To Chase a Shooting Star [Closed: Claria, Lucius, Collin]

[LuckyBlackCat]

A streak of glimmering gold shot through the night sky. Aglow with promise, a magnificent trail stretching out behind it, the symbol of opportunity grew ever brighter, outshining the constellations it left behind as it descended towards the black silhouettes of the Lanayru mountains.

In the training quarters of Zora's Domain, Claria stilled mid sword jab, her gaze shifting upwards. Her eyes widened. She let out a soft, awestruck gasp. Fixated, she approached one of the silver-ridged arches that made up the walls, watching the celestial body plummet and vanish behind the crystalline cliffs to the south. Distant, yet maybe - just maybe - close enough to reach.

A challenge. A chance.

There was no time to waste. Sheathing her sword, Claria turned her back on the battered training dummy and strode out of the hall. The moon was already well into its course above the kingdom. She'd only have a few short hours to do this before the treasure winked out in the first light of dawn like a rousing sleeper's dream... or, of course, before someone else claimed it as their own.

To most, the fabled star fragments were merely rare, pretty trinkets. To a Zora of the deep, however, they represented much more than that. One who guides must seek, the saying went. And what better way for a star of the sea, as the luminous Zora were known, to prove their mettle than by retrieving a star of the sky - a test from the Goddess herself, as per the legend passed down through bloodlines over thousands of years. Why else did the gem shards only retain their substance past sunrise once plucked from their impact site, if not as a reward for and a testament to one's dedication?

If she were to successfully bring back such a significant trophy... Dare she believe she may finally regain the respect of her family and her people? The distance that had grown between her and her cousins, as well as other researchers she'd once accompanied and guided, could mend once they returned from their latest oceanic expedition. Her mother may even cease to fret over her supposed fragility. The thought of others treating her as they had before was a ray of hope, much like the beacon she sought in the darkness.

Her steps hastened across the city's central platform. Once she'd let Dunma and Rivan know where she'd be heading, she continued along the chiselled stretch of the great bridge, past crags that lined the grass and dirt path, along the moonlit river that boosted her swimming speed with its current, onto the rocky shore of Tabahl Woods and its shadowed canopy, in the direction of Zodoban Highlands. Just as moths fluttered towards the glow she emitted, she drew steadily closer to the divine trial's goal.

[El]

Dawn was bleeding through the veil,
Not as one, but as many,
Pinpick punctures, spray of glitter,
Illuminated, set to hail-

...Lyrical to the point of obscurity: the imagery between lines lacks unity. Redo.

Dawn was bleeding through the veil,
Not as fire, not as frost, not with heat(?)
But as light formed from the ultimate cost, aglitter with frost,
          ...sprayed across...?
But as light aglitter with frost, sprayed across-...

...Hmn. Perhaps 'dawn' is not the right metaphor to use here: it's taking too long to explain my own interpretation. I could, perchance, save it for a passing mention in a later line, though I question if my attachment to this sentiment is simply impractical and unnecessary. Nonetheless, an impactful first-line alternative is still required...

The sky glittered
    Too predictable
The veil hung heavy with its crown of stars
    Good start, but 'crown' doesn't feel suitable. Wrong shape.
Hung heavy with hope, the night's mantle shimmered
    Too long-winded

Whispering a sigh, Lucius swallowed down the bitter taste of - momentary - defeat. Grip loosened his quill rested, one last errant mark of nonsense punctuating the poetic struggles scrawled across the parchment settled upon his lap.

Inspiration was a dastardly fiend, was it not? There was so much he wanted to say about his thoughts regarding the stars, and yet the effort it took to capture those emotions - to formulate them into something tangible that could be effectively communicated - was, tonight, incredibly taxing. Thank goodness he didn't share the same circuitry as those sky-dwelling robots: he dreaded to think the efforts it'd take to rescue fried hardware. 

...Perhaps that was actually the issue here. Was he running low on charge?

But, well, it was worth it regardless - this poetry practice. As any worthwhile endeavour was, the graft of its process was as important as the result itself, struggle as he may and in truth often did. Art enriched the soul, you see, both in its construction and while too in the midst of its appreciation. A laughable prospect perhaps, for a construct. After all, many would argue that Lucius possessed no such thing as a soul, HA! And yet... was that sufficient enough an excuse to neglect its potential nourishment? He disagreed.

Once upon a time, in an age long past, one of the knight's creators - and mentors - had been firm in the belief that even an empty iron shell could house a soul, grow one, as long as it was fed on the proper diet routinely and with apt care. Poetry had been a part of that curriculum. And so Lucius had upheld the practice ever since, with faithful discipline. As he should. As he was told to. As he always had and shall.

At least once a week he would ensure to carve out time in his schedule dedicated solely to wordsmithery. So here he now was, perched atop a westerly peak of Zobodon highlands, his rear roosted upon a large plateau of a slab formed of that peculiar skyborn material. The stars felt especially radiant tonight. Yes, felt. Logically such a sentiment was laughable - irrational. But there had been a faint quiver in his core ever since dusk had settled in. The faintest tickle of an itch which had consistently pulled his gaze upwards until it had demanded the entirety of his attentions. 

