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CYOA: The Dying Kingdom


DragonFlames
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7 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

I don't mean personality wise, but power wise xD

The similarities are certainly there, that's true.
Though I honestly didn't even think of that when I first came up with the character.

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5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Nergal?
"Give me your Quintessence! Bwahahahaha! I'm so evil".
I hope this Boss Lady will be better than Nergal, at least.

I think he means Sonia, a morph working under Nergal who's a candidate for worst mother because she was abusive to Nino.

10 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Interesting, interesting. Thanks for telling me about it!
If I get the opportunity, I'll probably give it a read!

Fair warning, the series is sequential (with Tombland being the 7th as I said) and while it will point out things so you don't necessarily have to read previous books, I could see it being confusing at times.

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Sorry for making you wait for this. I had a bit of a conflict with myself which ended up with me scrapping the Gaiden chapter I was working on.
Gist is, I had two ideas for the Gaiden, neither of which worked out that well. I tried to combine the two, which ended up being a trainwreck that contradicted established "lore". Also, one of them had some reveals in it that I originally wanted to make later on. It was a bit of chaos.
In the end, I decided to write the next main chapter instead. Hope you enjoy!

CYOA – The Dying Kingdom Chapter 14: Forbidden Spells

“Go on ahead, I'll be there soon“, you tell Finley, wanting to give your idea a try.
“Alright“. Finley nods and leaves with John and the priest to report the matter to the General, leaving you alone with the unconscious Jenny.
“Just one try”, you think to yourself. “The others can report to Cynthia for me”. You approach her bed, tightly holding on to your staff.
You hold it over the girl, focusing all your thoughts on it, trying to remember how your grandmother used it. Her words echo in your head.

“Healing magic is a matter of focus and calmness. It comes from both Water and Light elements”.
“You manipulate your magical energy to take on the element of “Light” or “Water” and then, you channel it into the staff so it becomes Healing Magic. Then, all you need is the right incantation. Though it is paramount that you stay calm while doing this”.

“Light… or Water… healing”, you mutter to yourself. You focus, you can feel something flowing inside of you and into the staff. You make a conscious effort to close your eyes and visualize the process of calm waters flowing quietly through a brightly-lit, beautiful landscape.
Restore life where none remains”, you chant, remembering several healing spells from a book you found in your grandmother's room. Your hand starts to feel warm. A certain feeling of giddiness flows through you.
“It's working! It's finally working!”, you think to yourself. “Grandma, I… I'm doing it!”
You open your eyes and see your staff give of a faint blue glow before it vanishes.
Jenny still lies there, completely unmoving.

It did not work.

“Why? Why isn't it… working?”, you ask yourself. “I… I want to save Jenny. Why…?!?”
Frustrated, you grab your staff with both hands and try to find your focus again, but no matter how much you try to channel your energy into the staff, nothing happens.
“Why is it not working?!?” You cry out and sink to your knees. “WORK, DAMN IT!!!”

Years upon years of training, all for nothing.
That is the conclusion you reach in this moment.
Once again, you proved to yourself that you have no talent for magic, much less healing.
You cannot be like your grandmother.
You cannot save anyone.

The realization hits you like a brick. Unwilling as you were to let your companion die, you now think that you have no power to change anything. Jenny is lost.
'She will not see tomorrow', said the priest, who has been a healer for years. He has the talent for healing magic, he has the ability to control it, to use it to help the wounded.
'What was I thinking?', you think to yourself, as you rise to your feet to follow after Finley.

But the moment you turn around to leave, you spot Jenny moving from the corner of your eye. You stop and do a double take. Sure enough, the girl staggers out of bed.
“Jenny! You're okay?!?” Your face lights up. Did it work after all? Have you finally learned healing magic?
The girl does not answer you. Slowly, she rises into a standing position, then she turns to face you.
“Jenny… what's wrong? Why… why aren't you saying anything?”. From her sleeve, she suddenly pulls out a dagger and lunges at you. Only out of reflex are you able to parry her with your staff.
“Jenny, what are you doing?!?”, your question falls on deaf ears. Relentlessly, the girl attacks you. She does not respond to you calling out to her. Her strikes are fast, almost too fast for you to follow, but you still manage to parry her due to your training sessions with your siblings. And you notice that her fighting style is very different from before. Almost as if she was not herself...
You catch a glimpse of her eyes. They do not appear to be looking at anything. A blank stare that reveals no emotion, her eyes are completely lifeless. You feel a chill down your spine as you look at her. A very similar feeling to the one you had when beholding the white-cloaked figure you saw in the mines.

Before you can contemplate, Jenny lunges at you, dagger ready to strike. It all happens so fast, you have no time to process it all. You grip your staff and swing it just like you would at any object or foe. Your strike connects with your target just as she is about to hit you.

“Owie!”, you hear a screeching voice coming from the girl who plops to the ground, clutching her head in pain.
“… J-Jenny?”, you ask carefully, relaxing your stance.
“What the heck, Sophia?”, the girl asks you and gets up, staring at you with a pained face. “I'll still be feeling that one when I'm old, I swear...” She carefully rubs the area of her head you struck. “Wait, what in the name of Heaven am I doing here?!”, she asks and looks around.
“Jenny, you're okay!” Relieved, you hug the girl in front of you. “I'm… so glad you're alright!”
“Hey, now… What's going on?”, she asks you and pats your back while looking confused.
You let go of her.
“Sorry, sorry… I just… got emotional”, you say.
“Still, why'd you have to hit me like that?”, she asks.

