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 Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:25 am
The cathedral was eerily quiet. In preparation for the King's arrival, keeping in mind his desire for solitude and personal communication with the gods, everyone-- priests, monks, sweepers, even the bishop-- had been cleared out, and guards had swept the place. It was only at James' firm insistence that the guards agreed to guard the doors from the outside, and so without a single human body to soak up the sound, his boots clicked across the marbled floor in the emptiness, each heel an echoing cacophony in the high, arching ceilings, accompanied by the quiet, underlying swish of his powder blue cape dragging along the floor.
The young king came to a standstill before the ever-burning flame, which had long since burnt out. The pit from which the flame was meant to rise was surrounded by smooth, sweeping, curved stone, raised above the floor, with guard rails to keep people from approaching it. The pit itself was wide, and blackest black, easily wide enough for a few men to climb down into it, and though James could not see down into it, it gave the impression of incredible depth even from a distance. Along the domed ceiling above the pit, words in a language lost to Learania were inscribed in concentric circles. There were many dissertations among the learned on the meaning of this text, and though most of them agreed that the words would explain both the meaning and the workings of the torch, none had succeeded in decrypting them thus far.
The little king closed his eyes and settled to his knees on a small cushion, resting his forehead against the guardrail.
What do I do? Someone, gods, please, tell me what to do. I cannot help but believe him, but I cannot take him at his word and commit my people to his cause. Gods... I know that I am beyond your reach, but for Ashunera. If I and my foolish actions have not driven you away, if you are there to hear me, and wish to aid me, please. Show me some sign.
He raised his head, blinking. A sort of warm fuzz filled his head, and he pushed himself to his feet, grumbling a little, and then suddenly stumbled dizzily, as if the room had suddenly turned! He righted himself, glad there was no one here to see that, and blushed furiously as he rubbed his face. It felt like his forehead was asleep, which it probably was, since he'd had it pressed to the railing. Stupid. He grumbled, turning around and stomping back toward the great doors, but... he found himself facing the Archbishop's office instead. Certain he had just turned back the way he had come in, he turned to look back, and could see the pews stretching off to his left.
"Strange," he murmured, turning back to look up at the door, and then pushed it open. It unlocked smoothly as it swung open: no nonmagical door in Eyris was locked to the wearer of the Frost Crown.
James mounted the spiral stairs, making his way up several flights-- no wonder the Archbishop was in such good shape for his age, he puffed softly to himself-- until he reached the second door, which though enchanted, opened nonetheless, and its defense charms failed with a soft hiss. Apparently, they were old, and needed renewing. I need to speak to him about that. Paranoid old man could hurt somebody.
He stepped inside-- and stopped.
The room was lavish, spread wide with fine cheeses and wines, soft, warm silks and down packed into and laid over the furniture, and James couldn't help feeling his lip curl. He'd been here before, before the damage and reconstruction-- he was given a full tour, because this cathedral was one of the only buildings that had remained intact since the age of Leander. Before the reconstruction, this office had been simple, adorned with wood and a few pieces of precious silver, but nonetheless the humble office and home of a monk or priest of high rank.
James had been aware that the church was flourishing now, with so many dead to bury and so many people in search of guidance. He had not been aware that the money was lining the Archbishop's pocket, and turned to march down the stairs and order an investigation into the affairs of the church-- when a silk banner hung across one wall caught his eye.
Something had been there, and still angry at the waste of precious money that the church could have used to rebuild neighborhoods, James marched across the room and tore the banner down with his bare hands, balling it up and throwing it to the side.
Behind it was an ancient, well-preserved, carved mural, enchanted to protect the paint, because, he now remembered, it was one of the most important artifacts of ancient times in all of Eyris. Most forgot about it, sequestered here as it was. Lord Zeon surely would have remembered, with time, but...
Here it was. A surprisingly contemporary piece, it was a still life of four people-- three men and one woman-- playing some unusual ball game, all laughing and active. In the middle, having just kicked it, that was Leander himself, of course. One of his closest friends was diving to catch it- Nadalia, the lovely daughter of the plainsman chief, who was not yet his wife. Trent the Lionhearted, whose father ruled the province of Estarcia. Trent himself was one of the early legendary kings of Estarcia which was the first country to form out of the shell of old Learania. In the memory of his friend, it was said, he had attempted to maintain order and keep the people safe by establishing a new capitol and promised to rule until Leander was found; only his own people had accepted this, and of course, Leander was never found alive. Trent was a mere prince here, laughing and chasing after the last man-- from whom Nadalia had just intercepted Leander's pass.
