Lucas Vinisha's Story

At one of the surveillance panels in the military district is a young Templar named Lucas Vinisha. He was checking over the recent update on the Metal Legion's activity...when his phone rang.

"(!) What is it now...?" Lucas checked the caller ID - it was from Andy. He had a feeling as to why Andy was calling, so he picked up reluctantly. "Andy? {sigh} How did I know you'd be calling today..."

"Yeah yeah, hey listen! Remember when I helped you with that gig in Coronach? Well...it's payback time."

"Tch, not a nice way to ask for help, Andrew. Just tell me what it is, and I'll see what I can do."

"Cool! So hey, some thugs are planning to break into the Chamber of Anarchy, and Alexander von Koopa needs help locating the pieces of his swords. Someone recently wrote scrolls telling where the pieces are - "

"Waitwaitwait, how do you know the source of these scrolls is trustworthy?" Lucas wasn't sure if they should take possibly-phony leads.

"Uh...well, I don't really trust the guy...but it's better than doing nothing, amirite?"

"..."

"...Lucas?"

Andy did have a point - it was better than doing nothing at all. He brought up a notepad on the computer.

"...Okay, what do the scrolls say?"

"Okay! The first one says..."

So Lucas recorded the information that Andy fed to him.

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My first within the land of ice and snow,
Where past and future friends shall lead the way,
And yet they travel where they dare not go,
For one poor traveler will soon betray.
My second seen by an all-seeing eye,
And in your quest you ought not see but feel,
Or lost and deep within your mind you’ll lie
No longer able to discern what’s real.
My third lies deep in a forbidden cave,
And no one knows what really lies within
For no matter how strong or wise or brave
No one has managed to conquer their sin.
With no good way to succeed or to fall,
This is your quest to find the end of all.

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1. (Halo over a beard) + (Eagle talon holding arrows) – (Cowboy hat and sunglasses ^ X) = (Angry Face) where X = (Signatures) * (R+Y+B)
2. (Crown) + (Rock) = (Two human figures) – (One human figure) = (Skull in hood) – (Crown) + (Skull in hood, with circle and slash over it) = (Angry Face)
3. (13 stars in a circle) + (Eagle talon holding arrows) + (30 coins) = (Angry Face) and (30 coins) + (Crossed swords) = (Gate)

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Electrocardiograph instrumentation hors-d'oeuvres thundershower repetition potty defy doff off oft.
Canticle-of-canticles enfant-terrible abovementioned thoroughbred widemouthed doghouse howdy poky huh you if.
Electrocardiograph Constantinople instantaneous spontaneously walkie-talkie halfway fifth hilt ddt hid ltd it.

----------

"...where past and future friends lead the way..." Lucas was impressed AND confounded by the complexity of these riddles. "Huh, these seem precise yet vague at the same time."

"{puzzled} That...is even vaguer!"

"Bear with me, Andy. I've got a global scanner at the tip of my finger - I can seek out any of the most possible places that fit these descriptions. The database should also have a log on current events in the areas, any suspicious activities, even prominent lore..."

"Yup! That IS why I called you~"

"Yup, that is. Hm, the first part of the first scroll...There's three known major snowlands - Crystal Land, Wanbey Isles, even the Deumanus Mountains. But this part about 'past and future friends'...I don't know, this part could mean anything, really. One of the weirder theories I can come up with involves...visitors from the future."

"Visitors from the future - ?? You mean like time travelers?"

"The satellite has been updated lately to detect the temporal residue left by any form of time travel. I'll check for that, too."

Lucas activated a scan over the specified snowlands for temporal residue. He also opened a search for any places experiencing illusory activity and forbidden caves. During this, he compiled the data of the second scroll's contents. So far, he has recorded:

1. Senior angel + war – (Dr. Y ^ X) = (Angry Face) where X = (Signatures) * (R+Y+B)
2. Coronach = (Two human figures) – (One human figure) = death – (Crown) + no death, or undeath = (Angry Face)
3. unity + war + treason = (Angry Face) and treason + war death = (Gate) (Might refer to a turncoat in war who died and was sentenced to hell...or a place in hell for such traitors)

Lucas gets four confirmed signatures of temporal residue in relatively close proximity in Crystal Land. There are signs of illusory activity almost everywhere, but several are concentrated around Coronach, in the Shadow Forest, the Rarofiore Desert, and the Deumanus Mountains. The Deumanus Mountains reading also picks up hits on forbidden caves - the Cave of Vice, in particular. Every article or story found about the Cave of Vice basically says "evil, do not go in, you will die," with other details notably missing.

Meanwhile, at the same surveillance panel, a six-foot, humanoid rag doll does her best to keep the place clean while not disturbing Lucas and anyone else working there. This is Patches, former member of the White Platoon, and she's recently taken up another job here - strikingly similar to her old one.

Lucas did hear anything going on around Andy's phone, including Alex.

"...He's right, there's evidence of time travel at Crystal Land! As for any illusory activity, there's been some found around Shadow Forest, Rarofiore, and Deumanus Mountains. Speaking of the latter, the mountains host the Cave of Vice, which apparently is said to use the evil of those entering against them."

"Crystal Land, got it! What about all those places in Coronach?"

"One moment. Let's look at the other two scrolls..."

"{sigh} Okay, fine..."

"Hey, you wanted my help! Now then, on the second scroll's data...You said Alex has the first part figured, right? Well, let's look to the other two parts. The second part..." Lucas checks this part twice over. "Hm...I'd hate to say this, but I don't think this means Coronach."

"Oh - ! So what's the crown-rock mean, then? King of Rock?"

