T : "I don't understand, Deku, what are these things called Runes anyway?"
As Totta played with Seiene's cheeks, she popped a casual question.
But Deku was too busy cooking in the kitchen space to answer her.
In a fit, Totta walked up to him and started hammering her little fists against his thigh.
T : "Deku! Deku Deku Deku Deku Deku Deku Deku Deku Deku!!"
D : "Totta, stop! I'm making lunch!"
But Deku was cold to her response.
Totta sulked, crawled out of the door and searched for a heavy book to stub his toe with
She headed for the return corner, a place for the students to place their perused library books so the librarians could reorganize it all properly.
It was there she noticed a rather interesting sight.
Two students were looking at each other intensely with their faces close, with the green-haired male toying and twirling the locks of blue hair around his finger.
C : "That's so thoughtful. I like a thoughtful man, Loar."
L : "It's not much, but I'll do whatever little I can to help your sister."
Strangely enough, he blue-haired girl did not seem to mind her hair being touched. If anything, she appeared to like the action.
Totta wanted to ignore them, but the contents on the table caught her eye.
It was a particularly attractive book which detailed a singular rune on each page.
T : "Runes! A runebook!"
L : "Oh, er..."
C : "Ah-..."
The couple was clearly startled by Totta's intrusion into their space.
T : "Teach me, teach me! Teach me about the runes!"
Totta begged the couple to teach her the mysteries of the runes. They glanced at each other to confirm their suspicions.
C : "... She's the kid with Deku, isn't she?"
L : "Yeah, she's Mr. Jiel's daughter."
The green-haired boy say up and faced her properly.
L : "You're... Totta, aren't you?"
T : "Yes, I am."
L : "Hoho. So, you're interested in runes, are you?"
He sat upright, while humoring the little girl.
T : "Yeah! There's some things I don't quite understand, and I need to know more about them!"
The blue-haied girl seemed to sense an imminent lecture, and thought ahead.
C : "Loar, do you want some water?"
L : "Ah, yes, please and thank you."
With that she excused herself from the library with two empty water bags.
L : "You've come to the right place, if anything! I've been studying these runes for a long time!"
He picked up the book on the table, and flipped to its very first entry - A Vanaelis rune.
L : "Look carefully at this rune. What do you see?"
T : "It's... A Vanaelis rune?"
L : "Yes, but look at the shape of the rune. What does it resemble?"
She squinted her eyes and struggled to give a good answer.
T : "... A... Person?"
L : "Exactly."
Snapping his fingers, he emphasized on the importance of recognizing the Vanaelis' similarity to a person.
L : "Notice how the runes nearing the edge seem to be skinnier than the middle stem portion, like a root spreading itself out in the soil?"
T : "Uh... Yeah."
L : "That's symbolic of the Vanaelis rune's nature of Recovery. Its roots can be seen as the arms and legs, and the thin parts suggest that they weren't originally there, rather they were regenerated."
Flipping to the next page, he quickly focused on the second rune - A Kaba rune.
L : "What do you think this looks like, then?"
It was weird to describe the rune itself - It looked like a wayward K with a dot above and an unusually long stem. But that could also represent UN, or UH given its bizarre figure.
T : "I... I don't really know."
Loar took out a small piece of charcoal, and scratched a simple figure against the scrapped papyrus to the side. He drew an almost-identical rune, spare for the dot itself, and he began to draw something additional onto it to assist his explanation as a form of visual aid.
He drew flames around the person from a specific angle, and turned the papyrus to show her.
L : "What do you see?"
T : "A person running frantically while he's on fire- ! Kaba runes ignite and combust!"
L : "Exactly. What about this one?"
Loar sketched another familiar-looking rune, one that looked similar to a swastika.
T : "An Uzab rune?"
He slashed across the paper with a zigzag, and showed her the art once more.
L : "Tell me, doesn't it look like someone had been struck by lightning?"
T : "It, it... It does, now that you mention it."
Without pausing at all, he proceeded to draw the figure of a kneeling woman with hands upon her face.
L : "Urdythari's rune was based off of her iconic sobbing figure. Tespi runes were based off of a long-forgotten warlock going insane, and the world around him collapsing and falling inward. Scura runes were based off of Lotz's impression of himself. It's pretty impressive, considering that he's blind."
Instead of telling Totta the answer outright, he led her to the chain of thought that allowed her to derive an answer herself. It was a caliber of teaching Deku would do well to learn from.
L : "To put simply, Totta, runes are manifestations of our ancestors' experiences. The memories of men before us, engraved in symbols that are incredibly easy to understand once you figure out the rune's nature. Did that help?"
T : "Yes, yes it did! Thank you, green man! You're almost as good as Bertund!"
Her limited knowledge of the world could only be sighed upon by the observers of the two. To compare Loar to Bertund was like saying a fish and a mountain were equals; it simply wasn't a fair comparison.
L : "Heh. That's a bit exaggerated. Bertund, now... Hoho. That man... His explanation will blow your mind away. He will say and explain it in such a well-crafted way that you would be able to cast runes right on the spot, even without a scribe or a tool."
That claim was not without precedent.
He quietly recalled the black-haired boy who managed to use Urdythari's rune through sheer image power alone.
L : (... Damn. I really want to fight him and see how far he's come.)
*** ***
*Cozy's Notes : Not much Deku action this time, but hey, next Deku Up! will be nice. You'll see how much love Deku puts into his cooking.*
Wednesday 30 December 2015
Friday 27 November 2015
Herald 2 : Weak
It didn't take long for her to reach the borter.
R : (How will I answer for this?)
It didn't take long for her to reach Bilkenstury.
R : (How should I explain my loss? I haven't really been gone for that long, have I? It's only been three weeks.)
It didn't take long for her to reach the fortress.
R : (What should I cover it up with, an expedition to find a creature that was already slain?)
But, that was precisely the problem.
It didn't take long to reach where she wanted to go.
It didn't take long enough.
Even after hitching a ride on one of the carpenter guild carriages conveniently making a pit stop between Rulid and Eliasbury which gave her a straight way home, Roberia had no real answer to mask that humiliating defeat.
To be knocked down by a Segus follower, who even spared her life... It was the ultimate insult.
She antagonized the Segus follower by attacking him.
She humiliated herself by losing to him.
And now, two problems surfaced - The possible enmity of the child, and the impression the knights had of their princess losing to said child.
She didn't want to think about it.
No, even if she did want to think about it, time was not on her side.
Before she even realized, she had returned to the throne room once more, with the knights about greeting her in a stale, orderly fashion.
T : "Knight Tionno greets Her Highness Roberia."
P : "Knight Persche greets Her Highness Roberia."
It was too sudden. In that blind obedience to the victor's words, Roberia had marched her sorry ass back to the fortress, with nothing to show - No accomplishments, no successful victories... Nothing.
R : "Arise. There is no such need for formalities. Remember that I, too, am a knight as much as you are, and I do not wish to acknowledge such belittlement of yourselves."
T : "Thank you, Your Highness."
P : "Thank you, Your Highness."
She could only try to avoid the questions about her journey that lasted for slightly under three weeks.
But, something was rather off.
R : (Their eyes are more cloudy than usual... ?)
As a warrior, Roberia was sensitive to such changes. Mannerisms of others which included going the extra effort to bow more than usual, or the slight change in the pupils of others as well as their body language were among the things they were trained to perceive at an accurate and extreme detail.
And she had noticed how they were looking at her with their eyebrows slightly furled more than usual, as though...
R : (As though they were looking at me in spite, or belittling me...)
What could have caused such a reaction from the knights who served her?
Unless...
*** ***
The moonlit road was anything but 'lit'. It was so dark that seeing anything ahead of two meters proved to be a big problem, and one could only make out the shadowy figure that was their own hand when held before their face.
Yet, in the guise of night, Katachi proceeded.
K : (I have to get away for now.)
The urge and temptation of staying at the church was a strong one. In Mother Rin's arms, he would surely be bathed in that warmth, in that assurance that everything would be alright as long as he tried his best.
But that was precisely why he had to go.
He couldn't let those who would suffer the same fate as he would rot away any longer.
He couldn't let that kind of injustice where the people who mocked and hated the Scholars continue.
The thought that others may be suffering as much as he had pushed him onward, with an unnatural tenacity.
So, with his goal set in mind, he proceeded.
The bumpy road, however, did not aid him in the journey.
K : (It's dark. But that's not really a bad thing.)
Indeed, the darkness proved useful, given the amount of attention he drew from the skirmishes with the red-haired warrior.
But he was clearly not the only one with that idea.
Further ahead in the abysmal darkness, he could make out two incredibly irregular sounds.
Sounds that would otherwise suggest their intimacy with each other, if they were not conversing information of utmost importance.
"And? What of their patrols?"
"They are underhanded currently, so they- Uhh! They wouldn't be able to keep up a pursuit through the mountains if we flee that way! Oh, yes! That angle just now, oh yeah~ Oh yeah~!"
He could hear the sound of something wet being slapped and the primal grunts and groans that suggested an act he was close to witnessing a week before.
Two people - A man, and a woman, were hiding among the trees in the deep of the night, going at it where no others would be about to hear of their scandalous deed.
The woman was, presumably, being knocked up while they spoke and conveyed important strategic information as she was being pleasured.
K : (Who... Who are they?)
"The mountains, huh? That wouldn't work against Jevleich. Axia favored mountains in his life because they gave the advantage of altitude, so most of his spells are comparably powerful high up."
"Hah! Hah! That's the spot! Oohhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Over there!"
The slapping sounds seemed to stop for a moment, while the conversation continued.
"How about we run to Western Anik? If we find a Bhast or a Carasi Spider inhabiting the region, we would surely have a better chance of escape, right?"
"Don't stop... Don't stop! I want it, I want it, I want it! Pound it into me harder!"
"Not until you answer me first. What are the odds of Tchevit defeating the creatures in Western Anik?"
From here, Katachi fully understood what the act had been for, though he would have preferred not to know.
K : (Coughing up information all for the sake of pleasure... This hedonism...!)
The broken child's mind accepted the harsh truth easily, without so much as a flinch. If others were in his position, they would either be gagged with revolt, or be overwhelmed in lust if they were in estrus.
But was it a good thing for Katachi to be insensitive?
Was it acceptable? Or did it only show the amount of pain and torment he experienced to show such indifference towards that banal act?
"Nnh, it's very likely he will tear through them. Unless we find one of Hraxiif's shrines or a Yynbi Rhegian in Western Anik, we won't stand a chance against him."
K : (He's coercing information out of her through her whims and carnal desires...)
He did not like the sound of that. In fact, he did not even want to know that disgusting act in the first place.
"That's what I wanted to hear!"
"Nuooooohhhhhhhhhh!!! That- That's the spot! Yes! OH, PHRONIA!! Haaaaahh!"
That act they were performing right now, as far as he knew, created him. It created new life, a child to be cradled upon their parents' arms.
And yet there they were, discussing plans and tactics to 'stand a chance' against people whose names he had never heard before.
"Hah, hah! I bet he's never even gave a second glance at this first-rate hole of yours! Enjoy your reward, you lewd swine!"
"Guohohoh!! Not that hole, not there~! ♥ Oh! Oh! AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAHHH~!!!"
*Cozy's Notes : Obligatory heart shape is obligatory. Also, I don't really know what nasty, kinky stuff people are supposed to shout during sex, so forgive me.*
K : (...)
*** ***
The leader of the political police approached Roberia with a rather hastened pace. Normally, it would bring joy to her, had his opening sentence been more welcoming.
"Your Highness, Roberia, I've received quite a few disturbing rumors from my sources."
R : (Duke Harlot! That doesn't sound good at all... His network of eyes supposedly spreads really far and wide. Does he know already?) "What rumors are they?"
H : "One of my spies reported that you fought against an Ohdean with a weapon made by Pybuit and lost. Thrice, even."
Of course.
She had let her guard down.
Surely, the man known as Rugnud's Pride, Pybuit, would have an observer following him such that his health may be reported back to Duke Harlot at all times.
It made sense for her to be noticed by his network of eyes.
It made sense for her defeats to be publicized and widely-known across the country.
It made sense for whatever plan and ploy she thought up to be worthless since the truth was already out before she could begin to explain herself.
And from the looks of it, it was going to get ugly really fast.
After all, anyone could simply bribe the observer for the information, days before it even reached Duke Harlot. A country filled with the illiterate brought great focus to hearsay, and leaks were offered exorbitant prices.
H : "Honestly, Roberia, I never really expected you to be the type that went easy against children."
R : "I... I did not hold back, Duke Harlot. I truly went all-out against the child, but the magic he used was far too strong."
H : "I would love to hear of your adventure, Roberia, but there are more pressing matters at hand. The king expects you to be in the throne room in two hours to explain yourself."
R : (Curses! It figures. All this time, I've done so well with my training and skirmishing and all, but the one time I disgrace myself, everyone roars and talks about it. Michael's not kidding about how annoying the gossips were for him.)
She could only steel herself for what was to come.
*Cozy's Notes : They did not call him McGregor the bar builder, nor McGregor the stone wall builder, nor McGregor the pier builder. They called him McGregor the Goat F**ker. If you know where that came from, you're awesome.*
*** ***
Katachi felt a curious mixture of anger, sadness and fear.
They were doing what he had stopped Dante and Sherayal from doing - The gift of life.
The process that would give birth to life, just like himself.
A child would be born from that act, and they did it not for love, but for lust.
K : (...)
The emotions within him were quite curious indeed.
He had every intention of stopping them, of punishing them, but he also felt a strange emptiness.
They were doing it, and Dante was doing it with Sherayal.
It was an act people would do as many times as they wished for it, and his intervention did little to stop others.
What of the child with unloving parents? What of the agony of struggling for their life just as he had? Was there a point to do anything about it?
... It honestly felt futile.
Matterless of what he did, that was not an act that could be abolished by an individual alone.
People would indulge in their desires as they pleased, without considering for the consequences to come.
... Just as he had when he removed the 安 from the untouched Sealed Room to fulfil his own desire to destroy all the Words of Power.
... Was he... Already stained deep in that darkness from a long time ago?
Was it right to continue this journey of his?
Katachi didn't know.
But, if there were any one thing he knew, it was what he should do.
Katachi stood up from where he stood, and crinkled the leaves beneath his feet.
He could hear sudden gasps as the two tried to hide themselves frantically. But what good would that do?
K : (固定! Fixate position - Man! Fixate position - Woman!)
Two golden words formed on their heads, slightly above where their white eyes were. In the darkness, their sclera was a dead giveaway to their position, no matter how pitch-black it could have been.
... Katachi ransacked the pouches next to theirs, and took a couple of minutes fumbling through the dark and trying to determine which were useful. Giving up, he simply took a couple of vials and a pouch for coin before he left the two in the dark.
K ; (Repent for your sins. If you two chance upon someone with a Word of Power strong enough to dispel my own, then perhaps it's not of your fate to die here.)
Katachi continued on his journey, the darkness engulfing him deeper both outside and within.
K : (... I probably shouldn't have ransacked their items.)
*** ***
"This court is now in session."
The knights and leaders assembled before the king. In order of rank and importance, they stood in two neat lines across the row of red stone on the floor, from the highest in hierarchy to the leaders of the support roles.
Roberia walked forward and greeted her father with a slight bow.
R : "I have returned from my journey, Father."
The king released a rather unpleasant frown upon seeing his daughter once more.
"Roberia. Your sudden and unannounced disappearance has caused much trouble."
R : "I am aware, Father."
"Not only that, what of this peculiar rumour I've heard? Have you truly lost to an Ohdean three times?"
The words stabbed at her like a dash of salt over an open wound.
"I did not think of you as a person who would foolishly challenge their foe repeatedly knowing you would lose. And to top it all off, that was a child who followed Segus, no?"
The king stood up silently, with a seething gaze in his eyes.
"You have been spared three times, and three times too many, Roberia. A real foe would have had his way with you, not unless he held the dignity of a chivalrous Knight."
He raised his arm, and clenched his fist hard - Hard enough for the joint cracking to send slight, but harrowing ripples along the floor. Roberia felt the floor undulating to the mere stretch of his finger joints, the frightful and absolute strength that his people relied upon.
"Perhaps I should finish what he lacked myself."
H : "Mercy, my lord. There is no need to rush."
"No, our king is right."
From behind him, a bold knight with a shield stood defiant to Duke Harlot's belief.
H : "Count Anders. Do you know the weight of those words you bear?"
A : "You have to understand, Duke Harlot, that this is not fitting behaviour for a knight. Young as she may be, Roberia has proved her swordplay before us repeatedly."
As he spoke, Count Anders turned to speak and announce his speech to everyone in the throne room.
A : "But, if that skill of hers can not be displayed before her opponents when it truly counts, then what have we cultivated her skills for? What good is it if she fails to become a symbol that protects and watches over Rugnud properly?"
"Who are we to decide that she is the one who failed?"
Rebutting his argument was another knight wielding a stave.
"Perhaps it is not Roberia's fault entirely that resulted in her defeat so many times. Have you not considered the possibility that the Ohdean could have used some tactic to counteract her skill? Or have you already forgotten the outcome of our previous spar?"
The chatters in the background resounded clearly, and it seemed even King Fastiel himself was displeased at the mention of that event.
F : "Duke Marcyn, it is not ethical to pick at the Count's weaknesses."
Hell was going to be raised soon. The stronger of the knights were already in a heated discussion to determine Roberia's fate. Though she had been trying to keep her composure, Roberia felt an incredible tension that was almost haunting.
If she had slipped up or slackened even a bit, she would feel that tension gnawing her back into shape. It was intense enough for even the maids outside to stop their idle gossip and stare in awe.
M : "I speak only the truth, Your Majesty. It is entirely possible that the Ohdean devised a wicked tactic to overturn Her Highness. It would be doing us knights a great injustice to dismiss her like so, given her victories over ourselves."
A : "That does little to disprove my standpoint-"
A stomp on the floor from atop the steps towards the throne jolted everyone out of that hellish atmosphere. Once more, King Fastiel took centre stage and drew the attention of everyone else.
F : "Milos Nazkova. What do you make of this?"
From the side of the hall stepped forth a Great Sorceror Roberia recognized clearly.
One of the three people in Rugnud's history to have achieved the status as a Great Sorceror and the first to ever obtain the title Grande, he was a muscular, strong figure who was distinct in that he held no weapons. But among them all, the title he was most known for was King Fastiel's right hand man.
He gave a hard look at Roberia, and presented his answer in a manner that was quite informal.
N : "... I see nothing like weakness in her eyes. In fact, I see injustice - It seems Her Highness Roberia clearly knows how to defeat her opponent, but he was unexpectedly difficult."
As he spoke, the Great Sorceror approached Roberia, and put his hand on her shoulder.
N : "It's no surprise, my king. There are indeed spells that make some magi resilient towards physical trauma, but only when they are in 'battle'. They may be incredibly frail outside of battle, which would explain Her Highness' frustration over the problem at hand."
F : "... Such spells existed?"
N : "They do, my king. When you interpret one of Ilpoh's battles into a spell, in specific the time he battled the Vralasi, it is possible for a magi to show his level of competence and prowess, but only when one is considered 'in combat'. It is entirely possible, though I don't think anything short of a Sorceror could interpret a tale that far."
The news was enlightening for most, but astonishing for Roberia.
R : (But... That child did not use any spell of that sort, did he?)
N : "It is nothing to worry about, my king. This failure was resulted from her inability to play against a spell's rules, and by extension her ineptitude towards the tricks of the magi. If she simply learns how to counter those tricks, I think this problem to be trivial in our later years."
His wisdom began to release most of the persistent tension from before. However...
"But, Your Majesty..."
A young and familiar voice.
It was very unusual for a young knight to speak up, especially since they mostly held no power at all. However, this was an exception.
"I have the records which states her transactions for a multitude of things. But the two I would like everyone to pay attention to the most would be these."
He held the papers forward for one of the nearby barons to read.
Roberia turned and her face immediately twisted into one of a scowl, as though in reflex.
Pierre Marillin.
One of the merchant families' sons, who had become an esquire to cement his family's position in the guilds.
P : "Notice how she generously gave five Regal coins to Pybuit, and ten for a magic sword from Demaelus. A magic sword, even - Those foul weapons that imbued the history of magi into corporeal form and defile the purity of battle."
Just as she thought she could take a breath of air on the surface, Pierre's facts rained down on her like a hand shoving her head down with every intent to suffocate.
P : "I don't know about you, but that is hardly a display of 'skill' to me."
She had failed.
Roberia had splendidly failed.
Both in defending herself, and in heeding her brother's advice.
R : (Michael... I'm sorry. I can't believe acting on impulse could actually cause that big a damage... !)
Where she would have been completely safe, Pierre's accusations were like killing a fly with a thick and heavy book - Intentional, and painfully crushing.
The court was buzzing again at this point, and the eyes pierced Roberia once more as she became the centre of the topic.
F : "... Have you any explanations, Roberia?"
R : "I have no excuse for my weakness, Father. I can only say that I have failed in interpreting the Nature of his magic. I bought the magic sword on impulse, thinking that he would be incapable of shrugging it off, yet he did."
The only thing left was to explain herself humbly.
She could only apologize for her lack of experience and power to otherwise avert this twisted fate.
F : "... I've seen enough, then. I shall now officially renounce Roberia as a candidate for the throne. See to the preparations of her marriage."
...
That was the absolute worst outcome for her.
*** ***
She recalled that horrible dream.
She recalled the reason she set foot on her journey - She did not wish to become a tool others could use to claim kingship.
She did not wish for her beloved Rugnud, the country she spent most of her life in, to succumb because of their incompetence.
But what had become of this?
Not only had she failed to prove herself, but she had also worsened her own position through her failure. With that, her father was even more likely to use 'her hand in marriage' to select Rugnud's new king.
...
None of this would have happened if she had not met Katachi.
None of this would have happened had she chosen to look carefully at who she threw the pebble at.
None of this would have happened if she simply chose to walk South towards Dermesten instead of going through Rulid.
...
Yet, she did not regret the encounter with the Ohdean who claimed to be Findeli.
In fact, more than anything, the child ignited a powerful drive within her.
A child younger than her was pushing so hard, forging onward alone in the world where many would have chosen the company of others.
It made her even more motivated than ever to prove herself before her father.
*** ***
R : "... No."
Her defiant voice rang out in the court, and everyone's attention was focused on her once more.
But now, she no longer feared those piercing glares.
In fact, she needed those piercing glares to testify her declaration right here.
R : "I refuse the marriage with Prince Gaza. In fact, I thoroughly refuse the marriages of everyone who I have defeated."
The king paid no heed to her claim, and simply sat on his throne quietly.
R : "If you want to be king, you'll have to defeat me in a best of three."
Though she had claimed so, Roberia had no intention of letting the sorry sap who believed her a second chance to battle. She would thoroughly cripple, and at worst paralyze the opponent if necessary.
Her aggressive voice hinted at the snarling danger behind that proclamation, and only a few murmurs of the younger and more foolish knights could be heard.
F : "... Stand down, Roberia. The court is still in session."
With her piece finished, Roberia returned to her position in obedience.
She didn't dislike her father a lot. but his mulish attitude was something she could only surpass by proving herself. It would also be rude to the people with matters to report after her if she refused to retreat.
...
Many would have frozen solid in her place, knowing their position was in danger and everything was going to fall apart, making a wild ruckus.
Honestly, up until a while ago, she had almost forgotten her brother's advice over that bone-chilling atmosphere from before.
Yet it did not frighten her, surprisingly enough.
In fact, that episode was such a close resemblance to one of Ilpoh's stories that she felt as though she were living the legend before her eyes.
*** ***
For the first time in his life, Katachi was truly alone.
The darkness that wrapped him elucidated what it meant to be weak.
*** ***
Now, she had a reason to truly fight and become stronger.
Her drive rekindled, proving once more that she was no longer weak.
R : (How will I answer for this?)
It didn't take long for her to reach Bilkenstury.
R : (How should I explain my loss? I haven't really been gone for that long, have I? It's only been three weeks.)
It didn't take long for her to reach the fortress.
R : (What should I cover it up with, an expedition to find a creature that was already slain?)
But, that was precisely the problem.
It didn't take long to reach where she wanted to go.
It didn't take long enough.
Even after hitching a ride on one of the carpenter guild carriages conveniently making a pit stop between Rulid and Eliasbury which gave her a straight way home, Roberia had no real answer to mask that humiliating defeat.
To be knocked down by a Segus follower, who even spared her life... It was the ultimate insult.
She antagonized the Segus follower by attacking him.
She humiliated herself by losing to him.
And now, two problems surfaced - The possible enmity of the child, and the impression the knights had of their princess losing to said child.
