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Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More


Nanami Touko
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The group's day in Border had slowly come to a close, a lot of the members visiting the arena, doing some necessary clothes shopping, relaxing, spending time together, spending time together, or simply getting away from it all. As their rest ended, Thesephine was waiting near the exit gate, Jade's cart and two others ready to pack them all up and head out into the wastes. "Alright!" She was already wearing a small mantle that covered her shoulders, her chest, her stomach... With her height, it was almost a cloak, her hips and legs still visible under it. "We're going to be crossing the Wastes! Everyone pick a cart, cozy up, and get ready... You've all been provided with a mantle if you didn't have one-- the vampires a cloak. Inside the carts, you'll find a small chest of bottles. These contain mana potions! They're pure mana, mixed into a solution that can hold it. A little sweet, not too thick. Like a mana smoothie, if you will... If you've drank water and eaten, and you feel yourself getting exhausted, drink one of these. The Wastes sap your magic, and too much will kill you. We've got enough for everyone, so be careful!"

Hopefully that was everything... Thesephine huffed, hopped herself up onto one of the other carts, and took hold of the reins. "We'll switch off who's driving every now and then, just to make sure we're all alright... Except for Jade's cart; I figure two undead can handle this, so long as we hand over some potions every now and then." That, and keeping them together felt like a good idea, both for Jade to keep control over her nightmares, and for their budding relationship. "We'll make camp once during the trip, driving through the night otherwise, taking shifts... And we should cross the Wastes into Hwein in just over two weeks." They'd stop to let the horses rest as needed, but stay in the cart otherwise. Making proper camp in the Wastes was difficult, especially with such a large group, so doing it more than once wouldn't be a good idea.

Lavinia had donned her cloak, standing rather close to Jade, almost resting against her. "Hahh... A whole two weeks, stuck together~ How romantic. Still, this is a dangerous trek, so if you ever feel something off, make sure to speak up, alright, Jade?" Lavinia knew her own limits; this was her second time crossing the Wastes. She'd already set aside her own personal bag of potions, made a small list of when she needed to drink, how much, when she needed to feed... It was odd for Lavinia to be so orderly in this sort of thing, but that simply spelled out the risk.

Tenna was clinging to her mantle, having draped it over her head. Her group had taken the long way into Vaia, in a way. They had been warped into Tsetsa, and traveled quietly through the edges of Khach into Vaia, making their journey much shorter... This was very new for her, and she was rather, terrified, keeping close to Xalrei. "Uhm... X-Xal. Do you, mind if, I... If we, ride together...?"

Asami and Yui were keeping quiet, and weren't wearing any mantles. Whether they had some other method to be safe in the Wastes, or were simply choosing not to don them for now, was anyone's guess.

Tali had gotten herself a new pair of brown shorts and a white tunic to go with them, along with a leather harness to wear her axes on properly. The back of it tied somewhat around her tail, and she was hoping it would stop the appendage from getting too curious, just a little bit. "Agni, Agni! Are you excited? I've never been to Hwein... It's a bit scary, considering the situation and everything, but... Mmmm, it's still a whole new country. I'm excited... I hope a lot of the others are too."

Amera had spent her time near the end giving Suki a serious bath, some more fitting clothes, some of her own harness for her swords, and made SURE she was wearing her mantle. "Suki, you really, really better make sure that you keep this on and you drink those potions when you're asked to. It's incredibly dangerous... I know you don't like sweet things, but it's a drink, or your life. I want you to keep living."

Suki whined... but she nodded, hiding her face under the mantle some more. "Okay, okay... I drink. Keep live. Mrrh. So mean..."

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Well, there wasn't anything else she could do. No turning back now. They'd be heading into the wastes. Even just being on the edge of it filled Lucille with dread. The heat was annoying, but it was something she could survive. It was the sapping of mana that she was particularly worried about. She already didn't have a lot of mana to work with, now she had to contend with it being sapped by this place. She'd likely just feel terrible the whole time. Hopefully they didn't encounter anything they needed to fight. The new tunic and skirt felt wonderful at least, both an inversion of her usual color scheme, with the white cloak over it. 

