Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 1: Lives Not Yet Thrown Away

[Xinnidy]

"Maybe so, Astraea. I'm sure Erephis will be capable of helping you, she's fairly knowledgeable, from what I know." It seemed like things for Astraea would mostly handle themselves, "Either way, you should first worry about your safety." If she needed it... Agni could only guess at what power a celestial held, but if she needed the help, she probably needed to watch herself for the while.

Taliyah and Marina's warm embrace was a nice scene to witness, but not one to bother --giving the both space, Agni turned to look at the individual engaged with Lavinia.

"Another mercenary?" Not that he would complain, but Agni did have concerns over the group's recruiting methods. Any mercenary picked off from the streets could have shocking allegiances. "What do you think, Lavinia? Our group is fairly well-rounded, as it is. Does this monster have some special ability to her?" There seemed to be many races he knew nil about, the more he researched on it. Agni veered on the side of pragmatism just in case.

[sweet podado]

Letting Lavinia deal with the other girl for now, Bridgit goes back to focusing on Astraea as the other speaks and the Pureblood can't help the smile dancing on her lips at the other's words.  Friends...yes.  The prospect of being friends with Astraea didn't seem to bother her in the least.  "We thank you for choosing to help us, and in turn we'll try our very best to help you find your siblings!" she ends up declaring, feeling for the fallen star and her goal of finding her siblings.  

To want to see your siblings once more...that is a feeling she knows all too well about.

Now, while Astraea did hold most of her attention, Bridgit can't help but lend an ear as her eyes now drift over to Lavinia and the...wraith?  Incomplete by the sound and looks of it, but Bridgit held her tongue as she went to twirl a lock of hair daintily in thought.  "Well, can't really blame others for being cautious really, but mercenaries did have their uses," she ends up adding to the conversation, before looking over to Agni as she arches a delicate brow.

"Or, you know, ask the person who knows their abilities better than a stranger?" she responds with, but her tone of voice holds no bite or annoyance and merely smiles teasingly at the human before setting her sights at the wraith.  "Tell us if you could, what can you offer us in return to recruiting you into our little mish mash group?" she asks, floating idly as she waits for an answer.

---

If it weren't for his godlike self restraint (something he's been working on for years mind you), Ren would've left deep indents into the bar counter at the other's description of the oni he's seen.  Still, he can't help the odd twitch at the corner of his eye, nor the pit settling in his stomach as he forces back a scowl and simply slips on his mask of a smile.  "Is that so?  Well, you could say she's someone special to my cousin and I," he offers, his tone holding a finality to it as he closes his eyes in contemplation.

Ukogi huddled closer to his master's hand, pecking at it while the other hand simply drummed its fingers against the bar's surface.

"How long ago was this?  Honestly, if we just missed her then that's just bad luck on our part heh..."  And yet he can't help but feel relief that they didn't.  He...he wasn't ready.  Ayane less so, and right now they needed to focus on something else other than just-

Ayane.

Should he tell her?  He has to.  Keeping anything from her felt wrong, unnatural, and Ren for the most part knows this affected her more than it did him.  To think they were so close to crossing paths in this new unknown country....

Too soon.  It was too soon and Ren didn't like this one bit.

Edited December 15, 2020 by sweet podado

[Michelaar]

Stepping into the forge was a bit of a strange feeling for Gabriela. While Jade had probably gone into forges lots of times, Gabriela never had much reason to step into one. She uses magic of light, after all. Any of those weapons look like they would break her arms. That's the same reason she doesn't go into any armories. But helping a friend goes a long way, that includes going places you don't normally go. The owner still seemed to remember them from outside, but appeared to be a little busy with whatever she was doing. She appeared to be listening though, and that was enough for Jade. Leaving out the fortune teller's name might have been the best idea, and Jade most likely thought the same. Who knows what kind of drama was playing between the citizens of this town? Getting in the middle of it just wasn't a good idea. While Jade went around doing her business, Gabriela looked around the place, waiting for her to be finished.

[Nanami Touko]

"Yes, Agni, that is the question, isn't it?" Lavinia wasn't exactly convinced by this girl, staring her down. It wasn't due to her race, not consciously, at least. Her words were simply... "I'd like to know how exactly you know we have a 'big battle' coming up here, specifically. The fort has been under assault, yes, but unless Ithraxl knows that we're here, there shouldn't be worry for a larger fight all of a sudden, right?" Perhaps they were being too wary... Gabriela had yet to betray them, despite being contracted under Asami's words, but... Mercenaries worked for the coin in their pouch, not their loyalty to a group.

"Sell me, then. We're a fairly well set group... Is there any reason that we should be forking gold over to a... I'll refrain from calling you a little girl; your race hides your age well, but... You definitely stopped aging young, didn't you? Perhaps..." Malnourished? Hmm. If she's only half, she'll still need to eat, and take care of her body, so... Perhaps she's desperate.

It was nice to see Bridgit taking an active role in this, Lavinia reaching a hand out and patting the girl on the head with a bit of a smile. "Let's just say that I'm being more lenient on you than I would normally because you're an undead... A name would be appreciated, as well. I am Lavinia. This is my sister, Bridgit... The skeptical human is Agni."

