The Tower of Tyrru (Moon Hound Hati x Lusterless Nova)

[Mini Magi]

So... The last few days have been... interesting to say the least. How so? For Chloe it all began with the news of what could be simplified as a wish granting tower opening up. Everyone and their dog were packing up their things to give it a shot. She herself arrived together with a caravan, and it soon was time to enter. A few people took authority into their hands, organized parties and resources, and where did that leave Chloe? This being a very new area she had no chance at finding a group, let alone even one partner. So when face with the options of either going back home or trying it on her own, naturally she pushed forward on her own.

And what followed started out like fun, and quickly turned into work. This place was a miracle, but a dangerous one at that too. It had monsters Chloe had no experience with, brute force wasn't always the best option. A few of them as example blew up when struck, and others were absurdly armored. She had to admit it. This wasn't something she could do on her own. But just when she thought that, her night in not so shining armor appeared. Also someone who went in solo, but as curious as she might have been, this wasn't the time to pry.

Now about half a day later, here she was now. Waiting inside the pub at one of the tables for her date. Maybe not the right word, but it wasn't far off. She had a hunch that the one who helped her also realized that this wasn't something one could do on their own, so she made him an offer before they parted. "If you're still alive later, how about we meet up? Drinks are on me~" She regretted leaving him with that if she was honest, but that place wasn't exactly made for a quiet talk. Here though? There were not many patrons around for once, there was wine and beer a plenty, and the small girl with sun kissed skin and topaz colored eyes was waiting impatiently to shower someone in attention. As far as she was concerned, it lacked just one detail to make her evening interesting again.

 

[Moon Hound Hati]

Leasick Valshanner had spent months preparing, training, reading, studying anything about the mythical tower of Tyrru that he could get his hands on. Once a promising young monster hunter employed in the ranks of the similarly named monster hunter guild; a guild that operated all across the globe, taking on contracts to eradicate dangerous monsters that threatened civilization, he has since effectively become a deserter in his pursuit to climb the tower in hopes of reaching the fabled wish-granting grail that is said to rest at the top. Of course, nobody, not in all of recorded history, has been known to reach the top of the tower. Entire armies have been sent up time and again during the five-year intervals that the gates are open, at the behest of kings and people of power alike, but now only the adventurers and similar ilk made their way up in search of glory, treasure, or a private contract.

Arriving at the tower along with droves of others, the city that occupied the first and only safe floor of the tower was nearly overrun with tower climbers, both new blood like himself and veterans with one or more attempts under their belt. While it would have been great to join any of them when the gates finally opened after half a decade and the initial horde of monsters that poured through was fended off, he was sadly in a bad position.

Any adventurer with experience or at least two brain cells to rub together could tell that he was not just a budding adventurer, but a seasoned monster hunter, even if he was still in his early twenties. That, of course, would have any he approached to start asking questions about his backstory, or, in some cases, flat out reject him before he could even inquire about a potential party invite. Being a deserter brings with it a bad reputation, of course, so eventually, he gave up and made the dangerous decision to ascend the tower alone. At first, it was not too difficult, choosing to follow in the footsteps of larger parties as they cleared the way and claimed whatever treasure along the way. Whatever stragglers he did encounter, he was able to dispatch without major issues.

But then he made a mistake.

Ending up in a trap of the tower, he was forced to figure his way out, but luckily he was not alone, as a short girl with pale, white hair and sun-kissed skin had also gotten herself in the same tight spot. Working together, they eventually managed to escape, but still ended up getting separated as the path split apart, forming a deep fissure too wide to leap across. Playfully, she invited him for a drink later, should he survive. Of course, with a smile and equal amounts of playfulness, he accepted before they were forced to head in opposite directions.

Now it was later. About half a day or so. Having run across her again as they both returned to the city, they were to meet at a particular pub.

“Hope I didn’t make you wait too long,” Leasick greeted her with a chuckle and a smile as he sat down at the table with her, waving for one of the barmaids to serve them some beverages.

