Fire Emblem Dawnward Song IC

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: Supply Cache Base - Ambushed Woodland - Verguld, Tavin Region​

All around her, Alena's comrades were doing their best, what was left of the enemy in short order was dead or dying, leaving the animals alone as the principal threat. Without handlers there was little to be said, the large cats were at the mercy of the warriors, short of isolated encounters, an encounter of the likes the Sevin was just now meeting. While Alena had blown past them to bring herself and her weapons into range of the enemy, demeaning the beasts a lesser threat, Sevin had not and attacked the pair, or at least one of the pair, slaying it with relative ease, before the second had him pinned. Being so far ahead of all the rest Alena was too busy engaging the enemy leader on her own, it did briefly distract her, the pace of all but the fliers and Sevin himself was less than desired.

Or no, it was her own fault for wanting the leader dead most of all. She would have to regulate herself into limited breakthroughs and support alongside some of the rest. While the flyers had and could eclipse her own speed it was not always ideal to bring them in so close. While she was a Veteran and could hold her own, the same could not be said for all the rest. Not that she believed that infernal beast could break through Sevin's armor, though she did not have to worry long or at all, as the Flying Serpent Laguz swept in, snatching the purple sabretooth monstrosity in her jaws, sweeping off to the sky, and quickly vanishing into the tree line. As she had done many times this day, with it being unknown just to what the details of the assumed killing entailed.

While it was well intentioned, eventually they would see and the bonds between the Laguz and Beorc would be tested. It was something that always happened in the mixed unit formations of the Mercenary Companies. Back at the duel with the leader, the Knight had a clear superiority over her foe, in armor, in physical power, though one would scarcely know it lest they knew her secret, in their very weapons. Sword Vs ax, with a flurry of blows the two clashed, the ax man committing fully to the attack, as Alena gave nor asked for any quarter, determined that the leader would die, here and now. The idea of taking him as a bounty was one, she would not humor as her sword bit into his left shoulder and his ax narrowly missed her face as a few tufts of hair were cut.

Breaking off on their mounts the two cavaliers would trot in a semi-circle before Alena rearing back on her own beast would charge in, as the battle went on, some words would pass between the two as the final enemies fell, the silver eyed swordswoman would buck with her horse, and bring her strength and the weight of herself and horse down upon the axeman with a unique skill born from experience her blade smashed his ax downwards and away, breaking his guard and staggering him as she in a single swiping motion to follow it up, took his head clean from his shoulders.