The last man was Amir Khayri I, ruler over the province of Sentria, still young after his father's passing. He was a few years younger than the young king Leander, and the two were inseparable friends. This mix of history and myth was known to any schoolchildren in Learania.
But this mural was not recreated in any book; it could not be done justice.
James stared, letting torn fabric drop out of his fingers, a slow breath rolling out from between his lips.
Amir Khayri I was identical to the young man in the castle who shared his name, and warmth filled James' heart, for here he had a companion, someone who understood his burdens...
Perhaps a lifelong friend.
He took the stairs two, sometimes three at a time as Ashunera smiled and released her hand from his shoulder. No sense in leading him anymore; he knew exactly where he was going.
He almost laughed as he burst out into the sunlight, grinning at the surprised guards. "Come on, then! Let's go, let's go, we've work to do!" It was unusual to see the young king out in the streets these days, busy as he was with administration. Stranger still to see him running through the streets, greeting people, waving, and laughing as his personal guards struggled to keep up, all the way to the castle.
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Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:58 am
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------  As the morning had come, the attendants of the war meeting returned. Rath was among the first to arrive, in hopes that everyone else would soon be there as well. The sooner the big decision could be given by their king, the sooner plans could be formed. As Lord Zeon entered, Rath expected James to be with him, but there was no king in sight. Upon questioning the lord, he told Rath that James had requested some more time alone before he headed to the meeting. Thus, Lord Zeon had just come by himself.
As a light breakfast was being brought out, everyone slowly took their seats and an awkward silence began as they ate. (Minus Songhua, of course, who was trying to entertain everyone now and then with jokes both good and bad). Not long after the food was served, there was a knock on the door, followed by a soldier entering the room and then bowing. "I've brought the Sentrians. Is it time for them to enter?"
Rath looked around at the other crew and then back to the guard. "No. Bring them in anyway." The guard bowed again and left the room. He returned seconds later, holding the door open for the three Sentrian guests. "Please sit." Rath stated, looking at Amir. He allowed a few seconds for the man to take his seat before continuing. "The king will be here, momentarily. We will know how we continue, then."
------------
Vice Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:36 pm
As the guests from Sentria were led in, the doors at the back flew open, and James, his hair only half-combed, looking irritable, marched in. "Blasted Archbishop, wheeling on about protocol and inappropriate investigation... ugh. Tell me there's good-- wait no, I'm the one with good news. Sorry," he added, rubbing his nose and dropping himself unceremoniously into his chair. He was tired; in spite of his exuberant energy in the church this morning, he looked exhausted. It had been his fourth or fifth wind, and he had taken the time to make sure the mural was really there and that he had not just been sleep-drunk.
"I have decided that Learania will be lending its aid to Amir Khayri in restoring the throne to and driving the bandits out of Sentria, so that power may be returned to its currently frightened and oppressed people through their rightful king. As a gesture of friendship, you will be quartered here, in the castle, with my trust and my ear until such time as our available military is mobilized. It's beneficial to all of us, and frankly, I believe that you are who you say you are." He smiled a bit, folding his hands on the table.
"It is an honor to have you in my court, King Khayri." This was an incredible assertion on James' behalf, for he had not even discussed this with Lord Zeon or Duke Rath since making his more recent discovery, but instead simply stood up and bowed deeply, then extended a hand in friendship toward the older royal boy, smiling, and took it firmly to shake. "Now, it's time we considered the strategy of releasing this information to the public. Keeping it quiet could let us take Drake by surprise, especially if his border towns learn of a king before he does," he said, sitting down. "But it would make it very difficult to get together volunteers to march straight into Sentria without it."
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Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:53 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------ Rath lightly sighed to himself as King James gave his decision. This acclaimed Sentrian prince had not even been in their presence for a day, and thus had not earned any sort of trust from Rath. But the King's wish was clear. They would have to proceed and work along with the Sentrian guests.