As if awaiting, anticipating-...

...

Lucius grinned.

That.

With a loud, excited THWAPP the knight slapped shut his notebook and swiftly tucked both it and his writing utensils securely away. Time was not to be wasted! Urgency was a priority! Nimble and without pause Lucius pounced right off the top of his starlit summit in a swirl of royal blues and luminous blonde and BLAZED downwards, slicing asunder the vast expanse of crisp night air in his path.

The streaking meteor landed with a crash, a sizzling crack and a flare of golden light scorching the grass-laden earth below foot. The knight grimaced at that, quietly apologetic for his excitement getting the better of him only to pause at something altogether very different.

Ah. Someone else had been heading this way too. A figure tall and gleaming with an armour of their own. Their silhouette sharpened with clarity as the light of Lucius's aura faded almost entirely.

[AmJanky]

Recovering from the long trek up Zora's River, he found himself sleeplessly staring at the night sky. Short on money, but long on time, he had initially come there for a delivery of Bright Eyed Crab. An easy enough job - or so he had thought before realizing that it had to be a foot-journey.

Zora's Domain wasn't one of Collin's usual haunts, mostly because he had to leave Fox in the care of a stable. He didn't exactly like leaving Fox at a stable; not for the sake of the horse, but for the sake of the stable. But even a good rider had to admit to that trek being too much for a horse and he prided himself on being more than just a good rider. So, by foot he went.

It also may or may not have been the enablement of an addiction, by the way the Zora shop-keep gobbled and scarfed the crabs down without batting so much as an eyelid... That was if Zora's anatomy would even name it eyelids, if not, then yeah... Without so much as batting his in-built swimgoggles and without any shame or remorse all the same.
All Collin knew was that Hylians sure as hell couldn't see as much as Zora under the surface of the water, let alone keep their eyes open at all. And that he had never seen a Hylian's teeth crack down to eat a crab shell and all.
Just because a Zora could, didn't necessarily mean they should, though. Collin was pretty sure that must've hurt. It looked like it hurt.


A streak of light then sparkled through the blue light and dampness of the Domain, cleaving the stuck mental image of pointed teeth bearing down on hard crab shell. Several stories he'd lived and heard during his lifespan coming to mind.

On the rare occasion the telltale streak of light showed up, they'd wish.

Plenty of kids he'd grown up with did it, they wished upon that star.
Because wishes were all they had, wishes were all that kept them going. A wish for better, a wish for brighter, a wish for something real. Most of them wished for a family to take them out of that orphanage. Not all of them had their wishes granted, sometimes you just turned eighteen and were deemed too grown up to stay.
He smiled with a grateful little chuckle, sometimes it just took a whole lot more growing up to have that wish granted anyway. Just in not as convenient a way as getting adopted by a rich family, that was reserved for a very lucky very few.

The more likely way most of those kids got themselves into some sort of assembled - or if you will 'chosen' - family was to be picked up by a band of monster hunters. If you could fight you could stay.
He there had to unlearn the wishing upon stars, for they believed to point at one was very bad luck. They had no such interest to find the glowing showy bits of star that came falling from the sky, no matter the price. The thing would light up their camp and reveal their location to whatever monster they were trying to eradicate.

Then one day he learned what they were; a burning bit of space-rock. A lot less sentimental, straight-up factual. Just as the elder Sheikah teaching him that fact had been: Practical, factual, but very amiable nonetheless.


No longer held down by the stubborn safety rules of the hunters, nor having very much left to so truly deeply wish for... But, well, you know, if he could acquire said bit of space-rock, that'd be rad.
He was driven by pure curiosity and the desire to cleanse his pallet further of the mental image of a live crab getting chewed on by rather sharp pointy teeth.

He got up and followed the light, unbeknownst to him following two others.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Another luminous bolt flashed through the darkness. A sparking one.

Claria recoiled, her heart pounding a frantic staccato. Quickly, she composed herself, at least on the surface. Straightening her posture, steadying her breathing, she peered through the silhouettes of the trees.

Rule one of traversing the wilderness: Don't appear weak.

That had been no ordinary lightning strike - where the blast had scorched the ground in the distance, a figure now stood, the remnant of a glow fading around them. Did this person also seek the star fragment? If so, were they the unscrupulous kind of treasure hunter, the kind willing to cut down anyone who stood between them and what they wanted - with electrical powers at their disposal, no less?

Claria clenched her teeth. Silly, cowardly thoughts. There was no telling when such an opportunity would arise again, and she wasn't about to back away from it so easily. Step by tentative step, she advanced, only for her motions to slow and still. Her luminosity dulled. For all she knew, the armoured Hylian ahead of her could be friendly... but then again, he could also very well not be. And should the latter be the case, what chance did a Zora have against a lightning mage?

Whether or not retreating would have been the best course of action, it was too late now. The mage looked her way. Avoiding notice, especially in the dark, had never been her strong point. On reflex, she reached for the hilt of her sword, ready to defend herself should he go on the offensive, but her hand settled back by her side as she thought better of the gesture - if his intentions were indeed benign, she'd give the wrong impression.

