Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 2: Glimpses of Elyisima

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan looked disinterested at the tanned youth. "Yes I did...what of it? I required it to track down a dangerous fugitive."

"Besides, your horse ended up fine, I'm the one who ended up being injured." Morgan stated with a disapproving look. "You should take better care of your animal in the future, you're not a very good nomad without one."

[Kanami]

Several minutes passed and the old womans condition worsened, alarmed the girl started shrieking louder. "Grandma!" "Someone help!" she whined. But everyone else seemed to know it was too late for the old woman and no one said anything. Her fellow townsfolk were too busy caring for their own, and the soldiers (plus mercenaries) that had helped them escape seemed to be quarreling amongst themselves. Afraid that no one would save her grandmother she ran up to a woman who was carrying a tome. If she could use magic, maybe she could heal grandmother. "Miss, please help grandma" she said weakly tugging on Morgans clothes.

(Note: Girl is.... say... 7 or 8 years old?)

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan looked down upon the child. Ugh, it just had to choose her to bother.

"Get off me and go find a priest." she said curtly.

[Inactive Account]

"I don't think you understand. Among the tribes, even stealing a nomad's horse would buy you an early death. I'm no naive child, so I'm aware that our law may not apply outside the plains, and I'd rather not spill unnecessary blood anyway. However. You WITCHED my horse." Kelas's eyes flicked to the woman's side: yes, there was one of those devil's tomes there. A trickle of fear crept into her mind, but she pushed it aside with her anger. "How will you answer for that?"

The woman was already wandering off, distracted by a refugee child. Kelas refused to be ignored, though, and stormed after her.

OOC: Since there's been no real nomadic culture defined, I've sort of been making it up as I go... I'm going with an emphasis on the value of the horse over other possessions and a general tendency to be superstitious about non-healing magic so far, other than that, pretty vague. Snowy, is this all right, or did you have ideas already in place for the way nomadic tribes worked?

Edited April 7, 2010 by _____

[theonefate]

After seeing the girl pleading for Morgan to help her Rayton stopped his training for the moment. Seeing Kelas and Morgan irritated him enough to make him recall his bow. He fired two arrows; one in front of each person. "Both of you just chill out. I don't care who started the argument."

He then walked up to the girl. "Tell me what happened to her."

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan ignored Rayton and turned towards Kelas.

She rolled her eyes. "It was a simple calming spell, nothing to get all worked up about. If I were to cover your horse in boils or turn into a frog or something, you might have an actual reason to complain. It could have been much, much worse."

[Kanami]

The girl looked at Rayton and hesitated, she wasn't used to talking to older males other then her father. "Me and grandma were walking home after collecting herbs and we saw a big man and a skinny man and then grandma yelled at them and the skinny man said something to her and then she stopped moving and-" the girl blurted out stopping to catch her breath. "Then the man made a fire and put in on Jennys house but grandma wouldn't wake up so I tried to wake her up but she wouldn't, so I tried to pull her away from the fire but we got burned and now she's going to die" she finished in tears.

[Snowy_One]

OOC: I apologize for absense. Been a busy day. Anywho, that should be more or less fine to define Nomadic culture like that.

IC: "Hey there..." said Esphyr as she bent down towards the girl bothering Morgan. How was she to explain that Morgan, a clear shaman, was not the right person to ask for help in healing her grandmother? It wasn't a easy task. After all, she could not just say something like 'Morgan is the mage who casts the spells that makes the people fall down' after all. In fact, that might make matters worse if the girl took things the wrong way and thought Morgan had made her granny fall down. "Ummm... Listen... Morgan is not the right person to ask to help your granny. She... She's like a trader when you need a farmer to bring in the crops. I can offer a bit of aid as I... Well... It won't be much better than a bandaid on a really bad cut; but I can at least try something. Would that be fine?"

[Kanami]

The girl looked at Esphyr and shook her head, "Mr Bont looked at her and said it needed magic" "I tried the vul-vuln-vownawawi? but it didn't work" she pointed at Morgan again, the little man had the same book she does so she can fix it, right?