Not yet satisfied with this and while calm, allowing her anger to get the better of her, she found the last remaining barbarian and chased him down as he fled, holding her blade diagonally and extended to her right as her left hand held the reins, she would swoop in and rake her sword with a traditional cavalry charge, cutting down the fleeing man in one swift motion before making her way back to Xunlei and Tiko, she had disturbed the plans of Xunlei, but not decidedly so as the leader spoke with the Ninja;

~~~

With her work done and her sword bloodied, Alena swung the blade twice to be sure as much of the blood as possible hit the ground, before trotting over to Xunlei and Tiko. Knowing the latter, she was curious just why he was alone and where the others of the scouting group were. At least the Camp was not totally abandoned, but still, this had been a victory, if not bloody, all of hers were alive, though one had not joined the fighting at all.

A problem to correct, and soon. For now, and from atop her horse, Alena curiously leaned down from the side so that the Ninja would not have to tilt his head up too much, her words were terse and to the point. “Give me your Report, why are you here and they aren’t?”

Tiko calmly turned to the woman on horseback, his eyes slightly heading up to match her silver feline gaze. She looked exactly how he had remembered her… somehow still so young just like that day a few years ago,... still the same as he remembered.

“I was to stay behind and relay the information of the changes to the situation. We found the northern route we believed to be their landing zone. We didn’t want to lose track so I stayed behind while they moved on,” the ninja explained before motioning his hands to flames around him.
“This situation happened to kick off by unexpected chance, and I chose to intervene based on the information you would probably do the same,” he clearly spoke as if he knew Alena, and in fact he did.

“Atop that the 11 others of the Recon party shuttled after a 30-man strong party. Given the evidence here, and what we noticed upon tracking the Empire is involved here, and likely has an Airship not too far from what we project to be their landing zone,” TIko finished his report before raising a brow to Alena as he sheathed his blades.

“So shall I join your current ranks again?”


“Stragglers huh?” She asked of the dead men around them as she took in the information she had learned just then. It was a sensible enough explanation. Though he still didn’t answer her satisfactorily as to why he was here trying to save the Civilians was one hell of a risk that would have endangered his main objective. She could not deny that she would have done the same at least.

Still, the likelihood of an Airship made sense. 30, or rather 50 to 60 men meant multiple airships or one of the capital-grade ones the Empire had commissioned as heavy carriers. Then there was his request to join their group. Narrowing her eyes briefly to consider the proposal, Alena leaned back up straight and motioned with her head. “Come along, I’ll leave one of our laggards behind, though I’ll need to put in the proper paperwork, so the detachment doesn’t think I stole you. Also how long has it been? A couple of days, hours?”

“As you wish. About a day and a half since they left though I have concerns with how they had a secondary group lagging this far behind. The enemy that is,” Tiko answered along with a few concerns of his own on this unexpected formation delay with the main group of the enemy. It was almost as if the enemy was trying to weed a recon team out in fact.

“Regardless I know the path forward well and should be able to help expedite movement with some side trails,” Tiko added handing Alena a map with the area fully scouted out.
“My rather impressive Silver Eyes… you haven’t aged a day,” Tiko spoke softer in a whisper for her to only hear he was curious about the nature of such wonders, but his curiosity died impressively fast as he motioned.

“Shall I guide?”

“No need. We’ll take to the sky, for now back to camp, we’ll need to make arrangements to bury the dead and move the burned wagons and get the Civilians to safer hands, or at least on their own... By the time all of that is done, we’ll be into the second day. No way we’ll catch up on foot alone.”

She then whispered in kind and maybe a bit at his own expense; “You have your shadows too after all.”
With all that said and done in quick order the wounded and Civilians would be taken to the Field camp where next actions would be planned and the group. Winding down, learning about their comrades or coping with the losses, helping the civilians, any manner of actions of the day could be faced. Ii was the Calm before the storm and the might as well make use of it when not rotated into shifts.





OOC: A down time was made for the aftermath of this for some to reflect and wait for the more detailed event as some players requested. Make us of this with collab or in rapid posting, as he support quests.


Interactions: All Gundam Watcher 27 EmperorsChosen Serei2477 @Landsharks @Tellussoil Aura Of Twilight @Carolyn Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin @IG42

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