"In that case..." Rath started, after King James had concluded. "...I may have an ideal compromise."
←«←«←«←«←«←«←«←«←«←« »→»→»→»→»→»→»→»→»→»→
Shortly after the meeting concluded, a gathering was called in the Eyris town square. Everyone around, soldiers, civilians, guild members, all formed around the stage where Rath stood. Behind him, were three unknown people.
"Attention!" he called to the crowd, which gradually grew silent after he spoke. "You may or may not be aware that yesterday and early this morning, a war meeting took place at Eyris castle. In that meeting, we set out to establish our next plan of action." He looked around the crowd. "I am here to tell you.. that we have indeed come to our next move!"
He waited until the crowd quieted again before continuing. "We will be mobilizing our forces to retake Pentheus. And then... we will be bringing the fight to their lands! We will push forward! We will continue until we take down the Bandit King himself!" Rath paused as the crowd began to cheer and allowed them to hush. "However, as you most surely know, we currently sit upon a stalemate. What you do not know... is that Mordache has fixed their sights on Esstarcia, and King Cyric is needed in his own land. Likewise, Chieftain Songhua must report to the Adlian elders. And so, we must use all of our own strength once again."
Rath glanced behind him and then looked back out to the crowd. "The plan we have formed has one essential requirement. We needed a guide. Somebody who knew the Sentrian desert and could lead us to where we need to go. Our previous guide was Captain Deborah, who has been assumed... dead. Because of this, we needed a new guide. And we finally found one. Last night, a mercenary group from Sentria that we hired arrived in Eyris." Rath turned and pointed to the three people standing behind him. "These three, true-born Sentrian mercenaries, who wish to see the tyranny of the Bandit King come to an end, have finally arrived. With their help, we will make our way into Sentria."
He turned back to the crowd. "With these three, I will be heading a small team, separate from our main army, where we will attempt to trump our enemies. We need all the volunteers we can muster. If you intend to help, you have two paths to choose from; go with our main army to Pentheus, or go with mine. If you are to come along with me, you have one day's time to prepare yourself and gather at our northern gate. Do whatever you need to do while you can; supply yourself, say your farewells, whatever it may be. You have twenty-four hours."
Rath then turned and began to leave the stage. He stopped and whispered to the Sentrian mercenaries. "Please remain in the castle until we depart tomorrow..." And without another word, he headed off again, back to the castle. He himself had various things that needed to be done. [This thread is for you guys to make any preparations you need before we head on with the story. Decide what you're going to do, talk to people you want to and whatever. If you don't plan on going anywhere, this may be the only topic you'll be in. And no, you don't literally have one day.] ------------
Vice Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:40 am
 Rajin let out an annoying scoff, arms crossed and tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the gathering in the town square to begin. What was he doing here at the gathering when he had other things to do like working in the Duke’s Head or lazing around in Eyris?
Recently, he met another laguz at a bar after working. The tiger didn’t know laguz well, but the laguz looked like a nice fellow. He chatted with the laguz for few hours, playing card games as well as having lots of drink. Long story short, Rajin found out few days later that he was drafted in some laguz army when he was being drunk. Not liking what had happened, the tiger found the laguz he met and demanded to be off the army. Unfortunately, the laguz informed him that he was simply a soldier and the only people who could help his situation were the commanders: Skrimir and Tibarn.
The tiger was surprised to find out that Skrimir was in Eyris. When did the Gallian King’s nephew arrive? He didn’t know. However, he didn’t want to confront the nephew of Gallian king about his issue. It wasn’t that Rajin disliked him. He was scared and uncomfortable to meet him. After all, this is one of the Gallian royalties. Rajin had heard stories about the Gallian royalties from his father during his time as a Gallian soldier. Not to mention, how father drilled him to treat the Gallian royalties and high commanders respect and honor. Ever since then, even the word about Gallian royalties made him being stiff up and be obedient. So confronting Skrimir was out of the question.
Tibarn, on the other hand, he didn’t know the old buzzard was in charge of the army and that didn’t please the tiger. Rajin disliked the Hawk King as well as the Tibarn disliked him. However, it was either confronting the Hawk King or being in a grumpy mood about being drafted. Not wanting to be in the army, Rajin tried to meet Tibarn several times. However, the answers he received were that the Hawk King was busied with crew business. Damn that bird.