---

"Hhhhh..." Amera sighed, squinting at the both of them, before burying her face in her gauntlets, rubbing up against the palm's leather padding. "So we know barely anything and we don't know where to go from here." Ayane seemed to want her revenge for what had happened to her. "I can't blame you, Ayane... But..." She was clearly powerful. She managed to absorb a spell from Nessraya and then hold off Bladen and Xalrei both. "As... Long, as you don't harm someone else through your actions, I'm sure you can handle yourself on the battlefield." Hopefully someone would rein Ayane back in if she got too far out in the middle of combat. "I guess... That just, leaves organizing all of what we do know and preparing for combat. Hhh... What a mess. Anything else to add, you two? Sorry for dragging you into this, Ayane, you should be able to enjoy your time around town, but..."

---

"Reconstruct...?" Vanessa was curious, giving Jade a look until the part of the gun was placed on her counter. Her eyes lit up for a moment, giving it a look over. With a quick glance at Jade before grabbing the relic, just to make sure it was fine, she gently picked it up and began to inspect it from every angle. "Mmm... Magic weapon." She hadn't seen something this curious in a long time. "I, can fix. But... Expensive. Not sure you can... Afford." It would've been rude to assume that Jade was poor, but a magic weapon would require the use of serious parts. Parts she couldn't easily replace. "Four thousand gold... But... Won't break. Ever. Doesn't need bullets. Magic crystal, powers chamber." She set the part back down and hovered her finger over the small opening near the center, where one would assume you would load bullets.

"Goes here. Channel through you, exit chamber... Can provide fire, or, ice. You choose." More than anything, Vanessa wanted to work on the pistol. If Jade tried to argue the price down, she'd probably agree.

---

"A-Awesome, I, whhh..." Tali still wasn't used to all this attention, but she was starting to appreciate it, even if it was difficult to accept. She smiled sheepishly at Marina's affection, before remembering-- "O-Oh, right... The, the rings and necklace are, uh, m-magical. The shop, lady said... The necklace would uhm, uhm uhhh... Protect against divine magic stuff. A-And the rings make you, tougher. I, I hope that they keep you safe." Oblivious to what was being discussed elsewhere, Tali simply focused her attention on Marina and made sure that the girl was happy.

---

"There are more applicationssss!?" Erephis was pressed up against Seilan at this point, eyes wide, almost glaring at him through her glasses. "You don't undersstand! Thisss isssss, it'sss crazy! You're changing the fundementalsss of magic as the world knowss it, do you not undersstand that...?" She sighed, letting Taiyute speak to him for a moment, before he reminded her of the staff she'd purchased.

"I... I-I wasss hoping to try and turn the sspell in the sss, staff into a tome. Ssomething to, cast the bersserk charm on opponents without ssssss... Raaghh, s-such knowledge as to wield the sstaff." A moment of anger at her tongue, Erephis produced it from the bag on her back. "It will be difficult, of coursse, but... What isssn't? Why? Did you want thiss?" She wouldn't just give it up for free, but this magic he was showing her definitely deserved a reward.

---

"Wow, compliments in broad daylight, in front of someone else? Who are you? Where's Bladen~?" Asami rode her amusement as they walked, taking them to the entrance of the fortune tellers. With a gentle bow, that somehow refused to reveal any more of her skin than was already showing, she smiled between the two of them. "Don't listen to her past then, darling. I'll stick my nose where I please to... I'm sure I can dodge whatever tries to bite~ As for your little thoughts about the future... I wonder~ I'm curious as to know how someone can actually see those flimsy little strings of fate, but... We'll have to see, won't we? After you two~"

---

"Just yesterday actually. Figured I'd mention since I ain't seen these onis before. Figured you were in a group, but, somethin' new is always crawlin' outta the cracks in Vaia. Didn't think too much... If she stops by again, should I tell 'er you were here? Maybe I can help you two catch up." Braksen smiled, blissfully unaware of the issue he was touching on.

"Ahhhh, drink time~" The door to the bar flung open, and Aithlin, armored up, stepped inside, greaves clacking against the floor of the bar. "Oh, hey, Ren! Nice to meet you here. Getting yourself wasted too?" She sat herself down next to him at the bar, waving the lizardman over. "One mug of your hardest liquor, my fine sir."

"Comin' right up, miss. Haven't seen an elf in a while... Tired of your trees, decided to get some civilization?" Braksen snickered and went below the bar to fetch just that.

"Oh, please! We're not all nature losers, come on~ Hahhh... What're here for, Ren? Figured you'd be plastered by now if drinking was actually your objective... Stuff goin' on?"

Edited December 16, 2020 by SnakeMomMelissa

[scorri]

His cheeks slightly red, Bladen brushed past Asami into the fortune teller's store. He bowed to the woman inside, before glancing around the shop. A rusty shield caught his eye, so he wandered over towards it while also allowing space for Xal and Asami to follow in after him. As he walked over, he addressed the fortune teller. "Good day, ma'am. We are visitors to this town, and my friend told us about your services. I know that I am interested in hearing what you say, at least. Perhaps, though, you could tell us a bit more about what you do? Hear it from the source as opposed to second hand." He paused, and then added, "Not that I don't trust you, Asami. I just want to hear how she describes what she does?" Thankfully he had the shield right in front of him to look at. He could easily hide the awkwardness on his face by staring at this old shield, wondering why a fortune teller would have such an item.

