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  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.

Monday 13 July 2015

Y u no post last month? :C Also, updates and WoP Quest's future.

Cozy :

Sorry about that, eheheh. I guess the two consecutive fight scenes took more out of me than I imagined- Pfft. As if.

If I were to be tired from writing those, then the upcoming conflicts with Aozu Makoto, Roberia and Fastiel will be even harder to do. I can't shrivel up from this... I can't afford to.

But recently, it's been busy - I'm enlisted, and army life invades my planned schedules more than I am comfortable with.

So they say : Army is about serving the country. Taking initiative. Doing all the jobs nobody wants to do because everyone gives them hell for doing it.

Even if you perform one thing right for one warrant officer, another warrant officer would say otherwise. It's as confused as I am, apparently, and not everyone is united in heart, as one.

The standard is amiss. Not everyone seems up-to-date over the things going on around them, because everyone's too busy doing their own thing to see the problem from the 'problem-giver's' perspectives.

But alas, as much as I wish to rant on and voice my opinions, more important things lay before me.

Let's get to that, shall we?

*** ***

Today, we'll be touching on important subjects. Namely - What will happen to WoP Quest?

I've mentioned it before, but I signed up with a publishing company called Partridge Publishing. Naturally, it's a good thing and a bad thing.

I am finally doing it. Words of Power Quest and WoP Quest : Messiah are finally becoming real books registered in the Library Congress.

As such, it may not be possible for me to put these chapters up in public any longer.

... Still, it should be a good thing - I'll hopefully get a couple of readers that will take interest in the story, and earn a little.

...

I've come a long way to witness it today.

November 7th, 2012 was when Words of Power Quest first took off.

And, comparing the length of the earlier chapters to the length of the more recent chapters, it's like seeing myself improve every step of the way.

It's a euphoric feeling to see the journey so far - Both for me, and for my characters.

Mainly, Katachi and Roberia, of course - The story's told from their own understandings of the truth. But Bael's come quite the way as well, despite manning this sort of rather... Depressing role.

And, ironically, I have no idea what I am doing as the author of WoP Quest. Ha!

Well, I have the idea down and I know what happens next in the plots to come. But frankly speaking, as I write WoP Quest, I'm off wondering one simple thing - What am I writing for?

Is it for the action scenes, where they struggle and fight for their survival? Mmm, I certainly see how I've made a good job of that in Messiah 29, and in the Herald excerpt where Katachi faces off against Roberia. But that too pales and blands because people watch so much shounen/action manga/anime that they aren't moved by how difficult the fights actually are. They're used to the fact that you kicking off the floor puts you 6m from where you once were, and everything is too overpowered to matter.

Is it for the romance/drama, then? It's not that dramatic, nor is romance heavily emphasized - It's just something I put as a connector, a filler for the times I'm not writing parts of the story that I find interesting. I mean, Katachi and Roberia's feelings don't truly develop for each other until Endus Reignum arrives. Until then, they're stuck in the limbo of sort-of-like, hate, and don't-understand.

Is it the plot, then? Ahh, but a good plot needs to be savored slowly, fed bit by bit before the flavors can combine and explode violently, and blow the reader's mind. I haven't written far enough for anything of the sort yet, though - The Reincarnate is not found yet, Duke Harlot has not discovered Katachi's fate yet, the temporal distortion's effects between the routes haven't shown themselves yet since Sir Tact is still dead, Roberia hasn't been kidnapped yet and the whole of Rugnud hasn't been put to crisis as a negotiation chip yet.

There's so many things I want to slowly feed that I fear the audience won't have the time or attention to see them subtly - A plot is best when it's discovered by the reader, not when it's told in the face.

Then... Is it for the characters? No no no, that can't be. I designed Katachi in a way such that the reader would want to hate him, not love him. He's an Asperger's kid with a simple wish, in this drastically complex, cruel yet beautiful world.

Is it for the setting?... No way. Nobody reads a story for the setting. What is this, a documentary about Western Anik? No.

What exactly do people like about WoP Quest...? I don't really know, even today.

Moreso, I feel that my earlier chapters were lackluster. But if I spend all my time re-writing them, I may as well not write new chapters for a whole year.

...

... That aside...

I'll be removing my chapters. Or, at least, be setting some of them to 'private' progressively.

I probably won't touch the very first 32 chapters. Since, well, that's where the adventure begins. You can go buy Messiah since you didn't have the mind to go read it before I published it as a book.

And...

This blog will probably become a very rough skeleton for my later chapters.

*** ***

Let's not talk about the troublesome stuff. Let's look forward!

As in, what will I do after writing Messiah 31 and 32?

... Well, I have good and bad news.

The bad news is, if you liked Messiah, you're gonna have to put it on hold for now.

The good news is, Herald's starting! (Yay!)

Yep, that's the idea I came up with - Using 32 as a bracket for the no. of chapters a book should have, I have decided that every 32 chapters should mark the continuation of the story on a different route.

It'll alternate between Messiah, Herald, Messiah, Herald, etc. until I am finished with them both, before I start work on Endus Reignum.

Why 32...? I don't know. I stopped at 32 for the first book, so why not do the same for this book?

... Frankly speaking... I am not sure if I'd spend money to buy either of my books.

For some reason, I still feel disappointed in almost all of my earlier chapters, even when I go back and try to edit them up to standard.

Aww. Cozy's a perfectionist now.

...

... That's okay, though.

This story... It is the epic fantasy that I dreamed.

It may not be liked, or well-received at all, or even recognized as a real book. It might be burned, sullied, dropped in mud, fed to dogs, used as toilet paper, or even... Stolen.

But it is the dream I dared dreamed.

All I need to do is make that dream eternal - Immortalize that dream in a corporeal form.

... Perhaps that is the true answer to my question before - I write not for the action, not for the romance, not for the drama, not for the plots or setting or characters, but...

... Because the story deserves to exist. That is why I wrote, that is why I write and that is how I shall continue to write. Because it deserves to exist, no matter how many people chastise it or say otherwise.

No child is born into this world perfect. No story is created without flaws. In fact, art itself is the appreciation of the sum of all its flaws forming a perfect being from imperfection.

But when shall we look past those flaws, and embrace it for what it is, if we as the authors themselves do not do so in the first place? If we are not the first to see past the flaws of our own tales, who's going to?

This feeling, as though I were talking to someone I knew a long time ago, this sad, homely and familiar, yet estranged feeling...

... I wrote not for commercial benefit, but because I wished for the worlds in my head to become real.

Will that, too... Be taken away?

... It's times like these, that I wish I were born in 17th century Greece, or perhaps during the Reconnaissance Period...

...

... In any case... Look forward to Herald, everyone - It'll be a blast to write.

Especially, especially, ESPECIALLY because it's dark. And compared to the kind-of happier and more lively duck-like tone in Messiah, I am very good at writing stuff that's dark.

How will fate change to accomodate Katachi's choices at that one moment in time... ?

We'll find out.

*** ***

... Pray, that one day I too shall dream the eternal dream.

Dreaming away,
Cozy