So focused was she on the stranger that she almost failed to notice the rush of swooping wings. She whirled around, raising a fist, sniping a Keese out of the air with a laser just in time. The rest of the flock screeched as they descended in a mass of blazing red eyes, leathery wings and wicked fangs, blotting out the starlight. Claria drew her sword in a wide arc, holding her left arm in front of her, the glow of the fin protruding from it brightening and forming a sturdy shield.

Rule two of traversing the wilderness: Remain vigilant for all threats. Emphasis on all.

[El]

So THAT was the truth of it? Ha! Lucius's raised alarm had been naught but the prelude screech of an altogether different threat - not one of land or sea, but air! The moonlight flickered. Blotted. The cool quiet of the night fizzled, shattering into an increasing bluster of pounding wings. The sword for which a stranger's scaled palm had reached was not - in fact - intended for himself, but for a swarm of leathered rats! And rightly so!

The Zora warrior acted with admirable post-haste, promptly inspiring Lucius to follow suit. At first he could not comprehend why she'd opted instead to use a simple fist, but no sooner had such doubts clouded his judgement did an arc of brilliant light strike right through them. Remarkable! Was this an innate ability or a trained magic?

But tomarhto-tomaytoe, that mattered not.

As the woman unsheathed her sword and shield(?) the Knight was already at her back, a flash of speed with glittering mane and streaking cape landing him neatly in her blindspot: and yet also she in his. Lucius paid her no mind. Instead he raised a hand of his own, a screech of tensed leather and a snarl of his lips announcing loud and clear with a roar of authority:

"BEGONE, FIENDS!!!"

-And so the fireworks erupted.

In one fell swoop a glove backhanded not just one, nor two, nor even three, yet FOUR keese in a singular wide strike. They were not permitted a fall for they exploded right there and then, bursting in pressurised explosions of redhot electric and dark-magenta viscera. And as the rest of the mob attempted to flee?! Hah! Permission revoked. Snapped right out of the air by its screeching throat, Lucius seized one of the flock and set his eyes alight with power. A BOOM of thunder and lightning shook the earth. Nearby wildlife scattered. The sky illuminated in a flash of blinding light. An explosion - abrupt but just as fleeting - blossomed upward and outward: an electrified dome which had initially shielded both he and the Zora for that split-second of a blink, promptly expanding to set alight and decimate the leftover rats in its path. No sooner had it shattered did the blinding light then disappear, fizzling into naught but figments of the night.

Goop pitter-pattered upon the charred greenery at their feet. A stench of burnt skin and seared meat hung thick in the sizzling air. The swirling fog that so often marked the victorious demise of a monster was still fading as Lucius turned back to the stranger behind him.

"My deepest apologies," He promptly bowed, swooping back and away to give her ample personal space. One arm crossed over the insignia at his chest, a humbled frown marred his lowered brow. "-For any concern I may have elicited, yet even more so if I have intruded upon your duties."

...Or... perhaps identifying her as a soldier of the Zora's Domain had been too presumptuous?

Through golden-jade eyelashes Lucius observed her once more - properly this time. He was careful not to allow his gaze to linger, noting only what was needed and quickly. No. She was indeed armoured. Her gait too betrayed a past strife with rigorous training. Yet this was not the standard Zora attire he was accustomed to. Hrmn. A special rank then? Or perhaps simply a freelance warrior.

Lucius pursed his lips. That was none of his concern. Such personal information was irrelevant to the matter at hand.

"Are you unharmed?" The knight instead inquired.

[AmJanky]

It started with a thwap, maybe a squelch, perhaps even a squidge, or a squash.
No, what it really started with was a zap, it then transitioned into the thwap, squidge and squash. The zap combined with a lightshow, not too far away from where he was.

Then something bounced off his head, with a bonus squelch.

"Eye." Was all that he could utter, sounding more like an exclamation of general annoyance than the actual word, his nose scrunching as he saw what bounced and rolled away.
It wasn't that his stomach reeled at the sight of guts - it had at some point, one hardens pretty quickly at such things when it's an almost daily occurrence to be assaulted with, though - but after having to try really hard to ignore bits of crab flying everywhere, one is a little less assured of the sturdiness of one's stomach.

Even so none of that put him above picking up the keese eyeball and putting it into the bag that was flung around his shoulder. The price for them had completely bombed in the last few years, it wasn't worth keeping it to sell, wasn't it that he knew just who would like a thing like that. They'd like the wings too, but sadly - as Collin ventured a look along the Keese corpses - most of them had squelched out of existence.

What else he found amidst the crud of what proved to be a battle were two figures. Neither of them gave the impression that they were in any kind of way friendly at the moment - sword drawn and battle-ready.

One of them for as far as Collin could tell a Hylian. Hot, but extremely unbothered. Long blond locks flowing heroically in the last of his dissipating magic, before he stepped back and took a bow, showing the first sign of peaceful intent.
The Zora - in stark contrast - not exactly looking her hottest, her body-language only slightly betraying that she wasn't as proud and strong as she wanted to be. Not all that odd, firing off such zaps in close proximity to a water-dweller wasn't a really knightly thing to do.

