07-21-2017, 12:24 AM
This Jaco fellow certainly had more at his disposal than Cole imagined at first. He wasn’t used to seeing such a small vessel display raw firepower such as the brilliant streams of fire and light that sliced into the gargantuan Darkling ahead of them that dared to bar the alien vessel’s way.
Though such a display of brilliance and power did not distract Cole from his goal, or from noticing the sudden shift in their environment upon their arrival to the archipelago. All around them were more dark creatures, and each one was a different size and variety than the others, both flying and not. The dark and corrupted landscape held little in the way of hospitality, and what once was surely beautiful and serene was now barren and harsh, where the once tall trees were withered away to empty husks, and where inky black clouds barred the sun from casting its warm radiance upon the land. The salty-brine smell and taste of the ocean air was turned sour and bitter from the blight that spread slowly from the shadows.
It reminded Cole far too much of Hueco Mundo, the land of the Hollows, with its never-ending desert and persistent nightfall. And yet for its similarities, this curse seemed ever worse and depressing for every moment Cole spent observing it, as if it were reaching out to snuff the flame within his very soul.
It was disgusting, and such disgust showed clearly on the young Quincy’s face. Despite this, Cole noticed one final detail, a light of color against the bleak, corrupted wasteland. Several Darklings appeared to be swarming around a group of humans next to a corpse of a similar hulking beast Jaco had just lanced with fire moments earlier. Despite the height and speed at which they were circling, Cole could make out some details. One wore an armor that was a particularly vibrant red and seemed to be shorter of stature compared to the other two. Another wielded a sword that seemed impossibly large for him to carry, given his slender physique, and the third was, at this distance, fuchsia-skinned woman standing defiant against the shadows with javelins at the ready.
Those were probably the people they were looking for.
“Up ahead, Jaco. That’s them, open the hatch and let me out.” Cole instructed Jaco with an uncharacteristic curtness.
Jaco shrugged off the rudeness of his recently ‘acquired’ comrade in arms, apparently too distracted by the idea of seeing The Protoman in action, distributing swift justice to the many enemies that now surrounded them. When he spotted the red-colored armored robot, he almost leapt with joy and excitement.
“Oh, I can’t believe it! It really is The Protoman!” Jaco started with his gleeful oration, but was quickly stopped when Cole laid his hand on the alien’s shoulder.
“Jaco…” Cole started with a amused smile. At least someone was having fun…
“Right.” Jaco corrected himself, pulling the craft closer to the dark swarm surrounding his self-professed idol and his comrades. Slowing to a hover over the trio. Jaco pressed a series of buttons to put the craft into neutral and released the dome, the stench of corruption and rankness quickly swelling into the craft.
Cole quickly shot up and leapt from the craft, twin chains of golden fire sprouting from his back shoulders in a shower of sparks and cinder as they twirled up along his arms and ended in his hands. Markings glowed beneath his simple clothing, as fire erupted in his palms. Upon his rolling landing, the flames coalesced into twin handguns of energy and swirling flame, and the Quincy shot back up with ease and took aim at the nearest enemy, now standing alongside the trio.
“Hope you don’t mind if I crash the party.” Cole joked, taking aim at one of the many Darklings.
Cloud merely glanced at the newcomer before focusing his attention back on the enemies in front of him. The spikey-haired blonde swordsman stood at the ready, Buster Sword in hand.
The preteen robot, however, seemed more than eager for the addition of another helping hand.
“There’s plenty to go around,” the robot replied, weapon trained on the enemies.
As the Darklings launched another attack at the party, the Quincy laid into one of them with a hail of fire, while Proto unleashed a volley of his own bursts of energy from his arm-cannon, and the stoic swordsman deftly sliced his way through the incoming enemies.
Blink, although apprehensive at first at the sudden new arrivals, quickly switched her focus back to the threat at hand and nimbly dodged and wove her way around like a needle through the small battlefield, consistently outflanking the weaker Darklings and avoiding the stronger ones’ reprisals through efficient use of acrobatics and her portals.
“Jaco, stay in the ship and provide support if you can!” Cole shouted back at the alien, narrowly dodging an incoming attacker with a leap as it was mercilessly cut down by an enormous guillotine of a sword.