She didn't want to think about it.
No, even if she did want to think about it, time was not on her side.
Before she even realized, she had returned to the throne room once more, with the knights about greeting her in a stale, orderly fashion.
T : "Knight Tionno greets Her Highness Roberia."
P : "Knight Persche greets Her Highness Roberia."
It was too sudden. In that blind obedience to the victor's words, Roberia had marched her sorry ass back to the fortress, with nothing to show - No accomplishments, no successful victories... Nothing.
R : "Arise. There is no such need for formalities. Remember that I, too, am a knight as much as you are, and I do not wish to acknowledge such belittlement of yourselves."
T : "Thank you, Your Highness."
P : "Thank you, Your Highness."
She could only try to avoid the questions about her journey that lasted for slightly under three weeks.
But, something was rather off.
R : (Their eyes are more cloudy than usual... ?)
As a warrior, Roberia was sensitive to such changes. Mannerisms of others which included going the extra effort to bow more than usual, or the slight change in the pupils of others as well as their body language were among the things they were trained to perceive at an accurate and extreme detail.
And she had noticed how they were looking at her with their eyebrows slightly furled more than usual, as though...
R : (As though they were looking at me in spite, or belittling me...)
What could have caused such a reaction from the knights who served her?
Unless...
*** ***
The moonlit road was anything but 'lit'. It was so dark that seeing anything ahead of two meters proved to be a big problem, and one could only make out the shadowy figure that was their own hand when held before their face.
Yet, in the guise of night, Katachi proceeded.
K : (I have to get away for now.)
The urge and temptation of staying at the church was a strong one. In Mother Rin's arms, he would surely be bathed in that warmth, in that assurance that everything would be alright as long as he tried his best.
But that was precisely why he had to go.
He couldn't let those who would suffer the same fate as he would rot away any longer.
He couldn't let that kind of injustice where the people who mocked and hated the Scholars continue.
The thought that others may be suffering as much as he had pushed him onward, with an unnatural tenacity.
So, with his goal set in mind, he proceeded.
The bumpy road, however, did not aid him in the journey.
K : (It's dark. But that's not really a bad thing.)
Indeed, the darkness proved useful, given the amount of attention he drew from the skirmishes with the red-haired warrior.
But he was clearly not the only one with that idea.
Further ahead in the abysmal darkness, he could make out two incredibly irregular sounds.
Sounds that would otherwise suggest their intimacy with each other, if they were not conversing information of utmost importance.
"And? What of their patrols?"
"They are underhanded currently, so they- Uhh! They wouldn't be able to keep up a pursuit through the mountains if we flee that way! Oh, yes! That angle just now, oh yeah~ Oh yeah~!"
He could hear the sound of something wet being slapped and the primal grunts and groans that suggested an act he was close to witnessing a week before.
Two people - A man, and a woman, were hiding among the trees in the deep of the night, going at it where no others would be about to hear of their scandalous deed.
The woman was, presumably, being knocked up while they spoke and conveyed important strategic information as she was being pleasured.
K : (Who... Who are they?)
"The mountains, huh? That wouldn't work against Jevleich. Axia favored mountains in his life because they gave the advantage of altitude, so most of his spells are comparably powerful high up."
"Hah! Hah! That's the spot! Oohhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Over there!"
The slapping sounds seemed to stop for a moment, while the conversation continued.
"How about we run to Western Anik? If we find a Bhast or a Carasi Spider inhabiting the region, we would surely have a better chance of escape, right?"
"Don't stop... Don't stop! I want it, I want it, I want it! Pound it into me harder!"
"Not until you answer me first. What are the odds of Tchevit defeating the creatures in Western Anik?"
From here, Katachi fully understood what the act had been for, though he would have preferred not to know.
K : (Coughing up information all for the sake of pleasure... This hedonism...!)
The broken child's mind accepted the harsh truth easily, without so much as a flinch. If others were in his position, they would either be gagged with revolt, or be overwhelmed in lust if they were in estrus.
But was it a good thing for Katachi to be insensitive?
Was it acceptable? Or did it only show the amount of pain and torment he experienced to show such indifference towards that banal act?
"Nnh, it's very likely he will tear through them. Unless we find one of Hraxiif's shrines or a Yynbi Rhegian in Western Anik, we won't stand a chance against him."
K : (He's coercing information out of her through her whims and carnal desires...)
He did not like the sound of that. In fact, he did not even want to know that disgusting act in the first place.
"That's what I wanted to hear!"
"Nuooooohhhhhhhhhh!!! That- That's the spot! Yes! OH, PHRONIA!! Haaaaahh!"
That act they were performing right now, as far as he knew, created him. It created new life, a child to be cradled upon their parents' arms.
And yet there they were, discussing plans and tactics to 'stand a chance' against people whose names he had never heard before.
"Hah, hah! I bet he's never even gave a second glance at this first-rate hole of yours! Enjoy your reward, you lewd swine!"
"Guohohoh!! Not that hole, not there~! ♥ Oh! Oh! AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAHHH~!!!"
*Cozy's Notes : Obligatory heart shape is obligatory. Also, I don't really know what nasty, kinky stuff people are supposed to shout during sex, so forgive me.*
K : (...)
*** ***
The leader of the political police approached Roberia with a rather hastened pace. Normally, it would bring joy to her, had his opening sentence been more welcoming.
"Your Highness, Roberia, I've received quite a few disturbing rumors from my sources."
R : (Duke Harlot! That doesn't sound good at all... His network of eyes supposedly spreads really far and wide. Does he know already?) "What rumors are they?"
H : "One of my spies reported that you fought against an Ohdean with a weapon made by Pybuit and lost. Thrice, even."
Of course.
She had let her guard down.
Surely, the man known as Rugnud's Pride, Pybuit, would have an observer following him such that his health may be reported back to Duke Harlot at all times.
It made sense for her to be noticed by his network of eyes.
It made sense for her defeats to be publicized and widely-known across the country.
It made sense for whatever plan and ploy she thought up to be worthless since the truth was already out before she could begin to explain herself.
And from the looks of it, it was going to get ugly really fast.
After all, anyone could simply bribe the observer for the information, days before it even reached Duke Harlot. A country filled with the illiterate brought great focus to hearsay, and leaks were offered exorbitant prices.
H : "Honestly, Roberia, I never really expected you to be the type that went easy against children."
R : "I... I did not hold back, Duke Harlot. I truly went all-out against the child, but the magic he used was far too strong."
H : "I would love to hear of your adventure, Roberia, but there are more pressing matters at hand. The king expects you to be in the throne room in two hours to explain yourself."
R : (Curses! It figures. All this time, I've done so well with my training and skirmishing and all, but the one time I disgrace myself, everyone roars and talks about it. Michael's not kidding about how annoying the gossips were for him.)
She could only steel herself for what was to come.
*Cozy's Notes : They did not call him McGregor the bar builder, nor McGregor the stone wall builder, nor McGregor the pier builder. They called him McGregor the Goat F**ker. If you know where that came from, you're awesome.*
*** ***
Katachi felt a curious mixture of anger, sadness and fear.
They were doing what he had stopped Dante and Sherayal from doing - The gift of life.
The process that would give birth to life, just like himself.
A child would be born from that act, and they did it not for love, but for lust.
K : (...)
The emotions within him were quite curious indeed.
He had every intention of stopping them, of punishing them, but he also felt a strange emptiness.
They were doing it, and Dante was doing it with Sherayal.
It was an act people would do as many times as they wished for it, and his intervention did little to stop others.
What of the child with unloving parents? What of the agony of struggling for their life just as he had? Was there a point to do anything about it?
... It honestly felt futile.
Matterless of what he did, that was not an act that could be abolished by an individual alone.
People would indulge in their desires as they pleased, without considering for the consequences to come.
... Just as he had when he removed the 安 from the untouched Sealed Room to fulfil his own desire to destroy all the Words of Power.
... Was he... Already stained deep in that darkness from a long time ago?
Was it right to continue this journey of his?
Katachi didn't know.
But, if there were any one thing he knew, it was what he should do.
Katachi stood up from where he stood, and crinkled the leaves beneath his feet.
He could hear sudden gasps as the two tried to hide themselves frantically. But what good would that do?
K : (固定! Fixate position - Man! Fixate position - Woman!)
Two golden words formed on their heads, slightly above where their white eyes were. In the darkness, their sclera was a dead giveaway to their position, no matter how pitch-black it could have been.
... Katachi ransacked the pouches next to theirs, and took a couple of minutes fumbling through the dark and trying to determine which were useful. Giving up, he simply took a couple of vials and a pouch for coin before he left the two in the dark.
K ; (Repent for your sins. If you two chance upon someone with a Word of Power strong enough to dispel my own, then perhaps it's not of your fate to die here.)
Katachi continued on his journey, the darkness engulfing him deeper both outside and within.
K : (... I probably shouldn't have ransacked their items.)
*** ***
"This court is now in session."
The knights and leaders assembled before the king. In order of rank and importance, they stood in two neat lines across the row of red stone on the floor, from the highest in hierarchy to the leaders of the support roles.
Roberia walked forward and greeted her father with a slight bow.
R : "I have returned from my journey, Father."
The king released a rather unpleasant frown upon seeing his daughter once more.
"Roberia. Your sudden and unannounced disappearance has caused much trouble."
R : "I am aware, Father."
"Not only that, what of this peculiar rumour I've heard? Have you truly lost to an Ohdean three times?"
The words stabbed at her like a dash of salt over an open wound.
"I did not think of you as a person who would foolishly challenge their foe repeatedly knowing you would lose. And to top it all off, that was a child who followed Segus, no?"
The king stood up silently, with a seething gaze in his eyes.
"You have been spared three times, and three times too many, Roberia. A real foe would have had his way with you, not unless he held the dignity of a chivalrous Knight."
He raised his arm, and clenched his fist hard - Hard enough for the joint cracking to send slight, but harrowing ripples along the floor. Roberia felt the floor undulating to the mere stretch of his finger joints, the frightful and absolute strength that his people relied upon.
"Perhaps I should finish what he lacked myself."
H : "Mercy, my lord. There is no need to rush."
"No, our king is right."
From behind him, a bold knight with a shield stood defiant to Duke Harlot's belief.
H : "Count Anders. Do you know the weight of those words you bear?"
A : "You have to understand, Duke Harlot, that this is not fitting behaviour for a knight. Young as she may be, Roberia has proved her swordplay before us repeatedly."
As he spoke, Count Anders turned to speak and announce his speech to everyone in the throne room.
A : "But, if that skill of hers can not be displayed before her opponents when it truly counts, then what have we cultivated her skills for? What good is it if she fails to become a symbol that protects and watches over Rugnud properly?"
"Who are we to decide that she is the one who failed?"
Rebutting his argument was another knight wielding a stave.
"Perhaps it is not Roberia's fault entirely that resulted in her defeat so many times. Have you not considered the possibility that the Ohdean could have used some tactic to counteract her skill? Or have you already forgotten the outcome of our previous spar?"
The chatters in the background resounded clearly, and it seemed even King Fastiel himself was displeased at the mention of that event.
F : "Duke Marcyn, it is not ethical to pick at the Count's weaknesses."
Hell was going to be raised soon. The stronger of the knights were already in a heated discussion to determine Roberia's fate. Though she had been trying to keep her composure, Roberia felt an incredible tension that was almost haunting.
If she had slipped up or slackened even a bit, she would feel that tension gnawing her back into shape. It was intense enough for even the maids outside to stop their idle gossip and stare in awe.
M : "I speak only the truth, Your Majesty. It is entirely possible that the Ohdean devised a wicked tactic to overturn Her Highness. It would be doing us knights a great injustice to dismiss her like so, given her victories over ourselves."
A : "That does little to disprove my standpoint-"
A stomp on the floor from atop the steps towards the throne jolted everyone out of that hellish atmosphere. Once more, King Fastiel took centre stage and drew the attention of everyone else.
F : "Milos Nazkova. What do you make of this?"
From the side of the hall stepped forth a Great Sorceror Roberia recognized clearly.
One of the three people in Rugnud's history to have achieved the status as a Great Sorceror and the first to ever obtain the title Grande, he was a muscular, strong figure who was distinct in that he held no weapons. But among them all, the title he was most known for was King Fastiel's right hand man.
He gave a hard look at Roberia, and presented his answer in a manner that was quite informal.
N : "... I see nothing like weakness in her eyes. In fact, I see injustice - It seems Her Highness Roberia clearly knows how to defeat her opponent, but he was unexpectedly difficult."
As he spoke, the Great Sorceror approached Roberia, and put his hand on her shoulder.
N : "It's no surprise, my king. There are indeed spells that make some magi resilient towards physical trauma, but only when they are in 'battle'. They may be incredibly frail outside of battle, which would explain Her Highness' frustration over the problem at hand."
F : "... Such spells existed?"
N : "They do, my king. When you interpret one of Ilpoh's battles into a spell, in specific the time he battled the Vralasi, it is possible for a magi to show his level of competence and prowess, but only when one is considered 'in combat'. It is entirely possible, though I don't think anything short of a Sorceror could interpret a tale that far."
The news was enlightening for most, but astonishing for Roberia.
R : (But... That child did not use any spell of that sort, did he?)
N : "It is nothing to worry about, my king. This failure was resulted from her inability to play against a spell's rules, and by extension her ineptitude towards the tricks of the magi. If she simply learns how to counter those tricks, I think this problem to be trivial in our later years."
His wisdom began to release most of the persistent tension from before. However...
"But, Your Majesty..."
A young and familiar voice.
It was very unusual for a young knight to speak up, especially since they mostly held no power at all. However, this was an exception.
"I have the records which states her transactions for a multitude of things. But the two I would like everyone to pay attention to the most would be these."
He held the papers forward for one of the nearby barons to read.
Roberia turned and her face immediately twisted into one of a scowl, as though in reflex.
Pierre Marillin.
One of the merchant families' sons, who had become an esquire to cement his family's position in the guilds.
P : "Notice how she generously gave five Regal coins to Pybuit, and ten for a magic sword from Demaelus. A magic sword, even - Those foul weapons that imbued the history of magi into corporeal form and defile the purity of battle."
Just as she thought she could take a breath of air on the surface, Pierre's facts rained down on her like a hand shoving her head down with every intent to suffocate.
P : "I don't know about you, but that is hardly a display of 'skill' to me."
She had failed.
Roberia had splendidly failed.
Both in defending herself, and in heeding her brother's advice.
R : (Michael... I'm sorry. I can't believe acting on impulse could actually cause that big a damage... !)
Where she would have been completely safe, Pierre's accusations were like killing a fly with a thick and heavy book - Intentional, and painfully crushing.
The court was buzzing again at this point, and the eyes pierced Roberia once more as she became the centre of the topic.
F : "... Have you any explanations, Roberia?"
R : "I have no excuse for my weakness, Father. I can only say that I have failed in interpreting the Nature of his magic. I bought the magic sword on impulse, thinking that he would be incapable of shrugging it off, yet he did."
The only thing left was to explain herself humbly.
She could only apologize for her lack of experience and power to otherwise avert this twisted fate.
F : "... I've seen enough, then. I shall now officially renounce Roberia as a candidate for the throne. See to the preparations of her marriage."
...
That was the absolute worst outcome for her.
*** ***
She recalled that horrible dream.
She recalled the reason she set foot on her journey - She did not wish to become a tool others could use to claim kingship.
She did not wish for her beloved Rugnud, the country she spent most of her life in, to succumb because of their incompetence.
But what had become of this?
Not only had she failed to prove herself, but she had also worsened her own position through her failure. With that, her father was even more likely to use 'her hand in marriage' to select Rugnud's new king.
...
None of this would have happened if she had not met Katachi.
None of this would have happened had she chosen to look carefully at who she threw the pebble at.
None of this would have happened if she simply chose to walk South towards Dermesten instead of going through Rulid.
...
Yet, she did not regret the encounter with the Ohdean who claimed to be Findeli.
In fact, more than anything, the child ignited a powerful drive within her.
A child younger than her was pushing so hard, forging onward alone in the world where many would have chosen the company of others.
It made her even more motivated than ever to prove herself before her father.
*** ***
R : "... No."
Her defiant voice rang out in the court, and everyone's attention was focused on her once more.
But now, she no longer feared those piercing glares.
In fact, she needed those piercing glares to testify her declaration right here.
R : "I refuse the marriage with Prince Gaza. In fact, I thoroughly refuse the marriages of everyone who I have defeated."
The king paid no heed to her claim, and simply sat on his throne quietly.
R : "If you want to be king, you'll have to defeat me in a best of three."
Though she had claimed so, Roberia had no intention of letting the sorry sap who believed her a second chance to battle. She would thoroughly cripple, and at worst paralyze the opponent if necessary.
Her aggressive voice hinted at the snarling danger behind that proclamation, and only a few murmurs of the younger and more foolish knights could be heard.
F : "... Stand down, Roberia. The court is still in session."
With her piece finished, Roberia returned to her position in obedience.
She didn't dislike her father a lot. but his mulish attitude was something she could only surpass by proving herself. It would also be rude to the people with matters to report after her if she refused to retreat.
...
Many would have frozen solid in her place, knowing their position was in danger and everything was going to fall apart, making a wild ruckus.
Honestly, up until a while ago, she had almost forgotten her brother's advice over that bone-chilling atmosphere from before.
Yet it did not frighten her, surprisingly enough.
In fact, that episode was such a close resemblance to one of Ilpoh's stories that she felt as though she were living the legend before her eyes.
*** ***
For the first time in his life, Katachi was truly alone.
The darkness that wrapped him elucidated what it meant to be weak.
*** ***
Now, she had a reason to truly fight and become stronger.
Her drive rekindled, proving once more that she was no longer weak.
Sunday 4 October 2015
Herald 1 : Banish
A ) Persuade her to go back to her family.
Her weeping, pained stature lying on the floor was unexpectedly familiar.
K : (She looks just like- !!)
A sharp, jolting pain.
Katachi grabbed his head slightly, at the uncanny resemblance between the two of them. It was almost taunting, with how similar they appeared.
He couldn't grant the warrior her death. He had seen the visions of death in his own life too much to know and acknowledge how painful it was to leave this world for the Yvente.
K : "... Go home."
It would be horrifying for her parents to find out that she had died, and it would worry them that she wasn't around, with no means to confirm her safety.
Ro : "... What?"
K : "Go home. You have a family waiting for you, just as I am currently returning to mine. Go home, and take care of your parents and family."
The farmer's daughter must have felt a similar hardship. So, surely she would understand his mercy?
Ro : "... If it is as the victor wishes."
He almost couldn't believe his ears.
K : (... What kind of twisted sentence was that? 'If it is as the victor wishes'?!)
Katachi widened his eyes in horror at the mention of that phrase. He could imagine it so vividly, how the bandits, the 'victors' would have their way with her family, and it was almost as though it hinted at the foreboding tragedy about to befall the farmer's daughter.
It made him hesitate. It made him paranoid.
K : (... Have I... Truly made the right choice?)
Perhaps there was a third way out? Perhaps there was a way that could have resolved both sides peacefully, without bloodshed or disappointment?
He was about to speak up, when the warrior gave him a solid kick right on his stomach and core from where she lay.
K : (Ow!!!) "Kggnhh!?"
It was a solid, powerful and impactful kick - One that made him struggle with pain, and clench his sides to steel his nerves and relax the muscles forcibly.
Ro : (... Strange... Was he always this feeble? Or did he receive that attack deliberately, knowing that we will meet again?) "You'd do well to remember that kick and return the favor someday. I swear it by Ilpoh's will, I will face you once more, and by then..."
With a pat on his shoulder, she spoke with utmost gratitude.
Ro : "Pray that you get your chance to kick me back."
*Cozy's Notes : Rugnud culture - Go figure, of course it has to end up with domestic violence against Katachi. Damn, Rugnud, you scurry.*
Against a stranger one wished to face in battle once more, do something that incites vengeance or rage such that their paths may cross again. That was considered one of, if not the friendliest form of gratitude in Rugnud, despite its brash and uncultured culture.
Unfortunately for Katachi, the poor lad raised in Mielfeud, he was completely unaware of such superstition. He was simply shocked at how she planted her sole into his stomach with the whole weight of her body, without even a hint or warning.
By the time he recovered from the pain, the warrior was nowhere to be seen.
*** ***
She slowly trudged back home, in respect to the child's wishes.
Ro : (How could this be? To think that I would lose to someone with a Word of Power... Am I really that weak?)
Though, to be frank, it could have been worse with how he would have done something far nastier than simply ordering her to return home had he not been so passive and merciful.
Ro : (That mercy of his... It's befitting of a Segus follower, at the very least.)
But it worried her. It disturbed her. Was the boy simply strong, beyond belief? Or were her knights weak to have lost to her, and her existence in itself a king among weaklings?
Yet... It wasn't so. The elder and more experienced knights avoided conflict with her as much as possible so she had no feasible means of gauging their real strength, and she had only the chance to battle those with a maximum of 10 years' difference between them. But for someone even younger than her to beat her, that Ohdean beggar was either something else, or that magic he used was simply too powerful.
Her foot could have been stepping on a trap all the long, and from his compassion she was saved... Somehow.
It irked her. It made her frustrated.
Ro : (... There is an even higher horizon of strength I have to witness for myself.)
She understood what it felt like to be weak - Before she was nine, Roberia had always lost to her brother Michael in a spar, despite the injury on his calf muscle. The feeling of triumph of defeating her own brother was one thing, yes, but Michael himself had suffered many losses before which sparked her curiosity for greater strength.
Once more, that feeling had returned, and she sought that great power to ensure Rugnud's safety.
Ro : (I must press onward. This life of mine, graciously returned to me... I shall make the most of it.)
She promptly made her way towards the borter, and didn't bother to second a glance behind her.
*** ***
The familiar herbal aroma coming from the guest room told him everything he needed to know.
K : "Mother?"
He cried out, ever so softly, the gentle sound echoing through the hall briefly before the sounds of solid objects dropping and crashing into the ground was heard.
K : "! Mother!"
Katachi raced towards the guest room, to find Mother Rinnesfeld compiling the books on the floor into a neat stack.
Ri : "Ah, Katachi dear, you're back!"
K : "Let me help you, Mother."
They quietly tidied the place, enjoying the strange silence between them. Once, it had felt so lonely, but the hushed air now felt as though two people were earnestly and meticulously devoted to their work.
K : (There we go.) "Where should I put these?"
Ri : "On the desk, dear, I'll sort them out later."
Their teamwork was awe-inspiring at best, and positively outstanding even when it wasn't anything that big or significant. The two finished the work in less than a minute.
Ri : "So, Katachi dear, how was it like at the Sage Raufid Magus Academy?"
Mother Rinnesfeld stroked Katachi's head, and snuggled against him lovingly as a mother duck would its young.
K : "It was a nice experience. The students and the teachers are a little weird, but the place is nice."
Ri : "I see. What's that big book you've got there, dear?"
Mother Rinnesfeld's finger wagged casually at the thousand-paged book still strapped on Katachi - He had only the time to unsaddle his bag upon entry, after all.
K : "It- It has sigils inside."
To Katachi, that was no lie. The Curse Words themselves, after all, were sigils that could be placed freely and arbitrarily upon the Scholar's whims. They were made from 'Image', and so they could be considered symbols used in magic.
Ri : (Strange... He doesn't stutter unless he has something to hide. Perhaps they are of unsettling drawings of women, or something worse? Well, he is at that age, after all. My boy's all grown up now.) "I see. Mind if Mother takes a peek inside?"
K : (I can't have her see the Words of Power... Mother should never be dragged into this mess I've made.) "Mo- Mother. I think it's very unwise to look in there.
Their reasons conflicted each other briefly, for completely different reasons.
Ri : (Stuttering again? Is it really something that important that I absolutely cannot see? Or perhaps it's actually something related to me, like a diary about how he misses my cooking or something?) "Alright then. I won't pry any further."
The relief that washed over Katachi's face probed into Rinnesfeld further.
K : (Thank goodness. If Mother found out that I were collecting the Words of Power, she would definitely be worried that I would be pursued by the Hunters and other Scholars.)
Ri : (He's that relieved that I'm not looking in there? So it's either things about me, or it's about naughty things- ... Wait, why not both? Could it actually be both? Could its content be about doing naughty things with me?)
Mother Rinnesfeld's eyebrows raised slightly upon that thought.
Ri : (Perhaps he were dreaming of me not as a mother, but as a woman? But, that would be quite serious. We are followers of Segus, and we should be upfront and honest about our feelings, just as Segus expressed his empathy towards other slaves so boldly. His concealment of his partiality towards me would be sinning, and my child cannot possibly sin so blatantly before me.)