But perhaps he read that wrong seeing as the both of them looked as knights of different disciplines and they were on some sort of joint training. Collin wouldn't even pretend to know the ways of knights, the closest he ever got to armor was when he landed a bucket on a bokoblin's head.

And there he was wondering if he would intrude or not, when he stepped into a particularly loud bit of leftover Keese. He hummed, "Well, that was unfortunate..." Sighing and apologetically waving a hand, "Please. Carry on, I was only following the shooting star. Wouldn't dare intrude"

[LuckyBlackCat]

No sooner had Claria struck down two more Keese with a swing of her sword, the stranger was at her side in a burst of glimmering gold - strangely akin to the trail of the shooting star.

She didn't have time to brace herself for the display. At the lightning blast he sent arcing through the sky, she recoiled, her legs seeming to move of their own accord. The electrical flash, however, was nothing compared to the sizzling dome that exploded outwards around her and the mage with an earth-rumbling thunderclap. The yelp she tried to hold back came out as a low, strangled whimper. A frenzy of sparks danced in every direction, none of which touched her, but the sensation of static froze her in place. With them came that cacophony of crackling, that awful mix of smells - scorched grass, charged air, burning flesh...

And just like that, the dome dispersed, plunging the scene back into relative darkness. Claria blinked, her nictitating membranes drawing back, and willed her locked muscles to move. The fin extension faded as she lowered her arm and sheathed her sword, her limbs shaking just as much as the breath she let out. Now that the quiet had settled back over the scene, she could hear her pulse thudding in her earholes.

He'd assisted her. Not that she'd needed protecting, but... He'd thrown himself into the fray, without hesitation. A ruthless treasure hunter would have taken advantage of her distraction to pursue the star. He posed no threat - not a deliberate one, anyway.

And here she was, acting like a frightened little minnow in front of not just him, but a new arrival. Someone hit with the, uh, aftermath of the battle, his nose wrinkled at the Keese eye that had bounced off of his head with a squishing noise. As his attention turned their way, and the lightning wielder bowed while offering his apology - was her distress that obvious? - Claria squared her shoulders, lips tightening against the ghost pains that prickled across her neck and chest.

"I'm quite alright, thank you." For all the assertion that she forced into her tone, the words held a faint tremor at the edges. "If you could be careful letting loose those thunderbolts every which way in proximity to others, though, that would be highly appreciated. And rest assured that those creatures are nothing I can't handle. I've dealt with plenty of them before."

A squelching crunch of flesh and bone crushed underfoot announced the other Hylian's approach, mild distaste crossing his features as if this wasn't the first time he'd witnessed such a gruesome scenario.

"Please. Carry on, I was only following the shooting star. Wouldn't dare intrude."

Claria's heart sank, that hope she'd dared build up starting to slip away like water over a ledge, just as everything seemed to sooner or later. Even though this newcomer showed no sign of hostile intentions as she scrutinised his stance, it was all too possible that he sought the star as fervently as she did. Was he in need of the money from the sale of such a rare gem? Was he an alchemist or artificer who required it for his crafting? Or did star fragments have cultural significance to him, as it did to her?

The latter appeared to be the case for the lightning mage. Her gaze flicked back to him. The falling star tattoo on his forehead, visible in the soft green glow she cast over his form, left no doubt in her mind that he pursued the same goal. She bit back a sigh - she should have known she'd run into rivals. Seemingly benign ones, at least, but even so... If all three of them equally desired the celestial treasure, how would they settle the matter in a way that was fair for everyone?

She glanced from one to the other. "So it seems we're on the same path. For what purpose do you follow it?"

[El]

Her voice was shaking.

Lucius denied himself the indulgence of curiosity. He kept his head bowed low, his averted gaze polite in its quiet deference. Pride was a common companion amongst the ranks of those he had often associated with, and he felt it now prickle, nettling against his eardrums as her sharp tongue whipped from barbed gratitude to insults, sarcasm and then at last bravado. No. She wasn't injured. She was-... insulted.

An unfortunate error on his part. His immediate leap into action may have dealt with the threat swiftly but he had trampled upon the warrior's pride in the process. Should he have enlisted less power? Should he have left gaps in his offence? Should he have merely brawled with the winged fiends despite the mastery over his own abilities? ...But that would've been inefficient. Wrong. Doing nothing at all would've been an even greater transgression against his programming. Besides, surely she was not susceptible to electricity as much of her kin was, given her blatant skill in wielding it? ...Unless the element of that laser had a different composition.

Troubling.

Lucius was still processing how to deliver his logic without inciting further hostility when another new face entered the fray. Odd. Peace may have begun to settle into the vast land of Hyrule, but it was still unusual to happen across so many strangers at once, in the wilderness, in the dead of night. Even if they were nearby, paths rarely crossed without conscious intent.

"Please. Carry on, I was only following the shooting star. Wouldn't dare intrude."

Confusion cleared. They were on his path. And given his defeated demeanour he had not desired a meeting at all.

"So it seems we're on the same path." The Zora stated herself, voice firm with caution. Despite her soured mood, Lucius smiled slightly as he straightened upright, fond of the strength with which she swiftly took control over the situation. She was still visibly shaken, but that did not deter her from her purpose. He approved of that. "For what purpose do you follow it?"