“Don’t think we’ve formally introduced ourselves yet. Leasick Valshanner, former monster hunter turned adventurer,” he introduced himself casually as he reached halfway across the table, offering her a hand to shake. “Glad we both made it out in one piece! The tales of this place were no exaggeration, for sure.”

 

[Mini Magi]

Light boots approached her, and she curiously turned to see... Huh. Not bad at all~ She couldn't make out his face earlier because of the mask, but it turned out that this could be even more fun than she thought. "I think it was worth the wait. Make yourself comfortable." She waited till he sat down, and gladly took his hand when he offered it. If not before, now was a good moment to notice just what a size difference was between them. Her hand was so small compared to his. But of course, those small hands were capable of killing monsters. Thinking of her as a mere child was hopefully not what was going through his head. "And I am Chloe. The circumstances could have been better, but it's still nice to meet you Leasick."

It was then that a barmaid came over and took her orders. Chloe ordered herself some chicken soup, a whole bottle of red wine, and one glass of water as well. "True to my word, drinks are on me. Feel free to enjoy yourself." And she was not going to take a compromise on that one. Besides, it was just a meal and a drink. She could afford to live peacefully with her treasury if she so wanted, but where would be the fun in that? Instead she gave the barmaid a few coins and turned her attention back to Leasick. "So... Let's see if I did my homework right. Quite unique name, former monster hunter, and not an amateur. The reason you are alone is because you just left your guild, so your old mates avoid you, and you didn't form any connections in the adventurer's guild yet. How close am I?" She never had a face to associate with the name, but had heard rumors of a skilled monster hunter suddenly taking a new course.

[Moon Hound Hati]

Some would think of Chloe as nothing but a strange child, having lost her way and believing herself to be an adventurer, but he’d soon first-hand that she was more than capable. Besides, if monster-hunting taught him one thing, it’s that deadly things often come in small packages. The way she spoke and carried herself also hinted towards as much.

“Sounds about right. Nobody really wants to associate with a ‘deserter’, but it’s not like I had much choice,” Leasick replied with a shrug of his shoulders before they ordered their meals. He decided to go with a nice club sandwich, having a glass of water as well to wash it away with in-between the wine he would share with his companion for the evening.

“But there were rules in the monster hunter guild that kept me from achieving my goals, so… I left.” With another shrug, he went on to elaborate the obvious question that would have come. “I’m after the grail, mostly, like pretty much everyone climbing the tower. An omnipotent wishing machine would be a great thing to have, right?”

Though he spoke quite casually with a chuckle and a grin, he did have his reasons, obviously, for seeking out the grail.

“How about you? What’s your story then?” he asked her as their drinks arrived and utensils were laid out on the table by the barmaid in preparation for the food that would soon be served.

Now that he had more time to look at her, Chloe was quite the cute little thing. And the emphasis was on little, as he easily half a meter taller if he had to make an educated guess. Despite her stature, she had quite attractive features about her, from silky hair that contrasted with her sun-touched skin, to her delicate facial features and subtle curves. While he didn’t really have a specific type, it was hard to deny she was easy on the eyes.

[Mini Magi]

Figures he would poke her back if she guessed about what his deal was. And since she planned to team up with him, and a good relationship couldn't start on lies, she let out a little sigh before continuing. "Seems like rumors about me got here before I did, so now everyone who I could have been interested in thinks either she's lewd, or she'll steal my loot. Which by the way: I am not. I only steal from those not associated with the guild and its allies." This meant mostly independent adventurers, rivaling factions, and maybe the occasional high and mighty noble. Since she could not deny the lewd part however, she did not address it.

