The Mano Games VII
Smash Journeyman
Basically, this is a retelling of Final Fantasy I, with most of the plot elements remaining the same, but with far more development than the game itself ever had. This is something I've always wanted to do, but have always lost the motivation to do so for one reason or another. But this time, I mean business! And this parties not stopping until I have at least a novels worth of material all ready!
So, if you all could chip in and offer comments, I'd be happen to listen to them all. So, without further ado, I present to you the Prolouge of my story. Hope you enjoy it...
"What am I doing here?" Luke wondered to himself. He sat perched atop the roots of a tree as the rain pounded down from above. A feeling of dread came upon him as Luke remembered the proclamation of his officer. Any time now, Luke would be plunged into a world of pain beyond his limits. He was sure of it. Any time now, he would be faced by the wrath of thousands of monsters who would want nothing more than his death. And there would be no one to save him...
A feeling of dread seered through Luke's heart. Despair, sadness, rage, all of these things rushed through him, images of him beaten and broken on the battlefield flashing through his mind. He held his head in his hands as his eyes fogged, but before he could wallow in his thoughts any longer, a man had seized from behind, and before long, Luke had sprung into action, throwing the man over his head, the man pulling him down with him as he went.
"HEY HEY, STOP IT, LET GO! LET GO!" The man cried. Luke stopped what he was doing, and looked down on his partner. Not quite knowing what to say, Luke sat in silence as his partner shoved him off, trying his best to shake off his fright.
"What the hell man?! What was that for?"
"What was that for? I should be asking you the same thing! What was the big idea, catching me from behind, Homac? What, are you doing your best imitation of a monster?!" Luke breathed hard as his eyes burned into Homac's. 'do, do you have any idea what it's like waiting like this, to get torn apart by Garland's forces? I...I was never meant to be here, I'm just..."
"Luke, stop it"
"Ssstt, listen Homac, listen to-"
"STOP IT, ALRIGHT?! Look, I'll say it once, and I'll say it again. Nothing's going to happen to ya man. I already promised you that!" Homac stood besides Luke and clapped a hand on his shoulder. The two sat there, Homac looking on with concern, for Luke struggled to recovered his breath.
"Homac, you can't just-"
"Look, I'll make sure I'm fighting right beside you alright? I promise you, I'll keep you safe no matter what! I'll withstand any test, to see you not spit upon a blade that is!"
"Alright...thanks Homac"
"No problem man. Now, lets get your butt somewhere where you're not going to freeze to death!' Homac began walking off as he said this. 'As the old saying goes, 'nothing comes from cold muscles but a cold death!'"
"Right...well, I'll definetly do that but uh...just give me some time to gather my thoughts, alright?" Luke waited for a bit, and turned around. To his irritation, Homac was standing there trying to hide a smirk.
"Pfffft, really Luke?"
"What? What? Is there something wrong with that?"
"Oh no, nothing, nothing man...just that...well..."
"What, is this about that time...?"
"Hey, hey, I ain't sayin nothin..."
"Look, that one time I snuck off to hit up that elven chick was just a one time thing! I told you over and over again! What are you going to do, hold it against me forever, keep spying on me, keep..."
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, I believe you man, I believe ya! Yeesh!' Homac winced a bit, holding his hands in front of Luke and looking at him. For a long while, Homac stood still looking at Luke, not quite knowing what to do besides shift in place and try to smile. Finally, he felt relief as Luke's face finally softened. 'Well, I'll just be headed back then..." Homac sprung from a stump he had stepped on during his conversation with Luke. He began to stroll back to the encampment, but stopped.
"Oh, by the way Luke...' Homac tilted his head down to the right. 'Could you promise me somethin' to though?"
"What?" Luke asked. Homac turned his head to face Luke.
"Could you also promise to look after me to?"
"Oh, sure Homac"
'Thanks Luke!"
Luke watched Homac go off, but dropped his head as Homac disappeared...
What's the point of asking for my help Homac? I'm not like you, you know that. I'm not brave like you, or strong like you...I shouldn't even be here...dear lord, why am I even here? Why did they force me into this?
Later that evening, Luke found himself in the clearing area of a small band of shelters the troops had made in the past week. He sat in a row of bowing soldiers, opposite another row as his commanding officer walked through the path that the two rows made. His brilliant white armor contracted and dropped like a ton of weights. He stood tall and regal, his neck completely straight, and his eyes sweeping across everyone in the campsite.
"Good evening men. It is most gratifying to see you all before me. It is a great necessity for Corneria that this be the case, for you are here for three reasons. One, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones..."
One, because we were made to come here by law...