“Sophia, are you okay?!?” Finley comes bursting into the tent with John, Cynthia and a few soldiers in tow.
“We heard noises coming from here. Is everything alright?”, Cynthia asks, her famous Dragon Halberd drawn and ready for action.
“Yes, I'm fine”, you say in an attempt to calm them down.
“Ah, I see the girlie is awake, too”, says John. “We thought you had croaked”.
“Wait, why?”, Jenny looks even more confused than before.
“Okay, let me explain...”, you say and explain what happened after Finley found Jenny in the woods earlier until the point you knocked her out.

“I… attacked you?” Her expression immediately changes to one of regret. “I… I don't remember doing any of that. But… when I came to, I had my dagger, so… Sophia, I'm so sorry!”
“You really don't remember?”, Cynthia crosses her arms and looks at Jenny with suspicion.
“I swear I don't!”
“I believe her”, you say. “When she attacked me, she was not herself. Her eyes were...”
“Like those creatures that attacked your brother and me five years ago?” Finley finishes the sentence for you. “Like the one that appeared in the mines?”
“Yes, exactly”, you confirm.
“Hm, very well. Since you two are vouching for her, I will believe her this once”, Cynthia says reluctantly. “That just leaves us with what you saw in Norn. Can you remember that, at least?”
“I think”. Jenny nods. “But my head still hurts...”

“How weird”, says John. “That priest was sure her life energy was drained. How in the world can she now be awake again?”
“I'm sure my healing magic failed”, you tell him. “I had nothing to do with it”.
“My life energy was drained. I'm sure of it”, Jenny said. “But… after a while, she probably stopped draining it? I don't know...”

Cynthia meanwhile orders the soldiers to leave and asks your group to follow her to the main tent to hold a meeting. Once there, she orders for a priest to take a look at Jenny once again while she tells you all about what she saw in Norn and how she came to infiltrate what she thinks might be the rebel's base in the city.

“And that covers everything”, she says.
“So, a mysterious woman who might be connected to those odd creatures sucked out all your energy?”, John asks.
Jenny nods. “That's what it felt like at least. I felt myself getting weaker and weaker. It was scary. I seriously thought I was dying...”
“Yet here you are, no worse for wear”, says Finley, puzzled. “I mean, I'm glad you're okay, but how does that even work?” He looks around for an answer, but none of you can give him one. The priest then opens his mouth. “Permission to speak?”, he asks.
“Granted”, says Cynthia with a nod. “If you know something, then tell us”.
“Upon closer inspection, it appeared that Miss Jenny's life energy was not completely gone. It was simply being suppressed with magic”, he explains.
“Suppressed? How?”, you ask.
“There is precedence for this. There is a spell that makes it possible to transfer life energy from one individual to another. Using this forcefully without consent is very possible, as well, which is why the spell was eventually declared forbidden”, the priest explains. “Now, suppressing another's life force is another matter. It is very hard to do, practically impossible if the one you use that spell on is at peak condition. But… if the victim is weak enough, the possibility exists. But, as with the transfer of life energy, that spell was also forbidden”.
“So, that woman drained Jenny's life energy just enough to make a suppression of it possible?”, you ask.
The priest nods. “That is my hypothesis, at any rate”, he says.
“But what in the heck did she do to her that made her attack the little lady?”, asks John.
The priest shakes his head.
“I can only imagine that whatever she did was probably only possible after Miss Jenny fell unconscious from having her energy drained and her consciousness suppressed. In any case, whatever it was is now no more”, he says. “I could still feel traces of foreign magical energy within her, but those were easily removed”.
“I think it is safe to say that this was a ploy to have Jenny kill us”, Finley says.
“Most likely”, you agree and look at Jenny, who apologetically returns your gaze, then looks away.
“She was planning to kill me. I'm sure of it”, she says.
“Well, somewhere along the line, she clearly changed her mind”, says John. “She probably thought you'd be more useful as a pawn than dead”.
You can see the frustration on her face.

“Be that as it may, I am much more concerned by what Jenny told us the rebel leaders are planning”, says Cynthia.
“'King Gwendal must not sit on the Valessian Throne any longer', was it?”, you say.
“If that is their plan, why are they content with barricading themselves behind the city walls?”, asks Finley. “Especially if they have those… things on their side”.
“Unless… this is a diversion”, John says.
“What do you mean?”, you ask him.
“Think about it: Three cities have started rebelling at the same time and the King acted accordingly: He sent his most powerful Generals AND more than half his army out to suppress them. But what do we find once we arrive? They locked themselves up behind magical and physical walls and don't care to fight us at all, even if they have those odd things with them. Does that not seem… off to you?”
“I see now”, says Cynthia. “I have received reports from Generals Aldric and Ragnar and they reported the same sight as here: the cities the rebels occupy are protected by magic barriers that require extensive analysis to break through. If this rebellion truly is a diversion, then His Majesty is… in grave danger”.
“But it is also possible that they're just waiting for us to exhaust ourselves trying to get to them”, says Finley. “And that they will attack us from behind if we retreat back to the capital”.

“Princess Sophia”. You flinch when you hear Cynthia address you so formally. “As princess of Vales, what should we do? Should we stay here and try to defeat the rebels? Or should we retreat back to Fabunil to see to His Majesty's safety in case this rebellion is a mere diversion?”
“We should...”

