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. And if you just want other parts of the newsletter you can adjust which segments you receive here.
Last time Walakea ended up meeting with his former apprentice, Keone, right before the tournament started. The first round was a smooth victory for Walakea, but being reminded of his homeland is starting to get at him.
| Prologue/Introduction | | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |
Open on Grand Festival Hub
Walakea is standing off to the side as Nisha and Tetlacatl discuss something.
Tetlacatl: Walakea you look unfocused.
Walakea: Sorry, I was thinking of Hirzen. Meeting Keone has caused me to reminisce about it.
Nisha: You’re free to go there if you wish.
Walakea: No, the time for me to live there has passed.
Tetlacatl: It couldn’t hurt to visit. I would take both of you on a trip to see my homeland if it wasn’t in the process of being ruined.
Walakea: We don’t have the time to wander off with the responsibility we’re taking on now. Besides I’m sure neither of you would like my homeland, we don’t have books and I wouldn’t let you take any with you.
Tetlacatl: And that’s why you’re Nisha’s least favorite husband.
Nisha: That joke isn’t funny.
Walakea and Tetlacatl laugh.
Nisha: Now that you’ve had your fun, if you want to visit your homeland, you may as well do so soon. Time will not wait. You told me your aim with becoming immortal was to become a record of your land’s history, you should watch it up close.
Walakea: I won’t understand it as well now that I’ve been gone. I preserve the history of the Hirzen I know, returning there will only keep things stagnant. My memories are enough, everyone has moments of sadness and regret no matter how resolved they are.
Nisha: Then I won’t argue the issue further. The next round is beginning soon regardless.
Exploration Start
Now is your chance to practice anything that didn’t seem to go well in the last battle. The platforms on your path to the next stage are varied and go high up. It might serve you well for the next battle to practice moving around them before you carry on. And don’t forget to do some eavesdropping.
Bitter Merchant: Those islanders love to talk about their honor, but Brytholm threw that all to the wind when it occupied Hirzen and the other isles did nothing about it. Why is father so insistent on seeing the land of these barbarians?
Perplexed Noble: I thought the stories of Hirzen as a land of no monarchs was nonsense, but apparently they really are true. Rule by popular vote, what a strange way of doing things they have.
Puppet Fan: That Metrophanes has had quite the exciting life, from traitor and would be conqueror to puppeteer. I wish he put on more plays here instead of fighting in the tournament, but I guess it’s just a different kind of performance.
Keep walking and you’ll enter the arena for the next battle.
Exploration End
Transition to Gaiapolis
The stage is a city located within a mountain, with a wide river running through the interior as well. The stage starts in the harbor with a merchant boat serving as a platform, then ascends to the residential area with houses built into the side of the mountain before ending on the peak of the mountain itself, looking out into the desert beneath a cloudless sky and oppressive sun.
Walakea and Metrophanes face each other in the stage’s initial form.
Metrophanes: Well, this is a cruel appearance for the arena to take, the city I can never go back to.
Walakea: Whoever decided on these illusions made some poor choices. I’ll accept if you want to request a different one.
Metrophanes: Thank you, but I can handle this. I’ll take the strength I can from the memories these sights bring to mind.
Battle Start
This is another changing stage, but with more involved transitions between forms. Once the stage starts moving up focus on moving over attacking, though getting in a few hits if you can won’t hurt.
The key to fighting Metrophanes is to always be aware of where his puppet, Vulture Shah, is. Like most puppet master characters Metrophanes wants his puppet on the other side of you for a pincer attack. You can damage Vulture Shah, but he’ll eventually recover even if knocked out.
Still you should try to target Vulture Shah and go on the offensive while he’s out of commission. That is the safer approach to take for this battle.
On the other hand you may want to try and finish this match quickly, as the final summit section of the stage is the worst for you with less room to move. Going all out and not giving Metrophanes the time to even properly set up Vulture Shah can work too, but if you slip up the retaliation can hit hard.
Battle End
The stage is back to its initial state, with Walakea and Metrophanes in their round start positions.
Metrophanes: Despite everything, it was nice to see Gaiapolis again. Congratulations on your victory.
Walakea: Thank you.
Walakea: This is a rather direct question, but if you could return there, would you?
Metrophanes: It would be painful to be a mere guest where I once lived, but if I had the chance to see the real Gaiapolis again I would take it.
Metrophanes: You must have already heard why I can’t go back, I tried to take it over and force it to be what I thought was best for it. But even if I still dislike the current irreverent shah, I still love the city even if it isn’t as I wanted it to be or remember it.
Metrophanes: I assume you’re asking because you are also thinking of your homeland.
Walakea: Yes. You’ve given me things to consider. I wish you well.
Walakea and Metrophanes go their separate ways.
Transition to Grand Festival Hub
Keone is on screen. Walakea walks on screen.
Walakea: Ah, Keone, there you are. We’ve talked about what I’ve done since I left, now I want to hear what you’ve done, how our home fares. Don’t spare any details.
Chapter END
Note from the Author: Going into this project I was surprised by how much fun writing the trio of Walakea, Nisha, and Tetlacatl has been. It has been nice to have another round at writing them after Nisha’s story.
| Prologue/Introduction | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |