Saturday 24 August 2013

Messiah 3 : Premarital_Arguments

K : "I'm... 13 already?!"
Ro : "He's 13 already?"

The two gawked at the astounding fact.

Ri : "Yes, you are. Do you not believe me?"

K : "I... The... This... This is so sudden, I- I'm 13 years old already?"
Ro : "Are you telling me that he had been lying to me this whole time, about him being underage for marriage?!"

Roberia withdrew the wooden dagger from Katachi's waist, and pointed it at him.

Ro : (To think I trusted this boy so blindly!) "You are a deceiver and a liar, Kotsuba Katachi!"

K : "What!?- I didn't- I can't lie about something even I don't have certainty over!"
Ri : "Calm down, miss! There is no need to point weapons!" (Is that... Made of wood?)

Ro : "Then why has she claimed that you are already 13?! Answer me, follower of Segus, Rinne-!!"

Roberia held back her anger for a slight moment.

Ro : (Not good! I almost called her Rinnesfeld!)

Mother Rinnesfeld caught hold of Roberia's wavering from her eye's sudden rapid movement.

Ri : (Ah, she almost called out my name just now. That would have been bad, since Katachi hasn't told her my full name yet.) "I understand why the two of you are frustrated, so please calm down and listen."

Mother Rinnesfeld, with a witty, amicable turnover, calmed the young couple quickly.

Ri : "The truth is, I checked Katachi's age without his knowledge of it."

K : "You did?"
Ro : "Is that so?"

A grin formed on her face, and Mother Rinnesfeld signaled the two into the Caterer's room to their right.

Ri : "Follow me. This way."

*** ***

Ri : "Now, Katachi, I want you to dip your finger into this small bowl of water."

The three stood before a small pedestal-shaped artifact, with a few suspending wooden rings and numbers on them.

Ro : "What is this?"
K : "The Origin Clock?"

Katachi silently obeyed Mother Rinnesfeld, while Roberia observed them from a distance, awed by the amount of objects and artifacts prepared for many, many situations of diverse origins.

Ro : (Goodness... There are shelves with bottles probably for herbs, a mortar and pestle set, a sort of charm-making device, a confession box, a model of Pierre's Dice, a Ringmaker, they even have their own greenhouse for growing plants. Talk about being over-prepared...)

The finger dipped into the wooden bowl , and the wooden rings started moving. Slowly, they turn and turn and turn, before finally resting at certain numbers.

Ri : "Katachi, why don't you try reading the result yourself?"

K : "O.... Okay. 1 decade, 3 years- !... 1 month, 0 weeks, 2 days, 4 hours, 33 minutes and 14- 15 seconds."

Ro : (1 decade and 3 years? That's 13!) " ... So, you checked his age using this artifact, without his knowledge nor consent?"

Mother Rinnesfeld smiled, and nodded at the two.

Ri : "Yes. I did."

Roberia returned the wooden dagger to Katachi.

Ro : "... I'm sorry. I owe you an apology for accusing you on a baseless conjecture."

K : "Ahh, it's... It's alright." (Geh... This feels uncomfortable, a girl's actually apologizing to me...)

The looks on their faces changed, and were far less tense than before. Katachi withdrew the blade, and Roberia stared at his face intently.

Ro : (Let's try this again.) "Kotsuba Katachi."

K : "Yes?"

Ro : "This would mean that you have nary an excuse to marry me."

The cold sweat poured from his pores like a waterfall.

Ri : "? You're sweating, Katachi. Would you like to take a bath first?"

*Cozy's Notes : Please. Please. PLEASE. Say the Dinner, Bath or Me quote for super-cute Japanese wives. PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU - I WOULD HAVE YOU FOR DINNER IN THE BATH*

K : (Not good, not good! She's persistent! I need to get away from her first!) "Uhm, I'll just-"

Ro : "Don't try to dodge me! I will not let you out of my sight!" ( I won't let him get away!)

K : (I can't just avoid her, huh. I guess I'd have to come clean.) "... Roberia, I... I have to come clean on this."

Ro : "What?"

K : "Your obsession with marrying me is a bit overboard. Maybe you should try and defeat me instead, and be on your own journey without being tied down to me."

Ro : (He's starting to catch on? No! I have to put pressure on him! I'll use his position against him!) "I would if I didn't have any other choice!"

K : "Any other choice? What do you mean?"

Ro : "You're taking it easy on me, aren't you?"

K : "I'm not-"
Ro : "You're belittling me, aren't you?!"

K : "I'm not, I-"
Ro : "Why can't you see how humiliating it is for me to lose to you, even once?!"

K : "How is it embarrassing?"

Ro : (This is it! I'll tie him in!) "... You're a follower of Segus. Of all the Gods out there, SEGUS. The crazy legend that talks about peace, and discourages violence. The one God I cannot stand at all, for his lack of a well-defined goal. The one God, who shouldn't have followers that are more powerful than followers of Ilpoh, or Dardicel or Vithrolu, or any other God for that matter. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is, to lose to you even ONCE?!"

K : (That's why she wanted to marry me that desperately?)"..."
Ro : "I have no other choice. Even if I do beat you, it's most probably going to be laughed at, for naught. You're a simple traveller, as far as I can tell, without so much as a name, or a title for knighthood. There is no way to redeem myself, not unless we marry and treat it as friendly sparring. Even if you were to marry one of my cousins and be associated with nobility or whatever, that just won't work, because it does not shrug off your Segus backgr-"

K : "Alright! I get it! I'll marry you, so spare me the guilt!!"

A burst of frustration erupted from Katachi.

Ri : "... Katachi, that's quite a rash decision of you."

K : "Mother Rin, I can't possibly say no when I've brought upon her so much shame and agony. It's wrong of me to cause upon her any more harm than I ought not to. I won't live it down until I see to it that this is set right."

Ri : "I understand. Do as you see fit then. I trust your judgement."

K : "... I'll keep my promise with you. Let's..." (I can't believe I'm saying this...) "Let us marry."

Ro : (Success!) "... Let us make haste, then."

*Cozy's Notes : And then, make babies. XD I couldn't resist.
... No, they're not really going to make babies, or have sex.*

*not unless they're in Endus Reignum.*

Ri : "... Well, I have the bath prepared, in any case. Which of you is going to bathe first?"