She listened closely to the king's words, finding a cart where the people weren't too concerned about her sitting very close to the mana potions would be a priority... if she already hadn't figured out exactly where she was going to be. She still felt on the outskirts of the party--of course she would, she'd only been a part of it for a week or so, and prior to that she was their enemy--but there had been a few that she was on good terms with. There was Marina, the hero and the far too young commander of this outfit, Jade, the zombie that she'd fought with back at Mixoco, Lavinia, captain of Thesephine's guard and a surprisingly sweet woman, Thesephine herself was alright too, when she wasn't upset, something Lucille felt the pair had in common, and then... her eyes fell on the green cloaked mage, Seilan. There the night that she'd attempted to recapture Tenebria, and the first to check on her after everything was all said and done, the young man had been pleasant to be around and talk with. Enough so that she'd felt safe enough to tell him a fair portion of her checked past, and even fallen asleep in his arms. Since then, she'd been quite close with Seilan, and she wanted to keep it that way. She flushed a bit thinking of that last part. If she was going to suffer this trip, and likely be out-of-sorts for the majority of it, it was at least going to be in the presence of someone she wanted to be around. You're still going to have to talk to some other people, Lucille... You're going to need support to make it through this, and Seilan isn't going to be enough on his own. She'd likely need to revisit her promise with General Nessraya, she was also another person who had been surprisingly supportive.

"Hi, Seilan. Have you found which cart you're sticking with already? I, uh, was hoping we could stick together, at least for a bit." 

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The Wastes huh? Ayane was a little intimidated by the build up to their destination, on top of all this preparation. 'Is it like going through a desert...?' To her mind there wasn't a place like that in Nanbu, but she was prepared either way. She wondered if the Oni strength she had gained would protect her from the land's magic drain or make her situation worse, she hoped it was the former. Perhaps it was a question to ask, but she was sure the rest of the troop wasn't sure either. At least there were mana potions to help, despite the fact it reminded her of the gourd she already was required to drink every now and then like a medication. The princess clutched onto her cloak closely, her armor and regular under clothes seemed to be enough for the trip. She took a look around for either Ren or Ari to see which cart they had their eyes on and hoped to join them.

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The new outfit Marina had gotten for herself fit almost perfectly. It felt... weird, not having sleeves, but the long gloves she had now did just enough for her. Along the way she got herself a leather breastplate from the armory, something small to protect her but not weigh her down. With a quick stretch, she gathered with the rest at the edge of town.

Marina intently listened to Thesephine's words. The Wastes. She hadn't heard about this place yet. In fact, the path they went intially had dodged this place it seemed. She shook the thoughts off, the less she tried remembering those three months, the better. This was to reverse what had happened... as best she could. She had done good though, it felt like. Despite all the things that occurred during their journey. And now... Separating into groups as they have several new carts. She wanted to pair up with some people, but she wasn't sure how the parties had felt about it. There was Tenna... but she was already tagging with Xalrei, and that... That hasn't gotten much better. Agni and Taliyah, but she wasn't sure with Taliyah still, a feeling that sucked. She could've just stuck with Lavinia and Jade, but she didn't want to bother them.

Well, there was at least one pair who didn't seem to mind her. Maybe that could work. She slowly approached Seilan and Lucille, "A-Actually, would it be alright if I also carted with you two?" She asked sheepishly, as if not trying to bother the duo.

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Gabriela was worried. Not for leaving Vaia, but for crossing into the wastes. Exiting Vaia was what it was. It was exciting to see new places, new locales, and taste new food. And any bit of progress out of Vaia would mean a closer proximity to Coteon, to the sirens. 

Yet, the speech, or rather, warning that was given about the wastes didn't exactly leave much to the imagination. Sapping mana is not good. Gabriela had little in the way of physical strength and relied on her magic to do a lot of things, including fighting. And the wastes would seem to do pretty much anything to sap it away. The very least she could do was to sit close to someone she cared for. Ren, specifically. She looked around for Ren, and saw other people also looking for people to spend the journey with. 