Choice 1: Go back to Fabunil. Father needs help.
Choice 2: Go back to Fabunil, but leave a part of the army here to observe the rebels.
Choice 3: Stay here.

---

Vote for your preferred option in the poll.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will see you in the next one!

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1 hour ago, Shrimperor said:

Jenny no!

She's now basically an unwilling spy...

A double agent against her will.
It's a good thing Sophia Woodcrusher struck again. I wanted to put that joke somewhere in there, but I decided against it, because it didn't really fit the mood.

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1 hour ago, CustardPudding said:

So, Jenny is alive...but a double agent. Huh.

Well, it wasn't really by choice.

1 hour ago, CustardPudding said:

#2 seems like the safest. 

Great chapter! 

Thank you! ^^

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5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Restore life where none remains”, you chant, remembering several healing spells from a book you found in your grandmother's room. Your hand starts to feel warm. A certain feeling of giddiness flows through you.
“It's working! It's finally working!”, you think to yourself. “Grandma, I… I'm doing it!”
You open your eyes and see your staff give of a faint blue glow before it vanishes.
Jenny still lies there, completely unmoving.

It did not work.

“Why? Why isn't it… working?”, you ask yourself. “I… I want to save Jenny. Why…?!?”
Frustrated, you grab your staff with both hands and try to find your focus again, but no matter how much you try to channel your energy into the staff, nothing happens.
“Why is it not working?!?” You cry out and sink to your knees. “WORK, DAMN IT!!!”

Years upon years of training, all for nothing.
That is the conclusion you reach in this moment.
Once again, you proved to yourself that you have no talent for magic, much less healing.
You cannot be like your grandmother.
You cannot save anyone.

Well, no magic confirmed?

Oh.

5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Before you can contemplate, Jenny lunges at you, dagger ready to strike. It all happens so fast, you have no time to process it all. You grip your staff and swing it just like you would at any object or foe. Your strike connects with your target just as she is about to hit you.

“Owie!”, you hear a screeching voice coming from the girl who plops to the ground, clutching her head in pain.
“… J-Jenny?”, you ask carefully, relaxing your stance.
“What the heck, Sophia?”, the girl asks you and gets up, staring at you with a pained face. “I'll still be feeling that one when I'm old, I swear...” She carefully rubs the area of her head you struck. “Wait, what in the name of Heaven am I doing here?!”, she asks and looks around.

Well, that's Fallen!Jenny KO'd.

For now.

This is not over, I suspect.

5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Upon closer inspection, it appeared that Miss Jenny's life energy was not completely gone. It was simply being suppressed with magic”, he explains.
“Suppressed? How?”, you ask.
“There is precedence for this. There is a spell that makes it possible to transfer life energy from one individual to another. Using this forcefully without consent is very possible, as well, which is why the spell was eventually declared forbidden”, the priest explains. “Now, suppressing another's life force is another matter. It is very hard to do, practically impossible if the one you use that spell on is at peak condition. But… if the victim is weak enough, the possibility exists. But, as with the transfer of life energy, that spell was also forbidden”.
“So, that woman drained Jenny's life energy just enough to make a suppression of it possible?”, you ask.

On 7/8/2020 at 2:25 PM, DragonFlames said:

“I can only imagine that whatever she did was probably only possible after Miss Jenny fell unconscious from having her energy drained and her consciousness suppressed. In any case, whatever it was is now no more”, he says. “I could still feel traces of foreign magical energy within her, but those were easily removed”.
“I think it is safe to say that this was a ploy to have Jenny kill us”, Finley says.

So suppression of magic in someone in order to possess them?

I mean, there are worse plans, though I kinda suspected it'd happen, even if it was sooner than I thought.

 
5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

“Think about it: Three cities have started rebelling at the same time and the King acted accordingly: He sent his most powerful Generals AND more than half his army out to suppress them. But what do we find once we arrive? They locked themselves up behind magical and physical walls and don't care to fight us at all, even if they have those odd things with them. Does that not seem… off to you?”
“I see now”, says Cynthia. “I have received reports from Generals Aldric and Ragnar and they reported the same sight as here: the cities the rebels occupy are protected by magic barriers that require extensive analysis to break through. If this rebellion truly is a diversion, then His Majesty is… in grave danger”.
“But it is also possible that they're just waiting for us to exhaust ourselves trying to get to them”, says Finley. “And that they will attack us from behind if we retreat back to the capital”.

large.png

5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

“I can only imagine that whatever she did was probably only possible after Miss Jenny fell unconscious from having her energy drained and her consciousness suppressed. In any case, whatever it was is now no more”, he says. “I could still feel traces of foreign magical energy within her, but those were easily removed”.
“I think it is safe to say that this was a ploy to have Jenny kill us”, Finley says.

I'm not so sure Sophia can help, but I also doubt we're getting your one.

Leaving the place to be occupied even if they're clearly pawns doesn't really make sense, so I'm stuck.

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On 7/10/2020 at 1:15 AM, Dayni said:

Well, no magic confirmed?

Oh.

You'll see. 😉

On 7/10/2020 at 1:15 AM, Dayni said:

Well, that's Fallen!Jenny KO'd.

For now.

This is not over, I suspect.

Fallen!Jenny. Coming to FE Heroes in 202026. XD

On 7/10/2020 at 1:15 AM, Dayni said:

large.png

Giant red flag is giant.

