Metrophanes: A Frigid Reception

Chapter 3: VS Hákon

Sep 19, 2024

Welcome to Battles Beneath the Stars, a webserial styled like the guide and script of a non existent fighting game. If you’re new to this story, be sure to start at the prologue, from there each character’s story branches into its own version of events, so you won’t need to read anyone else’s story to follow this one.

Open on Grand Festival Arena (Night)

The stands are empty as the simple dirt floor sits under the night time sky.

Metrophanes and Aris are facing each other. Aris summons a ballista that rapidly fires arrows of light at Metrophanes. He’s battered by the assault, but Vulture Shah flies on screen and rams into Aris.

Another Vulture Shah puppet appears next to Metrophanes as he raises his staff. The puppets surround Aris and attack. Metrophanes runs forward and slams his staff down on Aris, more puppets appear to attack him and then fall back.

Aris: I think these moves will definitely give you an edge over Hákon, but they must take a lot out of you.

Metrophanes: I don’t think I’ll be able to manage having more than one puppet out at once for more than a brief period, but hopefully that will be enough to overwhelm Hákon. Now, strike me again.

Aris: Are you sure? If you get too injured practicing you’ll be worse off for the real battle.

Metrophanes: I need to be able to endure his attacks, I won’t be able to dodge all of them.

Aris: It’ll be harder to take a hit if you’re exhausted. It’s getting late, we should rest. You’ll need a clear head to win too.

Metrophanes: One more time.

Aris: I know what they say about arguing with a shaman.

Aris repeats the attack. Metrophanes is still standing after it.

Metrophanes: Neither of us can afford to be as weak as we once were if we want to win for once.

Aris: I’ve had plenty of victories. But I know what you’re talking about. Trying to take over Gaiapolis was a disaster for both of us. Neither of our ambitions came to pass, which was for the best.

Metrophanes: And you’re still chasing yours, while my dream has changed.

Aris: I’m not sure you’ve ever said it outright. But I can guess, to leave behind a legacy that has more to do with entertainment than treachery.

Metrophanes: I’m fine if my puppet plays die with me, so long as I can lessen the burden my reputation will have on Drakon.

Vulture Shah flaps his wings to rise up and pecks Metrophanes.

Metrophanes: That’s strange. You’ve never acted on your own before, I must have truly angered you.

Metrophanes: Please forgive the offense. I’m proud of our performances, but I know they won’t matter for how most remember me. I need to become respected, I need to prove my strength. Can I still rely upon you in battle?

Vulture Shah: Yes.

Vulture Shah descends and becomes motionless.

Aris: That was oddly unnerving to watch.

Metrophanes: It’s not often the spirit of an object speaks so directly. But with how often I’ve made them talk, maybe we should have expected it.

Metrophanes: (I wonder if they’ll reach the point of no longer needing me at all.)

Metrophanes: I’ll see you tomorrow Aris.

Metrophanes walks off-screen.

Transition to Grand Festival Hub (Night)

Exploration Start

That earlier scene was showcasing Metrophanes’s super moves, and now it’s time to talk about them. Understudy On Stage has you briefly control two puppets at once. There’s no way to control them individually, but if you can desync them position wise they can be a short lived menace to the enemy.

Full Ensemble is a much more straightforward move, if the initial staff strike connects you get a powerful follow up. If it becomes too tricky to make use of Understudy then you should just rely on Full Ensemble and making openings for it.

While you play around with these moves, there are other people out late at night for you to eavesdrop on.

Excited Fan: This is the make or break round, things are really going to heat up from here.

Confident Gambler: I’m definitely betting on Hákon this round, he’s too good to lose to gimmicks like that puppet.

Frustrated Fan: The person I wanted to see win already lost, who do I root for now?

Exploration End

Metrophanes: Tomorrow matters almost as much as the grand finals for me. Spirits of this land, please, aid me.

Metrophanes walks off-screen

Transition to Grand Festival Arena (Day)

The arena looks the same as it did in the night, but now the stands are full of people. Some are holding signs, like ‘we hate Metrophanes.’ A wall of ice stands on each side.

Metrophanes and Hákon are standing on opposite ends of the stage.

Hákon: I’m looking forward to this fight, you have a cool way of fighting.

Metrophanes: Oh. Thank you. Your own techniques are impressive as well.

Hákon: Let’s see which one wins this round.

Metrophanes: We will.

Battle Start

Just as you have access to super moves now, so do your enemies. Make sure you keep an eye on Hákon’s meter as well as your own so you know when to start worrying about them.

Hákon is a slow moving fighter capable of short bursts of speedy movement, and his attacks are generally slower yet stronger, some have armor that require multiple hits to interrupt. If you have Vulture Shah with you it’s a lot easier to interrupt those attacks. The safer option is to block and punish.

Of Hákon’s super moves Gale Rush is the one most likely to catch you off guard, this has him rush forward and leap at you to knock you down. If you can see it coming or react, blocking it will give you a large opening. Icy Capture is a single powerful hit he’ll likely only use after comboing into it.

Once you have the meter, Full Ensemble is a great option to pull out when Hákon is stuck recovering from an attack. Alternatively you could go for a more technical approach with Understudy On Stage, have both puppets do the fighting for you or place them in spots where they can harass Hákon.

Expect Vulture Shah to go down and need time to recover, especially if you’re keeping him close to you. From now on enemies will be making more of an effort to target him. When that happens try to go for a more hit and run approach until you get Vulture Shah back.

The stage has a fairly simple mechanic, platforms will vanish and appear according to set patterns, they will start to glow when they’re about to vanish. Use the platforms to help get away from Hákon when he’s too close, but don’t let him catch you on the top most ones, or you might get thrown straight up and out of the arena.

This is definitely a difficulty spike from the last round, but if you can handle this fight you should be prepared for what’s coming next.

Battle End

Speech bubbles of people booing appear all over the screen.

Metrophanes: (They still hate me… but at least now they can’t call me weak.)

Hákon: That was a good fight. Hope you don’t let the booing get to you. I’d love a rematch sometime, and to see some of your performances.

Metrophanes: Thank you.

Metrophanes: (Why does this win feel so… empty.)

Chapter END

Note from the Author: We’re now at the halfway point of this story. Once I thought of the Hákon fight and related motivations the story naturally structured itself with that as a turning point. I also like including bits such as the training scene, there are a lot of tournament dynamics I’d love to delve deeper into.

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