{Season 1} Rodeo or Die

At first it was blurred heat passing grains of sand. Then there were vultures.    
It was almost over. Then she saved him. Barely able to hold a blade, let alone stand up, he laid until the soothing shadow carried him away.

And then...

Skies hide behind trees, castles behind forests. Towers, mortar, brick and steel. It is a true sight to behold. Civilization was booming, drums and flute played Christmas music... Doo Doo Doo Grandpa Cron.

Finally, landing in Velia, the greatest Port City this side of the Mediah. Contest and conquest, fish or slay. The Rodeo began.

Months of preparing wasn't enough. He had to venture. He had to cross the desert one more time. This time was different. He was prepared. Everything She taught him, everything She instilled, He was ready.

After a long journey they return. The <RodeoCommittee> had been founded.

"Mmm, we need to expand. If we don't we can't reach the world." Kaniso declared.

After time and though he sent Referee and Announcer to Valencia, trade capital. It was easy enough: talk, scout, help and report. If that wasn't on point, 750million silver would be. 

The <RodeoCommittee> is seen with some shady government figures.

Time passed and the pair couldn't do it.
Talk and money aren't enough for the Rich and Powerful. They return to the Velia Office.

The <RodeoCommittee> is seen with more shady figures in Velia.

"Disappointed... Nothing less nothing more. Let's try something else." He sent the group to Barhan Gateway.

On a shady night a Prince stops the pair at Rock Post.

The moon seems to go from wax to wayne then wayne to wax. Talks were enough. Greed was not the issue here. A deal had been struck to promote the pass through Barhan Gateway.

Announcer returns but Referee is to journey on. This time he has 500million silver and some muscle. Two journeymen with enough bronze to make up for the brains.

"YEEE HAAAW!" Kaniso lays the bell and Announcer starts. 

Things are slow so they micromanage. Kaniso stays at Velia and sends Announcer Kamasylvia to try to open trades. 

The Shai Brigade burst through the management door. "A-announcer has been k-killed!" 
In a flash, the seat was empty the Shai Brigade had not moved but he was gone.

Arriving in Grana, Announcer had been killed. It was messy. The stains still showed everything. He arms were not on his shoulders, hands further than that. Leg held foot, but not toes on the foot that missed a leg. It was horrible.

"I'm sorry. Rest in Piece Announcer." He mourned. With declaration ,"I don't know who you are. I don't know where you are. I will find you and I will kill you." And with purpose he finds the ledger.

"You try to bribe my men. You cannot take what is mine, as all are mine." - ***** ******** 

Blood and tares make the signature illegible. 

With no trace to be found Kaniso continues the mission.

Meanwhile, Referee becomes lustful.

"Why do they get to have all of it." Agitated he exclaims, "Announcer gets all the attention. He gets all the fame..."

He continues, "but... but if they are gone, I get it all!"

He explains it to the Journeymen. 

Finally, Grana has struck their terms. They will allow travel and trade pass. In return the Shai Brigade patrol and assist the civilians with non violent duties.

Kaniso returns to the Velia Office and kills some off time in the Rodeo.

Toward the end of the match he is caught by suprise. Three ninjas unconceal only to be disrupted by fellow Champions. 

@ZabuzaBlade [Feiry Angel]s into [Musa's Resolve] and the rest of the team cleans it up as he lays [Crust Crusher]

Connecting the dots he returns to the office and sends a platoon out.

The Shai Brigade catch up to Referee and fill him in. He returns to Velia in a rush forgetting the money.

It is long gone as the journeymen have stolen it.

  
"Referee!" Kaniso exclaims in urgency

Referee is shaken but tries to compose, "Y-yes?" 

"Announcer is dead. RIP" he exhales frustration.  

"Oh, no... They reported that to me." He ponders. He knew there was not enough time for those journeymen to do it.

"You have to announce today, you know the rules now go RO-DAY-OH!" He forces the gesture.

Barely into the broadcast he is removed from the stands. He has no enthusiasm, he complains and stutters. 

Having finished the day, Referee is spotted sneaking out and it seems no less he is following someone. No Shai Brigade to aid him, he leaves toward Barhan Gateway.

Kaniso is forced to host the Rodeo and things slowly become different. There is something not right but it isn't wrong either. Different.

Referee gets lost in Waragon's Nest. "B-back fowl beasts!" He chases away avoiding death and claiming shame. He becomes more different every day. 

Finally in Bashim Base he struggles to strike a deal. They want something else. Fresh tiny hands. He wants Altinova blockaded and shut down transit. 
The deal is struck and boats pulled to water. They sail at night to arrive at Abun by day.