So here he was, after being dragged by one of the laguz soldiers, waiting at the town square to here what was important. On the stage was a nomad. Behind him were three dark-skinned people. It was then that the nomad spoke that the crowd became silent. Rajin listened to what the nomad was talking.
Retaking Pentheus? No thank you. Last time the tiger was there, he was nearly burn as well as receiving bruises. If the bandits decided to burn the city, he would be a dead tiger. So count him out of that.
Now traveling to Sentria, this perked the tiger’s interest. Rajin had traveled Sentria many times for trading business as well as doing treasure hunting for clients. Therefore, he knew Sentria’s land quite well. In addition, unlike Pentheus, Sentria is a huge open-spaced land. So if he ever encountered a magic user using fire, he had plenty of room to evade the attack instead of being closed up with burning walls of death. Perhaps he could be of service to help. Besides, he needed some excuse to ditch the training session.
When the nomad finished his speech, Rajin thought over what he needed to prepare his trip to Sentria. He didn’t need to worry about weapons. Those were beorc’s concern when needing to fight. However, he did need to buy some vulneraries. Sure, he may be able to heal his wounds, but it slowly took time to heal completely. So if he wanted to heal faster and continue fight, he needed healing supplies. Now what else did he need to prepare before going off to Sentria?
Curious of how much gold he had, he pulled out his money pouch. But when he was about to open, he noticed that his gauntlets were getting worn out.
... He wondered if he had enough money to afford a new iron-clad gauntlets, let alone leather.
Well, that was an interesting news Isadora heard. She knew fairly well that they needed to retake Pentheus back as well as driving the Sentrians away. But never would she expect that they would be bringing the fight to Sentria’s land and try to dispose the Bandit King. What drove this decision to move so forward? She was unsure, but better to end the war quicker than continue with the skirmishes and trying to recover while being attacked by Sentrians.
Isadora looked at the three Sentrian mercenaries that stood behind Rath. Although they looked like ordinary mercenaries, she couldn’t help but felt odd about them. The way they stood looked so differently from the mercenaries she had met. Who were these mercenaries? Perhaps she could talk to Rath about them when she had the chance. Right now, she needed to prepare her weapons as well as getting some healing supplies.
She thought about going to Sentria with Rath and the mercenaries; however, the idea about going to the desert didn’t suit her well. If she traveled to Sentria, it would slow down her mobility. She remembered how dreadful it was to travel the Sentrian desert when she was on a rescue mission. She was unsure how Rath would be able to deal with the desert as a horseman. However, Rath being as a nomad gave him the advantage. He had traveled in various areas, meaning he knew how to deal with the desert while the paladin didn’t. Furthermore, he was a long-ranged fighter while Isadora was mostly a melee fighter. The Dame Knight could use javelins and handaxes as her long-ranged weapons, but she could never throw as far as Rath could shoot. In addition, she didn’t like the idea about traveling in the hot desert in armor clothing. She would be roasted pig in a tin can if she traveled under the hot sun, even if wearing light armors. Being cooked up in armor would exhaust her and dehydrated. Not wanting to be a disadvantage for the Sentria team, Isadora decided to help the army retake Pentheus. At least she would be able to fight well on solid ground than on the desert.
With that in mind, she needed to get prepared to help Learanian claim their city back. She was unsure who would lead the army to retake Pentheus. After all, Rath didn’t say who would lead the army to retake Pentheus. Perhaps Tibarn or Vaida leading the army? Well whoever it was, the Dame Knight would fight out once the group headed off to Pentheus.
((Just to let anyone know who want to interact with either Rajin or Isadora, they are both still at the town square.))
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:44 pm
A friendly humming resonated as Songhua stepped into the castle courtyard. With the war meeting finished, it was time for him to head home. "Ah, home..." he muttered, as he took a deep breath. The scent of the courtyard reminded him a little of the plains that he had been away from for so long. Songhua always was one who enjoyed the ability to stop and smell the roses. For what is life, when you cannot enjoy it. What is the point of having a beautiful world, when you cannot stop and truly see all of its wonderful things.