[theonefate]

"A vulnerary didn't work, huh? Doubt an Elixir would work..."

Rayton then snapped his fingers as a lightbulb turn on over his head. He turned to Esphyr. "Oh! What about that priest you guys recruited while I was gone?"

[Inactive Account]

"Those would have been hedgewitch spells, and easily remedied. You turned her mind." Kelas made a hand sign against evil, praying that the woman could not do the same to her, at least from a distance. Were there no boundaries in how badly people treated animals in this country, animals that were not even theirs? Kelas thought in disgust.

Edited April 7, 2010 by _____

[Snowy_One]

"We recruited a priest?" said Esphyr, clearly shocked and uninformed of the sudden addition of an ally. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and find him! He's probably the closest thing to a proper healer here!"

Then Esphyr returned her attention to the girl. "Books are like people dear. We may have the same cover and appearance, but we're all different inside. Morgan's book is not the right kind to heal a dying person; nor is a vulnerary. I may be able to eek a bit of curative power out of the potion if you let me try though."

[theonefate]

Rayton scratched his head. "Y'all must have had to, otherwise I don't the shaman would be as lively as she is now. If you guys didn't...then there's still the one me and Kelas rescued not too long ago. Only thing is, I don't think she has any staves on her. I'll go find her anyway."

With that he walked back to Kelas, tapping her on the shoulder. "You know where that priestess is right now?"

[Inactive Account]

Not looking away from the shamaness, Kelas pointed over her shoulder. "Back that way, with some other clerics. Wasn't conscious when I left her, but she's been healed. Other healers might be able to help."

[Kanami]

It didn't take common sense to figure out that the cleric was busy, he pretty much had to heal the entire surviving community by himself, his fellow brothers having burned to their deaths in their church, one look at him would convince anyone that he was straining beyond his capabilities and wouldn't last much longer.

The girl grabbed Esphyrs hand and smiled, "thank you" she said pulling Esphyr over towards her grandmother, she knew there'd be nothing Esphyr could do, but it was worth a shot if no one else was willing to help her granny. She stood back and watched Esphyr and she examined her grandmother.

[theonefate]

He sure as hell wouldn't be putting up with the girl's crap anymore, but there was something more pressing to take care of.

With that he headed back, and found the priestess sleeping a short ways away from the other clerics. He nudged her lightly a few times with his foot, making her roll over and slowly awaken. "...Yes? What is it?"

"Sorry. I know you're tired, but do you mind lending me a hand? We got someone who needs to be healed, and I doubt the other cleric(s) are free to help right now.

"Sure. Just hold on a second." She went and retreived a heal staff that wasn't being used, then followed him back to Esphyr. he then rubbed his forehead.

"Let's go. Those two's bickering is giving me a headache."

OOC: Hope no one minds me borrowing a staff. It was the lowest-level one so... >_>

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan laughed at Kelas's crude hand gesture. "Do you honestly believe that does anything? I read that nomads were distrustful of magic, but I never knew they were so backwards."

"I really hope we don't fight any mages anytime soon, you'll be busy making hand gestures while their spells rip you apart."

[Inactive Account]

"I've faced battle mages before and won. They're straightforward. Dishonest tricks, on the other hand... and when was it decided that I was joining you people? Why do you think I remain here, now that I've done my rescuing and paid for healing? Once you've stopped weaseling around and answered for what you've done, I'll be gone, and may we not cross paths again."

OOC: I'm figuring that Kelas will end up with a reason to stay later in the chapter, but moving on...

Edited April 7, 2010 by _____

[-Cynthia-]

"Well, if it is an apology you are waiting for, you will be tagging along for a very long time. I did no wrong, simply what was necessary, and therefore have no need to apologize."

Morgan rolled her eyes "I would not expect you to understand. Those who know nothing can understand nothing. Perhaps if you came along with us you would become less ignorant, but the choice is yours, I care not either way."

