant change flow out from his chest and into the rest of his body. The blade impacted to create one last loud bang that sounded out like an isolated bell tower, and in the moment it did a flash occurred from all around Ricky as a powerful force pushed the dark figure back. Ricky glimmered for just a moment and when he opened his eyes the shield that was on his arm no longer resided there, now there was sword with the whitest color found in its metal, an faint shimmer focused around its honed edge as the hilt seemed to be crafted from pure gold.

The design was intricate and resembled what looked to be waves, several engraved markings found in the hilt led him to believe this would be a sword of pure magic. No... this was a sword forged out of his will, a weapon he crafted out of his own spirit and intellect. The weapon responded with a sheen that glowed for a couple ticks all around the blade, as it waited to serve Ricky now that he'd called out his own actual power. He was a guardian, neither sword nor shield would be what made him that. It was he himself that chose that path, and he would honor it by fighting with a will of his own. The figure stood ready to challenge Ricky once more, now that it'd recovered from having the wind knocked out of it. The fisherman grabbed the hilt of the blade with both hands, as the two charged at one another once more, in a lunge that would no doubt be even more fierce than the one before.

[Ricky Maze]

Their lunge commenced and in that moment time itself felt like it stool still, as the two leapt for a brief moment to bring their swords forward in an arc and slammed them together, which pitted them into a face to face stand off as the two ground their blades against one another. With all his might Ricky did his best to face the shadow and overpower him, but what he faced turned out to be the same exact form Ricky was, and even displayed the same strengths and weaknesses he had as well. The only thing that proved to be different was the particular fighting style, which no longer really mattered now that Ricky had his own true weapon in hand. Furiously the two of them pushed and pushed as they continued to struggle, low and heavy grunts exchanged from both sides as their goal looked to be in nothing but a stalemate.

However! Ricky seemed to be getting the upper hand in the fight, as the shadow started to ease back now even when he tried to resist. This continued at an incredibly slow and sluggish rate but never did Ricky stop in his attempt, not even when he felt sweat develop on his brow and on the palm of his hands. His blade would not falter from this, not when he was so close to victory! Ricky knew he could do this, he believed he could achieve this. His intention to do so gave him willpower, and that in turn gave him the strength to accomplish it, where he was finally able to do what once felt like the impossible. Ricky moved the mountain of an obstacle before him and shoved as hard as he could, and threw the shadowy figure into a stagger that led him to make a wide opening. It was then the fisherman went in for the final assault. With his weapon brought around into a downward slash at an obtuse angle from his left, the end of his blade sunk into the shoulder and cut through the chest region of the shadow he struggled with for what felt like an eternity.

The shadow gave a low pitched bellow in agony as Ricky rounded the blade into a horizontal slash from his right, which cut right into the middle of the shadowy figure as blotches of black were cleaved off his form. Finally as Ricky managed to overwhelm his opponent, he used the momentum in his secondary strike and spun around in a counterclockwise manner, to provide just a little more momentum as he raised the sword high to bring it down in a mighty drop onto his foe. As he did this the figure looked up at the incoming weapon and knew his judgement was at hand, as he raised both sword and shield up defensively in desperation to delay the inevitable. Nothing good came out of it though as Ricky's force was too strong this time, as the weapon smashed into the sword and shield and cut through them like butter, and then traveled downward into the shadow as he screamed out one last cry before he dissipated into the shadows from where he came.

His sword hit the floor as he realized that he'd stood in the center of the highlighted circles, their glows brighter than before as the light above brightened once more. He looked up and squinted, his breath found in short pants as he tried to grasp at what exactly happened next. He remembered that it'd grown too bright for him to see, as the words from before echoed in his mind. Give your power form. He remembered them well as he started to feel groggy in his mind, the brightness dulled some as his eyelids felt incredibly heavy.

Until at last he finally awoke to greet the new day.