Second Quest Academy
In a world where the rulers are often determined by war, the concept of power is widespread.
It is power, gained by wealth, knowledge, will, and strength that allows one to shape the land in the way they see fit.
The towns are riddled with thieves and thugs, all with their own ways of surviving through speed, agility, muscle and wit.
The countryside is filled with beasts and monsters of all shapes and sizes; their mood the only thing keeping innocents from being preyed upon.
All over the kingdom, there is a need for power.
This conflict and strife has given rise to a number of extraordinary warriors and magicians.
Adventurers, whose only goal is to succeed in taking from the world what they desire, and leaving their mark in history.
These beings travel the world in search of their own means to seize power.
Some search in order to restore the peace that once reigned.
Some search in order to destroy all that would oppose them.
Some search merely to survive, to retain their own precious things.
And then...
There are some who enjoy the battle.
They live to compete, and fight to gain the strength needed to overcome any opponent.
To start with nothing only to scrape their way up, not aiming for anything less than the top: that is their resolve.
In a world stricken with unrest, they thrive on the opportunity to fight against the very best and most powerful in order to stand among the greatest.
The power they earn is not to become wealthy nor to rule. To fight is their passion. To fight is their reward.
In these harsh times, exceptional circumstances have arisen that will give birth to the mightiest of all existance.
There are individuals aware of this concept, many hoping to reach that point and stand victorious above all others.
A few have resolved themselves to the creation of these great champions, to gather in order to hone their skills.
These people have created a school, a roster of willing disciples who will do whatever it takes to become great.
They will fight, train, teach and learn in order to better themselves, and one day be considered 'legendary'.
They are the students of Second Quest Academy.
~~~
A Brief History of the Academy and Onox Colosseum
The lsland Palace is a solitary isle in Southern Hyrule, with little to decorate it but the palace for which it was known for. This once-lavish temple was often said to be instrumental in the quest of the Legendary Hero, on his journey to finding the Triforce of Courage. After its part was played the ruins served little more than to hide criminals and villains from the world's protectors. There was no land-accessible method to reach the island, and this made it ideal for pirates and thieves to take residence, keeping themselves out of the reach of the local policing. Eventually, over a great deal of time, it became a den for the less reputable characters of Hyrule and hosted all manner of illegal goods and treasures; a paradise of lawlessness. These crowds were unruly and followed no one, causing trouble in what could have become a very rich trading post. A few ambitious rogues saw this opportunity, and the larger of the groups made more permanent structures and bases to control the surrounding areas. The Bloody Scale, Loenthal's Lance, the Skulltula Pirates; all were noted for having an established fort or headquarters on Island Palace. The balance of power was poor, however, and this led to a very brief and violent clash, resulting in the island's control by one group, and in this way, one man: Nivalli Gradius of the Black Skull.
He was a cruel beast, a Moblin horde leader, whose strength allowed him to instll fear and respect in people as far away as Calatia. Even in light of his above-average intelligence, he was a notorious glutton for all the vices of the times, and had no trouble satisfying his desires through force. By devoting the entirety of his military might to the small campaign, he united the island under his sole rule, allowing trade to go through peacefully, protected by the Black Skull. Of course, there was a price to be paid- a small and humble tax on each item sold, on each person residing on the island, and on each bit of rock they set up shop. This "humble" tax on the illegal riches of the South made Gradius richer than the King of Hyrule at one point, allowing a life of luxury unheard of for a non-noble. The Palace became his fortress, and the powers that be did not see fit to take it from him, seeing a chance to keep one less scourge out of Hyrule's populous. He ran many sordid enterprises, which included but was not limited to: prostitution, slavery, assassination, arms dealing, and military training. One particularly notable achievement involved some of the outlying ruins near the northernmost edge of the island. With his impressive wealth and involuntary manpower, he sought to create a monument to his greatness, to his 'rule' as the King of Island Palace. For this purpose a great and mighty arena had been created, one standing over fifteen stories tall. It was built into the side of the island, with tunnels and enclosed caves for the housing of all manner of terrible monsters.
It was known as Onox Colosseum, named for the mythic dragon-like general and the creating force behind the legendary "Flame of Destruction". This colosseum was created for the purpose of staging everything from large-scale fights to executions, with ample space for spectators. Of course, people paid handsomely for the chance to watch these battles, many in which Gradius himself participated. It was famous for its collection of monsters, large and small, and its location overlooking the ocean's shoreline made it a viable attraction to visitors who didn't care for the more lethal parts of the island. The fights went on for a few years without much mention. At one point, it had become at long last apparent that not just any swordsman or thug would satisfy the crowd. Along with the training of soldiers and bodyguards for the Black Skull, there were several schools that were specifically created for the purpose of fighting in this stadium. They trained themselves to survive every battle, to defeat each and every kind of opponent, and do so in the manner that pleased the crowd the most. The most well-documented of these schools, and certainly the most important to history, was the school known as Quest Academy. It was created by a nobleman of Hyrule, under the guise of a common soldier turned criminal. He chose to adopt an arena fighter's name, forever known, even in history as "Lyonel the Red". Tired of his peaceful life, he abandoned his home and escaped to the Island Palace, craving the endless battles and adoration of the masses he had heard so much about. Lyonel quickly found himself fighting for glory within its walls, but had no pull over the course of the matches, nor no way to make his name. He would eventually aspire to creating a team, one he could teach and mold in his own image. Using his own wealth, he created such a team, pulling skilled warriors from many different locations.