Momentarily the Knight's gaze flicked towards the Hylian, but it would be discourteous to listen to answers without first offering his own in exchange. "The simple answer-" His attention returned to the Zora soldier, voice and expression warm but respectful, "Would be to 'recharge'. Star Fragments are very effective at restoring my power and expediting repairs."

The Knight paused then, giving his company the chance to process that information before continuing with a wider smile of assurance, "However - as you may well have ascertained yourself, Ma'am - that is not currently a necessary undertaking. I was simply seizing the opportunity while it was present."

Of course the celestial objects held more than just simple, practical value to Lucius, but he deemed emotional sentiments irrelevant to his case. As much as he'd enjoy performing a soliloquy on the subject of the stars, to expound upon all aspects of their power and symbolism, history and beauty, he had quickly come to the conclusion that this Zora would have little patience for it. Not in this moment, at the very least. He would prefer not to aggravate her further.

"Perhaps, instead, I may assist your endeavours?" The knight's vibrant, draconic eyes flashed between both new faces. "Unless of course you would prefer your own company instead."

There was a risk of a fight breaking out.

While Lucius himself had zero intentions of feuding over the fallen treasure, he lacked enough information on the newest individual to accurately ascertain whether he would resort to more violent - or underhanded - means, should the other warrior prove stubborn in her goal. Yet this Zora was a proud sort. (As they often were, in truth.) She would likely wish to resolve the conflict herself. The best course of chivalry was therefore? To offer aid, not force it. Not unless absolutely necessary.

"I am also amenable to acting as an impartial judge, should you both wish to duel over the rights of claiming the star fragment." As was the gentleman's way. It would be far more honourable to air out any disagreements immediately, and in a civil manner.

[AmJanky]

While Collin had missed the actual execution of the Keese, the aftermath too left sparks in the air. The Zora's pride seemed hurt while she scolded the knight for being, well, a knight. And as knights are wont to do he immediately sought to rectify the situation by being helpful.

They were both so serious, but that was soldiery for you.

She carried on in an equally annoyed tone of voice, engaging Collin in the conversation, inquiring why they'd search out the star fragment - as if anything more than valuable and rare could possibly be on the table.

The radiant Hylian played his cards immediately, didn't even try to beat around the bush - so far he proved every bit the straight edge he looked. As if he was programmed to follow a certain code of conduct and honesty no matter what. A thing Collin wouldn't really abide by, if the situation called for it - this chance meeting could turn out to be a lot of fun.

"I gave the shopkeeper crabs-" He stopped after that sentence to find the flaw in it and found the most obvious one to be that Zora didn't have any hair at all, "-the bright eyed variety, he gobbled 'm down like there was no tomorrow. And then - job done - I got lost looking for a pub. But I didn't find much more than winding paths leading me back to where I started."

He had put his hands on his hips and appeared to look back forlornly at the domain. "A lot of holes in the wall, no pub." While they were looking at the back of his head he was trying very hard to hold a stupid giggle at his own stupid joke. The sad sigh he released served the double purpose of emphasizing his supposed sorrow and to steel his face while he turned back to the unlikely duo, "Figured following that star would not be chasing a dream - not in this case, anyway."

The blonde then offered to play referee in a duel - would it come to that.

"Wow." Was all he could remark at the proposition of a duel, those were some old-fashioned values. "For now, we're ill-prepared for that. I'd like to at least know who it would be I'm dueling - and who is the referee." Pure glee was visible in his features - oh, the joys of running with it.

He bowed, "I go by Collin Riot - jack-of-all-trades, master of none. And pray-tell, what is the purpose of your search for the star?"

[LuckyBlackCat]

Recharge? Claria frowned. Of all possible answers, she hadn't expected that, although it stood to reason that such immense power came at a cost. And what did he mean by 'repairs'? "You have a..." Her eyes flicked to the tattoo on the blond Hylian's forehead. "Specific connection with the star fragments, I see?"

In any case, he didn't seem too concerned about the fragment up ahead, or so he said. In true knightly fashion, he suggested a duel between her and the other newcomer, to determine a rightful claimant.

An offer the blue-haired Hylian, Collin, seemed all too happy about, judging by the maniacal grin spreading across his features. Claria fought the urge to roll her eyes, just as she had at his terrible pub joke he appeared to find oh-so-hilarious. "A duel? Only if that's what you want," she replied, looking Collin up and down. He had neither a visible weapon on him, nor the musculature of a trained fighter, but looks could be deceiving. "I have no desire to cause actual harm over this, but if you wish to issue a fair challenge..." She glanced at Lucius, hoping to Hylia she wouldn't regret this. "I accept."

She returned Collin's bow with a curt incline of her head. "Claria Stellamaris. I seek the star because, well... It has a certain signficance to my lineage." She kept her answer purposefully vague. She wasn't about to go into why she sought the recognition it would bring. Still, a small amount of elaboration wouldn't go amiss. "Legends call it a divine trial, but one that must be achieved fairly."

Collin, too, had remained cryptic when it came to his reasons - even more so than she or the knight had. Yet reasons mattered little when it came to an honourable competition. "If you're set on doing this, let's at least get closer to the impact site." She took a step towards the spot where the treasure had struck the earth, keeping her gaze trained on her rival. "Wouldn't want someone else getting to it while we're distracted."