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Surprise new chapter!
Sorry for the delay. I got distracted by games and had some university stuff to take care of, as well.
I hope you enjoy this next installment!

CYOA - The Dying Kingdom Chapter 15: Diversion

“We should head back to Fabunil”, you decide. “If John is right and father is really in danger, then we have to go and help him! But… we also can't leave this alone, so I say we only take a portion of the army back with us and leave the others here”.

“An impressive idea”, Cynthia says with an approving nod. “That way, the rebels will not be able to attack our backs”. She calls in one of the guards who is posted outside the tent. “You. Tell Commander Anders that I will be retreating from here with a third of our forces. He is in charge of guarding our retreat and with continuing the observation and retaking of Norn. Understood?”
“Of course, General!” The guard dutifully bows and leaves.

“I will go gather my forces. You guys prepare for our departure. I will meet you at the stables in half an hour”. Cynthia says before leaving the tent.

You look at and nod to your friends.
“Nice plan, Sophia”, Finley says. “You'd make a fine strategist”.
“Stop flattering me, Fiffy”. You shake your head. “It was the most logical thing to do, right?”
“Have you never even thought about that I might be wrong, little lady?”, John asks with a grin.
“No”. You shake your head again.
“Heh”. The mercenary steps out of the tent. “You really are just like her...”, he mutters.

“What does he mean by that?”, you ask yourself.

“I'm going to prepare, too. See you later, Sophia!”, Finley says and leaves the tent, leaving you alone with Jenny, who has been silent until now. Before you can talk to her, however, she takes off as well, without saying a word.
“She's blaming herself, isn't she?”, you think to yourself and sigh. “No, there's nothing I can do about it right now. I have to focus”.
You gather your belongings and decide to use the thirty minutes given to you to head back to the medical tent.

The priest is here and is cleaning up the mess Jenny and you left during your scuffle earlier in the morning.
“Ah, Your Highness”, he greets you. “Is there something I can do for you? Are you injured, after all?”
“No, nothing like that”. You shake your head. “I wanted to ask, if…” You subconsciously strengthen your grip on your staff. “…you could give me some pointers on how to use healing magic”.
“You wish to become a healer, then?”, he asks with curiosity. “I see… that would explain why you have that staff”.
“You know this staff?”, you look at him with surprise.
“Of course”. The priest puts on a nostalgic smile. “The original owner was my teacher, after all”.
“Grandma… taught you?”
“She was a kind person… very strong-willed, and always ready to help others in need. Not to mention, her healing skills were without equal. All of us strove to be like her”. The priest puts on a nostalgic smile. “She taught me all I know about healing”.
“I see”. You nod and crack a smile yourself as you remember your grandmother.
“I'd be happy to be of help to her granddaughter, but… I am afraid that my own abilities to teach are… less than stellar”, he says. “If you truly want someone who can teach you effectively, you would be better off looking elsewhere”.
“That's… um...” Trying to be polite, you do not voice your disappointment, but from the priest's reaction, you can tell that it is written clearly on your face.
“My apologies, Your Highness”, he says as he gets back to work. “One tip I can give you is this one: try to visualize what you want to do”.
“What do you mean by that?”
“When casting magic, having a clear picture of what it is you want to do with it in your mind helps to keep your focus”, the priest explains. “At least that is how I tend to help myself”.
“Thank you. I will keep it in mind!”, you say, happy with what you got out of your conversation. You leave the medical tent, content with at least this success. Though you have read many books on magic and more specifically healing magic and you have watched your grandmother work when you were young, you were never formally taught the usage of magic.
“That has to be reason I could not heal Jenny earlier”, you think to yourself.
Maybe your family and Sir Richard were right. Maybe you do not possess any magical talents. But you do not want to give up just yet.

---

When your preparations are finished, you head towards the stables with your companions. Cynthia is already there, waiting for you.
“Ready to go?”, she asks.
Your group nods in unison. Though you had hoped to talk to Jenny, saving your father and possibly your home takes priority. With that in mind, Cynthia helps you onto the back of her wyvern Vandelhorn, while your friends ride with her soldiers. You are worried about Finley as you take off homeward. You glance over at him and find him clinging to the knight he is riding with. You look at John, who is deep in conversation with his rider, though you cannot make out exactly what they are talking about. You look for Jenny and find her silently staring at nothing.

Around noon, you finally reach the capital. You can hear people screaming for help and you hear the distinct sounds of weapons clashing.
“Should we fly directly to the castle?”, you ask Cynthia.
“No, we should land on the outskirts of the capital. We could land on the castle's roof, but we also need to save the townsfolk”, she replies. “I have a plan in mind how we can save His Majesty and ensure the civilians' safety". She turns around towards one of her soldiers.
"You there!", she calls out to him. "Fly to Valtasar in Ladon Province. Tell Lord Mordred about what is happening here and ask him to send reinforcements!"
"Yes, General!" The soldier nods and flies off to the west.
After he is out of sight, Cynthia gives the order to land just outside the city gates.

Once there, she tells you of her plan. In the background, you can hear the sound of battle loud and clear. John was correct. The rebellion really was a diversion.
“We will split our forces here”, she says. “One part will head directly to the castle to make sure His Majesty is safe. The others will help protect the civilians”.
“Yes, ma'am!” Her soldiers call out in unison.
“Sophia, I would like for your group to help protect the citizens”, she says. “I will take care of His Majesty. You can count on me for that”. She puts a hand on your shoulder, then orders some of her men to mount up once more and takes off.
“Your Highness, we will now go into the city”, says one of the soldiers to you. “We will focus on helping the city guard fight off the rebels and protect the inhabitants”.
“Understood”, you nod. The soldier bows and leads his troops into the city.
“We'll go too!”, you call out to your companions.
“Of course!” Finley nods.