As the last archer's body crumpled to the ground, Vierra twisted back toward the road and the burning caravan. She gave a brusque nod to Fiona and her steed, Hector, as thanks for watching her back, though it seemed things were winding down. By the time she slithered back to the burning caravan, Alena was already locking swords with the enemy leader further down the road and appeared to have the upper hand. A more immediate concern was Sevin, who was down and being set upon by two of the feline beasts, creating a flurry of purple fur and pink armor.

Vierra sprang into action. "Purple pests," she hissed. "They must be jealous of your GLORIOUS red!" With a powerful stroke of her wings, she launched herself the last couple of meters and tackled one of the beasts, tearing it off of Sevin. As she tussled with the big cat, Vierra desperately coiled around its body, before finally finding purchase. Her fangs sank into the nape of its neck, like a mother lion violently picking up a cub. Seconds later, she was airborne, lifting the big cat up and away while it snarled and thrashed violently.

Gaining altitude with such a heavy load was no easy task, but she eventually rose above the treetops and unceremonoiusly dumped her squirming victim somewhere in the woods. Due to the combined efforts of her venom, the fall, and the sudden stop (and each sharp branch on the way down) she was certain the beast was dead before it hit the ground. Even a cat would not find its feet from such height.

Afterwards, Vierra remained in the sky, flying overwatch. From her high vantage point, she saw no further targets. The enemy commander lay dead at the hooves of Alena's mount. Xunlei and the black-garbed stranger had also triumphed over their foes. And any surviving civilians had regrouped with Daybreakers or were in the process of doing so. Unfortunately, from this altitude, she could also see how many had not made it. The area around the caravan was littered with bodies. Even with the speed and might of an airship, they weren't fast enough to prevent these senseless atrocities... nor would they ever be.

The various pockets of activity appeared to be calming down. Even her own adrenaline was beginning to subside. Vierra's wings ached and every small cut and scrape stung anew. Nevertheless, she remained vigilant. There was still work to be done. Mustering a second wind, Vierra turned back toward the Castilian and the lake upon which it had landed. She returned a few minutes later with a barrel of water and some empty buckets. Sadly, by this time there wasn't much left of the caravan. Her efforts were probably futile, but she would sleep soundly tonight knowing she had at least tried to extinguish the flames and save what little remained.

Putting out the fires was only the first step of the post-battle recovery efforts. There were bodies to collect and survivors to tend to. Most mercenaries loathed this side of the job. They would rather celebrate their 'victory' and prepare for the next battle, while others handled the aftermath of the bloodshed. This was far from Vierra's favorite task, but she saw it as necessary. We're here to save lives, she thought as the flames danced in her green eyes. When we fail that, there is a weight to bear.

* * * * *​

Nearly half an hour later, order was restored. The burning caravan was extinguished and its charred remains were hauled off of the road until a more permanent disposal could be arranged, a task for pencil pushers someplace else. The dead were counted, identified, and transported to the nearby supply depot until burial or cremation arrangements could be made. Meanwhile, the living were rounded up there are well. Some gave accounts of the attack. Most simply milled around, likely still coming to terms with all that had happened this day.

For her part, Vierra gave them ample space. She appeared noticeably quieter than usual and didn't go near the survivors. In the aftermath of the battle, she mostly helped with the physical work, such as moving the destroyed caravan, and chose not to interact with the survivors or even touch the bodies of the deceased. After such a terrible loss, the last thing these people needed was a giant snake slithering around them or handling the remains of their friends and loved ones. Even after her transformation wore off and she reverted to her human form, she still didn't approach them.

A Laguz is still a Laguz, no matter what form it takes.

Everyone is open-minded... until they're not, she thought as she watched them from a safe distance away, gazing down from the deck of the Castilian. Meal preparation was underway. The smell of what appeared to be a hearty stew wafted up to her from the camp below and she watched as the beorcs lined up to get their share. She would go... later. No matter how many people she helped, she was still just a beast, in their eyes. Not all of them, of course. But all it took was one grieving mother, angry father, or orphaned child to shout a slur. As much as she wanted to offer kind words or a helping hand, it truly wasn't a risk worth taking. In times like these, the best way to 'help' was to leave them to their own kind.... for now. Perhaps another day, she would not be so considerate.

A thin smile manifested on her face as Vierra took hold of her lute and mounted the railing. She took a seat, letting her legs dangle over the edge as she began to strum a few experimental notes, searching for the right melody to punctuate this occasion.
Interactions: Gundam Watcher 27 (Sevin & Fiona)
Mentions: RedArmyShogun (Alena) | @Landsharks (Xunlei) | Azurian Dream (Tiko)

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Sevin

