Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Armok]

You are truly  

[AlanL]

Thanks    

Edit: Come to think about it... the A-Atlas hauling/storage companys mascot kind of reminds me of how I imagine the general appearance of a kobold, not a real match, but close enough to get the general image. My imaginings of how a kobold looks differs a bit in details though. I looked at the artwork for Kobold Quest (where I got the name from in the first place  :p), and from that figured they were canine, although I see in a lot of other games they're portrayed as reptilian.

[ December 10, 2007: Message edited by: AlanL ]

[Kugu]

I've always seen them as reptilian, though maybe thats because I grew up with brothers who played lots of dungeons and dragons. Always liked looking at the creature book. As for the mortal comment, you don't know that I'm mortal or not! I could be a god of a far off world or at least some tribal village! Don't tempt my wrath of flying starving children.

[Reign on your Parade]

I've always thought of them as reptilian too, but I rather like canine Kobolds...

[AlanL]

I've found my love has grown much more dormant since the first story, but this is probably because of school... it's hard to take notes and take the test if all one can think about is a certain 2 characters  :p
Despite this, my love for these characters is still there and readily accessible, it's just more under control. I expect it'll be around in some form until my life reaches its end... if something catastrophic doesn't happen, I'll have these stories, text, images, and all, saved to 'disk' (I'm not sure if we'll still be using magnetic media a few decades from now) for as long as possible. During the first story, my emotions came out fully and I was under its power to such an extent that it affected my eating habits. Likely this was because I was on break... I sat in my room all day with nothing better to do than think about the story and Fale. I'll be going on break again the week after next... maybe it'll bring these feelings back to their former force for the end of this story.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkus spoke, "First hand? Either you're a legendary snoop or you've got some friends in High Places!" Blitukus looked around... the world, the people, the stone, air, stars, and worlds, space and time, the collective universe, had shown him the secrets of the probabilities that determine the details of everything. Blitukus smiled and nodded. Arkus gestured for them to follow, then flew up onto the platform in front of the door. Blitukus climbed up the ladders and ramps to reach it... Kazo simply jumped up between the levels. They walked through the doorway, ascending a flight of stairs and emerging right in what appeared to be the residential area of the tower. It was quite well furnished, and the glass, seemingly black from the outside, was nearly perfectly transparent from the inside, giving a beautiful overview of the land and the surrounding regions. Arkus spoke, "I've got business to tend to downstairs. Go ahead, make yourself at home!" With that, Arkus walked back down the stairway. Kazo growled slightly, mumbling something about him getting tripped. Blitukus walked up to Kazo, and spoke, holding his hand out, his ears slightly lowered but not laid back, "Peace...?" Kazo grunted, and seemed unresponsive... but then sighed, "Ok, peace." They shook hands. Blitukus asked, "You went from smiling to growling just because of me getting away... I am curious, why?" Kazo spoke, "This body... I'm forever glad to have it. It's stronger, tougher, and more agile than anything of flesh and bone could ever hope to match... but of course, it has a vulnerability, no, not anything mythic or legendary you'd read in a book 2000 years from now, nothing to carry dignity... I've ended up with the balance compensation of a drunk... It's embarrassing as hell and it pisses me off!" Blitukus turned around and walked towards a chair, hiding the fact that he was stifling a snicker. Blitukus cleared his throat and sat down. Kazo stood nearby. Kazo asked, "You really are a determined kobold... what brings you here?" Blitukus sighed, and responded, "Well... the soul of my mother is in jeopardy, a demon is just waiting for me to die, and this tower houses something I need in order to make everything right again. I'm seeking an artifact of the cats. I need it." Kazo replied, "A noble quest... ask Arkus when he gets back, he keeps inventory on artifacts and does trade." Blitukus asked, "So, you serve Arkus, like a servant? Or are you free?" Kazo replied, "I'm... well... between those two. I'm more of an assistant, you might say... I owe him my undying loyalty. I am the product of one of his more radical thoughts on soul manipulation... as some of his subjects died, he collected their souls, extracted certain essences from each soul, then pieced together an entirely new one... me. He then built this body you see, and allowed me to inhabit it... I am all of those subjects, but I am also one. It's hard to explain." Kazo smiled, then continued, "It's shown me why he does what he does... I remember him testing on my various previous forms, the pain and desperation... some bits of my self had once wanted to just die... but those very tests gave him the knowledge to make this body... all of that pain was worth it. He gave me an entirely new existence, superior to that of the others around me! I have limitless potential now, and for that, I serve him. We work together. So what if those like me have to suffer? These benefits..." He looked at his hands, and grinned, "No pain, no gain. Really, Arkus and I are more like family than a master and a servant. He gave me my body and mind, and now we work towards the same goal."

