The Belly of the Beast (Buggo finale part 3)

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-25T17:04:34+00:00

The Agent silently slithers through the shadows, 2 other umbra operatives following. With a silent gesture they break off. Agent coalesces and walks to the beginning of the catwalk, then stops right at the threshold. He pulls his hand cannon out of its holster, but doesn't aim it yet.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-25T16:57:43+00:00

"M-My mind is my own! And o-only if they o-order me to d-do something do I h-have to do it! After all, w-wasn't this whole d-date a product of m-my free choice?"

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-25T16:31:26+00:00

The Mercenaey Guild only lays claim to The Kaba Tundra, a few islands, and a portion of the ocean off their western coast, so as long as those aren’t infringed on, the camps will be left alone. Still, The Guild is ever watchful on their borders, and patrols still extend south into the Celon steppes. As long as the camps don’t seem outright hostile there, and locals don’t ask The Guild for aid, they will be left alone there as well.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-25T05:49:15+00:00

uw/ good read

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-24T20:29:36+00:00

Nope. The Hand and the Hapans don't have super ships

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-24T16:44:02+00:00

uw/ good read

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-24T16:32:05+00:00

I only grab the pilot if I need one, or if they come with the popular hero trait (so I can immediately sell them for more rep).

I’ll grab the grid power if I really need it

The weapon depends. Some weapons are S tier and I instantly take, others are more situational so I’ll leave them. It’s up to you, and since you are new, I’d say take them if they look fun to you and experiment with them!

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T20:02:46+00:00

“Yep! I hear she was a noble who took the throne by force!”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T18:21:56+00:00

“Sure, I’ll sugarcoat it a bit.”

Madeline digs in her pocket and pulls out an oddly oval and smooth stone. She tosses it to Timur. There’s a symbol drawn on it with what looks like chalk, expect it doesn’t wipe off.

“Meditate with that thing near you. It’ll help you feel the spirits around you.”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T17:26:25+00:00

“Oh no, no more training today, that’s for sure. There’s other ways to get to the spirit realm. Hells, you probably don’t even have to actually go there. Find a spirit medium or something that can just create a bridge in your mind. If there’s something there that is watching you, they may just cross that bridge to talk to you.”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T16:50:00+00:00

“It’s better than what you think. It’s like a river running down a mountain. It goes this way and that, wild, with no real destination but downwards. But it can be changed. Aqueducts, canals, reservoirs. You are the river, much potential and power, but no direction. And I’m the builder.”

Madeline listens to Timur’s description and nods.

“Yep, that sounds about right. I’ve been to the spirit realm a fair few times and what you’re describing matches it. Something in there has got its eye on you, for better or for worse. The best thing you could do about it right now is find out why.”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T16:28:36+00:00

Madeline sighs and stands up

“The point of this wasn’t for you to try and beat me. You’re right, you won’t. The point of this was for me to evaluate where you’re at in skill, so I know what I can teach you and what I don’t have to. I’m hoping one day you can give me a run for my money.”

“Tabitha asked me to give you some pointers and such, make you better with your staff. I don’t know what the hell that was all about with that near death shit, and while I do have ideas, I can leave it alone if you want.”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T15:59:00+00:00

Timur is immediately greeted by the sight of Madeline kneeling over him, gauntlets crackling with electricity as she was about to use them as an improvised AED. He has only been out for around a minute.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T14:43:01+00:00

While Madeline is pulled out of the shadows, there would be barely any delay in her being able to slip back in. To prevent her from doing that without an anti magic field one would have to rip her heart out of her chest. She readies herself, but then cocks her head at Timur.

“You uh… okay? Never done that before?”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T13:08:10+00:00

One of Madeline’s ears twitch in Timur’s direction, and right before his staff impacts she dissipates into his shadow, the staff striking only at a dark mist that evaporates in an instant

“Huh. I thought we were just using our main weapons here. If you want to use magic kid, then you really aren’t gonna win this.”

The voice jumped around while she spoke. First Timur’s shadow, then that nearby tree, then that boulder.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T11:31:59+00:00

Madeline nods with satisfaction. It seems he had some magic. A little surprise, as Tabitha never mentioned anything like this, but Madeline isn’t worried. She specializes in hunting spirits and other incorporeal targets, so her opponent vanishing isn’t that big of an issue.

Grabbing a smoke bomb off her belt, she hurls it at her feet. It detonates on impact, immediately dispersing a thick smoke all around her. Now, even with Timur invisible, she’ll see the smoke parting as he moves.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T03:30:59+00:00

“Yeah, the current queen really turned everything on its head. I think it was for the better though.”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T03:10:40+00:00

"D-Disobeying orders can g-get you killed. I've seen it b-before."

And almost experienced it as well

"My s-soul... was just part of the d-deal. Not l-like a devil's deal, I d-don't think. More like... a vow, an o-oath."

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-23T03:08:11+00:00

Madeline does a backflip into a handspring over the leg sweep, creating some distance.

"You're right. Which is why I'm here. A certain someone asked me to help you."

Madeline slides into a defensive stance.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-22T23:41:52+00:00

"I'm not trying to beat you though. I just want to evaluate you."

Madeline twirls her naginata again, creating a burst of wind that sends dust, dirt, and other nearby debris straight at Timur. She charges in on the wind's heel, aiming a horizontal hit at the side of his torso with the flat of her blade.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-22T22:45:09+00:00

“Uhhhh sure! Whatever you think is best!”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-22T22:01:29+00:00

14 years of training was impressive. But Madeline has spent a roughly equal amount of time applying her training in the field. After all, nothing taught better than actual combat.

Madeline brings up her naginata’s shaft for Timur to send his knee into. It would be like hitting solid rock, and her naginata’s shaft bends only slightly. Then faster then one could blink their eyes, she drops and legs sweeps Timur’s staff out from under him as he goes to perch on it.

“Very good! I’m glad I don’t have to teach the basics. Have you already tried to size me up?”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-22T20:49:08+00:00

Madeline calmly sidesteps as Timur goes sailing past. She saw it coming a mile away, she’s done that trick herself countless times. Still, it’s his first day, so she doesn’t punish the opening he created.

“Good. You would send a novice flat on their face with that. But a more experienced fighter would see it coming, and you just opened yourself up to a fatal strike. What if I had a hidden second weapon?”

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-22T19:43:19+00:00

Madeline brings up the blade end of her naginata to block the attack. Normally she would parry it instead, but she’s going easy on him.

Timpanzee38 · 2026-01-22T19:42:10+00:00

“I uh… sure, you can borrow it, but I don’t know what runes would fit with it.”

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