It was at this time that the barmaid came back with their actual orders. And yes, it would be somewhat cliche to start with wine, but she quickly poured both of their glasses half full. "And with that out of the way, I think it's time we address the obvious. We both want to the top, nobody else wants us, and we could use some support. So how about we form a search part of our own? Plus: Just imagine the headline. Deserter and thief blaze past the competition." She laughed at the thought of a quite literal underdog story. She leaned forward, resting her head on one of her hands. "After all, you don't seem to mind looking at me~" It wasn't his fault really. She chose her wardrobe as a means of distracting human opponents while remaining stylish, but it had nice effects on people out of combat as well, and she really didn't mind the unintentional compliments it got her.

 

[Moon Hound Hati]

“Sticky fingers, huh? Well, it’s not the worst sin to commit.” At least as long as it wasn’t his pockets she would empty, he thought to himself jokingly. And truth be told, he had seen people do far worse than steal from each other. There were some tales in there to be told some other time, of folks driven to despair by monsters by the time he and his former colleagues had arrived, but they were not particularly fun to tell and served more as lessons about the depths some could sink to.

“To our future glory as a misfit party of two, then!” Raising his half-filled glass towards hers, he gently tapped against it, a faint clang echoing in their ears as he brought it back towards himself for a sip of the blood-red nectar. With their partnership officially formed, things turned a bit more flirty. Mirroring her movements, he leaned forward, bringing his head closer to hers. A coy smile played on his lips as their eyes met. “Hope you don’t mind. A beautiful flower should be admired, rather than ignored, is what I think.”

Chloe was certainly a rare kind of beauty, being not only bite-sized but also rather provocatively dressed. That was not to be confused with dressing as a common harlot, however. No, her aura alone was that of a confidant woman and he found it to be rather intriguing, if not outright alluring.

[Mini Magi]

She chuckled at his compliment. To be so inexperienced. What she would give for that. "Since we're partners, can you honestly tell me how many girls melted like wax with that one?" She was still in a good mood of course, but leaned back and began to eat. "No no. I didn't take it any odd way... I think. It's just that I already know I'm pretty, so you're not earning any points pointing that out." She took a spoon full of soup while he had time to process how Chloe thought, and she continued when she saw a chance to do so. "More importantly: Let's talk abilities. I didn't had the time to get a good glimpse of all you can do and would like to know what I am working with. I as example-" Chloe reached forward with her hand, and out of nowhere a sword constructed itself in her hand. First a wireframe model, and then it got texture. It was quite fast too, taking her only just over a second. "I can create weapons. Swords, axes, maces, daggers, polearms, staffs, bows, crossbows, even canons. If I ever add something to my collection, I can make a just slightly weaker copy of it. And the best part? I don't mind sharing~" She flipped it around, holding the handle towards him to examine it closer.

The sword she made wasn't that special. It was s simple long sword that anyone could buy from the local blacksmith. The weight hinted at solid steel. "They tend to break after some use so it's not perfect, but it does pay off to have an arsenal, don't you think? That aside I am very fast. But I can't use any magic aside from this, I can't copy any super strong weapons because of how complex they are, and I also can't copy potions. So every now and then I do have to really stock up on those and have a limited supply and also limited storage for anything that isn't unique." Satisfied with herself, she let the sword dissolve from tip to grip with a thought. "What is there to know about you?" She was also curious if he had a place to stay since she could provide one if needed, but one thing at a time. No need to bombard him.

[Moon Hound Hati]

“You mean ones that didn’t grow up sheltered on a peaceful, quiet farm?” Was his wide-grinned response as he sat back as well and began to eat, taking knife and fork in hand to slowly cut a piece off of his delightfully smelling club sandwich. When Chloe remarked that she knew she was pretty, he couldn’t help but playfully jab at it. “And so modest about it, too!”

As he brought a fork full of chicken sandwich to his mouth, she went on to suggest they discuss their skill sets, among other things, to further work out their dynamic for when they would ascend the tower again. “Hoh~? That’s a pretty rare skill,” he remarked with slightly raised eyebrows as she summoned a simple longsword, offering it to him briefly for inspection, after which it disappeared into the nothingness from which it came. What she had produced did indeed feel decent in his hand, with an average balance of weight; nothing amazing, but not something that would feel weird to swing around.