It was founded with ten members, only two of which were Hylian. Two each of the races, Goron, Zora, Gerudo, and Rito also were integrated within, making it both uniquely balanced and utterly repulsed by the public. Although all were considered lower-class for being a sort of bloody entertainment for hire, the mixing of races was unheard of. The fledgling group was forced to fight for less, and often fought with unfair disadvantages. Despite this, they rose quickly through the ranks with impressive tactics, mastery of all weaponry, and a passionate code of honor and sportsmanship. They swiftly garnered even more members as well as the long awaited adoration of the spectators. Lyonel's impressive routing of the Stalfos Army, Uron's record-breaking Goron race, Pelimako's surprise proposal to Miala after they slayed the Gleeok; all well-documented by spectators and warriors during Onox's Golden Age.
The Quest Academy was soon noticed by Nivalli, and was promptly challenged by the Black Skull Squad. The Quest Academy was at a great advantage to win, much to the fury of the Moblin leader. The night before the match, an attack was launched on the school, and only eighteen of the roster's fifty-seven remained, six of them founders. The grounds of the school burned down, their armory ransacked; everything lost in a matter of hours. The next day they were soundly decimated by the Squad, the band of savages killing ten of the Academy in the fight. Lyonel the Red himself sustained an debilitating injury to his right arm, making him no longer able to wield a sword. They were promptly thrown in prison and enslaved, which was their fate for the next ten years.
It had become clear that the wicked ruler had been faltering in his power since the Great Wars had started, and his strategic location was being eyed by many a warlord. Nearly the entire island- criminal, trader and traveller alike had been imprisoned and put to work in maintaining the brutal Moblin's lifestyle as King of Island Palace. Any school of battle that did not serve him was imprisoned as slaves or killed, executed by one of the many beasts hidden away in its caves. The colosseum itself housed a number of prisoners to alleviate the overstocked prison. The dissent against Gradius grew stronger, and only needed a single spark to ignite the anger of the people. It happens that Lyonel had been put to work alongside his students and comrades, digging more trenches and building more battlements to protect their master's castle. His own anger at Nivalli's cowardly act of evil, compounded by the fate of so many caused him to lash out at a guard one fateful day, dislodging a crumbling part of the wall and falling into the sea. He was saved by Mermill, a Zora warrior that had been hiding beneath the waters looking to rescue his family from the colosseum. The Zora used a trident and shield to fight his enemies. Needing both hands to use it properly, he lent Lyonel his shield, the only thing the Hylian could still wield skillfully. During the slow and steady conquest of the island, Lyonel soon developed a style of fighting that only required a shield, one shaped and sharpened carefully to be used as a melee weapon, a protective cover, and even a projectile. Upon his reunion with his teammates, they staged a coup and wrestled control of Onox Colosseum from Gradius. It was there Lyonel roused the prisoners and former gladiators into rebelling against the evil oppressor. With only his shield, he stood and spoke to his outnumbered, underequipped forces.
Nivalli Gradius has taken everything from me. He has done the same to you. And yet, here you stand, ready to fight, while he cowers in his castle! His soldiers have died protected him while they themselves were threatned with death! He has forgotten what it means to fight without fear! Though his weapons are many, he still trembles at the thought of our uprising! The only weapon you need in battle is your heart! He claims to have limitless strength! Strength is not muscle! It is not weapons or might! It is courage! It is pride! It is the spirit to fight! No longer will the weak rule over the strong; the powerless over the powerful! Let the fear fall from your bodies and sink into your enemies! On this day, we will conquer all!
Let fortune favor the strong!