[Inactive Account]

Kelas realized the argument was going nowhere. "Fine people that consider theft and mind-witchery to be 'no wrong'," she muttered, and stomped off to tend to her horse. It seemed, at least, that the shamaness was only disdainful, not actively malevolent. Kelas decided that she would leave the camp the next day, and hope never to meet the woman again.

[Ansem]

OOC: @Nadesico: I dont see why you cant use Reika. Its not like she is going to battle

Helios walked toward the forest and looked for a good tree to carve a bow out off. He saw a tree in front of him. "That will do nicely" Helios said as he cast Elwind on a tree. The tree fell with a great thud. Helios worked quickly and forged a bow out of wood. He looked around and found some vine he could use to make the string. Then he carved a couple of arrows from the fallen tree. When he was finished he gripped the bow to make sure it was easy enough to use. Though the bow was wooden it was pretty strong. "Guess i wont need the other ones help" said Helios. He walked quietly into the forest. He found a nice Elk drinking by the lake. He stringed his bow and took aim at the Elk. He heard a rustling behind him and turned around. The Elk noticed Helios and ran away. "Damn" he said dropping him bow. Helios looked around to find his bow when a mysterious women appeared. "Which one of these bows were your" she asked. "Perhaps it is this beautiful silver one". "Or is it this gold one". "It was none of those bows" he said as he picked up his wooden bow. "You speak the truth and as for your reward i will give you this silver bow" she said as she dissapered. "Odd" he said as he picked up the bow. It was a beautiful silver. 'Oh well" he said as he went back to searching deeper in the forest.

[Ether]

OOC:Lol FE4 Lex reference.

The camp was bustling now,the priests were running around healing everyone who asked...and everyone was asking.

Seeing one of the priests on the verge of collapse,Damian gently grabbed his shoulder.

"Sit down Father,and take a break.If you exhaust yourself,it would be a great loss here." Damian told the man.

"T-thank you..."The man replied,laying down,and almost immediately falling asleep.

*************

"H-hey Damian?"

The familiar voice caught Damian's attention,and he stopped what he was doing.

"Yes Aiya?"

"What do you want me to do next Damian?" Aiya asked him,as she had come back from the forest with a deer,and had handed it off to a cook.

"Just whatever you can do to keep yourself useful,I guess..." Damian began.

"But you shouldn't ask me...I have no authority anymore..."

"T-that's not true!" Aiya retorted quickly. "When all of this is over,we can go back to the capital...go back to the military...it'll be the way it always was,right...you and me together...?"

"There is no returning to the capital for me Aiya..."

"W-wha-!"

"The emperor knew I disliked the Duke,and if we were to return,I would no doubt be branded a traitor and hung...so I can not return...not when I still have so much to do...not when I have a chance to make my father's dream come true..." Damian paused for a second before continuing.

"But you can still go back,Aiya...you are a proven soldier,there is no doubt you will go far-"

"NO!" Aiya interrupted him,as she closed the distance between them and began crying into his chest.

"I-I wont leave you...so please...please don't tell me to go without you..." She was sobbing now.

"A-Aiya..."

"I don't care if I have to live in a box on the side of some street in the middle of nowhere...just please let me stay with you..."

"Alright Aiya...if you want to stay with me,I won't tell you to leave,I promise." Damian embraced the trembling girl tightly and began to calm her down.

[Snowy_One]

OOC: I have a feeling Socrates would have a field day with Morgan. Also, I apologize if this interferes with your plans Nadesico.

IC: Esphyr quickly uncorked the vulnerary once again and settled down besides the girls grandmother. She considered saying something vaguely healer-esque to try and put the girls mind at ease, but decided against it. It was clear she was no medic, and she felt the girl would be offended if she pretended to be one. The older granny was badly wounded from her burns and it was clear that a vulnerary would do little even now. It was battle medicine designed to quickly close open wounds; not restore seared flesh.

"Old woman... Be warned... this will likely sting."