K : "Roberia can have it first-"
Ro : "We go together!"

K : "To- To- Together?!"
Ri : "Together?"

Ro : (His modesty... It's a nice change of pace.) "If you are to wed me, and bear a clean conscience, you would not fear my presence in the bath! Or have you planned on betraying your promise in the first place?"

K : "Okay, I get it! Let's.... Bathe together..." *blush*

*** ***

The bathroom was draped with a strange atmosphere.

Ro : "Make sure to wash behind your ears! Rub it clean and thoroughly!"

K : "O... Okay..."

Roberia stood behind Katachi, seated on the stool, and she supervised his scrubbing. Scooping up a small bucket of water, she poured it over his head and shoulders bit by bit, the herbal aroma seeping through the air.

Ro : "The dead skin's gone. Let me get a sponge. I need to wash your back-"

K : "It's fine, I-... Th- There's no need for you to do that! I can manage myself!"

Ro : "No. No can do. I'll be able to see which parts are left unclean, and scrub them extensively. And, just barring the fact that you can wash your own back does not mean everyone is able to follow suit. I'm counting on you when it's your turn to wash mine."

K : *gulp* "... I would really prefer not to wash your back."

Ro : "Why not? There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Or is that to say you wish for my back to remain filthy?"

K : (How is she not embarrassed by that?!) "It's not that... But, to bare one's body in front of another before marriage is a bit too-"

Ro : "It matters not. Surely you have seen that nun's bare body before."

K : "That- That's different! She's my... She... She's a mother to me!"

Ro : (His reactions are really fun.) "And we are spouses, so that should not be an issue if you can bathe with your parent."

K : "..." (She's so difficult to handle. I can't just walk away from her, unlike Bael... Maybe it would have been a better idea to stay with Bael more, and gain experience in dealing with situations like these?)

Katachi kept trying to seclude himself, while Roberia continued the spouse bonding session.

*** ***

By the time their 3-hour bath of Katachi's reluctance and Roberia's insistence had finally finished, it was already close to sunset. Rinnesfeld cut the vegetables, and prepared the spices.

Ro : "If you didn't kept running from me like that, it wouldn't have had to take this long!"

K : "I can't possibly approach you when you keep opening your legs so wide- Ahh! Mother Rin!!"

Ri : "? Yes?"
K : "You forgot to start the fire again!!"

Katachi quickly rushed to the fire pit in the corner, and started setting up the straws and charcoal.

Ri : "Ah! You're right! We won't make it then-"

K : "We'll make it! I have an idea!"

Katachi swiped his finger with a bit of saliva, and drew on a piece of charcoal carefully. On the charcoal itself formed a rune of a beautiful, deep orange, and Katachi placed it inside. He removed the wok at the top, and in a couple of seconds, a small crackling sound was heard, and a fire had started in the pit.

*Cozy's Notes : It's a Kaba rune he drew. Have you read Deku Up! 3 yet? Be sure to. The Deku Up! series is special in that it explains some (and eventually all) of the magics and phenomena featured in the story.*

Ri : "!" (Katachi did learn something useful, then. I'd need to sit down with him and have a nice, long chat.)
Ro : "!" (He could do that?... No, wait, he did mention that he came from the Sage Raufid Magus Academy...)

Katachi quickly grabbed a few more straws to feed the flame.

K : (The fire's not started normally, so the charcoals aren't hot enough yet. Until they are, I need to fuel and sustain this fire. It's a strain on the straw we have, but this would be our best bet at starting a fire now.) "The charcoal's not hot enough! Let me feed the flame for a while!"

Ro : (Charcoal? Oh, right, coal is probably a luxury in this region. I almost forgot.) "Let me help you."

K : (The pit's small, and we might get hurt squeezing with each other. That's not a good idea.)"It's fine, I can... I can handle it myself."

Ro : "Come on, don't be so cold. We're to be wed, we should rely upon each other mo- Ahhh!"

K : "Ahh! Careful, careful! Don't lean so close, your hair is going to burn!"

*Cozy's Notes : ... Sigh.*

*** ***

Ro : "It's fine, see? You don't even need to be worried for me! Just trust me."

K : "It was never an issue on trust, Roberia! The fire pit is just too small for two people!"

Ro : "But if we pull it out into an open area, it's big enough, isn't it?"

K : "We can't pull it out! It's built into the foundation of the church itself, and at the corner of this room! Pulling it out would mean tearing off a chunk of the wall itself!"

Ro : "Stop yelling at me! Geez! I get that you're angry that you got burnt, but that is no reason to be mean!" (... Even though you did get burnt to protect my hair...)

Ri : (This... Isn't very healthy for their matrimony, is it?)

K : "... Okay. I am sorry for getting angry. But that is just haphazard on your part to lean over like that!"

Ri : "... How about just having dinner? You should set up the table, Katachi."

K : "... I'll get to it now."

*** ***

They get on each others' nerves during dinner.

K : "You should eat your peas! At least try to appreciate the hard work of the farmers whom have cultivated them!"

Ro : "But they're BITTER!! It's different from the peas back home!" (I was never served peas like these during my evenings!)

K : "They're supposed to be bitter! It's good for your health!"

Ro : "No~ Eat them for me, Katachi!"

K : "It doesn't work that way!"

Ri : (... These two are really going to marry each other?... I worry for them.)

*** ***

And even in bed are they bickering away.

K : "Wha- What are you doing?!"

Ro : "What? It's not wrong for us to share a bed!"

K : "We're not even married yet! What of the rumors of us?!"

Ro : "We're getting married anyway, so what's wrong with sleeping with each other now?"

K : "I'm... I'm not prepared for this yet..."

Ro : "Oh, come on! It hasn't occurred to you that spouses get all intimate and romantic with each other before they sleep? It's bound to happen anyway, so let's just enjoy each other's company!"

K : "Aaaahh!! Don't- Don't cling to my arm like that!"

Ro : "Does the burn mark still hurt? You poor thing, let me lick the wound for you-"

K : "It's fine! You don't need to! And this is far too sudden!"

Ro : "Too sudden? Is that to suggest that you have grievances to our marriage?"

K : "... No. No grievances. Just... I just need some time to adjust to this sudden development."

Ro : "... Okay. Until then, I'll inch closer and closer to you every night, until we interlock ourselves ever so tightly..." (Just like how Father sleeps with Mother, just like how Michael sleeps with Tiffania...)