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"...Man, this feels weird." The tall succubus looked around the gathered group a bit timidly, seeing just how many of them there were, all kinds of different people at that. Used to operating by herself as she was, being part of a proper military force -- if loosely applied here -- was still a bit of a shocker for Nashwa. She held a bit of a guarded stance, arms lightly grasping each other... even if she felt better for now, she could now at least tell she was still leaking some magic. Not enough to be a problem when they didn't really have many people who'd be affected by it, if what she'd been told was correct, at least.

Still, she needed to be careful. Despite having taken mana potions on the way in, they hadn't given her the same kind of relief as getting some from Amera had, meaning that at best they would maintain her supply at the level it had been upon entering the wastes. And with a whole two weeks' time mostly being spent in carts, it was going to be damn boring for the most part. Couldn't even reload shells, what with needing a perfectly stable surface to do it on, or else things would become a problem. Staying quiet for all that time feels wrong... I should go with Nessraya, she'd at least be able to talk with me about, things.

It was difficult to make herself less eye-catching thanks to her stature and dress, but she'd still try and make herself a bit more diminutive as she went on over to the General, greeting her with a nod. "If you don't mind, Nessraya, I'd like to be in the same cart for the journey. You'd probably be able to tell if there's something wrong with me faster than I could myself..." Embarrassing to admit, though it wasn't the only reason.

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Well, that was about all of the prep they could reasonably do before entering the wastes... the rest would be hoping that they didn't encounter any bumps in the road along the way. It would be an arduous journey, but hopefully the sheer animosity of the environment would prevent any outside interference. Snapping to attention as Nashwa approached, Nessraya looked over at the other succubus before replying.

"That shouldn't be a problem, Nashwa. It would be best to keep Amera nearby as well, I think. She's better versed than most if you need an extra hand of assistance."

_________

It had been good passing back through Border... much better than her first trip through, to be certain. She had gotten along better with the locals the second time around, and having actual gold in her purse had left the town's amenities far more within reach. Still, it was time to go into the wastes again... hopefully things should be better the second time around in that regard as well. 

All that was left was to figure out who to buddy up with, in a sense. Aside from possibly swapping around after a camp, whoever she'd be sharing a wagon with would be in close proximity for... quite a while.

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Glancing around, Bladen contemplated his riding partners. Obviously Asami and presumably Yue would be in whatever cart he joined. But beyond that... Xalrei was obviously a choice, but he had been trying to give her slightly more space after their various... disagreements over his protecting her or not. Besides, she'd been spending more and more time with that human they had captured. He didn't hate the scared shy girl, but he didn't especially want to spend more time around her right now either. He spotted Gaby, and gave her a small wave before heading over towards her. "Hey there, want to share a cart? You, me, Ren presumably, Asami and Yue? I figure us folks with wings should stick together, no?" Besides, he did want to get to know her better. He had somewhat neglected too many of his companions. He would have to do better with that moving forward.


Astraea was already in one of the carts. She didn't really care which one, though she had, quite by accident, chosen the one belonging to Jade. She had several of the mana potions by her side and the mantle around her shoulders. She was trying very hard not to have a bit of a breakdown right now. This place was beyond dangerous for her. Mana was all she had. Her very essence, everything that made up her being. And this place wanted to steal it from her. So in the cart she would go, and in the cart she would stay. She could endure its closed quarters for however long it took. After all, what were a few days to a star? A single grain of sand in the vast beach that was her existence. She could suffer through this, even if it left her shaking in fear.

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After Jade and Lavinia had spent some quality time together, they'd gone to the arena, done some shopping, and the zombie had brought the caparisons she'd purchased to the stables. She didn't plan to put them on the 'mares until travel time, so those two had been stowed in her cart until departure. However, there was another!

