Sceldrant's Comet

by Michael Rogers

  Trevour: "Hmm. I feel a little bit of turbulence waiting to happen." *He mumbled to himself and noticed people behind him.* "I think we should help each other out until we reach the last Reality Marble-"

  Woman: *She looked at Trevour, snarling at his appearance.* "As if! Every person for themselves!"

  Trevour: "But working as a team-"

  Woman: "Who cares! There's only one winner!"

  Trevour: "Negative, madam-"

  Woman: "So there's more than one winner?"

  Trevour: "N-No-"

  Woman: "I already know the rules! Bye!" *She snickered and started to run through the forest.*

  Grey: "Now that all contestants are in the marble, time to explain the rules!"

  *Grey listened to his voice echo twenty times, as it channelled through each Reality Marble.*

  Grey: "Contestants must endure or complete five Reality Marbles."

  Twortz: (Five?) *She looked up to the old mansion roof, staring at flickering chandeliers.* (Depends how big these Reality Marbles are.)

  Grey: "It's possible to get the same one twice. Doors with glowing frames symbolises the next jump, as I already mentioned before."

  Rachael: *She formed a fist, looking at Nathan.* (We could get this area twice?)

  Nathan: "Doors with glowing frames? Seems easy enough."

  Grey: "The most important rule of all! You must keep moving. If you stop for three seconds, you will fail."

  Trevour: (I can see why that impatient madam was eager to go so early.)

  Grey: "It's possible to die in the games, all you have to do is rip up your number. If you don't, it's not Silver Wind Island's problem."

  Luna: "Wat's gonna kill us? Attack of them hangin' lights?"

  Twortz: "You mean chandeliers?"

  Luna: "Wateva. They're lights, aye."

  Grey: "The first person to step through the last door in the final stadium wins. If two people step on the stadium, they will go into a sudden death."

  Rachael: (Sudden death?)

  Grey: "Contestants, ready?!"

  Ordin: *He monitored the busy Hall of Oats, watching people cluster around each image.* (We have a murderer on the loose and this happens to be a very busy Agoura Marbles? What luck! Blast the Astragons!)

  Grey: "Once the siren goes off, the race has officially begun. Be warned, each Reality Marble will increase in difficulty."

  Luna: "I'm ready, you ready?" *She looked at her shoulder, staring at Destiny.*

  Destiny: "Yeup." *Her eyes glared like a cat's eye, allowing her and Luna to see with a brighter vision.*

  Luna: (My black and white vision got a little brighter, kool.)

  ----------

  Lezard: "Beep... Beep.. Booop." *He mimicked the buzzer and noticed an increased movement of the spectators, as each contestant started to run.*

  Karol: "W-What happening?" *He looked up, pulling on Lezard's clothes.*

  Lezard: "It's started-"

  ----------

  Nathan: *He noticed every player's number materialise itself on their chest.* (My number? It's on my chest too.)

  Rachael: *She watched all the players run down the underground tunnel.* "Where-?"

  *Rachael's number started to beep, catching Nathan's attention.*

  Nathan: "Remember the most important rule!" *He shouted and grabbed Rachael's hand before running down the tunnel.*

  Rachael: "How can it?" *She looked down, noticing it no longer beeped.*

  Nathan: "I'm not very smart with Astragons and Neurons, but I think the glyph detects the Neuron movement in the body."

  *Several screams echoed further ahead of Rachael and Nathan.*

  Rachael: "Sounds like they were in pain-" *She suddenly looked down, gasping in confusion.* "Do you feel that?"

  Nathan: "Feel what?"

  Rachael: "It feels like something rolling?"

  Nathan: "Maybe that's your elemental affinity's ability?"

  Rachael: "I use ground.. Able to feel the movement-" *She spoke to herself before nodding her head in agreement.* "I think you're right, Nathan-"

  Nathan: *He quickly pushed Rachael forward and jumped back, causing his number to start beeping.* "Hmph-" *He watched a small cannon-like boulder shoot from the tunnel's opening, smashing into the other side.*

  *Nathan looked up and intensely stared at the crack in the tunnel, watching something move in the sunlight.*

  Rachael: *She continued to jog forward, watching the wall crumble.* "What was that?"

  Nathan: "I feel we're not by ourselves-" *He noticed a woman on the ground with three stone spikes sticking out of her neck.*

  Rachael: "Is she-?"

  Nathan: "She mustn't have had enough time to rip up her number."

  Rachael: "Are they traps?"