Blitukus heard a small ruckus from below. Kazo turned, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth. Kazo then twisted around, smiling at Blitukus, "Let's go back... chasing the guests around is so much more fun than chasing the other subjects around! Guests are such a rarity these days!" Blitukus replied, "You knocked me unconscious..." Kazo replied, "You shouldn't have tripped me!" There was a banging and a strange, forceful growling from from below, followed by a voice sounding like Arkus shouting, "... BACK in there!" Kazo commented, "Sounds like Arkus is having fun with the troll again! I think I'll just head over there... might be fun to watch!" Kazo walked to the center of the room, and then leapt up, grabbing hold and hanging from a grate on the ceiling. Kazo spoke, smiling, "Being a construct has a lot more benefits than the obvious... he still doesn't know how I keep popping out of nowhere." Kazo pressed his fingertips against the mithril binding on the grate. A small shower of sparks seemed to shoot out, and the grate swung open. Kazo pulled himself up into a duct, then shut the grate beneath him, sealing it again the same way he got it open. He gestured at Blitukus to keep quiet, then snuck off through the duct. Blitukus snickered... now was a good time to go searching for the cat relic. Blitukus took out his sphere of direction... his goal was just below him. Blitukus looked around, and found a strange dual shaft, one shaft marked with an up arrow, one with a down arrow. The shafts went straight up and down, a blue glow within each one. Blitukus saw this looked like a more convenient form of transit... he stepped into the shaft marked with a down arrow. He found himself hovering, floating in air, then he began to descend. When he reached the level the sphere had indicated, several levels below where he had started, he pushed off of the wall, landing in the doorway. Several crates were here... they all seemed to be locked. Blitukus searched around for quite a while but couldn't find anything. Wherever it was, he wanted to see it, to make sure it was really the component, and not some intermediate goal. Eventually he strolled into a room with what looked like a long vertical channel spanning up and down, accessible from an alcove. Blitukus began searching the crates near the inlet to this chute... when trying to open a crate, the crate slipped and began to tip over. Blitukus jumped out of the way of it... finding he had just leapt into the chute. He noticed the chute wasn't very long at all though... there was a duct at the bottom of it only a few feet down, leading down to another area. As Blitukus fell toward the duct, it seemed the entire corner between the chute and the duct shifted, trying to switch from one duct to another. Blitukus got cought in it as it switched. He grunted, finding himself pinned against the corner of the chute... luckily, this switchable path didn't operate with that much force, otherwise more than a sore belly would've resulted. Blitukus pried it open, sliding down the duct it was trying to prevent him from entering. The duct dumped him in a chamber full of metallic refuse, a level below where he had first leapt in. He was now trapped in this chamber full of refuse... only light being able to traverse the window out into the room full of furnaces beyond. Blitukus pounded at the window, and uttered an obscenity under his breath. Then, he remembered... he could teleport! He sat down, tried to focus... but found that he was blocked from all around. He kept trying, trying to find a way out of whatever was blocking him from teleporting... every now and then he stopped to bang on the window. Blitukus eventually spotted glowing blue eyes atop a high point on a furnace... Blitukus spoke, "Kazo? Open this, please." Kazo replied, "I was wondering how long it would take you to spot me from there! Quite a while... this is a great hiding spot. Ok, I'm done, you're free to teleport." Blitukus found he was no longer blocked, and teleported himself out of the chamber, into the room. Kazo leapt down, standing by Blitukus. Kazo pressed his fingertips against the side of his own head, then spoke, "Arkus... our kobold guest fell down the garbage chute and ended up in the metal pile instead of the organics pile... Ok, my pleasure!" Kazo smiled, then walked out of the room, Blitukus following. They walked down a corridor, Kazo then speaking, "To the right." Blitukus began to turn to the left at this intersection, and spoke, "No, I need to-" Kazo interrupted, grabbing Blitukus by the arm and dragging him with, "I insist!" Kazo pulled Blitukus along up a ramp, leading him to the garbage chute, one level up. Kazo took up a small metal scrap, then tossed it down the chute... the chute responded, switching to dump it into the metals chamber. Kazo then pushed Blitukus into the chute. Blitukus got stuck in the divider that switched between the two ducts, just like last time. Blitukus grunted, the metal scraping against him. Kazo pressed his fingertips against his own head again, looking down the chute at Blitukus, and spoke, "The problem is simple! The switch isn't popping fast enough. It switches as he passes through. It makes him get stuck... looks like he's prying himself loose... yes, right into the metals bin." Blitukus pried himself out of the jammed switcher and slid down the duct again, ending up standing in a pile of refuse metal. Blitukus brushed himself off, fixed his clothes, settled himself down, then teleported himself out of the chamber again. He heard Kazo above, "Ok, I'll be right there."