Now Jade hadn't known one way or the other what sort of arrangements Lucille might have made for the trek, but on the off-chance her pegasus would need one, she'd bought an extra mount covering. While at the stables, she'd then hung it over the door to her stall, with the following note pinned to it:

 

Perhaps this is a redundant gesture, but I was unaware of the status of your financials, nor of any previous preparations you might have made. Not wishing Villkiss to suffer regardless, through no fault of her own, I took the liberty of purchasing something to help protect from the wastes. Do with it as you will.

Jade Persyn

It was written in her standard hand, sporting compact, precise lettering, save for the somewhat extravagant signature. Unlike the previous occasion with Marina, there had been no need for a postscript on this one; the message was quite simple, with no afterthoughts forthcoming.

After that, all business having been properly concluded, it had been tempting to steal away back to the inn, but the day was drawing to a close, and departure was soon, so Jade and Lavinia wheeled out toward Border's exit, aligning her cart with two others now. It would be interesting, and a change for the better to be perfectly honest, not having to be responsible for everyone. And especially across the wastes, the merchant was looking forward to the change.

Jade found the king's instructions difficult to pay attention to, with her girlfriend a distracting influence nearby, but for the most part it was just common sense stuff, and anything truly important would come up again when necessary, surely?

"Romantic getaway the wastes are not," she laughed. "Otherwise we'd have to fight off swarms of honeymooners, wouldn't we? But..." Jade thoughtfully drew out a concession, "I suppose most any sort of place does take on a certain charm, when you're with your special someone. And while we won't be alone together, hmmm, I wonder which passenger's we'll actually get?" The merchant had yet to notice that one had already taken up residence, but she'd find out soon enough.

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While she was looking for Ren, she spotted none other than Bladen, who waved to her and then came over. Sharing a cart, hmm? Now that sounded like a good idea. ''A winged alliance, hmm? I like the way you think, Bladen. I'm still looking for Ren, actually, but we'll see if we can find him. Thanks for offering! Here's hoping the wastes aren't as scary as they sound...'' getting to know Bladen more was a treat. They hadn't spoken as much as they would have liked, and as one of the only other winged creatures in the group, it would not hurt at all to get to know each other better.

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Four weeks traveling the Wastes in... what, two months? Seilan bristled slightly under his cloak at the thought of the trip, though truth be told he was still all too aware of his own excitement at the idea of returning home. All things considered he really hadn't been away too long, but fighting another country's battles for a short period of time had him anxious to start on the liberation of his own. As Lucille approached, he couldn't help but dimly consider what felt like the distant future; that after Hwein, their whole group might yet find themselves marching on Coteon, next. At her question, though, and Marina's following hers, he brought he focus back to the present.

"Ah. No, I hadn't decided on a cart yet; though I certainly wouldn't mind sticking together for the trip there. And you as well, of course, Marina." Though I must say I'm somewhat surprised she'd ask us... surely she's spent longer with some of the others, become more friendly, more familiar.

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There really isn't any doubt on who Ren would be sharing a wagon with, already making his way towards Ayane...before stopping in his tracks as he realizes he's forgetting something...or well, someone.

"Since I don't really trust you away from us just yet Shizuka...hup!" and with an ease only found in someone who knows their own strength, the oni lifts the little lady up and tucks her under his arm.  "You're staying close to where Ayane or myself can keep an eye on you alright?  Actually," and as he mentions his cousin there she is, already thinking the same thing as himself while also waving at her while making his way over to her.  Of course his antics don't go unnoticed by folks, specifically a wary Pureblood that hugs her new cloak closer before keeping in pace with his steps.

"Quite the interesting way in how you treat your help.  Greetings Shizuka," Bridgit starts with idle chatter, her greeting towards the human soft and mild with no positive or negative infliction.  The only thing that could be seen properly from the vampire is her face and the bangs framing it, crimson eyes darkened by the shadows provided from such garment.  Her response also earns a scoff from Ren, who ultimately yanks down her hood even further that earns him a yelp from the girl.

"If you're going to follow then shush.  I prefer you when you're silent," he snipes back with a flat tone to his voice, only slowing down when he notices Gabriela as well...talking to Bladen.  Hmm, interesting but not something to worry about.  Asami isn't one to be trifled with all things considered, and he's not really the jealous type.  