K : "..." (... My heart is beating so fast I don't think I can sleep...)

Ro : "Let's start our first night with something simple. Holding hands while sleeping. Is that fine?"

K : "... Yeah..." (Inch closer and closer to me every night?...)

Ro : (His hand is so warm.)

*** ***

Roberia is sleeping soundly.

K : (I can't sleep. I can't sleep! For some reason, I just can't sleep at all! My heart is beating so fast, and I am so nervous and tense and... Excited, or something. It's happening again. I just... I just can't sleep!)

*Cozy's Notes : Recall the scene where he can't sleep at all, from chapter 29. Katachi's not used to sleeping with someone around him, not even Mother Rinnesfeld.*

K : (... At least she's sound asleep.)

Katachi gently brushed the hair at her forehead to a side.

K : (Pretty... She's a real beauty and all, but I feel guilty. Utterly, utterly guilty that she's to wed me, and not someone whom she truly loves, or someone whom she would benefit from. I don't particularly hate her or anything, much like Bael, but... To marry me just to save her pride is a bit too much.)

He touched Roberia's forehead with the back of his fingers.

K : (If, going by her reasoning, marrying opponents she cannot defeat is a way to save her pride, then what of the many opponents to come that might be stronger than her, stronger than me?... Would that not reduce her pride, to have multiple husbands, to be polygamous?...)

Katachi continued staring at Roberia's sleeping face, and the frown on his own face only got uglier.

Friday 16 August 2013

Deku Up! 3

D : (I'm beat...) "... Mmmh..."

Deku pressed his weight against the wall, in a slumped, and relaxed position.

Taking care of the children had not proven to be a cakewalk as he had believed it to be. He had to continuously stop Totta from bullying her brother's oh-so-pinchable cheeks, and stop her from stacking and jamming the books playfully at the small flap underneath the door, managing their lunch and spoonfeeding Seiene every last bit of his rye and tomato gruel.

Surprisingly enough, Seiene seems inseparable from his sister, when they are both awake. He would persistently cling to her, and follow her around the room, observing silently while she picked up the wooden pieces to play, or pressed Deku to read him strange books, without so much as flinching when Totta pinched his rosy cheeks every time she vents her frustration over Deku's reluctance. Had Deku not stopped him in time, he would follow his sister out into the library as well.

At least, when he is sleeping, it had been easy to handle them - Totta would quietly sit beside him and poke his cheeks, or have Deku read to him stories, or the occasional rubbing of his feet, an action befitting a caring elder sister figure.

Deku did not want to read stories to Totta when Seiene was awake, at least, not with what happened the last time he did. Deku had simply shared with Totta the origins of the Kaba and Rhanat runes, and when they hadn't noticed...

D : "Seiene?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? THAT'S DANGEROUS!!"
T : "Seiene! No! You naughty, naughty boy! Put down the charcoal!"

... Seiene had drawn many, many Kaba runes on paper with a small piece of charcoal, and spread it across the room. Some were imperfect and stayed black strokes, but some were well enough to actually glow a sinister orange. Anyone with the knowledge of the Kaba rune knows that it is a rune to create both intense heat, as well as a powerful expulsing force from a single point. Having this many in a room with a locked door that Deku cannot unseal spells trouble.

*Cozy's Notes : Basically, Kaba runes are explosive, and they are in a pinch.*

Perhaps it was him being used to dealing with the unusual tricks of the competitors, or perhaps it was simply his situational awareness. Whatever it was, Deku quickly used his Conduit Imbue on a small bowl of water meant for coloring, and passed the water through all of the papers with the Kaba rune, effectively soiling the charcoal markings and ruining any chance they had of detonating.

Panic attacks like these were not good for his heart, and so Deku lay his lethargic body against the wall, in exhaustion.

D : (... Why do I have to deal with this?... These siblings... Urrgh. They drive me nuts. I can't take my attention off either of them.)

T : "Deku?"

D : (... I should just ignore her. It might work in my favor and have her play with the wooden blocks instead.)

T : "Deku, wake up. It's about Seiene."

D : (I don't like the sound of that.)

Deku struggled to open his eyelids, and peered at Totta meekly. Totta's face slowly entered his vision.

D : (... !!!) "Waah!!"

And on her hand, was a wooden block, with the Kaba rune and its orange glow on it.

D : "What- What- What are you doing with that!? That's dangerous!"

T : "That's the problem, Deku. Seiene remembers how to draw the Kaba rune. He's drawing it everywhere now. Please erase them."

D : (He WHAT!?!)

With eyes wide open, Deku scanned the entire room.

From his opened knapsack, Deku concluded that Seiene had apparently picked up a rune scribe from his bag, and had marked many toys, the floor, the walls, and even the door with Kaba runes.

D : "... Oh my god. He is dangerous."

T : "Please, Deku, do something! You said that Kaba runes are hot, and... And I'm afraid of touching them..."

D : (This is bad, especially when Seiene doesn't even know how dangerous they are... We need to find him first.) "Okay. I will, but first things first - Where's Seiene?"

T : "I don't know. He was sleeping over there just a while ago, but now he's gone."

Totta points at the now-vacant straw mat, recollecting Seiene's sleeping posture there.

D : "We need to find him, and quickly. If he goes out into the library, and scribes everything with Kaba runes, only Vithrolu knows how many casualties there will be."

T : "Okay..."

D : "Don't touch the Kaba runes at all. I don't know how Seiene scribed these runes on, but they might explode by contact since Seiene probably didn't control how these runes are marked. If you're scared, just stay in a corner, and don't move."

T : "O... Okay."

Deku carefully tiptoed and avoided the Kaba runes to the best of his ability. Reaching his bag, Deku took out a blank wooden tablet and a piece of charcoal.

D : (I need to open that door. But I can't risk forcing it open and triggering the Kaba rune. What I need to do is to remove the rune, somehow. I have to try, even if it costs me my life.)

He drew many lines over the wood, and kept the charcoal. Deku closed his eyes and focused on the piece of wood in his hands.

D : (Feel the lines, read amongst them, run along them...)

The charcoal strokes glowed in a yellow light, and the wooden tablet broke apart at those black streaks before being fully absorbed into his left hand.

D : (I'm not the best at precision aiming, but here goes...!)