Jaco opened his mouth to protest the rudeness that just came from his companion, but stopped before the words could leave him, realizing that Proto Man was right there in the middle of a battle. Stifling the urge to take a picture of the great hero in action, he closed the dome of his ship and set to work, grumbling to himself while doing so.
Though such a display of brilliance and power did not distract Cole from his goal, or from noticing the sudden shift in their environment upon their arrival to the archipelago. All around them were more dark creatures, and each one was a different size and variety than the others, both flying and not. The dark and corrupted landscape held little in the way of hospitality, and what once was surely beautiful and serene was now barren and harsh, where the once tall trees were withered away to empty husks, and where inky black clouds barred the sun from casting its warm radiance upon the land. The salty-brine smell and taste of the ocean air was turned sour and bitter from the blight that spread slowly from the shadows.
It reminded Cole far too much of Hueco Mundo, the land of the Hollows, with its never-ending desert and persistent nightfall. And yet for its similarities, this curse seemed ever worse and depressing for every moment Cole spent observing it, as if it were reaching out to snuff the flame within his very soul.
It was disgusting, and such disgust showed clearly on the young Quincy’s face. Despite this, Cole noticed one final detail, a light of color against the bleak, corrupted wasteland. Several Darklings appeared to be swarming around a group of humans next to a corpse of a similar hulking beast Jaco had just lanced with fire moments earlier. Despite the height and speed at which they were circling, Cole could make out some details. One wore an armor that was a particularly vibrant red and seemed to be shorter of stature compared to the other two. Another wielded a sword that seemed impossibly large for him to carry, given his slender physique, and the third was, at this distance, fuchsia-skinned woman standing defiant against the shadows with javelins at the ready.
Those were probably the people they were looking for.
“Up ahead, Jaco. That’s them, open the hatch and let me out.” Cole instructed Jaco with an uncharacteristic curtness.
Jaco shrugged off the rudeness of his recently ‘acquired’ comrade in arms, apparently too distracted by the idea of seeing The Protoman in action, distributing swift justice to the many enemies that now surrounded them. When he spotted the red-colored armored robot, he almost leapt with joy and excitement.
“Oh, I can’t believe it! It really is The Protoman!” Jaco started with his gleeful oration, but was quickly stopped when Cole laid his hand on the alien’s shoulder.
“Jaco…” Cole started with a amused smile. At least someone was having fun…
“Right.” Jaco corrected himself, pulling the craft closer to the dark swarm surrounding his self-professed idol and his comrades. Slowing to a hover over the trio. Jaco pressed a series of buttons to put the craft into neutral and released the dome, the stench of corruption and rankness quickly swelling into the craft.
Cole quickly shot up and leapt from the craft, twin chains of golden fire sprouting from his back shoulders in a shower of sparks and cinder as they twirled up along his arms and ended in his hands. Markings glowed beneath his simple clothing, as fire erupted in his palms. Upon his rolling landing, the flames coalesced into twin handguns of energy and swirling flame, and the Quincy shot back up with ease and took aim at the nearest enemy, now standing alongside the trio.
“Hope you don’t mind if I crash the party.” Cole joked, taking aim at one of the many Darklings.
Cloud merely glanced at the newcomer before focusing his attention back on the enemies in front of him. The spikey-haired blonde swordsman stood at the ready, Buster Sword in hand.
The preteen robot, however, seemed more than eager for the addition of another helping hand.
“There’s plenty to go around,” the robot replied, weapon trained on the enemies.
As the Darklings launched another attack at the party, the Quincy laid into one of them with a hail of fire, while Proto unleashed a volley of his own bursts of energy from his arm-cannon, and the stoic swordsman deftly sliced his way through the incoming enemies.
Blink, although apprehensive at first at the sudden new arrivals, quickly switched her focus back to the threat at hand and nimbly dodged and wove her way around like a needle through the small battlefield, consistently outflanking the weaker Darklings and avoiding the stronger ones’ reprisals through efficient use of acrobatics and her portals.
“Jaco, stay in the ship and provide support if you can!” Cole shouted back at the alien, narrowly dodging an incoming attacker with a leap as it was mercilessly cut down by an enormous guillotine of a sword.
Jaco opened his mouth to protest the rudeness that just came from his companion, but stopped before the words could leave him, realizing that Proto Man was right there in the middle of a battle. Stifling the urge to take a picture of the great hero in action, he closed the dome of his ship and set to work, grumbling to himself while doing so.