ACT COMPLETE Angelcynn: The Myrcian Conflict - Act 2

[Nanami Touko]

"No, no, not on our side... There were a few, tense moments, but no one was injured past what our group can deal with-- What about across the way, Emmet?" Cass began to walk, slowly, towards the commotion. "First there was that explosion, I assume Owen, or someone, used that Grenade... But, then that pillar of fire. What was that about? Is everyone alright? I can't see any downtrodden faces among our allies, so I imagine everyone is fine, but..."

[Jotari]

"No, no casualties on our side. We have a much luckier bunch than the last group of mercenaries I associated myself with. Things were getting pretty dangerous before Owen used the grenade" Emmet admitted. Thinking about the grenade couldn't help but bring back Emmet's first meeting with the princess when she practically attacked him for killing Stan. The irony of it brought a smile to his face. "As for that pillar of fire...That was an unexpected...ally. Malaphar I believe his name is." Emmet looked around. "Coming to think of it where has he gotten to? If there's no one that needs medical attention I might as well find out more about this sorcerer."

[Nanami Touko]

"Good... Good." Cass breathed yet another sigh of relief, the knowledge that people were fine letting extra weight off of her shoulders. Though, this mention of a new ally-- and Emmet seemed very reluctant to say ally, brought curiosity mixed with slight worry. Especially if they were summoning magic like that. The mages in Wyke were no better than Claire currently was, and there was no way she could cast something like that. "I think I'll come to meet this Malaphar with you, Emmet... The name isn't familiar at all, and if he's casting magic like that, he deserves some extra supervision."

[Terrador]

Angus shakes his head at Nona, waving the sheet in hand. "Nah, see, I made sure t'have a..." He looks down. This was not a map. This was: "A recipe for pie. Shit." The bear-taming baron stuffs the recipe back into its home (he had such a thing for a beary good reason!). He looks up at the woman facing him--Nona. Realizing his mistake, Angus' eyes dart with a pretense of boredom, hoping to find a distraction. Serge's voice was enough, going on about the twins. Scuttle as well, but that fazed him far less.

[Damn, these two really haven't seen much battle. It's right hard t'tell who's there an' who's not 'til you're right up close.] And close he did. Tired steps, but not downtrodden. Purposeful, yet plodding. A slow, heavy drum, tallying his doubts that Apellon and Arteria lay dead. A final beat confirms Serge's words. [Dead don't walk. There's more of th'rotten bastards.] Angus dismisses the concern after a few more moments' thought; had the robbers any strength at all, they'd have fell on them already. There was time, at least, to fulfill one promise.

Arteria left behind a fair bit more than her brother: a lock of hair shaved clean by Adele, as well as her weapon of choice, both claimed by the baron. Angus fancied a somewhat isolated patch of crimson to be her brother's (though, in truth, no little of Angus' was there as well). He digs crudely, on his knees, with pommel and clenched fist. A tomb for hair and blood.

Their killer by proxy stands, sword in hand. [There ain't a priest 'ere, but I've got a prayer or two for 'em.] A glance to his cub offers little reassurance. His gut balloons, heralding a massive breath. In the barest moment of solemnity, Angus Kearney hopes to offer what passes for a blessing.

"Apellon. Arteria. May Engel's mercy touch th'valorous."

The ground yields under the descending blade. Angus' hands tarry in leaving it, but leave it they do. His posture straightens, his shoulders fall back. It was done.

Edited July 23, 2016 by Terrador

[Jotari]

"I can only assume he's still with Prince Owen, your brother" Emmet said. Seeing Cass in a disheveled state after the battle didn't do much to reinforce the fact that she was a princess so he mentally tried to connect her to Owen. "I'm sure having you alongside me will give me ample reason to eavesdrop above my station."

As they walked towards the fort, Emmet remembered a topic he had been meaning to ask the princess about for some time now. "I hear you've been engaged to a baron. I found that news rather surprising."