With his left hand outstretched, Deku pointed at the door, and destroyed the wood around the Kaba rune, effectively cutting it out from the door. Deku gently caught the Kaba rune still embedded in the door, and placed it on the ground gently, making sure to avoid the other Kaba runes on the floor.

Then, he punched and absorbed the entire door into his left arm, to reveal a horrible sight.

There were Kaba runes littered almost everywhere across the library. Kaba runes on the stone tiles. Runes on the base of the distorted pillars. Runes on the books at the lowest row on the shelves. Runes practically occupying more than half the surface area of the ground level to Seiene's height. Runes still coming out from the scribe in Seiene's hand, which continues to make the calamity of the situation escalate that much faster.

And, unbeknownst to Seiene, the situation is getting more and more out of hand the more he taps the scribe on practically anywhere within his reach.

D : (What is that kid doing!? He's just tapping more and more runes out as if it's some sort of toy! That's suicidal! At this rate, the entire school will have burning paper raining all over it!) "Seiene! Stop! That's dangerous!"

And, to no avail, Seiene ignored his cry, even with the silence of the library amplifying his voice.

D : (I can't do anything! At this rate, I may as well absorb the entire library, and throw it off into the sea... Curses, Dardicel's trials are really ridiculous!!!)

Deku gritted his teeth, and readied his stance. He rammed his fist onto the ground, and yellow, glowing lines crawled out from his knuckles, avoiding the Kaba runes in an agile, tree-diagram like manner. They crackled, and glowed, and spidered over the entire library-

B : "You don't need to do that, Deku."

From behind Deku, a green man wearing a slime hat and a crisp green suit came forth.

D : "!?" (Bertund?! When did he get behind me?!)

B : "Just let loose, and let me handle it."

D : "Okay."

Deku obeyed quietly and the yellow glowing lines slowly faded off.

B : "Very good. Now, allow me to show you a much better way to remedy this dilemma."

With the raise of a palm, all the runes in the library suddenly turned blue. Seiene, upon seeing the change in the colors of the runes, briefly glanced at the marvel before falling asleep almost instantly. And with a snap of his fingers, all the runes faded off, and disappeared.

D : (... Bertund's magic prowess is really incredible. To even use the positioning of such randomly-scattered objects... As expected of a Sorceror.) "... Bertund."

B : "Yes, Deku?"

D : "... I may need to request for some carpentry to elevate my bag off the ground; Such that Totta or Seiene can't reach it at all."

B : "Of course. That is an acceptable proposition."

*** ***

Totta anxiously ran to the doorway when she saw the blue-hued runes fade away. And in the center of the library, was Bertund watching silently and Deku picking up Seiene from the ground.

T : "What happened just now? Deku? Why did the runes just disappear like that?"

She ran a bit, and clumsily kicked on one of the bookshelf corners by accident.

T : "Ow!"

D : "Be careful, Totta!"
B : "Don't be hasty, child."

T : "Oh! It's Greenie!"

B : "My, Totta, you remember me! How nice."

Totta happily ran towards Bertund, and hugged his legs.

T : "Greenie! Greenie Greenie Greenie Greenie! Greenie and his lizard!"
B : "Ohohohohoho, careful now, young lady. Watch yourself - The library is not a place for one to run."

T : "Ah! Sorry."

Picking Totta up, Bertund held out his left arm and let Totta sit on his forearm.

B : "Right then, let's go back to the room. Deku, you can put the door back now."

D : "Uh, Bertund... I blew a hole in the door, though."

Bertund looked back at Deku, with his unchanging smile frozen on his face.

B : "... Very well. We shall use your first pay to fund its reparations."

D : (That's too cruel!)

*** ***

B : "Sleep tight now, Totta. I'll come by and visit again sometime."

T : "Aww, Greenie... Don't go..."

Totta pouted and stared longingly at Bertund. Compared to Deku, Bertund was able to control and use his magic to entertain the young girl; A feat that Deku could not hope to achieve, at where he's standing currently. Limiting the destructive capabilities of many of his spells, he could make bubbles, bead art, small flames to light candles, wooden pieces that come to life to retell a story, reanimated crayon drawings, to name a few.

To have him leave would mean that there was nothing interesting to entertain her anymore.

B : "Don't worry. I'll be sure to visit."

T : "But Deku is boring~ He doesn't read us stories frequently, he doesn't play with us much, he doesn't make for much fun. I want Greenie."

B : "I'm sorry, Totta, but I am a busy man, after all. I promise, though - I'll visit when I can afford to spare time."

T : "... Fine..."

With that, Bertund took his leave. Deku sat next to the sleeping Seiene, patting his soft hair and head.

T : "... Deku?"

B : "Yes, Totta?"

T : "I didn't get a chance to ask Bertund, but uhm... What happened just now? The runes all turned blue and just faded off..."

Deku then realized what Bertund had managed to do - And why he had stayed behind after the incident.

D : (Bertund could have easily told her what he did, but he didn't?... He occupied her attention so he didn't have to answer that question, and have her depend on me, her caretaker, instead... How slippery and deceptive.)

T : "Deku?"

D : "... Sovereign."

T : "Soverain?"

D : "... Yes. He used a powerful magic called Sovereign. It is very difficult to set up, but once properly established, he can raid the authority of anything standing within the magic circle. Seiene was the one who drew the Kaba runes, but Bertund forcibly claimed all the runes for his own, so he could disable them."

T : "I see..."

D : (Still, to think that he used the positionings of the Kaba runes, ran very thin Fay lines through them, AND used Hypnosis on Seiene, all at the same time... He really is incredible.)

T : "... Is there anything about it that you aren't telling me?"

D : "Huh? Wha-?"

T : "If it was this powerful, then why isn't everyone who learnt the spell just using it non-stop? What is the weakness and drawback?"

D : "!!" (... I really can't underestimate the children of a magus as great as Mister Jiel. Seiene is magically talented to memorize and draw that many runes by himself, and Totta is already this good at working out a spell's weakness...) "... Okay, fine. I'll tell you more."

T : "Yay! Deku is talking again!"

D : "... There's also the huge risk of drastically weakening oneself if the caster of Sovereign does not have enough magical power to control the objects under the spell properly. In the worst case scenario, the Sovereign spell will demand magical force from you, and will forcibly suck your life out to complete itself. As such, it is usually a high-risk spell that should not be used too frequently, unless you are fully confident that you are able to control the objects within the Sovereign circle."

