Fire Emblem: Wretched Whispers, Act 3: Resurgence

[scorri]

Taima frowned at the lack of response. "Hmm, should we go check and see what's going on there or just assume that it's some poor fellow who didn't want to be disturbed? Probably shouldn't just go breaking into someone's house... Still, we can poke around a bit more out here, see if we can find anything interesting at least."

[eclipse]

"Hi boss, glad I was able to find you," Peter said, doing his best to keep a handle on what he wanted to say. "There's something I wanted to talk about," he continued, before looking, "but not out here. Is there somewhere that's a little quieter?"

[Percivalé]

Vale turned his head. The commotion seemed to pass him by as if it were nothing to him. He looked over the crowd up towards Calden, who was now swarming in customers too eager; and the attention seemed to sap away from so much of the square that the uncrowded portion seemed almost barren now, as if no life passed through in days.

He appreciated a shopkeep that tended to his business even in the heat of drama, and promptly answered his question. "Yeah... I suppose so." He eyed the other man curiously, absentmindedly scanning over his wares for a good few seconds; as if the people here valued time, anyhow, he mused. "I was hoping to find something that would suit a new style I want to try out in battle..."

[Xinnidy]

"Hmm, well, this is my first time here. I must say I've not been to a church in Sloktan before..." Magali's eyes wandered very briefly throughout the room, but returned to the woman quickly. "It must be a daunting task, with Sloktan in the state it has been. Though..." Magali turned her face to scan the surroundings once more, "It does not seem like you need more healers, thankfully. Is it often like this?"

Magali looked back briefly to catch Melanie distracted by the cathedral's structure, managing a smirk at the girl's look of wonder.

[Bluedoom]

"Taima, there's nothing wrong in barging into that house. This is a desolate area and some shady character is hiding around here. Don't you want to investigate into this matter?" replied Wolfgang, shaking his head at her suggestion. Turning to Orpheus, he ordered, "And you, zip it! Way to alert someone who could possibly be dangerous! Don't you know anything about sneaking around?"

Wolfgang then moved slowly towards the house from which he had heard the 'puff' sound. He was reading with his book in hand, to sling a spell at the first sign of danger.

[Shin]

Their spectator had seemed rather keen to split at the slightest provocation. That was evidence that he were either incredibly shy, or couldn't risk confronting the group at all. Considering how unimportant they were individually, it would be reasonable to assume that they were interested in the group... and whatever their mission was, Orpheus was starting to regret not paying a huge amount of attention to their briefing.

"Don't worry that goatee of yours, Wolfy, I think our friend's got a little too much on the line to cause us trouble." he replied, looking up at the window. He wasn't liking this, people didn't just poof from their own homes, intruders did. "The boss lady'll want to hear about this, we've had trouble since we left port... I think we need to do a little more snooping around."

[riariadne]

serious bananas

"Well... we could head towards a side street or something. Most of them are quiet. Is it that serious?" Sheikah inquired, now genuinely worried. "Do you already know some of the details, Artemis, Sierra?"

Cathedral

"Solitude is perfectly welcome here. Peace to you, child," the elderly woman told Diana before looking towards Magali. "Times in Sloktan have been difficult. Sickness is common, but we're looking towards improving cures each day. It's fortunate we have so many kind souls here to help. The community helps the church, and we help the people, even in these difficult times. We seek to be a light that can help Tairell and Sloktan begin a recovery process. The people here remain hopeful that life will become better."

Salesman

"A new style, you say?" The salesman eyed him over, noticing the swords that were sheathed. "Maybe I have something that could interest you. Say, this blade, perhaps?" He gestured to the most curved one. "This is a shamshir, a rare blade from foreign lands. Sleek, light in weight. It's made for getting in that one crucial strike you need. If you're interested, I'd sell it to you for... how's seven hundred gold sound to you?"

Stillness

Approach or no approach, no more sound came from the room. Whoever was there either was quite patient or had already left, but for now it was impossible to tell.

[Bluedoom]

Wolfgang paused for a moment to observe if there were any movements inside the house through one of the broken windows, however, it was too dark to see if there was anything suspicious moving about inside the house. Biting his lip, he slowly turned the doorknob, opening the door slowly while he positioned himself to hide behind the wall, so as to not get blindsided. In a low tone, he whispered to Orpheus, "Hey, do you see anything inside? I don't see any trap so far..."

[Nanami Touko]

Melanie was brought back into reality by the mention of sickness. "Are zere people to 'elp, 'ere?" she asked, making her way over to the sister, through her awe. "I can use ze staff, and so can Magali 'ere... I do not know about 'er, ben, eef I can 'elp anyone before I leave 'ere today, zat would be wonderful." It would also give her more of a chance to practice healing things outside of physical wounds, but that was beside the point. Totally.