It was a lie. But if she believed it to hurt and found it didn't, it might just give her the strength to carry through till the priest arrived. Esphyr found the first and most obvious of the wounds first as she began, quickly pouring small amounts of the potion on top of it to try and close it up. As she poured it down, the horrid stench of evaporated blood and burned flesh filled the air, causing Esphyr to almost gag in revulsion; yet she continued on until the wound was closed. Then on to the second, and third, and so forth until she had cleared all the wounds. When the last of them sealed up, Esphyr wiped her brow in relief. The woman was alive, and she had closed her wounds.

Suddenly, the first of the wounds seemed to slice open once again as if it had been cut with a knife. Blood flowed freshly through the wound once again, harder and faster than before as it poured out of the woman's body. Esphyr's eyes went wide in surprise as she quickly tried to dump the last of the vulnerary on the wound to quickly seal it up. Yet as she upended the bottle, naught but a single drop came out. Esphyr had used up the last of her potion.

"No!" she quickly grimiced. As fast as she could, she applied her full weight to pressure the wound shut. Yet as she did, the second and third burn wound burst forth flowing freely once again, likely putting the granny in life-threatening pain. "Nonono!" Esphyr's hands flitted about wildly over her body, trying desperately to close the wounds with little more than her fingertips and sheer willpower. When that proved to be of no avail, Esphyr quickly stood up and took her blade. Swinging it about wildly, she cut the grass about the grandmother then gathered the clippings. She didn't know how to make a vulnerary at all, but if she failed now, the woman would die! Gathering up the clippings, she rammed them into the bottle, as if hoping that some form of magical incantation would alter them into a healing salve. Shaking it about wildly, she then upended it, dumping the severed grasses ontop of the granny.

Defeated, Esphyr turned about to plead for help, only to catch sight of the doubtless horrified child once again. It was too much. Esphyr couldn't stand to look at her again. Not when she had failed so badly. Grabbing her sword, she suddenly took off running as fast as she could down the western road. She ran as fast and as hard as she could, trying to leave it all behind. The broken nation, the burned village, the wounded grandmother... Esphyr suddenly came to a stop a good distance down the road.

"It's your fault!" she screamed loudly. "It's all your fault! It's all my fault and it's all your fault as well. Get the hell away from me!" she screamed, suddenly throwing her sword like a hammer as far away down the road as she could. It came to a halt, embedding itself in the ground point first, only several paces away. A faint crimson glow suddenly emanated from Esphyr's hand. The sign of her power; the signal of her failure, the aura of her curse. Several curses on her tongue, she smashed the closest thing she could with the red fist, which happened to be the road.

Punching the road hurt. It hurt like hell. It hurt like the hell she imagined the granny thought she would have felt... It felt good. Esphyr smashed the ground again and again with her fist until her knuckles started to bleed.

"It's my fault... All my fault."

[theonefate]

As Rayton and the cleric finally arrived he saw in dismay that the grandmother wasn't faring too well. He saw that Esphyr tried using healing supplies already, but to no avail. And to add to the situation he heard her a way away chastising herself.

With a sigh he turned to the cleric. "Go take care of her, I have something I need to take care of."

As the cleric began the healing process with the Heal staff Rayton walked until he finally met Esphyr. Seeing as her back was to him and taking into account how she was feeling he merely said nothing and laid a hand on her shoulder; a sign of understanding from him.

...I'm not good at this...

[Ansem]

OOC: It was an old folktale too

Helios didnt feel like wasting anymore time and came back to the camp. He looked around for Rayton hoping t give her the bow he found. Even though he could use he thought he should stick to regular magic for now. He really didnt have anything to do and his wound was healed. He over to Damian to see if anything was needed but Damian was to busy comforting Aiya. He groaned. He had nothing to do. Even Ian was busy chopping wood. Helios decided to train a bit. He went to the back of the camp and took one of the iron bows from the self and created a target. He stringed the bow and then let it go. The bow hit right under the bulls eye. "This is going to take some practice" he said as he strung another arrow

Edited April 7, 2010 by Kai