T : "And? What are some examples of magical objects that can't be controlled?"

D : "... Hmm... Well, some traps set by magi are signature-triggered, so even if you claim authority over it, you lack the signature to trigger the trap - You essentially waste energy on it, because the trap setter can activate it regardless. Some other things would be things of no magical power, like barrels, or chips of wood, which are there to sap your magical force unnecessarily. Objects of great power like sacred land reinforced by a God's will and, or image power, Words of Power, or Nihil runes that are specifically made to sap your magical force and life, are far more dangerous - Using Sovereign on those would mean giving your life away, because to gain authority over them is to literally challenge multiple people, and even Gods in some cases."

T : "That sounds cool. Tell me more - You said something about there being a magical circle. How did Bertund draw one?"

D : "He didn't - He used the positioning of the Kaba runes already across the floor, and created a magic circle by tying Fay lines over them to draw one without even moving at all."

T : "How do you use Fay lines, then?"

D : "Well, that's quite similar to my Conduit Imbue, but with different properties..."

And so, the teacher-student relationship between the two deepened.

*** ***

*Cozy's Notes : I wouldn't be so sure to call it a teacher-student relationship, though. It seems that way to Deku, at least, so it's fine. I said a 'couple of days' on my previous post, but it ended up taking 5 days. Lol.

Sorry, my Progress Report 2 is coming up next Friday, 23rd August. That means I'll be really packed and busy the next week and be free and available then.

So, it is a shame, but I'll see if I can write Messiah 3 on the 18th.*

Sunday 11 August 2013

What hath becometh of thee?! (Warning : Mature content)

Hello guys, it's Cozy. Just here to update a bit on what I did recently.

I didn't write WoP Quest this week because this week is a precious week to me. It's where I get a holiday on Thursday for a celebration of Islam's Hari Raya Puasa. Thankfully I live in Singapore, where such holidays are upheld in high regard, and so it's a public holiday.

Friday, August 9th, was National Day. At least, for Singapore, that is. I'm not the most patriotic, and not the most energetic for such an event, despite being a citizen. With good reason, I couldn't spend National Day as National Day. I attended a huge festival on that day instead.

Then came the usual Saturday & Sunday where I wouldn't have much to do - Oho, you believed that? Hohoho no, I spent these 4 days of holidays accumulating precious research materiel. You see, on August 8th, xEternalAu, a Youtube account, released the last part of his Let's Play of Monster Girl Quest. I spent these 4 days watching his entire Let's Bullshit of MGQ, to absorb the story.

I love the ending of MGQ part 3. I truly do. If you haven't played it yet, I strongly suggest you do. I read the story to know what the makers of Monmusu Quest would put in their plot. If you haven't noticed, it's a great game - Epic storyline, a funny and ridiculous usage of mechanics (Daystar Salamander Daystar, people. DSD all the way. You don't even have to play the game anymore. XD), a wonderful ending that I thoroughly enjoyed, what's not to love?

And, if entitled a simple 4GB thumbdrive, I could replay the game all day. Without losing, of course - I'm not going to lose on purpose or anything, but I would definitely replay the game on Hard difficulty. Did you know that MGQ's lose and rape scenes contains potentially enough materiel to last a virile man through a decade? I didn't know that when I got the game, but it is surprising trivia, definitely.

I watched the Let's Play because EternalAu is an okay person, I guess. He flash skips the H scenes, and presents the sole combat mechanics and plot of the game. I thank him for making the Let's Play as H-free as he could, and that helps because I can focus on the plot - The ending is tinted in a bittersweet flavour, one that I would want to achieve as an ending in Endus Reignum.

As such, I have no story chapter this week. But I would probably put a Deku Up! very soon, probably in a couple of day's time. Have a good week.

Monday 5 August 2013

Messiah 2 : The_Church

Ten years.

It had been ten long years since she had remembered the time people still saw her as Roberia.

Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Roberia was never her father's favorite. To be frank, she wasn't as well-received as her brother, Michael. Smart, strong, and wise, he had been the closest to the throne than anyone else at that time.

But, it all changed when Michael injured himself during a hunt. The elusive Scarletea Rhino, for its size, actually managed to outsmart him, and charged him down. Michael, caught in an uncomfortable position, could only sprawl himself over the ground, which the rhinoceros's hooves trampled upon his right calf, its weight and sheer strength tearing his tendons and crippling his right leg. Because Michael did not treat the injury in time, it had been far too late for any form of recovery to be effective.

That incident had the king and his ministers, her own father, to look to Roberia as a candidate for the crown.

Her more-lenient lifestyle then had a complete makeover.

She began training not as a simple warrior princess, but a warrior princess whom will become the heir to the throne and the next Empress of Rugnud.

For that reason, she was never viewed normally.

People greeted her as the Princess of Rugnud before, but as she became more and more eligible for her coming-of-age ceremony, they have begun calling her Empress Roberia directly.

And males of all ages began pursuing her.

It was sickening. Revolting. It would make a proud and noble Rugnud citizen hang their head in shame at the extent they would go to captivate her attention.

She grew tired of it.

She grew cold, and distant, even from the most friendly grocers and seamstresses whom she would walk past occasionally. Even from the people whom she used to be so chummy with.

... And...

To have her marry someone out of free will...

That was one of only things she could ever hope for.

*** ***

*Cozy's Notes : Sigh. I am not good at romance at all. Also part of why Herald will be the easiest to write, since the theme there is in my domain, and why Endus Reignum will be the toughest because it's a mixture of romance, horror, and a cross-over from Sentinel. By the way, I've made a song, an aria about Endus Reignum. I'll explain the lyrics and blah in another post.*

K : "I WHAT!?"

Ro : "Did you not hear that? Sorry, it must have been softer than I thought. I would like you to-"

K : "No, no! I mean, I definitely heard that, but... Marr... Marri... Marri..."

Katachi's expression was one of a wee smile, coupled with a face of shock. Essentially, he looked like someone who wasn't even sure to be surprised or shocked by the sudden outcome of events.

Ro : (His face is red...) "Marriage?"

K : (How could she manage to say that so calmly!?) "Marriage... I'm not even sure what to make of this..."