Sun raises and dew shines. Boats land with a powerful platoon shifting the sands and muddying the waters. 

Kaniso sits idle handed but not for long. Cold Draft Beer quenches the thirst and brings up memories. His mother use to feed the hungry. Slaves or penalized, fines or crimes none of that mattered. The hungry are innocent.

"Ah, no use dwelling!" He sets out for the Abandoned Iron Mines.

Referee and the Bashim creep up the hills and through the trees. One of the Bashim scouts smells something.

Two scouts of the Shai Brigade are tending to some dieing flowers.

"H-hey! I found us some friends!" He shakily announces. 

The scouts are alert because of the "friends" seem more like "enemies."

Lulu approaches Referee to get more detailed info and in a sudden gust, she is impaled. Blood splatters on Bashim Chieftin and he orders a chase for the other. But she does not hesitate and is already gone to report the ordeal.

12 Head of the Shai Brigade march over Helms Post and to Mediah Shore.

In cadence, " The skies the trees, the sand and seas! To Mediah Shore we go!"

They rest at Mediah Shore and some swim while others nap.

"No Noo! The cawfee!" The Shai Brigade Captains exclaims.

The coffee is burnt and ruined.

Suddenly the Scout bursts through the door, behind her tears, "They killed Lulu!"

In a calm decisive matter, the captain rings the bell 3 times not twice. All available Shai assemble but something else is going on. A heavy energy fills Velia and the Rodeo becomes enthralled.

--------

Long ago, when he first passed out in the desert he was rescued. This Mature and Wise Shai taught him every principle the Shai Community dedicates to. Every day they help the less fortunate. 

Feeding posts from Calpheon to Altinova. Even at the Iron Mines. But one day she tells him he has to become a man. He has to use what he has become, it is just a portion of who he will be.

And just like that, poof, she is gone and leaves nothing but memories....

-----

Riding to the Abandon Iron Mines, he stumbles across no hostiles. Something is wrong.

Suddenly in Velia and the Rodeo the energy pressure becomes nothing less than a maelstrom. This is not wind this is pure energy. 

The pressure grows heavier and more rampant. Winds of pressure sheer through buildings high and low. Towers crumble, water is forced into points of pressure, not ice just solid water.

"Twoops at arms! We defend OUR Wo-deo!" The Captain commands. But not quickly enough.

In no one direction it expands and demolishes life and inorganic all the same.

And as quickly as it came, it disperses toward Altinova moving with purpose.

The Shai Brigade know something is happening and they can tell it's going toward Altinova. They assemble and move out.

Kaniso feels something strange but it revitalizes him. As he moves through the Abandoned Iron Mines, Referee calls to him, "H-hey!"

Wary of the unusual circumstances he responds, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, n-nothing. I just made a few friends." Referee expelles.

The Bashim Cheiftin emerges from shadow, and torches relight the rest. 
Lulu is tied and bleeding from her wound.

With rage he chases forth. [Projection] pushes the chieftin aside and [Rising Storm] knocks Referee away. 

He grabs Lulu but not quick enough. The chieftin closes in and crosses his path.

"Lulu just wait!" He abruptly [Pouncing Dragon] to follow it with [Blooming Phantom] but is countered before he can commit. 
 
With quickness Kaniso uses [Emergency Escape].

"Haaa, I will have her later!" The cheiftin proclaims.

Those words induce fury. Kaniso charges forth from the shadows, [Dragon Bite] > [Rising Storm] > [Blooming Phantom] and all that remains of the Cheiftin are chunks of what was once whole.

"Now you are next!" He chases to Referee but he dodges to counter attack. 
With quick wits he rolls to the side and attacks to keep up pressure, knowing he is missing.

The energy becomes heavier and more dark. In all the movement Referee becomes less himself and more something else.

The Black Energy consumes his consciousness and the Ethereal Black Spirit now has what is his.

"Haha, you are nothing." The Spirit moves away to converse.

"All your Pathetic Rodeo. All your precious friends. All your precious money, gone!" He continues, "All was mine before it was, at all!" 

Lulu is fading. She knows it. She can feel it. With one clear conscious thought she uses [Rage Transfer] "Please, don't let that thing esca...." and with those final words she is lifeless.

In all the emotion and action it clicks. Lulu's words compound on the Ethereal Black Spirit's.

With a sudden calm, all his Black Spirit Rage radiates. He sees only the Ethereal Black Spirit.