"{sweatdrop} Ehe...doubt it. There IS a prince, though, with skin like stone - Prince Ganymede of the Earth. This might have something to do with where he serves...or where he came from."

"Oh my... {to Kaia} Hey, I think that'll be your department?"

"{sigh} Alright, I'll look into that..."

"...So what about the third bit?"

"The third bit? Well...the first part of it includes unity, war, and treason...This could mean a turncoat, or more specifically a defector - someone of one side who chose to ally with the other side instead. As for death in battle, and the gate..."

Patches can't help but overhear the conversation, especially once Alex comes on.

"All that area, and just in Coronach? That's not exactly a small area to search..."

"Oi," said Patches, peeking her head in. "That you, guv?"

"Patches?" asked Alex. "Oh, thank God! Yes, it's me, and you're just the girl I wanted to talk to!"

"Not doing so good?" asked Patches.

"... You could say that," said Alex. "I've got to deal with a whole lot of problems if I'm reading these scrolls right, and the second one at least is talking about the White Platoon... like, personal stuff, I'm guessing."

"'Ow personal?"

"Well, I'm not sure myself what Ganymede's business is, but according to the first thing... Mars is back."

"Cor. Thought we killed him."

"Yeah, well so did I, but that's not what I was looking for you in particular for. Do you see that third scroll?"

Patches stares wide-eyed at the third scroll.

"... The 'ell is this?"

"I was hoping you could figure that out!"

"And 'ow exactly am I supposed to do that?"

"I dunno... like, it came in a scroll sealed with a swirly thing, so... maybe the worlds are swirled around?"

"You want me to unscramble this?"

"Yeah, I guess if that'll work."

"I dunno, guv," said Patches. "These things are real long, like. They'll take a bit."

"Well... I guess in the meantime we can head to places we know have a sword piece."

"...Thanks, Patches." Lucas really does appreciate Patches's effort in this. "Now then, the locations to search are Crystal Land, Shadow Forest, Rarofiore Desert, and Deumanus Mountains. Tell you what - I'll contact someone to help in the search around Coronach."

"Aw, thanks, soldier boy. You're a real life-saver, you know?"

"Don't mention it. I'll just hang back for a little longer to help Patches with the third scroll - and the third part of the second one - and then I'll head out to rendezvous."

"Gotcha! Okay, talk to ya later!"

"Yer welcome, soldier boy," remarked Patches.

Soon, Patches had out several sheets of scratch paper, working on writing down every possible permutation of the eclectic sentences in the third scroll.

"Now then..."

Lucas typed into the terminal, entering a contact code. After a while, someone on the other end picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Damian! Hey, I...hope I'm not interrupting anything. I've got a request for you."

"...Ah, nothing big, just a stroll through the mountains."

"The mountains? As in Deumanus?"

"Yes, why?"

"Nothin', just...coincidence. We need a search across the Coronach region for a couple of sword shards, including Deumanus."

"(?) Sword shards? Sounds like...too much effort for just two sword pieces."

"Yeah, thing is...they're shards of Alexander von Koopa's blade, and..."

"(!) You mean...?"

"He and a few others are certain of it. Someone's making an effort to try and infiltrate the chamber."

"So that disruption in the flow WAS...Alright, where exactly in the mountains do you want me to look?"

"Well, first, check for the Cave of Vice. After that, anywhere that has illusory activity."

"Got it. Anywhere else to look?"

"Right, on the illusory activity part...we'll need a sweep through Shadow Forest and Rarofiore Desert, too. If anyone else is available for those - "

"Don't worry, I know someone who can help with that."

"Alright, great!"

With the search underway, Lucas turned his attention back to the scrolls' messages - namely the ones on the second scroll, with the "equations".

"Hmmm...this seems to pertain more to certain people than places...The more I look at them, the more I feel these are all talking about...his enemies." Lucas then turned to Patches. "...Any luck on the third?"

Patches has drawn lines between the three different sentences.

"Not at first, soldier boy," said Patches. "Now I'm tryin' to see 'em seperate - less wrong possibilities that way, yeh?"

"I see," Lucas replied. "Say, just wondering - did the Platoon have any enemies that were...related in some way to Ganymede?"

"Related to 'is 'ighness?" asked Patches. "There was one chap. 'Is brother or summat like."

"His brother...?"

Lucas had an inkling of who she was referring to - Duncan - and typed it in so the computer can give any and all info available on him.

The computer gives a full biography of Duncan, from his birth to the time during his rule, up until his death. It's slightly embellished, but that's what happens when you let Ganymede be your primary source of information. Most importantly, though, is the note on his death - if he is indeed dead, and back to life (though the computer hasn't shown it), he would be a perfect match for the "equation".

"This...Yeah, he seems most likely...if he found some way back to this world," Lucas said. "We should be alert for any signs of him..."

Lucas then looked to the third equation - the one relating to war, unity, and treason. "...Any turncoats in the Platoon ever?"

"One," said Patches, a bit too quickly. "Vampire type. Not sure if he fits the 'unity' bit, though."

Lucas was a bit skeptical on how fast Patches started that up. "..."

"Think I found summat fer the first one," said Patches, either not noticing or ignoring the skepticism. "It says 'To get the first piece of Entropy you first have to find an old friend who turned from order to purest chaos.' But that don't fit the vampire either, 'cause it implies 'e were orderly ta begin with."

"Hmmm...is there anyone else who might've suddenly...I don't know, gone completely mad?"

"If this were meant fer Alex, I'd bet he'd know," said Patches, trying to give Alex a call.

Lucas just waits for Alex to pick up.