Geos: A Modern Fantasy RP

He protected himself from the brunt of the blow, but was still hit, the acid burning him a bit. And yet, he pushed onward. "That's right, more! I can do this all day!" He smiled as the gun transformed once more into a large, two handed blade with glowing runes, inscribed with dragon slaying and magic absorbing qualities (Gram).

Kunrat nodded, slightly impressed. But then he saw the cloaked figure and _knew_. "New Partner?" He said with a sneer, before simply vanishing.

"That wasn't the brightest idea. Now he'll be gunning for you." Zeheris said.

"Alright, fine by me." He sighed and looked around. "He owes me lunch now, he could at least drop some cash... That was the deal. I was serious about that part."

Zeheris almost smirked. That was pretty gutsy. And he'd been right. Asura _was_ skilled with that blade. And transforming like that... Interesting. But he wasn't sure if Asura understood the 'game' he'd just bought into. "That was Kunrat Achen, the Head of the Mafia, you just tried to kill. He's gonna have thousands after you, there will be relentless pursuit, and a price on your head people have killed their own mothers for."

"And I'll cut them down, simple as that. When it comes to martial prowess, I'm pretty high up there. It's actually quite strange. If I pick up a weapon, my body already knows how to use it... I dunno, it's sorta weird." He chuckled. "Do you have Kunrat's address, or one of them? I'm hungry." He stated, his appetite still that of one his age, and he hadn't eaten in the past day and a half. "And it seems he took a liking to you, as well? You guys have a history?"

"It's personal." Zeheris said. He didn't like to remember that night. Kunrat's words were an insult and cutting probe wrapped together. "No, but I do know a place that's cheap with good food." Zeheris said, before blurring away from the scene into an alley. He figured the man would follow, if only to talk some more or learn of the food place.

"I won't dig. But something says it would be... interesting if we were partners. If he hates you that much, but you aren't dead yet, then you have a whole lot of ability, be it magic, weaponry, or both. But God damn he's a coward..." He stopped ranting and sighed. "Sorry, I chatter when I'm annoyed."

"It's alright." Zeheris didn't mind. His partner had chattered too. "I'm good enough. And he is a coward. And paranoid, but with good reason. I _have_ been trying to kill him."

Zeheris found himself remembering... Geoffrey Arcand. His partner and best friend. They'd been classmates in school, best friends since tying for first place in the Iron Dragon Dojo's student tournament. Geoffrey was good in only Iron Heart, though he'd been much more diverse with magic. Geoffrey even had slight psychic ability. Enough to boost himself at any rate. They'd become vigilantes when they tired of the corruption in the city and decided to do something. They'd been 19, arrogant enough to feel that they could change the city in a week. The reality of it was that it took them months to get anywhere, and they'd nearly died several times. But the rush of fighting for something _more_ than themselves, that feeling when they saved an innocent from a tragic fate...

It had gone south 1 year, 8 months, and 14 days ago. Yes, he kept track. Every glance over his shoulder was a reminder that there wasn't anyone at his back. They had gone to investigate a slave trade ring, only their informant had double-crossed them. Instead they found Kunrat and his lieutenants springing a trap. That fight was mostly a blur to him, instinctive reactions to a high-end supernatural fight. He'd finally gotten some breathing room when he saw Geoffrey...

Kunrat had caught him in black tentacles, and before Geoffrey could break free or Zeheris reach them, impaled Geoffrey on stone spikes. Stomach, heart, and brain, there was no coming back. Zeheris literally exploded at Kunrat's look of sadistic pleasure, magical waves bursting all around him. Cold rage filled him, and he escaped into the night with his best friend's body. After placing him carefully into a bed in their hideout, Zeheris had gone to the streets, and shown the city his own message. A drug ring, a casino, and an insurance company, all Kunrat's, burned that night, with a message for every criminal in the ashes. The Guardian of Hope was still here.

"Well we aren't partners, but this guy is a problem for the populace and business.. I'm in." He smiled as he stood upright, pulling out the bullet that had penetrated his shoulder before the wound closed.

Zeheris raised an unseen eyebrow. Asura hadn't used any healing magic like he would have, so... Regeneration. Nifty to have. "Guess allies will do. It would be nice to fight _with_ someone." He'd been working alone since Geoffrey's death. Anyhow, it was time to eat anyway, so... A quick shifting of his clothes and he was wearing a light green suit matching Asura's in style with a light green cloak. "To Elynn's Roadhouse. She's got a good steak and _excellent_ burgers."