Bridgit however notices and offers a wave over to the Siren for her to join them before catching up to Ren once more.

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The arena round hadn't gone so well, which left a reflective Agni to ponder the night before their preparations to face the waste. His outfit had enough protection from the elements to pass the option of a mantle, so his outfitting routine was more of the usual. Agni sat by Taliyah whilst she confessed her excitement --fairly endearing for her.

 

"I've only been through Hwein a few times myself, and never through the wastes. This will be interesting, one way or another." He responded in casual tone, "Hwein itself has quite the varied population... you'll find no shortage of monsters and humans." It'd be a reach to call it an accepting utopia, but it was better than any other kingdom at that point.


Taiyou seemed to follow quickly after Ayane and the others, figuring herself most acquainted with that group. Ayane seemed most interested in joining her comrades, understandably.

"The wastes... I don't recall anything like that occuring in Nanbu. I wonder why it's a feature of these lands." She spoke to the princess.

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Her armor fitting didn't end up taking that long, and likewise it wasn't long before she had swept the arena yet again. She'd never admit it, but competing with Agni had really lit a fire under the dragon, allowing her to find, and more importantly capitalize, on the openings her opponents gave her. Though her pockets were much heavier than before, she didn't really have much use for her gold at the moment. She'd purchased a pair of gauntlets from the armored after he'd fit her armor, but nothing else caught her eye in the stores. Everyone else must've gotten to them first.

Xalrei buys a pair of Gauntlets for 800gp!

Xalrei had already been moving towards her sister's wagon when Tenna spoke up, Xalrei angling her head up to stare at the princess. She didn't quite know how to feel about the woman practically clinging to her, or being her first choice of pillar. "...Wouldn't you'd rather be with Marina? Looks like she's pairing up with all the other humans. 'Cept for Agni." She knew Tenna didn't mind the presence of monsters that much anymore, herself especially so, but that wasn't going to stop her attempts at redirecting Tenna's attention. She'd gotten to the point where she tolerated the princess, but two whole weeks in a close quarters cart was more tolerating than she wanted.  


Though their date had gotten off to a rocky start the rest of the time she'd been able to spend with Thesephine had been wonderful; though, her stint in the arena had sent Thessy into a panic when she'd eaten buckshot for breakfast. It hadn't ruined the rest of their date at least, the pair continuing on to revisit the clothes store and relax together on a park bench for the rest of the time allotted to them. She even managed to find a rare Everfruit for sale and, thanks to her success in the arena, purchase it.

Sollowy buys and uses the Everfruit.

Likewise to Thesephine, Sollowy's mantle was more akin to a cloak for the diminutive girl. Arguably hers was even more of a cloak than Thessy's, the medusa did have about a full head on her. As Thesephine laid out their plans for a safe crossing of the wastes Sollowy had already positioned herself in the cart the medusa would later jump into, scooting over to share the seat with her. With both of them being so small there was plenty room for the both of them, but that didn't stop Sollowy from squeezing up right next to her partner. "This'll be a lot different than when I first crossed the wastes, you know? I just flew over last time, but I was just one person and Yggdrasil's magic was a lot stronger within me. If I'd actually been doing my duty I probably could've done it again..." She hung her head a little, sighing and turning to face Thesephine so she could hug her tight. "I hope our talk goes well..."

Edited by Ursali
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After a little bit of searching, Gabriela spotted Ren with her little eye. ''I suspect Ren will want to sit with his cousin as well. I can't, nor would I want to tear him away from her but I would also like to sit with him. I'm not entirely sure if we can sit together, since I assume you would also like to sit with Asami, but find me later if you change your mind, okay? And if not now, we can definitely hang out a bit later!'' She waved and then ran to Ren.

''Hi Ren, I was just looking for you! Can I sit with you guys?''