One of the Beasts had been dragged away, presumably by one of the fliers. He couldn't tell because he was too busy using his free arm to push back against the beast that was still on him. He felt around for his axes with his other hand, and found one. He swiftly pulled it towards him and swung overhead, hitting the beast in the head. Sevin heard its skull crack and felt its body go limp right then. Sevin then fell unconscious, not from pain or even the aspect of the fact he was close to death, but from exhaustion.
------------------
Fiona


Vierra flew ahead to aid anyone who was still in the midst of combat. Fiona followed close behind, and saw her grab a beast off a heavily armored man, in very bright pink colors, before flying off with it. Fiona saw the man grab an axe and dispatch the beast soon after, before he stopped moving. Fiona got off Hector and ran over to see if he was still breathing. He was.

Fiona, despite her short size, had managed to get the armored man up, so she can slide him onto Hector's back. They flew to the field camp, and after Fiona dropped him off at the Infirmary, they flew back to the airship. Fiona left Hector at the stable, so her pegasus can get some well earned rest.
As she headed up to the deck, she would heard some beautiful music being played. Fiona looked around for the source, and soon found that it belonged to Vierra. Fiona stayed quiet as she played. After a small bit, she let out a sigh, not of disappointment, but from being entranced by it.

Interactions: AnonyMouse​

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

Levi Grantz
Location: Ambushed Woodlands - Supply Cache - Verguld
Mentions: Thalia_Neko , Serei2477 , RedArmyShogun
Interactions: AnonyMouse
​

Levi was glad when the silence stricken Bee agreed to accompany Shula and himself. He was well aware that he was a sitting duck of push came to shove, and while he had no doubt Shula was a capable woman, she was still one person. If they got surrounded, he doubted that he'd be able to hold off even a single bandit before being overwhelmed. So having someone else with them helped settle his nerves.

Moving quickly, the trio made their way towards the next group of civilians. Thankfully, they didn't encounter any more bandits, due to their leader being cut down by their commander in rather gorey fashion. With their leader slain, he doubted that the remaining bandits would stick around. All that remained was to try and assist the survivors as best as he could.

"Please, gather all of the injured together." He requested of both his companions, as well as any of the survivors who were able to assist. As the others worked on their tasks, from attempting to salvage what they could of the caravan, to gathering the bodies of both civilian and bandits alike, Levi focused on the task at hand. His expression shifted, different from the off-putting smile he had worn before, but not the naked concern he had when Shula had been shot with. Instead, it was the same expression he would wear when reciting scriptures, or going about his other works.

'Take heart' He thought to himself as he approached the group. They huddled together, groans and cries of pain sounding out, both from their wounds and from the loss of their loved ones. Levi raised his staff and closed his eyes, reciting a prayer as his magic slowly worked through the group, one at a time. 'The Goddess has taken them from their suffering. May your ordeal bring you closer to happiness.'

---

As the day slowly wound to a close, Levi found himself looking out over the area from the deck of the Castilian. He was tired, both physically as well as mentally. Between healing the injured, assisting with the burial process, and holding a small ceremony for those who had passed, he hadn't felt so drained in any of his clergy days.

It was a good kind of tired however, knowing that he had survived his first skirmish in a battlefield. Luckily, there weren't any major losses on their side, a feat he made sure to thank the goddess for. Not that there hadn't been many chances for that to come undone, the arrow striking Shula could have just as easily pierced her heart or throat. His magic could heal, but once a person was dead there was no coming back.

As he stared out at the horizon, he picked up the sound of a soft tune playing out ever so faintly. Turning his head towards the source, he found one of the others mercenaries, Vierra if he remembered correctly, strumming a small instrument while sitting on the railing.

Beyond his concern for her current position, all it would take was for her to lose her balance to send her careening off the ship, he found himself enjoying her playing. He debated on whether or not to make his way over to her. If she was in the mood for company, she would probably have been either on the ground or below the deck. On the other hand, maybe she was just as shy as he was with new people.

Eventually gathering his courage, he slowly walked over to the laguz. Stopping a few feet behind her, he coughed to get her attention, before saying. "It's very nice."

He paused, before quickly adding "Oh, uh the music I mean. Not that you aren't nice as well, I'm sure you're a nice person. B-but the music, it's-it's nice." He mentally kicked himself for the awkward start, a faint blush of embarrassment dusting his ears as he clasped his hands together in front of his waist and awkwardly swayed on his heels.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

​