But, the prospect of the boy treating her as a woman excited her.
Ri : (... But, to think that my child would see me as a candidate for marriage... Oh, how blasphemous! How scandalous! And yet, Segus does not mention any forbidding relations between family, so perhaps it is... Destiny?)
Mother Rinnesfeld glanced at the child she raised so endearingly, who handed her a round, circular fruit.
Ri : (? This... Is an orange...) "My, Katachi, is that for me?"
K : "Yes, Mother. I... I found an orange tree in Rulid, and I tried some magic on it. The orange will neither rot nor disappear, at least for a while, so I wanted you to have it, Mother."
Ri : "Thank you, dear. Do you think we can get an orange tree growing in the orchard?"
K : (It takes a really long time to make oranges, according to the book...) "... Well, we can try..."
Ri : "Okay then, dear. Why don't you go and wash yourself up? There's still plenty of sun now to dry your clothes if you wash them quickly."
The conversation had finally reached a point Katachi did not want to progress down.
K : "... Mother..."
Ri : "? What is it, dear? Do you have to head back to the academy already? That was fast-"
K : "-Mother, I... I was expelled from the academy."
The silence in the room grew slightly, but Mother Rinnesfeld's compassion quickly encompassed the dreary atmosphere.
Ri : "... Was it to help somebody?"
K : (... It wasn't to begin with, but seeing how Rekter carelessly manipulated the chandelier, and almost killed the students, it's sort-of justified, I suppose.) "Yeah. I helped the students."
Ri : "Good. That is good - As long as you acted out of thought for others, I believe that it's acceptable. So, have you any plans from here on?"
K : "... I want to travel the world, Mother. I'll write down and mark every detail I see, and practice magic along the way. I- I promise to come back every once in a while, though!"
Ri : (He's serious. That hopeful tone... He's really serious.) "You're not going to stay here with me then, Katachi? I was hoping you'd settle down, and we'd start a family, and I was quite looking forward to you taking over this church."
Although the conversation appeared normal at first glance, the meaning of the word 'family' in each of their heads were worlds apart.
K : (Mother's going to find a husband to settle down, and I'd have a half-sister?... But, the Words of Power are too cruel. Growing up with a half-sister, spending our days in the church and spreading the words of Segus... Such a wonderful life it would have been, but what if one day someone comes for me, because of this 定?... Would Mother, my stepfather and that half-sister not be upset?)
He set forth and resolved himself to finish what he had already started.
K : (... I'm sorry, Mother, but as long as I live, I have the obligation to collect them all and ensure that nobody gets hurt by this power ever again.) "... I'm not."
Ri : "... I understand. It must be nice to be young, having such an ambitious dream, and pursing it actively."
K : "... Thank you, Mother."
Ri : "At the very least, won't you stay for some of Mother's gruel? If nothing else, have some lunch before you leave, sweetie."
*** ***
With that, Katachi ate a much-loved bowl of homemade food, refilled the pouches of water from the well, prepared a few more sets of clothes, and sets off for Eliasbury immediately.
*Cozy's Notes : Just wait till you see Herald 2. Holy CRAP is it wicked - Roberia's slandering begins.*
Her weeping, pained stature lying on the floor was unexpectedly familiar.
K : (She looks just like- !!)
A sharp, jolting pain.
Katachi grabbed his head slightly, at the uncanny resemblance between the two of them. It was almost taunting, with how similar they appeared.
He couldn't grant the warrior her death. He had seen the visions of death in his own life too much to know and acknowledge how painful it was to leave this world for the Yvente.
K : "... Go home."
It would be horrifying for her parents to find out that she had died, and it would worry them that she wasn't around, with no means to confirm her safety.
Ro : "... What?"
K : "Go home. You have a family waiting for you, just as I am currently returning to mine. Go home, and take care of your parents and family."
The farmer's daughter must have felt a similar hardship. So, surely she would understand his mercy?
Ro : "... If it is as the victor wishes."
He almost couldn't believe his ears.
K : (... What kind of twisted sentence was that? 'If it is as the victor wishes'?!)
Katachi widened his eyes in horror at the mention of that phrase. He could imagine it so vividly, how the bandits, the 'victors' would have their way with her family, and it was almost as though it hinted at the foreboding tragedy about to befall the farmer's daughter.
It made him hesitate. It made him paranoid.
K : (... Have I... Truly made the right choice?)
Perhaps there was a third way out? Perhaps there was a way that could have resolved both sides peacefully, without bloodshed or disappointment?
He was about to speak up, when the warrior gave him a solid kick right on his stomach and core from where she lay.
K : (Ow!!!) "Kggnhh!?"
It was a solid, powerful and impactful kick - One that made him struggle with pain, and clench his sides to steel his nerves and relax the muscles forcibly.
Ro : (... Strange... Was he always this feeble? Or did he receive that attack deliberately, knowing that we will meet again?) "You'd do well to remember that kick and return the favor someday. I swear it by Ilpoh's will, I will face you once more, and by then..."
With a pat on his shoulder, she spoke with utmost gratitude.
Ro : "Pray that you get your chance to kick me back."
*Cozy's Notes : Rugnud culture - Go figure, of course it has to end up with domestic violence against Katachi. Damn, Rugnud, you scurry.*
Against a stranger one wished to face in battle once more, do something that incites vengeance or rage such that their paths may cross again. That was considered one of, if not the friendliest form of gratitude in Rugnud, despite its brash and uncultured culture.
Unfortunately for Katachi, the poor lad raised in Mielfeud, he was completely unaware of such superstition. He was simply shocked at how she planted her sole into his stomach with the whole weight of her body, without even a hint or warning.
By the time he recovered from the pain, the warrior was nowhere to be seen.
*** ***
She slowly trudged back home, in respect to the child's wishes.
Ro : (How could this be? To think that I would lose to someone with a Word of Power... Am I really that weak?)
Though, to be frank, it could have been worse with how he would have done something far nastier than simply ordering her to return home had he not been so passive and merciful.
Ro : (That mercy of his... It's befitting of a Segus follower, at the very least.)
But it worried her. It disturbed her. Was the boy simply strong, beyond belief? Or were her knights weak to have lost to her, and her existence in itself a king among weaklings?
Yet... It wasn't so. The elder and more experienced knights avoided conflict with her as much as possible so she had no feasible means of gauging their real strength, and she had only the chance to battle those with a maximum of 10 years' difference between them. But for someone even younger than her to beat her, that Ohdean beggar was either something else, or that magic he used was simply too powerful.
Her foot could have been stepping on a trap all the long, and from his compassion she was saved... Somehow.
It irked her. It made her frustrated.
Ro : (... There is an even higher horizon of strength I have to witness for myself.)
She understood what it felt like to be weak - Before she was nine, Roberia had always lost to her brother Michael in a spar, despite the injury on his calf muscle. The feeling of triumph of defeating her own brother was one thing, yes, but Michael himself had suffered many losses before which sparked her curiosity for greater strength.
Once more, that feeling had returned, and she sought that great power to ensure Rugnud's safety.
Ro : (I must press onward. This life of mine, graciously returned to me... I shall make the most of it.)
She promptly made her way towards the borter, and didn't bother to second a glance behind her.
*** ***
The familiar herbal aroma coming from the guest room told him everything he needed to know.
K : "Mother?"
He cried out, ever so softly, the gentle sound echoing through the hall briefly before the sounds of solid objects dropping and crashing into the ground was heard.
K : "! Mother!"
Katachi raced towards the guest room, to find Mother Rinnesfeld compiling the books on the floor into a neat stack.
Ri : "Ah, Katachi dear, you're back!"
K : "Let me help you, Mother."
They quietly tidied the place, enjoying the strange silence between them. Once, it had felt so lonely, but the hushed air now felt as though two people were earnestly and meticulously devoted to their work.
K : (There we go.) "Where should I put these?"
Ri : "On the desk, dear, I'll sort them out later."
Their teamwork was awe-inspiring at best, and positively outstanding even when it wasn't anything that big or significant. The two finished the work in less than a minute.
Ri : "So, Katachi dear, how was it like at the Sage Raufid Magus Academy?"
Mother Rinnesfeld stroked Katachi's head, and snuggled against him lovingly as a mother duck would its young.
K : "It was a nice experience. The students and the teachers are a little weird, but the place is nice."
Ri : "I see. What's that big book you've got there, dear?"
Mother Rinnesfeld's finger wagged casually at the thousand-paged book still strapped on Katachi - He had only the time to unsaddle his bag upon entry, after all.
K : "It- It has sigils inside."
To Katachi, that was no lie. The Curse Words themselves, after all, were sigils that could be placed freely and arbitrarily upon the Scholar's whims. They were made from 'Image', and so they could be considered symbols used in magic.
Ri : (Strange... He doesn't stutter unless he has something to hide. Perhaps they are of unsettling drawings of women, or something worse? Well, he is at that age, after all. My boy's all grown up now.) "I see. Mind if Mother takes a peek inside?"
K : (I can't have her see the Words of Power... Mother should never be dragged into this mess I've made.) "Mo- Mother. I think it's very unwise to look in there.
Their reasons conflicted each other briefly, for completely different reasons.
Ri : (Stuttering again? Is it really something that important that I absolutely cannot see? Or perhaps it's actually something related to me, like a diary about how he misses my cooking or something?) "Alright then. I won't pry any further."
The relief that washed over Katachi's face probed into Rinnesfeld further.
K : (Thank goodness. If Mother found out that I were collecting the Words of Power, she would definitely be worried that I would be pursued by the Hunters and other Scholars.)
Ri : (He's that relieved that I'm not looking in there? So it's either things about me, or it's about naughty things- ... Wait, why not both? Could it actually be both? Could its content be about doing naughty things with me?)
Mother Rinnesfeld's eyebrows raised slightly upon that thought.
Ri : (Perhaps he were dreaming of me not as a mother, but as a woman? But, that would be quite serious. We are followers of Segus, and we should be upfront and honest about our feelings, just as Segus expressed his empathy towards other slaves so boldly. His concealment of his partiality towards me would be sinning, and my child cannot possibly sin so blatantly before me.)
But, the prospect of the boy treating her as a woman excited her.
Ri : (... But, to think that my child would see me as a candidate for marriage... Oh, how blasphemous! How scandalous! And yet, Segus does not mention any forbidding relations between family, so perhaps it is... Destiny?)
Mother Rinnesfeld glanced at the child she raised so endearingly, who handed her a round, circular fruit.
Ri : (? This... Is an orange...) "My, Katachi, is that for me?"
K : "Yes, Mother. I... I found an orange tree in Rulid, and I tried some magic on it. The orange will neither rot nor disappear, at least for a while, so I wanted you to have it, Mother."
Ri : "Thank you, dear. Do you think we can get an orange tree growing in the orchard?"
K : (It takes a really long time to make oranges, according to the book...) "... Well, we can try..."
Ri : "Okay then, dear. Why don't you go and wash yourself up? There's still plenty of sun now to dry your clothes if you wash them quickly."
The conversation had finally reached a point Katachi did not want to progress down.
K : "... Mother..."
Ri : "? What is it, dear? Do you have to head back to the academy already? That was fast-"
K : "-Mother, I... I was expelled from the academy."
The silence in the room grew slightly, but Mother Rinnesfeld's compassion quickly encompassed the dreary atmosphere.
Ri : "... Was it to help somebody?"
K : (... It wasn't to begin with, but seeing how Rekter carelessly manipulated the chandelier, and almost killed the students, it's sort-of justified, I suppose.) "Yeah. I helped the students."
Ri : "Good. That is good - As long as you acted out of thought for others, I believe that it's acceptable. So, have you any plans from here on?"
K : "... I want to travel the world, Mother. I'll write down and mark every detail I see, and practice magic along the way. I- I promise to come back every once in a while, though!"
Ri : (He's serious. That hopeful tone... He's really serious.) "You're not going to stay here with me then, Katachi? I was hoping you'd settle down, and we'd start a family, and I was quite looking forward to you taking over this church."
Although the conversation appeared normal at first glance, the meaning of the word 'family' in each of their heads were worlds apart.
K : (Mother's going to find a husband to settle down, and I'd have a half-sister?... But, the Words of Power are too cruel. Growing up with a half-sister, spending our days in the church and spreading the words of Segus... Such a wonderful life it would have been, but what if one day someone comes for me, because of this 定?... Would Mother, my stepfather and that half-sister not be upset?)
He set forth and resolved himself to finish what he had already started.
K : (... I'm sorry, Mother, but as long as I live, I have the obligation to collect them all and ensure that nobody gets hurt by this power ever again.) "... I'm not."
Ri : "... I understand. It must be nice to be young, having such an ambitious dream, and pursing it actively."
K : "... Thank you, Mother."
Ri : "At the very least, won't you stay for some of Mother's gruel? If nothing else, have some lunch before you leave, sweetie."
*** ***
With that, Katachi ate a much-loved bowl of homemade food, refilled the pouches of water from the well, prepared a few more sets of clothes, and sets off for Eliasbury immediately.
*Cozy's Notes : Just wait till you see Herald 2. Holy CRAP is it wicked - Roberia's slandering begins.*
Monday 31 August 2015
Initial designs for two of the characters and blah
Cozy :
Originally, Cosette was supposed to be completely different.
She was originally going to be bratty, and conceited, and prideful. If you've read the small excerpts I've had, she was supposed to hold a sort of rivalry with Roberia.
It made sense because of Rugnud's culture - Characters fought each other, to struggle and improve themselves daily and at any opportune moment.
But from how the original idea of Cosette unfolded, there's what I'd call... Disturbing elements in the story I can't will myself to write.
If you're familiar with the terms Netori, and Netorare, you should understand what I am talking about.
Later down the story, Cosette will run away from Jullan and towards Roberia and Katachi. Her bratty personality is a bit too flippant and she quickly switches interest from Jul-Jules to Katachi, and it suddenly becomes an overused and lame harem where two (and potentially more, considering that Bael and Katachi's cousins are potential candidates) girls fight for the guy's affections. Except Roberia is shocked by this, finds comfort in Jullan's arms and basically the two girls swap partners.
I mean, it's totally possible to go down that path. Don't get me wrong, I am fine writing that way if the story demands it. I don't strongly object to the idea of such strong, overturning drama within the story if it's something my readers looked out for.
The problem is, if I did that, why would I call the story Words of Power Quest? The focus on the characters increased to a point where it overshadows the possibility of reaching newer heights.
There's also the issue with type compatibility. Katachi wouldn't be able to coordinate with Cosette as well as he did with Roberia if Cosette had that kind of conceited personality. They would fail and be defeated in a couple of battles because they can't read each other's signals well enough.
Unlike Roberia, who fashions a more old-school and authentic romance, Cosette's love for Katachi is more modern-day oriented - The girls wants the guy to handle everything. Roberia would willingly share the pain and put in as much effort as Katachi would, but Cosette kinda feels like Sakura from Fate / Stay Night. Sakura likes to watch, and so does the old Cosette.
If the concept of Cosette and Roberia swapping partners ever came to pass... Endus Reignum wouldn't be half as epic as it would have been because Katachi would have died when he needed Cosette to pull the barbed wire willingly to entangle the Barinnmungt (name not confirmed).
Roberia would have done that shit by at least wrapping the wire around a stump or using the handle of her weapon to lach onto the wire, but Cosette would simply sit and watch in horror as Katachi gets his left half chomped down and then completely devoured, scream like a wuss and draw the attention of the Barinnmungt (name not confirmed), before she too dies.
It'll never work. They will never survive. Never. The chances of that are 0%, based off Cosette's original rotten personality.
*** ***
And then, I met Cosette from Valkyria Chronicles 2.
I mean, strictly speaking, I love the VC franchise. (SEGA PLEASE MAKE IT AVAILABLE ON PS4)
It's a very nice game, the way it introduces the concept of strategy and war and moving your pieces like you're playing chess of sorts, I love these kinds of games in general that factor strategic positioning, objective completion and planning ahead.
I'm one of those crazy people who don't simply play a class 'because it's fun'. I'm the kind who loves to go in with a plan in mind, the kind of guy who strategizes and plans everything ahead of time. It's even reflected in Katachi's overly-cautious, thorough nature.
For example, the normal Scout class can move 450 units, from what I can tell. The overhead map shows that each side of the square equates to roughly about 100 units.
So, the Scout class can move 4 and a half of those sides of the square before running out of AP. The Scout Elite, the final class for Scout, can move 650 units. That's 6 and a half squares. Add that with Alicia's ability, Second Wind, which allows you to regain all your AP, you can move a total of 13 units with a single command point. (That's more or less the whole map, by the way.)
I'm the kind of guy who goes into such extreme detail that it's almost scary to play against me, from the pixel perfect movement to the positioning the units face. Granted, this kind of grotesque, calculative personality shies others away from me, yes, but it's not like I have absolutely no friends at all.
... Back on topic, the Cosette I saw in VC2?
She's an angel. She's the holiest, most mellow and innocent woman I've ever seen on Valkyrie Chronicles thus far. She's also one of the deadliest Engineers, though I've never used her to shoot the enemies before. Mostly used her as a medic to heal wounded allies.
And I honestly, for the first time in my life, felt bad for sullying the Cosette name with that abomination that was the old Cosette. So I destroyed her and replaced her with a Cosette that was more, you know, Cosette-like, similar to the Cosette from VC2.
Heh. Heh heh. That's just something I felt like sharing.
*** ***
Well. So here's how far we've come.
I started the story on November 7th, 2012, believing the world would end. Turns out the Mayan Calendar simply ran out.
And today, on August 31st, 2015, I have completed the second volume of the WoPQ series, Messiah.
... It's been almost 3 years now.
I still remember the impulsive, and brash self I used to have when I first wrote this story. It was fun, and it was amazing. I would go to poly in the morning and afternoon, and when it was over I'd settle down at home, watch some Youtube videos and type my story while playing the music / radio in the background.
I was like, "Muddafugga, the world is going down. I gotta make my world go down too!" So I warped the concept of magic and powers in the story, and it became... Well, what it was today.
... Ahh. Finally, the heavy load known as Messiah is finally on a hiatus.
... Eh? What do you mean, "What do you mean it's on a hiatus?"
It's exactly as I said - Messiah will take a hiatus while I write Herald.
... Though... I am not confident that Herald would work out.
I mean, for me to finish Herald effectively, I must first confront my own fears. The loneliness and isolation I will come to face in the near future, I must confront it with the tale Alas, My Dear Annabelle.
My plans were to finish that story first before I started work on Herald, but honestly speaking it would take forever to. I can't visualize the world through the eyes of a young girl like Annabelle, so simply progressing beyond the happy, idle moment of them eating spaghetti together is an ordeal in itself. I don't know how to go through it anymore.
But, frankly speaking, perhaps I am simply a sensitive person, or perhaps I am simply emotional. I still cry when I think and dream of the scenes I see in Alas, My Dear Annabelle. How Lucia bawled her eyes out as she slapped Annabelle for her foolshness, how the characters berated themselves and questioned their own actions...
Though I haven't finished the tale...... I think I'm sensitive enough to walk into Herald with all the materials I need. These undying feelings... May they linger in my heart and guide me as I complete Herald.
... What comes after, you ask...?
...
I don't know.
...
But, if I were to hazard a guess...
...
... You lot should probably prepare to read the continuation of Messiah when Herald 32 is complete.
Messiah : Pioneers Of Magic. Look forward to it.
As always, Cozy will always be by your bedside. Whisper and confide into me thy sorrows... For thy wish is yours and yours alone.
With fluffy love,
Cozy.
Originally, Cosette was supposed to be completely different.
She was originally going to be bratty, and conceited, and prideful. If you've read the small excerpts I've had, she was supposed to hold a sort of rivalry with Roberia.
It made sense because of Rugnud's culture - Characters fought each other, to struggle and improve themselves daily and at any opportune moment.
But from how the original idea of Cosette unfolded, there's what I'd call... Disturbing elements in the story I can't will myself to write.
If you're familiar with the terms Netori, and Netorare, you should understand what I am talking about.
Later down the story, Cosette will run away from Jullan and towards Roberia and Katachi. Her bratty personality is a bit too flippant and she quickly switches interest from Jul-Jules to Katachi, and it suddenly becomes an overused and lame harem where two (and potentially more, considering that Bael and Katachi's cousins are potential candidates) girls fight for the guy's affections. Except Roberia is shocked by this, finds comfort in Jullan's arms and basically the two girls swap partners.
I mean, it's totally possible to go down that path. Don't get me wrong, I am fine writing that way if the story demands it. I don't strongly object to the idea of such strong, overturning drama within the story if it's something my readers looked out for.
The problem is, if I did that, why would I call the story Words of Power Quest? The focus on the characters increased to a point where it overshadows the possibility of reaching newer heights.
There's also the issue with type compatibility. Katachi wouldn't be able to coordinate with Cosette as well as he did with Roberia if Cosette had that kind of conceited personality. They would fail and be defeated in a couple of battles because they can't read each other's signals well enough.
Unlike Roberia, who fashions a more old-school and authentic romance, Cosette's love for Katachi is more modern-day oriented - The girls wants the guy to handle everything. Roberia would willingly share the pain and put in as much effort as Katachi would, but Cosette kinda feels like Sakura from Fate / Stay Night. Sakura likes to watch, and so does the old Cosette.
If the concept of Cosette and Roberia swapping partners ever came to pass... Endus Reignum wouldn't be half as epic as it would have been because Katachi would have died when he needed Cosette to pull the barbed wire willingly to entangle the Barinnmungt (name not confirmed).
Roberia would have done that shit by at least wrapping the wire around a stump or using the handle of her weapon to lach onto the wire, but Cosette would simply sit and watch in horror as Katachi gets his left half chomped down and then completely devoured, scream like a wuss and draw the attention of the Barinnmungt (name not confirmed), before she too dies.
It'll never work. They will never survive. Never. The chances of that are 0%, based off Cosette's original rotten personality.
*** ***
And then, I met Cosette from Valkyria Chronicles 2.
I mean, strictly speaking, I love the VC franchise. (SEGA PLEASE MAKE IT AVAILABLE ON PS4)
It's a very nice game, the way it introduces the concept of strategy and war and moving your pieces like you're playing chess of sorts, I love these kinds of games in general that factor strategic positioning, objective completion and planning ahead.
I'm one of those crazy people who don't simply play a class 'because it's fun'. I'm the kind who loves to go in with a plan in mind, the kind of guy who strategizes and plans everything ahead of time. It's even reflected in Katachi's overly-cautious, thorough nature.
For example, the normal Scout class can move 450 units, from what I can tell. The overhead map shows that each side of the square equates to roughly about 100 units.
So, the Scout class can move 4 and a half of those sides of the square before running out of AP. The Scout Elite, the final class for Scout, can move 650 units. That's 6 and a half squares. Add that with Alicia's ability, Second Wind, which allows you to regain all your AP, you can move a total of 13 units with a single command point. (That's more or less the whole map, by the way.)
I'm the kind of guy who goes into such extreme detail that it's almost scary to play against me, from the pixel perfect movement to the positioning the units face. Granted, this kind of grotesque, calculative personality shies others away from me, yes, but it's not like I have absolutely no friends at all.
... Back on topic, the Cosette I saw in VC2?
She's an angel. She's the holiest, most mellow and innocent woman I've ever seen on Valkyrie Chronicles thus far. She's also one of the deadliest Engineers, though I've never used her to shoot the enemies before. Mostly used her as a medic to heal wounded allies.
And I honestly, for the first time in my life, felt bad for sullying the Cosette name with that abomination that was the old Cosette. So I destroyed her and replaced her with a Cosette that was more, you know, Cosette-like, similar to the Cosette from VC2.
Heh. Heh heh. That's just something I felt like sharing.
*** ***
Well. So here's how far we've come.
I started the story on November 7th, 2012, believing the world would end. Turns out the Mayan Calendar simply ran out.
And today, on August 31st, 2015, I have completed the second volume of the WoPQ series, Messiah.
... It's been almost 3 years now.
I still remember the impulsive, and brash self I used to have when I first wrote this story. It was fun, and it was amazing. I would go to poly in the morning and afternoon, and when it was over I'd settle down at home, watch some Youtube videos and type my story while playing the music / radio in the background.
I was like, "Muddafugga, the world is going down. I gotta make my world go down too!" So I warped the concept of magic and powers in the story, and it became... Well, what it was today.
... Ahh. Finally, the heavy load known as Messiah is finally on a hiatus.
... Eh? What do you mean, "What do you mean it's on a hiatus?"
It's exactly as I said - Messiah will take a hiatus while I write Herald.
... Though... I am not confident that Herald would work out.
