Urban

Portrayed by expansive skylines and concrete jungles, urban is comprised of cities and densely populated areas, often with more modern structures and more industrialization to fit the theme.

Adapting to Change
Give or take an hour, the two new arrivals finally make their way to civilisation - a bit taken back by how... Primitive everything is compared to the environment they're accustomed to. Daikeim takes this moment to look at Drake.

"" Daikeim then looks back at the citizens. ""

Drake rolls his eyes. ""

"" A sigh escapes Daikeim's mouth as he begins walking the streets, scanning for a suitable place to enter.

Amongst some of the buildings there's one that says "Davy Jone's Locker."

"" Drake eyes the sign before entering the building, Daikeim following behind.

Inside the building, it looks like a decrepit street with graffiti on the walls. The clothes are hung on racks and organized by shirts, pants and accessories, they even have novelties.

"" Drake suggests before heading off, leaving Daikeim to simply wonder. Give or take a few tens of minutes, the two arrive back - Drake already with an outfit he prefers.

"" Daikeim says with a grin. ""

"" Drake replies back, smirking. "" He looks around and notices the changing rooms, he turns to look back at Daikeim and gestures towards the room.

The expression on Daikeim's face is best described as disapproving but Drake drags him into the same cubicle with him. ""

"" After a moment of thinking, Daikeim looks at the clothes he and Drake are wearing. ""

"" Responds an already undressing Drake, taking off his jacket before shoving Daikeim out, leaving him to go into the next room over.

The two later exit, dressed in their new attire, Drake meanwhile grabs the old sets and looks around before placing the clothing onto the shelves. ""

Daikeim silently nods as the two begin to exit the building.

A voice calls behind them "Hey you two."

The two immediately stop, Daikeim sighing. ""

"<You fucker.>" Drake cuts Daikeim a look and turns his head towards the voice. "Uh, yeah?"

They turn to a middle-aged man sitting behind a register counter, "You two need anything?"

"Oh, sorry - we're newcomers to the city and we're just touring, sadly we have no money to buy anything." Drake replies while forcing a innocent smile.

"Well welcome to town. Um feel free to browse around. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks! We'll grab something to eat then we'll come back." After a short wave, Drake turns and the two leave the building. "<We are never going back into that damned place.>"

" Daikeim stops and looks around, turning his head down one high street. "

Drake nods towards Daikeim. "<Alright, you'll probably know where to find me.>" And with that, the two split, heading their own ways throughout the city.

While walking around town, Drake notices some of the civilians are looking at him, tilting their head as they do so.

"<The fuck are they staring at?>" He mumbles as he approaches a bar, he smirks as he can smell the alcohol leave the windows. "<Well, drunks are always willing to get petty shit done for a price.>" Drake enters the building and is hit by the intense scent of sloppy food and drinks.

Drake sees everyone on the very front of the stage where a man is playing a sax are dancing and hollering wildly, even though the sax player is playing rather soothing.

"<That's music? My God...>" He cringes at the tunes but makes his way towards the bar, taking a seat while glancing over at everyone. "Uh... Something strong."

The bartender points over to a tall man with very noticeable biceps happily rough-housing with the other men.

Drake cuts the bartender a unamused look. "I meant a drink..."

The bartender walks turns around and pulls down a green transparent bottle and pours it into a cup, then hands it to Drake.

"Thanks." He takes a sip and shrugs. "Not as strong as I'd thought..." Drake takes a look around once more, before taking another sip.

"You don't look all to familiar. You someone new?"

Drake looks over to see someone wearing a pink vacation shirt and wearing a steton, taking a sip out of a glass.

"Yeah, you could say that - New to the city at least."

"Itsa town. Not really watcha city. So what all brings you here?"

"Just here on a tour, sort of... That and to get money."

"Looking for a job then? What're you good at?"

"Where I'm from - I've been a mercenary for a while, so I have quite the experience in that regard."

"I thought so. I can see it in your eyes. Sharp. Like knives. You could poke person's eyes out with those."

"I'm more of a guns kinda guy... So, if you're asking - I suppose you have something you want done?"

"Nah, not really. But I got a holographic catalogue-a 'holologue' if you will-for you to check out yourself."

The person slides a tablet over his way.

"Check that out and see what catches those sharp eyes of yours."

The tablet skids to a stop right in front of Drake, he takes a look at the list. He raises an eyebrow and turns the tablet towards the man. "The one selling off scrolls... So what, just burn the scrolls, break his hands and arms or?"

"Kill him. Take the scrolls from him. Then, do whatever you want with them. You can sell'em yourself, that'd be extra money in your pocket. A magic scroll is worth thousands. Well, depedning on what it does."

Drake eyes the tablet then smirks, sliding the tablet back to the man. "Done. Do we know where he is?"