As the chieftain made his way over to the stables to prepare his horse, he grew a smile when he saw who was also over there. "Hail fellow, well met!" he bellowed to Cyric, as he approached. "I am filled with warmth that I caught you before you went on your way, friend. Much time will surely pass until our next meet. My heart would be sad if we had not the chance to bid farewells!" He placed a hand on the king's shoulders. "I confess, I never thought I would live to see myself as friends with an Estarcian king. Your kindness has shocked even myself."
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:58 pm
"Have the preprations been made?" The king asked, hoping his escorts had everything they needed before they all set out back to Estarcia. "If you don't have everything, now would be a good time t---Ow..That's not--My hair! Ronan!" Oddly enough, his horse was either being weird, or playful. Either way, attempting to eat Cyric's hair was not exactly a pleasent thing to be feeling. He turned around, petting his horse on the neck as he rubbed the back of his head. He sighed, tugging on the noseband of the reins. "S'not going to be an easy battle once we get home, think you're prepared for it?" Cyric expected no less of his own personal horse as it gave a proud neigh to his rider. He could only smile as he patted its head.
"Hail fellow, well met!"
The king turned his head, spotting Adlian's chieftan approaching him.
"I am filled with warmth that I caught you before you went on your way, friend. Much time will surely pass until our next meet. My heart would be sad if we had not the chance to bid farewells!"
Honestly, Cyric was a little relieved to have at least see Songhua one last chance before they went their separate ways. Who knows how long the conflict would go. But knowing Mordache, they weren't going to go down so easily. A challenge fitting for the former Captain of Estarcia. He couldn't help but laugh at Songhua's confession, the previous king did keep himself reserve and had nothing to do with the people of this world. A coward at most.
"I thank you, my friend." Clearing his throat before continuing. "Its hard even for me to believe that I have become King. Such a hasty decision made so easily by my friend. However, I have come to accept that and the responsibility that it comes with. Learania has done so much for Estarcia as well as Adliana. Perhaps there will be a time where the three of us can sit down and chat, not about war or battles or any of that."
"Your Majesty" Oh there's a word he's still not used to. Cyric turned his head to the soldier, informing him that everyone was ready to go. He nodded and dismissed him to the others. "Till we meet again then, my friend. Safe travels to you."
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:16 pm
Songhua's lip quivered as Cyric spoke. "Such beautiful words...! Th-that's it! That's it! I am going to hug you! Hwaaaaa!!" Overcome, Songhua quickly wrapped his arms around Cyric, squeezed very tightly, and lifted the king into the air. After releasing Cyric, Songhua stepped back and wiped his eyes. "I yearn for that day, as well. And maybe it will not just be the three of us, but the four of us, what with our new Sentrian friend." he said, lowly, so that others around did not hear it. "A great day to look forward to..." He smiled and then placed a fist over his heart. "And yes, safe travels for you as well, friend. May the spirits guide your path."
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:27 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------ Shortly after Songhua spoke, Rath walked up to the two of them. He looked to Cyric, who he could tell was just about to leave. That was good, he had the longest distance to go and Mordache was not going to wait for him to arrive. Rath nodded to the king out of respect. "I will send a messenger once we have entered into Estarcian territory. It would be nice if we could replenish our supplies and rations on our way to Sentria, if that is okay. Thank you, regardless, for everything you've done thus far." He nodded to the king once more after hearing his reply and then turned to Songhua.
Rath.. was grinning. "...I had hoped to catch you here. I'm glad I managed it."
------------
Vice Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:39 pm
Songhua smiled widely back. "You think I was going to leave without seeing you? Hwa ha ha! Come now, you know me better!" He chuckled some before calming. "...Well, looks like you and our new friends are going to be spending a lot more time together. Oh, irony, how it does love to be humorous at times, hwa ha!" He waved his hand. "Ah, but you will come around. You may not trust them, but they are fine people, that I can tell. You will see."
The chieftain sighed, as he watched Cyric and his men depart. "...Well, I suppose I had better start heading out, as well. Despite this war, I've enjoyed my time in Learania. Though, I am anxious to return to my tribe." He smiled brightly. "I do not know how you adapted so well to this life style, to be honest, ha hwa ha! Ah, but anyhow... just remember, Rath, despite whatever plans the elders make, I will meet you with my tribe behind me at the corner where our three allied nations connect. You will always have my support!"