---

Everyone in this group was so nice to her. She really didn't know what to say. As far as she could tell, she was going to just be an extra person around, with an inability to contribute much of anything. But still, they were looking out for her. There was a strange warm feeling in her core, almost reminiscent of how she had felt up in the sky, surrounded by her family. Companions... She was surprised to feel her face getting wet again. She dashed away the few tears that had shown up, hurriedly trying to pull herself under control. This wasn't her family. Nothing could replace that. But this... It was nice. Whatever it was. She took a deep breath, then a second one. It wouldn't do to lose control because she was happy. Best to focus on the person trying to join their group. She could deal with these confusing happy feelings later.

[mcd900]

Erephis was certainly... quite excited. Her enthusiasm was starting to get through to him; at least, enough for him to start to get the feeling that the importance of what he'd learned had not quite been appropriately impressed upon him. Before he could form a response, though, she'd already begun to talk about the staff. "I won't say I'm not interested in the staff... but, again, I can't quite use its magic yet, and anyways you have plans for it. I want to see how you mean to make a tome from it, actually. I've not really heard of anyone doing such a thing to a staff's magic before." To cast a Berserk spell from a tome... it would likely be dark magic, so he wouldn't be able to use it - but it was piquing his curiosity nonetheless.

"I'd be interested in the staff if it isn't all used up by what you plan to do, but... well, maybe you could show me about casting from the tome you intend to create." It'd be nice to learn another form of magic, especially as his grasp of anima magic was limited as it was... though it might have been a bit large of a thing to ask. Too late to not have made his request now, though... and perhaps she'd even say yes.

Edited December 20, 2020 by mcd900

[TheRoon]

"Enjoying time off is out of the question, truth be told I shouldn't have done so in the first place." She sternly responded. "This all happened because I let my guard down, I failed to stop that woman from getting exactly what she wanted out of me..." Ayane looked aside and clenched her hand into a fist. Her face showed a lot of anger, even moreso than usual. Quite an accomplishment. "I will make this right...I will." With another breath she turned to Nessraya. "If there's nothing else I will go collect Ren and any off the others I can find."

[GoldsbroTSG]

Marina's attention went back to Taliyah. The necklace protected her from divine magic? Then wouldn't it be better... nono, the girl metaphorically shook her head, this was a gift Taliyah got just for her. The second time she had done something like that. To be truthful, it hurt Marina. At this point, she accepted she would be the one to carry the weight of killing Ithraxl, this poor girl's father. This poor girl who was trying to make Marina happy.

Shaking away conflicting feelings again, Marina had an approach to break away from those feelings.

"Well, here." She took one of Taliyah's hands, pulling out one of the rings. Carefully fitting it onto the lizardgirl's finger. "In that case, if they make you tougher, I want to keep you safe too." Looking back down, she gave a smile, "A perfect fit. At least, as perfect as we could get it," And she followed up with a laugh. "I hope that's okay, regifting a gift to my best friend."

---

Taiyute was intrigued by Erephis' idea. A tome based on this 'berserk' staff. She was acutely aware of something like that, her mother probably used it before. However, it hadn't been a thought for her to use one, or a staff in general. She could barely handle her own magics. Stepping forward,

"I too have the interest of this new tome, yes." Taiyute gave a nod, "I am not well studied in magics, but I do enjoy seeing the new magic you make, yes. Seilan that was very good, yes." She affirmed with a nod, a smile showing her clear confusion she still had over the subject.

[sweet podado]

At the sudden show of affection the Pureblood flusters before she can recover, resigning to her fate as she leans toward the hand patting her head.  At this point she'll take what she can get, not really caring about their audience before looking back at the Wraith before them. 

"A pleasure," she greets with a small nod, keeping her eye out while agreeing with what Lavinia is saying.  Mercenaries are fickle at best, traitorous at their worst.  She is...slowly gaining faith in her companions being able to deal with pesky bothers, but she can't help but still worry.  N-Not that she was worried about the group! No, just worried about their ability to complete this adventure they've set out on.

What would you have done brother...

---

He feels a sneeze coming up, but Ren simply suppresses it.

At the other's words he feels a chill run down his spine.  Knowing they were that close to Ouka and just barely missed her...he would be lying if he didn't feel a little bit of fear as the situation settled in.  Now, how to go about this: should he tell the bar owner as a warning and let them be notified of this foreign danger, or keep it to himself and tell Ayane so they can deal with it themselves?

Well, they were already going to do the latter so....

"Ah, us onis rarely group together really.  Solitary types and whatnot," he lies through his teeth, simply offering a smile as he easily goes along with it.  "As for telling her if we were here...Hm, my cousin and I were actually planning on surprising her!  It's been a while since we've seen each other, so we want to keep our presence on the down low for now."  She definitely knew that they were here already, of that he can bet on it.  Before he could delve deeper into these thoughts though the door opened and a familiar voice calls out to him.

Also saves him from explaining anything else to the owner.

"Hello Aithlin," he greets, his smile turning into a bit of a grin as he holds up his own drink.  "I think this is my...fourth?  Fifth? Honestly, the alcohol here doesn't hit me as hard as the stuff I used to drink back home," he comments, letting the small banter wash over him before having to answer her own questions.  "Well, I was doing errands for the good man here.  Had my own little time around the town before settling down for lunch actually.  What about you?  How's your day going?"