"I'm sorry." Kaniso emits. He chases through The posses Referee and what was once an abdomen is nothing but blank space. The body falls over lifeless but the Ethereal Black Spirit gains form. 

"You cannot stop what you do not control!" The Ethereal Black Spirit proclaims. 

He knows this was the Spirit's doing. He knows he has to end it.

He chases forth once more. [Dragon Bite] follows into [Projection] and all of his Black Spirit Rage pours into the whole movement, then a phenomenon, a cancel. [Tiger Blade] consumes everything he has left. He pierces fourth using [Tiger Blade: Dragon Bite] into infinity and all of the Ethereal Black Spirits form fades but not without voice.

"You cannot stop me. You cannot own me. I took what was mine from your Precious Announcer. I stole what was mine from your Precious Referee. You own nothing!" It continues "but if you dare, venture into the Black Desert. Bring your vermin armies. Bring your spells, your shields, your swords and bows. Bring your Black Spirits. What was once, shall be mine again!"

"Your Black Desert Army is no match for my Red Desert Army!" The voice fades and the challenge is declared. 

Valencia was not rotten, there was something at work the whole time. But the desert... The Black Desert is not as safe as it would have seen. The portals that have been popping up would seem to have a purpose, monsters and Demi Humans came from somewhere. Now it is clear why....

Barely capable of movement he crawls over to Lulu's body and holds her in his arms with rivers of tears drowning them both.

Season 1 End

To continue on point, as I will over time:

In the past in RBF, to have fun a Hardcore Player(worked hard and smart for their GearScore) would get bored and go into a safe zone to kill everyone off.

2 Because they could

1 Because of the Lack of Quality PvP/RBF

However, Trial Characters add a fix to that.

Trial Characters have access to a 550 Base GearScore, a ton of buffs in resistance, AP, DP, Health, Stamina, Cast Speed, Attack Speed, Critical - All through the use of 4 Trial Character Elixir, Perfume, Food Buff and Body Enhancement.

You also gain 4000 Skill points, 1 time Skill Addons and Succession OR Awakened, these 2 are in the form of 2 books.

You start with 100,000 silver. Everything costs 1 silver. The only reason to delete your trial by force is to buy 100,000 items.

However, They CANNOT receive silver. Alternatively, the RBF Rewards goto [Menu] > [Reward] > [Black Spirit's Safe] OR [Challenge] which effectively allows you to claim Dailies and Black Spirit Safe.

This May seem Game Breaking to some, but a Trial Character CANNOT Surpass a Main.

Remember, It's YOUR Rodeo Too!

#B2RBF

Welcome back! I hope you have enjoyed #B2RBF Content so far. Following is a blue print!

We have Access to 3 Trial Characters, you still gain all the rewards except Experience. You claim through [Rewards] or [Challenge]

Now class have access to all Skill Addons! The addons scale in 3 Phases/Tiers depending on the Grade of the skill. A Low Cooldown Skill May have a lower Output, however you can spam it more often!

Now you build PvP Specific builds. Do you want to increase all your evasion, or don't have enough accuracy and are an evasion build?

Do you want to cut their Energy Resources with every skill and maintain defenses or Dots? Each skill can cut it and each skill could cause bleed!

Maybe you are ranged and need to reduce their movement speed?

Maybe you are a Striker or Mystic that needs a lot of movespeed and down smash?

Well champions, I will see you in the Rodeo.

{Season 2} Secret of Growth, Comet Approaches

Minutes pass to hours, days to weeks. The moon travels the cold damp sky, cloudless but heavy. Nothing stretches into everything and it all sucks.

Months of hard work, dedication and travel had been reduced to rot, as flesh becomes food for the rodents and birds. Buildings lay in crumble and houses are scrapyards. 
Families are shattered as most of them are now gone.

What is left of the Shai Brigade have been dispersed for critical aid, Velia being one of them.

"I'll have my," Kaniso chugs down some imported Ale," chance one day."

@Rezxii sits across the table, massive as he is a pile of food covers his silhouette.

"I'm sure you will. "He declares chowing down on a thick cut of Fox Meat.

"Hehe, if you don't think about it, it won't bother you!" A hyper @Epsuna sits side of @Rin_Chan.

"Just don't forget the b.." Epsuna erupts in a belch, flinging food from percussion alone, "...bag." 

"I got the bag, but I'm not going to stop thinking about it." Kaniso stands up to leave the rebuilt Inn.

"Whatever you do, know the Guild has your back." Rin_Chan continues, soothingly, "Have a best day." They giggle a little as they munch down on their meal aside their cohorts.