"Sadly not. Most of those people you find in this holologue get around alot. They know their tails are gonna be hunted, so they do business on the run. But since this is for like secret exchanges/auction, try a dark alley or an empty building."

"Oh... How typical, alright... Ok, if you pay for my drink, I'll have his head within a few days." Drake replies, downing his drink in one go.

"Sure thing, newcomer."

The person takes out a card, Drake notices the person's hand is rather skinny and gives it to the bartender. The bartender scans it with a device embeded into the counter and returns it back

"Happy Hunting"

And with that, Drake eyes over whatever details he can gather about the scroll seller before making his way out of the bar. He looks around the city then sighs. "Alright, so empty buildings and dark alleyways... Lets get going." He blends into a nearby crowd and starts his job.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the city, Daikeim just roams, taking in all of the sights until coming to a stop in front of a museum of sorts. "<Well... This seems like a good place to start.>" With no real other option, Daikeim enters the building.

Daikeim walks into a building with a sleek marble exterior. He sees various people looking at all the holograms and historic replicas of long-times past. There's a counter in front between him and the entire museum. The person behind the counter is looking down at something

He approaches the person. "Hello there, could you tell me what this place is dedicated to?"

The person looks up at Daikeim. "The museum is dedicated to world history in general."

"A great place to start." Daikeim replies before thanking the person before heading down one of the isles, approaching a display case holding a replica and looking down at the holographic screen.

The replica shows that of a woman with heavenly white robe near a tree, where one side looks perfectly normal and the other side is streamed with blacknes. The lackness etches out onto the other side of the tree and into the form of a snake with a humanoid body. They are posed to where the snake is handing a woman a fruit of some sort with an eerie smile. The woman is posed in acquiesce, her hand going towards the apple in uncertainty. The holographic screen reads: "This is a replica of the Deception of Eve. The serepent offers the woman fruit from a forbidden tree.The woman is reluctant to eat of it, but the serpents silver tongue and silver lies tempt the woman to ultimately eat of this forbidden fruit,which lead to the downfall of man from the graces of Heaven. The serpent here is said to have been the first mythological creature in existence but it is still very much debatable today."

With a raised eyebrow, Daikeim focuses on the serpent. "Mythological... I suppose that's what they mean by 'Myths' then." After examining the display, his attention is turned to the display case beside it.

The next display case shows a replica of flock of winged descending from the shining sky above towards shaggy, dirty men dressed in animal skins. One winged man and one other man reach their hands towards each other.

Daikeim steps over and once more looks down at the holographic screen.

The holographic screen says: "Legends say that the Angels of Heaven felt sympathy for the fallen men of the Earth. They defied their creator and took matters into their own hands. They made their new homes amongst Man."

A small chuckle leaves Daikeim. "Feels way too close to home." After taking another look around, he sighs. "Getting to understand the history is helpful but I feel like I'll need more... General information." Daikeim leaves the exhibit in hopes to find something more recent.

Daikeim comes across one painting. This painting shows battleships firing at several giant serpent-like creatures, who have men riding on their backs. Some of these men jump off the creature's back onto the battleships.

"How adventurous..." Taking note of the previous displays, Daikeim begins to grasp of an abridged version of the history between man and Myth. "Oh sir. Sir."

Daikeim turns to see the man from the counter walking towards him

"My apologies, but you do have to pay to see the exhibits."

"And you only decide to bring that up now?" Daikeim says, clear annoyance in his tone.

"My apologies, sir. It's just that my mind has been elsewhere today."

He sighs. "Well, nevermind that. I've seen everything I wanted to see." Daikeim turns and begins to walk past the man. "Thank you for letting me see the displays."

"If you want to know more, there is a local library across the street and two blocks down."

A faint smile grows on Daikeim's face as he nods at the man. "Thank you, and don't worry, next time I arrive here I'll pay double the asking price." He then exits the museum and goes straight towards the library.

Inside the library, there is an elderly person sitting behind a counter and behind the librarian, there's several aisles selves with books of all sorts on them.

Daikeim approaches the eldery person. "Hey there, I was wondering if you have anything detailing a... War? I'd like to give more information but I got ejected from the museum rather quickly."

"Did you pay admission to get in?"

"To say that I'm new around here would be an understatement... I don't have the right currency."

"Well lucky enough for you, you don't need to pay anything here. Unless you have an overdue book. You said something about a war, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I'm assuming the most recent one? The one is a museum showed me people riding serpents..."

"Ah, THAT one. Not exactly recent, but it was the most destructive. The most wild."

The librarian gets up from behind the counter.

"Follow me, foreigner."

The librarian begins to make her way through the isles.

Daikeim follows behind. "So how long ago was it?"