Blitukus sighed, shook off, then walked out, turning left at that intersection. He looked back at the sphere... it was hard to tell exactly where it was... it could even be below him. It could be above him. He walked back to the storage room full of crates, walked to the shafts, and ascended several levels, stepping out in an orangeish duct. He walked down the duct, eventually finding his way to an entrance to a chamber, an opening to his left. Across from the opening was several scorch marks burned into the wall. To his right was a stand, holding a large adamantine plate, a crystal at each corner. The plate seemed surrounded by some kind of energy. Blitukus approached it, stood behind the plate, then looked over the plate... seeing Kazo standing in a large, open room, marked by scorch patterns, and Arkus, hovering above the ground, a large orb of ball lightning held in his right hand, his eyes glowing white. Arkus spoke, "It seems we have a volunteer to help with verification!" Kazo laughed, "I think he likes getting involved!" Arkus held back the ball lightning, arcs of energy surrounding him, gathering in his hand. Blitukus ducked behind the plate. Kazo spoke, "Hold still... right there, that's good." There was a very loud zapping sound, almost like an explosion. Blitukus was knocked away from the plate, energy flooding all around, a bright white light permeating through into the duct. The energy faded... the plate glew yellow hot, the energy around it seeming to have vanished. Blitukus stood, and dusted himself off. Kazo peeked around the heated plate, turned around, then spoke, "No need for the healing orb, he's just fine!... Where shall we put the metal from the melted military plates?" Blitukus walked out from behind the plate, into the scorched chamber. Arkus landed, the glow in his eyes fading, "I'm fed up with the military materials handling, forget the dock, put it by the smelter, it's our metal now." Arkus turned to Blitukus, and chuckled, "Thanks for your 'volunteer' assistance, now we have proof that these new plates are 3 times as strong as military standard, able to protect a living inhabitant from a top-level attack. I get to dangle these in front of the generals face! Finally I'll get him to pay up for the damage he's caused." Blitukus asked, "What damage did HE cause, and why was it worth using your guests in such a manner?" Arkus spoke, "A few decades ago, my precious enhanced titan broke out of its adamantine cage, then threw the cage so hard it flew a quarter mile! So, my titan took a stroll around, found an elf forest retreat, and started kicking trees over all around it just to piss them off. Apparently this was causing some sort of political nightmare, so the military was called in. They were more than capable of rounding the titan up and sending it back to me... or letting me know where it was so I could round it up... but no, they had to go blow it up instead! 'Threat to the citizens of our allies', bah! It just wanted attention! That was a lot of work down the drain! ERRH, dumb f*cker should've never been general to begin with. As for you... from YOUR point of view, you could say you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that just happened to be perfect for me!" Arkus formed a blue orb of some sort in the air, then cast it towards the plate. It struck the plate, forming a frosty aura of condensation around it. The heated glow dimmed away with a loud hissing sound. He retrieved the plate, then carried it away. Blitukus walked up to Kazo, and spoke, "I do NOT enjoy being 'volunteered'..." Kazo replied, "Aww really? Ever since my transformation, I've found being the assistant, the administrator, and the subject, are all fun and exciting roles!" Blitukus responded, "You are made of adamantine..." Kazo replied, "That's true... if you don't want to be involved... stay out of the way. I love your antics though!" It was a utilitarian and efficient doctrine, truly effective at getting the most out of the situation, and beautifully simple... but the implications of it were potentially disastrous. But... Blitukus asked, "Antics?" Kazo snickered, "Nevermind." It seemed Blitukus would have to be much more careful should he decide to have a look around... then again... he might walk away from this with not only a component of the cat relic, but also much more skill in magic, and if he kept on good terms with this dragon and construct, two very powerful friends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I actually found that Armoks comment about Gex did help to give me a few ideas deciding on some of the details of the personalities, although my initial inspiration for Arkus came from somewhere else.

I'm hoping that worked out though, should be o.k.

[Reign on your Parade]

FIRST POST:
Will comment in about 5 minutes.

Edit: Kazo is awesome.

I remember the first prototype of that stuff... that would have hurt if I were actually capable of y'know, feeling pain.

Also, Armok, I just realized that you failed to understand the safegaurds I've put in place. Part of my consciousness is going to be hopping from being to being, calling me out of the afterlife if I'm ever actually required to perform a godly function. It SHOULD work.