Edited July 23, 2016 by Jotari

[Nanami Touko]

"Then let's go see him... Though, I don't think you need me to listen to their conversation. Unless Owen orders privacy, he's not one to keep things from people." Speaking of that... Cass quickly glanced around at who was nearby, nodding. "It's a cover. Ask me later when we have more of a moment to ourselves. But... I can say that much, quickly." Hopefully Emmet would leave it at that for now, and if he had any other pressing questions, he could ask them later.

[Dandragon]

Burned... Serge's mind had flashed back to that pillar of flame he had seen earlier. But surely if something like that burned so close to him, he would have noticed it. It was then, the baron Angus Kearney had come over and began praying for the two twins. Serge's face visually darkened as he saw Angus, the baron's actions of the battle still fresh in his mind, his words to him earlier much fresher. Turning away, he faced himself towards the bard next to him. The less he had to put up with Angus right now the better. "Maybe their bodies faded away or something. They didn't seem too natural to me. *ahem* Anyways..." Serge was trying to change the subject off of the creepy disappearing act. "Scuttle. You had said something about spreading tales of my name or something?"

Edited July 23, 2016 by Dandragon

[Juliette]

Freya saluted after being thanked. "It is my duty. Though, the princess can be quite a handful... how much I was protecting her and how much she was fighting well enough herself is hard to tell." Even after the battle, she was hearing people shout or otherwise being completely melodramatic, eliciting a sigh. "I am... continually finding that many of our companions completely lack composure most of the time. I find that logical thinking is an easy way to remain calm and still solve most problems, but apparently it is not common practice to take a moment to consider possibilities before hollering at the top of your lungs. As if that accomplishes anything."

[Frostivus]

Seeing Angus's unperturbed reaction to the disappearing bodies made Scuttle feel a bit silly about being so dramatic over it. Were instantaneously-vanishing bodies a normal occurence in war? She had read about angels returning souls to the afterlife and magic life-resurrecting elixirs, but the closest non-fictional inspiration she could find had been the Duchess astride her unicorn.

Then Serge prodded her with a rather off-tangent question, which caught her off guard. Then she realized his intent. Of course! Master Serge was trying to draw attention away from her embarrassing 'girl-who-cried-missing-body' rookie mistake and help her save face in front of Sir Angus! She must have looked like a fool, grave robbers, please. How very clever of Serge!

"Yes! Spreading tales, for that is what I, Scuttle Thames, who is not only the greatest bard of all time, but also a veteran of many battles, having fought in many, uh, wars, do! Spread tales! Of wars! That I fought in! Of which there were many!" She gave Serge playful jab on the rib, "You and I, we've seen many battles to not be so easily fazed by the common act of two disappearing bodies, fellow battler! For of course . . . bodies of worthy opponents are uh . . . hoisted to the heavens by angels. Which is why this does not surprise me, Scuttle Thames, a veteran of many battles. And . . . as you can see right now . . . . the Baron is planting his sword into the ground, as is the ritual of all victors who have the possession of said sword, the . . . uh, the . . . " She gestured to Serge, just about pleading, "This is a, uh." She screwed up her face.

"Null Edge," Serge supplied helpfully.

"A Null Edge," she agreed. "Probably foreign, I'd imagine. It is a blade I see often, used against me . . . being a veteran of many . . . battles."

She gave Serge a wink of appreciation. "Tales! Oh-ho! The Spectre! The Wolf! The Spirit! You go by many names, Master Serge. But by the time we reach a society that reads, you will be known as the hero. There will be no bar that will close their doors at you! No want of swooning ladies for you! Though I fully understand if you already have your eyes set on someone else." Scuttle chuckled, "She doesn't hide it very well, does she?"

Edited July 23, 2016 by Frostivus

[SB.]

"You mean..." Claire started, colour quickly fading from her face. Engel... What had she done? Nothing she'd read in the library had said anything about this! She'd been a fool, going along with Emmet and their experiments without thinking of the consequences, and now Slappy... "We, have a problem." she managed, fighting the urge to be sick. This was not what she wanted to hear.

[Dandragon]

Serge couldn't help but smile at Scuttle. Her antics were that of a jester, even if she wasn't trying to make him laugh. Still, she seemed to have a bright outlook on things, like he did when he was a child. And it gave him hope. "You know what... You're alright, Scuttle. You're alright... And please, enough of this 'master' stuff. Just call me Serge." In a way, it felt odd to smile like this. He felt like he hadn't done so in days. It was refreshing.