In less than six hours after the battle began, it was over. Nearly a third of Nivalli's forces either fled or rebelled upon the sight of the charging forces. Shedding their black armor, many fought alongside them as they stormed the palace. Lyonel himself faced the leader of the Black Skull in his chambers, famously breaking his spear with his shield and ramming him off the balcony into the sea. Upon the news of his defeat, the Island Palace swarmed with chaotic activity, as it once was. The once-hoarded treasures of the isle were taken and its established fortress decimated by the warring peoples, returning it to the rubble it once was. During this time, the invading warlords and generals used the already small resources of the island to exhaustion, and no civillian boats could have survived the trip back.The heroes of the island, Lyonel, Mermill and his comrades, mysteriously disappeared from the island. They were never documented as having sailed back to the mainland, but there are many documents to suggest several of them did. Mermill had returned with his family to Zora's River; his trident's wherabouts are still unknown. Much older and content, Lyonel returned to his own family in Mido. He then documented his stories of the adventures he had, as well as passed down a technique or two through his line. Most of these histories and fighting instructions have survived to this day, although his book on the shield technique, Mermi-Lyo, has been lost to time.
The Island Palace was left to smolder after the war's end, and has no physical recollection of being owned by anyone. The once mighty Onox Colosseum had faded from the pubilc's knowledge, but still stands fully intact near the shores of the island, with some nearby structures still standing or recently built. Eventually, the Island was colonized and established with much more than just outcasts and crooks, but people looking for a new home away from the dangers that the mainland holds. Preferring the occasional pirate and thug to the once-rampant fighting, the Island Palace (known as Palace Island to some of the locals) became a more stable and civil place to live, its inhabitants being mostly fisherman and traders, with a few attempts at large-scale farming on the wet side of the island. The past wildness and barren sands have been replaced with dusty paths and shaded trees, growing sparsely where water can be found. The beasts once locked inside its caves now make residence there, a curious mix of monsters that would not have made it to the Island Palace otherwise. It is for this reason that, even though the rest of the island, including the palace's remains, has returned to its old ways of thug hideouts and random trading berths, the Colosseum is still silent and unpopulated. Near its entrance, in the ashes of the former Quest Academy facility, is a small memorial to the battles fought and warriors lost. The island's guilds have all been forgotten over time, but its greatest, Quest Academy, is remembered through its shrine, containing the names of the old class and their history.
Upon his discovery of this history; of battles for the sake of battles, and the strength of a single person's sprirt, a young warrior saw remarkable similarities in his life and the Academy's. He then decided to revive the ancient ways of these people. In their image, he seeks to collect those who would live to fight and stand above all others; people from many different races that create the strong-willed balance of wisdom, power and courage that made the first Quest Academy the legendary team it was. Having accomplished so much already, these new warriors now strive to go the distance beyond what has already been done. To surpass not only the first Quest, but all who would challenge them in this second age of struggle and combat.
For that reason, this new assembly of fighters has been named the Second Quest Academy.
Code of Conduct
· Above all, you must fight. Challenge oneself with stronger opponents and difficult odds, and make every effort to spare your opponent, that you may fight them again. Anyone can kill a man. It takes a warrior to overcome one.
· You are never too strong to underestimate or disrespect your opponent. Be gracious in defeat, humble in victory.
· It is not enough to simply win. Fight as if the world were watching your every move. Be confident in every action, and leave no regrets in battle.
· The Academy is your pride. Do not put any ideal or person above your teammates, that would force you to choose. The Academy takes no sides; rather, it takes on all sides. To avoid a fight is shameful; make no vows that do so.
· Honor is everything for a warrior. Kill only to survive. Give others a chance to redeem themselves. Fairness and honesty always: a true warrior has nothing to hide from.
· Your comrades are your family. Respect the elders and the young. Protect all, teach all, learn from all: only together will we be victorious. There are no differences, only strengths.
· The discovery of new prospects is always welcome news. Take in the willing, and perhaps even the unwilling. The old must always make way for the new.
· One learns much from defeat, but it should never seem a possibility. No matter the odds, in no fight is the outcome certain, ever. Fight to the end.
· The day you choose not to fight is the day you die. It is for this reason that legends never die.
Rule of Common Rank
The Second Quest Academy has a single leader; the founder of the guild. Although he is alone in this distinction, he holds no position higher than any other member in the Academy. Equality is absolute in the school, as each individual holds as much authority and control as the Guildmaster does. Decisions can be made by anyone, though a majority vote can be placed upon matters affecting the entire Academy. The position of teaching is given to all members upon their inclusion into the Academy. They are also considered students for the full length of their tenure at Second Quest. We are both superiors and subordinates, gaining the benefits of each. It is in this way that the maximum amount of knowledge and skill is increased between members while minimizing the time spent on administrative duties, and creating a stronger bond with the Academy and those who are a part of it.
Final Statement
The sole purpose of the Academy is battle. Although the result of this purpose is expected to create the strongest warriors of all time, this is not the Academy's goal. That fighting is part of life; that it can be the expression of life that only few things can equal to, that is its message. Therefore, the Academy turns away no motive. Those who desire power are welcome. Those who are in search of wisdom are welcome. Those seeking courage, are welcome. However, they will find much more here. To all new students and teachers, welcome to Second Quest Academy.
|
|
.gif){kind=small}