"A hundred or so years ago." The librarian looks through the books on one shelf.

"Not as distant as I thought, what sparked it?"

"A stray migration of mythological creatures came into the world, people paniced and technically began a giant witch hunt which escalated and branched off into different phases. Very chaotic it was."

"Oh..." Daikeim says, hushing his voice.

"Ah. Here we go." The librarian pulls out a large book titled " The Fantasy-Reality War: The Dreams That Became Our Nightmares."

Upon seeing the size of the book, his eyes widen. "That's... Quite the read. Creative title I suppose."

"This book should have what your looking for and then some. Since you dont have a membership here, I'm afraid you cant take this book out the library; so I'm afraid you can only read it here."

"That's fine, thank you." Daikeim takes the book and finds a seat, opening up the book to begin his read.

The first page of the book says: Note: What you are about to read is historically accurate events and reports taken from one of the most destructive and world-changing events in Earth's history.

Daikeim shrugs off the warning, his curiosity taking over while he begins to read.

Daikeim read the Introduction. The first page has a picture of blue featurless humanoid giants towering over an entire village, some of the villagers are running away from the giants, while some others have guns pointed at the giants.

"The first mythic contact man has had in decades is with the Swedes encounter with a stray migration of mythologicl creaturse called Endlos. They made their way from Gate No.1 in Oppland, Norway to the Swedish village of Canninsmosh in January 1,1901. It is unknown how these Endlos got seperated from the rest of their kind, but the were met with violence by the villagers. The Endlos were unfazed and in the end, the Endlos simply walked through the village, destroying in the process as if it were not there. It is unknown what had happened to them after this event, but most speculate they might have died sometime once the war picked up. The surviving villager fled towards their distant neighbors and told them what had happened. They took heed to these words as some of these creatures had been sparcely recorded through-out history, especially in Europe and Asia. Word spread through-out Europe and a witch-hunt for all non-humans began on January 24,1901, and in their efforts to flush out these creatures that lived amongst them; they succeeded. They revealed themselves to their hunters and soon began to retaliate against them. In January 28,1901, Almost all of Europe was now locked in combat with the monsters that lived among them."

"Wow... Because of one thing, they hunted down every single one they could find... And with that organisation, safe to say the war is still happening just behind closed doors." Daikeim mumbles to himself.

Meanwhile in a more derelict part of the city, Drake wonders about, his eyes tracing over a few choice buildings. "<Where is that motherfucker... Empty buildings and alleyways, right...>" After a moment, he peers into a boarded up window that leaves just a small enough gap for him to see what's inside.

Inside he sees an completely empty room and three males standing in the dark.

"Yo' one you turn on yo' lights on! It's dark as a muthafucka in here!"

"Like for real though, why didn't we just go back to your place to do this."

"I told you, man, we just partook in some illegal shit. You know we aren't supposed to have shit like this!"

"Tch. America. The Land of The Powerless."

"Land of the Idiots. Stuff like this is illeagal cause a whole lot of us will abuse the shit out of it. No moderation,man."

A light turns from some rectangular object in one of the males hands

"Alright, let's see if this works."

One of the men pulls out a roll of papyrus paper from his back pocket.

Drake just stands there, still peering through while reaching for his firearm.

"Alright, you ready?"

One of the men sighs, "Yeah I'm ready."

The other man then pulls out a gun and shoots him in the leg. Blood splatters across his leg with a black hole in his leg.

"MRMMMMM!"

The man holding the scroll unravels it and begins to read from it "Vinaquirem gadurm a digas tsaran!"

Soon a golden light shines from the scroll

"Hoooo-ly Jesus..."

The light then wraps around the injured man's leg and soon his bullet wound closes instantaneously

"Bruuuuuuuh, dat was some cool shit."

"Yea...Hey did that heel you with that bullet still in your leg?"

"Huh. I think it did, but I don't feel it though."

"But this is exactly what we need to cure grandma!"

"I don't know man. I mean it healed my bullet wound but that don't mean it'll heal your grandma from her disease."

"He does have a point. That spell healing his external wound doesn't mean it heals internal wounds."

"Come one guys, this is the only option we got. Besides, what healing spell doesn't heal external and internal problems?"

"This one might."

Suddenly two stray lights flash at the three young men

"Freeze fools!"

"Shit!"

"Yea shit! Put your hands in the air!"

The three young men do so. Soon, two M.C.C.P soldiers come into view, moving towards the three young men.

"<Oh good... These fuckers.>" Drake takes a step back and clenching his left fist, reels back and punches the boarded window, breaking into splinters. Taking advantage of the shock, Drake unholster's his firearm and guns down one of the soldiers before tackling past the men and into the other soldier.

The soldeir that had been shot falls over "AAAHH! I've been shot at!"

The men try to take advantage of this oppurotunity and tries to run off

The soldier counters by falling on his back and somersault throwing Drake behind them. The soldier then takes his gun and shoots the one with the scroll and shoot him in the back with stun blunts

"GA-A-A-A-H!" The young man falls over.

"Bro!"

The two other young men turn to try and get their hurt friend but the soldier is surpressing fire at the, forcing them to continue to run. The soldier quickly grabs the other one, hoists him on his back and runs. He swoops up the scroll from the man on his way and makes it out the same way Drake came in.

Drake stands up, recovering from the throw and watching the three escape. "Bunch of fucking annoyances..." His gaze then lowers to the last guy on the floor, Drake's firearm still in hand. "You. Where did you get those scrolls."

"Aahhhhhh...My back..." The young man continues to squirm some on the ground.

The white haired mercenary only responds by lightly pressing down on the man's back. "Did I fucking sutter?"

"...No...But you did mispronounce a word..."

The man can hear Drake growl as he's hoisted up by shirt and pinned up to the wall, firearm pressed to his chest. "

"Alrightalright! I got it from Spelghob, the Magic Plagarist! He's nearly four miles away from here! 2314 Jeffrey Lane! You will find him there! Just stop speaking in angry gibberish!"

"Good." Drake holsters his firearm and pulls the man away from the wall, his fingertips faintly glowing with heat as he inscribes what seems to be an arcane circle onto the wall. After he's done, he holds the man up against the wall and places his own hand on the wall. Causing the circle to glow green and to slowly heal up any recent damage the man sustained.

"So listen very closely, you want to help your dying relative, copy this and use it. I'm going to drop you now and I'm going to get my bounty, when I come back I expect you and the arcane circle to be gone. Understand?"

"Y-yea sure....Thanks!"

Drake silently nods and drops the man, turning towards the window he came through. "<2314 Jeffery Lane... This fucking planet...>"

"Oh, wait don't have anything to write this down with!....Nevermind...I'll find something..." The young man looks over his surroundings

Drake stands outside a gate to a two story house with a somewhat dilapidated appearance. The sign near the corner has the adress he's looking for.

"<Well, looks like a place for people like him... Right, let's try this.>" Drake approaches the door, firearm in hand and simply tries to open the door.

The enrite first floor is covered with books, scrolls, and relics galore from the front the door all the way into the kitchen and almost halfway up to the ceiling.

Drake slows his pace, taking in any unusal sounds as he looks at any open scrolls. "<Right.. I'm collecting so much after this.>" He says quietly to himself, making his way to the kitchen.

He sees that there seems to be more scrolls and books taking up much of the kitchen space, mostly on the counters, the table, in the cabinets, even in the refrigerator.

After a moment of looking about, he looks up at the light bulb. "<No power... The books have dust, and these look ancient... Either this guy has died or the other guy lied and just stole these.>" Drake exits the kitchen and takes the stairs to the second floor.

''Upon ascending up the stairs, he sees a clothless, porcelain female doll sitting on top of a stack of book that is setup like shes sitting on a throne. Her eyes are half closed and her mouth is only in a half smile.''

Drake stares down the doll, slowly approaching it with caution.

As he continues, he sees the dolls eyes slowly shift up at him, then slowly lifts its head up to look at him.

"<What the fuck...>" Drake aims his firearm at the doll, his eyes fixated on the doll's.

''The doll slowly tilts her head to the right, then slowly to the left, then back. Her eyes shine bright orange and a blast of energy shoot Drake and launches him back into the wall behind him above the stairs, Drake falls down on the stairs and the moment he tries to stand to his feet, he's blasted down the stairs and lands on a pile of scrolls. Drake looks up and sees the doll, now twice his height, walking down the stairs and up to him. Her arm transforms into a spike and she aims to stab him.''

Within seconds, Drake quickly shifts his body to narrowly avoid the attack. Rolling back onto his feet and firing a few rounds into the doll, all while supposedly cursing in his native tongue.

''The doll turns it's head towards Drake, it's other arm transforms into a narrow canon, turns it at Drake, and blasts him out the house. Drake slides on the ground on his back. He lays there for a moment until helooks up and sees two M.C.C.P soldiers looking down at him.''

"So. Who's got you beat?

Drake's eyes narrow at them. "Even attempt to arrest me and you're both fucking scraps. Let me do my job." He puffs out a flame large enough for the two to feel the intense heat, jumping back up onto his feet.

One of the soldier begins to flail around the place. While the other just stands

"Ah! I'm hot like fire!"

"Dude, if anything, it should feel humid at best! Are suits are ment to with stand aboce 300 degress Celsius."

"The humidity is reaaaaaal!"

The doll comes out the house.