Of course, her last comment caught him off guard. "Eyes on...Scuttle, what are you talking about?" Now he was confused. Perhaps she knew something that he didn't, or perhaps she was stirring up stories. Or maybe she could see through Serge better than he could see through himself. Was she...talking about Larissa?

[Jotari]

"I suspected as much" Emmet muttered. He felt no further need to pry, his basic level of interest having already been met.

They arrived at the castle not soon after. Sure enough, as he had assumed, Owen and Malaphar were there, deep in conversation. So too was Claire, which made sense. She had crossed on a pegasus during the battle. "Good tidings my prince" Emmet said. "We have suffered no casualties in this skirmish." He gave Claire a courtesy nod and then fixed his eyes on Malaphar. He didn't say anything, instead waiting to see what Owen had been discussing with him.

[Xinnidy]

"Wh-" Owen could hardly elicit a word of surprise at the mention of his other sibling. He expected Malaphar to have interacted with his father to some length, but who was he to know about such an intimate affair? One that could've shaken the kingdom if it wasn't dealt with in such an underhanded manner, no less. How deep did this rabbit hole go? "...You might as well know him better than I." The prince now judged Malaphar with intrigue, hesitant to ask questions, but it was clear that he was considering many.

"...Sir Malaphar, if not northwards, then were should we go?" Owen steeled some composure to focus on the task at hand, "I wish to reach the Raewalden borders sooner than later. There's not much to be gained by staying in Magonsaete." If the sorcerer was so knowledgeable, then he'd certainly give an effective suggestion.

The warning over the fountain's waters struck Owen's mind for a brief moment, but it didn't impact the prince comparatively --all they'd used it on were animals, and Baleros was well defunct now. "We might have met a man that under the vial's effects once, much like you described. That's a fair warning, but we shouldn't worry about-" Owen stopped in his tracks once Claire spoke up. "No..." That was enough disconcerting news for one day, goodness. "...What kind of problem?" Owen's face was too pale to lose color out of fright, but he was certainly not looking forward to whatever Claire had to say.

"Oh, goodness-- Hello, Sir... Emmet." Owen turned sharply to greet the newcomer's voice, at that point the prince was almost expecting another bad news bearer. "No casualties? That's... that's good. Sister..." Owen was starting to feel he'd partaken in one too many conversations, "If you're both here, then I take it everyone's wounds have been taken care of?"

[Nanami Touko]

"Know him? Know who?" It seemed Cass and Emmet had interrupted a rather important looking conversation. Cass wondered who they were talking about, but listening further didn't answer that question. Hopefully this Malaphar would indulge her, because it would feel rather awkward to ask again. But, she remained quiet and listened. It seemed Claire had made some mistake, which didn't quite seem like her, but Cass couldn't fathom what that could've been. After what seemed like an unfortunate moment for Owen, finally it was her turn. She offered him a wry smile, nodding.

"Yes, everyone's fine, or at least everyone up north is. No one's injured down here? Past what Larissa has already attended to?" Cass' attention kept getting drawn to Malaphar, there was some odd air about him, something almost entrancing...

"Hello," she finally said, after realizing she had been staring. "If you're speaking so familiarly with my brother, I take it you must know who I am, so I will skip the introductions. In any case, it's a pleasure, Malaphar. Pardon me; I've already heard your name from Emmet. That pillar was your doing, was it? That was impressive magic. I'm sure Claire would enjoy grilling you over where you learned, at some point." What was it about him? He was... Terrifying, yet enticing, all at once. It felt so odd...

[Frostivus]

Scuttle talked with the flippant trappings of someone who had taken her astuteness in people watching for granted. “Come on, it’s plain as day. You didn’t see it on the ship? Well, perhaps this is a recent affair. But you never questioned how she and you bumped into each other a lot on the voyage, despite having rooms on opposite sides of the ship? How her eyes always sift through the mess hall every evening and lock on you with relief? How she looks over her shoulder when talking with the rest of the group? I mean she is pretty subtle compared to how I was back in my days,” she said in a mix of disbelief and amusement. Then a wave of realisation spread across her face. Larissa might not have wanted him to know. "Okay, in hindsight, maybe it would have better that I didn’t disclose that."