You follow after Cynthia's soldiers and find the entire city engulfed in chaos. The city guard is trying its best to fight off the invaders: soldiers clad in white and purple uniforms, the same ones the rebels Jenny saw in Norn are wearing. Several bodies are strewn throughout the streets, weapons are lying around, and amidst the chaos, some of the inhabitants are desperately looking for a safe place. You spot Cynthia's soldiers trying their best to calm them down and lead them to safety while simultaneously fighting off the intruders.

“They've got this”, says Finley. “We should check on other areas”.

You nod and lead your companions through the streets. In the distance, you spot a faint, red glow, not unlike the one that the barrier surrounding Norn gave off. 
"What could that be?", you wonder.

You reach the main plaza and see one of the guards getting attacked by three enemies.
“Not so fast, buddy!” John whips out his axe and springs into action. Finley pulls out his bow and readies an arrow. Jenny immediately jumps between the soldier and his foes and cuts one of them down, while Finley's arrow hits the second, and John's axe makes quick work of the third.
“Are you hurt?”, you ask the soldier.
“A little bit”, he admits and points at a wound on his right arm, where his armor is splintered. “Thank you for rescuing me, Your Highness”, he says. “And to your friends, as well”.
“Heh, that's what we're here for!” John says with a grin.

“What's the situation?”, Finley asks. “What happened here?”
“Soon after the royal army left the capital, we were suddenly invaded by these soldiers in white uniforms”, the guard replies. “They keep saying how they're going to destroy the old Vales and build a new kingdom on the corpses of the royal family. Some nonsense like that. In any case, they outnumber us quite a bit… I apologize...”
“You have nothing to be sorry for”, you reassure him. “Are the citizens safe?”
“As safe as they can be. We managed to evacuate most of them to the east district”, he says. “But there are still some left unaccounted for”.
“Meaning we should focus on searching for them first”, John concludes. “That agreeable to you, little lady?”
“Of course!”, you say.
“Actually, there's something I would like you to do, Your Highness”, the soldier chimes in.
“What is it?”, you ask him.
“There is a lone warrior who came to our aid”, the soldier says. “He cast a magical barrier around the evacuation zone and he's protecting it from the rebels. In fact, the only reason we're still standing is probably that he came to our aid, but I'm afraid he won't last long on his own. Can you please go and help him?”.
“I...”

What will you do?

Choice 1: Help evacuate the remaining civilians.
Choice 2: Help the stranger defend the evacuation zone.

Vote for your preferred option in the poll!

I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!

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2 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

“Heh”. The mercenary steps out of the tent. “You really are just like her...”, he mutters.

“What does he mean by that?”, you ask yourself.

I wonder who he means. If he mentioned a female relative whoops, slipped my mind.

2 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Choice 1: Help evacuate the remaining civilians.
Choice 2: Help the stranger defend the evacuation zone.

Shrimperor's right, citizens in the barrier? I think he might have to be stopped. We need to save what has already been saved. From their violent saviour.

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15 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

suspicous

very

hmmmmmmmmm

Just now, Dayni said:

Shrimperor's right, citizens in the barrier? I think he might have to be stopped. We need to save what has already been saved. From their violent saviour.

You guys are so suspicious of everything. XD

1 minute ago, Dayni said:

If he mentioned a female relative whoops, slipped my mind.

To give you a refresher on this, if you want: John has an older sister (mentioned Chapter 10x. I think).

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On 7/15/2020 at 5:44 AM, DragonFlames said:

“Nice plan, Sophia”, Finley says. “You'd make a fine strategist”.
“Stop flattering me, Fiffy”. You shake your head. “It was the most logical thing to do, right?”

*insert blushing portrait of Sophia in response to praise*

On 7/15/2020 at 5:44 AM, DragonFlames said:

“Heh”. The mercenary steps out of the tent. “You really are just like her...”, he mutters.

“What does he mean by that?”, you ask yourself.

I'm asking the same question.

On 7/15/2020 at 5:44 AM, DragonFlames said:

John was correct. The rebellion really was a diversion.

I get some serious Uncle Iroh vibes from John, ngl. Wise older guy who's usually one step ahead of everyone else...yeah.

On 7/15/2020 at 5:44 AM, DragonFlames said:

“Soon after the royal army left the capital, we were suddenly invaded by these soldiers in white uniforms”, the guard replies. “They keep saying how they're going to destroy the old Vales and build a new kingdom on the corpses of the royal family. Some nonsense like that. In any case, they outnumber us quite a bit… I apologize...”

Something's big is about to go down. I can feel it.

-------

Probably best to defend the evacuation zone, I think. Anyway, great chapter! Looking forward to the next!

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16 hours ago, twilitfalchion said:

*insert blushing portrait of Sophia in response to praise*

If only I could draw... If only!

16 hours ago, twilitfalchion said:

I'm asking the same question.

We will find out! Maybe. Hopefully.

16 hours ago, twilitfalchion said:

Probably best to defend the evacuation zone, I think. Anyway, great chapter! Looking forward to the next!

Thanks!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Almost a month since the last chapter... Jeez.

