Metrophanes: Raise the Curtain

Chapter 1: VS Nisha

Aug 22, 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. Think of it like picking your character on the character select screen.

And we’re back from hiatus. How do you like the new intro? I figure that helps people coming in, since I’m aware some people see ‘prologue’ and think it’s some trivial teaser while here you do in fact need to read it. Metrophanes is now our current protagonist and I’m glad to finally raise the curtain on his story, where you’ll get to see more of his dynamic with his grandson who appeared in Hyperion’s story.

Open on Grand Festival Hub

Metrophanes and Hyperion are standing at center screen. With them is Drakon, a talpman child dressed in a white robe similar to Hyperion’s.

Metrophanes: It appears to be time I make my way to the arena, let’s see if the practice with Vulture Shah bore fruit.

Drakon: Good luck granpa. Uncle Hyperion and I will be cheering for you.

Metrophanes: Thank you. Make sure you don’t get too caught up in things.

Metrophanes walks to the left, then stops next to Hyperion.

Metrophanes: Be careful with Drakon, I worry about how he’ll take the crowd’s reaction to me even with our warnings. Or how someone cheering for me will be treated.

Hyperion: I’ll make sure nothing happens. Just focus on your fight.

Metrophanes: Thank you.

Exploration Start

During these segments you can freely walk around the area and play around with your moveset. Metrophanes is one of the more complex characters so you’ll want to take advantage of this time.

Metrophanes’s main gimmick revolves around his puppet Vulture Shah, which will follow you until you use moves that send him out to a different position. You can even meditate to directly control only Vulture Shah.

Played well you can practically turn fights into a two versus one battle, but it can be easy to get lost in the complexity of directing Vulture Shah. Keeping the puppet up close does still have him attack alongside you, so don’t discount that value.

Crucially, Vulture Shah can be attacked and KOed by opponents. He will come back after a short time, but you’ll be deprived of many options during that time.

While you practice, you can also eavesdrop on various people. When you’re done just keep going to the right until you start walking off-screen automatically.

Novice Gossip: I heard that Metrophanes fellow was from Gaiapolis, but the tournament promotions say he’s from somewhere else. Did someone screw up?

Informed Gossip: That’s because he betrayed the city. I hear Gaiapolis would have refused any attendance if they counted Metrophanes as still being from there. And that Metrophanes himself requested to have his homeland listed as some small village.

Puppet Fan: Those puppet plays are quite something. It’s a shame the puppeteer is putting them on hold to fight in the tournament.

Expectant Arena Fan: Honestly I’m just waiting for the tournament to get to the later rounds. The first round is more about getting rid of the weaklings and lame gimmicks than anything else.

Exploration End

Transition to Layered Forest

The stage has two layers to it, the forest floor and the cavern below it. A massive tree rises from the cavern and pierces through the ground, bisecting the top level of the stage. Trees serve as walls on the sides of the top layer of the stage.

In the cavern there is a long main platform where the fighters start, there are no walls, so ring outs can happen. A few platforms on each side help players ascend through holes in the ground (one on each side) to the top layer.

Metrophanes and Nisha stand at the main lower level platform.

Metrophanes: I’m surprised to see you here as a fighter, I heard from Hyperion you were uninterested in such things.

Nisha: He gave me the same impression of you. I’m only competing here as a favor, and to draw attention to my school. And as for your reason?

Metrophanes: I was told by the spirits to come here. Whatever they want to see done, I may as well try to change my reputation while I’m at it.

Nisha: Doing well in a tournament doesn’t occur to me as something that’d ease past misdeeds.

Metrophanes: You don’t know my homeland then. Strength matters, it’s not just that I was a traitor, I was an unsuccessful failure of one. Even if I’m not liked, becoming respected makes me less of a burden on others.

Nisha: Personally, I find you respectable for your skill as an entertainer. Although I don’t have the mind of a warrior, which seems to be what most people have.

Metrophanes: Without martial prowess there’d be no space for the arts. And on that note, talking here won’t resolve our battle. Prepare yourself.

Battle Start

The large size of the stage here will actually work in your favor, as it gives you more space to set up your puppet. You could easily win without getting into the complexities of Metrophanes’s moveset by keeping Vulture Shah with you, but that won’t fly later, so try to get used to it now.

Nisha is a character who also relies mainly on complex set ups, but since this is the first fight you won’t see anything too worrying. Don’t walk under the chandeliers she creates or they’ll fall, destroy them first. Her steel block projectiles are big, but can still be jumped over fairly easily since the AI isn’t advanced enough yet to lure you into anti-airs.

One way to go about the fight is to use Vulture Shah as your dedicated chandelier breaker and baiter, let them fall on him instead if he’s not on low health, that way you’re open to go in before Nisha makes another. Or try to do a pincer approach with the puppet on one side of Nisha and you on the other. Get creative, just don’t forget to actually attack and you’ll win.

Battle End

Metrophanes and Nisha are back to round start positions.

Nisha: That was an interesting fighting style, I’m glad this was my one battle here. But I’d rather-

Speech bubbles of people booing appear all over the screen.

Nisha: Why is the audience so upset?

Metrophanes: Because I won. We can talk later, it’s best I make my exit.

Metrophanes: (Drakon, keep your head down. It’ll take far more than a first round victory to turn things around.)

Chapter END

Note from the Author: Those of you who have read past stories may have noticed I left out describing the super moves. I decided to save those for later in the character stories going forward to try and represent the game becoming more complex as it goes on.

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