  Nathan: "I don't think so-"

  Rachael: "Rock Pillar." *She punched to the side, causing a small rock to blast up on the side of Nathan's face.*

  Nathan: "What are you-?" *He watched the small rock suddenly explode, as it blocked a rock spike's projectile.*

  Rachael: "It may be last minute, but I can feel when there's Earth moving in the air."

  Nathan: "Earth?"

  Rachael: "Ground, rock."

  Nathan: *He listened to bat-like squeaks, instantly causing him to run slightly faster.* "I wasn't sure at first, but-"

  *Rachael and Nathan suddenly slipped on smooth rock, causing them to slide down on their backs.*

  Rachael: "What is it?"

  Nathan: "These are near blind Scoldrants. They live deep in secluded caves or ravines."

  Rachael: *She noticed a brown beaver-like Scoldrant crawling along the ceiling with its back facing her.* "Is that it-?"

  Nathan: *He noticed rock spikes shoot out of its back, causing him to gasp.* "It's going to attack-"

  Rachael: "Rock Pillar-" *She waved to the side and nothing happened, causing her to gasp in shock.* "Why-?"

  Nathan: "The ground, it's too hard-" *He reached over his shoulder and grabbed the sword, trying to pull it forward.* (I'm sliding on my back, I can't-)

  Rachael: "Here-" *She kicked Nathan, causing them to slide on each wall, watching the rock spikes jab in between them.*

  Nathan: *He watched the rock spikes crack the hard smooth ground in shock.* "Thanks!"

  Rachael: "Hehe, it's not over yet-"

  *Rachael and Nathan slid out of the tunnel and fell through a large space, suddenly diving into pitch black water.*

  Nathan: *He slowly sunk, watching white clear bubbles float up.* (There's an underground lake?)

  Rachael: *She held her breath and started to swim up to the surface, taking a deep breath.* "Nathan?" *She coughed and wiped her mouth, glancing to each side.*

  Nathan: "Psssh-t-" *He took a deep breath and shook his head, causing water to flick out of his hair like a dog.* "I wasn't expecting that-"

  *Several floating bodies drifted past Nathan, causing him to respectfully push them away.*

  Rachael: "Neither did they.." *She swayed her arms and kicked her legs, keeping afloat.*

  Nathan: *He looked to his side and noticed another cave, causing him to swim towards it.* "I was worried."

  Rachael: *She swam by Nathan's side.* "Why?"

  Nathan: *He smiled, watching Rachael swim ahead of him.* "I thought I was going to have to help you."

  Rachael: *She reached towards the rock and tried to pull herself up, causing her hand to slip off.* "Slippery-"

  Nathan: *He reached up and rested his arm on the rock, trying to pull himself out of the water.* "The water, it's making the rock slippery-"

  Rachael: *She suddenly dug her nails and fingers into the ground, allowing her to pull herself up with ease.* "There-"

  Nathan: "Is it soft?" *He slapped the rock with an eagle-like grip, causing his fingers to crack.* "Ouch-"

  Rachael: "Hello, ground user here, hehe." *She smiled and bent down, pulling Nathan up.*

  Nathan: "Gee, thank you again." *He spoke with an appreciative frown, as if he
was slightly embarrassed.*

  Rachael: "Don't be embarrassed because I'm a girl."

  Nathan: *He shook his head and reached over his shoulder, unsheathing his sword.* "That's not it. I couldn't care less what gender you are."

  Rachael: *She smiled.* "I like that."

  Nathan: "It's more of the fact I feel like a hindrance."

  Rachael: "Say what? No way! I would've been out right at the start with that rock spike." *She had a flashback of Nathan pushing her out of the way.*

  Nathan: *He grunted in respect.* "Let's keep going." *He nudged his head towards the cave, causing Rachael to jog towards it.*

  Rachael: *She entered the cave and listened to her echoing footsteps, watching the area turn pitch black.* "Man, it's dark in here."

  Nathan: *He slowed down.* "How is it?"

  Rachael: "It's safe."

  Nathan: *He ran towards the sounds of Rachael's footsteps and slashed his sword, causing a line of sparks to momentarily light up his surroundings.* "How much farther?"

  Rachael: *She watched Nathan continuously slash sparks against the wall.* (Nice idea-) "We're almost out of here-"

  *Nathan and Rachael ran out of the cave and found themselves in a large underground opening, noticing a glowing door frame standing in the middle of the clearing.*

  Rachael: "There it is-" *She spoke with excitement and stepped forward, suddenly pausing.*

  Nathan: "What is it?"