[ December 11, 2007: Message edited by: Reign on your Parade ]

[AlanL]

Thanks  :p

Actually, I have Gex installed on my computer... been a while since I've played it though. I remembered it was pretty fun, although the infinite lives exploit made it too easy even without trying to use it... except for the final boss. That was hard, and the only time I ever truly lost a game.

[Armok]

BEYOND QUALITY!!!

Kazo is the best character ever, all categories!
In books, movies, games, even real persons, Kazo outshines everything, you, me, even Toady, Kazo is simply the very definition of awesome!
And you are truly a master of the writing arts, you actually managed to communicate, or at least hint, that wonderful and unique personality in just a single smile, you rule!

Your writing is truly amazing, and I think I know what makes these characters so unique; happiness.
Your story and especially Kazo have made me feel for for the first time in a very long time, even perhaps for the first time ever, pure and lastingly happy.
I do not mean enjoyment, I often enjoy myself, playing DF for example, nor cheerfulness, I often laugh at puns, nor do I mean the joy from eating good food, or the smile that creeps on your face when someone else is hurt, or being glad that someone else is happy, nor many other things, but what this story succeeds whit where everything else fails is the pure and clear happiness that make you smile for a long time afterwards and that has no apparent source but that seem to soak everything, I cant explain, but it is this stubborn light that these characters have and that transform their looses into an everburning fuel, that makes them see the humor and irony in even the worst of situations, this feeling seems to sometimes hang on for a while fueling also me, generally ending when I actually try to DO something, yet I have found this lantern of help, relightening my smile and making me sit straighter smiling like a fool at everyone, and to light this smile the only thing I have to do is summon in my mind a image of it on that small lizardlike admantine face...

I was struck whit an idea today, you said that this story will at some point end, and then, maybe after taking a break making that hornet story you half-promised/said you would make for me, could you not tell Kazos story?
I naturally don't know how the current story will end, but it seems probable that history will change so that it never happened, and making a story continue in that other reality created don't seem like a good idea, I also doubt that Blitukus will have an heir, in general I don't think we can expect a third Siegedriven.
Yet I don't think anyone want to abandon this wonderful and detailed universe you have created, and Kazo is such an wonderful character that everyone wants to know more about, so would this not be the ultimate solution? I also has this feeling that many interesting things will happen to him in the future.
Pleeeeeease? Pretty please? I won't stop nagging about it until you agree and this at least wont damage the plot of the current story. *puppy eyes, divinely enchanted irresistible puppy eyes*
This also has the effect that when you finally stop writing everyone will hate you less for it if you immediately start writing about this even better character in the same universe.

Some small things I forgot to mention in my last post about that update because I could think only of awesome Kazo:
The elephant themed dungeon keeper was a nice reference back to DF, this story really lost almost all is roots in the game, at least in my mind, not really a bad thing considering it's current undeveloped and constraining form, yet it is fun whit this reference to remind one that this has its origins in the most awesome game ever, ironic that the one using it as a base is the only one capable of actually doing even better by itself due to this rare and wonderful gift of mind simulation, I have already said you are the only one except myself that I know have this ability.
Also "Dwarfbane"!   *snickers, sounding remarkably like Blitukus*

Isn't Draca and Arkus a bit alike?
They are both dragons. (by the way is it not strange that a dragon gets the name Draca, it's kind of like naming human Humano, or maybe naming an elf Elvis)
Btey have both tendensies towards all alignments, Draca a bit more neutral and Arkus more mixed, but still similar.
They live in isolation, albeit Dracas might be involantairly.
most importnantly they both are magic sientists and make very similar experiments on different creatures.
...
I really would not be surprised if Arkus turned up to be Dracas father or something.

I suddenly realized that Blitukus now have fairly far back in time, and I can't imagine that his visit should have had no effect on the future, so if does that trick whit probabilities he will have to go back until that time, and I find it hard to imagine that would not disturb the processes that lead to his birth, he or fale newer being borne I don't suppose is an desirable ending.

I'm running out of time it seems, why does it always get so late while I'm writing these posts?
I have tryed to move the parts around to make it more concise, but that probobly had the reverse effect, excuse the mess.

I will have to continue later as always, and now go straight to the post responses, if it is anything that you in the future want more details on just post because I generally forget everything.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

quote: Actually, your desire for Kazo to remain in the story gave me an interesting idea on how to fill a gap for how the third component got to where it lies...