Roberia stood back a bit, and distanced herself to see Katachi's body language clearly.

Ro : "What's not to make of it? If we marry, we can be with each other permanently, which allows us to spar with each other everyday. In fact, if we marry, then it makes all the fights we've had thus far skirmishes. Is that not good?"

K : (! That would permanently remove the need to fight me...) "... But still, to take it as far as marriage..."

Ro : "Besides, life is short. Should we not make the best of our time, while we are in our youth? For all we know, our lives may end tomorrow, and we can't predict that."

K : "... Would... Would your family not rather you marry someone who has a better status, or something? I... I have nothing to offer... Nothing at all..."

Ro : (... That sentence is pricking me in more ways than one, somehow... Is it because of how similar it is to those pests back at Rugnud?) "..."

K : "... It would help your family's crisis more if you were to marry an aristocrat, would it not? I mean, with your beauty, you could be a potential candidate for Minister Lein's son, Martich, or something."

Ro : (... My... My beauty?... I am beautiful?)

Something in Roberia throbbed excitedly.

Ro : (So, the words of those from Rugnud were not of empty praise?... I am beautiful...)

Her smile slowly escaped her suppression, and formed on her face.

K : (She's smiling? Is it... Is it me being stupid again? Did I do something to embarrass myself in their culture?) "... Uhm... Did I say something I ought not to?"

Ro : "No. You did not. You simply enlightened me on something I had forgotten a long time ago."

K : (... Okay...? So... I'm not embarrassing myself then?) "... Ah. I see."

Ro : "In any case, my mind is set. I am going to marry you."

K : "Ahh... Ahh... But, I'm... I'm not even old enough to marry someone!"

Ro : "What? You're not 13?"

An awkward silence.

The two gawked at each other under the cloudy sky.

Ro : "... Seriously?! You're not old enough to marry!?" (I thought he was at least 13 years old! He looks like he's 13 years old! Is he serious!?)

K : "Of course I'm not! I'm... I..."

Ro : "... You what?"

K : "... I... I'm not even sure whether I'm 10 or 11 years old!"

Ro : "How could you not know your own age!?"

K : "I just... I just don't!"

Ro : "... Sigh..."

Roberia closed her eyes to think about the details once again.

Ro : (... This not-yet-13 boy managed to defeat me, and I actually thought of marrying him... That's illegal in Findel, isn't it? I know that you have to be 16 to marry in Rugnud, unless it's an arranged marriage, in which case, children as young as 3 years old can marry each other... But Findeli law strictly adheres to marriage for 13 and up only.)

K : (She seems really desperate to marry me... Her honor must be something she dearly protects. I think I've read of it somewhere in the books that Ilpoh followers stick to the code of conduct strictly. She mentioned something about strength, so she really needs to become strong, doesn't she? That's why she's so desperate to stick to me, even going as far as trying to marry me... But is it healthy for her? ) "..."

Ro : (So, I can't marry him in Rugnud, because we're strangers, and I have to wait a couple of years here... I just want to marry someone that I chose for myself! And the one time an opportunity like this presents itself, everything jams us from being together! Is that too much to ask?... Is this a trial of Dardicel?) "... Geez, why does it have to be such a big fuss?"

K : (... She looks really troubled by it. I... I don't know. Someone like her as my consort? As my... As my wife... But, I don't even know her name...) "..." *sigh*

Katachi signaled her to follow him.

K : "... If you can afford to travel with me and wait a few years, then, I guess... I guess we could marry, if you're so insistent about it."

Roberia's face lit up, and she rushed at Katachi, burying him in her arms this time.

Ro : "Okay!"

K : "!! Please don't cling so close to me! This is really embarrassing! We're not related or anything! I don't even know your name!!"

Ro : "Roberia."

K : "!?" (... Roberia?...)

Ro : "Remember that name. It's my name. Roberia."

K : (Roberia? There's a nice ring to it... What's her surname, though? If I can, I'd like to meet her family members. Or, if they hate me for being poor, avoid them, at least.) "... Okay... Roberia, what's your surname, by the way?"

Ro : "Guh!-..." (... Tacky question... I'd get busted the moment I say it, won't I?...) "... It doesn't matter, see. Since, well, you see, we're going to marry, and, well, I'm going to be Kotsuba Roberia soon anyway, you see."

*Cozy's Notes : You may have noticed by now. When Katachi is nervous, which he usually is when he talks to people without hurting them, he stutters a lot. When Roberia is nervous, and tries to explain herself, she uses a lot of 'see' and 'you see' between her sentences.*

K : (... Kotsuba Roberia?... Somehow, that sounds weird. It makes me feel weird inside... Like, I want it, but I don't want it at the same time...) "... Okay then... I'm just going to, uhm, go home. Are you... Are you... Coming along?"

Ro : "Let's go, then!"

And so, the lonely boy obtains a companion.

*** ***

The two stood before the huge, wooden door.

Katachi pushed it open slowly, and revealed the sight within.

The church hall had tiny, green crystals dangling from the ceiling. A skylight filters the light passing through the top, and the tiny crystals refract the light, bathing the interior with an unearthly-like glow. A huge portrait of Segus, made from stained glass, hang on the very back. Sconces hang from the walls, which light the church by night. There are 12 wooden church benches, and four doorways - The one to their immediate left for the living quarters such as toiletries and the kitchen, the far left for the sleeping quarters, the far right for a small closet to contain many tools such as shovels, shears, replacement parts, flower pots, addresses for the collectors and the like, and to their immediate right is a special room catered to the visitors - It has a couple of shelves filled with dried herbs and medicine, a small garden, a confession seat and a few magical objects and artifacts.

Seeing the church's unchanged interior made Katachi feel warm and homely, while Roberia, upon her first encounter, just admired in awe.

Ro : (Whoa... Ilpoh churches aren't this well-endowed. At least, I don't recall an Ilpoh altar to be this... Calming. Big, maybe, but not this. This place feels so... Soothing...)

The crystals atop actually have a special effect - The light they filter creates a calming sensation, by using viridian, a friendly color, to soothe a person's nerves via synesthesia. Katachi, however, had been oblivious to this effect - Something which has helped him calm down countless times whenever he's simply resting atop the benches, looking at Mother Rin listening to the ever-coming woes and helping other people regardless.