"Two, because you are here for your own self respect, for you would not want to be anywhere else..."
Two, because the concept of a pacifist isn't in the Cornerian textbooks.
"Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight."
I guess we're just animals like that.
When you all were but wee lads, you all admired the greatest swordsman, the fastest runner, the toughest brawlers, the most gallant knights, and most of all, the Light Warriors of the Light Brigade.
Too bad then, that Garland himself was known as the greatest Light Warrior of the Light Brigade.
Corneria loves a winner. Corneria will not tolerate a loser. Cornerians despise cowards. It would be shameful for any Cornerian women to have any cowards in their embraces. You must brush aside any weakness, for they are unbecoming of the vassals of the Light Brigade.
Well, you're the ones who decided we should be in the army, not me.
"Now, the time has come upon us, and we must go. Some of you may be a bit worried about heading off into your first real battle. Some of you may even feel conflicted about fighting against what used to be Corneria's most honored general. I understand. However, this is the Princess of the Royal Family herself whose life is at stake! If I discover that any among you decided to tuck your tail and run, I will personally bring you down! Dismissed!"
Do you not understand that some of us simply aren't ready for this?! What is with you people?! Is all this violence, the assurance of a quick and violent death, is that all just one big GAME to you?!
Luke strolled out along with the rest of the warriors and went to his tent. As Luke slipped on all of his combat gear, he pondered his hopeless situation. Whether it was by his comrades or by the forces of Garland, whether he made a break for it, or marched into the perpetual meat grinder like a good little maggot, Luke's death seemed all but assured.
And so, found himself marching in line with the rest of the Light Brigade, doing everything he could to keep from throwing up. Every moment he spent still under the shady canopy of the rainforest was spent praying that the forests end would stay far away from him. But eventually, and with finality, the thick rows of trees opened up into a grand meadow, shining blue under the full moon.
The forces of the Light Brigade stopped. Tension filled the air as the soldiers watched the commander march forward with a select few elite soldiers. Raising himself high up on his horse, the commander blasted into his horn, the proud, valiant notes of the Cornerian anthem. After the song had run its course, the commander put the horn aside and cupped his hands over his mouth
"COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELVES, you craven curs!!" Luke's commander bellowed. Nothing happened at first, but then, Garland and a legion of monsters of all shapes and sizes came out.
At the head of those legions was Garland, in his huge black full plate mail armor. Sporting a long violet cape and a helmet adorned with large horns on the sides, and towering over the subjects he had amassed, it looked looked as though a demon and his army had crawled out from the depths of hell. Nervousness clouded the Commanders face...
"Garland, fiend of Corneria, enemy to the state, here our command!' the youth's commanding officer had said. 'You have ran, you have hidden, and you have murdered for the sheer sake of power until now...now it has come to this, the hour of your defeat. If you are want to avoid your final reckoning, stop this foolishness, and deliver to us the fair Princess-"
"YOU SHALL NOT HAVE HER!! NO ONE TOUCHES MY PRINCESS!! Garland roared in a low grating voice that rolled through the plains and completely shattered the mans proclamation. It had struck everyone dead, and every light warrior felt a sense of dread as it occurred to them just how hard this fight would be. If any of them felt even the slightest bit of confidence, they sure didn't act like it.
Then, Garland rumbled in laughter, and a black aura swarmed into existence around him. As the aura whined with power, Garlands laughter had become warped beyond recognition, and where their had been mere nervousness, there was now a horrible fear that consumed the hearts and minds of the light warriors.
"Now, the Light Warriors you say? IMPOTENT FOOLS! I, GARLAND, WILL KNOCK YOU ALL DOWN!!!"
At that, Garland's sword swept through the air, and a godly green light radiated through the land. Everything beyond the green glow lost color, the whole land consumed by a blinding strobing effect...
DAMN IT!! Luke swore, and he dived to the ground as Garland's wave of green energy tore straight through his commander and several of his elite guard. The rest of the army found themselves enshrouded in smoke. Trying to get the smoke out of his eyes, Luke couldn't help but feel faint earth tremors around him. As they got closer and closer, Luke could faintly make out several shapes through the smoke, looming over the survivors. Luke's heart skipped a beat when he could more clearly identify them...
And he didn't bother sticking around for any longer than that. As Luke could hear the spine-chilling noise of his companions being ground into fishmeat by the Giants behind him, he ran and pushed his way past combatant after combatant. But it was no good. Before long, Luke found himself full of wounds, having had monster after monster leap at him as he fled past. He could do nothing but flail his arms around, for he had dropped his blade somewhere along the way. Eventually, something hard had struck Luke at the side of his head, and Luke's vision faded.