Apologies for the delay, everyone. I, uh... had a bout of writer's block and then the weather became screwy, leaving me with no opportunities to continue this.
The next main chapter is still in the works, since I am not yet entirely sure about one character's involvement in it and further proceedings, but I recall promising you a Gaiden chapter, so I hope you enjoy this one!

CYOA – The Dying Kingdom Chapter 15x: The past that haunts

In 400 years this has never happened.
Never once has Fabunil been under attack from an outside force, much less invaded by it. And yet, today… there are enemies right at our doorstep.

I hear the few guards who are left fighting off the invaders that have made it into the castle walls. A few of them have even managed to enter my throne room, but they were no match for my axe.

Ha.
Never thought I would make use of it again like this. How many years has it been since I was last in battle? Twenty? Yes, that seems accurate. And even though the situation is dire, I cannot deny that I have dearly missed the thrill of battle.

When the invaders first entered, I had ordered my wife to leave the throne room and hide somewhere. I can only hope she is safe. And my children… Elliot, Melissa, Sophia… I wonder if they are alright?

I hear sounds coming from outside. It seems I should worry for myself first. But no sooner than the sounds appear, they instantly vanish.

Silence.
Almost deafening.

I feel my throat tighten with every breath, almost as if the air itself was trying to choke me. A cold shiver runs down my spine. Every fiber of my being is telling me to run and hide myself, but as king, I cannot afford to. I cannot let my castle, my home, and my people be taken.

I stare at the door as if I am trying to burn a hole through it. I know someone or something is out there. And yet nothing happens for what feels like an eternity.

And then, the doors swing open. I glimpse the figure of a young woman in white entering. She looks no older than Sophia, in fact, I'd peg her a year or two younger than my daughter.
Her long hair elegantly flows behind her and she has her arms folded behind her back. She seems almost jovial as she steps through the doors to the throne room and closes them behind her.
“Hi there, King Gwendal!”, she greets me with a bright smile. There is no malice in her voice, but her presence is somehow more intimidating than a rampaging dragon's. She steps closer toward me.
The feeling of dread grows almost palpable. This girl… she looks familiar.

“Who… are you?”, I manage to speak.
“Ah, is that any way to greet someone?”, she says in a scolding tone and lifts an index finger like a mother lecturing her child, which seems… unfitting for someone of her stature.
She looks around, bringing that same finger to her chin.
“Boy, nothing much changed here, has it?”, she says, almost disappointed for some reason. Then she sighs heavily. “You guys really have no creativity, you know that? So boring...”
“How did you get in here?”, I ask her again.
She looks at me and I feel my blood freezing.

Why?

This girl is much smaller than me and she does not even have a weapon.
Yet… I fear for my life every time her gaze falls upon me. Even though there is still no malice to be found in her features.
“'How did I get in here', he asks!” She laughs. An innocent, genuine laughter.
“Silly King”. She shakes her head. “As if I need permission to enter my own throne room”.

“What?!?”
What does she mean by that? Her throne room? Somehow, those words flip a switch inside me. Before I can even think, my body moves on its own. I focus the girl in my sights, ready my axe and strike. She makes no effort to evade me, so I'm sure I just ended her existence there.

“My, so violent”, I hear her voice, sounding bored. Then I look… and my eyes widen in shock. My axe is stuck in the floor and she stands next to it, her arms crossed behind her head, looking at my weapon with curiosity.
“Though I guess that is to be expected...” She sighs once again, then she looks up at me and smiles. “Boop”, she says, giggling, and briefly touches my axe with her hand.

And my weapon shatters like glass.

Left with no other option, I back off from her.
Get away.
Do not go near her.
My mind and body both cry out to me.

“Well, if you had used your family's heirloom, you would surely have ended my existence just there”, she says matter-of-factly. “Yet another reason for you to regret using its powers when you had the chance...”
“You… how do you know all of this?!? Who are you?!?”

More importantly… how does she have the ability to destroy an enemy's weapon merely by touching it? Erosion, a spell using highly refined Earth-elemental magic. King Angus II, who ruled Vales three generations ago, developed it, and none could replicate it no matter how hard they tried. This spell was what earned him his reputation as Angus the Disarmer, one of the most feared generals in all of Vales' history. 'He who dismantles even the hardest steel with a single touch'. 'The man with magic no one could replicate'.
And yet… this girl is using it like it is second nature to her.
 

The girl winks and giggles. “Teehee”.
I would get angry, but fear still overwhelms me. This girl is mocking me, clearly, but I do not know why or what she hopes to accomplish by doing it.
All I can do is ask her questions and hope that she will answer them.

She gives me a friendly smile and looks around again, and slowly paces around the throne room. It looks almost planned, as if she had taken this same path through it many times before. Her movements are delicate, yet firm. Her gaze is filled with nostalgia as she takes in the atmosphere and her expression betrays a hint of sadness. It is a sight that burns itself into my mind, whether I want it to or not. A strange sense of familiarity adds itself onto the dread the exudes. The longer she stood before me, the more a realization tried to edge its way to the forefront of my consciousness.

I know this girl.
And yet…
at the same time…
I do not know her.

“I still remember it, the party we had. It was such a happy celebration”, she says, to no one in particular. “Oh how I wish to return to those days…”
I stare at her in bewilderment. What is she talking about?
She stops and looks at me.
“A word of advice, dear king”, she says. “Whatever you think the reason for this rebellion to be… there is more to it. Look beneath the surface”.
“What do you mean by that?” I ask her.