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"Well, I mean, we should all be able to fit, right?" They only had three wagons after all, right? And with the sheer number of them, they were going to have to squish together. Bladen wandered after Gaby, figuring Asami would find him at some point before they set off. Walking up to Ren just behind the siren, he waved to the oni. He hadn't interacted all that much with him, so it might be good to spend some time with him too. Plus Ayane was a good friend, so it was sounding like a better and better wagon. The one sour note would be Ayane's girlfriend but... He would survive. "So, sounds like we might all be sharing a wagon together, if you're alright with that? It's going to be cozy, but no avoiding that, I don't think."

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A loud squeak was made by the young maid when she was grabbed like a sack by Ren. It was embarrassing. Her face was a deep red, and even more so when she was greeted by Bridgit. "U-Um... H-Hi Miss Bridget. I hope the hood w-works for you." She tried to smile despite her pinned position. The minor struggle by her wagging feet was made clear and apparent. Ren was way stronger than her.

Thankfully, Gabriela arrived. Maybe she will convince Ren to put her down.

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"I'd be surprised if Ren refused you outright," Bridgit answers before Ren can even open his mouth, which only earns her an annoyed glare before quickly switching back to smiling at Gabriela.  "Do you even have to ask?  I'd say if my cousin can ride along with her girlfriend, she'd be quite the hypocrite if refusing for us to sit in the same wagon," he can't help but tease, looking over to Ayane as if daring her to say otherwise.  All in good fun of course, none of his words having a biting remark to them.

As that conversation happens Bridgit starts to tune them out, but moves a bit closer towards Ren when she notices Bladen also joining them amongst the group.  "Yes, the hood is...adequate," she answers Shizuka instead, tone a tad off due to her noticing that Ren is still holding the maid under his arm before bringing up a hand to cover her mouth.  No, she is not laughing thank you.

"Is he often like this?  I will admit that at the beginning of our travels he seemed more...closed off," Bridgit points out, her voice now taking a softer tone to it as she gets closer to Shizuka.  Really she only did so for their conversation to stay between them two, but from an outsider's perspective it could be seen as something else...~

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"Whoever gets on, I hope they're fine with me cuddling up against you for most of the trip. If not, they'll have to deal with it either way... Mmm, I missed this feeling." Lavinia thought for a moment about Bridgit, but a quick glance around showed her that the girl was far from alone. She'd ran off the last time, partly in fault to Lavinia's chiding, and she hadn't come to see her since. I have to give her the space she needs, but I wish I knew how long she needed it... Hmmm. Maybe I can speak with her once we reach Hwein. A long, boring, lonely journey across the wastes will give her plenty of time inside her own head to sort things out. Bridgit was smart enough to resolve her issues, the hard part was getting her to speak up about them once she had.

"I will admit, I'm a little worried about your mares, but you got here by way of the wastes, so they should realistically be fine." A quick glance back at Jade's terrible steeds calmed Lavinia's nerves a bit, their being near regular horses really selling their power--

A sudden rustling in the back of the cart alerted Lavinia, turning around to see-- "J-Jade, grab your gun!" A cerberus!? Lavinia's bow was drawn, the dog seeming unbothered, none of its three heads looking at her. It simply slunk towards Jade, spun around in place a few times, and sprawled out as close to her as it could get in the cart, resting, one of the heads yawning. "I... Wh-What? Is this really, that... That same dog you found before...? It really followed us all this way..."


"Lots of humans and monsters... I hope they all get along. I hope they all get along better than they do here..." Taliyah didn't exactly have a family to return to, at this point. Her father was dead, and she knew how much her grandparents hated her mother, so they would be far from likely to accept her into their home. That meant having to find a way to live on her own... Or maybe with, Agni... A comfortable house in Hwein, away from her past and all the troubles it had brought; that didn't sound too bad.


"I, well... Nnn... Normally, yes, but... Well, Lucille and Seilan are a little... Intimidating. I hope you can understand, but! But, I, I understand if you'd rather I nnn-not, uhm..." Tenna took a deep breath, sighing it out. "If you don't want me that close for a few weeks, I understand. I'll ask around and see if annn, nyone else doesn't mind, okay?"