The moon had alread begun its descent. Time was of the essence. "Any terms you wish to agree on?" she asked both Collin and the knight.

[El]

The new gentleman's introduction was... a curious, rambling soliloquy. Lucius felt his decorated brow pucker in strained thought while the stranger moved from crabs to holes and then the chase of dreams, as if there were a commonly accepted thread of connection between this array of subjects which the Knight was ignorant of.

Hmn. Did his logic module need to be updated? Claria hadn't questioned it either. Bright-Eyed Crabs... A pub... Holes in the wall... Dream Chasing...

A gloved hand curled around Lucius's chin. What a perplexing riddle.

Regardless, that was neither hither or thither when the pressing matter of a settling duel returned to current conversation. The knight was not at all taken aback by both individuals' eager - albeit differing in eagerness - acceptance of the idea: it was a given, was it not? It was without a doubt the simplest and most honourable way to resolve all issues.

ALL issues.

But a very valid point was raised by Claria in just how pressing time was in this particular situation. Lucius responded with a curt nod, encouraging this next plan of action, "Rightly so," he concurred. "We should press onwards with due haste! It would be a most futile and premature endeavour to settle upon a victor when the trophy has yet to be claimed." He stepped in-line then with the Zora's advance, the effortless stride nonetheless crisp and precise - trained, disciplined behaviour.

...The dramatic sweeping-SWOOSH of his cape to accent the movement was a little less stoic, admittedly. But then the air always seemed to sparkle when he moved, and a breeze was just as present a companion. In fact even now Lucius had to - gently - brush aside an errant wildflower bloom that intruded upon his vision, subsequently knocking aside a lock of jade-and-ivory hair in the process as he turned upon his heel.

Why did no-one else seem to struggle with this problem? Was Floral-Magnetism a side-effect of his composition?

"My general advice would be for the Terms to ensure an even and fair fight," He elaborated as they marched walked, glancing back at the grinning man who had claimed himself to be a 'Master of None': a humble estimation of his own abilities? Or an accurate self-assessment? He appeared ill-equipped for a traditional duel - unless that cane held a cunning secret? In fact, much of his bearing was in contrast to his opponent: even their family names, Riot and Stellamaris, couldn't have been more discordant.

"Perhaps an unarmed exchange would be the most appropriate course of action?" Lucius proposed to them both. "The first to land three blows, as dictated by patterns of divinity." Three was a holy number. Three dragons. Three realms of depth. Three points of the golden triangle. Courage could win you the first, power could earn you the second, but wisdom would be required to conquer all three strikes. The knight nodded to himself, pleased with this conclusion.

Ah! But first-!

"As for the name of your obliging referee," The 'Hylian' abruptly swooped down onto one knee, hand slicing across his chest in a pristinely-perfect bow. All the while disturbed grass swirled around him in a fragrant spiral, catching the moonlight just so in a manner that illuminated the blades as if they were constellations of stars in their own right. Very slowly they fell. So slowly in fact that they took the entire duration of his introduction to complete their fall. "Lucius, at your service. The Knight's Star. Blademaster and honoured instructor of Hyrule's-..."

É̸͉r̶̙͗ȑ̶̖ȯ̵͈r̵̦͑

Fine lips pressed into a hard line, with a flinch you could see the thoughts race behind his eyes, rushing to find an appropriate substitution as a conclusion of the programmed statement. The army was no more. Amongst the Hylian populace, 'soldier' was an outdated term. The Citadel still laid in ruin and blood continued to stain his estranged Castle. Did any of the faces logged in his database still remain upon this plane, animated and alive with all the mesmerising fluidity of human emotion and its passions...? Or were they now all mere wisps, silhouetted shades of their former selves, or worst yet, a dying flame in the dark. "...honoured instructor of Hyrule's valiant and courageous." Lucius quietly finished, just as the last sparkling shard of grass kissed the earth.

It needed work. But for now it would suffice.

[AmJanky]

Collin had gotten used to often being among the older of the Hylian adventurers he'd join along the way. But with the proposition of the knight to hold a duel, his particular way of articulation and peculiar use of vocabulary, he didn't get the vibe that the Starry Knight could possibly be younger. Or maybe the old soul was an artist, one just never knew with artists. He did mention recharging with the star fragment or something or other. Artists, man...

"Stellamaris... I see." He repeated with thoughtful deliberation. Hardly as selfish a reason to seek one out as simply rare and valuable. But still a reason in the realm of rare and valuable.

Either way, with Zora their age was hard to pinpoint, whichever way a Hylian would look at it.
Collin looked at it this way; a Sheikah's lifespan was already a hard concept to grasp for him, a Zora's overshadowed theirs greatly and would remain unfathomable. They had lifespans at least five times longer than any (not royal) Hylian.
Collin often wondered if there was something in the water, King Sidon had been marinating himself in the domain for well over a hundred years and he still boasted a large fanclub - among Zora as well as the other races of Hyrule. If there truly was something in the water, they kept that fountain of youth very well hidden, perhaps it lay in the star fragments, who knew.