[Percivalé]

His eyes studied the shamshir from its hilt all the way down its curve to the tip. He'd only rarely seen swords like this; back home shamshirs and scimitars were something only merchants and the upper classes could afford, whereas here they seemed more readily available. (He patted the killing edge sheathed to his hip.) Although he did not consider it too impossible, he felt it surreal to be presented with the opportunity to hold one, let alone purchase one himself to wield. His eyes lit up in a strange way; his hands twitched.

"Yeah..." Vale's gaze was still on the blade as he spoke. His voice seemed to trail along its curve, back and forth, almost hypnotized. He wondered what type of steel it was forged from; he couldn't remember for the life of him, in the textbooks he'd read, the metals they'd commonly used across the seas. They were supposed to be more flexible yet durable at the same time. They could be swung again, and again, and again, swiped from side to side, its rhythm as a dance with the beat of drums, the reverberations becoming the howls of men that fell to their grace. He imagined the smallest sheepskin drums he'd ever seen in the background as dancers with shamshirs donned their costumes and prepared their deadly routine of beads and blades.

"I've been practicing something similar, but this seems like an entirely new extreme." He paused. "Seven hundred, you said?" He brushed his hair from his face and tucked it behind him, into the back of his tunic. Perhaps to ground himself from his daydream. "I think I'd like to try it out."

Edited July 12, 2016 by Quote

[Ether]

The Cathedral certainly was something to look at. So much so that Celestia herself hadn't really managed to come up with much to say as they were admiring the piece of architecture. She had remained silent through it all, mostly in awe, though blushing a bit as Melanie brought up the idea of her Prince... princess, as it were. The girl was being rather forward with that sort of thing, as of late.

As they went inside and were approached by one of the nuns, something felt... out of place. Asking directly of treatment as soon as they walked in? Sickness didn't spread so fast most of the time to be enough of a concern for it to be the first thing asked of... unless they were treating something else.

"Do you... treat a lot of people here? It seems... unfortunate that would be one of the first things you would come to ask of guests." Celestia began, pausing for a moment.

"Perhaps it is presumptuous of me, but... I am a monster exterminator by trade. If you're in need of assistance, I'd... like to be of help, if I can. I know that they are a widespread issue, if you're faced with many injured, it seems unlikely for them now to be involved."

[scorri]

Taima sighed and crossed her arms. "Are you two really going to do this? It's a house. Someone else's house. We have no way of knowing if something sneaky is going on and if it isn't and we break into the house for no reason, we're going to be the ones needing to explain ourselves. And somehow I doubt the boss would be happy about having to get us out of jail."

[Shin]

"I've got that covered, Taima, don't worry." Orpheus replied, already poking his head through the door. "The boss can't get too mad if we drag you along with us! We don't know who'll find in there, our friend might not be so friendly after all." Considering how the man had been so reluctant to be noticed, it didn't seem like he was trying to draw them into a trap - but it didn't hurt to make sure.

Stepping through the door slowly, Orpheus scanned the room, rather disgusted with how poorly kept the place was. Either it had been abandoned for quite some time or someone had been skipping out on their chores. Looking back at Wolfgang and Taima, he beckoned forwards. "Coast is clear, nothing here but dust and cobwebs. There might be something upstairs."

[Xinnidy]

"I see..." Sloktan still faced the problems that Magali expected, even if the community and church tried to make things a little more bearable. Melanie and Celestia had their own questions, and seemed eager to help, which brought a smile upon the dancer's face. "It is true that we might be leaving soon, but I'd be glad to help if there's anything we can offer."

Edited July 12, 2016 by Xinnidy

[riariadne]

Of Monsters and Men

"If you'd like to help, I'm sure people would appreciate your kindness." The church matron gestured towards the healers and those nearby at Magali and Melanie's inquiries. "I would simply ask- though most people's troubles are sickness, there are some wounded as well. Fights are unfortunately common."

Celestia's question was answered in a much more somber tone. "A difficult crusade, to be certain. While all are mostly safe within Tairell, beyond the capital is a darker prospect. Monsters are unrelenting there, as they've been for years. There are safe havens that do exist, but they are rare. Some seasons are worse than others. All we know for certain are that the monsters come from the fortress in the Graan Desert."