With his fist over his heart, the traditional greeting and farewell with Adlians, Songhua stood firm before his friend. And then his eyes went soft, his fist dropped and he wrapped his arms securely around his friend. "Whatever lies ahead, we will face it head on, the spirits guiding our way. That is what I believe." He patted Rath on the back and then stepped back. He walked over to his horse and walked it out. Soldiers had saddled it already and was ready to go. After mounting, Songhua looked back to Rath. "See you in a couple days!" He nudged his horse, who began trotting forward. "Remember, the spirits are with you! Just open your heart! Farewell..!" He then entered a gallop as he headed towards the gate and began his ride back to Adliana.
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:48 pm
"You ask why do I not talk much?"_______←« _____ ←« ____ ←« ___ ←« __ ←« _____"...Because there is nothing to say."Rath
------------ Rath waved to Songhua as he rode off. "See you later... my friend. And thank you, for everything." His hand slowly dropped as he sighed and turned around, a smile still on his face. He then looked up at a soldier and quickly donned his usual serious expression before telling the man to carry on with his work.
With personal matters out of the way, Rath had other things to do. First, he needed to head inside the castle for a few minor tasks, and then he had to head out for business. Time was ticking and things had to get done. Nuisances would just have to get out of his way.
------------
Vice Captain "The future remains most uncertain, Nino."_____
»→ __»→ ___»→ ____»→ _____»→_______ "...But if this is your wish, then so it shall be."
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:11 pm
~Valor is the contempt of death and pain.~Wallace Wallace was listening to Rath's speech in the square at the mention of a small team he was reminded of his time with Lyndis' Legion and with the Lord's Eliwood and Hector. He immediately wished he could join the small group going into Sentria, however he knew he had his duties with the Guard to command the troops he had trained during the past year since he had appeared in Learania and joined the Guard. He did not know what role he'd have in the campaign other than the fact that he would most likely be commanding troops in the assault on this Pentheus town.
Wallce sized up the three mercenaries in his mind and thought something was off about them. He had seen a good number of mercenaries in his time as a soldier, both fighting with and against them. These mercenaries certainly looked the part as far as their clothing went but their posture seemed off, it seemed too disciplined for mercenaries.
After Rath had finished the speech Wallace began walking towards the Guard barracks when he saw a familiar face whom he had not seen in a long time. "Dame Knight! Lady Isadora! I haven't seen you since the war. How have you been and how long have you been in Learania?" He jogged forward to catch up to Isadora and bowed his head respectfully to the Paladin.~So, I'm to die in battle, am I? I regret nothing! Ha ha ha...ha ha...~
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:15 am
Ignis Draconis sum. Thema fabulae, thema apologi.c** igne sacrō, Flametongue, (prō amicīs pugnō) prō pace volō. Miliibus annīs supervivē, cicatricēs temporis possideō.
Mirate corpus meum, pinnās meās, ignem meum! Fire Dragon Hmmmmm
FD cared about the home he had created with Nils in Eyris. They had family here, and friends; don’t misunderstand. Things were certainly better for FD and Nils in Learania then they would be in Scouring-scarred Elibe as far as openly being a dragon went. And hadn’t he already proven this time and time again already? Had the dragon not defended and fought for this country time and time again, all the freakish occurrences it had gone through, which undoubtedly amounted to more than you might encounter in any other world anyone living in Learania might have come from? Even with this ongoing war with Sentria and Mordache, FD had come to the defense of his and Nils’ new home. It wasn’t even that long ago he finally fully recovered from his injuries from the siege of Eyris, itself.
Still…
FD couldn’t help but thinking as of late that maybe Eyris, or the country of Learania for that matter, wasn’t the place for them. All the chaos that seemingly constantly ensnared Eyris was not good for Nils’s health. And the longer such things continued to go on, presumably the worse Nils might get. And that was unacceptable.
Besides, there was also the fact that the political climate had still quite recently been completely transformed. Although since Rogvald had been dealt with nothing outrageous had happened, FD still did not care for that boy-King, who, influenced or not, had banned dragons from cities just upon coming into power. Any leader in power that easily influenced to make such outright-bullshit decisions and laws must necessarily be a poor leader, FD suspected. Said rise to power of King James also meant less influence from the guild over government, which would translate into their particular needs being of comparative less import. Things seemed to be stable for now, and given the ties he and Nils had to others, the dragon had thus far ambivalently remained, assisting in reconstruction and performing his duties as a Host. And admittedly, funding for the Host Club had significantly increased. Spirits needed lifting more so than ever before in such trying times.