So we ARE  going to hear more from him!  

quote: As far as the equation... the reason I haven't put it in in the first place is because if I did, I would want it to be The Real Deal... and if I had the real grand unified theory, I probably wouldn't be a high school student  

Many theories is already out to the public, the main issue lies in scientific proof, awaiting Cern.
But it's okay, we don't want any patchwork here, I kind of assumed that you knew everything wort knowing out of pure awesomeness, I still do...

quote: Something else I might as well put out, no offense meant: although I tend to respond to you the most Armok, it's because you have more ideas that I find worthy of seriously discussing, not because I'm playing favorites

Still, I appreciate the support  

*I* thought it was because I praised you the most, the longest, and the most eagerly.
Because I am your greatest fan, simply.

quote: Edit: Come to think about it... the A-Atlas hauling/storage companys mascot kind of reminds me of how I imagine the general appearance of a kobold, not a real match, but close enough to get the general image. My imaginings of how a kobold looks differs a bit in details though. I looked at the artwork for Kobold Quest (where I got the name from in the first place ), and from that figured they were canine, although I see in a lot of other games they're portrayed as reptilian.

Newer heard of A-Atlas hauling/storage, but then I live in another country, strange nothing shows up on Google...
I know these kobolds are canine, we discussed that in the first story.
To create an image in my mind-simulation I used a dog/wolf and evolved it towards bipedalism, intelligence and a little else (size, for example),
the result that I use looks a bit like a monkey whit a jackal head and different coloration (brown), and various minor details.

quote: As for the mortal comment, you don't know that I'm mortal or not! I could be a god of a far off world or at least some tribal village! Don't tempt my wrath of flying starving children.

I have never heard of any god called Kugu, and I know all the true gods, but yea, for all I know you could be a fairly high halfmortal, apologizes.

quote: I actually found that Armoks comment about Gex did help to give me a few ideas deciding on some of the details of the personalities, although my initial inspiration for Arkus came from somewhere else.

Thats great!
Specifics?

quote: Also, Armok, I just realized that you failed to understand the safegaurds I've put in place. Part of my consciousness is going to be hopping from being to being, calling me out of the afterlife if I'm ever actually required to perform a godly function. It SHOULD work.

Thats pretty much what memetic form means, and on several points you are now contradicting what you said before, either you did not use up your immortality completely becoming a mortal, as you first said, or those memes also risk extinction should for example that universe collapse.

quote: Actually, I have Gex installed on my computer... been a while since I've played it though. I remembered it was pretty fun, although the infinite lives exploit made it too easy even without trying to use it... except for the final boss. That was hard, and the only time I ever truly lost a game.

I newer really played it very much, I was like 7 years old so it was a bit hard for me, also at that time I had not yet figured out that cheating is not a valid means of playing a game and makes it less fun, so basically I played random levels and really didn't understand anything, I probobly had my mum translate as I could not speak English at the time...
Alyways what I wanted to say whit that is asking if Gex isn't fairly similar to Kazo, visually (except Kazo menaces whit spikes of admantine in true DF fashion, and have more raptor proportions, really it is mostly facial expressions that are a bit similar), coriograpicaly (except the balance issue, I don't figure Kazo could corkscrews his tail like that and balance on it...), partially personality (except the teenager thingie), even the names remind of one another, distantly, more like from the same language than sounding alike.

This post is fairly a bloody mess (also not checked for grammar and spelling) but I don't have time to write more because I need to sleep also.

[Wooty]

I often check this story hoping to find an update, get exited when I see something, and my hopes are crushed when I realize Armok put up another wall of text.

[Reign on your Parade]

I'm part of a government, logic has no effect on me.

[AlanL]

Thanks for the compliments      

For specifics, one of my first inspirations for Arkus came from the mad scientist dude in Lilo and Stitch

The name Dracha resulted because I'm not very good at naming things (to be bluntly honest). Also, keep in mind that phonetics are different, names are names but their word for dragon is probably something entirely different.

As for Kazo getting his own story, I already thought about that. I was inspired by a flash game and another game to make an adventure story set in this universe, a while down the line (quite far actually), and Kazo fits the bill for the main character in every way. I think I'll make him the main there, although I have several stories in mind that would come before it (I want to do the next stories in chronological order).

Also, I don't think anybody would hate me for finishing this story... at least, I hope not. I'd rather keep from being pressured.

As far as the story about your insect race, I'm considering it. I don't think I said anything was a guarantee, although it's likely I will.

Armok, I'm glad you appreciate my story so much but just keep in mind, there's no competition going on here, and I'd rather not be pressured into anything.

Also, I intended for the focus to be on Fale and Blitukus... really, I'm dedicated to them. If I did a better job creating Kazo than I did writing about them... eh, I guess its subjective. Maybe Kazo is to you as Fale is to me.