"The aggression of monsters is always tied to people. In the Graan Fortress lies the Desert Executioner, Magnus. He makes demands of the people of Sloktan and Tairell, enforcing his will on the populace. The army's attempts to strike are always futile, for he is one step ahead, and the military is limited." The elderly woman sighed. "Don't head towards the Graan. If you wish to continue your campaign here still, seek out small groups of monsters across the country instead. That's likely the simplest way to make a difference. Of course, you'd have to be careful not to get lost or ambushed. It is treacherous in the wilderness, but should you seek to visit it anyway, may you be blessed, child."

Shamshir!

"Of course. Just don't try anything funny- not accusing you, just people try it all the time. Rough times out there," the shopkeeper explained, before handing the shamshir to Vale to try.

Dark Knight

It wasn't long after some examination from Orpheus that the air looked different, the silhouette and eventually the figure of a man fading into existence. "I need practice," he spoke in a dry monotone, evidently not pleased with his situation. He was somewhat familiar- though the trio had never seen him, they'd heard him described. He was tall, wearing a dark blue coat that matched his eyes. At his side was a foreign blade, and in one hand he held a tome- dark magic, judging by the black cover. He reached into a pouch on his belt next to the sword. A small bit of powder flitted through the air, eyes narrowing. "It's been some time since I've been to the city. I had thought stillness better than outright departure when I was careless enough to be noticed, though clearly this method has proved... ineffective. Vanishing is difficult to maintain under direct watch. No matter."

He readied his tome. "I suggest retreating. Numbers advantage or not, it'll ease your pain to not bother with me."

Edited July 14, 2016 by Reinfleche

[scorri]

Taima had been about to respond to Orpheus when the man they had been warned about previously. Quickly pulling her lance out, she settled into a defensive stance. "Orpheus, Wolfgang. Get behind me, now. So you. We've been warned about you by someone who claimed to be hunting you. And then you just stumble conviniently into our laps. So either it's really crazy random happenstances, or something bigger is going on here. So who are you and why would someone be hunting you? Though with the way John left so quickly, maybe it was less he was hunting you and more the other way around."

[Shin]

This certainly was an interesting scenario, Orpheus was hoping that John's story had been a little exaggerated. An edgy midget with an overdue library book would have been far less daunting that the man that stood in front of them. From what they'd been told, and what he could see, a fight would end fairly badly for them. On the other hand, if he'd been so keen to wipe them all out, why hadn't he done so? If he were as strong as daunting as he appeared and claimed to be, eliminating all three of them would have been a simple task. Could he not afford to be found out? Considering how much he'd been sneaking around and trying to avoid trouble, it certainly sounded like it.

"I think it's a little easier for all of us if we don't get ourselves into a brawl." Orpheus added, his hand ready to draw his axe. "I don't really care too much about this John, it's his problem if he's got some magical madman after him. Something tells me you're not too keen about causing a ruckus, because we're not too keen about being cut up into pieces either."

There was no point in trying to provoke this man, he looked far too boring to make an empty threat - the chances were he could do it if he had no other options. If there was one thing stupider than trying to poke a bull's rear with a stick, it was trying to tap it on the nose. They'd either have to talk it out or try to get away. He was pretty sure he could outrun both Taima and Wolfgang, but he wasn't quite ready to ditch either of them to save himself.

[Bluedoom]

Way to go, Taima! We run into the guy someone was hunting, and you just have to tell him that we are acquaintances with his bounty hunter, don't you? Why in the world would he spare us now? Wolfgang thought to himself sardonically, clearly alarmed at the escalating situation.

"I'm not good at negotiations, but," Wolfgang replied casually while quickly taking cover behind Taima, conjuring orbs of darkness to circulate the group in a defensive position, "don't take me for a fool. Clearly you're a wanted man, and if you wanted to make a getaway, you could've easily done that seconds ago without any commotion. You're threatening to kill us, and you expect us to turn our backs and run, showing our blind spots?"

[Refa]

"I can't speak for Sierra, but I haven't heard anything about it myself," Artemis replied apprehensively. What exactly is it that Peter found out?

Edited July 15, 2016 by Refa

[Xinnidy]

Magali turned her head to glance some of the healers, nodding at the lady's information, but couldn't help turn back as she spoke in detail of the Graan Fortress. "The Desert Executioner?" That was not actually a name Magali was familiar with, and hearing his involvement with the monsters was just as bizarre. "Impose his will... does he fancy himself a king because of the monsters?" Magali frowned, "That sounds horrible."