Next thing Luke knew, he woke up to find himself under a small pile of dead bodies. He gagged under the stench of corpses that had had their pants stained brown with their own waste, soiled with their own excrement, and blood streaming down their crushed bones. Luke, kept silent as he covered his face with his hands. He simply lay there, eyes closed, hoping that nothing would notice that he was still alive.
After a time, he opened his eyes once, and scanned the battlefield. Luke heard a familiar voice, and gasped as he saw Homac trying to yell over the crowd...
I promise you, I'll keep you safe no matter what! I'll withstand any test, to see you not spit upon a blade that is!" Luke heard Homac saying in his minds eye.
Luke's heart lifted with joy. Never had Homac seemed more wonderful than he did now, standing proud and strong. His face was covered in bruises and scars, but that did nothing to hide the fiery gaze that Homac held.
Suddenly however, Luke spotted Garland only 20 yards away from Homac, and his heart froze. Luke opened his mouth to warn Homac....
....but no sound came out as Luke heard a giant thud to the side of him. Luke looked up to see another giant gorging himself on what was left of one of the Cornerian soldiers. Luke couldn't help but zero in on the man, his gaze fixed on his guts slowly sliding out of his body....
"LUUUUUUKKKKKKEEEEE!!" Homac shouted again, snapping Luke's attention back towards Homac. To his horror, Garland had started moving closer to Homac. Homac, oblivious to the impending danger, continued scanning the dead bodies around Luke. Time slowed down to a crawl, seeming to go on endlessly, Luke helpless to do anything but watched Homac and Garland as the great smacking noises of the giant next to him kept pounding in his ears.
Homac....you...you *******!! Why did you have to go and make me promise to help you?! You've always known that I've been weaker then you, less proud, less spirited. Time and time again, you've humiliated me with your attitude, smiling even at the worst of times, like a damned idiot!! Why...what was it about me, that you just had to go and make me your friend huh?! You can't...you can't...do this to me....
Garland closed the distance between himself and Homac, and drew out his sword. At that moment, Luke thrust his head as far inwards as he could manage, covered his eyes, and clamped his thumbs on his ears as hard as he could in an attempt to drown out Homac's screams.....
Several days later, a commotion rose in the main city of Corneria. Two men amoung a group of hunters were seen hauling a young man through the streets of Corneria. Nobody could help but watch the man, deliriously mumbling to himself, covered in blood both wet and dry, and fixed with the most haunted expression many had ever seen on such a young man....
So, if you all could chip in and offer comments, I'd be happen to listen to them all. So, without further ado, I present to you the Prolouge of my story. Hope you enjoy it...
Prolouge
"What am I doing here?" Luke wondered to himself. He sat perched atop the roots of a tree as the rain pounded down from above. A feeling of dread came upon him as Luke remembered the proclamation of his officer. Any time now, Luke would be plunged into a world of pain beyond his limits. He was sure of it. Any time now, he would be faced by the wrath of thousands of monsters who would want nothing more than his death. And there would be no one to save him...
A feeling of dread seered through Luke's heart. Despair, sadness, rage, all of these things rushed through him, images of him beaten and broken on the battlefield flashing through his mind. He held his head in his hands as his eyes fogged, but before he could wallow in his thoughts any longer, a man had seized from behind, and before long, Luke had sprung into action, throwing the man over his head, the man pulling him down with him as he went.
"HEY HEY, STOP IT, LET GO! LET GO!" The man cried. Luke stopped what he was doing, and looked down on his partner. Not quite knowing what to say, Luke sat in silence as his partner shoved him off, trying his best to shake off his fright.
"What the hell man?! What was that for?"
"What was that for? I should be asking you the same thing! What was the big idea, catching me from behind, Homac? What, are you doing your best imitation of a monster?!" Luke breathed hard as his eyes burned into Homac's. 'do, do you have any idea what it's like waiting like this, to get torn apart by Garland's forces? I...I was never meant to be here, I'm just..."
"Luke, stop it"
"Ssstt, listen Homac, listen to-"
"STOP IT, ALRIGHT?! Look, I'll say it once, and I'll say it again. Nothing's going to happen to ya man. I already promised you that!" Homac stood besides Luke and clapped a hand on his shoulder. The two sat there, Homac looking on with concern, for Luke struggled to recovered his breath.
"Homac, you can't just-"
"Look, I'll make sure I'm fighting right beside you alright? I promise you, I'll keep you safe no matter what! I'll withstand any test, to see you not spit upon a blade that is!"