So what if the Fire Dragon had thoughts of leaving this newfound home behind? And really, should it even come as a surprise, given the history of a dragon from Elibe – especially one who winds up in Learania such as FD? You go through the Dragon’s Gate to find a home after the Scouring, wind up in Elibe again, go through the Dragon’s Gate again, then wind up in Learania. Change is inevitable; the longer one lives, the more they can acclaim the truth of this statement. And FD had lived longer than just about anyone he knew. How long would Learania last anyway, in the grand scale of things? Presuming his own life or that of his beloved husband Nils don’t get cut short, it wasn’t exactly outrageous to toy with the possibility that they may well outlive this country in the bigger picture anyway. Why not beat the country to that point and leave for whatever happens to be most suitable for he and Nils at the time?
Such were the nature of the thoughts that had been assailing the dragon recently. Yet he knew he and Nils couldn’t just leave the life they had built together in Learania, and he’d justified staying before on the reality that Ninian, Roy, Mel, their family and friends, guildmembers, fellow hosts, and others all lived here. They were all worth defending, worth fighting for, worth being around. But Nils comes first, always. And if leaving would be better for Nils in the long run, then surely that should be what they do. With things changing the way they were, and Nils not being in the best health as a result, the case to forsake their home was more convincing than it had ever been before, and FD was being torn apart internally by this debate with himself about what would be best to do constantly as of late. It wasn’t a simple matter. The longer the Fire Dragon wrestled with it in the confines of his mind, the further away he seemed to get from helping Nils in the present; unacceptable. He needed to determine a new resolve soon, for Nils’ sake if not his own.
So now they were pushing into Sentria itself during the war and planning on retaking Pentheus. FD had remained silent through the entirety of Rath’s address, mulling over what he ought to do.
Deserts – they had a certain mystique about them, but in that mystique, a certain wisdom and allure, even if sometimes dangerous, as well. FD recalled the last time he went to the Sentrian deserts on behalf of the Guild and the tremendous magics that had been worked; a giant Cerberus demon enemy, meteors from the sky in incandescent, hellish glory. He also drew upon the stories he had heard from Ninian and Nils of Arcadia back in the Nabata desert. The only place in modern Elibe man- and dragonkind lived together harmoniously, a beautiful remnant-sliver of a time in his original world that knew true peace. He longed to have seen such a place in Elibe after the Scouring.
Indeed, deserts can offer great rewards of wisdom and wonder if one is fortunate enough to encounter them. Perhaps a trip to Sentria would be exactly what FD needed to find the resolve he so desperately longed to secure in the grasp of his psyche. Who knows, the dragon mused, perhaps he'd happen upon a Learanian equivalent to Arcadia.
Thus, the dragon had decided: he would travel to assist in Sentria. It wasn’t so much a matter of contributing or not; FD could contribute to whatever purpose he chose. This would be just as much a road taken for personal reasons as it was to help in the war efforts. And he obviously would be a tremendous help; The Fire Dragon had such tremendous sheer firepower, puns ignored, and could travel largely unnoticed thanks to his human substitute form until such destruction he was capable of would be of use.
Whatever would happen in Sentria, whatever the deal was with these Sentrian natives (FD looked forward to being in their company more for their greater knowledge of the ever-fascinating desert than anything else), whatever would happen to the Guild, FD promised himself that when he returned, he would have determined what to do from there with the weight of the existential crisis he was carrying.
This in mind, FD left to return to his husband and make the appropriate arrangements for this endeavor as quiet as he was during the address. Socializing could wait for the trip itself. No doubt, there would be some from this crowd whom he would be in the company of in just a day.
Oh gosh... And this is why I won Master of the TL biggrin R Post for the FEF Awards. sweatdrop To summarize: FD's going to Sentria, isn't available for socializing, and will be confronting a sort of existential crisis regarding his place in this world and what he believes to be best for him and Nils.