[Ursali]

Asami had well and truly interrupted their conversation, drawing all of Bladen's attention onto herself. There wasn't much she could do about that, however, so instead Xalrei opted to follow along once Asami started leading them to the fortune teller's. It was either that or get left behind in the alleyway they had appropriated. A few more quips from Asami at Bladen's expense and they were there. No sooner than Asami bid them enter he was already inside, asking questions of the fortune teller. Xalrei, for her part, raised an eyebrow at the fox but otherwise kept her mouth shut. She could see well enough that they were entangled; commenting on it would just expose her to Asami sharp tongue.

Stepping inside after Bladen, Xalrei's eyes were immediately drawn to the shield Bladen had occupied himself with, stepping up behind her friend to get a closer work. What business a fortune teller had with a shield like this was beyond her, but something about the rusted piece of equipment sparked something in her memory. Just where had she seen the crest on it before...?

Her eyes suddenly flashed wide open and her breath momentarily catching in her throat as her claws balled into fists, the dragonewt shaking in place. The bastards that had attacked her and her friends, the ones that had come after them during her first night with the group, they'd been wearing armor with these crests! "Wh, Where did you find this shield...?" Though she had voiced her question to the lamia behind the table, Xalrei still hadn't turned to look at her, her gaze firmly focused on the shield in front of her. 

[Xinnidy]

Lavinia had picked it up as well, and started asking questions to the half-wraith. Agni eased up, simply following Lavinia's gaze. With a getup that poor, it gave credibility to the half-monster's words, but they couldn't give way to a good actor before an important battle. "With all due respect... you seem frail, as well. You have confidence, but you'll need to show us we won't be throwing someone defenseless into the carnage."

At the same time... he could sympathize with half-humans recently, there was no need to lay it on thicker.

 

[Ether]

"I understand your desire Ayane, but this isn't a foe we can afford to trifle with..." Nessraya began, though it seemed unlikely she could temper the oni with logic, considering what had happened. Amera's approach seemed a decent enough way to go, perhaps expanding on that.

"Mmm... so long as you can do so without compromising the safety of the city, then. Our duty here must come before vengeance, Ayane... and, if you are to pursue this, then you must promise me that if it becomes apparent that she is above you... you need to retreat. You cannot fulfill your greater design dead, am I understood?"

***

"I suppose your skepticism is unsurprising. My name is Nisha. As for your other questions... perhaps I can answer them together. For one, Tepel has been under siege for a decent while... anyone with sense can feel the coming tide in the air... plus, your little group is a bit too prestigious to arrive uneventfully, don't you think?" Nisha began, leaning in close to Lavinia.

"Nessraya, General of the Army? You also immediately gained audience with the Captain of the guard, not to mention that you dealt with that agent earlier. You are no common band." Nisha noted quietly, before pulling back slightly.

"How do I know that? Well, you seemed interesting, so I've been watching you since you arrived in town. Not that any of you would have noticed me. I'm almost impossible to notice unless I want to be, you know." Nisha giggled a bit, taking a small step to the right, before seemingly vanishing into thin air. Her voice continued after a moment, seemingly coming from the ground, rather than where she had been standing a moment before.

"So that's what I can offer you. I'd say I make quite a handy scout, and as you might expect, not being able to see a cutthroat coming makes it fairly difficult to avoid getting put into the ground... not to brag, but I'm quite a bit stronger than I look, I promise. Also a rather handy shot with a bow~ And don't worry about protecting me too much, Mr. Agni... unless a battlefield has gotten so tepid that they've nothing to focus on except trying to find me, I think I'll be just fine."

[Balcerzak]

Some people might have gotten defensive at a shopkeeper grabbing their item, giving it a thorough examination. But those people would be fools. This was exactly why Jade had come to a professional in the first place. She was certainly glad to have given it the cleaning it needed, after prying it free from the ground where she'd found it, and hopefully it was enough to let the forgemaster see what was needed, and properly evaluate the piece. The zombie raised her eyes a bit when the pronouncement that it was a magic item came down. She'd never much been attuned to magic, so that would easily have slipped past her radar. And given that an ordinary "gears and grease" gun would be hard enough to assemble from nearly scratch... well this just certainly added to the challenge.

...Or did it? Vanessa, having finished her examination, quoted a figure, suggesting this could all be finished as a one-stop shop. Jade pursed her lips in thought, brushing back a stray lock of hair that had during the course of the outing slipped free from her hair-tie. The forgemaster wasn't lying, the price she was commanding was expensive. And a goodly part of the fun the merchant had been expecting from the project would disappear if somebody else just completed the whole thing, rather than her being able piece it together with help, step by step. Though perhaps that wasn't entirely out of the question after all? Surely she could ask to be present and assist with the construction here, yes? And maybe that would even help to knock a bit of the sum off the price?

"What timeframe would we be talking for this project," she began by asking. That too was always an important consideration. There was no telling how long they'd be in Tepel, or if they'd leave as soon as this insurgency was quashed. Sure, Jade could always circle back in the future, but it would be best to know that upfront. "Also, if we come to an agreement, would I be able to watch you work, or perhaps assist? I am something of a dabbler with firearms, and well, you know..." Surely one who worked a forge could understand that appeal, no? "If I see what kind of parts you're using, I could also procure some, sell them back to you in the future so you could replenish your stock?" Yet another possible reason for her to get a foot in the door.