Edited July 24, 2016 by Frostivus

[Dandragon]

It took Serge several seconds to process Scuttle's words. His cheeks were redder than the hair on his head. "I...I don't know what to say. I mean, that's..." He placed his hands to his sides as he looked toward the ground, his face still flushing. He had so many questions. How long was this a thing? How long had Scuttle been talking to her? Had she been speaking to anyone else? Wait, what did she mean by 'back in her days'? Gee, is it getting hot out here? Was this even acceptable? Wasn't she hired cause Doug caught her eye? Was she just saying that to get into his wallet? Was she serious? Was SCUTTLE serious? Holy shit, it's really getting hot.

The more he thought about it the more confused he got. Wasn't this something he was supposed to talk about his parents with? But his parents were in Myrcia. They probably didn't even know he was alive. Mom... Dad... Serge started to feel homesick, again. And there wasn't any liquor to drink.

[Vestige]

There was a large group forming towards the mouth of the castle, and Alain was intent on investigating the matter. After all, he'd be reporting his findings to the Queen once he got back. It was best to not leave out any details if he could help it. He followed a few paces behind Princess Cassandra, and Emmet. A number of faces had gathered around, most that he recognized, one in particular he did not. Malaphar? So that's his name. Presumably, this man was the cause of the giant inferno he'd seen not too long ago. This man instilled in him both feelings of fear, and awe. He was content to listen in on the current proceedings, wondering if this Malaphar was to join them on their journey. It would be a considerable boon if he were to, assuming his intentions remained pure. The Prince, however, was looking rather dour. Perhaps things were not working out for the best?

[Shin]

A vocal pawn

Nelon was rather intriguied by Freya's free speech, it seemed the restrictions of power were not a problem for the guard. "I hope you are able to continue your support. If you able to provide a steady base from which nobility can hold still, then their survival may be possible even in lands like these." he replied. "If there is any aid you require from myself, please, do not hesitate to ask."

--

Powerful Praise

Malaphar's lips curled into a gentle, but rather smug, grin at Cass' compliments. "The pleasure is all mine, Princess." he replied, bowing his head slightly. "I don't often takes students... but I suppose there are principles that would be good to impart to others."

As Owen mentioned their destination, Malaphar seemed to consider his words for a moment, there was a noticeable pause in his silky speech. "There's one other matter I was hoping to share with you, Prince. There are rumours of a captured noble to the south, only a day old or so." he added, looking across the horizon. "The tribes there are plentiful but rather feeble, I can't imagine who they may have taken. There is a suitable path to the west, but there is a small detour I would very much like to make. The savages have an artifact stolen from Wihtwar, one I'd rather like to reclaim. It would be a matter of hours, but I would appreciate the diversion."

[Frostivus]

"Hello? Wyke to Serge?" Scuttle waved a hand past him in a fruitless attempt to elicit a response. "Engels, Serge. The way you're acting, people will think girls have never been interested in you before!"

Was Scuttle wrong in being so surprised? She went through her bucket list again. Single. Young. Able-bodied leader of a well-respected group in a very physically-intensive profession. Single. Did every woman in Wyke suddenly decide to become a nun when she wasn't looking?

Well, the less competition . . .

Slosh slosh.

Digging circles in the ground with her feet had always been a chronic nervous habit of hers, but it was the sound of her penny loafers wading in a puddle of strangers' blood that anchored her senses back into reality. Right. There had been an immensely huge battle. She had ran the length of three streets. Sure enough, she could already feel the adrenaline high of battle waning away, and the pain of every muscle in her body coming sharply into focus.

The tales rarely told of the sloppy post-battle fatigue.

"Right . . . so we've solved the mystery of the disappearing bodies for now," she said, becoming intensely aware of the dried blood and mud smeared all across her clothes. She rested her weight onto her knees, and took a long exhale. "So . . . kegs of ale all night long? Set camp?"

