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 Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:33 am
"Nometal... they couldn't be related, right?" Sue asked him. It would just be too creepy if the King's lover was Nino's ancestor or something. She did hear it mentioned how Nino was actually part of the bloodline of Etrurian mages... nobility.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:35 am
"Well, I am not sure. I am taking a logical guess that Nino looks like someone he loved."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:35 am
"Ah, the tactician joins us." Victoria mused, shifting her gaze to the Younger Soren before giving attention to the rest of those in the strategy conference. "So far, we have come up with many conclusions. There are two foes. They're not working together... and one of them is able to summon monsters to fight. What can you work with, young mage?" she asked Soren.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:37 am
Sue listened intently on what the strategist was to say, because he, like many other tacticians was right about guessing the situation and what to do as a result. The nomad continued to converse with her cavalier colleague, Nometal, however. "It means one good thing at least... he's not going to harm her."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:40 am
"I wonder what Rath would have done if he knew of this?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:41 am
"He'd do what he always does." Sue shrugged. "He'd shoot him..."
{I gotta go for now... see ya guys later.}
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:46 am
"Wait! Wait, damn..." And he was gone already. Anna growled, then limped her way over to the door and pushed it open again. "Stupid mage. He's going out on the front lines next playthrough." She made her way over to the stairs, then looked at them in dismay. How was she supposed to get down them? Well, she might as well try. Clinging tightly onto the railing, she started down shakily, but then lost her grip and fell. Again. She tumbled all the way down, barely managing to avoid hitting her head on the floor at the end, and didn't bother getting up. This was humilliating! But she was angrier now than she was hurt. "SOREN!"
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:51 am
Soren stared around the main room, his skin noticeably a paler, more bluish tinge than before. Everyone else seemed abnormally quiet and only a few were participating in the strategy conference. Perhaps some of them were merely using their ears rather than their voices. He listened to the details Victoria had to offer, then nodded and quickly shifted back through his memory.
"Two foes. I would not doubt it. There was the self-proclaimed King who abducted Nino — the man who erected a pillar of ice right at the gates of the castle, and possibly the man who purged everything within the castle with lethal ice magic. He may as well be behind the blizzard."
The recollection of that heart-wrenching chill hung over the mage.
"As for the second foe — "
"SOREN!"
Oops.
Soren stood there in a slight daze, a grim wince across his face, and then he backed out of the room. "Um, excuse me."
How clumsy of him! He was so certain she could follow just fine that he'd forgotten about her mishap in the hallway. Soren dashed to the bottom of the stairs with many incoherent apologies, kneeling down to give the girl a hand.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:52 am
+It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
`Toys in every store.
`But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be.
+On your own front door.「 Stretching stiff joints, and working slowly at muscles that had been stuck in a rather unfortunate position since the day before, the older of the branded sages opened bleary crimson eyes, peering about him. Seems I fell asleep waiting for that Knight... Frowning at his incompetance, the boy forces himself to his feet, brushing at his robes and making a face at the mess his hair had become. Removing the tie from his inky black tresses, the sage began to run his fingers through his hair as he entered the kitchen. 」
「 Scrounging up a small crusty roll, the boy begins to chew, his thoughts wandering. Where is everyone...It seems quieter than it should. Taking his roll with him, the sage exited the kitchen, making his way around the Fefga house, hoping to find where everyone had gone to. 」
「 Stumbling awkwardly into the strategy meeting with a roll hanging from his mouth, the boy's face flushed a bright pink. Of course he'd make a fool out of himself just as he awoke. More importantly, the tactician in him yearned to learn more of the recent events. Why is that blizzard still raging? It should have died out by now... 」
「 "Excuse the interruption. I'm afraid I've missed a lot. What has happened?" The boy slipped his roll into a fold of his robes, saving it for later. For now, he'd need to concentrate on more important matters. 」 ¡`It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
`Soon the bells will start.
`And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing.
¡`Right within your heart.`¡
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:58 am
Anna glared up at Soren from a kind of awkward angle, one hand holding her skirt down. After a second, she grabbed his hand to pull herself up, then reached out and whacked him in the head. "That hurt!" she exclaimed. "I fell down every one of those stairs! Now, gimme that!" With a quick motion, she reached out and grabbed the staff from his back, using it to support herself. "There. Now this isn't going to run off on me." She started moving towards the front room, then looked back at Soren. "Well, what are you waiting for? They can't do planning without tacticians."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:03 am
+It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
`Toys in every store.
`But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be.
+On your own front door.「 The boy peered out at the commotion, eyeing the younger incarnation of himself, as he was chastised by the owner of the Secret Shops. "Ahh...Soren...?" Wincing at how odd that sounded, the sage continued, "What are the tacticians needed for? What has happened?" 」 ¡`It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
`Soon the bells will start.