"Of course, I don't have that sort of sum on me as we speak, and I do think you may have high-balled it a little--but again, something that doesn't need to be hammered out immediately but..." It was at that point Jade remembered. It certainly wouldn't be possible for her to get both the Ring of Favor, and embark on this little endeavor. She would have to make a choice, and it would have to happen soon. She was skilled enough to keep the inward grimace she felt from showing on her face though. "I will say, you certainly have me intrigued so far."

[Michelaar]

While Gabriela had no knowledge of firearms at all, the gun looked quite intriguing, and the shopkeeper seemed to agree. She looked like a child at a toy store at the pistol, and Gabriela could tell that she wanted to do some work on it. However... the price for it didn't sound great. Four thousand gold is not something most people can afford, let alone spend on a gun... but Jade wasn't like most people, and she clearly wanted it fixed, not to mention it would be a valuable asset in battle. Quickly, Jade offered to help with the construction. She probably wanted a discount on the product by helping with it's construction. Lots of questions were being asked, and Gabriela couldn't help but follow the conversation intently. Perhaps she could help Jade? She was given a fortune telling session by Jade after all. It's only natural to want to return the favor. 

It wasn't difficult to hear the disappointment in Jade's voice when she mentioned that she most likely wouldn't be able to afford such a luxury. And well, Gabriela felt a little bad, especially after freeloading on her fortune telling fiasco earlier. ''How about this.'' Gabriela spoke up. ''I'll put some of my own money in as well. It's the least I could do. I don't have much on me, but I do have some knowledge on the subject of magic. I'd be glad to help out.''

[Nanami Touko]

"A pleasure to meet you, Bladen, T... Xal, rei..." Circe took pause, before addressing Xalrei properly. The girl was about to be distressed over something else, there was no need to upset her further. "And you. Tail." She shot Asami an invisible look, that was met with sudden ire.

"I'm not here to cause trouble, so keep that to yourself, Circe." With a huff and folded arms, Asami turned away from the veiled woman, who merely smiled.

"Good~ Then you are free to stay... As for that shield, Xalrei, I happened upon it in my travels. I wish I could tell you more; it was far too old for me to gain anything from whatever magics are left on it... I don't recognize the crest, which could only lead me to believe it comes from one of the human countries. I've not been to Hwein in a long time, never Coteon." She shrugged her head to the side a bit, hoping that would quell the girl's fury. A crest of the church's soldiers, is it? But old, too old... Similar, but different enough from their current engravings. Curious. I'd thought it merely coincidence, the timing didn't match up with any of their invasions... Perhaps it was left there for centuries? Hmm.

"What I do, dear Bladen Eloy, is look into the past, present, or future, of whoever wishes to pay me to do so. The past is easy to see... Sometimes I can see more than one can even remember." She felt guilty for a moment, thinking about Gabriela's visit earlier, but didn't let it show on her lips. "The present... Think of it like, a very close glimpse into the future. What you will run into within the day. Within the week. Within the hour. Visions of the soon and now. It's easiest to call it present... I can't quite sell two futures~" A chuckle left her, Asami sighed.

"On with it, Circe." Her tail wagged in irritation, not having appreciated the moniker she was slapped with.

"Yes, yes, Asami of the Dawn, I'm getting there... Your future will be less clear... And not final. Destiny is not something that exists, I'm afraid to tell you. I can tell you... What is to come, should you remain on your current path in life. Should that path change, your future changes with it... Not always extremely. Most branches are close to one another... It depends on the person, their life, their actions. So... If there is something that worries you, some facet you wish to know more of, going forward into your life... Perhaps I can shower some light on it. As best as I can~ Does that satisfy, Bladen?"

---

Amera didn't quite know what this greater design was, but Nessraya was right about one thing. "You're no good to anyone dead, Ayane. Especially not yourself or Ren." She'd spotted another oni when she met the group, that must've been him. "So... Take her on with the rest of the group if the moment provides itself. Honestly, best case scenario would be capturing her... There's something off about her magic, her armor, and her weapon. It'd really help us if we could get a good look at all of that, but... Trying to do that sounds about tantamount to suicide. Just take her out, as best as you can, without throwing yourself away."

That was all they could discuss, then... Amera sighed, leaning against the fort's edge. "What a damn mess... You're free to go, Ayane. Thank you, really. Glad you're alright... I hope your Ren isn't in any trouble over this." She wasn't here to go after the onis specifically, was she? Was it just coincidence? It had to be... She didn't ask anything about Ayane, and Ayane didn't mention her going into heavy questioning when they were together. "She just wants Marina dead, huh...?" Don't we all... But the pipsqueak doesn't get to die at the end of the church's hired hands. Either we do it, or she proves herself. If I have to keep her alive to see that happen, you won't stop me, creature of the church.

---

Lavinia kept a sharp eye on the girl... Or thought she had, before the wraith disappeared into... Nothing!? "What!?" Lavinia slammed a hand to the sword at her waist, expecting an attack, but nothing aside from more words came. She spun around, trying to find-- "Wh..." How did she get behind me without me so much as noticing...? A dangerous ability, to be sure... Some of her words on the fort's assault made sense. Some of them, but the rest? "Wait, agent? What? What happened?" Lavinia hushed her voice, not wanting to interrupt Marina's moment with Taliyah. "If something happened within the fort, tell Agni and I immediately." A gauntlet found its way around Nisha's shoulder, pulling her closer to Agni, keeping her tone low. "We'll put aside your recruitment for the moment, you've proven yourself enough... What did you see? This place should be secure... Did something happen on the other side of town?" How troubling...