His mouth began to water a bit at the thought. "That sounds.. amazing.."

At the bar of Elynn's Roadhouse...

He sat in the roadhouse, nursing his ale and his pride. Taking his time, he had another bite of his burger. If he were to be honest, it was one of the tastiest burgers he'd ever eaten. However, his mood, and his food, was soured by the simple fact that he had an obstacle he didn't know how to get around. Tsukasa didn't like obstacles, for that meant something or someone was in his way... and refused to move. He couldn't get around it. Even worse, he couldn't smash it.

His guild had only himself and a punk rookie kid as non-shadow operatives. He needed someone who could get them some publicity, some fame! How were they to work if no one wanted to hire them? Oh, sure, they could work as a temp agency... but he already ran three of those in his spare time. A fourth one would be boring.
Taking another bite of his burger, he thinks back to how he got stuck in this place....

Tsukasa was on fire. There he stood in the middle of a field, just... being on fire. He looked up. Smoke? Yep. He looked down. Fire? Yep.
.... He screamed, rolling around and patting himself out until the fire was well and fully smothered. Checking his body, his clothes and his gear, it seemed like all the damage was superficial. "Friggin' Ganon..." he mumbled to himself as he wiped the dirt of his sleeves. "I'm never friggin' asking for a teleport from you again. Stupid punk."
When the androgynous chinese man finally quit his moaning and groaning to take a look around him, do a little magic scan of the area.... he was mad. "God, Dammit Ganon! I could understand being dropped on the wrong side of the planet, but this isn't even the right reality! You stupid fuck!" Tsukasa's swearing was always odd, as vulgarity and the inablility to discern whether the swearer is male or female makes people of certain cultural norms... skittish. Unfortunatley, it drew to him a small pack of monsters.

"And look how well that turned out for them," he thought to himself. He wasn't nearly as upset as when he first arrived, but not being able to leave this place proper.... Well, he found his choices of alternate reality travel limited to the Twilight and the places it was connected to. Oh, and Hell. Going to Hell was fun the second time. Not so much the first since he had kinda just been killed, but... well whatever. He just had to make the most of his stay. And so he has... for the past 20 years.

Tsukasa sighed, knowing he'd have to recruit someone for the Helper's Guild soon, or it'd be done for.

He saw Tsukasa and walked over too him, claiming he could 'smell' his experience. He sat next to him with a smile on his face. "Why so glum? A fighter like you should hold his head high be it through Heaven or Hell." He said confidently. "So, what's your specialty? You job hunting too?"

Tsukasa shakes his head, smiling lightly. "This guy seems all right. Hrm... Certainly not weak, if he could tell I'm the real deal..... Well, let's see," he thought.

Tsukasa turned in his stool to face Asura, his right arm leaning on the bar. "Nah, I'm hiring. Tsukasa, Representing the Helper's Guild," he said holding out his left hand to shake. "And you?"

Asura smiled and gave him a strong, firm handshake. "Asura Lufaine. Bodyguard for hire. Expert in physical combat."

"I'm nobody of consequence. Just showing on acquitance a good place to eat for cheap." Zeheris said. Guy in front of Asura was _magical_. Innately. If he was seeing right... Wasn't even from this reality. And heavy magic using, but spread out. And that weapon... Both it and the guy had powerful transmutation. Shapeshifter, if he guessed right. Decent physical skills, but not a match for him or Asura, so go for that in a fight, if it happened. Guy seemed too magic based for a raw magic fight to end in Zeheris's favor.

Tsukasa's eyes sharpen the moment Asura takes his hand, his gaze seemingly piercing and analyzing Asura's very soul. A traditional test of wills between warriors. Even though Tsukasa knew he wouldn't win a straight up fight. This guy... Asura Lufaine. His muscles, is essence... he was literally made for fighting. For Tsukasa to not do this when meeting an experienced warrior would be a grave insult in many societies.

For a single moment, for those who could see magic, there was a small flux in power... it was like watching a dragon stretch its wings. Majestic, awe-inspiring... and scary as hell for those who might be enemies. And that was just an area scanning spell, meant to keep tabs on the surroundings. Everything and everyone Tsukasa's magic could touch within thirty feet... he had just scanned them. For what? From the sharpening of his eyes... probably warriors.