As serious as Miss Stellamaris' search for the star fragment might be, she - in contrast to the presumed artist knight - didn't give off the vibe of being any older, though she very well may be.

"An unarmed exchange?" He then echoed the words of the - as of yet - unnamed referee, "I'm surprised a knight's chivalry would even allow to suggest such an altercation. But if that turns out to be the preferred option.." He shrugged, leaving the question unanswered for now.

He had - at some arbitrary point in life - been told to respect his elders. He hadn't cared then to respect the people telling him to do so, and frankly still would consider things he was told to do as entirely optional.
But there being a fair chance that either of these two could easily best him in the proposed duel - armed or not - he had to skirt the line between not outright stepping on toes or webbed feet and staying somewhere where they'd believe he could - or would - do the same.
That wasn't to say that he in theory couldn't. But for one; he didn't have a sword on him. Well, he did have a sword on him. but therein immediately lay the problem of it still falling apart from something that could have been fixed a while ago. And for two; the suggestion to hit a lady of any sorts in any kind of way just did not sit right with him. As twisted as his morals could appear, even a guard was spared. They shared the desire to not bring one another to bodily harm at least.

The knight's introduction befitted him greatly, but there was a sense of falter to his sudden pause and restarting his sentence, the doubt in how he had to finish almost palpable.
Collin took note of this, perhaps for later, and waited only a respectful amount of time after the introduction's finish to start his careless stride towards the shimmering arrow of light pointing at their shared objective once more.

Claria had made their point of making haste quite clear, before Lucius took his time to be grand and bow even deeper than Collin had even thought to do. Perhaps he ought to make note of how to do as grand an intro for later as well.

For now there was an error to correct.

"You're not stalling for time in an attempt to befuddle us, are you now?" He pursed his lips and slowed beside him to lean only slightly towards the still kneeled knight in passing, "We only have the night, after all."

[LuckyBlackCat]

Striding after the knightly figure, Claria brushed away a few errant flower petals that had carried on the perpetual breeze surrounding him and become lodged in her scale mail. His silver-blond hair swished where he'd swept it aside. An... aesthetically pleasing effect, she couldn't deny, but the traces of sparkles that followed set her on edge. Did all this have something to do with static electricity? Would more vigorous movements set off full-blown sparks, even if he didn't intend to produce such? It took an effort of will not to widen her distance from him. Aside from that reckless display of power earlier, he'd been respectful, and deserved acknowledgement of such.

Still, she couldn't help but find his demeanour confusing, particularly his manner of speaking, and his seeming association with the long-fallen Hylian knighthood. It wasn't so much his gallant bearing, his dramatic gestures, not unlike those of her own King. His antiquated phrasing and values, however, reminded her more of some Zoran elders than Hylians of his apparent age. Even if his pale hair hinted at Sheikahn ancestry, that wouldn't explain it. And as far as she knew, only one knight remained, the Hero of Hyrule. Had others, too, been preserved in stasis to recover from would-be mortal wounds?

For all the questions raised, and for all Collin's surprise at the terms, an unarmed exchange seemed the best option they had. "That sounds reasonable, if you're alright with it," she replied, eyes flicking to Collin. Bare-fisted combat was far from her speciality, her unarmed fighting prowess mostly revolving around her natural light-based abilities, but the basics were still worthwhile to know.

As the trio crested the hill's crags, a distant golden beam stretched into the sky, indicating the prize she and Collin sought. Just a little closer, and it'd be within reach of whichever one earned it. At least, it would be if not for the soldier's abrupt halting of their course to introduce himself with as grand a flourish as possible.

Lucius, the Knight's Star... So he was associated with the knighthood, or so he claimed. Claria tilted her head as he flinched halfway through his introduction, stumbling over his words, that radiant confidence guttering out like, well, a star fragment at dawn. Assuming this wasn't some elaborate ruse to keep her and Collin distracted with a duel while he made off with the treasure, this meant that either he had indeed been held in stasis, had his ageing reversed much like Purah of the Zonai Survey Team... or he was no ordinary Hylian. She noted the unusual hue of his eyes, the vivid yellow starbursts that spread across green, the points reaching orange-red borders.

Did star shards allow him to maintain not just his power, but his youth? Was that what he'd meant by "repairs"?

Regardless, she tapped a flipper against the grass, mindful of the night's course. Collin didn't seem in a rush, keeping up his jokey attitude with a quip about "only" having the night, but she reminded herself that a Hylian's perception of time - at least, one other than Lucius - was different to that of a Zora. Even so, she turned a sharp gaze from Lucius to Collin, then back. "What's left of it, anyway... and if we don't make due haste, it'll pass us by before we know it."

[El]

Alas. He had misstepped.

As his new companions strode on by with words sharp and chastising, they left behind a cold, empty breeze with the sting of their prompt rejection. Alone, he was abandoned, kneeling in the solitude of his blunder. And as the knight indulged in a quiet, forlorn sigh, he lifted his chin to observe the stars' guidance and bask in the gentle rustling of... charred grass. (A knotted bundle of it tumbled on by.)

Should he have passed on the introduction entirely?
Had it truly been unnecessary, nay, WORSE: an obstruction?!