It dawned on Lavinia that Bridgit was still close by, and was likely hearing all of this. Lavinia turned to her for a moment... "Bridgit, either come closer, or return to the rest of the group for a moment. This is... This is very serious, if what she is saying is true." Amera would've handled the situation, either her or Nessraya, if this Nisha was saying that they had already dealt with this agent. Just who could've broken into Tepel, though? Not Ithraxl's men, not without notice... Damn it all. Frustration was settling quite readily onto her face.

Speaking of Marina's little moment...

"Wait, huh...?" Taliyah wasn't expecting to get anything back, especially not something magical like this. D-Does she know it's my birthday? H, How? Who? Why...? It was enough to choke her up. The ring didn't fit that well, but on claws, what would? The fact that Marina had even bothered to try was... "M... M-Marina... Hhgnn..." It didn't take long for the lizard's waterworks to start, throwing herself at Marina in a tight hug, buried against her. Whether this was just Marina being kind, or knowing about her birthday, it was always too much. How am I supposed to handle all of this!? No one's cared for so long... You all, you can't just...!

---

"Urrgh, uhh..." Erephis wasn't sure if her endeavor was even workable, so promising to show them how to do it felt a bit hollow. "Well... If, it worksss then, sssure... But I can't promissse that it will..." She'd never turned a staff into a tome before, but she had practiced with the ideology behind it. "B-Basssically... Ahem. B, Basically. You, take the power that i-is ins-side of a s-staff, and transslate it into a, formula, inside of a t-tome... As long, as the conduit is s-strong enough, then... It should, function. With a b-bit of, redirecting. I was... using a f-fenrir tome to try. I haven't done more th-then theory, though... uhm... W-Well, you know, how staves are, just... Stones that ch-channel magic power, yes? So... Well, that's..."

She was going in a bit of a circle in her mind. "B-Basically turning that stone into a sentence, and... Giving th-that sentence power, in, th-the conduit of a tome... It... Should, in theory f-function. Maybe. I hope..."

---

"Hah, course yer not." Braksen set down the heftiest drink he had, giving Aithlin a certain look. "This is that draconian firethroat... You sure yer gonna be alright?"

Aithlin smirked at him, picked up the mug, and started chugging... And chugging... And chugging... Slam! "AhhhH~!" A bit smile on her face, and the faintest blush on her now dead skin, Aithlin shook, her armor rattling slightly. "Gonna be just fine! Gimme another! Prolly two more... Guess I still can get drunk!"

"Hel's sake... Alright, two more comin' up. Make it outta here without collapsin' and they're on the house." No one else would drink this stuff, anyway. "I'll keep to myself then, friend," he directed at Ren, as he poured his stash out into Aithlin's mug.

"You got harder stuff back home? Gods be damned, I gotta visit~ I'm tellin' ya, I figured this whole armor deal would've ruined my taste for liquor, but if it just makes me drink the hard stuff, whew! Worth. It! Mmnhn... My day was pretty swell, bought the lizard some gifts. It's her birthday, if you didn't know. Sweet little thing couldn't accept even the cheapest gift. Almost feld bad buying her stuff, but, well... Heck with that, birthdays are for gifts~" Aithlin was already at her second mug when the third one hit the counter. She didn't chug it this time, didn't want to waste the feeling. "What's this about, uh... oni business? Not for prying ears?"

---

"Two days," Vanessa answered first, looking over the piece, and contemplating Jade's offer. "Less... If you help." It was a solid offer. She'd not worked on things like this much, and having a monster that knew their way around magic would make installing the core simpler. If Jade knew her way around firearms, construction would go smoother, as well... "Tempting..."

"Okay. Twenty five hundred. You both help... We start tomorrow, finish, tomorrow." It was simple enough. If Jade was going to offer her services in helping produce the weapon, alongside Gabriela, she didn't need to charge as much for her work. Especially if Jade was actually going to swing by with replacement parts in the future. Merchants were hard to come by-- trustworthy ones, at least. A zombie had little to lose except pride in their work, with how the public viewed them. She'd be signing her own trade's death warrant if she were to go back on a deal. In Vanessa's mind, at least.

"Still... Must choose. Fire, or ice. Can't swap cores... Frames, need to change, depending. Hard work... Maybe, in a bigger city. More parts." Some trader or guild forge in Hwein could perhaps produce an interchangeable frame with this sort of weapon, but from her experience working with the people there, before the borders closed, they'd charge an arm, a leg, and a family to produce a magic weapon in the first place. "What, do you think?"

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by SnakeMomMelissa

[sweet podado]

She kept observant, tilting her heard curiously to the side when the Wraith girl actually manages to surprise her dear sister before pulling her closer towards Agni.  At this Bridgit's eyes narrow, still within earshot of the conversation but knowing well enough when something has to be kept within a certain group-

Ah, Lavinia's offer of coming closer or going with the other's makes an awful lot of sense, and as she bites back a look of disdain towards the little "hero" she simply keeps her attention at the other three before floating closer.  "Makes you sound a bit like a stalker, but we think you'll fit right in," is her first comment towards the new girl, before offering a playful look at her sister as the corner of her lip quirks upward.  "It's been so long since I've seen you get surprised dear sister.  So cute~," she adds, her voice staying low throughout her whole assessment but never hiding the tease it is.