I mean, for me to finish Herald effectively, I must first confront my own fears. The loneliness and isolation I will come to face in the near future, I must confront it with the tale Alas, My Dear Annabelle.
My plans were to finish that story first before I started work on Herald, but honestly speaking it would take forever to. I can't visualize the world through the eyes of a young girl like Annabelle, so simply progressing beyond the happy, idle moment of them eating spaghetti together is an ordeal in itself. I don't know how to go through it anymore.
But, frankly speaking, perhaps I am simply a sensitive person, or perhaps I am simply emotional. I still cry when I think and dream of the scenes I see in Alas, My Dear Annabelle. How Lucia bawled her eyes out as she slapped Annabelle for her foolshness, how the characters berated themselves and questioned their own actions...
Though I haven't finished the tale...... I think I'm sensitive enough to walk into Herald with all the materials I need. These undying feelings... May they linger in my heart and guide me as I complete Herald.
... What comes after, you ask...?
...
I don't know.
...
But, if I were to hazard a guess...
...
... You lot should probably prepare to read the continuation of Messiah when Herald 32 is complete.
Messiah : Pioneers Of Magic. Look forward to it.
As always, Cozy will always be by your bedside. Whisper and confide into me thy sorrows... For thy wish is yours and yours alone.
With fluffy love,
Cozy.
Sunday 30 August 2015
Messiah 32 : Dream_Once_More
By the time she went up the stairs, she could see them clearly.
There they stood, on the veranda, looking out into the distance together to enjoy the period of silence and peace before them. How long had they awaited her arrival, upon this promised land? The armor and dress stood out so blatantly from the lush green of the trees around that it was hard to miss them.
R : "... Cosette? Jullan?"
The delicate silence was broken, and the two turned around to greet their childhood friend.
C : "Roberia!"
The short, bowl-cut blonde was the first to spring out at her, embracing her tightly.
C : "I missed you, Roberia! It's been so long!"
She excitedly squeezed the slender frame between her arms and hopped in an ecstatic fashion. It was oddly cute when seen from afar, akin to how an adorable Pomeranian would energetically jump and address the visitors of their home. Thankfully, there were none around to witness such an unsightly spectacle of the daughter of a noble.
R : "It's been so long, Cosette. I missed you too."
Roberia returned the hug, but took care to hold back her strength - Cosette was not a warrior, not by a long shot. Her body was frail to begin with, and she was one to be worn out easily. It was always a problem to ensure she didn't over-exert herself, so they relinquished her of any knightly duties and focused on her maternity skills instead.
Jullan, however, was a different story.
J : "Roberia, Your Highness, you have returned!"
He withdrew both of his swords, and rested them upon the floor with his palms on the ground. As a knight, he was drilled to show absolute respect towards his lord, even when Roberia had stressed otherwise.
R : "Arise, Jullan. There is no need for such formalities."
J : "Thank you, Your Highness."
It bothered her that he was beginning to behave in the same, pretentious way her suitors began to. That was the last thing she had wanted to see from a friend who stood by her for 9 years.
R : "... Don't behave like that, Jullan. You know how much I hate that kind of behavior. I can understand if you do it before the others, but I'll get mad if you don't refrain yourself."
J : "Sorry."
Jullan sheathed his twin swords, and dusted off the leaves stuck to his knee guards.
C : "It's been so long since we last saw you, Roberia. How are you?"
...
She didn't even know where to begin.
The journey seemed so long, filled with so many events... She couldn't even think of a place to start. About her desire to travel away from Rugnud to become strong? About the many places she had been to? About the cultural differences between Findel and Rugnud? Or perhaps the whole situation with that charcoal-haired boy?
R : "I... I don't even know where to begin with that, Cosette. I have so much to say... Have a seat, you two, don't stand on ceremony."
Roberia gestured her hand to the stone seat behind her, but...
R : "... !? What- What is this!?"
... the damage on the seat was so severe that the seats could no longer be considered one.
J : "Ah, that?... I've heard the servants talking about Duke Marcyn testing Lita a few weeks ago, She challenged him for the right to undergo the Succession Ceremony, and they ended up breaking the seats halfway through their scuffle."
R : "... Duke Marcyn had better hold responsibility for this. I've seen that unchanging seat for 10 years now, and I won't tolerate the destruction of a landmark for personal whims."
J : "No worries, Roberia. Lita said she's going to cover for it. She's hiring a magus from Findel to repair them as they were."
Relief washed over Roberia as the worry toward her beloved memories landmarked upon the stools vaporized.
R : "I'll trust that she'll see to the payment of the magus in order."
C : "Ahahaha, you never change, Roberia."
Cosette giggled excitedly at her friend who inflated the severity of the situation as she always had.
C : "It's just like you to get worked up over the smallest details and fret over them. Benches aren't living things, so there's no real need to get so excited for them."
Trained in the ways of a maiden, Cosette quickly realized her mistake.
C : "! Not... Not that it's a bad thing, however! I feel a lot more at ease when you behave this naturally."
Cosette didn't understand why her friends, these warriors, were so tense and paranoid.
It was a blessing in disguise, however - That gentle demeanor would surely be shattered had she chose the path of a warrior herself. It was a conditioning, a cultivation of a warrior's mind to always be vigilant and to notice even the subtlest of things, like the displacement of gravel on the ground to hint at an invisible magus stalking them or the faintest change in the scent in the air.
These warriors honed their skills with every waking moment, and so it was a given that they would sound off and notify their compatriots of anything suspicious they found.
At the very least, for a clumsy and frail child with a rather adorable bowl-cut, Cosette was lucky not to become a warrior.
She would have caved in under the pressure otherwise.
R : "Haha, ahaha, I guess Sir Tact's behavior just rubbed off on me- ..."
Before she had even realized it, the conversation had already reached the perfect point to bring about the sad news. Her unconscious pause upon that realization had already cemented the conversation's direction.
C : "... Roberia?"
J : "... What's wrong?
Could she... Bear to share the painful truth?
R : (Jullan should be fine for the most part. Even in training, he should have understood how easy it is for one to lose their lives, and even the mightiest of warriors succumb to weakness. But Cosette... How should I say it to her?...)
Roberia walked in Cosette's direction, and placed her hands on her shoulders.
R : (... Sir Tact, guide me. First, approach her, and give physical contact to reassure them and catch them when they collapse. Next...) "Cosette..."
C : "Yeah?"
R : "... I am going to tell you something, that will make you sad. Okay?"
C : "... O-... Okay..."
Her face sagged a little, as one would expect from an adorable puppy.
R : (Wait for her breath to be exhaled fully, and as she begins to inhale...)
She could feel the power emanating from the Funeral of Dandelions. Her memories of Sir Tact guided her as she fully accepted and embraced his departure.
R : "... Sir Tact has fallen in battle."
A quiet, and very sad silence draped on the air. As though in cue, the winds stopped, giving a reprieve of sound for reminiscing the ones past.
C : "... Sir Tact... Is... Is dead?..."
It would surely hurt for a dear mentor she grew up with to have passed on so soon.
R : "... I am as shocked as you are, Cosette. I would have never imagined my own mentor to be felled by another..."
C : "This... This is too cruel! First Cillian, and now Sir Tact? What- What has become of this mad world?!..."
R : (... Cillian? Did she- Did she just say Cillian?!)
Roberia wasn't sure whether she was holding Cosette in place, or holding onto Cosette to keep herself in place. The wobbly and unstable pillars crashed into the ground, and both girls felt a sharp pain of their sides overwhelming the grief in their hearts for a brief moment.
*** ***
Katachi wasn't a person to appreciate violence.
Since long ago, he had shied away from such physical abuse, remembering his dear Mother Rin's words that guided him to date. Just by witnessing the act, he would remember the kicks to his arms and side by Dante, the reluctance of Juval to use that strength to stop the abuse... It brought back memories he would rather not witness now.
Yet right before him, a warrior wielding a strange scythe with a blade of light was dueling with another familiar-looking warrior using a sword encrusted with red crystals.
K : "... Uhm..."
He simply wasn't a person who could appreciate and watch on as two others fight, unlike the knight standing next to him.
I : "The one to our right is my sister, Lita Bloodcrust."
K : (I think I could tell that from how similar they looked, but it's amazing how alike they are...)
Even as a person who could not appreciate the beauty of refining one's skill with the blade, Katachi could tell that they were controlled and attentive. They were fierce, and unrelenting in their blows, yet neither truly loosens up, not even at the slightest distractions like the gravel upon their feet, nor the sweat that made their bodies sticky. The blade of light clashed with the crimson mesh and severed the crystals, sending them flying a couple of different directions.
K : (... The light gently coats the blade, to confuse and disorient the opponent? But, it's a scythe. The blade aside, it's a long weapon, so I can imagine that the possible ways to attack an opponent is quite limited. How does that light help?)
He sat down on the stone chair next to Ian, and they watched the skirmish in intrigue.
The lady named Lita was in a rather defensive position, constantly deflecting the strikes to a side, careful not to release an opening for her relentless foe to take advantage of. On the other hand, the scythe wielder constantly walked forward and backward as she sought to keep the opponent in the effective range of the scythe's blade, carefully following through Lita's pacing of back and forth.
K : (... Why doesn't she fight back?)
As he thought that, Lita slid to a side quickly the moment she heard a crunching sound underneath her, suddenly launching an attack out of the blue - In a style almost too similar to Ian's. But in that one moment she struck, her blow was blocked perfectly by the scythe's snath, and a blinding flash of light pulsated from the scythe blade.
K : "!" (Ow, my eyes!)
That alone was clear enough to paint the reason why she held such a defensive position.
K : (A blast of light whenever an attack is catched... Sounds like something from the Bringer of Dawn lineage. I can still hear them fighting and clashing, even now... Is that a defensive kind of magic? I've heard that the Vorsche family branches off into multiple families after Tarren de Vorsche's legacy. Is she from a branch family?)
It was natural to think that, given the supportive nature of both hers, and Cillian's magic. Rather than applying it offensively, it was a defensive type that served to enhance one's battle prowess. Though it clearly had its differences, with how Cillian's was a constant and blinding stream of light that constantly glared its opponent's eyes, and hers applied at the very instant the weapon was used in defense, they both emitted light radiant enough to sting.
It gave Katachi an uncomfortable feeling, facing someone who used the Bringer of Dawn magic again.
I : "Are you alright?"
K : (I wonder if she is familiar with Cillian.) "... Yeah. I didn't close my eyes in time. It won't take long."
*Cozy's Notes : They are ALL familiar with him, Cat-a-chee.*
But it was nowhere as disturbing as the casual tone of voice from Ian after that match they had earlier.
K : (... Is this... The culture of Rugnud?)
He could only begin to imagine what kind of culture awaited him in the foreign land where the red-haired girl hailed as his eyes gradually recovered.
K : (... ? That was... An unusually quick recovery.)
*Cozy's Notes : You're the only magus in a land of warriors who use image power PASSIVELY. You're in a gold mine of image power, do you really think the normal rules your body obeyed in Findel applies here? Katachi, Katachi, Catachee... You gullible fool.*
He felt unnatural. He felt really off that his eyes somehow managed to regain its sight and look upon the armor-clad ladies still sparring before him in such a short span of time.
K : (... No, rather, I feel like everyone around me is... Looking at me. Like... Like I'm being watched...)
As he turned his head slowly, he could see the many gazes of the servants and maids who passed by the garden from within the building. Their hushed whispers and blatant stares were more than enough of an indication that they had been looking at him.
K : (... I... I really stand out in these clothes, don't I?)
He pulled at Ian's uncomfortable tunic, looking at the aged fabric in embarrassment. It had most likely caused him to be looked upon by the others who wore classier clothes in the palace, in contrast to the slightly over-sized and ancient apparel.
One of the maids answered Ian's waving hand and approached him with a slightly worn tray.
"What would you ask of me, Sir Ian?"
I : "Could you ask Baron Issemedi to prepare some refreshments here in about half an hour? It's for both Lita and Luce."
"Certainly."
The maid turned to walk away-
*** ***
*kapyink*
The sound of the red crystals shattering, similar to when Ian released a barrage at him and they smashed into the wall, could be heard from behind.
In that instant, Katachi saw big shards of red crystals flying towards the maid currently walking away towards the building.
K : "!" (The crystals will hit her!)
But, alas, it was too fast.
Far, far too fast.
Katachi could tell - The shards moved at a speed far too quick for anyone to do anything. It was like watching a galerider glide across the branches and trees, never hitting them at all while moving so fast it was almost impossible to catch by eye. Like watching someone you respected for many years crumble and fall into ruin, and the helplessness that dwelled within his heart as he observed the poor man praying silently in the church of Segus.
It was like the time Bael set up the trap in Cosmatral Neud, where the only time one had was to think.
K : (I should use 定 to fixate the wall of air- No, wait!)
The natural course of action was instantly denied by his own will.
K : (... I can still feel it. These, these disgusting Words of Power... I can feel them crawling, dominating me bit by bit, as I rely more and more upon them. I have the worst feeling right now, that using them right here... Would end horribly.)
The incident from the fat man in Anik, and the bandits rose once more. The Words of Power had taken charge in both situations - The first was a choral demand to sap the two of the blood in their bodies, and the second was the strong insistence of 定 to end the fight and stop everything.
These Words... How much longer must he come to rely on them? How much further must he succumb to their allure, before becoming a slave to the Words completely?
Had he not obtained enough power to get by without using them at all?
Had he learnt nothing from his journey?...
Just as he thought that...
K : (... That all things that start all have their own ends...)
... He suddenly remembered the story he had heard a couple of hours ago.
K : (... Do or die. If it must be, then let it be so - I had rather die by my own blunder than at the hands of these Words of Power. Life, like image itself, is but a fleeting dream. There's no point to a death by the very thing I sought to destroy in the first place. But there is every meaning in trying to overcome this obstacle, just as Ian Bloodcrust has pushed himself to the absolute limits!)
With his resolve strengthened, Katachi unleashed a spell he had never used before.
A spell that was certain to work, disregarding the risks it carried.
*** ***
-and before anyone really knew what had happened, a bloody figure had appeared next to the maid and yanked her backwards, into Katachi's arms immediately, just barely dodging the crystal shards in time.
I : (What-)
Yet, it was not without repercussions. The young black-haired boy collapsed onto the ground with the maid using him as a cushion.
I : "... No way..." (That mass of blood just now... Wasn't that a technique used by Otemiygnan?!)
But Ian was in a much bigger 'shock' that Katachi was, in a different sense of the word.
I : (The God of Blood is omnipresent as long as blood is about. Sending his blood forward to another source of blood instantly, before forcefully pulling the target towards himself... That is the technique our God used to persecute the ones whom thought they could afford to let blood carelessly spill. It was first used to pull his friend out from a rolling boulder's path, but... This...!)
He had, after witnessing the miracle, understood the true insight of his liege.
I : (To think a Magus as young as himself was able to perfectly replicate the art our God performed himself... So brash, and unplanned.)
Ian knelt down to assess Katachi's current state, as the maid got off to regain her composure and understanding of exactly what had happened to her.
I : (That technique was used after Otemiygnan became the Warlock of Blood, after he achieved a body beyond a human's as a result of the Path of Blood. There's no way for a mere human like him to remain perfectly intact after having most of his body's blood summoned and separated from his body so quickly.)
He touched the blood vessels in Katachi, and check his pulse. It was strong and healthy, but the child's whole body had begun to turn blue and bruise ever so slightly from that one instant his entirety was deprived of blood.
Li : "Ian! How is he?"
Lu : "Is he alright?"
The two knights, finally aware of the blunder in their skirmish, hurried over to Ian's side.
I : "... He's fine. His body's suffering from a very slight shock, but that's only because he did something this reckless to begin with." (Praise be to Empress Roberia. Her insight is incredible - Given enough time, I am sure this child will grow to become a great magus.)
Lu : "That's good to hear."
The scythe wielder, Luce Frelti, raised the boy to her shoulder and carried his tiny stature in a similar fashion Roberia once did.
*Cozy's Notes : Is the Frelti name familiar to you? Luce Frelti, Lindra Frelti, and later in the story the fallen Lapheese Frelti, they are Cillian's cousins.*
I : (... Provided he lives long enough for that to happen.) "You don't have to carry him, Luce. The maids can-"
Lu : "I'm the one who sent the crystal flying in that direction to begin with, so this is my fault. At least allow me this much, Ian."
Li : "I'll support you. It must be tiring after using so much strength to hit me."
I : "No, sister, you should rest-"
Li : "I wish to speak with Luce privately after we bring this boy to Her Highness's room. This is convenient for me, Ian."
Lita moved to retrieve a wooden chair from within the building, and they set the young boy down in a seated position. Carrying the front legs and the backrest, they carried Katachi off, in a rather strange and awkward manner.
I : (... As you wish, dear sister.)
*** ***
J : "The shock's a bit too much for her to handle."
Jullan carried Cosette in his arms and walked by Roberia's side. From a faraway distance, almost anyone could see how lovely it was for the adorable bowl-cut blond to be carried by the man she loved so dearly.
R : "... I've always prepared myself for death. This... This shouldn't faze me at all. Cillian simply did not perform up to our expectations of him, or perhaps he had met a match that was far too great for him to handle-"
J : "It's fine, Roberia. You don't need to rationalize it."
She turned to meet the serious, reassuring gaze of Jullan, and smiled briefly at the bitter truth.
R : "... You wouldn't mind if I cry on your pillow again, would you?"
He replied the question with a wry smile.
J : "If it makes you feel any better, go ahead."
Roberia opened the door to Jullan's assigned room, and held the door open for the two to squeeze through. When they had entered the room fully, she closed the door and locked it gently and quickly, shutting out any of the possible servants that may intrude tactlessly.
After Jullan laid Cosette on the bed to rest, Roberia fished for a pillow from the bedside and buried her face within it.
...
The muffled cries fueled the imaginations of anyone close enough to hear it, but no one could see her face breaking down from the great sorrow.
...
R : (... The pillow smells like Jullan. He's grown so much... His smell is so thick now.)
Roberia couldn't think of the number of times she felt firm and reassured by Jullan's side.
The three of them often played with the servants and maids when everyone else expected little from children like them. She remembered the time Jullan was being a little nasty, and placed a strand of his hair into the Tealwilde poultry and seaweed soup, the brown colors of the hair and seaweed matching well.
She remembered how they ran away as fast as their tiny feet could carry them when Count Ibemedi drank from the soup, and scolded the then-young Baron Issemedi for the hair. They were scolded by Ilarys badly, but that was a small price to pay for the look on the pompous count's face.
... Even after Michael's injury, Cosette and Jullan were the only ones she kept in contact with.
One her best friend, and the other her love interest.
Roberia smiled as she deeply sucked the essence of hair oils encrusted on the pillow into her nose.
It was a bit different now, with it emanating a more mature, grown up smell, but it was one she wouldn't fail to recognize. Stained in the familiar smells of Jaanthro and Curamel, and his sweat. She could get used to the smell her whole life, living side-by-side with Jullan until their hairs turned white...
R : (...)
... But that would be wrong.
She couldn't pop the question, and pursue those feelings.
What of her responsibility towards that black-haired boy she roped in? What of his fate, should she simply renounce him to fill her desires?
Was that allowed of her? Surely, with that bold statement she had made, there was no turning back. He had become her responsibility to uphold, and it would leave a bad impression on others should she flippantly choose to abandon him.
Yet, why wouldn't she feel this way? He may be an ally bonded through their marriage, but what part of it felt real? Was it a proper marriage, enough to justify everything to come? He showed little to no interest with pursuing her as a partner. He may have his considerations for her, but those were simply out of respect and pity, were they not?
... She didn't know. The world was full of uncertainties, and she could only imagine a life where they hadn't met - She would eventually come across someone else she couldn't defeat, and then what?
Would she become the victor's wife once more?
Even so... It's not as though the victor would be as merciful as Katachi. It may have been her good fortune that she was spared and not slaughtered, amputated or prostituted.
R : (... It's not the most exciting of marriages...)
But she should have counted her blessings on her good fortune to encounter the charcoal-haired boy. It may have been the will of her ancestors and grandfather to facilitate their meeting.
R : (... But if I ask for any more, I'd be an ingrate and a shame to the ones before me.)
She lowered the pillow on her face and gazed sadly upon her friends, with Jullan gently stroking Cosette's cheek.
R : "... You should kiss her."
J : "!? Wha- Roberia! Don't even begin to suggest that!"
It would be, at the very least, a relief to entrust Jullan into good hands.
R : "I'm serious, Jullan. I'm not oblivious about Cosette's feelings for you. She sticks to you like glue whenever I'm not around, doesn't she?"
J : "Y- yeah, she does, but that's just her being clingy and dependent! I can't possib-"
R : "Are knights not proud, chivalrous defenders the people look up to? It should only be natural for her to do so, even if she's not romantically attracted to you."
J : "Guh- ..."
Jullan fell silent upon the surprisingly well done rebuttal.
J : "... I know that, I just do, but I..."
R : "... You what?"
J : "... I'm worried, Roberia. I... I don't possess the strength that the bigger and better knights do. And I can't really see myself improving anywhere, so I don't see myself moving anywhere past the title of Knight."
R : "It's natural to feel weak, Jullan. That weakness is the greatest motivation to strengthen ourselves and strive to become better every day."
J : Yes, but I don't see myself becoming a Baron, or Count, or Duke... I don't see myself amassing to great things, and giving her a good life. She... Cosette won't live happily with me."
*phhack*
Without warning, Roberia's hand had clapped against his cheek.
J : "... Roberia... ?"
R : "... Do not speak of her happiness in that tone, Jullan. I am sure that she is content simply spending time with you."
J : "... She won't. Her time is wasted on-"
R : "I am certain, Jullan. As certain as my feelings for you are, I know that she simply wishes for your company, as do I."
J : "... ! Ro-... Your Highness..."
It would certainly be a shock for him to hear a confession this way. Unfortunately, as a warrior herself, Roberia was numb and insensitive towards the moods and timings to reveal such information.
R : "I do not expect material goods, or wondrous food, or great fame from you, and neither does Cosette. No... Her love for you is a form even purer than my own. I am certain of it."
J : "... I... I'm just afraid, that her love would be wasted on me-"
R : "Then let it be so. That love for you was cultivated specifically for you, no matter how wasteful you may feel it to be. She would not love another man as passionately, so why deny her of her dreams? Why quell her desires?"
J : "..."
At that moment, she simply wanted to be there for her two best friends.
Roberia wrapped her arms around Jullan's head, and squeezed him gently.
R : "If you're that worried to begin with, all you have to do is become stronger, right?"
J : "... Ro- *muffled sounds* " (Ouch! Her- Her ribcage...)
*Cozy's Notes : And it was at that moment, Jullan noticed just how painful it was to be crushed between her arms and her ribcage. XD
Okay. Seriously. Roberia has no breasts. In its place is a rather refined chest (as in, muscular kind of refined, not feminine)*
R : "So, don't worry too much about it. Forge onward, Jullan. Train yourself to become stronger and better than you were yesterday. Go forth, and become a man worthy of accepting all of her love."
J : "..." (My goodness. Roberia is a lot stronger than she lets on. This seriously hurts like hell, especially since I haven't trained my face muscles.)
R : "... That is my faith in you. As your ruler, as your friend, and..."
As she edged and shoved them together with what courage she could muster...
R : "... As someone who loved you."
... She had finally accepted those unanswered feelings, and moved along.
*** ***
"Fellow squire! Have you seen Empress Roberia?"
"Her Highness?... Well, I saw her with Jullan Gracer and Cosette Saint-Pouille a while ago. What's the matter?"
"Her honored guest, the Ohdean magus, has fainted! Quickly, we must find her and relay the news!"
*** ***
The door to the room opened slowly, with a rather disturbing creak and groan. Roberia peered into the room from the side, and found the small figure rested upon the bed with a strange discoloration to his skin.
R : (By Ilpoh's grace... What happened to him?)
She clearly remembered the the boy had a healthier-looking skin just hours ago. What exactly had he done to become so?
Roberia entered the room-
*shwapimh*
-and felt something slightly... Odd, about the room.
R : (What... What just happened? That felt like... That felt like something important was undone.)
It was a difficult feeling to describe. It felt as though something was suddenly swelling in power, a familiar feeling back when she had an encounter with the divine beast.
R : (... The feather?)
Roberia instinctively fished out the feather from her pocket, and felt the might within returning.
R : (... How? Why does it feel like this only now?...)
She didn't understand what was wrong with the feather, but she remembered how the scene unfolded before. Stabbing a twig into the beautiful black coat, it transformed into that nostalgic greatsword she had fun carrying about.
R : (... Come to think of it, the meatmonger in Anik did something similar, didn't he?)