Before I can receive an answer, however, the door to the throne room bursts open once more.
“Your Majesty!” A thousand weights are lifted from my heart as I see my oldest friend, Richard come in and attack the young woman.

“Well, that's just rude”, the girl says, mildly surprised, and jumps out of the way of his strike.

“Do not worry yourself any longer, Your Highness”, Richard says. “I am here to protect you”.
“Thank you, my friend”.

“Ah, so you must be Richard von Lohenheim, correct? Former Supreme Commander of the Valessian Royal Army, and mentor to King Gwendal's children, is it? Not a bad career, really”. The girl feigns admiration for my longtime friend. “But… weren't you supposed to be retired by now?”
“I may be old and may no longer hold a position within the Royal Army, but my loyalty towards my friend and king remains unchanged!” Richard proudly presents his axe.
His show of bravado however does not have any effect on the girl. She just continues to stand there, looking as if she is enjoying herself.
“Richard, be careful!”, I warn him. “This girl… can destroy your weapon with a single touch.”
“Hmm… I see”. My friend nods and faces the girl, prepared to fight. “You seem to know of me, young lady”, Richard says. “Would you be so kind as to reveal your own name to me, as well?”
“Hmm, nope!”
A clear rejection. Even Richard seems caught off guard by her curt, yet casual response.

The girl yawns and stretches.
“I'm bored now”, she says. “But it was fun talking to you, King Gwendal!” With those words and a friendly wave, she makes for the exit.
Or at least that is what she tries. Five guards that have been left in the castle come storming through the doorway.

“Stop right there, in King Gwendal's name!”, they shout.
“And now the cavalry is here...” The girl heaves a sigh and shakes her head.
“Apprehend that girl!”, I order them. Not just because she trespassed into the throne room, but also because I wish to ask her more questions. I need to know more about who she is, what she is doing here and most importantly… how does she seem to know my family's secrets?

“Yes, Your Highness!” The guards quickly surround the girl, who does not seem to be interested in their presence at all. Rather, she seems annoyed.
“Don't move!”, they threaten, weapons at the ready.
“Surrender quietly and I will make sure not a hair on your body will be damaged”, I tell her. “You are outnumbered. Give up”.
“Ah, ever the naive one, aren't you, dear king?” The girl shakes her head. “Do you not remember what I did to your weapon earlier? I thought you were a little more attentive...”
“Get her!” The soldiers spring forward, all of them attacking at once, but they strike at air.

The girl is already by the entrance. The soldiers make another attempt, but this time, they are stopped by a magic barrier.
“Ah, one last thing!” She turns around again. “The Tyrant's Wing, Fragarach”, she says. “That is where all of this starts, you know? The reason for your conquests twenty years ago… the reason for this rebellion… everything starts with your refusal to continue your family's tradition”.
“It was a barbaric tradition! I ended it, because it was not the right thing to do! The right to rule a nation should not come from one's ability to wield a cursed sword!” I shout the same thing I told my own father all those years ago at the girl.
“I applaud you. You're right”, she says with a smile. “And yet, noble though as your decision was, it has caused nothing but trouble for your people”.
“What in the name of Heaven do you mean?”
“Famine. Conquest. Rebellion. All because of one noble thought. Ironic, is it not? Two and a half decades of suffering, all because you tried to do the right thing. I pity you, my descendant.”

“Desce-- NO!”
When she said that word, the realization came as fast as lightning.
But how could this girl be…?
Before I could ponder the thought any longer, the girl has already vanished. The magic barrier falls as the guards regain their bearings and pursue her.

“Are you unhurt, Your Majesty?”, Richard asks me once again.
“Yes, I am fine, my friend. Thank you”, I tell him with a smile. “How is the situation?”
“We have managed to drive the rebels out of of the castle. General Cynthia came by with some of her soldiers to lend a hand”.
“Cynthia? Was she not supposed to go to Mallas?” I ask him, puzzled.
“Yes, but apparently...” Richard starts to explain, but then Cynthia herself enters the throne room.
“Your Majesty!”, she calls out, her voice concerned.
“General! So you really are back?”, I ask her.
“Yes,” she says, nodding. “Did Sir Richard not explain it?”
“I started to, but then you burst through the door”. Richard smiles at her.
“Oh… my apologies”, she says, slightly embarrassed.
“But now you can tell us yourself why you are back here”, Richard says.
Cynthia nods and explains:
“One of Princess Sophia's new friends infiltrated Norn for us and found out that the rebellion itself is a mere distraction to keep the army busy”, she says. “Once we found out, I sent some messengers to the other two generals as well as Prime Minister Mordred and flew back here as fast as I could. Princess Sophia and her friends came with me and are currently securing the city with my troops”.
“Sophia is here? So she is alright, then...” I heave a sigh of relief, then I turn to Richard.
“My friend, can I ask you to take some of the castle guard and support the troops in the city?”
“Of course, Your Majesty” Richard nods and leaves immediately.
“General Cynthia, I ask that you and the troops you brought aid in securing the periphery and interior of the castle. There may yet be some rebels left. Capture them”.
“As you wish, Your Majesty”. Cynthia leaves as well, leaving me alone to ponder over the mysterious girl's words.

'Descendant' she called me. She obviously knows more about my family than any outsider should.
And then there is the fact that she looks familiar, but...
But… could it really be her?
And if it was her, how could she have mastery over magic only one man could use?