"Oh hell no! Quick set your gun to lethal!"

"I'm still on firrrrrrrrrre!

"Cotdammit!"

"Y'know for soldiers you're pretty fucking useless!" Drake's cheeks puff up before he spews out a torrent of flames at the doll, while it's engulfed. He reaches for a rock and begins to quickly scribe an arcane circle on the pavement, his head turns to the two soldiers. "If I were you two, step the hell back!"

"How about we move in. Come on!"

"Still! On! Fiirrrrrre!"

"....."

''The soldier grabs the other and chucks him at the doll. The doll blasts the soldier and is sent fly over Drakes head and hits a car across the street''.

"Uuuuuuggghhh...."

"Fire's out. I'll let you have it from here, stranger."

The other soldier leaves Drake.

"<Like I said, fucking useless...>" He looks back at the doll and places both his hands on the arcane circle he inscribed, it suddenly glows as the doll is sent flying to the back of the house. As it begins to recover, Drake enters and lights a splinter before tossing it into the piles of spellbooks. "Alright you bastard, let's see what else you can pull..."

Drake soon realizes all the scrolls, books, and relics have all disappeared. The house is empty. The doll's linear joints fires a buzzsaw disc at him.

He barely has enough time to dodge as the buzzsaw cuts along his arm, he flinches in pain before gathering enough embers into his hand to create an unstable fireball which he throws straight at the doll, exploding on impact.

''Fire and sawdust flies around the place. The doll is no longer to be seen. Drake hears guns shots coming from upstairs.''

"<Seriously what is this fucking place!?>" Drake sprints upstairs to the source of the gunshots, firearm already prepared.

The appears to be nothing on the second floor, until he continues to hear various movent still above him.

Drake looks up at the ceiling, pinpointing where exactly the movements are coming from. He then moves a few steps aside and beings to fire up, creating a big enough opening for him to clamber up.

''Drake finds that he's in a dusty attic. He hears groaning and sees the soldier that had just left him not too long ago,on the floor.''

"Uggggghhhhh....Goodness..."

The soldier tilts his head up and sees Drake.

"Thanks alot you asshole...I almost had 'em...."

"Ok, few questions - one, how the hell do you to deal with... Whatever the fuck that thing is, second of all, can you walk."

"That thing is a ogre...It has great immense physical strength and immense stupidity. But this one is smart...And a hella old...This ogre is ancient. He wont look it when you find him, hes in disguise....My visor picked him up easily and saw right tbrough it...Also, Just give me a moment right quick to catch my breath...Whew...I'll...Catch 'em....In a little bit...And just in case I dont...Just beat his ass...Blunt force is aaalll you need to take him down...But be careful on those attacks, Im not kidding about that "immense strength" bit."

"Blunt force and you're firing your gun?" Drake raises an eyebrow at the soldier. "And yeah, I'm sure you alone are able to take him on... <i hope all the MCCP aren't like you.>" </i>He sighs and steps over the soldier, clenching his fists and leaving out the gigantic hole in the side of the attic. "Right so, big and smart... Follow a path of destruction, if there is one..."

Drake passes by the other M.C.C.P soldier who is still embedded in the side of the car.

"Uggghhhh....Ma' back...Part of me feels like my bones should...But I'm to winded to question the logic physics...Ugghhhhh..."

"<How... Professional.>" After finding said path, Drake walks among it. Witnessing small skirmishes between the M.C.C.P and the ogre, he holsters his firearm and smirks. "<Brute force... I love this job.>"

"Wait!! ...Weeb!..."

Drake turns around and sees the soldier that was embedded in the car, stand at the far end of the alley.

"You wont be able to find it with your eyes alone... You need this!.."

The soldier points at his helmet before taking it off, then chucking it half way across the alley.

"Whew... Looks like I got more in me than I thought..."

The helmet scatters across the floor, stopping right in front of Drake's feet - he picks it up and looks through the visor. "Gonna assume a scanner of sorts... Thanks." Leaving the soldier to his own, Drake throws on the helmet and continues his search.

The visor marks several individuals in the area and the estimated distance. Theres a vampire, a shapeshifter, a yokai, two werewolves, a fairy, several giants, and several dragons; though they're very far between and a good some of them arent in town.

"<Well... Certainly some stuff here I haven't seen before, but first that ogre...>" Using the intergated scanner and the surrounding destruction, Drake pinpoints the location of the ogre.

The marker pinpoints the ogre to be several hundred feet away from him, walking in the town street. Though he looks like an average man walking nonchalantly with the occasional looking over his shoulder. The diguised ogre then takes a sharp, clean turn into an alley

"<Got you.>" Drake follows suit, picking up his pace as he enters the same alley.

Drake sees the man standing in front of a wall at the end of the alley.