She recalled how the feather was present as well when they were purchasing salamander tail meat. The feather was able to mask the foul stench from the rotting bucket she touched... So what exactly was this marvel?
What exactly was this thing in her hands?
The curiosity overpowered her desire to affirm Katachi's current state. For the most part, with how inactive he was and how his chest rose and fell gently, he was likely asleep.
*Cozy's Notes : Hahah. Katachi is unimportant to her.*
R : (... Let's try it.)
Roberia reached for a comb on the dresser, and touched it with the feather.
...
R : (...)
Nothing happened.
Absolutely nothing happened.
R : (... What are the conditions to activate the power of this feather? I... I don't understand.)
She played around with the thin comb, and rustled its bristles between her fingertips.
R : (Ahh, this feeling... It reminds me of the times I'd pick up Michael's shoe brush and play with it.)
She looked down at the feather-
R : "... !..." (... No. Way.)
-to realize that the comb in her hands had transformed into the brush she used to play with until it broke.
Her face then was the exact same as the face she had when it first transformed into her breastplate.
R : (What-... When did it transform?! When!?! Was it that window I wasn't looking? Or was it when I felt the bristles? How did- What?!)
There were too many question to ask, and answering them revealed even more questions. In shock, Roberia let go of the brush, and it returned into its original state - A comb.
R : (... This... This is the real power of Yvolki?...)
She couldn't believe it.
Why did it take her so long to realize something that incredible was by her, all this time?
... Then again, it was strange. It was as though there were periods where the feather fluctuated in power, and longer periods where it was dormant.
What decided those factors, exactly?
... Roberia didn't know. And from what she could tell, Katachi wouldn't know, either - There wasn't enough evidence to determine if it would work.
R : (... In that case...)
Her only option was to play with her new toy until it wore off.
With her hands on the feather, she imagined - The nameless greatsword she used in respect of her mentor Sir Tact, valiant Knight of the Switch.
And, even without closing her eyes, she saw it.
The onyx feather had extended and formed into the sword she had carried on her back at the start of her journey.
The slightest scratches on the fuller, the blunted region nearing the pommel, everything about it was to detail. It was amazing how real it was.
R : (... It even swings like the real thing.)
She lifted the heavy blade, and did a full broad slash. The welling power from that act, and the weight of the blade, it was a truly comfortable, wistful feeling.
She raised the sword from behind her overhead, and did a powerful cleave into the ground.
*kapang*
K : "!? Wha- What?"
The sudden shaking of the earth startled her sleeping guest, and he awoke to the abrupt and rude vibration nearby.
R : (Whoops.) "Sorry about that."
As she turned to look, she noticed it - Katachi's eyes glowed purple once more, and for some reaon she felt the power in her hands fading away.
She looked down to find the feather in her palms once more, its strength spent.
R : (... Wait. Katachi was never awake, or around when the feather was powerful. But, those seals in his eyes...)
She began understanding and establishing the well-hidden connection between Yvolki's gifts.
R : (... Is it possible that I am unable to use the feather while Katachi is awake?)
K : "... Wha- My skin's all weird!"
The boy got up from the guest room's bed, and hurried towards the dresser to gaze upon his thoroughly bruised figure. He was certainly shocked that something like that had happened to him without his knowledge, though from what she knew the damage was actually self-inflicted.
K : "... My eye... ?"
Had he realized that the seals in his eyes were responsible for halting her feather? She... Didn't know.
But, now that Katachi was awake, she could face him properly and discuss with him regarding the punishment she resolved herself to.
*** ***
R : "Katachi..."
K : "... What is it, Roberia?"
R : "Could you turn around to face me?"
K : "... I'd rather not."
R : "... Very well. We can continue the conversation this way. You've probably heard from the time you were blindfolded, but in regard to the 'punishment' the King placed upon me..."
K : "... Yeah?"
R : "... I was thinking, perhaps we should aid in the reforming of Rugnud."
K : "Reform... So Ian's words are true, then? How your departure threw everything into chaos and how there are many bandits and mercenaries about, vying for the throne?"
R : "... Yes."
K : "I was thinking about that as well, when I was chatting with Gorimer."
R : "... So, you will assist me?"
K : "... Well... Ultimately, it is my responsibility to see to it that I take responsibility for my victory. I... I don't really know the specifics and details, but from what I have heard many people in the city have already begun spreading rumors. Rumors... about my status as your ally."
R : "Yeah. They have."
K : "That set me thinking, though - Would that really be wise? Would that really be smart, for everyone in Rugnud to know that I am a Word of Power Hunter? Surely, those who fear me baselessly would simply leave the country, and those who covet my Words of Power would come for my head and the 1000-paged book."
R : "... Oh..." (He's thought that far ahead?... Well, he isn't wrong, at least - Duke Harlot's men have been busier than ever at the borders keeping tracks of the flow of people, and many specific individuals have already left Rugnud. Tracking the bandits entering is tougher, but the result was clear enough from just one side of the walls.)
K : "So I thought, maybe it's not that bad. Those who also wish to collect Words of Power may view me as a target, and I can take their Words of Power and seal it within the book should they fail. It increases the danger, perhaps,but the rewards received are worth the risk."
R : "... Will you be okay?"
K : "... Frankly speaking... I don't know. The future is full of uncertainties... No, even now, I am uncertain."
R : "? What... What's wrong?"
*** ***
That was when Katachi turned around, and his face explained everything.
On his left eye...
R : "!! What the-"
... was a milky white 定, completely different from the usual 定 he would place and use.
K : "... I... I think I've been cursed."
*** ***
B) Work out her problem and give her advice? ✔
The "Herald" route has been unlocked.
You may now return to The Moment That Defined Fate.
There they stood, on the veranda, looking out into the distance together to enjoy the period of silence and peace before them. How long had they awaited her arrival, upon this promised land? The armor and dress stood out so blatantly from the lush green of the trees around that it was hard to miss them.
R : "... Cosette? Jullan?"
The delicate silence was broken, and the two turned around to greet their childhood friend.
C : "Roberia!"
The short, bowl-cut blonde was the first to spring out at her, embracing her tightly.
C : "I missed you, Roberia! It's been so long!"
She excitedly squeezed the slender frame between her arms and hopped in an ecstatic fashion. It was oddly cute when seen from afar, akin to how an adorable Pomeranian would energetically jump and address the visitors of their home. Thankfully, there were none around to witness such an unsightly spectacle of the daughter of a noble.
R : "It's been so long, Cosette. I missed you too."
Roberia returned the hug, but took care to hold back her strength - Cosette was not a warrior, not by a long shot. Her body was frail to begin with, and she was one to be worn out easily. It was always a problem to ensure she didn't over-exert herself, so they relinquished her of any knightly duties and focused on her maternity skills instead.
Jullan, however, was a different story.
J : "Roberia, Your Highness, you have returned!"
He withdrew both of his swords, and rested them upon the floor with his palms on the ground. As a knight, he was drilled to show absolute respect towards his lord, even when Roberia had stressed otherwise.
R : "Arise, Jullan. There is no need for such formalities."
J : "Thank you, Your Highness."
It bothered her that he was beginning to behave in the same, pretentious way her suitors began to. That was the last thing she had wanted to see from a friend who stood by her for 9 years.
R : "... Don't behave like that, Jullan. You know how much I hate that kind of behavior. I can understand if you do it before the others, but I'll get mad if you don't refrain yourself."
J : "Sorry."
Jullan sheathed his twin swords, and dusted off the leaves stuck to his knee guards.
C : "It's been so long since we last saw you, Roberia. How are you?"
...
She didn't even know where to begin.
The journey seemed so long, filled with so many events... She couldn't even think of a place to start. About her desire to travel away from Rugnud to become strong? About the many places she had been to? About the cultural differences between Findel and Rugnud? Or perhaps the whole situation with that charcoal-haired boy?
R : "I... I don't even know where to begin with that, Cosette. I have so much to say... Have a seat, you two, don't stand on ceremony."
Roberia gestured her hand to the stone seat behind her, but...
R : "... !? What- What is this!?"
... the damage on the seat was so severe that the seats could no longer be considered one.
J : "Ah, that?... I've heard the servants talking about Duke Marcyn testing Lita a few weeks ago, She challenged him for the right to undergo the Succession Ceremony, and they ended up breaking the seats halfway through their scuffle."
R : "... Duke Marcyn had better hold responsibility for this. I've seen that unchanging seat for 10 years now, and I won't tolerate the destruction of a landmark for personal whims."
J : "No worries, Roberia. Lita said she's going to cover for it. She's hiring a magus from Findel to repair them as they were."
Relief washed over Roberia as the worry toward her beloved memories landmarked upon the stools vaporized.
R : "I'll trust that she'll see to the payment of the magus in order."
C : "Ahahaha, you never change, Roberia."
Cosette giggled excitedly at her friend who inflated the severity of the situation as she always had.
C : "It's just like you to get worked up over the smallest details and fret over them. Benches aren't living things, so there's no real need to get so excited for them."
Trained in the ways of a maiden, Cosette quickly realized her mistake.
C : "! Not... Not that it's a bad thing, however! I feel a lot more at ease when you behave this naturally."
Cosette didn't understand why her friends, these warriors, were so tense and paranoid.
It was a blessing in disguise, however - That gentle demeanor would surely be shattered had she chose the path of a warrior herself. It was a conditioning, a cultivation of a warrior's mind to always be vigilant and to notice even the subtlest of things, like the displacement of gravel on the ground to hint at an invisible magus stalking them or the faintest change in the scent in the air.
These warriors honed their skills with every waking moment, and so it was a given that they would sound off and notify their compatriots of anything suspicious they found.
At the very least, for a clumsy and frail child with a rather adorable bowl-cut, Cosette was lucky not to become a warrior.
She would have caved in under the pressure otherwise.
R : "Haha, ahaha, I guess Sir Tact's behavior just rubbed off on me- ..."
Before she had even realized it, the conversation had already reached the perfect point to bring about the sad news. Her unconscious pause upon that realization had already cemented the conversation's direction.
C : "... Roberia?"
J : "... What's wrong?
Could she... Bear to share the painful truth?
R : (Jullan should be fine for the most part. Even in training, he should have understood how easy it is for one to lose their lives, and even the mightiest of warriors succumb to weakness. But Cosette... How should I say it to her?...)
Roberia walked in Cosette's direction, and placed her hands on her shoulders.
R : (... Sir Tact, guide me. First, approach her, and give physical contact to reassure them and catch them when they collapse. Next...) "Cosette..."
C : "Yeah?"
R : "... I am going to tell you something, that will make you sad. Okay?"
C : "... O-... Okay..."
Her face sagged a little, as one would expect from an adorable puppy.
R : (Wait for her breath to be exhaled fully, and as she begins to inhale...)
She could feel the power emanating from the Funeral of Dandelions. Her memories of Sir Tact guided her as she fully accepted and embraced his departure.
R : "... Sir Tact has fallen in battle."
A quiet, and very sad silence draped on the air. As though in cue, the winds stopped, giving a reprieve of sound for reminiscing the ones past.
C : "... Sir Tact... Is... Is dead?..."
It would surely hurt for a dear mentor she grew up with to have passed on so soon.
R : "... I am as shocked as you are, Cosette. I would have never imagined my own mentor to be felled by another..."
C : "This... This is too cruel! First Cillian, and now Sir Tact? What- What has become of this mad world?!..."
R : (... Cillian? Did she- Did she just say Cillian?!)
Roberia wasn't sure whether she was holding Cosette in place, or holding onto Cosette to keep herself in place. The wobbly and unstable pillars crashed into the ground, and both girls felt a sharp pain of their sides overwhelming the grief in their hearts for a brief moment.
*** ***
Katachi wasn't a person to appreciate violence.
Since long ago, he had shied away from such physical abuse, remembering his dear Mother Rin's words that guided him to date. Just by witnessing the act, he would remember the kicks to his arms and side by Dante, the reluctance of Juval to use that strength to stop the abuse... It brought back memories he would rather not witness now.
Yet right before him, a warrior wielding a strange scythe with a blade of light was dueling with another familiar-looking warrior using a sword encrusted with red crystals.
K : "... Uhm..."
He simply wasn't a person who could appreciate and watch on as two others fight, unlike the knight standing next to him.
I : "The one to our right is my sister, Lita Bloodcrust."
K : (I think I could tell that from how similar they looked, but it's amazing how alike they are...)
Even as a person who could not appreciate the beauty of refining one's skill with the blade, Katachi could tell that they were controlled and attentive. They were fierce, and unrelenting in their blows, yet neither truly loosens up, not even at the slightest distractions like the gravel upon their feet, nor the sweat that made their bodies sticky. The blade of light clashed with the crimson mesh and severed the crystals, sending them flying a couple of different directions.
K : (... The light gently coats the blade, to confuse and disorient the opponent? But, it's a scythe. The blade aside, it's a long weapon, so I can imagine that the possible ways to attack an opponent is quite limited. How does that light help?)
He sat down on the stone chair next to Ian, and they watched the skirmish in intrigue.
The lady named Lita was in a rather defensive position, constantly deflecting the strikes to a side, careful not to release an opening for her relentless foe to take advantage of. On the other hand, the scythe wielder constantly walked forward and backward as she sought to keep the opponent in the effective range of the scythe's blade, carefully following through Lita's pacing of back and forth.
K : (... Why doesn't she fight back?)
As he thought that, Lita slid to a side quickly the moment she heard a crunching sound underneath her, suddenly launching an attack out of the blue - In a style almost too similar to Ian's. But in that one moment she struck, her blow was blocked perfectly by the scythe's snath, and a blinding flash of light pulsated from the scythe blade.
K : "!" (Ow, my eyes!)
That alone was clear enough to paint the reason why she held such a defensive position.
K : (A blast of light whenever an attack is catched... Sounds like something from the Bringer of Dawn lineage. I can still hear them fighting and clashing, even now... Is that a defensive kind of magic? I've heard that the Vorsche family branches off into multiple families after Tarren de Vorsche's legacy. Is she from a branch family?)
It was natural to think that, given the supportive nature of both hers, and Cillian's magic. Rather than applying it offensively, it was a defensive type that served to enhance one's battle prowess. Though it clearly had its differences, with how Cillian's was a constant and blinding stream of light that constantly glared its opponent's eyes, and hers applied at the very instant the weapon was used in defense, they both emitted light radiant enough to sting.
It gave Katachi an uncomfortable feeling, facing someone who used the Bringer of Dawn magic again.
I : "Are you alright?"
K : (I wonder if she is familiar with Cillian.) "... Yeah. I didn't close my eyes in time. It won't take long."
*Cozy's Notes : They are ALL familiar with him, Cat-a-chee.*
But it was nowhere as disturbing as the casual tone of voice from Ian after that match they had earlier.
K : (... Is this... The culture of Rugnud?)
He could only begin to imagine what kind of culture awaited him in the foreign land where the red-haired girl hailed as his eyes gradually recovered.
K : (... ? That was... An unusually quick recovery.)
*Cozy's Notes : You're the only magus in a land of warriors who use image power PASSIVELY. You're in a gold mine of image power, do you really think the normal rules your body obeyed in Findel applies here? Katachi, Katachi, Catachee... You gullible fool.*
He felt unnatural. He felt really off that his eyes somehow managed to regain its sight and look upon the armor-clad ladies still sparring before him in such a short span of time.
K : (... No, rather, I feel like everyone around me is... Looking at me. Like... Like I'm being watched...)
As he turned his head slowly, he could see the many gazes of the servants and maids who passed by the garden from within the building. Their hushed whispers and blatant stares were more than enough of an indication that they had been looking at him.
K : (... I... I really stand out in these clothes, don't I?)
He pulled at Ian's uncomfortable tunic, looking at the aged fabric in embarrassment. It had most likely caused him to be looked upon by the others who wore classier clothes in the palace, in contrast to the slightly over-sized and ancient apparel.
One of the maids answered Ian's waving hand and approached him with a slightly worn tray.
"What would you ask of me, Sir Ian?"
I : "Could you ask Baron Issemedi to prepare some refreshments here in about half an hour? It's for both Lita and Luce."
"Certainly."
The maid turned to walk away-
*** ***
*kapyink*
The sound of the red crystals shattering, similar to when Ian released a barrage at him and they smashed into the wall, could be heard from behind.
In that instant, Katachi saw big shards of red crystals flying towards the maid currently walking away towards the building.
K : "!" (The crystals will hit her!)
But, alas, it was too fast.
Far, far too fast.
Katachi could tell - The shards moved at a speed far too quick for anyone to do anything. It was like watching a galerider glide across the branches and trees, never hitting them at all while moving so fast it was almost impossible to catch by eye. Like watching someone you respected for many years crumble and fall into ruin, and the helplessness that dwelled within his heart as he observed the poor man praying silently in the church of Segus.
It was like the time Bael set up the trap in Cosmatral Neud, where the only time one had was to think.
K : (I should use 定 to fixate the wall of air- No, wait!)
The natural course of action was instantly denied by his own will.
K : (... I can still feel it. These, these disgusting Words of Power... I can feel them crawling, dominating me bit by bit, as I rely more and more upon them. I have the worst feeling right now, that using them right here... Would end horribly.)
The incident from the fat man in Anik, and the bandits rose once more. The Words of Power had taken charge in both situations - The first was a choral demand to sap the two of the blood in their bodies, and the second was the strong insistence of 定 to end the fight and stop everything.
These Words... How much longer must he come to rely on them? How much further must he succumb to their allure, before becoming a slave to the Words completely?
Had he not obtained enough power to get by without using them at all?
Had he learnt nothing from his journey?...
Just as he thought that...
K : (... That all things that start all have their own ends...)
... He suddenly remembered the story he had heard a couple of hours ago.
K : (... Do or die. If it must be, then let it be so - I had rather die by my own blunder than at the hands of these Words of Power. Life, like image itself, is but a fleeting dream. There's no point to a death by the very thing I sought to destroy in the first place. But there is every meaning in trying to overcome this obstacle, just as Ian Bloodcrust has pushed himself to the absolute limits!)
With his resolve strengthened, Katachi unleashed a spell he had never used before.
A spell that was certain to work, disregarding the risks it carried.
*** ***
-and before anyone really knew what had happened, a bloody figure had appeared next to the maid and yanked her backwards, into Katachi's arms immediately, just barely dodging the crystal shards in time.
I : (What-)
Yet, it was not without repercussions. The young black-haired boy collapsed onto the ground with the maid using him as a cushion.
I : "... No way..." (That mass of blood just now... Wasn't that a technique used by Otemiygnan?!)
But Ian was in a much bigger 'shock' that Katachi was, in a different sense of the word.
I : (The God of Blood is omnipresent as long as blood is about. Sending his blood forward to another source of blood instantly, before forcefully pulling the target towards himself... That is the technique our God used to persecute the ones whom thought they could afford to let blood carelessly spill. It was first used to pull his friend out from a rolling boulder's path, but... This...!)
He had, after witnessing the miracle, understood the true insight of his liege.
I : (To think a Magus as young as himself was able to perfectly replicate the art our God performed himself... So brash, and unplanned.)
Ian knelt down to assess Katachi's current state, as the maid got off to regain her composure and understanding of exactly what had happened to her.
I : (That technique was used after Otemiygnan became the Warlock of Blood, after he achieved a body beyond a human's as a result of the Path of Blood. There's no way for a mere human like him to remain perfectly intact after having most of his body's blood summoned and separated from his body so quickly.)
He touched the blood vessels in Katachi, and check his pulse. It was strong and healthy, but the child's whole body had begun to turn blue and bruise ever so slightly from that one instant his entirety was deprived of blood.
Li : "Ian! How is he?"
Lu : "Is he alright?"
The two knights, finally aware of the blunder in their skirmish, hurried over to Ian's side.
I : "... He's fine. His body's suffering from a very slight shock, but that's only because he did something this reckless to begin with." (Praise be to Empress Roberia. Her insight is incredible - Given enough time, I am sure this child will grow to become a great magus.)
Lu : "That's good to hear."
The scythe wielder, Luce Frelti, raised the boy to her shoulder and carried his tiny stature in a similar fashion Roberia once did.
*Cozy's Notes : Is the Frelti name familiar to you? Luce Frelti, Lindra Frelti, and later in the story the fallen Lapheese Frelti, they are Cillian's cousins.*
I : (... Provided he lives long enough for that to happen.) "You don't have to carry him, Luce. The maids can-"
Lu : "I'm the one who sent the crystal flying in that direction to begin with, so this is my fault. At least allow me this much, Ian."
Li : "I'll support you. It must be tiring after using so much strength to hit me."
I : "No, sister, you should rest-"
Li : "I wish to speak with Luce privately after we bring this boy to Her Highness's room. This is convenient for me, Ian."
Lita moved to retrieve a wooden chair from within the building, and they set the young boy down in a seated position. Carrying the front legs and the backrest, they carried Katachi off, in a rather strange and awkward manner.
I : (... As you wish, dear sister.)
*** ***
J : "The shock's a bit too much for her to handle."
Jullan carried Cosette in his arms and walked by Roberia's side. From a faraway distance, almost anyone could see how lovely it was for the adorable bowl-cut blond to be carried by the man she loved so dearly.
R : "... I've always prepared myself for death. This... This shouldn't faze me at all. Cillian simply did not perform up to our expectations of him, or perhaps he had met a match that was far too great for him to handle-"
J : "It's fine, Roberia. You don't need to rationalize it."
She turned to meet the serious, reassuring gaze of Jullan, and smiled briefly at the bitter truth.
R : "... You wouldn't mind if I cry on your pillow again, would you?"
He replied the question with a wry smile.
J : "If it makes you feel any better, go ahead."
Roberia opened the door to Jullan's assigned room, and held the door open for the two to squeeze through. When they had entered the room fully, she closed the door and locked it gently and quickly, shutting out any of the possible servants that may intrude tactlessly.
After Jullan laid Cosette on the bed to rest, Roberia fished for a pillow from the bedside and buried her face within it.
...
The muffled cries fueled the imaginations of anyone close enough to hear it, but no one could see her face breaking down from the great sorrow.
...
R : (... The pillow smells like Jullan. He's grown so much... His smell is so thick now.)
Roberia couldn't think of the number of times she felt firm and reassured by Jullan's side.
The three of them often played with the servants and maids when everyone else expected little from children like them. She remembered the time Jullan was being a little nasty, and placed a strand of his hair into the Tealwilde poultry and seaweed soup, the brown colors of the hair and seaweed matching well.
She remembered how they ran away as fast as their tiny feet could carry them when Count Ibemedi drank from the soup, and scolded the then-young Baron Issemedi for the hair. They were scolded by Ilarys badly, but that was a small price to pay for the look on the pompous count's face.
... Even after Michael's injury, Cosette and Jullan were the only ones she kept in contact with.
One her best friend, and the other her love interest.
Roberia smiled as she deeply sucked the essence of hair oils encrusted on the pillow into her nose.
It was a bit different now, with it emanating a more mature, grown up smell, but it was one she wouldn't fail to recognize. Stained in the familiar smells of Jaanthro and Curamel, and his sweat. She could get used to the smell her whole life, living side-by-side with Jullan until their hairs turned white...
R : (...)
... But that would be wrong.
She couldn't pop the question, and pursue those feelings.
What of her responsibility towards that black-haired boy she roped in? What of his fate, should she simply renounce him to fill her desires?
Was that allowed of her? Surely, with that bold statement she had made, there was no turning back. He had become her responsibility to uphold, and it would leave a bad impression on others should she flippantly choose to abandon him.
Yet, why wouldn't she feel this way? He may be an ally bonded through their marriage, but what part of it felt real? Was it a proper marriage, enough to justify everything to come? He showed little to no interest with pursuing her as a partner. He may have his considerations for her, but those were simply out of respect and pity, were they not?
... She didn't know. The world was full of uncertainties, and she could only imagine a life where they hadn't met - She would eventually come across someone else she couldn't defeat, and then what?
Would she become the victor's wife once more?
Even so... It's not as though the victor would be as merciful as Katachi. It may have been her good fortune that she was spared and not slaughtered, amputated or prostituted.
R : (... It's not the most exciting of marriages...)
But she should have counted her blessings on her good fortune to encounter the charcoal-haired boy. It may have been the will of her ancestors and grandfather to facilitate their meeting.
R : (... But if I ask for any more, I'd be an ingrate and a shame to the ones before me.)
She lowered the pillow on her face and gazed sadly upon her friends, with Jullan gently stroking Cosette's cheek.
R : "... You should kiss her."
J : "!? Wha- Roberia! Don't even begin to suggest that!"
It would be, at the very least, a relief to entrust Jullan into good hands.
R : "I'm serious, Jullan. I'm not oblivious about Cosette's feelings for you. She sticks to you like glue whenever I'm not around, doesn't she?"