And… the most important question… if it really is her, then how is she still…?

---

Well, that was a bust.

I slump over in frustration. That damn old man, why did he have to interfere when it was just about to get good? And then those guards… shaking them off was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Just goes to show how well-trained they are. I guess I should be proud?
A sigh escapes my lips.

I look over my shoulder and see a familiar figure approaching.
“What do you want?”, I ask.
“Why did you not kill him?”
“Ha! That's rich!” I laugh. “I mean… why would I kill him? You know your little plan would get flushed down the drain if I did that, right? Besides, just killing the guy wouldn't accomplish anything, neither for you nor for me.”
“Then I must question why you revealed yourself to him”.
“Pity, I guess”. I shrug my shoulders.
“That's it?”
“Sure. Why not?” Ugh, just go away already.
“You seem… displeased.”
“Oh? What gave you that idea?”, I ask with dripping sarcasm. “And here I thought I was all sunshine and rainbows...”
“I do not appreciate that tone.”
“Ooh, scary. I'm shaking in my boots!”
“...”
“Stop leering at me like that, you're giving me the creeps. Seriously, I have better things to do than let myself be stared at like this. Listen here, you. The only reason I am working with you is that we have a common goal. And while it is true that I am basically powerless right now, you need me more than I need you. Understood?”

Having made my position clear, I jump off the window sill I was sitting on onto the empty walkway below.

You'd think they'd have more guards up here.
Oh wait, they're all in the city, trying to defeat the rebels, or clattering through the castle, looking for me.

I look back up at my dialogue partner, but she is already gone. Where to, I don't know. Probably to play pretend some more. “What a duplicitous vixen she is...”, I mutter under my breath, as the sounds of battle coming from down below reach my ears and I feel a tinge of nostalgia as I stare at the panorama of the city I once called my kingdom.
“Even today, you're in chaos, my dear Fabunil… But I guess this time, it's kind of my fault. Teehee.”

---

Alright, that wraps it up for today!
I really hope you'll forgive me for leaving you hanging for so long! Hope you enjoy the chapter and I'll see you in the next one!
... Which hopefully won't take as long as this one has.

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11 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

626801754083688458.png?v=1

You know I had to. XD

11 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

Oh boy

400 year old loli confirmed?

I leave that up to interpretation. 😉

11 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

Nice chapter 😉

Thank you! ^^

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12 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

“Teehee”.

very dangerous teehee, that is

I couldn't resist throwing one in my last fic either xD

12 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

“Famine. Conquest. Rebellion. All because of one noble thought. Ironic, is it not? Two and a half decades of suffering, all because you tried to do the right thing. I pity you, my descendant.”

“Desce-- NO!”

photofunky.gif

12 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

And then there is the fact that she looks familiar, but...
But… could it really be her?
And if it was her, how could she have mastery over magic only one man could use?

And… the most important question… if it really is her, then how is she still…?

I'm asking the same questions myself.

----------

Great chapter. 👍

Definitely looking forward to see what happens next!

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2 minutes ago, twilitfalchion said:

very dangerous teehee, that is

I couldn't resist throwing one in my last fic either xD

It's that thing that never lets you go.

3 minutes ago, twilitfalchion said:

photofunky.gif

The plot thickens!
... Or something. XD

4 minutes ago, twilitfalchion said:

I'm asking the same questions myself.

Right?

4 minutes ago, twilitfalchion said:

Great chapter. 👍

Definitely looking forward to see what happens next!

Thank you! ^^

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On 8/13/2020 at 11:10 PM, DragonFlames said:

Her long hair elegantly flows behind her and she has her arms folded behind her back. She seems almost jovial as she steps through the doors to the throne room and closes them behind her.
“Hi there, King Gwendal!”, she greets me with a bright smile. There is no malice in her voice, but her presence is somehow more intimidating than a rampaging dragon's. She steps closer toward me.
The feeling of dread grows almost palpable. This girl… she looks familiar.

Sothis is how he dies I see.

On 8/13/2020 at 11:10 PM, DragonFlames said:

The girl winks and giggles. “Teehee”.

AH! She said it, she said the thing.

On 8/13/2020 at 11:10 PM, DragonFlames said:

“I still remember it, the party we had. It was such a happy celebration”, she says, to no one in particular. “Oh how I wish to return to those days…”
I stare at her in bewilderment. What is she talking about?

So wait, how would she be at this party that Gwendal was at. Hmmmmmm.

On 8/13/2020 at 11:10 PM, DragonFlames said:

“Ah, one last thing!” She turns around again. “The Tyrant's Wing, Fragarach”, she says. “That is where all of this starts, you know? The reason for your conquests twenty years ago… the reason for this rebellion… everything starts with your refusal to continue your family's tradition”.
“It was a barbaric tradition! I ended it, because it was not the right thing to do! The right to rule a nation should not come from one's ability to wield a cursed sword!” I shout the same thing I told my own father all those years ago at the girl.

So, Fragarach does something terrible, I suspect family sacrifice. Must have a lot of influence if this is what's being said about it.

On 8/13/2020 at 11:10 PM, DragonFlames said:

'Descendant' she called me. She obviously knows more about my family than any outsider should.
And then there is the fact that she looks familiar, but...
But… could it really be her?
And if it was her, how could she have mastery over magic only one man could use?

Probably because she has magic mastery +1, read up Gwendal.

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