Mortal society was forever a baffling labyrinth to navigate, it seemed.

And why had Collin suggested that an unarmed duel was inappropriate? Had times changed such - the norms shifted and evolved over two ages of calamities - that now drawing blood regardless of the opponent's equipment or abilities was more respectful than its alternative...? Back in Lucius's day there was no chivalry to be earned in using your blade to persecute. You hiked up the hill both ways to the training grounds and back, and had your shins whipped if you unsheathed a weapon without due cause.

Another befuddled sigh.

An errant squirrel approached him then with a pair of bundled nuts and began cracking them open on the steely-greave of his thigh.

The squirrel did not introduce himself. Nay. He simply did what he had intended to do, and in the absence of time wasted on verbal platitudes succeeded in his task with ease.

"Thank you, Sir Fluff."

The diminutive sage did not respond, for he had ascended past such trivialities. It's cute little snout simply sniffed - no doubt satisfied with the passing of his knowledge - and off the creature waddled, freshly-cracked snacks in arms.

Content too with the outcome of his momentary wallowing, Lucius arose and in a dashing swoop of his cape turned sharp to swiftly catch up to the escaping duo. From his earlier vantage point he had assessed that it would take little time to reach the star fragment's crash site - the distance was of no great obstacle. However...

"Are we planning on navigating there via the more well-trodden paths?" The knight queried, a slight pucker to his scorched brow. That route was worn for good reason, and yet it wove through countless rocky outcroppings: secluded tunnels of shadowing stone that obstructed both sight and ease of movement. Such dwellings were the favoured habitats of cowards and monstrosities alike. His internal calculations concluded that an ambush was highly probable.

Yet this was very likely a soldier of the Zora's Domain he was conversing with, and this was her home territory. At this alignment of probable facts, a realisation was formed: any further elaboration on his point of inquiry could easily be misconstrued as slander against her good name and work, perhaps even that of her comrades and kin.

Lips which had parted to voice his guidance were instead promptly sealed shut. She had not pressed down on the D-Pad.

Hrmn.

No matter. He was confident in his ability to dispatch any threat which threatened the group alongside her, if need be. And while Lucius was unable to accurately gauge the true abilities of the blue-haired fellow, the Hylian had a way about him that reminded him of some particularly... elusive soldiers. They often outlived their compatriots.

[AmJanky]

Collin felt a need to look back when he found no clattering of greaves or silent swoosh of cape following suit immediately, nor did he get the tingly feeling of his hair standing on end. It was like goosebumps, but weirder - he sure felt it when he walked past the kneeling knight. Something of a spark, anyway. Blond and a cape, though, there are limits.

"So ..." Collin started, as he walked a few steps backwards to keep an eye on the scene behind them. He and Claria had gotten a pretty good headstart on Lucius for the moment. "You don't know this guy either? He's not an instructor of Zora's valiant and courageous?"

Lucius still sat knelt down where he had been - so still and quiet a squirrel dared enter his space.
A lot of things about the knight were overall odd; the weird speech patterns, the recharging on spacerocks, the whole pomp and circumstance, claiming himself instructor of Hyrule's valiant and courageous... Even with his seemingly unplanned pause, there was a too-much-ness about it, like someone had taken about a dozen knights and balled them all up into one - or stuck them together with static.

Collin had heard and seen some like it before - save for the recharging - it was mostly ex-royal-knight-speak. He'd learned how to hold a blade from people like that - he had then learned how to fight with a pike, how to shoot a bow, held a katana for a brief stint, he'd even taken a brief introduction to boomerangs, twice... How to swing a broadsword had especially not been his thing, the sword had swung him so to say - as had the instructor.
In short Collin had never found a weapon - or teacher - that he had liked enough to stick with. He knew a lot of basics and had forgotten more than half of it for sheer lack of practice, but if need be he could still smack a mop or a paddle upside someone's head with a fair amount of grace.
Either way, what he wielded now had been a gift - the old Sheikahn maker had gotten a pretty good grasp on Collin's personality and what he'd need in a weapon. It was a good weapon, be it pretty precarious in its current state.

Speaking of precariousness in its current state- "I guess I find myself wondering how valid a referee's opinion should be considered, after seeing them having a conversation with a squirrel, is all." Collin managed to squeeze in a doubtful shrug at Claria while he turned back around and before the instructor to Hyrule's finest could get in earshot.



Lucius' following inquiry to stick to the path or not, made Collin painfully aware of something and he appeared thoughtful for a while. The path to the Domain had changed considerably since the upheaval, much of the knowledge Collin had previously had already proved useless to him on the trek up. Paths had gotten washed away, covered in debris or just downright sank into caves. Meaning he was no longer up to speed enough about what would await them if they'd stayed on the path or got off at any point. He had always been the guy to scout ahead, silently taking stock of what awaited his troupe.

Whelp; you live, you better learn fast as all heck.

He took the cane from its resting spot and in the same move jabbed it into a crack within the rock, using it to easily hoist his weight up off the beaten path in one fell step. Standing on this higher vantage point, it took everything in him not to say to the star and beyond!
"Either would work for me." He shrugged.