J : "Y- yeah, she does, but that's just her being clingy and dependent! I can't possib-"
R : "Are knights not proud, chivalrous defenders the people look up to? It should only be natural for her to do so, even if she's not romantically attracted to you."
J : "Guh- ..."
Jullan fell silent upon the surprisingly well done rebuttal.
J : "... I know that, I just do, but I..."
R : "... You what?"
J : "... I'm worried, Roberia. I... I don't possess the strength that the bigger and better knights do. And I can't really see myself improving anywhere, so I don't see myself moving anywhere past the title of Knight."
R : "It's natural to feel weak, Jullan. That weakness is the greatest motivation to strengthen ourselves and strive to become better every day."
J : Yes, but I don't see myself becoming a Baron, or Count, or Duke... I don't see myself amassing to great things, and giving her a good life. She... Cosette won't live happily with me."
*phhack*
Without warning, Roberia's hand had clapped against his cheek.
J : "... Roberia... ?"
R : "... Do not speak of her happiness in that tone, Jullan. I am sure that she is content simply spending time with you."
J : "... She won't. Her time is wasted on-"
R : "I am certain, Jullan. As certain as my feelings for you are, I know that she simply wishes for your company, as do I."
J : "... ! Ro-... Your Highness..."
It would certainly be a shock for him to hear a confession this way. Unfortunately, as a warrior herself, Roberia was numb and insensitive towards the moods and timings to reveal such information.
R : "I do not expect material goods, or wondrous food, or great fame from you, and neither does Cosette. No... Her love for you is a form even purer than my own. I am certain of it."
J : "... I... I'm just afraid, that her love would be wasted on me-"
R : "Then let it be so. That love for you was cultivated specifically for you, no matter how wasteful you may feel it to be. She would not love another man as passionately, so why deny her of her dreams? Why quell her desires?"
J : "..."
At that moment, she simply wanted to be there for her two best friends.
Roberia wrapped her arms around Jullan's head, and squeezed him gently.
R : "If you're that worried to begin with, all you have to do is become stronger, right?"
J : "... Ro- *muffled sounds* " (Ouch! Her- Her ribcage...)
*Cozy's Notes : And it was at that moment, Jullan noticed just how painful it was to be crushed between her arms and her ribcage. XD
Okay. Seriously. Roberia has no breasts. In its place is a rather refined chest (as in, muscular kind of refined, not feminine)*
R : "So, don't worry too much about it. Forge onward, Jullan. Train yourself to become stronger and better than you were yesterday. Go forth, and become a man worthy of accepting all of her love."
J : "..." (My goodness. Roberia is a lot stronger than she lets on. This seriously hurts like hell, especially since I haven't trained my face muscles.)
R : "... That is my faith in you. As your ruler, as your friend, and..."
As she edged and shoved them together with what courage she could muster...
R : "... As someone who loved you."
... She had finally accepted those unanswered feelings, and moved along.
*** ***
"Fellow squire! Have you seen Empress Roberia?"
"Her Highness?... Well, I saw her with Jullan Gracer and Cosette Saint-Pouille a while ago. What's the matter?"
"Her honored guest, the Ohdean magus, has fainted! Quickly, we must find her and relay the news!"
*** ***
The door to the room opened slowly, with a rather disturbing creak and groan. Roberia peered into the room from the side, and found the small figure rested upon the bed with a strange discoloration to his skin.
R : (By Ilpoh's grace... What happened to him?)
She clearly remembered the the boy had a healthier-looking skin just hours ago. What exactly had he done to become so?
Roberia entered the room-
*shwapimh*
-and felt something slightly... Odd, about the room.
R : (What... What just happened? That felt like... That felt like something important was undone.)
It was a difficult feeling to describe. It felt as though something was suddenly swelling in power, a familiar feeling back when she had an encounter with the divine beast.
R : (... The feather?)
Roberia instinctively fished out the feather from her pocket, and felt the might within returning.
R : (... How? Why does it feel like this only now?...)
She didn't understand what was wrong with the feather, but she remembered how the scene unfolded before. Stabbing a twig into the beautiful black coat, it transformed into that nostalgic greatsword she had fun carrying about.
R : (... Come to think of it, the meatmonger in Anik did something similar, didn't he?)
She recalled how the feather was present as well when they were purchasing salamander tail meat. The feather was able to mask the foul stench from the rotting bucket she touched... So what exactly was this marvel?
What exactly was this thing in her hands?
The curiosity overpowered her desire to affirm Katachi's current state. For the most part, with how inactive he was and how his chest rose and fell gently, he was likely asleep.
*Cozy's Notes : Hahah. Katachi is unimportant to her.*
R : (... Let's try it.)
Roberia reached for a comb on the dresser, and touched it with the feather.
...
R : (...)
Nothing happened.
Absolutely nothing happened.
R : (... What are the conditions to activate the power of this feather? I... I don't understand.)
She played around with the thin comb, and rustled its bristles between her fingertips.
R : (Ahh, this feeling... It reminds me of the times I'd pick up Michael's shoe brush and play with it.)
She looked down at the feather-
R : "... !..." (... No. Way.)
-to realize that the comb in her hands had transformed into the brush she used to play with until it broke.
Her face then was the exact same as the face she had when it first transformed into her breastplate.
R : (What-... When did it transform?! When!?! Was it that window I wasn't looking? Or was it when I felt the bristles? How did- What?!)
There were too many question to ask, and answering them revealed even more questions. In shock, Roberia let go of the brush, and it returned into its original state - A comb.
R : (... This... This is the real power of Yvolki?...)
She couldn't believe it.
Why did it take her so long to realize something that incredible was by her, all this time?
... Then again, it was strange. It was as though there were periods where the feather fluctuated in power, and longer periods where it was dormant.
What decided those factors, exactly?
... Roberia didn't know. And from what she could tell, Katachi wouldn't know, either - There wasn't enough evidence to determine if it would work.
R : (... In that case...)
Her only option was to play with her new toy until it wore off.
With her hands on the feather, she imagined - The nameless greatsword she used in respect of her mentor Sir Tact, valiant Knight of the Switch.
And, even without closing her eyes, she saw it.
The onyx feather had extended and formed into the sword she had carried on her back at the start of her journey.
The slightest scratches on the fuller, the blunted region nearing the pommel, everything about it was to detail. It was amazing how real it was.
R : (... It even swings like the real thing.)
She lifted the heavy blade, and did a full broad slash. The welling power from that act, and the weight of the blade, it was a truly comfortable, wistful feeling.
She raised the sword from behind her overhead, and did a powerful cleave into the ground.
*kapang*
K : "!? Wha- What?"
The sudden shaking of the earth startled her sleeping guest, and he awoke to the abrupt and rude vibration nearby.
R : (Whoops.) "Sorry about that."
As she turned to look, she noticed it - Katachi's eyes glowed purple once more, and for some reaon she felt the power in her hands fading away.
She looked down to find the feather in her palms once more, its strength spent.
R : (... Wait. Katachi was never awake, or around when the feather was powerful. But, those seals in his eyes...)
She began understanding and establishing the well-hidden connection between Yvolki's gifts.
R : (... Is it possible that I am unable to use the feather while Katachi is awake?)
K : "... Wha- My skin's all weird!"
The boy got up from the guest room's bed, and hurried towards the dresser to gaze upon his thoroughly bruised figure. He was certainly shocked that something like that had happened to him without his knowledge, though from what she knew the damage was actually self-inflicted.
K : "... My eye... ?"
Had he realized that the seals in his eyes were responsible for halting her feather? She... Didn't know.
But, now that Katachi was awake, she could face him properly and discuss with him regarding the punishment she resolved herself to.
*** ***
R : "Katachi..."
K : "... What is it, Roberia?"
R : "Could you turn around to face me?"
K : "... I'd rather not."
R : "... Very well. We can continue the conversation this way. You've probably heard from the time you were blindfolded, but in regard to the 'punishment' the King placed upon me..."
K : "... Yeah?"
R : "... I was thinking, perhaps we should aid in the reforming of Rugnud."
K : "Reform... So Ian's words are true, then? How your departure threw everything into chaos and how there are many bandits and mercenaries about, vying for the throne?"
R : "... Yes."
K : "I was thinking about that as well, when I was chatting with Gorimer."
R : "... So, you will assist me?"
K : "... Well... Ultimately, it is my responsibility to see to it that I take responsibility for my victory. I... I don't really know the specifics and details, but from what I have heard many people in the city have already begun spreading rumors. Rumors... about my status as your ally."
R : "Yeah. They have."
K : "That set me thinking, though - Would that really be wise? Would that really be smart, for everyone in Rugnud to know that I am a Word of Power Hunter? Surely, those who fear me baselessly would simply leave the country, and those who covet my Words of Power would come for my head and the 1000-paged book."
R : "... Oh..." (He's thought that far ahead?... Well, he isn't wrong, at least - Duke Harlot's men have been busier than ever at the borders keeping tracks of the flow of people, and many specific individuals have already left Rugnud. Tracking the bandits entering is tougher, but the result was clear enough from just one side of the walls.)
K : "So I thought, maybe it's not that bad. Those who also wish to collect Words of Power may view me as a target, and I can take their Words of Power and seal it within the book should they fail. It increases the danger, perhaps,but the rewards received are worth the risk."
R : "... Will you be okay?"
K : "... Frankly speaking... I don't know. The future is full of uncertainties... No, even now, I am uncertain."
R : "? What... What's wrong?"
*** ***
That was when Katachi turned around, and his face explained everything.
On his left eye...
R : "!! What the-"
... was a milky white 定, completely different from the usual 定 he would place and use.
K : "... I... I think I've been cursed."
*** ***
The "Herald" route has been unlocked.
You may now return to The Moment That Defined Fate.
Friday 17 July 2015
Messiah 31 : Pray
The many turns and the like within the castle eventually ended with a big room along the hallway.
The maid escorted Katachi within, and closed the door gently behind him.
K : "T- Thank you... -!"
Her room was, simply put, surprising.
It was a rather big, open room with a lot of space to manoeuvre about. A rope dangled from a pivot mounted at the top of the room, leading towards nowhere for its purpose was simply for training. There were handles affixed onto the stone walls that allowed one to climb up and down freely that only led to the wonderful art on the ceiling. There were weights sprawled across the floor in a corner, next to a weapon rack with a strange handle-like rod and many pieces that seemed to be attachments laying about.
K : (... Countless weapons...! That rod can be attached to any of those, and become a different weapon altogether! That's amazing... !)
It didn't look like a 'bedroom' at all, to say the least. But, there was a very small corner of the room that, unlike the rest of the room, wasn't filled with training equipment, which ironically caught the attention of anyone who stepped within - A simple bed that looked plain, next to an extremely large bed decorated beautifully.
K : (Why does she have two beds? And that other bed, it's gigantic... !)
Strangely enough, the giant bed looked dusty, as though it had been untouched for years, compared to the plain, beige bed next to it that looked like its sheets were changed just recently.
Apart from all of those, was but a balcony left.
Katachi walked towards the ledge, and what awaited him...
K : (... Whoa.)
... lay a beautiful view of the city.
K : (... So this is the view from her room.)
It showed much of the city - From the marketplace to the side, to the plaza and the lone fountain in the distance, showing both the biggest merchant rings that was filled with lively laughter and the singular vendor polishing their customers' armor and weapons with care.
... But.
As much awe as the room and the scene inspired, Katachi was also stricken with a strange sadness and fear.
Roberia was the princess of Rugnud.
If it had been a farmer, Roberia would have simply become strong through the countless struggles she had to put up with. Her resolve, forged from the pain of her family's suffering and the cruelty of the bandits, toughened her and caused her to move forward to better her current situation.
If it had been some simple duke, it would be more understandable. A child of a slightly lower-ranked noble, who set off in order to amass strength so her family may stand tall and prideful, moving and fighting with the honor of her family behind her.
But Roberia was far, far beyond his expectations.
He... He simply didn't know what to think of her.
K : (... This room itself makes me uncomfortable.)
The very room he stood within was testament enough to the truth she hid from him. It was quite unthinkable that she would ask of him to be her spouse simply for a political marriage - Katachi was an orphan raised in a small, unpopular church.
There was nothing to gain from it all - Katachi had read that some marriages were performed with the intention of merging two countries together, just as the old Fiorsal broke apart into a Eastern and Western Fiorsal, and how Thedcus fused with Eastern Fiorsal to make Rugnud today.
*Cozy's Notes : FiorsAl - > Rugnud < - Thedcus. Fiorsal and Thedcus had some dirty, dirty scat and fart sessions before finally giving birth to Rugnud. Mwa-hah-hah!... No, don't believe that. They weren't named that because it spelled FART.*
She stood to gain absolutely nothing from him.
Then, was it a lie to protect something? Her reason for marrying him, as quoted by her, was to prevent the disgrace of her loss against him. She had challenged a Scholar like himself and failed, and to conceal her defeat she opted for marriage with him, the Scholar in question. If she had to lie about it being a political marriage, for whose sake did she lie for?
Was it for herself, to maintain her image of strength among the knights around her?
Or was it for Katachi, knowing that revealing the truth instead would have resulted in something much bigger and more drastic than the uproar that terrified him so?
... Then... As the princess of the country, why had she chosen him? Was the shame of loss truly that great?
All issues aside, the Words of Power were formidable. They were classified as event magic, a powerful sigil that invoked a pre-determined event regardless of whether it was possible or not.
To hold her ground against event magic and survive, even, was little short of a miracle. Or perhaps it was sheer luck - Katachi's 定 wasn't applicable in offense. Its only truly disastrous application was setting her position as Constant, where she would simply be left frozen on the spot, without food or water to drink and eventually dying from dehydration.
... Wait. There was a third solution to this question as well.
Perhaps the reason was... Both?
Not only was she trying to hide her embarrassment, but she also managed to see some sort of potential within Katachi, thereby validating both reasons at the same time?
In that aspect, even if there were any doubts about her strength with people questioning her, the proof was there - Katachi survived. He held his ground against two powerful opponents, and lived. He fought both with his very life on the line, and yet the feeling he had right now was a mix of fear, relief, happiness and worry.
Just remembering the throbbing of his heart as he fought for his dear life made Katachi giddy from the view.
K : (... I need a breather.)
Katachi left the room, and absent-mindedly walked down the hallway.
*** ***
"We have gathered today, to offer our greatest, deepest condolences to Sir Tact, valiant Knight of the Switch."
The priest conducting the Funeral of Dandelions held out a single dandelion, and began the funeral processions.
"And now, to begin, let the brethren of Sir Tact speak their wills of their friend. Let their voices be heard, and offered to him."
R : (... ?)
Someone lightly tapped Roberia's shoulder from behind.
R : (Duke Harlot...)
They slowly retreated to the back of the crowd, shuffling quietly so as to not disturb the priest at work.
H : "You don't look so well, dear. Are you alright?"
R : "Forgive me, Duke Harlot. I... I am simply distraught over the loss of a mentor."
H : "I understand. Take as long as you need."
They gave brief glances at one of the knights on the pedestal, Baron Orleans, who gave his speech.
H : "... By the way, Roberia, I wanted to ask you about your punishment. I know you have the tendency to go overboard and end up hurting yourself."
R : "I... I do not."
H : "Have you forgotten how you almost broke your own back the last time you said you would fix the castle wall? Having the discipline is commendable, but I won't allow you to take on something beyond your own ability."
His fierce eyes expressed his worry and sadness well enough for anyone to see.
R : "... I..."
H : "... I... Forgive me. I too, am upset over the loss of a comrade most dear. If we were to lose you, too..."
R : "... Sorry."
Duke Harlot took a couple of mint leaves from a container stored in his coat, and chewed them thoroughly.
R : "... I know that Father gave me the freedom to choose my own punishment deliberately. But, that is precisely why I cannot take on a lenient punishment! I won't be able to face myself if I gave myself leeway for the sake of convenience!..."
H : "That may be so, but do you not see the brilliance of His Majesty? He does not expect you to torture yourself, Roberia."
They hushed their voices down as much as they could as Baron Orleans continued his recollection of his time with Sir Tact.
R : (How can I ever forgive myself, then?)
H : "... The king is watching. He wants you to decide upon a suitable punishment that is both wise, and repentant."
Duke Harlot slid the container back into his coat.
H : "He would expect a punishment that is suitable to the nature of your wrongdoing. You caused chaos with your absence, and naturally he would want you to disperse that chaos you were responsible for."
R : (... That makes sense. If I spilled a bucket, they would want me to fill another, not to abuse myself senselessly...) "... True..."
H : "That is why, my dear, don't beat yourself up over that. Resolve the situation in a fashion befitting of a Knight - That is all King Fastiel asks of you."
Roberia cringed at that quote.
Had her lack of exposure to this steely, tense environment caused her to dull even faster?
She honestly forgot about her code of conduct as a Knight ever since she began her journey - She had told herself to restrain such mannerisms so that the commoners would not identify her as easily, but she had neglected such behavior for so long that by the time she reached Katachi, she was already attacking in a fashion unbecoming of a Knight.
Ever since she married Katachi, there were only two instances where she had to fight, or spar - Once with Yvolki, and the other with the bandits. To go on such an extended period without training, she had all but forgotten about the things that were once natural to her.
R : (... Perhaps leaving was not as wise an option as I had once thought.)
Granted, this was the second time in her life she had been punished by her father. With age and exposure comes experience, but Roberia was not that mischievous as a child to warrant such strict measures in the first place.
... That too, was wrong. Roberia had little time to cause such mischief to begin with, ever since her brother's injury. She could count the number of carnivals she had been to her whole life on one hand - Three.
Duke Harlot's guidance was definitely helpful.
R : "... Thank you, Duke Harlot. I will reflect upon this carefully."
H : "I'm glad to hear it. ... Oh, Roberia?"
As she walked forward to join the crowd surrounding the coffin, she was pulled back into the conversation once more.
H : "This... Might not be pleasant, but I happened to see the boy's face earlier today..."
R : ('The boy'?... ? Wait...)
Cupping his hand over the side of his mouth, he whispered, pray no one read his lips.
H : "I haven't told either about Sir Tact yet, but they're waiting at the garden."
Duke Harlot flashed a smile, and turned to pray with the communion.
R : (... I haven't seen them in 6 months...)
Roberia, too, followed behind Duke Harlot.
R : (... But that can wait. Sir Tact's funeral comes first.)
They were in time to listen to a final speech before the scattering began.
"Sir Tact... Sir Tact was a great Knight. Perhaps, and I dare say so for he does not enjoy the company of ale or women, perhaps he may have been a bit distant to some of us, but Sir Tact is undoubtedly a man deserving of the title Sir. You lot may not know this, but I... I saw how he constructed his own training course, and he is as merciless to himself as he is to our foes."
R : (I remember that... He was using his weapon alone to arrange everything in place - The hurdles, the target practice, he permitted only the use of his left arm to put everything in shape. A test of both his strength, and precision...)
T : "A man like him, who sharpens his blade with every waking moment, is as close to a model knight of our great King as the leaves are green. I can only wish that his own role model, King Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Fastiel, would grant his funeral with His Majesty's audience. Alas, the King tires, and yet he grieves even without our knowledge of it. I, Viscount Terence, would like to excuse myself, for a brief moment..."
The bearded Viscount stepped down, and borrowed a cloth from his wife to wipe his tears.
T : "... Thank you. And to conclude my speech, I hope for more of our young to follow in Sir Tact's venturous steps, to always forge onward with vigilance and strength, such that your own loved ones may be protected when the need arises. I've finished my piece."
"... All is well, Viscount. Are there any others who wish to express their heartfelt thoughts to our belated Sir Tact?"
The priest gave a good, hard look at the audience who were mostly staring at the coffin.
"Then, without further ado, let the scattering commence."
He lifted the glass cover on the tray gently, and plucked the dandelion rested on the tuft of grass.
"Let the remnant, weak memories of this man seep into this flower, such that should it be forgotten, not all shall be lost; And let the strong memories of this man take root, and blossom within our hearts, so we may draw courage from his legacy to transcend and overcome the difficulties ahead."
And with a gentle huff, the seeds were sent, flying into the wind.
"Blessed knight, whom yields no spouse nor child, may he find his spiritual successor as the dandelions carry his will throughout our land. And let his greatness be dispersed, just like these dandelions that have scattered their children out. Let his visage be a loving memory never to be forgotten!"
A moment of silence was all that was needed as the knights watched the seeds fly off the side of the fortress.
And with that, the Funeral of Dandelions ended with a gentle release of the seedless flower from the priest's hands onto the coffin.
The small group that gathered before him left the area, and resumed their duties faithfully.
Roberia, though without any of such duties currently, walked away with a mixture of sadness and excitement.
R : (I'm going to meet them once more, after 6 long months... But what should I say about Sir Tact?...)
Indeed, castle life was not as relaxed as people from Ohde or Auser would expect. Maids and servants rushed to clean the carpets and replaced the curtains and sheets ripped from the sparring battles, the knights were divided between the Garrison and the Calvary. Some performed checks on the equipment in the armory to ensure their knights were well-prepared, some did maintenance on the fortress walls, some were in charge of food and ale, to name many of the jobs that were bustling and about.
Duke Harlot was no exception - Being the leader of the political police, his role in identifying the disputes of power and recognizing possible threats and plots were of great importance to the country, and its people's safety.
*Cozy's Notes : Spymaster Harlot, muddafugga.*
He set off, with a simple nod from his maid, to work.
*** ***
A curious wander through the labyrinth-like building would definitely be confusing for anyone unfamiliar with the structure of the fortress.
Katachi couldn't tell where he had ended up after walking for slightly less than an hour. He found some servants washing and hanging up sheets, he discovered a strange room where some knights were pumping some herbs into a laevinstone drum to extract oil, and he stumbled upon the nursing ward where most of the young squires and retainers were attended to by doctors and physicians.
But never in his wildest dreams did he think of finding someone he just met.
A faithful Ian Bloodcrust sat quietly on the floor, in solemn prayer towards the altar before him. With a bowl of what appears to be blood stirring from the gentle heat beneath, and a strange smell of a foreign herb slowly sifting out of an incense burner, it made Katachi feel awkward for his intrusion into a period of prayer.
As he turned to leave, a muscular, aged and tired-looking man was behind him.
This man... Was even burlier than Ian. He seemed far stronger compared to the Knight, and his skin was beyond tanned - It was completely dried up and stretched out, to suggest his many years, perhaps even decades, of service. He had numerous scars and a part of his left arm was burnt away, and no hair grew on the reformed flesh.
But the most distinctive part of the man was perhaps his missing right arm.
K : "!"
He didn't know how to respond. This adult astonished him to such a great degree that Katachi had lost his ability to move or to speak, if only for a moment.
"... An Ohdean? You look lost."
He spoke with a tired, yet powerful voice.
K : "I, uh... Umm..."
"No matter. You've come to the right place, regardless. Have a seat there."
He pointed at a bench with some stone stools, and walked towards a door to a pantry. Noises of cupboards being opened could be heard from his direction as he busied himself with the preparation of guest-served foods.
K : (... I probably should just listen to what he says... I don't really have a reason to refuse, and it would be rude since I would be trespassing otherwise.)
With experience, came wisdom. Katachi recalled a familiar incident - He had entered Bael's residence without permission, and he should know all the better now that being rude and unruly would be unwise.
*Cozy's Notes : Wa-hey, Katachi learns. But though this shows his steadily increasing maturity, I wouldn't want people to start liking Katachi - He's not an ignoramus who interacts with boobs and girls all day, quite a contrast to the many shounen story protagonists I've seen, namely Issei Hyodo, or Bell Cranel, or many of the Harem stories I've seen.
I don't want anybody to like Katachi. How ironic of me, since he's the story's protagonist.*
He sat down on the icy cool stool, and waited patiently at the bench next to a window.
K : (... Whoa.)
From where he sat, he could see the man at work - He gracefully lifted a tray with his single arm, and carried it over to the bench with a sturdy form, a feat that contradicted how strong and muscular he looked.
K : (He's just like Ian... A more experienced, stronger, faster and sharpened Ian. If I were given a choice, I wouldn't want to get on his bad side.)
Katachi glanced at the contents of the tray briefly - A kettle that had seen years of use, a teapot made of Marecc, a bowl of fruits soaked in ale, a tankard of ale with fruits floating within... That was certainly not a tray one would easily lift with an arm.
Katachi reached for the teapot, and poured some tea into a teacup-
"Why the rush, child? Tea is best savored at the second brew."
The man chuckled, and began performing something Katachi could never even think of it being possible.
From where his right arm was cut, came forth a mass of blood.