Kaniso sets off from Velia, instinct guiding while blind rage baits the path.

An ominous figure visits the graves of the few touched by the nefarious Ethereal Black Spirit.

An ever-burning pyre, Announcer's ashes are the catalyst for this monument.

A grave, painted with flowers and vine. The ground is littered with patches of grass, soft to the touch and strong enough to lay on. It's almost a refuge for those lost and without ears to lend their words.

Ribcage lay, spine torn away from pressure. The skull sits around the ribcage. Hip bones have a large upper section sheared off and the tail bone is missing alone with the spine.

Here lay nothing but a spineless traitor.

Each witness recounts a black smoke, not physical in nature. Whispers on the wind and pheromones in the air. 

Each one of them had dirt and grass stains on their knees and hands. Eyes were plump and red, salt stains line their face. None of them were angry, they all felt what happened.

Studying in Calpheon, Kaniso reads a Secret Book of Old Moon. It wasn't cheap and it was even harder to find.

"Ahhh! I have been trying, you can't just stop breathing and still inhale!" He exerts, eyes focus on him.

Trumpets blare and drums bang. Something import or something showing off.

He moves from the Library to the streets.

"Praise the Sun!" chants are heard, as flowers decorate the air, fireworks blossom in the sky.

Couples dance arms wide open, twirling in circles as the Legendary @CinderSun gallops down the street. His helmet on, arms are spread open to the air, "Praise the Sun!"

Disgruntled, "What's all the praise about," he yells at the warrior.

"Ha ha! We have returned from Garmoth's Nest with bounty and Mercenary Tags!" The rattle of the bag is heavy.

Not understanding the hype Kaniso moves on.

A strange light straddles the night sky, it is distant.

Cities all across have posters and notes leading to Garmoth's Nest. The Red Desert Army has set a fortress close enough to deploy infantry.

Kaniso returns to Velia. He has studied the Secret Book and finally mastered his skills.

The city is back in action and things seem normal. He sets off from the dock to the Castle Ruins.

"Fwee Pwee Pwiiate Ooming," a shackled Shai cries to their master Wizard.

"Your lip done hit your chin. Calm down you can go to the bathroom when we get to the dock." Kaniso says.

"Like hell! You are going to stay there and stay quiet!" the pale Wizard declares.

The whole ride flashbacks consume his attention. It's obvious what these mercenaries are here for, silver and prize.

He bursts from the boat and wades to shore. "H-hey! You guys going to stand there and do nothing?" He runs to the guards. 
"You just stand there, we have bigger fish to fry and you just stand there!"

"We have the money!" He thrusts a bag forward and puts it away.

"Sir, you need to relax. This is our job," one of the guards reply. "Just wait in line, with your name on the waitlist."

By this point, everything after the word relax was silent mouth movement. Everything slowed down.

He could still hear the Shai yelling in the background as the boat unloads.

"I am relaxed." Kaniso relaxes his body.

The guard smiles and goes to kindly gesture.

The atmosphere around them becomes still and heavy. Kaniso is no longer breather and time is becoming more fragmented. 
"I'm sorry," is not a sound in this vacuum as Black Spirit Energy quakes up from the earth. Imposed by his rage, everything goes black. He can sense his surroundings but he is not in control. He can hear the slicing of the air, the rumbling left by the percussion. [Projection] lays into [Extra Credit] body parts flop, metal falls onto stone and a sound like rain is heard.

"Pwiiates!" The Shai yells. Cannons bombard the landfall. Booming splinters cobblestone from the Castle Ruins.

"Yaar!" @Capn_Shaibeard slurs to their crew. "Balenos was our home and you let 'er go!"

The Buccaneer aims it's port cannons and bombards any ships at port.

Kaniso snaps to, gasping for breath. His entire being feels like crumpled paper. He is empty now. It is clear what he just did. He just slaughtered two innocent young Guards, they had a family and friends. Now they are gone.

"Ha...Ha Ha.." he continues laughing. "Balenos was your home?" He pauses in thought as the gate gets bombarded, falling debri smash the location an [Emergency Escape] was initiated at.

"If you need a ride back to shore, we are here to rescue you!" The Buccaneer crew mocks as they set off.

"Alright Crew! GG!" The captain declared in routine.

A blade slowly runs along side the neck of the captain, through the steering wheel locking it in place.

"I hear, it's a pirates life for me," Kaniso places a heavy brow, a fire in his eyes and sin in his smile.
>:)

Season 2 End