As the events of the day came to a close a figure would approach. Vierra would find a visitor in short order, the slight clank of metal armor and heavy footsteps, not saying anything for a bit as the music plays, there were only three options of who it could be, and two of them more likely than the last and all but confirmed once he spoke. William.

“Pardon the intrusion. I was curious just who it was playing that lute, it is rare that someone comes aboard the ship with a musical instrument. Though a welcome one. As for sitting over the edge, I would not do that in flight, Captain Petrovich may just push you off the side, though in your case I would imagine it doesn’t matter much. Are there any pieces you are fond of? Also, I heard a bit about the battle.”

The Laguz woman slowly turned to face him with a slick smile upon her face, as if she knew he was there before he opened his mouth and was already armed with a teasing response of her own. “Is that so?” Vierra said, thumbing her cheek as the music ceased. “Ah, so you and the captain are both fond of approaching women from behind… yet only you can keep your hands to yourself? Mmm, such gallantry.”

She swung around to face him, yet still remained seated on the railing, as if to say his warning was well-received… but only by a half-measure. “You would know more of the battle had you been there, good sir,” she added as she brought the lute to rest upon her lap. “Imagine my surprise when, upon my first day within this company, one of our commanding officers chooses to abandon the field. A little soon for retirement, don’t you think, young man?”

She leaned forward, her head wings twitching subtly and her tail eagerly thumping on the thick wooden railing, as if to say she was all ears if he wished to talk about it. Despite her teasing tone, there was a hint of concern in her voice.

Laughing a bit at the first response, his right brow creases as the veteran speaks, “Words like that and he really will throw you off the ship.” Waving a hand dismissively, Will would address the latter matters that she had brought up. It was about time someone asked.

“Oh, I’m not retiring, though I’m afraid admiring a woman from behind is all I could do, otherwise my misses would kill me. Which is also why I did not join you all in part. For one, she’s given birth to my son. And for two, I’ve come down with the case of pulling my ankle and having that retirement talk as you put it. Or rather I’ll be training and supplying you all as a field officer. And heh, watch who you talk about sitting out a fight. One day the Imperials may come for the landing site while you all are gone, then Gallant William will have to defend it. Though maybe that is a good case to run away.”

“Point is, in all cases it's bad luck to bring me directly to the front right now.”

The serpent Laguz pondered his words for a moment. She rested her chin in her palms and studied his face with those emerald eyes of hers, the slit pupils of a predator. “Some of us will never have the luxury of such ‘bad luck,’” she said and punctuated her remark by strumming a few stray notes on her lute… the final notes of a popular Izmiri funerary dirge. She doubted he understood the subtext. The tempo was off, a bit more upbeat than usual.

“I envy you, truly. Someday, when I’m in charge, you’ll be able to take some time off to see her. On days like today, it is important to remember what we’re fighting for,” Vierra said, shifting the lute in her hands. “What’s his name?” she asked at last, but wagged a cautionary finger at him. “And don’t you dare say ‘William II,’ unless you want me to play a song on your head, sir. Surely, you can do better than that,” she said, brandishing the lute as a weapon. “Perhaps I’ll write a little something in his honor. A song to celebrate new life and innocence.”

Listening to the Laguz woman, William smirks a little at her response. All parts of it were amusing for its own reasons, truly so. Running his left hand, index finger and thumb as if to take the position of the thinker, he lowers his hand and smirks confidently.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have plenty to do in the days if not months to come. Plus provided the proper conditions take place I’ll be a trainer to all of you, there is also the fact I defend the landing camp with a few of the crew.

And what's wrong with William Junior? And aiming to run the Company huh? My, my, what big ambitions.” He says with a bit of a smirk before the Knight decides to give a real answer.

“Arland. And no need to go that far, my wife is named Argenta. The name in part comes from her Maiden name. Still, why do you wish to run the Company? I don’t mind giving you some pointers, but that is a bit ambitious, I’m not sure even Alena has made a run after that.”

“A wise woman never runs for the things she wants. I prefer to let them come to me, in due time,” Vierra replied. “As for ‘why…’ tch, do you even have to ask? You’ve likely seen my dossier. There are injustices I wish to correct and, if this company is not willing to do so, I will find another or create another. I am long-lived and I am patient.” She grinned. “Such an imbalance did not come about without time and power. It will not be corrected without time and power. There is such a thing as virtuous ambition, William. Or…”

She hopped down from the railing to stand before him. “Tell me this: what type of leader do you think I would be?” she asked, with her hands on her hips while the lute was held by her tail. “I know, ‘too soon to say,’ ‘we’ve only just met,’” she mused with a dismissive flutter of her wrist, “But, go on. Tell me anyway. First impressions go a long way. Do you believe Vierra Vientiane would lead the Daybreakers to ruin? What would you say to this ‘virtuous woman’ to caution her against such folly? Coach me, as you would young Arland if he were a man and his brothers and sisters were in chains.”