K : (? Where's Mother Rin? It's already past noon, but Mother Rin has a bad habit of delaying her lunch. Is she at the back, cooking?)

Katachi turned his head to face his left, and walked onwards into the living quarters.

Ro : (Wow... This place looks so... Grandeur...)

Ri : "Yes. You may come to pick it up anytime."

Ro : (? There's someone to my right?)

"Thank you, as always, Mother Rinnesfeld."

The two exit from the room to her right.

Ri : "Segus bless- Oh my!"

Upon laying eyes on the princess, Mother Rinnesfeld expressed her surprise.

Ro : (... This woman... Recognizes me... I've seen her before! She's the lady with the bag of bread, and she ate the bread dirtied on the road!) "... Uh... Hello."

"I'll be off now. I need to pick up my girls."

Ri : "Oh, yes, do take care. Segus bless you."

When the man left, Mother Rinnesfeld closed the door behind him, and turned around-

Ri : (-!!)

-to have her mouth covered by Roberia, with a fierce expression.

Ro : "... Listen very closely. That boy, Kotsuba Katachi, doesn't know who I am. And, I would, for personal reasons, like to keep it that way. Please, I beg of you, please pretend that you don't know who I am."

Mother Rinnesfeld's eyelids fell a bit, and she nodded her head slightly.

Roberia retracted her hand, and heaved a sigh.

Ro : "Katachi! Are you looking for this nun?"

A few moments later, rapid, uneasy footsteps were heard, and Katachi entered the hall.

K : "... ! Mother Rin!"

Ri : "Katachi!"

Katachi ran forward, and hugged the woman whom had been substituting his biological mother.

Ri : "Oh my! You've grown a bit, haven't you? Your height has finally reached my collarbone."

K : "I did?"

Ri : "You did! You weren't this tall before you went to the Magus Academy."

Katachi pulled himself back, and sat on a bench armrest.

K : "I guess I did."

Mother Rinnesfeld then peered over at the red-haired girl.

Ri : "And I see you got yourself a lovely partner! Who's the pretty young lady?"

Ro : (... She didn't expose me... What a relief...)
K : "Huh? Oh, her? She... She's Roberia, and... Well..."

Ri : "?"

K : "... A few... Things, happened along the way, and..."

Ri : "... ! Katachi! You didn't-..."

Mother Rinnesfeld walked towards Katachi, and whispered in his ear.

Ri : "You didn't happen to impregnate her or something, did you?"

K : "!!! MO- MOTHER!! I- I DID NO SUCH THING!!"

Ri : "... That's a relief, and a pity at the same time. So, why is she here?"

Ro : "Uhm..."

The two looked over at Roberia.

Ro : "... See, the thing is... We're getting married."

... Silence.

A merry bird chirps outside the church, and contributes to the void of sound within the church.

Ri : "... I'm guessing you two would like to tie the knot, under the oath of Segus?"

Ro : "What?! No!"
K : "Mother Rin!"

Ri : "But, why not? It's not like it's illegal or something."

And once again, the crickets outside too add to the ambience and emphasis of the silence.

Ro : "It's not illegal?"
K : "What do you mean, it's not illegal?! I'm not 13 yet!"

Ri : "What are you talking about, Katachi? You turned 13 last month. I just didn't get to celebrate it with you because you were away."

Their eyes were so wide, it almost popped out of their heads.

Sunday 4 August 2013

Draft : Katachi Love Confession Scene (Messiah)

"... I see. Very well, I shall oversee your mannerisms for just this once, Mister... Kotsuba." The king of Rugnud raised his hand, and signaled the guards to stand down.

"So, what bring you to Rugnud?"


K : "Oh!... Oh, er, well... You see, I'm currently looking for my wife."


"Ah-... Your wife?"


K : "Yes, King Matal... Matal.... King of Rugnud. I am looking for my wife."


*Cozy's notes : LOL HE STILL CAN'T PRONOUNCE THAT ANNOYING SURNAME*


"... Aren't you a little too young to be married?"


K : "Oh, er, you see, King of Rugnud, well, a... A- according to the Origin Clock, I'm supposed to be 13 years old."


"Are you, now? Guards - Check his age with Axia's dial."


K : "Oh, er, mister... Oh wait, I mean, King of Rugnud, uhm, if, if you use Axia's dial, you would get a different result from the Origin Clock. I suggest you use both, as a uhm... Sort of proof."


"... Very well. I shall honor your request."


First, a dial the size of a cartwheel was held up towards Katachi. With a click, a light illuminated Katachi's body, and the dial opened up, to reveal a lot of tiny clicks. The wooden clicks clattered loudly, and finally rested on the appropriate places on the dial, to display that he was 11 years old, 7 months, and 12 days old.


Next, the guards brought in a large-scaled Origin Clock on a stand, one far larger than the one Mother Rinnesfeld had back at the church. Seeing a huge-scale Origin Clock for the first time, Katachi felt a little excited, and nervous at the same time.


Katachi dipped his finger into the small wooden cup of water on the stand, and the wooden plate mechanisms on the Origin Clock began moving - To an age of 1 decade, 3 years, 5 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, 20 hours, 47 minutes and 16 seconds.


"... ! Truly interesting indeed... Why do the clocks count differently?"


"No need to be alarmed, your honor," began his adviser, "Axia's Dial begins counting from this young boy's moment of birth. The Origin Clock, however, begins counting from his moment of existence. We would normally use Axia's Dial here in Rugnud, but in Findel they would prefer the Origin Clock. There is nothing surprising about it, just as how our minimum age for marriage is 16 while theirs is 13."


"! I see... Very well then. It seems that you are indeed... Old, enough to marry."


K : "Yes I am, uh, King of Rugnud."


King Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo relaxed his shoulders.


"... I suppose, as a token of gratitude for further enlightening me to Mielfeud's mannerisms and the differences in our culture, I could offer to search for your wife."


K : "Oh, er, no need to worry, King of Rugnud. She's already here."


The entire court goes into a rapid commotion - His wife was amongst the crowd? Who is his wife? The young girls amongst the crowds were all passively questioned by his one sentence.


"! Ahh, you must either have good fortune, or good eyes to have seen where your wife is. I congratulate you for finding her. So, where is she? I would like to meet and bless the both of you."


At that point, Katachi's hand turned cold and numb.


K : "... Lord of Rugnud, your honor... My wife... Is sitting to your left."