---

He just watches, more in awe than anything else, as Aithlin downs the drink without even breaking a sweat.  If all she got was a light blush and higher spirits, then she was made of sturdier stuff.  The small grin couldn't be helped, amused at her response while offering a slight nod in thanks at Braksen.  "Thank you," he quickly passes, before going back to looking at the undead elf as she finds curiosity in what he's told her.

"Glad it didn't then.  As for your question, yes.  Not something our clan specialized in, but one of our neighbors made the best brews that can knock even one of our mightiest warriors down a peg or two," he explains, before going back to listening about what the elf had been up to.  At the mention of birthdays he perks up a bit, trying to be subtle about it but not helping the thoughtful smile as he thrums his fingers against his chin.  "Now that you mention it, maybe it won't be so bad in considering getting her something small..."

Humming softly at his thoughts, he almost misses Aithlin's next question.  Almost being the key word, his shoulders tensing a bit before hiding that with a nonchalant shrug.  "Mainly reserved for our little group.  I'll tell you more about it once we're back with the others," is all he says, hoping she drops the subject until they finish here and leave.

Edited January 12, 2021 by sweet podado

[Ether]

"Oh, did you not know yet? Well, I don't have all of the details, I only managed to get so close, but..." Nisha began, not entirely appreciating being suddenly grabbed, but not giving it more than a light grimace before continuing.

"She confronted General Nessraya and the Guard Captain while taking a hostage. I don't know what she was asking them about, but when it became apparent that she wasn't going to get her way, she slit the hostage's throat and ran. The agent looked to have pretty powerful magic though... she took a hit from the General and lobbed back a spell that looked just about as strong." The demi-wraith elaborated, pursing her lips as she considered her words.

"This was out in the square in the industrial district, by the smithy. I didn't see what happened with the General and the hostage girl past that, since I trailed after the agent and the folk chasing her... the Guard Captain and a few other folk who came into town with you guys. I think she was with the Church... when she got to the outer walls, a bunch of knights that looked like templars attacked the front gate to get her out... it was a big mess, some of them even got inside of the city, but they backed off once their girl was out... seems like they didn't intend to push further than that... at least not yet." Nisha concluded with a gentle sigh.

"On top of everything else... there's no way this doesn't boil over really soon, that's why I approached you. Sorry to say but I don't have any more info than that... if you want finer details, I'm sure the General or the Captain could tell you more, since you're in with them enough to ask."

[GoldsbroTSG]

After placing on the ring, Marina had actually gone to join the group, suddenly huddling up. It was up to her to know what wa--

Suddenly, she was metaphorically dug into. Taliyah started crying. Marina shifted her focus again, back to her friend, returning the hug and applying gentle pats to her head. She was thinking, why was Taliyah crying so hard? Then it hit her, of course, it had to be because of her being half-breed. It was stupid, judging someone, being awful to them because they're 'not normal'. Someone so kind...

"Come on, Taliyah," She calmly spoke, stopping the patting. "I'm sorry, that it took this long for me... for us, to meet you. It has to be hard, I'm not sure I really understand what you're feeling, but I--" How could Marina respond, in a way that could calm to girl's nerves? "I mean it, you're my friend. You've been so nice to me, and you have no reason to... I'm grateful, and I'm glad I met you. And nothing will change that," and her embrace tightened a tad.

[scorri]

So she knew their names. Bladen felt a prickling down his back, as if the hairs on his neck were all suddenly standing up. It seemed she wasn't a complete fake then. They were new enough in town that she was unlikely to have heard their names before now and that almost slip... He glanced at Xalrei, who was staring angrily at the shield, a whole other confusing situation that he really just wasn't able to deal with right that second, and rubbed the back of his neck. Best not to think too hard about the tail comment either. Asami had her secrets and he knew it was useless to pry if she didn't want to share.

His hand dropped back down to his side, and he finally addressed the fortune teller, Circe, again. "I see. So past, 'present' or future..." He spread his hands out and in almost apologetic gesture, shaking his head. "I'm afraid the past isn't too useful to me. I remember most of my days, and there isn't much mystery there. Unless you can speak of the deep past of my ancestors and their magic... And even then, I do not think there is much you could tell me that would aid there. Perhaps I am wrong, but..." The present and the future though, those two were... tempting. He couldn't deny it. Though from the way she was talking, it seemed like all the present would do is warn him of immediate situations. Whereas the future... If it was something he didn't like the sound of, perhaps he could change it. And his purse was light enough, even with the newest addition, that he wasn't sure he wanted to ask for both. "I think, though, I will accept your offer of a look into the future. What's near is what will be. I can face that. But an offer of a future I could change if it was not what I desire? I think I must say yes."

---

There was much going on in her new group, it seemed. The strangest of which was not this disappearing woman. Astraea simply assumed it was some sort of magic. She knew of many types of magic, after all, having seen them through dreams. And while this exact way of vanishing was new to her, people had ways of disappearing. So while it was unexpected, it was not unexplained. What was most confusing to Astraea was the fact that the lizard girl, Taliyah... Taliyah, yes, she would remember that now, that she was upset over the gift that Marina had given her. She wasn't sure she fully understood everything, but from what she did know, gifts were supposed to be a good thing.

Stepping closer to the two of them, having had Bridgit pulled away to the conversation with the newcomer, Astraea tilted her head in confusion, addressing Marina, "Why does she cry? Thine gift was good, no? Is she upset with it for some reason? I believed gifts to be something that made people happy, not sad... Perhaps this is something for me to learn..."