Listening to her response, he figured as much. That sort of past wasn’t one someone could just run away from and would leave a biting urge. An urge to correct it and free those like herself. With any luck Izmir would not be long in this world. William decided to pass on that truth at the very least. “And what about when or if Izmir is no longer a threat? What if you free all of the slaves? What then? A cause is well and good, but you will find watching out for the futures of others will take a bit more insight and a purpose beyond that.” Then there was all the rest she had said, and her question. “You have a noble goal, but what comes after that? I do not think you would destroy the company, but such ambitions cannot be all that is said.”

“I am patient,” Vierra said once more, biting back her anger. Her gaze remained placid, but there was something in the set of her jaw which betrayed that he had touched a nerve.

“I wish you luck with your goal, rather than warn you of folly,” William went on to say. “Nor will I tell you to move on or something so crass. I am a loyal soldier of the Republic, I desire all to be free. But that isn’t enough to lead men and women into battle unless they share those ideals. I am saying to expand upon what else you want.”
“And what ideals does this Company profess, hmm? The pursuit of money? Are we mere mercenaries, accepting whichever jobs are handed down to us?” Vierra said. “Of course not. Please do not rob me of the fantasy that we are better than that.”

It was then that he heard steps approaching in the near distance as he smirks; “It seems your lute playing has many wishing to see you. I would not mind continuing this conversation afterwards, after all some secrets are best left as such.”

“Indeed. Many wish to see me ‘play.’ Such is my fate,” Vierra said as she turned from him. She mounted the railing once more and turned her back to him as she sat down and began to play once more, finally finding an actual song, rather than sampling snippets. This time, it was an upbeat tavern melody, one of her favorites from the Commonwealth. “We can continue this when you’re ready, William. This day, I don’t think you are.”

Giving a slight bow of his head, William turned to walk away, leaving the next visitors in the line to have their own conversations.

 

[Aura Of Twilight]

Yurick​

Yurick weighed the familiar emblem in his palm, the quick scan he had done of the bandit leader’s body confirming what company intelligence had already gathered: the empire was up to no good again and growing restless. He wished he could say that he was surprised that they were collaborating with thieves but given how ruthless and overly ambitious factions of the military could be it was far from being out of the ordinary. The empire wasn’t against using dirty tactics nowadays, even against warring nobles, and would do what ever it took to reach its goals. The cutthroats that he and the others had just faced were only a part of a much bigger issue. Like a wound festering with a spreading infection. The mage sighed, wondering how long it'd be before the conflict escalated.

Thirty minutes had already passed since Alena cut down the bandit leader and restored order but there was still much to be done. It wasn’t a pleasant routine but the bodies had to be buried, even the scumbag lying before him. Whether it was the guilt from being unable to bury his own comrades years ago or some lingering belief of the gods he still had from childhood he had no clue, but the thought of leaving anyone to rot under the sun didn’t sit well with him. His thoughts continued to wander for several minutes.

It was only after burying several more bodies did his hands finally began to ache from holding a shovel and forced him to stop. With some reluctance he started heading back to the airship, stopping occasionally to help some of the civilians carry the few belongings they had managed to salvage to the remaining caravans. Unsurprisingly he could sense some of them staring at him for being able to lift some of the more heavy objects but they were either too exhausted or at least polite enough not to mention it.

Once reaching the camp Yurick found a secluded spot to hopefully rest. His arms ached, his leg felt like it was dragging more than usual, and now his shoulder stung, most likely a cut received from the previous battle. It wasn’t particularly deep but sure was starting to hurt like hell.

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Little Bee

​

The battle ended in short order. After striking at a few enemies, the small little myrmidon hadn't a single thing to do. Perhaps that was a good thing. Even so, she had remained on alert until the battle was well and truly over, with the enemy commander lain slain. He hadn't said a single word about his purpose, so maybe he was just an idiot, or some sort of fanatic. Why not give up or concede?

Anyway, the group began cleaning up. Unfortunately, Little Bee was just a bit too small to even handle moving the deceased bodies. So she just helped by splashing some water on the fires and moving the debris that she could lift.

Briefly, she paused to stare at the man casting some golden glowing magic at the injured. She watched until he was through.