`And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing.
¡`Right within your heart.`¡
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:17 am
The younger tactician stared at Anna almost dumbfoundedly. If that was the worst reprimand she would give him, then he might not have been spouting so many unintelligible apologies before she'd whacked him in the head. Soren frowned the slightest frown, then he nodded and glided into the room, though he kept a somewhat slow pace in case Anna had to use his arm or something of the sort.
Upon re-entering the room, he took notice of an all-too-familiar figure. "Master Sage," he addressed, bowing his head slightly to his older self. Then he paused to stare at the odd assortment of robes that he'd worn. The younger tactician remained silent momentarily, attempting to find words, but when he glanced down at his own bloodstained white robes he decided not to make a remark.
"...Right. You need a recap?
"Not too long ago, the castle was assaulted by a band of demons from the continent of Magvel. If I recall correctly from the documents, they were a band of beast-like creatures known as Mauthe Doogs, their leader an aptly-named Cerberus. I had no weapon — I could not fight. Those such as Sue, Amelia, Aran, Nometal, Rhys... They were engaged with the creatures.
"Meanwhile, a stranger dressed like a king dashed into the battlefield. Nino had been with us, defending the castle. The next thing we knew he'd taken Nino into his arms as though cradling her. He created a pillar of ice right from the very earth, allowing it to stand as a monument above everything beneath him. He indeed proclaimed himself a king.
"The man vanished with Nino and the ice monument collapsed. I believe it still blocks the entrance to the castle, and what with the blizzard... Well, that's a bit out of order."
The tactician took a breath.
"Myself, I was attacked by three of the beasts. I was completely unarmed and had to work with the draperies hanging off of the walls. Father Renault saved me." He nodded in the bishop's general direction.
"And then the aforementioned 'second foe' made its appearance. Father Renault suffered some sort of seizure from its presence, as did Rhys. I certainly sensed it — or rather, felt a void of any life energy nearby — but it was nowhere to be seen. When the mauthe doogs were cleared out, demons known as Mogalls made their arrival. Father Renault and I teleported into the castle to scrounge around for vulneraries. Immediately after we had them applied, a chill gripped the castle, and one of the priests shouted of coming death. The priest had opened a vortex through which we could escape, and as we fled we witnessed veins of ice creeping through the walls."
He brushed lightly at his bangs. "Then this blizzard came."
"I understand the theory of the two figures. As a matter of fact, I agree, having seen the self-proclaimed king and sensed the unseen figure. I also agree that they do not appear to be associated with one another.
"For one, we were attacked by creatures classified as the undead, while our 'king' seemed to possess powers associated with the essence of winter. I see no connection between the two, and the unseen presence had come with the demons that attacked the castle. For another, if they had been associated, the blizzard would either not have carelessly wiped out the demon reinforcements, or it would have been the first to strike.
"Our first concern is not the king nor the invisible presence. Our first concern is the blizzard. Nature. We need food, warmth, supplies. The castle is occupied by someone else now. We can't rush such a powerful foe out of desperation."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:32 am
"Yeah you are right...and something gives me a feeling that Rath knows of this."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:36 am
+It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
`Toys in every store.
`But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be.
+On your own front door.「 The mind of a tactician is a curious thing. As the boy stood facing himself, he remained transfixed to the spot, entranced by the younger boy's words. His mind worked at a mile a minute, mulling over each new piece of information with inscrutiable speed. Crimson eyes narrowed in deep concentration, the sage nodded as the younger mage wrapped up his explaination. So we're under seige, or may as well treat the situation as such. 」
「 Glancing behind the mage, the dark haired sage took in the sight of Anna. She was a bright girl, that much he knew. She was well informed in many areas of military strategies. Not a tactician herself, perhaps, but as close as was necessary. They could use her. She also had experience running a shop. That would come in handy very soon. "Soren. Has anyone taken inventory of our current supplies? Food, clean water, vulneraries, staves, tomes, bows, lances, swords, axes...? Any promotion items, status affecting items, items with special effects? Who among us can fight, and what are their strengths?" 」 ¡`It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
`Soon the bells will start.
`And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing.
¡`Right within your heart.`¡
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:41 am
Alihi blinked in confusion as Aidan was tackled to the ground by Lance. She stumbled a bit, for the other tactician was holding on to her, but she managed to keep on her feet.
"... Uhm... I'll just leave you two alone for now..."
She turned around and walked towards the main area, luckily catching the beginning of the younger Soren's explaination and not the end. She listened quietly and decided not to comment until he was finished.
The female tactician found nothing to say.
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