Edit: Looking back at your post... I really do have to say I think you view Kazo in the same light I view Fale in, for similar reasons on top of it. In fact... it's startlingly similar. I know what it feels like... unfortunately, I can only allow other people to influence what I write so much. I have an original plan to stick to. If you really need an outlet, and if you're like me I expect you do (it's why I was so dedicated in the first one), then I recommend finding it. Maybe we can have a chat?

[ December 11, 2007: Message edited by: AlanL ]

[AlanL]

I'm trying not to step on anyones toes, really, I'm trying to keep hostility out of this thread.

Ok, I had homework, so if this ends up relatively short, that's why.

Oh, also, I know this might be considered kind of spoily but I think I should say it anyway. I'll never end the story by saying the story never happened. These events stay in the timeline.

Something else, him going into the past and exploiting probabilities means that the probabilities that he exploited had either no effect or a trivial effect on its future, his past. Otherwise, the wave function would've already collapsed, seeing as such things propagate through both space and time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo began gathering the scraps of melted metal off of the floor. Blitukus still needed to reach his objective. Blitukus asked Kazo, "Will I have a chance to speak to Arkus today?" Kazo replied, "When he's not having fun with his projects down stairs, he's usually resting or thinking about things upstairs... also, dinner is in a few minutes. What's your name, kobold?" Blitukus replied, "I am Blitukus Siegedriven." Kazo replied, "Siegedriven... it sounds important!" Blitukus snickered, "Thank you." Kazo asked, "I think you'll like the back-up spell... do you like the idea of being able to die... then live again?... No, not as a zombie." Blitukus thought for a second, then nodded... it was one step shy of immortality, but still one step shy. Kazo continued, "Great! I always wondered what the back-up spell would do if I got Arkus to use it on a kobold! Let's find out!" Blitukus stepped back a step, "No thank you... I am done with these tests for today." Kazo replied, "Suit yourself. He tried it on me... it feels weird, but you might like it. My 'back-up' ended up being a blank map though since my brain isn't made of flesh. Arkus should be upstairs should you want to slip in and chat with him." Such a back-up would mean death would be a temporary thing... nobody else would have to suffer the pain Blitukus had gone through... but if it ever didn't work properly, it would twist and tear the soul of someones loved one... Blitukus asked himself, were such things really worth the risk? Blitukus spoke, "That is an impressive concept, but yes, I must speak with Arkus... I need that cat artifact." Kazo replied, "I'll be there before you know it." Then, Blitukus left the room, proceeding down the corridor to the shafts, and rode the 'up' shaft all the way to the top floor. He looked around the residence, and found Arkus working at a bench near the rear of the room. Arkus carried a tray full of an unidentifiable substance back to a table, and set it down, sitting by it. Blitukus walked up to Arkus, and spoke, "I came here for a specific item... do you have a cat artifact?" Arkus responded, "Have a seat, and help yourself!" Blitukus sat down across the table from Arkus... this substance was a type of food? Blitukus was hungry, and Arkus was eating it as well... Blitukus sniffed at it... it didn't smell like anything he had tried before, but it came in very large portions, whatever it was. Blitukus took up one piece, and tasted it. HE found it tasted absolutely delicious... as he ate, he found he ate quite a bit... apparently, it contained something his body really wanted, for he felt himself craving it a bit.