~~~

Later on in the day the little girl appeared on the deck of the Castilian. Little Bee was holding a small little blueish-tinted ocarina-like instrument. She had brought it up close to her lips. She had heard the musical twine in the air and had come to join. But her golden eyes observed a small gathering of people around the woman with the lute. She quickly observed them, then lowered her ocarina and turned away. She attempted to dip out even before the big man who was leaving had a chance to walk over to her.

interactions: AnonyMouse
mentions: Shotgunpenguin Gundam Watcher 27 RedArmyShogun

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

Vierra barely got a few notes into her next song before she heard a small cough behind her. Normally she would be able to sense someone approaching, but her mind was still lingering on what she had said to Will. Why had she said anything at all? I got carried away again. Caught up in the moment, she thought, still a little angry. Of course that was through no fault of his. She had simply lapsed back into her past. That anger had a purpose and a place, but now was neither.

She had barely been in this company for a few days, yet had already professed her ambitions to this total stranger. Ugh. She had to do better. Stay focused.

With that thought firmly in mind, Vierra played on, donned her mask, resumed her false smile. She bore no outward signs of the inner turmoil, nor would she. From now on, she would keep it together. She had to.

"If you think that's nice, you should see me dance," Vierra said in a sultry tone, offering a wink over her shoulder at the young priest. She was only teasing, of course. When she saw a flustered young man, she simply couldn't help it. Embarassment is a bit like cold water: best to dive right in, she thought as her intense gaze met his. He'll be fine.

Rather than risk another scolding about the dangers of sitting on the railing --he certainly seemed like the type-- she fully turned to face him and hopped down from her perch to stand before him... but not too close. He was a rather diminutive fellow and she didn't wish to loom. "Levi, was it? You did good today. If no one else says it, I will," she complimented him, with a slight bow of her head. "It can't be easy, taking to the battlefield armed only with the power of healing. I will be more mindful of you in the next encounter. I know, all too well, how it feels to be so... vulnerable."

She gave a nod of ackowledgement to Fiona, who was also on deck. In the brief silence, she spied Bee departing, with an ocarina in hand. She plays an instrument? Hmmm... Vierra mused, but the girl was gone before she could finish that thought. As expected, their first combat encounter had brought a little something new out of everyone. Vierra could only wonder what else she would learn of her comrades.
Interactions: Shotgunpenguin (Levi)
Mentions: RedArmyShogun (Will) | Gundam Watcher 27 (Fiona) | Thalia_Neko (Bee)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: Supply Cache Base - Ambushed Woodland - Verguld, Tavin Region​

As the fires finally died down and preparations were made to bury the dead, civilians and bandits alike. Alena would keep a watchful eye over the proceedings, largely leaving most to do as they wished. It would take more than the time spent so far to finish the activities; mounds dug alone would take even more time. But things had progressed, Yurick had worked rather hard. She could swear she saw Bee, but that one was never one to talk or interact with the rest. Truly more of a shadow than the Ninja ever was. She was not sure what to do about that situation, but would in general make use of her time to check on the rest...