  Rachael: "We're not alone-"

  *Pirate-like bandits dressed in blue and black suddenly ran out from the shadows, pointing old fashioned guns at Rachael and Nathan.*

  Nathan: *He noticed the guns, causing him to raise his sword.* "Let us pass."

  Grunt A: "No, argh." *He grunted like a pirate and aimed for Nathan's head.*

  Rachael: "Who are you?"

  Grunt A: "We're The Seaside Bandits."

  Nathan: "What do you want from us?"

  Grunt B: "It's easy. Give us your valuables and we'll let you pass through to the next Reality Marble."

  Grunt A: "The boss will be pleased, argh."

  Rachael: *Her number started to beep.* "Oh no-"

  Grunt B: "Move slightly forward from activating your numbers!"

  Rachael: *She shuffled her feet and frowned in disgust.* "What a cheap way to get valuables!"

  Nathan: "Isn't this against the rules?!"

  Grunt C: "Rules, shmules." *He waved the gun to each side in a casual-like manner.*

  Rachael: "Nathan." *She whispered.*

  Nathan: "Yeah?" *He spoke on his breath and leant closer to Rachael, as he kept his sword pointed at the closest bandit.*

  Rachael: "We'll make a run for it."

  Nathan: "My sword skills have allowed me to block high-speed projectiles, but not if I'm surrounded."

  Rachael: (Ash.. What should I do?) *She glanced at each bandit, triggering a flashback.*

  ----------

  *Rachael and Ashton ran through a beautiful park and slowed down, sitting on a white expensive appearing bench.*

  Rachael: "Phew."

  Ashton: "Good grief." *He panted in exhaustion and fell into the chair.*

  Rachael: "Hehe, tired much?"

  Ashton: "I blame Fast Food Enterprise!"

  Rachael: "Nah, blame yourself." *She spoke with a smile.*

  Ashton: "Ha ha, I'm unacceptable, right?"

  Rachael: "Right!"

  Ashton: *He wiped sweat and looked to his side at Rachael.* "Thank you for taking me with you."

  Rachael: *She shook her head with a widening smile.* "It's fine.. How were you able to keep up?"

  Ashton: "Ha ha.." *He looked down and rested his hands on his knees, as he was trying to catch his breath.* "I usually ignore my surroundings and focus purely on the goal, and that goal was this bench."

  Rachael: "Ignoring your surroundings? That's completely the opposite of what I'm taught at Hapkido."

  Ashton: "But I'm more of the defensive type of guy, while you're-"

  Rachael: "The type who shouldn't like pushover guys?" *She pushed Ashton, causing them both to chuckle.*

  Ashton: "If I know my surroundings or protect myself from them, all I have to worry about, is the goal."

  Rachael: "Well, if any guy gives you a problem, just let me know."

  Ashton: *He smiled and shook his head.* "Violence is unacceptable."

  Rachael: "Not this again, Ash."

  Ashton: "Right-" *He stood up and kissed Rachael.* "I have to pick Lance up soon, I better be off."

  Rachael: "Alrighty. See you tonight?"

  Ashton: "Sure." *He smiled and turned around, jogging away with a slight limp.*

  Rachael: "Hehe."

  ----------

  Nathan: *He noticed his number start to beep, causing the bandits to chuckle.* (Dang it!-)

  Rachael: (Ignore the surroundings-) *She frowned and started to concentrate, causing her body to glow a shade of blue.*

  Grunt C: "She's using an Azure Burst, what should we do, argh?"

  Grunt A: "Our boss was able to steal some of the contestant's statistics. There's not many to be worried about. That's why we decided to do this in the first place."

  Grunt B: "Now, just give us your belongings!" *He clicked a lever on the gun.* "The others had no problem doing so, argh!"

  Nathan: *He slightly lowered the sword in realisation.* "I hate to say, but I think we have no choice."

  Rachael: *She suddenly leant up with widening eyes and dropped to her knees, violently punching the ground with both hands.* "Rock Pillar."

  Nathan: "Huh?"

  Grunts A, B, C: "Argh?"

  *Two sheets of rock erupted on either side of Rachael and Nathan, forming a triangle-like tunnel towards the door.*

  Nathan: "How-?"

  Rachael: *She grunted and stood up, quickly jogging towards the door.* "Nathan!"

  Nathan: *He ran after Rachael, blindly staring at the glowing door frames, as that's the only thing he could see inside the triangle made tunnel.* (Almost-)