"Why hello," Kazo spoke. Blitukus looked around, then found Kazo standing by Arkus. Blitukus had never seen Kazo enter the room, and he had expected Kazo tended not to teleport... Kazo watched Blitukus eat, then spoke with a smile, "I see you're calling the CDR's bluff!" Arkus replied, "That 'clinical trial' was 100% bullsh*t and they know it! It's not my fault EVERY time an epidemic occurs." Blitukus swallowed, then refrained from eating more, "Pardon... what?" Arkus asked, "Tell me, Blitukus, do you feel any indigestion or headache or any of that?" Blitukus shook his head, but began to feel a bit nervous... what had he eaten? Arkus continued, "Feeling sick at all? They said the effects happened within minutes, and it's been several minutes." Blitukus felt perfectly healthy, so he shook his head. Blitukus asked, "What epidemic?" Arkus replied, "An outbreak in the Acropolis... CDR, as always, blamed me for it! This food is the food of the future, it conforms to the taste receptors, it contains all nutrients needed for any healthy critter, it never spoils, it can be shipped in any condition, and enough can be grown in a basement to feed ten. It outdates farming entirely! The space program was interested too, trying to feed their off world colonies was a chore after all, but they cut their offer when the epidemic happened. The Acropolis was short on food, so I sent them a seed bag with enough to feed their city immediately. 4 months later, I got a call from urban affairs asking why 80% of the population of the Acropolis was taking sick leave. A week after that, the CDR got involved and the whole city was quarantined. They said my food creates large quantities of a highly contagious virus when any kobold eats it, and the virus begins to manifest within minutes of consumption... you ate it, and you're not sick! Now I can tell them to stuff it. I would've tested it on 100 kobolds but you just happen to be the only one around here!" Blitukus smiled and laughed, despite what had happened. It was safe, apparently, and it was much better than plump helmets... Blitukus ate more until he was close to full, then stopped. Kazo was right... sometimes the benefits do really outweigh the costs of the test. Even if he got sick, it would be one step closer to maybe one day eliminating famine... perhaps these developments would resurface in the future. Although, Blitukus still had that 'contract', and as such, he could not afford to die. He would have to steer clear of further involvement in Arkus' tests, for each one carried a risk of disaster. He looked around for Kazo, and found Kazo had somehow managed to position himself atop a light post without it being noticed. Blitukus waved at Kazo. Kazo snickered and dropped down to the ground. Blitukus spoke, "Thank you for the truly delicious meal. It is one of the best things I have ever tasted." Arkus replied, "You say that like you've been eating nothing but mushrooms for the last few years." Blitukus replied, "Actually, I have." Arkus laughed, surprised by hearing this from a kobold, "Really? I thought that was more of a dwarven thing!" Blitukus replied, "It was the only food I had available... choosing between that and starvation..." Arkus replied, "Of course! If you would like I could give you some seeds to bring home." Blitukus nodded, "Thank you." Kazo commented, "Don't water the fields with rum... or do, if you're bored. A dwarf tried that, thinking it would grow the perfect drink. What it grew was a pretty fireworks show! Sometimes magical things do that to flammable things. We all had fun watching it, but the dwarves called it a tragedy... not because the farm plot was ruined, but because the booze was all burned away." Blitukus laughed. If ever there was a God of Alcohol, the dwarves would be immediate converts.

Arkus spoke, "And you wanted a cat artifact? I only have one, and it took a lot of time and effort to get, and finally Kazo found it... but it was all in vain. I can't get it to do anything useful except be a paperweight! It has unknown origin, unknown purpose, no way to find out, and on top of it it doesn't seem to want to do anything at all. All I've been able to tell so far is that it's a part of a larger device, and does something with energy. Exactly what, I don't know. I can't replicate the energy it needs. If you know what it's for and you can use it, you can have it... just tell me, what is it for?" Blitukus smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Progress had been made. 1 component had been located, and after he returned, 3 would be left to find. Blitukus spoke, "It is a component of a larger device, and I have the proper equipment back at my home to test it." Arkus replied, "Fantastic! Ok, here is the trade, I'll give you the component as long as you promise to send me the results of this test." Blitukus replied, "Ok, I promise, assuming testing it will not cease my existence." Kazo laughed, "That's the spirit!" Blitukus snickered. Whether saving his mothers soul ended his own existence or not didn't matter... if his existence was ended, it would mean another self would be living happily in a world where there was no demons at his back, no death to mourn... it would all be alright again. Arkus spoke, "I remember when you found that too, Kazo. You knew it before I did, I thought it was a sculpted rock at first." Blitukus smiled, thinking of his childhood, the various things he and his mother used to do. Arkus lowered his head, and spoke right to Kazo, "You've always been my favorite creation, my pride and best masterpiece, you know!" They smiled at eachother. Kazo stood tall, standing in a proud pose. Blitukus thought about them... they were also a family, a very odd family, stretching the definition of the concept, but a family. It seemed this family was loving and functional, even if the circumstances and environment wouldn't seem to provide for such a thing. Blitukus just wished he had his family back... perhaps, relatively soon even, it would finally be so.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah... hopefully tomorrow might be better as far as time, but after tomorrow, I shouldn't have many problems.

[Reign on your Parade]

I don't really have any comments, and I don't have much more time on the computer for error checking. I'll check it again later.

[Armok]

Beyond Quality!

As I often find myself in lack of time as of writing these posts, I will now try to respond to posts before the praising, going for a little more structure.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

quote: I often check this story hoping to find an update, get exited when I see something, and my hopes are crushed when I realize Armok put up another wall of text.

Hey, it is not a wall of text, it is spited into several paragraphs!
You should try reading them, but if you read this you already are...

quote: I'm part of a government, logic has no effect on me.