[Nanami Touko]

"Zet ees terrible! We should deal wis 'im!" Melanie was outraged to think there was some jerk hanging out in the desert that thought they had that sort of right! "Where does 'e get off, eh? Franchement! I would like to give 'im a piece of ma mind avec my flux tome and see eef 'e sinks eet ees funny zen!" She huffed and folded her arms stepping over to Magali and tugging on her sleeve. "We should tell Sheikah and do somesing about 'im." She looked fairly serious, for such a quickly learned whim. Maybe she was still enjoying her high from the sight of the cathedral and everything is contained, but still.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, forgetting herself. "We should 'eal zese people 'ere first. Ahaha. I asked; I can not forget about eet now."

[riariadne]

Trouble in Tairell

"John's around?" The man didn't seem surprised, but rather irritated. "He's persistent, which is somewhat inconvenient. You're unwise to try against me, but if you refuse to leave, I have nothing to say." He looked to Wolfgang, showing the slightest of smirks from his otherwise stony expression. "If your plan is to fight me with a flux tome... of course I'll take you for foolish. Your dark magic knowledge is sorely limited if you don't recognize the powerful kind of magic I'm using."

Tyranny in this land

"Be careful, child," spoke the matron. "Travelers, merchants, soldiers, many have tried to pass through Graan by way of the Fortress. Ever since Magnus established his power there, almost none have returned- and this started ten years past. Those who do return are injured, and tell terrible tales of him. He has many fighters he commands in addition to the monsters. His demands vary every time, and he never lets his overall goal be aware. But Magnus and his four enforcers hold an iron grip on the Graan Desert, and with it can threaten much of the people of Sloktan." The elderly woman paused a bit to think.

"Stories are short, but grim, and people tend only to speak of him in hushed terms if they think a spy for him could be near. Magnus and his four enforcers are said to be terrible. He wields an enchanted spear himself, striking at the lower guard of anyone who would challenge him. Gerrard the summoner conjures the monsters that are used to take control of the desert. Vincent, the infiltrator, finds information for him through trickery and relays it near instantly. Schwann guards the desert, as he is spoken to be nearly impervious to spells." She looked at Melanie after this one as if warning her. "Perhaps to be the most feared after Magnus is Weston- when he senses someone injured, his blade is soon to chase after them. I cannot stop you from heading towards the desert, but please don't be reckless."

very hush hush

"I don't know anything either! C'mon, Peter, tell us," Sierra spoke up.

"Well, he said it's important..." Sheikah interjected. "Let's not be hasty. Here, I past by a good alley earlier, not too out of the way and not that shady. We don't have anywhere truly private yet, but it's better than in the middle of the square."

The boss lead the four to the place in question- sure enough, there were only a few people, but they seemed to be minding their own business, and the houses were in good condition. "Well, Peter? What'd you find that's so important?"

Edited July 19, 2016 by Reinfleche

[Nanami Touko]

The older woman offered them all terrible tales of who was guarding the desert, but Melanie knew one thing: tales tended to be just that. She'd read enough of them! It was a bit frightening that she had so much knowledge of what they could do, but they couldn't just ignore something like that, right? They were the good guys! And the good guys had to deal with the unjust. Melanie shook her head. "Non. I sink we should try to do somesing. I will 'ave to talk to Sheikah and see what she sinks après we are done 'ere." She nodded, staff in hand now, walking right up to the woman. "Donc, now, where are ze injured? I wish to 'elp zem before I 'ead back to ma boss."

[eclipse]

Peter took a look around. It seemed empty enough. "Remember those scrolls on the ship? There was some helpful books in the library, and it didn't take long before I decoded this from Taima's scrolls:"

LEADS TO THE EMBLEM MAY LIE WITH THE DIPLOMAT AVOID HIS DEATH TO OBTAIN HIS KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT IT THE MISSION IS USELESS IF HE DOES GIVE INFORMATION THEN HE IS OF USE TO US NO LONGER

"Right now, Artemis has that Emblem. If they'd kill a diplomat over information on the Emblem, what do you think they'd do to her if they found out she had it?"

[Xinnidy]

Magali felt Melanie's tug and answered with a hand on her shoulder, a simple act to try to comfort the girl some. "Ah, maybe... maybe Sheikah could find a way to deal with it, but we are here on a mission already." It was wise to remind it, at least. She wouldn't put it past Sheikah to find a way to deal with another task if she could, but it would depend on how complex their future assignment was. "It truly sounds like a reign of terror. I do wish to help, if we can find a way." To hear this side of Sloktan made it seem like things only spiraled from the past war, and Magali couldn't help feel a need to aid her homecountry in some way.

"Ah, yes." Melanie's bringing the sickly to attention again reminded Magali, and the dancer drew one of the healing staves she carried on her side. "Let's attend to the wounded while we can." She smiled to the matron.