Thesephine hadn't quite expected such a tight hug, but she returned it to the fairy all the same, gently patting her back. "It'll go fine. She's the world tree, she's been around for centuries... I'm sure that she'll understand, or at least accept a good reason or replacement for what is necessary. Heck, maybe we solve her issue and she can keep living as she has... Don't worry, Sollowy. I'm not going to let anything get between us so long as it's in my power... And if it isn't, I'll just have to get a bit stronger~"

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Xalrei huffed out a sigh, staring at the dejected princess. "If you're that uncomfortable around them I guess I don't mind you sharing my cart. Just figured you'd rather be with Marina." Xalrei had some suspicions already, but it seemed that, for some unexplainable reason, she was somehow becoming Tenna's person to cling to rather than Marina. It was a weird feeling, and not one that the dragon entirely appreciated considering who Tenna was. They'd found some common ground, this was true, but part of her still refused to accept Coteon's princess as anything but 'one of the leaders of those murderous humans'.


"Mhm. I hope so, Thessy." Though the medusa's reassurance did assuage some of her worries, the fairy couldn't entirely move past her anxiety. Yggdrasil was reasonable, yes, but with the fate of her own life, and the lives of all her children as well, at stake Sollowy didn't dare to hope that this issue would resolve that cleanly. "We'll just, have to do our best to convince her."

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It was a bit surprising but Marina, of all people, appeared before Seilan and Lucille asking to join them for the trip through the wastes. Their time talking about Villkiss, and then shopping together for a little bit... It had warmed Lucille to the idea, but she was a tad confused; Marina had plenty of friends to choose from, or so Lucille had thought. Perhaps being another human woman was comforting for Marina... but then that also would seem to imply that there was something about Tenebria that was keeping the pair apart. Both of them seemed so sweet, what would keep them apart? But she wasn't going to complain about there being someone else to talk to on the ride.

"Of course, Marina. It's not like we could really stop you; we've all got to get to Hwein, somehow. It will be nice to have you along." Lucille replied with a smile. Marina probably already had some idea that she fancied Seilan, and probably wouldn't mind her being with him for the most part. Plus, Marina didn't seem like the time to make fun of her for her awful tolerance for the heat. 

Speaking of the heat, Lucille would have to brave it nonetheless to check on Villkiss every now and again. While she wasn't like her rider, she also hadn't dealt with anything like the wastes. Fortunately, as evidenced by the piece of paper she held, someone had been also looking out for her partner. Lucille would have to go and find Jade later to thank her for the covering--the skirt, tunic and covering took much of what Lucille had, and the necessary covering was juuuuust out of reach--but she may have been around Lavinia, and, well, Lucille couldn't help but feel a bit awkward with her. It was yet another person who seemed to remind her of someone who raised her, but it was less that, and more the ring that she'd been keeping in her pocket since their conversation. The ring whose circumstances were... far, far too eerie. She wanted to tell herself it was only a coincidence, but with how things went for her... she wouldn't have been too surprised. 

"Alright... I guess we should find a cart." Lucille started fanning herself, "This heat is already annoying..." Little did she know, it was only going to get worse from here. 

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"... N-Nnormally," Tenna tried to explain, slowing finding the words. "Right nnn, now, though... I can't... Bring myself to be around her. I'm afraid. Of saying something stupid. Or hoisting an, nn-nother responsibility on her..." Maybe Xalrei would understand, or maybe she wouldn't. Whatever the case, Tenna was mortified over the chance of her crush slipping out, what Marina's answer would be, what would come of either response... She couldn't bring herself to be with the girl because of that. Xalrei was her only other friend; Agni was an acquaintance at best, and the other humans seemed amiable, but Seilan still gave her anxiety. Humans from Hwein, considering Coteon's current occupation, likely had words for her. Between Lucille's words and Xalrei's near killing of her, Tenna was a little tired of having her heart rate risen.