You are part of an government? Since when?
... ?!?
*Armok seems to suddenly realize something, hurries to get a huge book from a shelf behind him, as he does so a few papers that he ignores fall out, open the book it in the middle and frantically turn pages, the book is filled whit tables containing what looks somewhat like huge hex numbers in very small print linked together by thin lines and whit the occasional comment in the margin, he finally seems to find the right page and follows whit his finger the inner column as he reads, two thirds down the pages he stops and for a few seconds follows the lines from that number*

Here it is! 9365x876F3x99836A! The universe whit the silicoids that you said was the one you blocked!
I really should have checked this earlier, I apologize, I should have realized that you wouldn't do something like that in a logics-controlled universe, a hight narrative law tendency, a meme IS immortal in one of those, It's the same kind of universe like Discworld, but this one seems even more extreme, That is a fairly brilliant scheme Reign, apologizes and congratulations!

quote: For specifics, one of my first inspirations for Arkus came from the mad scientist dude in Lilo and Stitch

Yes, I now see the similarities, except that Arkus is the good guy, and several other things, realy the only thing really similar is the general feel, but thats   not a small part in a story like this.

quote: The name Dracha resulted because I'm not very good at naming things (to be bluntly honest). Also, keep in mind that phonetics are different, names are names but their word for dragon is probably something entirely different.

I don't really think anyone are, or that it is posible realy, Kazo is realy the only deskripive named character not using describing words I ever read abaut, so you are realy better than anybody else, also naming is actualy one of the main advantages if one writs from DF that often goes ignored. (the names Fale and Blitukus for example)

quote: As for Kazo getting his own story, I already thought about that. I was inspired by a flash game and another game to make an adventure story set in this universe, a while down the line (quite far actually), and Kazo fits the bill for the main character in every way. I think I'll make him the main there, although I have several stories in mind that would come before it (I want to do the next stories in chronological order).

Great, so we will at least hear more from him!
How long do you imagine that story to be, as long as this one?
How long will we have to wait, a few months? A year?
If it is not to spoily a general scheme for how you plan to write would be useful.

Also what game and flash game, when writing shush things naming WHAT spesificaly you are talking about, maybe even a link if you think we have not heard about it.

quote: Armok, I'm glad you appreciate my story so much but just keep in mind, there's no competition going on here, and I'd rather not be pressured into anything.

It is just that I love this story more than anybody else, I am your greatest fan as I am the greatest everything else, and anyone saying differently will be crushed like a bug! Err...

quote: Also, I intended for the focus to be on Fale and Blitukus... really, I'm dedicated to them. If I did a better job creating Kazo than I did writing about them... eh, I guess its subjective. Maybe Kazo is to you as Fale is to me.

Edit: Looking back at your post... I really do have to say I think you view Kazo in the same light I view Fale in, for similar reasons on top of it. In fact... it's startlingly similar. I know what it feels like...

Yea, that is a fairly viable theory, I DO love Kazo, however when I am writing one should always take into consideration my tendency for exaggeration, it might be the same general group of feelings but I strongly suspect yours are ten times as strong, still... *looks into distance*

quote: unfortunately, I can only allow other people to influence what I write so much. I have an original plan to stick to.

I fully understand and respect that, whiteout that vision this story would not be. (And therefor no Kazo)

quote: If you really need an outlet, and if you're like me I expect you do (it's why I was so dedicated in the first one), then I recommend finding it. Maybe we can have a chat?

I don't really understand this part.
An outlet? Do you mean an outlet like this story is your outlet? Or do you mean something like an outlet shop? Internet outlet? If you are suggesting me to write a story myself I could newer the characters justice, I have tried many times and it always end in depression, I simply can't write.
What do you expect me to do? You recommend finding what?
Have a chat? don't you live in the far America or something? Do you mean a chartroom on the Internet?

quote: Oh, also, I know this might be considered kind of spoily but I think I should say it anyway. I'll never end the story by saying the story never happened. These events stay in the timeline.

That might be a bit spoily, but I am really relieved to hear that, that was the big mistake that I worried could ruin everything, I'm glad to hear we once again agree on what is good and bad i n a story.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Okay, once again I find myself up far to late writing this, I will have to comment on more of the specifics later, or would but sadly I think that when I finally get time I will have forgotten what I wanted to say, that and nobody will want to read abaut how awesom what you wrote two weeks ago was...

Mostly I find many of the things I wrote yesterday has not been commented.

I suppose you know I think this story is superior to everything and eternally awesome, I don't have to comment every specific part even if I want to because I need to sleep.
it's 00:20 here. X_X

[Reign on your Parade]

So THAT was what you were so confused about... I thought you had checked up on that already.

King. KING. KING. As in, the top governmental figure in a Monarchy. I'm really only a king in title, but the traits still stick!