"Alright...thanks Homac"
"No problem man. Now, lets get your butt somewhere where you're not going to freeze to death!' Homac began walking off as he said this. 'As the old saying goes, 'nothing comes from cold muscles but a cold death!'"
"Right...well, I'll definetly do that but uh...just give me some time to gather my thoughts, alright?" Luke waited for a bit, and turned around. To his irritation, Homac was standing there trying to hide a smirk.
"Pfffft, really Luke?"
"What? What? Is there something wrong with that?"
"Oh no, nothing, nothing man...just that...well..."
"What, is this about that time...?"
"Hey, hey, I ain't sayin nothin..."
"Look, that one time I snuck off to hit up that elven chick was just a one time thing! I told you over and over again! What are you going to do, hold it against me forever, keep spying on me, keep..."
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, I believe you man, I believe ya! Yeesh!' Homac winced a bit, holding his hands in front of Luke and looking at him. For a long while, Homac stood still looking at Luke, not quite knowing what to do besides shift in place and try to smile. Finally, he felt relief as Luke's face finally softened. 'Well, I'll just be headed back then..." Homac sprung from a stump he had stepped on during his conversation with Luke. He began to stroll back to the encampment, but stopped.
"Oh, by the way Luke...' Homac tilted his head down to the right. 'Could you promise me somethin' to though?"
"What?" Luke asked. Homac turned his head to face Luke.
"Could you also promise to look after me to?"
"Oh, sure Homac"
'Thanks Luke!"
Luke watched Homac go off, but dropped his head as Homac disappeared...
What's the point of asking for my help Homac? I'm not like you, you know that. I'm not brave like you, or strong like you...I shouldn't even be here...dear lord, why am I even here? Why did they force me into this?
Later that evening, Luke found himself in the clearing area of a small band of shelters the troops had made in the past week. He sat in a row of bowing soldiers, opposite another row as his commanding officer walked through the path that the two rows made. His brilliant white armor contracted and dropped like a ton of weights. He stood tall and regal, his neck completely straight, and his eyes sweeping across everyone in the campsite.
"Good evening men. It is most gratifying to see you all before me. It is a great necessity for Corneria that this be the case, for you are here for three reasons. One, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones..."
One, because we were made to come here by law...
"Two, because you are here for your own self respect, for you would not want to be anywhere else..."
Two, because the concept of a pacifist isn't in the Cornerian textbooks.
"Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight."
I guess we're just animals like that.
When you all were but wee lads, you all admired the greatest swordsman, the fastest runner, the toughest brawlers, the most gallant knights, and most of all, the Light Warriors of the Light Brigade.
Too bad then, that Garland himself was known as the greatest Light Warrior of the Light Brigade.
Corneria loves a winner. Corneria will not tolerate a loser. Cornerians despise cowards. It would be shameful for any Cornerian women to have any cowards in their embraces. You must brush aside any weakness, for they are unbecoming of the vassals of the Light Brigade.
Well, you're the ones who decided we should be in the army, not me.
"Now, the time has come upon us, and we must go. Some of you may be a bit worried about heading off into your first real battle. Some of you may even feel conflicted about fighting against what used to be Corneria's most honored general. I understand. However, this is the Princess of the Royal Family herself whose life is at stake! If I discover that any among you decided to tuck your tail and run, I will personally bring you down! Dismissed!"
Do you not understand that some of us simply aren't ready for this?! What is with you people?! Is all this violence, the assurance of a quick and violent death, is that all just one big GAME to you?!
Luke strolled out along with the rest of the warriors and went to his tent. As Luke slipped on all of his combat gear, he pondered his hopeless situation. Whether it was by his comrades or by the forces of Garland, whether he made a break for it, or marched into the perpetual meat grinder like a good little maggot, Luke's death seemed all but assured.
And so, found himself marching in line with the rest of the Light Brigade, doing everything he could to keep from throwing up. Every moment he spent still under the shady canopy of the rainforest was spent praying that the forests end would stay far away from him. But eventually, and with finality, the thick rows of trees opened up into a grand meadow, shining blue under the full moon.
The forces of the Light Brigade stopped. Tension filled the air as the soldiers watched the commander march forward with a select few elite soldiers. Raising himself high up on his horse, the commander blasted into his horn, the proud, valiant notes of the Cornerian anthem. After the song had run its course, the commander put the horn aside and cupped his hands over his mouth
"COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELVES, you craven curs!!" Luke's commander bellowed. Nothing happened at first, but then, Garland and a legion of monsters of all shapes and sizes came out.
At the head of those legions was Garland, in his huge black full plate mail armor. Sporting a long violet cape and a helmet adorned with large horns on the sides, and towering over the subjects he had amassed, it looked looked as though a demon and his army had crawled out from the depths of hell. Nervousness clouded the Commanders face...