He felt an strange flux and stared, wary. "It's not nice to look without permission.." He stated simply, his invisible blade elongating, still a bit pumped up from his previous fight. His eyes were strong, and for those who could leap realities, it there were hidden aspects of other 'heroes' withen himself. King Arthur, Lancelot, Heracles, Theseus, Alexander the Great, Cu Chulain, Seigfried, even Miyomoto Musashi could be seen in his very soul, their power melding and forming into his own strength.

That little bit sharpened Zeheris's focus even more. How'd this guy get a bit of what felt like... Dragon Magic. _True_ Dragon Magic, the kind dragons got after a _millennia_ of life, where their raw voices were weapons. And that spell... That scanning spell was good enough to pick up on Zeheris's strength, and on his items, even through Oraumbrae. He'd been right. Guy _was_ dangerous with magic.

Tsukasa just smiled and relaxed, now certain that his prepared short and long distance escape routes were still clear. After all, if that mob boss came down on him... well, it'd be annoying, and he didn't really want to deal with annoying right now. Then... Tsukasa laughed. Well, it was more of a chuckle than a laugh, but still.
"Sorry about that. Every guild has its enemies, you know? Have to watch my back, or my buddies might get hit by er... underground 'independents,' if you catch my meaning." Tsukasa was just worried that if these two decided to jump him, he might not get to implement said escape. They were better at close combat than him. That battle of wills? Friggin' Musashi and King Arthur was in there, plus others! Man, sometimes being a being who wasn't supposed to exist could be pretty bitchin'!
"Unfortunately, my dealings with things and people who were never supposed to exist have a pretty hostile track record..." Tsukasa wasn't... overly worried though. Asura looked reasonable... though his buddy might try to start a fight if he started looking questionable. It was time for a little truth... and maybe a little dare.
"Well... since you asked, my specialty is magic, with a little of this and that on the side." He didn't bother to ask for Asura's. Nor for Mister Guardian of Hope's over there....

Zeheris was a master Mage in four disciplines, even if he'd never be able to use the others. A master martial artist with 3 grandmasteries unofficially, that all used ki. A sword with the power of a miniature sun, and a cloak woven of shadows that both hid and revealed. A suit of heavily defensive enchanted clothes, and a handgun that shifted to a shortsword and conjured bullets for infinite ammo. The guy in front of him knew that now. If he connected the dots, Tsukasa would realize he was the city's myth, the hero from the shadows. The Guardian of Hope.

That smug look on Tsukasa's face told Zeheris that Tsukasa _knew_. Damn. Hadn't known either of them a single day, and something only a dozen people, _maybe_, knew had been found out. Asura he'd told himself, since he was that blunt, 'this is who I am' type, and Tsukasa with that scanning spell. "You mean Kunrat Achen, the Head of the Mafia, by underground 'independents'." Zeheris said, not beating around the bush or playing games anymore, no point now that Tsukasa was aware.

Tsukasa frowned. When he spoke it was only a little above a whisper. It didn't sound threatening at all... but the whisperings of Dragon magic were in it. "Yes, I do. However, I ask that you keep up the act for a bit, okay? I don't want my inexperienced guildmates getting killed for being affilated with you. We've got a delicate balance going that we're using to prepare for his next move with, and if he decides to come after us because you know I who you are? Our headquarters is pretty public, but it's not famous at all."
This guy... doesn't seem to be able to play cloak and dagger at all. Still, the Guardian wasn't stupid by any means. He was, after all, a Master Mage in four disciplines. There was no way he couldn't figure that last statement out. That it was easy to find the place and, despite their best, they weren't well known... which meant no one would care if they got wiped out. Most importantly though... Tsukasa gave away that Kunrat had wronged them, but the Helper's Guild hadn't retaliated... yet.

Zeheris nods. He hadn't spoken much above a whisper, so nobody paid attention to them yet. Speaking in whispers attracted attention, and the only reason no one else heard this Tsukasa was the Dragon Magic he'd laced into his words. He was almost certain Asura hadn't heard. Zeheris didn't play cloak and dagger with words. That'd been Geoffrey's thing. Zeheris was the consequence. You did bad things, and he'd catch up to you. Cloak and dagger was literal for him, not verbal.