"It had to be the day I was going to leave town." The man dips to of his fingers in a pouch and pulls them out showing his fingers covered in blue powder. Then, pulls out a bottle with unknown fluid in it, pulls the cork out with his teeth, and pours the substance in his powdered fingers and they beging to glow bright blue. He then writes some encryption on the wall with his glowing fingers. When he's finished, the unknown words come together and merge to form into a magnificent arcane seal.

"Well, it's impressive to say the least..." Drake walks towards the man, a smirk on his face. "But I can't let you live another day, to save us both the trouble - on your knees and don't move."

The man turns hastily turns around and sees Drake. "Who are you?" The man immediately sees the helmet Drake's wearing over his face. "Oh...You're one of them. You sure talk haughty enough to be one them."

"Oh, this?" Drake notions towards the helmet. "No no, I took this off of one of 'em... I'm a merc and you're my target, so, I'll tell you again. On your knees."

"A ....mercanary? Heh.Heheh.Heheheheheh! Haahahahahahah! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oooohhhhh! And here, I thought was done for. Who sent you anyway?"

The merceary doesn't take kindly to the man's words, his eyes narrowing. "That doesn't matter. You're wanted for possession and dealing of arcane scrolls, if you're not gonna do as I say. Then I'll force you to the fucking ground."

The man simply and widely smiles before he begins to morph horrifically. "Sorry, boy." His nose, ears, arms and legs begin to elongate. His skin begins to turn dark green and his teeth slightly sharpen and grow. Soon enough, he's towering over Drake at a wopping 20 feet. The ogre looks more akin to that of a goblin. His arms and legs are spindly but his hand freakishly bigger than his face and are very sharp. The ogre's face is somewhat elongated. His nose and ears hook downward. The ogre looks down at Drake with amusement.

"But you are no David."

The ogre takes one of his hands and reaches behind his back and grabs a long bone sticking out his upper back and pulls it out forcefully, revealing a jagged but sharp bone, he holds in reverse grip.

"And this is one Goliath, you can't bring down."

The ogre raises the sharp bone and brings it down on Drake with much speed.

It doesn't take long for Drake to be able to dive out of the way, missing the attack by mere centimeters. As he stands to look at the giant, flames begin to emanate from his palms. Drake jumps up onto the ogre's hand and races up before leaping off, setting the creature's arm ablaze while doing so.

The ogre looks at his falming arm. "Warm." The ogre shakes his arm and the flames extinguish. He proceeds to advance towards Drake.

The fingertips of Drake's begin to glow with sheer heat as he begins to scorch an unfamiliar arcane circle into the floor, once complete. Drake presses down with his palm, causing the circle to glow. What follows is a barrage of concrete and brick from the buildings beside them that all crunch against the ogre.

The ogre is stuck in between the wall for a moment until he begins to push the walls away as far apart as he can. He then kicks Drake out of the alley. The ogre walks out still keeping the walls apart until he makes it and the walls close behind him.

" It seems you know your way around a spell or two. Mildly impressive."

The ogre raises the bone again before stopping and turns his head away from Drake and sees the civilians who are staring at the ogre in surprise and horror.

"Bah! Curses!" The ogre quickly begins to run out of town, leaving Drake in the road.

"OH NO YOU FUCKING DON'T!" Drake leans forward and burns another rune into the floor, it faintly glows and Drake is sent flying towards the ogre. Not even a few seconds later, the ogre is knocked straight to the ground - Drake on his back and planting ammo into him.

The orge grunts in annoyance and reachs behind his back and grabs Drake by his jacket. He lifts Drake off him and he stands to his feet. The ogre hangs Drake infront of him.

"As much as I would enjoy squashing you, It will only be a matter of time before they come for me;so I will only leave you this advice: 'Try hunting for smaller game next time.'"

The ogre turns back towards town and flicks him a far distance into town. He turns around and sees a metal robot with a bulky upper-body with jetwing-like protrusions coming out it's shoulders and has a cone-shapded face. The ogre kneels down to get a closer look at the machine. "Hmm. A toy of some sort no doubt." The ogre examines it some more and sees an insignia of a headless werewolf with claw marks on it's face. "Ah! It's their toy."

The machine looks up at the ogre.

"Ogre. Reframe and come and proceed to follow me. Do not refuse this clemency or enmity will ensue."

"Oh please. As if a pull-tab off a soda can stop a green giant." The ogre lightly pokes it with it's lone finger nails.

"Clemency: Refused. Enmity: Accepted." The drone raises his fist in the air and a nozzle appears out from it's wrist.

"A pea-shooter? Really?"

The nozzle begins to rapidly fire heavy round into the the ogre's face and green blood spouts out. The ogre stands up hastily to his feet and covers his bloody face.

"GEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The ogre lifts his foot and brings it down on top of the drone, but the drone quickly raises its other wrist and five thin cords pop out and attach themselves to the ogre's foot and sends a great amount of voltage shock into it; causing the ogre to fall over and writhe in pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!"

On a nearby rooftop, Drake scrapes his landing, growling at the sight. "<...I'm gonna fucking hang him with his insides.>" He runs and jumps across the rooftops, eventually landing down on the neck of the ogre. Heat flourishing off of Drake as a blade forms in his hand and repeatedly digs it into the ogre, filling the gaps with flames that sink into the body of the creature. "JUST FUCKING DIE ALREADY!"

The ogre screams out in pain once.

"AAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH! STOP!STOP!STOPSTOP! WHATEVER THEIR PAYING, I CAN GIVE TWENTY TIMES AS MUCH! PLEASE! HEAR ME, MERCENARY!"

The stabbing slowly ceases as he looks at the ogre, dead in the eyes. "Prove it, bastard..."

The ogre shrinks down to human size, somewhat. The ogre breathes heavily and is on his hands and knees.

"Ogre: Stable, Neutralized. Requesting containment."

The two soldier came up to Drake.

"Overide: 4DI9. Cancel Containment."

"Containment Cancelled."

"It looks like we came in just in time."

"You...Didn't come to contain me?"

"No...We came to partake in the illegalities."

"Isnt that...Against...Your job description."

"It is, unless we stay under the radar."

"We're smart like that."

"That doesn't mean we still won't contain you if you don't comply."

"Then...What do you two need..."

"A shapeshifting spell."

The ogre puts his hands together and pulls them appart, revealing a scroll. He takes it and hands it to the two soldiers.

One of the soldier take the scroll. "Thanks."

"Hey, weeb. Whatcha do with my helmet? My bosses will throw a fit if I'd loose it."

Drake eyes all three of them, before taking off the helmet and tossing it to the soldier. He turns his head back to the ogre, glaring him down. "If you say you can double up that payment, then do it now before I go back to stuffing you with embers..."

"Dang bruh, that sounds abit much, but it ain't like we got to deal with him no more. So, we're off."

"Thanks again, weeb. Come on, drone. Follow along."

The drone does as its told and follows the two soldiers into the city

The ogre sighs. "I didn't say I was going to pay twice as much. I said would give you twenty times as much. I'd still essentially be putting money in your hand. But before I go any further on that, tell me: Who all sent you, and how much were they willing to give you for my demise?

"<As long as I'm getting paid...>" Drake tightens his grip on the blade. "Cloaked man in a bar, withered hand. Offered to pay me for your head within a few days."

"I'm guessing he didn't tell you why. But the scrolls, enchantments, relics, books, spells. All of which I have, all you need to do is ask of me, and you will have it. Just one of which I have is worth enough to buy you a house. A mansion infact. But it's all black market. Humans and registered myths aren't supposed to have them, but I do. I have them all. Anything you need that you can think of, I have it. And if I don't have it, I can get it. You would have access to all the records of magical elements on this planet. You see, I'm worth more alive cause I have many items that are worth billions upon billions, yet my head would only get you a few thousand credits. You're getting cheated out a real deal here, mercenary. What do you say, mercenary? A few thousand credits for my head or several billion credits and then some for my collection?"

After listening to the ogre's reasonings, Drake faintly smirks. "Well, as someone who has a thing for arcane magic, you certainly know how to convince someone. Even my client didn't speak that much about it." With his free hand, Drake reaches out to shake his hand.

The ogre reaches out and shakes Drake's hand. He then forces himself up, puts his hands together, seperate them, and a two scrolls appear. He takes them and hands them to Drake.

"There you are. Two summons. Both of them are your gifts. One is for you to keep. It's to summon me if you require something I might have. The other you can keep or sell as you wish. It's The Ember Marksman. Summons a gun-trotting warrior that fires explosive fireballs to fight by your side."

"Perfect, this is great." Responds the mercenary, as he lays tucks the scrolls underneath his arm and walks beside the ogre, seemingly happy with the exchange. Only for Drake to spin back and lodge the blade into the ogre's chest. "However, I was hoping for an actual pay... But several billion credits would let me retire, and to be frank... I like my job." Drake then proceeds to bring the blade up, slashing the ogre from chest to shoulder, widening the already spacious wound.

"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" RRRGGH!" The ogre falls back on his hands and knees "If you still wanted to still make some extra credit from my death, you could've said something! I swear, you mercencaries have very little intuition." The ogre slowly gets up. "Follow me...And I'll show you how..." The ogre begins to slowly walk out of town and into the desert.

Instead, Drake kicks the ogre back to the floor and kneels down on his neck - restricting air. "Not happening..."