"Garland, fiend of Corneria, enemy to the state, here our command!' the youth's commanding officer had said. 'You have ran, you have hidden, and you have murdered for the sheer sake of power until now...now it has come to this, the hour of your defeat. If you are want to avoid your final reckoning, stop this foolishness, and deliver to us the fair Princess-"
"YOU SHALL NOT HAVE HER!! NO ONE TOUCHES MY PRINCESS!! Garland roared in a low grating voice that rolled through the plains and completely shattered the mans proclamation. It had struck everyone dead, and every light warrior felt a sense of dread as it occurred to them just how hard this fight would be. If any of them felt even the slightest bit of confidence, they sure didn't act like it.
Then, Garland rumbled in laughter, and a black aura swarmed into existence around him. As the aura whined with power, Garlands laughter had become warped beyond recognition, and where their had been mere nervousness, there was now a horrible fear that consumed the hearts and minds of the light warriors.
"Now, the Light Warriors you say? IMPOTENT FOOLS! I, GARLAND, WILL KNOCK YOU ALL DOWN!!!"
At that, Garland's sword swept through the air, and a godly green light radiated through the land. Everything beyond the green glow lost color, the whole land consumed by a blinding strobing effect...
DAMN IT!! Luke swore, and he dived to the ground as Garland's wave of green energy tore straight through his commander and several of his elite guard. The rest of the army found themselves enshrouded in smoke. Trying to get the smoke out of his eyes, Luke couldn't help but feel faint earth tremors around him. As they got closer and closer, Luke could faintly make out several shapes through the smoke, looming over the survivors. Luke's heart skipped a beat when he could more clearly identify them...
And he didn't bother sticking around for any longer than that. As Luke could hear the spine-chilling noise of his companions being ground into fishmeat by the Giants behind him, he ran and pushed his way past combatant after combatant. But it was no good. Before long, Luke found himself full of wounds, having had monster after monster leap at him as he fled past. He could do nothing but flail his arms around, for he had dropped his blade somewhere along the way. Eventually, something hard had struck Luke at the side of his head, and Luke's vision faded.
Next thing Luke knew, he woke up to find himself under a small pile of dead bodies. He gagged under the stench of corpses that had had their pants stained brown with their own waste, soiled with their own excrement, and blood streaming down their crushed bones. Luke, kept silent as he covered his face with his hands. He simply lay there, eyes closed, hoping that nothing would notice that he was still alive.
After a time, he opened his eyes once, and scanned the battlefield. Luke heard a familiar voice, and gasped as he saw Homac trying to yell over the crowd...
I promise you, I'll keep you safe no matter what! I'll withstand any test, to see you not spit upon a blade that is!" Luke heard Homac saying in his minds eye.
Luke's heart lifted with joy. Never had Homac seemed more wonderful than he did now, standing proud and strong. His face was covered in bruises and scars, but that did nothing to hide the fiery gaze that Homac held.
Suddenly however, Luke spotted Garland only 20 yards away from Homac, and his heart froze. Luke opened his mouth to warn Homac....
....but no sound came out as Luke heard a giant thud to the side of him. Luke looked up to see another giant gorging himself on what was left of one of the Cornerian soldiers. Luke couldn't help but zero in on the man, his gaze fixed on his guts slowly sliding out of his body....
"LUUUUUUKKKKKKEEEEE!!" Homac shouted again, snapping Luke's attention back towards Homac. To his horror, Garland had started moving closer to Homac. Homac, oblivious to the impending danger, continued scanning the dead bodies around Luke. Time slowed down to a crawl, seeming to go on endlessly, Luke helpless to do anything but watched Homac and Garland as the great smacking noises of the giant next to him kept pounding in his ears.
Homac....you...you *******!! Why did you have to go and make me promise to help you?! You've always known that I've been weaker then you, less proud, less spirited. Time and time again, you've humiliated me with your attitude, smiling even at the worst of times, like a damned idiot!! Why...what was it about me, that you just had to go and make me your friend huh?! You can't...you can't...do this to me....
Garland closed the distance between himself and Homac, and drew out his sword. At that moment, Luke thrust his head as far inwards as he could manage, covered his eyes, and clamped his thumbs on his ears as hard as he could in an attempt to drown out Homac's screams.....
Several days later, a commotion rose in the main city of Corneria. Two men amoung a group of hunters were seen hauling a young man through the streets of Corneria. Nobody could help but watch the man, deliriously mumbling to himself, covered in blood both wet and dry, and fixed with the most haunted expression many had ever seen on such a young man....