"!?"


King Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo's eyes widened at that response. Jerking his head to the left, there was only one person there that could classify as his 'wife'. He stared at that only female seated on the smaller part of the elegant throne.


His very own daughter, Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Roberia.


"Roberia... YOU MARRIED THIS, THIS... THIS COUNTRY BUMPKIN!?"


R : "... Katachi, you idiot... DIDN'T YOU GET THE MESSAGE OF NOT TELLING OTHERS THAT I'M YOUR WIFE!?"


Roberia's head and ears were red both with frustration and embarrassment.


The entire court room has been thrown into a state of chaos and disorder at the abrupt, unannounced news.


*** ***


P : "Roberia! What is the meaning of this!?"


Pierre ran up the steps of the throne room, only to stumble down halfway towards Roberia, and proclaimed loudly.


P : "It was agreed that I am to be your fiance! Why have you married another on your own accord!? I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!!!"


"Yeah, why did you do that!?"

"We demand an explanation!"
"Explain yourself!"
"To think that all this time, I saw you as a pure, untainted girl!"
"You would rather marry this Segus follower!?"
"You have shamed the whole of Rugnud!"

Mockery and spite flew across the court room, all of them directed towards Roberia.


R : "People, listen to me- Please, let me explain- I married h- KATACHI, SHUT THEM UP!!!"


Katachi had known what Roberia wanted - Silence, to explain herself. Upon hearing his own name, he immediately abused his Scholar knowledge.


(静! Silence - Court Room!)


Two words formed beneath the floor of the court room - 静. Since it was well hidden, nobody could suspect that it was caused by a Word of Power, and had assumed that some sort of silencing magic had been used.


The complaints and arguments of the riled-up people halted immediately. Or, factually, they were unable to be voiced out. When the crowd's anger had been doused enough, Roberia grinned at Katachi. With an 'ok' signal, Katachi released the Word of Power, and Roberia began her explanation.


R : "People of Rugnud... You may think of me as being foolish, for marrying a Segus follower. You may think, that I am deranged to weaken the country by having him as my consort, and king. Well, I am not. And I shall prove it to you, right here."


Roberia pointed a finger towards her childhood friend Jullan, and asked:


R : "Jullan. Do you remember the question I've asked you when we were little? About what you will become for me, and why?"


J : "Of- Of course, Roberia. I told you that I'd be your aegis."


*Cozy's Notes : Not the shield aegis, the shoulder guard aegis.*


R : "Why?"


J : "! Be... Because I want to be the one closest to you, to guard you where you are weak at, and to protect you from both physical harm and harassment from the evil ministers."


R : "Thank you, Jullan. I still love your answer, even today."


J : "..."


R : "You, random guy who proposed to me at one point. What would you have become for me?"


"Ah? Uhh... I would have become your shield, one that protects you from harm... ?"


R : "And you, Pierre. What did you promise me?"


P : "I... I promised to be your sword, one that shall slay those that may threaten or harm you."


R : "What about you?"


"I promised to be a shield as well..."

"I promised to be a book, one that shall educate you in this cruel world!"
"I promised to be a pillow, to cushion you from harm!"
*Cozy's Notes : lol Cozy reference. Cuz pillow is Cozy :3*
"I am your pair of boots, and I would go everywhere with you!"
"I... I don't have much to offer, but I can be your lover, one that offers you company!"

Many different responses came up, and the crowd was by now angrier than before. Yet...


Raising her hand up in a 'Stop' symbol, the court simmered down quickly.


R : "... When you answer that question, think deep down, and think carefully - How many of you, envision me to be a princess when you answer that question?"


The crowd of marriage candidates remained quiet.


Looking at Katachi, Roberia then asked politely, "Katachi, tell them your answer."


K : "!" *turns to look at Roberia* "A-! But... It's embarrassing..."


R : "Don't worry. Just tell them. If anything, you can just kill them all off anyway."


K : *annoyed* "... Don't use killing as a solution for something like this!..."


Facing the audience, Katachi looked at all the faces of those around him. They were all of people who were anxious to know his reply to that enigmatic question - Why did Roberia choose him? What did he say to touch the Empress's heart? What was his answer?


K : "... Wings."


!!!


The entire crowd was left speechless. Turning back to look at Roberia, Katachi continued.


K : "... I... I don't want to be some object that's easily removable... I am her wings. I am a part of her as much as she is a part of me... I don't offer wealth or status, but I promised a life not of luxury, but of adventure, so it's okay... I think. And it's an adventure she will come to love, one she won't want to forget. I'm taking her on a flight, a journey she has never experienced before. I..."


Katachi's eyes widened a bit, and his cheeks reddened.


K : "... I am in love with her. Whether she is a princess or not doesn't really matter, I just..."


His eyes rolled towards Roberia.


K : "... I love her, for her strong-willed love for her country, Rugnud. I love her for the extent she would have gone, for her beloved country. I loved her for that, and then... I came to realize, that I... I loved every part of her. All of her little mistakes, her habits, her way of life, it... It conflicted with Segus's ideal way of life, but I love them all..."


Roberia was blushing by this point.

Writer's block. Bonus preview. - Tiat Wee

Dear readers,

Cozy is not a romantic person. Cozy is an 80kg fat-ass Singaporean whom barely exercises, has some kind of pseudo-autism where he talks to himself, and can't even speak to girls properly, let alone date them. As such, when the romantic element in WoP quest surfaces, Cozy can't do jack. He has a writer's block right now. He doesn't know how to write / progress the next part of Messiah. Please give him some time to think over how to write it in the best way possible. In fact, what you are going to read may be a complete novice's first attempt at romance. So give it some leniency - Cozy's not a romantic type, after all... Or maybe he is? His excerpt of a later part of Messiah is actually really romantic and awesome. He's not on, but I can actually convert this convenient draft he has here into a post, just for you guys to read it. He might scold me and fuck me up bad for it, but whatevs. Consider it a gift from me or something when I say he does have potential. But putting his romantic thoughts into words... I guess he's having his own issues. This week is also going to be a busy week for him. He said something about busying himself at Redhill and Sengkang on August 8th and 9th. As such, don't expect a chapter this week neither. He'd probably make up for it with an apology, or bonus chapter or something, but here's something for you readers.

Hope you love this.
Tiat Wee