The group's journey across the wastes had begun in earnest, several nights and days of continued travel and one stop to camp along the way. Now in the second week of their trip across the desolate sand-like area, things were looking up. Supplies were more than lasting, no one seemed to be having too much trouble with the heat or the sapping of their mana. Potions and water were in plentiful supply, and with careful guidance from Seilan, Jade, and several others that had crossed the wastes before, everyone knew the telltale signs of deficiency and when to take their slightly sweet drinks.

Lavinia yawned, not tired, but feeling tired, the sapping of her mana a unique experience that she still felt. "Mmm... I don't want to, jinx anything, but this trip seems to be going quite well. Knock on wood, of course..." Lavina did as such, rapping her gauntlet covered hand against the cart. "Let's hope that... Oh." Speak of the devil and they shall appear. Lavinia's eyes, bright land or not, spotted what seemed to be a body out among the dust... Perhaps forty or fifty feet away from the path. It was dangerous to stray from the path, for many reasons, so despite Lavinia's good nature, she was hesitant to call out for someone to check. "What... What, do you think, Jade? Should we stop? Send someone out? Perhaps one of the carts...?"

Thesephine had spotted the individual and had no qualms about calling out, though. "Hey! Body!" Her voice rung out among the three wagons, several members looking out to where she was pointing. "Should we brave the wastes and check?" There was no possible way it was a trap, there was nowhere to hide among the desolate land. There were no dunes like a standard desert, just a flat, long stretch of white 'sand'. The only risk that came with this was someone's own mana being sapped too far that they too collapsed... Then a chain of collapses could occur and if not handed swiftly enough, a much larger problem could arise. "If anyone's willing... We'll strap you up and send you over prepared." Her wagon had slowed, seeing if anyone was willing to run across the stretch.

 

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Bladen had been enjoying the trip so far, more than expected certainly. Though the wagons were tight, the company was good. He was tired, but he knew that was more from the Waste than anything else. But when Thesephine called out about the body, he was instantly more awake. Making his way out of the wagon, he followed her gaze, quickly spotting the prone figure. "We can't just leave them out there. If there's a chance to save them..." He pulled three cover he'd been given over his head and shoulders, quickly checking the sword at his side. "I'll go. I can move quickly enough, even while carrying someone if it comes to that. And while I've got some magic, so long as I don't try and fly, it shouldn't be too bad."

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Lucille found herself jolted awake by Thesephine's call. The ride had been... manageable, and she'd gotten a fair bit done and figured out. But well, the wastes were still the wastes, and she was still herself. She peered out, saw the body and winced. Winced mostly because even as tired as she felt, that inability of hers to leave well enough alone started to kick in. Fortunately, someone else spoke up, and echoed what she had wanted to say. No matter how dangerous, leaving someone to perish out here wasn't something she was about to do. 

"I, uh, agree with him. W-we can't just leave someone. Villkiss and I can, can go with him, that way he won't have to worry about carrying whoever that is... if they're still alive." Even in her tired haze, that seemed more than reasonable, and two people was better than one. Even if she was arguably one of the most vulnerable to something happening, she had to be a bit more confident in herself if she was going to make it through this, and do what she said she was going to. She was only going to be backup, so something like this shouldn't be too draining to be dangerous. A bit presumptuous of her thinking that he'd even want a human's help, but that hadn't really crossed her mind until she'd finished speaking. 

Edited by Mercenary on the Winds
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The trek through the Wastes was about what Ayane had expected, not the most comfortable of circumstances. But at the very least she managed well enough, though she casted concerned looks toward Shizuka as the trip continued. While Ren and Ari were seasoned fighters Shizuka was very much green, so she kept an eye on her servant every now and then. Some time had passed before the group stopped as a whole and her attention was brought to the body ahead of them.

Bladen and Lucille had already volunteered their services, but something about this didn't quite sit well with Ayane. She eyed Lucille for a moment. While she spoke with some gusto it wasn't quite enough to make Ayane comfortable. "Make it three." She said aloud as she stepped up. Her gaze turned to Shizuka. "Stay here, I will return in but a moment."

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