Blood that suspended itself in the air, in the form of an arm, which made his body whole again, if temporary.
K : (! It's picking up the teapot!)
It was strong enough to pick up a teapot, with blobs of blood surrounding its handle like actual fingers raising it off the ground and pouring the tea into a drain on the floor.
He grabbed the kettle and poured the hot water into the pot, and closed its lid before pouring more hot water over the closed teapot. After that, the mass of blood wrapped itself around the teapot, as though he were holding up the teapot to feel its entirety on his palm and fingers.
"... Hmm. A little too much, but I'm not a fan of heavy tastes anyway. Have a sip."
When all was said and done, he poured Katachi a second cup to enjoy.
Katachi could smell the tea's aroma slowly sifting through the steam that wafted through the top of his cup - It was now clear and obvious that the tea was a completely different caliber than before. It had a deeper, richer look on it compared to before, and it was more colored and scented.
He brought the cup to his lips and gave a small sip - A blast of fragrance entered his nose and mouth, bringing him into a relaxed state almost instantly.
K : "... Wow."
"Fragrant, isn't it? I learnt this from an Ohdean just like you - Young, ambitious, sprightly-... Well, not quite as young as you, but young enough to have a coming-of-age ceremony prepared for him."
Katachi had known that tea was something Mother Rinnesfeld served to others when they came to visit the church, but with their state of affairs he dared not approach the adults speaking to Mother Rinnesfeld, let alone ask for some himself. Besides, it was too wasteful to brew something that precious for his selfish, personal whims.
K : "... So this is what tea tastes like."
"You have never had tea before?"
K : "... No. I... Never had the chance to."
"How rare. Tea is a great symbol of the cultural union between Ohde and Anik, and it represents the Ohdeans' faith towards independence without forgetting their roots. Unless, of course, you were raised in a part of Ohde that abhorred the practice... Are you from Nenma...?"
K : "I'm Findeli. I was raised in Mielfeud."
"Hmm. You do seem proficient in the Findeli tongue."
The man grabbed the tankard of ale, and drank from it merrily.
"... I wish my son were as chatty as you sometimes. Good company always makes the wine richer, so they say."
K : (Son?) "S- Son?"
"Yeah. My daughter's grown wonderfully, too, but she is rarely about. I suppose that's only to be expected if she wants to defeat Duke Marcyn, but my children have no time for me now that they've grown up. It kind of makes me... Sad."
K : (This man... Is Ian's father... ?) "You're Ian's father?"
"Ah. I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? Or maybe you're just too young."
He stood up, and pulled his shirt off of his body to reveal a tattoo upon his brawny stature.
G : "I am Gorimer Bloodcrust, faithful knight of the late King Prudence and Empress Dowager Allera... Well, I'm well past my prime now, at least. Hahahahahah."
Gorimer gave a dry, tired laugh as he sat back down on his seat.
G : "... What about you, child?"
K : "K- K- Ko- Kotsuba Katachi. I... I was raised in Mielfeud, under a most benevolent nun."
Katachi struggled to keep his composure before a figure of legends seated before him.
K : "... I- I read from books that the relations between Rugnud and Ohde were... Poor."
Gorimer eyed him with great surprise.
G : "Well, it was true a couple hundred years ago, but I'm not sure that's a topic I can get into - Whatever I know of it, it's mostly hearsay anyway."
K : "Please do. I... I'm interested to learn about it."
G : "Alright then."
Gorimer glanced over at Ian who was leaving the room, and then back at Katachi.
G : "Ohde was originally a part of Anik and Auser- Well, I'm sure you roughly know that much. It's also true that Rugnud was originally a union between Thedcus and a part of Fiorsal. Both countries shared a lot of similarities as a result."
He ate a fruit that floated on the wine, and continued.
G : "But, well, at some point or another, a family from each side started having a rather large dispute. It was about their children betting on territory and getting hurt, apparently, and it was blown up to affect the whole of both countries."
K : "Yeah... I know that much, more or less." (The Royle family and the Kuzuha family had children that betted on the rights to use a shady tree in a hot afternoon. The problem was that the tree grew in one of the thinnest parts of the border gaps, and it arched over both Ohde and Rugnud. But that's not what I want to know.)
He wasn't concerned with what he already knew. Katachi was more interested in the resolution of the supposed conflict he never knew.
G : "I know that small skirmishes broke out here and there as a result, and the countries wanted to resolve this as peacefully as possible. Of course, they couldn't just cut the tree down because the tree was far too tough."
K : "As a result of Kafki's search for the Dream Poison, is it?"
G : "Yeah, that. So in the end, both countries have decided on a better solution. Instead of treating the tree as something that should belong to one or the other, it should be shared. They hired some Great Sorcerors to forcibly grow the tree in a specific manner, before shaping the tree in a way that made it tunnel-like."
K : "Tunnel... Like?" (What- I've never heard of this. The tree was cut into a tunnel-like shape?...)
G : "You can't miss it. If you ever want to reach Ohde from Rugnud, that's the safest possible way to go. It's made bandits ditch the area around it since nobody was going to tread in danger when they could walk in safety."
K : (That sounds so... Stupid now.) "That's... Kind of ironic. The root of their problems was also their solution?"
G : "... That's one way of looking at it, but yeah, what you just said."
*Cozy's Notes : I like Gorimer already. He's like 'Ah, yeah, that.' 'Ah, ok.' 'Ah, eenie meenie minie, fuggit are you right or left handed?' He's very casual. XD *
K : "I'll have to go and see that tunnel myself should I ever head towards Ohde."
G : "That's good and all, but the security around our border's stricter than ever these days."
What did he mean? Katachi couldn't follow through on what he said.
K : "Stricter than ever?"
G : "Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that-"
I : "It's alright, Father. He is an ally."
Entering their conversation was Ian with a towel to wipe his face and neck.
G : "He is?"
I : "Yes, Father. So my liege declares."
G : "... Alright then. You'll love this, Kotsuba."
Gorimer handed his son the bowl of booze-treated fruits, but was flatly refused.
G : "Recently, the uproar over the disappearance of Her Highness Roberia sent the country into disarray - People were losing hope, and they wondered if it were an omen that the current king was to be the last ruler of Rugnud. Many vigilante groups began rising up in infamy, claiming themselves to be the strongest and the one fit to rule the country."
He popped a Narcberry into his mouth and chewed it slowly, letting the ale seep out of the sour fruit.
G : "Of course, our knights would have dealt with them easily if they weren't playing dirty - Throwing sand, poison, hidden weapons, they come in as many varieties as they do in numbers. Findel offered to help us in suppressing the civil riots which calmed things down a lot, but I overheard one of our spies talking to Duke Harlot the other day."
He gave a cheeky smile, and leaned in towards the black-haired boy.
G : "They were talking about how the Findel Magus Association is busy searching for a Reincarnate, even now."
K : (!?! A Reincarnate...! That's VERY big news!!)"A... A Reincarnate?"
G : "Yeah. Y'know, when a God sips from the Cauldron made by Kavnel and is reborn as a human child. Apparently another one's descended upon our world - And it's apparently a big one. Big enough to rally everyone from the association, anyway. That was the FMA's ulterior motive all the long."
It was only natural to be surprised. A Reincarnate manifested the same great power the God once held, so long as that potential was discovered. Croxa, the God of Weather had reincarnated many times in order to do battle with the many impersonators of Sha'koth that existed from time to time.
*Cozy's Notes : These notes are a little... Dry. Sha'koth is not a true God, he is a trickster Legend who is almost believed to be a God. In the end, he was just a Legend who manipulated illusions so well that he made everyone think he became God. Not only that, tales of Sha'koth have been written in a way that turns people intelligent, mischievous and creative - The same as Sha'koth himself.
The reason for these impersonators of Sha'koth who pretend to be his Reincarnate is the same reason Bael is going mad - Identity crisis. As you delve deeper and deeper into the Art of Image, you lose sight of your true self and slowly deviate into whatever influenced you in the first place.*
K : "I'm aware of the Reincarnation Cauldron, but this... I can't believe it. A Reincarnate, at this time and age..."
I : "Is it the Reincarnate of Croxa?"
G : "The thing is, I'unno. Even in the past, the Reincarnates haven't been that big of a deal, y'see? Soltak's apparently only reincarnated once in the whole of history, and records of him are very vague. Maybe the magi in the FMA want to make proper records and findings of Soltak for the first time in history, so it could be him. It could be Croxa too, but I haven't seen anyone rally so many people to look for a single man that changes the weather on a whim."
I : "I don't think they would be this desperate if it weren't dangerous, Father."
K : (What does he mean by dangerous?) "? Dangerous?"
G : "That could be it, too. But what are the odds of this one particular Reincarnate being a vengeful God in the first place? Most Gods enjoyed a bountiful and satisfying life while alive, and I haven't seen a God resent our world before. Then again, I haven't actually seen a Reincarnate myself, so I can't really say. Heh."
K : (How- How reckless...) "..."
I : "I don't necessarily mean danger in that aspect, Father. There's no need to raise their security so thoroughly in the first place if it were just another one of Croxa's Reincarnates. Perhaps it's a Reincarnate of Vithrolu?"
K : (Vithrolu... That does sound dangerous. Spreading a deadly plague isn't exactly a pleasant gift.) "That sounds likely."
I : "I'm glad you agree. If Vithrolu's Reincarnate were to be assaulted by accident once more and unleashed yet another plague upon us, we would all be in an Ovalyn's shadow. Perhaps their heightened security is in defense of that, as a preventive measure?"
G : "... That makes sense too."
The three of them unanimously agreed that the Reincarnate the Findel Magus Association sought was a Reincarnate of Vithrolu.
I : "... By the way, Kotsuba, what are you doing here?"
K : "Ah, well, uhm... I..."
It felt awkward for Katachi to speak on such friendly terms with him, considering their skirmish a while back.
K : "... I got lost. And I just... Just ended up here, one way or a- a- another."
I : "So it seems. It can't be helped that the maids are unable to attend to your needs as they are busy with their chores, but I would appreciate it if you excused yourself until after my prayers were done. It's no pleasantry to meet with an intrusion during a time of worship."
K : "Of- Of course."
G : "Don't be such a killjoy, Ian. He's my guest for today - An unexpected one, but a guest nonetheless."
Gorimer sipped from the tankard again, and gently placed it on a strange stone slab on the table. It seemed to be designed with the intent to house the drink with how fitting they went together.
K : (That design... It looks really neat.)
... How did he miss this detail after having sat there for 10 whole minutes?
K : (Not good... I'm dulling. I need to be more aware of my surroundings.) "... No good. I'm dulling..."
The sudden response to no question in particular threw the mood into an awkward silence, with the only sound in the room Gorimer's rather loud chewing of the ale and fruit in his mouth.
G : "Is something the matter?"
K : "No, no, it's just that I... I- I think that I'm dulling. I can't believe that I failed to- To- To see that round thing on the table."
I : "That's a Coalhearth plate. It takes the heat from the sun outside and retains it, so it's good for keeping rot wine, ale and food warm. You can tell from the slightly discolored stones on the floor."
Katachi looked down to see what he was referring to, only to his disappointment. The rocks only looked like rocks to him, and he couldn't tell which were the ones that were discolored as Ian has claimed.
K : "Not... Not really."
I : "May Otemiygnan bless you with the vigor of his will."
Suddenly, Katachi's eyes seemed to feel... Swollen. It throbbed gently, pulsating very briefly against the sockets of his eyes, and he could suddenly tell the discolored tiles from the normal stones used for constructing the castle.
Not only that, for some odd reason he could also see the many scars on the ground that he would have neglected and otherwise assumed to be its natural formation, and a very tiny piece of sesame on the ground to his far right, the crumbs and leftovers of an unfinished plate too tiny to be picked up by a fork.
He could see incredibly well, all of a sudden.
K : (Could it be... Otemiygnan's magic?) "I... I see it now!"
I : "It's not really something to be excited about, though. This is common for most guest rooms around the castle."
K : (Wait a minute... Otemiygnan's magic... ! I can create more magic from Otemiygnan's tales!) "... I... I have a favor to ask."
Katachi looked up at Gorimer with a confident and bright look in his eyes.
G : "A favor?"
K : "Yes. I'd... I'd like to hear more about Otemiygnan."
The two looked at each other with their eyes wide open.
G : "... Well, color me surprised. I don't usually get requests for tales as much as requests for sparring tactics."
I : "Is it important for you to know about Otemiygnan?"
He could feel it - They were trying to dissuade the idea, though in very different ways - Gorimer tried changing the topic by bringing up a relevant topic of interest while Ian pursued the purpose of the request.
But to Katachi, who benefits more from knowledge than he does swordplay, every little bit becomes significantly more than what would otherwise be too difficult for his sluggish reaction speed to keep up with.
K : (His loyalty to Roberia is extraordinarily high... Perhaps I can use that to my advantage?) "... Yes. I have a frail frame, so physical combat is not my forte. Bu- But I can definitely identify the possible spells that other magi w- would use against Roberia if I have a rough idea of its origin."
Katachi held the teacup close to his face, and drank it all in a go.
K : "It could save Roberia if I manage to use that information correctly in the times to come."
Ian nodded in approval of the idea readily, and began undressing his armor and putting it onto one of the stone stools.
I : "I understand. It's another way to protect my liege. In that case, my tutelage would certainly aid with your memorization."
And they chatted away, without any care for the time.
*** ***
H : "Bargo."
Duke Harlot greeted the shady, ragged man sitting alone in the bright library. The light was almost vulgar to the eyes, and made people turn away from looking at white surfaces.
B : "Yes, mister Harlot? I trust you have another errand for me?"
He looked up to greet the two who entered his territory, with a smile on his face. It was hard enough to see anything in the library, but the sight of him would churn stomachs sick - The assistant maid standing behind Duke Harlot and his Chief Maid gagged at the amount of maggots squirming about at where his left eye should have been.
H : "Not this time, Bargo. I'm on my rounds, and I want to know the results of your search from the other day."
B : "Ah, of course, of course."
Despite the grotesque sensation one could only dare to imagine of the maggots crawling about his eye socket, the beggar-like shambling mass brushed his grey fringe back while looking through the archives, without even so much as caring that his left hand was pressing and squashing the maggots against his left eyebrow and forehead.
B : "Let's see... The three things you asked of me are as follows. First, the Marillin family - It's all in this document."
Without even the slightest regard for the insect fluids and blood on his left hand, he handed the file to the Chief Maid.
B : "Your suspicions have been spot-on as usual, sir. They hired the artisans and carpenters for an extended period of time to construct a cellar-like area under their house. If you focus and listen closely for just long enough, you can hear the room itself when knocking against the rocks on the cliff."
The man continued with his findings.
B : "Next, here are the list of meetings between families and associations that have occurred in the last days of the Month of the Halberd and the majority of the Month of the Axe. Their meetings, conversations as well as the outcomes of the respective parties are jotted down and compiled neatly. I trust that you'll use this information wisely, sir?"
Duke Harlot instructed the assistant maid to receive the package, who did it after much reluctance.
H : "Never doubt it. I need to keep these hooligans in check, if it's the last thing I do. Taking advantage of the economic situation to flaunt themselves greatly... I'll have them know their place."
B : "Certainly. As is the wisdom of the brother of the Grand Duke."
H : "... And? What of the last request?"
The ragged man seemed a bit disappointed as they reached the tail of their conversation.
B : "It's... Difficult, sir."
Bargo directed the three to a pedestal with many clicks and dials upon it, and worked on the magical mechanism.
B : "I could have sworn I've seen these stars before somewhere in my youth, but I can't seem to recall it now... I've been using most of my personal time to figure out the meaning of these constellations, but even that is not enough for me to decipher it... As of now."
He withdrew his fingers from the plate after showing them the descriptions, and powered down the construct. Bargo turned to the Duke, and bowed apologetically.
B : "I'm afraid you'll have to wait for a while before I discover the past life of this Kotsuba Katachi person, sir. I may have to perform some intensive back-tracking and visit my relatives' homes to search those archives as well."
H : (So this kid can trouble even the Axia-obsessed nut... I've read stories of this before. Either he's the child of a monster that was dying out, or... Something far worse.)
Duke Harlot grabbed a pouch from his waist, and unfastened the string around it.
H : (I can't shake this unsettling feeling... I must know who he is. Everyone that interacts with Roberia must be someone I can know and understand enough to know that they can be trusted. Until then, I must keep him in my sights.) "Here's your wage for the month, Bargo. Thank you for your work, as always."
The man held out his scrawny arm towards Harlot and received the pouch of gold in earnest.
B : "No, no, think nothing of it! Thank you, sir. I'm simply doing what I'm the best at - If not for you, I would still be living in misery."
Bargo graciously accepted the pouch and stored it in a knapsack to the side.
B : "But, sir, I suppose I can share with you this much - That child is most definitely not normal."
As Duke Harlot prepared to turn and leave, he was halted by the ragged man's advice.
B : "Some parents bless their children with powerful names for them to confront their powerful destinies. Just as the late King Prudence was blessed with prudence, I suppose it's only safe to assume that the child has inherited a similar gift from his parents."
H : "... A similar gift... ?"
B : "You can never be too sure, sir - But in case you're wondering, the child's name means... 'Form'. The rest... Is up to you, sir."
The ragged man sent the Duke off with an eerie smile, before resuming his work in the excessively bright library.
The maid escorted Katachi within, and closed the door gently behind him.
K : "T- Thank you... -!"
Her room was, simply put, surprising.
It was a rather big, open room with a lot of space to manoeuvre about. A rope dangled from a pivot mounted at the top of the room, leading towards nowhere for its purpose was simply for training. There were handles affixed onto the stone walls that allowed one to climb up and down freely that only led to the wonderful art on the ceiling. There were weights sprawled across the floor in a corner, next to a weapon rack with a strange handle-like rod and many pieces that seemed to be attachments laying about.
K : (... Countless weapons...! That rod can be attached to any of those, and become a different weapon altogether! That's amazing... !)
It didn't look like a 'bedroom' at all, to say the least. But, there was a very small corner of the room that, unlike the rest of the room, wasn't filled with training equipment, which ironically caught the attention of anyone who stepped within - A simple bed that looked plain, next to an extremely large bed decorated beautifully.
K : (Why does she have two beds? And that other bed, it's gigantic... !)
Strangely enough, the giant bed looked dusty, as though it had been untouched for years, compared to the plain, beige bed next to it that looked like its sheets were changed just recently.
Apart from all of those, was but a balcony left.
Katachi walked towards the ledge, and what awaited him...
K : (... Whoa.)
... lay a beautiful view of the city.
K : (... So this is the view from her room.)
It showed much of the city - From the marketplace to the side, to the plaza and the lone fountain in the distance, showing both the biggest merchant rings that was filled with lively laughter and the singular vendor polishing their customers' armor and weapons with care.
... But.
As much awe as the room and the scene inspired, Katachi was also stricken with a strange sadness and fear.
Roberia was the princess of Rugnud.
If it had been a farmer, Roberia would have simply become strong through the countless struggles she had to put up with. Her resolve, forged from the pain of her family's suffering and the cruelty of the bandits, toughened her and caused her to move forward to better her current situation.
If it had been some simple duke, it would be more understandable. A child of a slightly lower-ranked noble, who set off in order to amass strength so her family may stand tall and prideful, moving and fighting with the honor of her family behind her.
But Roberia was far, far beyond his expectations.
He... He simply didn't know what to think of her.
K : (... This room itself makes me uncomfortable.)
The very room he stood within was testament enough to the truth she hid from him. It was quite unthinkable that she would ask of him to be her spouse simply for a political marriage - Katachi was an orphan raised in a small, unpopular church.
There was nothing to gain from it all - Katachi had read that some marriages were performed with the intention of merging two countries together, just as the old Fiorsal broke apart into a Eastern and Western Fiorsal, and how Thedcus fused with Eastern Fiorsal to make Rugnud today.
*Cozy's Notes : FiorsAl - > Rugnud < - Thedcus. Fiorsal and Thedcus had some dirty, dirty scat and fart sessions before finally giving birth to Rugnud. Mwa-hah-hah!... No, don't believe that. They weren't named that because it spelled FART.*
She stood to gain absolutely nothing from him.
Then, was it a lie to protect something? Her reason for marrying him, as quoted by her, was to prevent the disgrace of her loss against him. She had challenged a Scholar like himself and failed, and to conceal her defeat she opted for marriage with him, the Scholar in question. If she had to lie about it being a political marriage, for whose sake did she lie for?
Was it for herself, to maintain her image of strength among the knights around her?
Or was it for Katachi, knowing that revealing the truth instead would have resulted in something much bigger and more drastic than the uproar that terrified him so?
... Then... As the princess of the country, why had she chosen him? Was the shame of loss truly that great?
All issues aside, the Words of Power were formidable. They were classified as event magic, a powerful sigil that invoked a pre-determined event regardless of whether it was possible or not.
To hold her ground against event magic and survive, even, was little short of a miracle. Or perhaps it was sheer luck - Katachi's 定 wasn't applicable in offense. Its only truly disastrous application was setting her position as Constant, where she would simply be left frozen on the spot, without food or water to drink and eventually dying from dehydration.
... Wait. There was a third solution to this question as well.
Perhaps the reason was... Both?
Not only was she trying to hide her embarrassment, but she also managed to see some sort of potential within Katachi, thereby validating both reasons at the same time?
In that aspect, even if there were any doubts about her strength with people questioning her, the proof was there - Katachi survived. He held his ground against two powerful opponents, and lived. He fought both with his very life on the line, and yet the feeling he had right now was a mix of fear, relief, happiness and worry.
Just remembering the throbbing of his heart as he fought for his dear life made Katachi giddy from the view.
K : (... I need a breather.)
Katachi left the room, and absent-mindedly walked down the hallway.
*** ***
"We have gathered today, to offer our greatest, deepest condolences to Sir Tact, valiant Knight of the Switch."
The priest conducting the Funeral of Dandelions held out a single dandelion, and began the funeral processions.
"And now, to begin, let the brethren of Sir Tact speak their wills of their friend. Let their voices be heard, and offered to him."
R : (... ?)
Someone lightly tapped Roberia's shoulder from behind.
R : (Duke Harlot...)
They slowly retreated to the back of the crowd, shuffling quietly so as to not disturb the priest at work.
H : "You don't look so well, dear. Are you alright?"
R : "Forgive me, Duke Harlot. I... I am simply distraught over the loss of a mentor."
H : "I understand. Take as long as you need."
They gave brief glances at one of the knights on the pedestal, Baron Orleans, who gave his speech.
H : "... By the way, Roberia, I wanted to ask you about your punishment. I know you have the tendency to go overboard and end up hurting yourself."
R : "I... I do not."
H : "Have you forgotten how you almost broke your own back the last time you said you would fix the castle wall? Having the discipline is commendable, but I won't allow you to take on something beyond your own ability."
His fierce eyes expressed his worry and sadness well enough for anyone to see.
R : "... I..."
H : "... I... Forgive me. I too, am upset over the loss of a comrade most dear. If we were to lose you, too..."
R : "... Sorry."
Duke Harlot took a couple of mint leaves from a container stored in his coat, and chewed them thoroughly.
R : "... I know that Father gave me the freedom to choose my own punishment deliberately. But, that is precisely why I cannot take on a lenient punishment! I won't be able to face myself if I gave myself leeway for the sake of convenience!..."
H : "That may be so, but do you not see the brilliance of His Majesty? He does not expect you to torture yourself, Roberia."
They hushed their voices down as much as they could as Baron Orleans continued his recollection of his time with Sir Tact.
R : (How can I ever forgive myself, then?)
H : "... The king is watching. He wants you to decide upon a suitable punishment that is both wise, and repentant."
Duke Harlot slid the container back into his coat.
H : "He would expect a punishment that is suitable to the nature of your wrongdoing. You caused chaos with your absence, and naturally he would want you to disperse that chaos you were responsible for."
R : (... That makes sense. If I spilled a bucket, they would want me to fill another, not to abuse myself senselessly...) "... True..."
H : "That is why, my dear, don't beat yourself up over that. Resolve the situation in a fashion befitting of a Knight - That is all King Fastiel asks of you."
Roberia cringed at that quote.
Had her lack of exposure to this steely, tense environment caused her to dull even faster?
She honestly forgot about her code of conduct as a Knight ever since she began her journey - She had told herself to restrain such mannerisms so that the commoners would not identify her as easily, but she had neglected such behavior for so long that by the time she reached Katachi, she was already attacking in a fashion unbecoming of a Knight.
Ever since she married Katachi, there were only two instances where she had to fight, or spar - Once with Yvolki, and the other with the bandits. To go on such an extended period without training, she had all but forgotten about the things that were once natural to her.