[TheRoon]

That's right. Ayane did have grand designs. She had to find Ouka and defeat her...but with her mind on Ouka she once again found herself with a thirst for revenge. A thirst that wasn't too far off from how she felt about "Ari". It was a struggle, trying to remember her duty through her rage. '...this damned Oni blood must be making my anger greater...' She took a moment to turn from the two superior officers and let out a sigh. "...I'll comply." Was all she could muster out through her conflicting emotions. With that said the princess walked out to find her cousin while she tried to tune out her boiling blood. "...hm..." Another sigh came out as she took out her gourd. With a quick pop of the cork she took a quick swig to settle down, trying her best only to take what was needed. It would be an issue if she were to enter battle in a drunken state.

[mcd900]

So it could be made to happen in theory... I suppose we'll see what happens in practice, then. He thought it over for a moment, quietly, before noticing Taiyute's blank smile. "Thank you... that's very kind of you to see. And, Erephis... don't stress so much about it, alright? I'm sure there'll be plenty of time to figure things out. We're in no real rush after all - this is research, even if it would be nice to use some of this in a battle. And again, I'd be glad to help, if there's some way that I can." He slipped his tome back into a pocket as he spoke, nodding to Erephis.

"Do remind me to show you more of what I've learned later, by the way - it'd be unfair not to, and... well, it would be nice to share more of what I've learned, if it truly is so groundbreaking."

[Balcerzak]

Jade had been expecting perhaps another surprise or two, but from the forgemaster, not from Gabriela. When the siren offered her time and even financial assistance, it took all her merchant training to hold herself in check, merely giving a neutral nod and a "Thanks for your assistance on this." She'd have to table any other discussion for later. Arguing with a third party over specifics, especially in front of the person who would actually be providing the services, would have been such a rookie mistake. Not that the zombie didn't appreciate the feeling of wanting to chip in and help a friend out, and not that Gabriela's magical know-how might actually be relevant and prove extremely useful. But something sat wrong with her about taking her feathered friend's coin. Later, they'd discuss those details later.

When Vanessa finished weighing Jade's counteroffer, and all the connected developments, her decision was favorable, and the more concrete timeline and other specifics bore no objections from the merchant. Sooner was better, and short of pushing to start tonight--which was ruled out on other grounds, at least on their side, let alone on Vanessa's--this was sounding to be the best possible setup. Locking the weapon to a single choice might have seemed limiting, but when considering she had exactly zero magical bullets now, even a choice of one was a far step forward than what she was working with now. "I understand and accept these limitations. Let's go with ice then, I feel that would suit me best. They both have their applications to be sure, but I think ice will give me some flexibility I can't cover otherwise. I'll leave the parts here with you for now, and return with the money early tomorrow morning, when we plan to get started, if that's acceptable for you?"

[GoldsbroTSG]

Converting a staff into a tome? It was something Taiyute had some knowledge of. Something her mother was good at, if she was right; different tomes with effects like staves. To Taiyute, even when she could understand it in her own language, it was quite foreign. It was already a crazy thought pondering and thinking about how just writing a new formula just changed a spell to work differently, but this method of 'fusing' spells to make new ones. If Taiyute could sweat, she would be through the processing going through her head right now.

"Yes um, a new tome would be exciting to learn of, I think. I am also excited for this result, miss Erephis. I indeed hope when you plan to... put theory into practice, I believe is the term, I am invited to examine as well." She clapped once. It was all so bizarre to her, but it still inexplicably made her excited. Maybe it was the full genasi part of her.

[Michelaar]

Jade looked thankful for Gabriela's assistance, but she also looked as if she was a little... disappointed? Perhaps a feeling of guilt? No matter the case, they would have plenty of time to discuss that later. Not that Gabby had any plans to back off. Any chance to help out was one she was going to take. Helping out Jade was something which made her feel good, and Gabriela was not one for owing debts to friends. But that was all for tomorrow. Tonight would be a little chance to hopefully relax together with Jade, Lavinia and of course, Ren.

[Ursali]

Xalrei hadn't missed the lamia's near slipup, but given her current staring match with the shield she didn't comment on it. "It's from Coteon. It has to be." Xalrei answered with a huff, staring harder at the shield. It had to be Coteon; Hwein had no business trying to assassinate her. The history lessons at the officer's academy had said Hwein was generally on good terms with Monsters... Weren't they having trouble with Coteon, too? Xalrei remembered something like that being mentioned somewhere. "What are you going to do with it?" A simple question, but one she didn't really know why she asked. Did she want to take it, and use it against the church in some ironic twist of fate? Or did she never want to see it again? It was hard to tell with anger clouding her judgement. Perhaps she ought to forget about it, at least for now, and save it for after her fortune was told. 

Speaking of, Bladen seemed to have a good idea of what he wanted out of this whole affair. Not that it was surprising. Bladen seemed well collected, even if he was a bit of a dork who got flustered too easily, and was too quick to put the burden of duty on himself... A tiny sigh escaped the dragon, shaking her head as she was reminded of what she'd agreed to let Bladen do. Though, much like the rest of her past, she couldn't take it back. But, she could at least learn from it. "Can you read my past, and future? I already know some of what you'll find, but maybe there's more..." She clapped a claw onto Bladen shoulder. "And he already said what I think about the future telling better than I could."