“Well, even if they do break faster than regular weapons, having the ability to just discard and create new weapons of various kinds makes you a very versatile fighter,” Leasick went on to compliment, now looking fairly serious as his mind mulled over the information she had just provided him. Her weapon projection coupled with her speed should make them a fairly nimble and versatile pair.

His honey-colored eyes, framed by wild, dark locks of hair, focused themselves upon the short woman seated across from him once more. “Monster hunters are trained to have a pretty versatile skill-set,” he began to explain, trying to keep it fairly simple and to the point. Elaboration could be added if she asked for it. “I’m trained to use a multitude of weapons, but as I’m ambidextrous, you’ll see me mostly dual-wielding swords, axes, and the like, but I’m also adept at using ranged weapons like bows and crossbows.”

After taking a small bite from his meal, he continued, “I can also make traps, poisons, and various basic potions. Suffice to say, as a monster hunter, I know a lot about monsters and how they tick.” Reaching into the satchel he’d brought along with him, he pulled out a decently-sized leather-bound tome, placing it between them on the wooden surface of the table. “And what isn’t quite drilled into my head I can find in what is pretty much considered the monster hunter guild’s bible: The Monster Hunter Field Guide.”

The texts contained within the tome were written in code taught to monster hunters during their training, so nearly none outside the guild could read them properly, if at all. They contained detailed information on the many, many kinds of monsters that roamed the world. While the libraries of the guild had more detailed tomes and books on monsters, all information that had been gathered throughout the generations, the field guide had summarized details that were important for monster hunters in the field, such as basic physiology, habits, and, most importantly, weaknesses.

“Lastly,” Leasick went on to announce. “I can use a ritual called the Iron-Blood Transformation.” Closing his eyes, he began muttering under his breath for about half a minute, during which the air around him grew a little heavy. Finishing the encantation, his dark hair had turned a rust-red color. Opening his eyes would reveal that the same had happened to his honey orbs and tattoo-like markings had appeared on his face and neck, suggesting they were also present on other parts of his body, though they were hidden from sight by his clothing.

“In this state, all my capabilities are pushed beyond their normal limits,” he explained to Chloe. “I am stronger, faster, and more dexterous. Since most monster hunters don’t have magic or other innate skills, this is how we are able to fight monsters head-on when we need to… The downside is that it burns energy rapidly, so I can’t maintain it for extended periods unless I have a death wish.”

Exhaling deeply, he softly said, “The iron has fulfilled its duty,” which caused the effects to be dispelled and his appearance to revert back to normal. Smiling and chuckling as his more laid-back attitude returned, he asked her, “Any questions?”

Edited May 1, 2021 by Moon Hound Hati

[Mini Magi]

With how much he told her, she felt back for hiding one or two things about her. But not wanting to interrupt his flow, she listened and ate as he explained where his strengths were. First and foremost, they were a perfect match in their basic abilities. She had an arsenal with her at all times, and he could use probably almost every weapon in it. This could allow them to either strike twice as hard, or eliminate the weakness of one weapon by pairing it with another. The Monster Hunter Field Guide was interesting, but not very much so. Chloe skipped through a couple pages and found it to be written in code. She wouldn't be reading that anytime soon, and pushed it back to him after a bit. And at last, he showed his power up. It changed not only his appearance however, but the entire feeling around him was different. At least speed wise, they were probably on par now, while he was more durable and stronger. Interesting~ There was potential for a lot of synergy there.

Amused by his display, Chloe pondered about his question. "What are we going to do now? I mean, I am good at what I am used to. Fighting bandits, monsters, whole platoons of invading knights if I have to, but I can't deny that this isn't my usual line of work. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears." Adventurers had many skills of course, and exploration quests weren't out of the norm of their usual line of work. Chloe however preferred a more direct approach when it came to her quests. When it came to exploration, Leasick had more experience.