Edited July 25, 2016 by Frostivus

[Xinnidy]

"No, things on our end went rather smoothly." Owen answered any worries that might have struck Cass immediately, perhaps the only news that didn't have an ominous feeling behind them. "They definitely had numbers, but we found an answer to that." The prince couldn't help a small smirk following. A little bit of self-assurance was good for the soul.

Malaphar's suggestion came right out of left field. Not only it meant he was asking them to walk further into Magonsaeten territory, it was a surprising premise. You'd think a prince would catch wind of a rumour as dire as this, unless Malaphar wasn't implying a Wykian noble. "You truly are something, you know that?" Owen blurted out the phrase without even thinking, catching himself with an embarrassed head shake. "Anyhow, if the detour would be a matter of hours, that seems... more reasonable, but I'd like to ask how much confidence you have in those rumours." He didn't want to say it in front of Malaphar, but helping a wizard chase after rumours after claiming to spend one year in Magonsaete thanks to inaccurate ones wasn't something he looked forward.

[Dandragon]

Serge shook his head, getting himself out of his daze. "Yeah...Yeah, ale. Sounds good. I definitely need a drink after this." He said, holding his head in his hand. "I just need to go check that Larissa is okay, then we can all relax for...however long we got." He looked over to the middle of the island. "Maybe we should ask the prince if he don't mind resting up in a former enemy fort. I think we all need some shade right about now." Serge pulled at his collar. It was only now he too felt his fatigue catch up to him, and he felt dehydrated, too.

"It was nice talking to ya. I hope we get a chance to speak again." With a nod to Scuttle, and one last look at Angus, he walked off to the group forming in search of the one mercenary he hadn't seen since leaving the boat.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Dandragon

[Ether]

"The name doesn't mean much of anything to me, either... well, things about him look civil, at least for now." Adeltrudis replied, looking over at the odd man, who seemed to be speaking with Owen in the distance. Scanning the remains of the battlefield, everyone seemed to be... mostly alright. Those who had gotten stuck on the ship appeared to have met back up with Serge, though they seemed to be having a bit of a commotion over... something. Perhaps some of them were green and hadn't been expecting much.

"I suppose we can only hope he means no harm. I fear for our chances were he to turn on us... we might well take him out through numbers, but I doubt it would be without loss."

[riariadne]

"I don't think he wants to kill us. If he did, he completely missed his opportunity earlier," Sidney pointed out. She crossed her arms, observing the large gathering of people engaged in small conversations. "We would've been in no position to defend against him at all. So if he has a dark agenda, I don't think the death of any of us is what he has in mind." Sighing, she brushed off her shoulder, tugging at her vest top. "Best not to worry about it too much, I think... it'll only invite unneeded trouble on the mind."

[Juliette]

"It is an honor to serve. I hope to continue defending them as well as I can- or I'd be a sorry excuse for a guard." Freya leaned onto her lance a bit, wiping some sweat off her brow. "I can't think of anything else I have to ask for now, but I appreciate your kindness. I'll come back to you if something comes to mind, Sir."

[SB.]

Claire returned Emmet's nod with pursed lips, really wishing that he and the princess could have picked another time to join the conversation. Or just not in general. "You asked me to, well, test it." she replied, voice barely above a whisper. It felt difficult for her to say it aloud. Her mind was still racing, still trying to rationalise what Malaphar had said, when the penny dropped.

"Dettard's giant was the one who had it." It all seemed so simple now. "He must've drank from it." she muttered, doing her best to steady her voice while avoiding eye contact. She should've figured it out on her own, and far sooner. She'd spent a full day in the library, scouring page after page of history books for some kind of detail on the fountain, but she'd missed the one that was staring her in the face. Baleros had been powerful, undeniably so, but even more unstable. He'd killed his own brother in a fit of rage as he broke his bounds, and then almost chased down Angus soon afterwards.

She was shaking a little by this point. Whether it was from guilt, fear or shame, she wasn't sure, but it took all of her composure to avoid wanting to crawl into a ball and die. She hoped since the clown had only consumed a small amount of the elixir that perhaps he'd be fine, but she didn't feel optimistic about his chances.