R : (... Perhaps leaving was not as wise an option as I had once thought.)
Granted, this was the second time in her life she had been punished by her father. With age and exposure comes experience, but Roberia was not that mischievous as a child to warrant such strict measures in the first place.
... That too, was wrong. Roberia had little time to cause such mischief to begin with, ever since her brother's injury. She could count the number of carnivals she had been to her whole life on one hand - Three.
Duke Harlot's guidance was definitely helpful.
R : "... Thank you, Duke Harlot. I will reflect upon this carefully."
H : "I'm glad to hear it. ... Oh, Roberia?"
As she walked forward to join the crowd surrounding the coffin, she was pulled back into the conversation once more.
H : "This... Might not be pleasant, but I happened to see the boy's face earlier today..."
R : ('The boy'?... ? Wait...)
Cupping his hand over the side of his mouth, he whispered, pray no one read his lips.
H : "I haven't told either about Sir Tact yet, but they're waiting at the garden."
Duke Harlot flashed a smile, and turned to pray with the communion.
R : (... I haven't seen them in 6 months...)
Roberia, too, followed behind Duke Harlot.
R : (... But that can wait. Sir Tact's funeral comes first.)
They were in time to listen to a final speech before the scattering began.
"Sir Tact... Sir Tact was a great Knight. Perhaps, and I dare say so for he does not enjoy the company of ale or women, perhaps he may have been a bit distant to some of us, but Sir Tact is undoubtedly a man deserving of the title Sir. You lot may not know this, but I... I saw how he constructed his own training course, and he is as merciless to himself as he is to our foes."
R : (I remember that... He was using his weapon alone to arrange everything in place - The hurdles, the target practice, he permitted only the use of his left arm to put everything in shape. A test of both his strength, and precision...)
T : "A man like him, who sharpens his blade with every waking moment, is as close to a model knight of our great King as the leaves are green. I can only wish that his own role model, King Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Fastiel, would grant his funeral with His Majesty's audience. Alas, the King tires, and yet he grieves even without our knowledge of it. I, Viscount Terence, would like to excuse myself, for a brief moment..."
The bearded Viscount stepped down, and borrowed a cloth from his wife to wipe his tears.
T : "... Thank you. And to conclude my speech, I hope for more of our young to follow in Sir Tact's venturous steps, to always forge onward with vigilance and strength, such that your own loved ones may be protected when the need arises. I've finished my piece."
"... All is well, Viscount. Are there any others who wish to express their heartfelt thoughts to our belated Sir Tact?"
The priest gave a good, hard look at the audience who were mostly staring at the coffin.
"Then, without further ado, let the scattering commence."
He lifted the glass cover on the tray gently, and plucked the dandelion rested on the tuft of grass.
"Let the remnant, weak memories of this man seep into this flower, such that should it be forgotten, not all shall be lost; And let the strong memories of this man take root, and blossom within our hearts, so we may draw courage from his legacy to transcend and overcome the difficulties ahead."
And with a gentle huff, the seeds were sent, flying into the wind.
"Blessed knight, whom yields no spouse nor child, may he find his spiritual successor as the dandelions carry his will throughout our land. And let his greatness be dispersed, just like these dandelions that have scattered their children out. Let his visage be a loving memory never to be forgotten!"
A moment of silence was all that was needed as the knights watched the seeds fly off the side of the fortress.
And with that, the Funeral of Dandelions ended with a gentle release of the seedless flower from the priest's hands onto the coffin.
The small group that gathered before him left the area, and resumed their duties faithfully.
Roberia, though without any of such duties currently, walked away with a mixture of sadness and excitement.
R : (I'm going to meet them once more, after 6 long months... But what should I say about Sir Tact?...)
Indeed, castle life was not as relaxed as people from Ohde or Auser would expect. Maids and servants rushed to clean the carpets and replaced the curtains and sheets ripped from the sparring battles, the knights were divided between the Garrison and the Calvary. Some performed checks on the equipment in the armory to ensure their knights were well-prepared, some did maintenance on the fortress walls, some were in charge of food and ale, to name many of the jobs that were bustling and about.
Duke Harlot was no exception - Being the leader of the political police, his role in identifying the disputes of power and recognizing possible threats and plots were of great importance to the country, and its people's safety.
*Cozy's Notes : Spymaster Harlot, muddafugga.*
He set off, with a simple nod from his maid, to work.
*** ***
A curious wander through the labyrinth-like building would definitely be confusing for anyone unfamiliar with the structure of the fortress.
Katachi couldn't tell where he had ended up after walking for slightly less than an hour. He found some servants washing and hanging up sheets, he discovered a strange room where some knights were pumping some herbs into a laevinstone drum to extract oil, and he stumbled upon the nursing ward where most of the young squires and retainers were attended to by doctors and physicians.
But never in his wildest dreams did he think of finding someone he just met.
A faithful Ian Bloodcrust sat quietly on the floor, in solemn prayer towards the altar before him. With a bowl of what appears to be blood stirring from the gentle heat beneath, and a strange smell of a foreign herb slowly sifting out of an incense burner, it made Katachi feel awkward for his intrusion into a period of prayer.
As he turned to leave, a muscular, aged and tired-looking man was behind him.
This man... Was even burlier than Ian. He seemed far stronger compared to the Knight, and his skin was beyond tanned - It was completely dried up and stretched out, to suggest his many years, perhaps even decades, of service. He had numerous scars and a part of his left arm was burnt away, and no hair grew on the reformed flesh.
But the most distinctive part of the man was perhaps his missing right arm.
K : "!"
He didn't know how to respond. This adult astonished him to such a great degree that Katachi had lost his ability to move or to speak, if only for a moment.
"... An Ohdean? You look lost."
He spoke with a tired, yet powerful voice.
K : "I, uh... Umm..."
"No matter. You've come to the right place, regardless. Have a seat there."
He pointed at a bench with some stone stools, and walked towards a door to a pantry. Noises of cupboards being opened could be heard from his direction as he busied himself with the preparation of guest-served foods.
K : (... I probably should just listen to what he says... I don't really have a reason to refuse, and it would be rude since I would be trespassing otherwise.)
With experience, came wisdom. Katachi recalled a familiar incident - He had entered Bael's residence without permission, and he should know all the better now that being rude and unruly would be unwise.
*Cozy's Notes : Wa-hey, Katachi learns. But though this shows his steadily increasing maturity, I wouldn't want people to start liking Katachi - He's not an ignoramus who interacts with boobs and girls all day, quite a contrast to the many shounen story protagonists I've seen, namely Issei Hyodo, or Bell Cranel, or many of the Harem stories I've seen.
I don't want anybody to like Katachi. How ironic of me, since he's the story's protagonist.*
He sat down on the icy cool stool, and waited patiently at the bench next to a window.
K : (... Whoa.)
From where he sat, he could see the man at work - He gracefully lifted a tray with his single arm, and carried it over to the bench with a sturdy form, a feat that contradicted how strong and muscular he looked.
K : (He's just like Ian... A more experienced, stronger, faster and sharpened Ian. If I were given a choice, I wouldn't want to get on his bad side.)
Katachi glanced at the contents of the tray briefly - A kettle that had seen years of use, a teapot made of Marecc, a bowl of fruits soaked in ale, a tankard of ale with fruits floating within... That was certainly not a tray one would easily lift with an arm.
Katachi reached for the teapot, and poured some tea into a teacup-
"Why the rush, child? Tea is best savored at the second brew."
The man chuckled, and began performing something Katachi could never even think of it being possible.
From where his right arm was cut, came forth a mass of blood.
Blood that suspended itself in the air, in the form of an arm, which made his body whole again, if temporary.
K : (! It's picking up the teapot!)
It was strong enough to pick up a teapot, with blobs of blood surrounding its handle like actual fingers raising it off the ground and pouring the tea into a drain on the floor.
He grabbed the kettle and poured the hot water into the pot, and closed its lid before pouring more hot water over the closed teapot. After that, the mass of blood wrapped itself around the teapot, as though he were holding up the teapot to feel its entirety on his palm and fingers.
"... Hmm. A little too much, but I'm not a fan of heavy tastes anyway. Have a sip."
When all was said and done, he poured Katachi a second cup to enjoy.
Katachi could smell the tea's aroma slowly sifting through the steam that wafted through the top of his cup - It was now clear and obvious that the tea was a completely different caliber than before. It had a deeper, richer look on it compared to before, and it was more colored and scented.
He brought the cup to his lips and gave a small sip - A blast of fragrance entered his nose and mouth, bringing him into a relaxed state almost instantly.
K : "... Wow."
"Fragrant, isn't it? I learnt this from an Ohdean just like you - Young, ambitious, sprightly-... Well, not quite as young as you, but young enough to have a coming-of-age ceremony prepared for him."
Katachi had known that tea was something Mother Rinnesfeld served to others when they came to visit the church, but with their state of affairs he dared not approach the adults speaking to Mother Rinnesfeld, let alone ask for some himself. Besides, it was too wasteful to brew something that precious for his selfish, personal whims.
K : "... So this is what tea tastes like."
"You have never had tea before?"
K : "... No. I... Never had the chance to."
"How rare. Tea is a great symbol of the cultural union between Ohde and Anik, and it represents the Ohdeans' faith towards independence without forgetting their roots. Unless, of course, you were raised in a part of Ohde that abhorred the practice... Are you from Nenma...?"
K : "I'm Findeli. I was raised in Mielfeud."
"Hmm. You do seem proficient in the Findeli tongue."
The man grabbed the tankard of ale, and drank from it merrily.
"... I wish my son were as chatty as you sometimes. Good company always makes the wine richer, so they say."
K : (Son?) "S- Son?"
"Yeah. My daughter's grown wonderfully, too, but she is rarely about. I suppose that's only to be expected if she wants to defeat Duke Marcyn, but my children have no time for me now that they've grown up. It kind of makes me... Sad."
K : (This man... Is Ian's father... ?) "You're Ian's father?"
"Ah. I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? Or maybe you're just too young."
He stood up, and pulled his shirt off of his body to reveal a tattoo upon his brawny stature.
G : "I am Gorimer Bloodcrust, faithful knight of the late King Prudence and Empress Dowager Allera... Well, I'm well past my prime now, at least. Hahahahahah."
Gorimer gave a dry, tired laugh as he sat back down on his seat.
G : "... What about you, child?"
K : "K- K- Ko- Kotsuba Katachi. I... I was raised in Mielfeud, under a most benevolent nun."
Katachi struggled to keep his composure before a figure of legends seated before him.
K : "... I- I read from books that the relations between Rugnud and Ohde were... Poor."
Gorimer eyed him with great surprise.
G : "Well, it was true a couple hundred years ago, but I'm not sure that's a topic I can get into - Whatever I know of it, it's mostly hearsay anyway."
K : "Please do. I... I'm interested to learn about it."
G : "Alright then."
Gorimer glanced over at Ian who was leaving the room, and then back at Katachi.
G : "Ohde was originally a part of Anik and Auser- Well, I'm sure you roughly know that much. It's also true that Rugnud was originally a union between Thedcus and a part of Fiorsal. Both countries shared a lot of similarities as a result."
He ate a fruit that floated on the wine, and continued.
G : "But, well, at some point or another, a family from each side started having a rather large dispute. It was about their children betting on territory and getting hurt, apparently, and it was blown up to affect the whole of both countries."
K : "Yeah... I know that much, more or less." (The Royle family and the Kuzuha family had children that betted on the rights to use a shady tree in a hot afternoon. The problem was that the tree grew in one of the thinnest parts of the border gaps, and it arched over both Ohde and Rugnud. But that's not what I want to know.)
He wasn't concerned with what he already knew. Katachi was more interested in the resolution of the supposed conflict he never knew.
G : "I know that small skirmishes broke out here and there as a result, and the countries wanted to resolve this as peacefully as possible. Of course, they couldn't just cut the tree down because the tree was far too tough."
K : "As a result of Kafki's search for the Dream Poison, is it?"
G : "Yeah, that. So in the end, both countries have decided on a better solution. Instead of treating the tree as something that should belong to one or the other, it should be shared. They hired some Great Sorcerors to forcibly grow the tree in a specific manner, before shaping the tree in a way that made it tunnel-like."
K : "Tunnel... Like?" (What- I've never heard of this. The tree was cut into a tunnel-like shape?...)
G : "You can't miss it. If you ever want to reach Ohde from Rugnud, that's the safest possible way to go. It's made bandits ditch the area around it since nobody was going to tread in danger when they could walk in safety."
K : (That sounds so... Stupid now.) "That's... Kind of ironic. The root of their problems was also their solution?"
G : "... That's one way of looking at it, but yeah, what you just said."
*Cozy's Notes : I like Gorimer already. He's like 'Ah, yeah, that.' 'Ah, ok.' 'Ah, eenie meenie minie, fuggit are you right or left handed?' He's very casual. XD *
K : "I'll have to go and see that tunnel myself should I ever head towards Ohde."
G : "That's good and all, but the security around our border's stricter than ever these days."
What did he mean? Katachi couldn't follow through on what he said.
K : "Stricter than ever?"
G : "Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that-"
I : "It's alright, Father. He is an ally."
Entering their conversation was Ian with a towel to wipe his face and neck.
G : "He is?"
I : "Yes, Father. So my liege declares."
G : "... Alright then. You'll love this, Kotsuba."
Gorimer handed his son the bowl of booze-treated fruits, but was flatly refused.
G : "Recently, the uproar over the disappearance of Her Highness Roberia sent the country into disarray - People were losing hope, and they wondered if it were an omen that the current king was to be the last ruler of Rugnud. Many vigilante groups began rising up in infamy, claiming themselves to be the strongest and the one fit to rule the country."
He popped a Narcberry into his mouth and chewed it slowly, letting the ale seep out of the sour fruit.
G : "Of course, our knights would have dealt with them easily if they weren't playing dirty - Throwing sand, poison, hidden weapons, they come in as many varieties as they do in numbers. Findel offered to help us in suppressing the civil riots which calmed things down a lot, but I overheard one of our spies talking to Duke Harlot the other day."
He gave a cheeky smile, and leaned in towards the black-haired boy.
G : "They were talking about how the Findel Magus Association is busy searching for a Reincarnate, even now."
K : (!?! A Reincarnate...! That's VERY big news!!)"A... A Reincarnate?"
G : "Yeah. Y'know, when a God sips from the Cauldron made by Kavnel and is reborn as a human child. Apparently another one's descended upon our world - And it's apparently a big one. Big enough to rally everyone from the association, anyway. That was the FMA's ulterior motive all the long."
It was only natural to be surprised. A Reincarnate manifested the same great power the God once held, so long as that potential was discovered. Croxa, the God of Weather had reincarnated many times in order to do battle with the many impersonators of Sha'koth that existed from time to time.
*Cozy's Notes : These notes are a little... Dry. Sha'koth is not a true God, he is a trickster Legend who is almost believed to be a God. In the end, he was just a Legend who manipulated illusions so well that he made everyone think he became God. Not only that, tales of Sha'koth have been written in a way that turns people intelligent, mischievous and creative - The same as Sha'koth himself.
The reason for these impersonators of Sha'koth who pretend to be his Reincarnate is the same reason Bael is going mad - Identity crisis. As you delve deeper and deeper into the Art of Image, you lose sight of your true self and slowly deviate into whatever influenced you in the first place.*
K : "I'm aware of the Reincarnation Cauldron, but this... I can't believe it. A Reincarnate, at this time and age..."
I : "Is it the Reincarnate of Croxa?"
G : "The thing is, I'unno. Even in the past, the Reincarnates haven't been that big of a deal, y'see? Soltak's apparently only reincarnated once in the whole of history, and records of him are very vague. Maybe the magi in the FMA want to make proper records and findings of Soltak for the first time in history, so it could be him. It could be Croxa too, but I haven't seen anyone rally so many people to look for a single man that changes the weather on a whim."
I : "I don't think they would be this desperate if it weren't dangerous, Father."
K : (What does he mean by dangerous?) "? Dangerous?"
G : "That could be it, too. But what are the odds of this one particular Reincarnate being a vengeful God in the first place? Most Gods enjoyed a bountiful and satisfying life while alive, and I haven't seen a God resent our world before. Then again, I haven't actually seen a Reincarnate myself, so I can't really say. Heh."
K : (How- How reckless...) "..."
I : "I don't necessarily mean danger in that aspect, Father. There's no need to raise their security so thoroughly in the first place if it were just another one of Croxa's Reincarnates. Perhaps it's a Reincarnate of Vithrolu?"
K : (Vithrolu... That does sound dangerous. Spreading a deadly plague isn't exactly a pleasant gift.) "That sounds likely."
I : "I'm glad you agree. If Vithrolu's Reincarnate were to be assaulted by accident once more and unleashed yet another plague upon us, we would all be in an Ovalyn's shadow. Perhaps their heightened security is in defense of that, as a preventive measure?"
G : "... That makes sense too."
The three of them unanimously agreed that the Reincarnate the Findel Magus Association sought was a Reincarnate of Vithrolu.
I : "... By the way, Kotsuba, what are you doing here?"
K : "Ah, well, uhm... I..."
It felt awkward for Katachi to speak on such friendly terms with him, considering their skirmish a while back.
K : "... I got lost. And I just... Just ended up here, one way or a- a- another."
I : "So it seems. It can't be helped that the maids are unable to attend to your needs as they are busy with their chores, but I would appreciate it if you excused yourself until after my prayers were done. It's no pleasantry to meet with an intrusion during a time of worship."
K : "Of- Of course."
G : "Don't be such a killjoy, Ian. He's my guest for today - An unexpected one, but a guest nonetheless."
Gorimer sipped from the tankard again, and gently placed it on a strange stone slab on the table. It seemed to be designed with the intent to house the drink with how fitting they went together.
K : (That design... It looks really neat.)
... How did he miss this detail after having sat there for 10 whole minutes?
K : (Not good... I'm dulling. I need to be more aware of my surroundings.) "... No good. I'm dulling..."
The sudden response to no question in particular threw the mood into an awkward silence, with the only sound in the room Gorimer's rather loud chewing of the ale and fruit in his mouth.
G : "Is something the matter?"
K : "No, no, it's just that I... I- I think that I'm dulling. I can't believe that I failed to- To- To see that round thing on the table."
I : "That's a Coalhearth plate. It takes the heat from the sun outside and retains it, so it's good for keeping rot wine, ale and food warm. You can tell from the slightly discolored stones on the floor."
Katachi looked down to see what he was referring to, only to his disappointment. The rocks only looked like rocks to him, and he couldn't tell which were the ones that were discolored as Ian has claimed.
K : "Not... Not really."
I : "May Otemiygnan bless you with the vigor of his will."
Suddenly, Katachi's eyes seemed to feel... Swollen. It throbbed gently, pulsating very briefly against the sockets of his eyes, and he could suddenly tell the discolored tiles from the normal stones used for constructing the castle.
Not only that, for some odd reason he could also see the many scars on the ground that he would have neglected and otherwise assumed to be its natural formation, and a very tiny piece of sesame on the ground to his far right, the crumbs and leftovers of an unfinished plate too tiny to be picked up by a fork.
He could see incredibly well, all of a sudden.
K : (Could it be... Otemiygnan's magic?) "I... I see it now!"
I : "It's not really something to be excited about, though. This is common for most guest rooms around the castle."
K : (Wait a minute... Otemiygnan's magic... ! I can create more magic from Otemiygnan's tales!) "... I... I have a favor to ask."
Katachi looked up at Gorimer with a confident and bright look in his eyes.
G : "A favor?"
K : "Yes. I'd... I'd like to hear more about Otemiygnan."
The two looked at each other with their eyes wide open.
G : "... Well, color me surprised. I don't usually get requests for tales as much as requests for sparring tactics."
I : "Is it important for you to know about Otemiygnan?"
He could feel it - They were trying to dissuade the idea, though in very different ways - Gorimer tried changing the topic by bringing up a relevant topic of interest while Ian pursued the purpose of the request.
But to Katachi, who benefits more from knowledge than he does swordplay, every little bit becomes significantly more than what would otherwise be too difficult for his sluggish reaction speed to keep up with.
K : (His loyalty to Roberia is extraordinarily high... Perhaps I can use that to my advantage?) "... Yes. I have a frail frame, so physical combat is not my forte. Bu- But I can definitely identify the possible spells that other magi w- would use against Roberia if I have a rough idea of its origin."
Katachi held the teacup close to his face, and drank it all in a go.
K : "It could save Roberia if I manage to use that information correctly in the times to come."
Ian nodded in approval of the idea readily, and began undressing his armor and putting it onto one of the stone stools.
I : "I understand. It's another way to protect my liege. In that case, my tutelage would certainly aid with your memorization."
And they chatted away, without any care for the time.
*** ***
H : "Bargo."
Duke Harlot greeted the shady, ragged man sitting alone in the bright library. The light was almost vulgar to the eyes, and made people turn away from looking at white surfaces.
B : "Yes, mister Harlot? I trust you have another errand for me?"
He looked up to greet the two who entered his territory, with a smile on his face. It was hard enough to see anything in the library, but the sight of him would churn stomachs sick - The assistant maid standing behind Duke Harlot and his Chief Maid gagged at the amount of maggots squirming about at where his left eye should have been.
H : "Not this time, Bargo. I'm on my rounds, and I want to know the results of your search from the other day."
B : "Ah, of course, of course."
Despite the grotesque sensation one could only dare to imagine of the maggots crawling about his eye socket, the beggar-like shambling mass brushed his grey fringe back while looking through the archives, without even so much as caring that his left hand was pressing and squashing the maggots against his left eyebrow and forehead.
B : "Let's see... The three things you asked of me are as follows. First, the Marillin family - It's all in this document."
Without even the slightest regard for the insect fluids and blood on his left hand, he handed the file to the Chief Maid.
B : "Your suspicions have been spot-on as usual, sir. They hired the artisans and carpenters for an extended period of time to construct a cellar-like area under their house. If you focus and listen closely for just long enough, you can hear the room itself when knocking against the rocks on the cliff."
The man continued with his findings.
B : "Next, here are the list of meetings between families and associations that have occurred in the last days of the Month of the Halberd and the majority of the Month of the Axe. Their meetings, conversations as well as the outcomes of the respective parties are jotted down and compiled neatly. I trust that you'll use this information wisely, sir?"
Duke Harlot instructed the assistant maid to receive the package, who did it after much reluctance.
H : "Never doubt it. I need to keep these hooligans in check, if it's the last thing I do. Taking advantage of the economic situation to flaunt themselves greatly... I'll have them know their place."
B : "Certainly. As is the wisdom of the brother of the Grand Duke."
H : "... And? What of the last request?"
The ragged man seemed a bit disappointed as they reached the tail of their conversation.
B : "It's... Difficult, sir."
Bargo directed the three to a pedestal with many clicks and dials upon it, and worked on the magical mechanism.
B : "I could have sworn I've seen these stars before somewhere in my youth, but I can't seem to recall it now... I've been using most of my personal time to figure out the meaning of these constellations, but even that is not enough for me to decipher it... As of now."
He withdrew his fingers from the plate after showing them the descriptions, and powered down the construct. Bargo turned to the Duke, and bowed apologetically.
B : "I'm afraid you'll have to wait for a while before I discover the past life of this Kotsuba Katachi person, sir. I may have to perform some intensive back-tracking and visit my relatives' homes to search those archives as well."
H : (So this kid can trouble even the Axia-obsessed nut... I've read stories of this before. Either he's the child of a monster that was dying out, or... Something far worse.)
Duke Harlot grabbed a pouch from his waist, and unfastened the string around it.
H : (I can't shake this unsettling feeling... I must know who he is. Everyone that interacts with Roberia must be someone I can know and understand enough to know that they can be trusted. Until then, I must keep him in my sights.) "Here's your wage for the month, Bargo. Thank you for your work, as always."
The man held out his scrawny arm towards Harlot and received the pouch of gold in earnest.
B : "No, no, think nothing of it! Thank you, sir. I'm simply doing what I'm the best at - If not for you, I would still be living in misery."
Bargo graciously accepted the pouch and stored it in a knapsack to the side.
B : "But, sir, I suppose I can share with you this much - That child is most definitely not normal."
As Duke Harlot prepared to turn and leave, he was halted by the ragged man's advice.
B : "Some parents bless their children with powerful names for them to confront their powerful destinies. Just as the late King Prudence was blessed with prudence, I suppose it's only safe to assume that the child has inherited a similar gift from his parents."
H : "... A similar gift... ?"
B : "You can never be too sure, sir - But in case you're wondering, the child's name means... 'Form'. The rest... Is up to you, sir."
The ragged man sent the Duke off with an eerie smile, before resuming his work in the excessively bright library.
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