"Why not?! I am indesposible! I am worth more than truck-full of goldbricks! The fact that whoever sent you would only pay you enough for you to get five items from the dollar store is thievery! Imagine how much more useful I can be to you alive? What all would have me do for you to spare me?"

"<For fucks sake just die already!" Utters Drake before driving the blade down a final time, leaving it in for a few moments before standing back up - the blade being pulled up with him. Drake waits to see if the ogre is truly finished...

<i've heard this all before, just shut up.>The ogre is no longer moving.</i>

"Finally... Right, now for the head..." Drake kneels down and with the blade, decapitates the ogre and carries it by its hair back to the bar. Eyes scanning the area for the contractor.

The person's skrawny hand raises in the air at the bar counter.

Drake approaches the man, holding up the head of the ogre. "I told you - within three days I'd give you his head... Now, my payment."

"Oh not from me. From the bartender. Tender!"

The bartender heads over to the two.

Drake drops the trophy on the counter. "The contract for the ogre dealing out scrolls..."

The bartender takes the head and weights it. He then sticks his hand expecting something.

The person turns towards Drake. "He's asking for your credit card."

His expression goes blank as he looks at the bartender, mouthing the words 'the fuck is a credit card'. After a moment of silence, Drake seems to fish something out from his jacket - small transparent cube that floats in Drake's hand. "Ok so, whatever you're gonna use to actually transfer the payment, pass it over to me."

The bartender pulls out the scanner he had used previously on the person's card.

Drake takes it out of the man's hands and puts it near the cube, the shape of it changes to include some sort of square disc shape sticking out. And with a simple insert, the transaction is complete - Drake takes the scanner out and passes it back to the bartender. "And there we go... Oh, before I go." The mercenary's head turns towards the man. "My target asked twice or so about who hired me, so I'm curious - have any connection with them?"

"Um, the holologue? You basically hired yourself."

"Well, finding whoever published that would be an interesting meeting...  But anyways." Drake stands up, storing the cube into his jacket before heading out the bar. Daikeim waiting outside with a smirk on his face.

"<Well, wasn't hard to find out where you were.>" He chuckles as Drake raises an eyebrow.

"<Oh yeah? What gives you that idea?>" Drake asks, only for Daikeim to look over at the rising smoke in the distance.<i mean... Does it need to be more obvious?> </i>

"<Yeah ok... So, done sightseeing?>"

"<Yeah, I can fill you in while we can grab something to eat?>"

Upon hearing that, Drake stomach growls. "<Yeah, lets do that... But not here, the music sucks.>" And with that, Drake leads the way to a nearby resturant or fast food place with Daikeim following behind.

<i mean... Does it need to be more obvious?>The head over three blocks over across the street to a restraunt called "Royal Roses" .</i>

The two enter the resturant and looks around, a bit surprised at how similar the place is compared to their homes.

"<Well, at least they're not eating off the floor.>"

"<Drake... Alright, let me do this.>" Daikeim rolls his eyes as he approaches the assumed host. "Hello there, table for two?"

"Ok." The counterman takes up two menus and two rolls of utensils, then marks down in a log. "Table or windowseat?"

"Surprise me." Daikeim responds.

The counter main leads them to a window seat close to a television. He sets the menus and the utensils across from each other. "Someone will come take your order momentarily." The counterman leaves.

"Alright, thank you." Nods Daikeim as the two take their seat, Drake looks out at the window.

"I think for now, we speak 'normally'... So, care to explain what you did while sightseeing?"

"Oh, well some general info - We're on a planet called Earth, on it's only continent called Neo-Pangea and we're in a country called America and the city of Texas. Next some history - this place is in a middle of a struggle? Between the humans, and beings known as Myths... Apparently there's some place called Fantasy as well but the book never really delved into that." Daikeim begins to explain the what he read in the book to Drake, who - while paying attention, is looking at his cube.

A waiter comes up to them with a notepad and a penicl. "What will yall have to drink this afternoon?"

"Meat." Drake says quickly, completely interupting what Daikeim was going to say.

"...Yeah... Just a small meal, thanks."

"Ok well what do you all wanna eat?"

"...Meat." Drake responds again. "Steak, sauce and whatever goes well with it."

"I'll have just... Oh, this." Daikeim points towards a main course meal on the menu.

"The Chicken Nachos?"

Daikeim's brows lower. "Now... I have no idea what those are but that sounds... Childish - just..." He sighs. "Whatever some aristocrats would order."

"Ill...See what I can do...What all do you want to drink?"

"I'm fine with whatever you have--"

"Something sweet, alcoholic." Drake says with a light smirk, with Daikeim cutting him a look.

"Really? Alcohol already?"

"I finished my job and I'd like a drink."

"Beer or wine,sir?"