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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:41 pm
Rahkain Grimword-Ranger and seller of the odd this and that.
Rahkain had packed up his store for the day because there was a commotion in the town square. He took his large bag of skins and trinkets and trudged to the town square to see what all the fuss was about.
Always something going on here, isn't there. Usually something bad, he thought to himself as he wiggled his way past people.
"Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry. Don't mind me."
He didn't know how long it had been since he had come to Eyris from Mordache. Still, only a handful of people knew of his heritage, as Mordache continues to cause problems even now...
But he liked Eyris now. It had become a part of him. The work was good, the people were in good shape financially and there was always something interesting going on.
The best part was, not everything tries to kill him now. Which is why, perhaps, he felt comfortable enough to make such a mistake as sneaking up on a familiar Laguz standing in the crowd, looking through a pouch that was probably supposed to contain money. And probably didn't.
There was a man up front who had been talking before. He recognized him as Rath. Rahkain had never spoken to the man, but did remember once carrying him back to the manor during a battle, as well as taking care of his daughter. Pretty little thing named Sue, he recalled.
As he came up behind Rajin, he set his backpack down with a thump and reached out his hand, placing it on the shoulder of the beast-man. "What's up," he called in a friendly voice.
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:25 am
Rajin counted how much he had in his money pouch, trying to figure out the total price about what he needed for the journey. Okay, if I want to have four vulneraries, I have to settle for leather gauntlets. But if I want the iron gauntlets, that will be two vulneraries. Hmm... Which to choose? Rajin thought. Suddenly, he caught his attention when he took a whiff of air. Why am I smelling dead animal skins?
Suddenly, he heard a thump behind him, followed by something clasping on his shoulder. When he turned his head around, he was greeted by a familiar beorc he visited several times when he came to his shop.
"Rahkain, how are you doing?" Rajin smiled back as he turned around. He didn't expect he would run into the Ranger in this meeting. The tiger thought that Rahkain would be busied, selling his items to customers at this time. Perhaps he came to see what was the commotion in the town square.
"So did you hear the news?" Rajin questioned. "Learania is readied to end Sentria's force. They're planning to split the force into two: one to retake Pentheus and the other moving its force into Sentria's territory. I'm planning on heading to Sentria to help the force.Just to get away from the laguz army for a while." Rajin muttered so low on the last sentence, it was hard for the beorc to hear so well. "So what about you, Rahkain? What are your plans while Learania is ready to trump Sentria? If you're planning to come with me, that would be great. I just need to buy some supplies before heading off."
It was then he noticed Rahkain's large backpack next to the Ranger. "Is that your backpack? Looks like you've already packed up and ready to leave."
Just then, a thought occur to him. "Hey, you don't happen to have some vulneraries and maybe an iron gauntlets on you, right?"
If the Mordachean did, that would be great. Hopefully, Rahkain was selling on less price than what the shops' price were.
Just as the paladin was about to leave, she heard someone shouting out to her. Turning her attention to who was calling her, she saw a familiar face that she didn't expect to see in this world.
"Sir Wallace. How nice to see you again." Isadora greeted with a warmly smile. "I never thought I would see you in this town; nonetheless, this world at all."
It felt so nice to see familiar faces from Elibe. It made her feel that she was back in her own home world. Of course, meeting new faces from different world wasn't bad at all.
"I'm been doing quite well, Sir Wallace." The Dame Knight replied. "I just needed to be prepared for the war we're about to enter. I'm planning on helping Learania retaking Pentheus. As for how long have I been in Learania, quite long enough. Perhaps few years before the war begin. What about you? How long have you've been in Learania. From what I heard about you lately, you joined the Guard. I hope Vaida didn't give you much trouble."
And hopefully not causing burdens on the soldiers with your manual. She thought to herself. If there was something she admired from Sir Wallace, it would be his determination and his loyalty. She even heard stories of how the general remained loyal to Lyn's grandfather and his country, despite that he was fighting his own country and people. Oh, if only she had the same determination as he was.
Looking back at the now empty stage where Rath and the Sentrian mercenaries stood, Isadora let out a sigh. "I wish I can talk to Rath about those mercenaries he hired. There is something odd about them. I just put my finger onto it. However, I don't think Rath will give out the important information out, even to a former crewmember such as myself."
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