The ones not on the ship. Given it was on a lake, she cared doubly less so to go up there. Though some beautiful music was briefly heard she noticed Yurick off on his own, trying to keep away from everyone. She could understand that and did it often herself, so she would not pester him for long, but would give some advice, being far more noticeable than he, she would not mind if others came for her attention, or to leave in a quick order.

Walking on foot rather than with her steed, Alena would stop a short distance from Yurick and his semi hiding spot. "You did well out there, though, I think you aren't to use to this just yet. Air out your fingers, blisters almost always form on one's fingers if care was not taken." That was all she would be here for. Given yet more would be close. "Take good care of your fingers, you seem alright though and more company is arriving, if you have any rawness, use the same powder we issue for feet blisters. Laters, someone else is here to see you." It was then that she noted the coming of a few others, and she did not want to be caught up in something with that many people.

It looked like the girl from Izmir was coming with one or two others. Giving a nod, Alena quickly went away to the main portion of the camp, there were a couple others to still check up on.

Interactions: Aura Of Twilight , whoever after.

 

[Azurian Dream]

Tiko Normory
Location: Ambushed Woodland - Verguld, Tavin Region

Mentions: RedArmyShogun Alena, AnonyMouse VIerra, Aura Of Twilight Yurick, Shotgunpenguin Levi, Gundam Watcher 27 Fiona,

Interactions: Aura Of Twilight Yurick
........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Straight for the gut punch, as always, Alena made with her comment. To be fair, it was a valid counter to what he had said. They both had their pasts; Alena just happened to be the only person who knew his. With that in mind, he sighed with a soft shake of his head, so back to the front line, an odd role for a Ninja, but one Tiko had adapted to many times. With that much work was to be had to clear the roads. Tiko for his part made sure to give guidance on where the caravans needed to go, and where they could report to gain aid for the things they could handle at this time upon departure from the dead.

The Spearhead company stood up to level with what TIko had expected from the reports of the newly formed company. With capable fighters, healers, and strategic the mess made by the bandits was mitigated rather quickly within an hour by all hands available. He was impressed with the roles the solo sports took healing hut, water spray to put out the fires, aerial rescue, and many more services were efficiently provided by the band. The Dawn-Breakers had been successful in setting up this outfit to be proficient on the field.

Once things had calmed down Tiko found himself in the calm of the casting shadows of the day upon nearing the source of Alena's voice he noticed she had just left leaving a man with blonde hair with an obvious element of tall stature even while sitting. His clothes were that of some form of a practitioner of sorcery, but at the same time, it felt like he could brandish a blade at any moment. Before Yurick would even notice, the ninja was already sitting next to him with an apple in hand carving it with one of his throwing knives not saying a word while he sat with the dark mage.

Within a few curves of the knife, Tiko had formed some bunny-eared apple slices onto a small plate offering Yurick one as he finally spoke.

"Food for your thoughts?"​

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

Levi Grantz
Location: Deck of the Castilion
Mentions: Thalia_Neko Gundam Watcher 27
Interactions: AnonyMouse
​

Levi couldn’t help the sudden flush that dusted his cheeks at Vierra’s provocative statement. He had only meant to be polite and compliment her playing, not to imply anything of her appearance. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear away his flush, he turned his gaze back as Vierra hopped off of the railing and stood before him. The discomfort that he had felt with her being so precariously perched had all but been forgotten after her teasing, having been replaced by the flustered blush on his face.

“Uh, t-thank you. For the kind words.” He muttered out, eyes darting to the side briefly before returning to look at her own. “But you really don’t need to be. I know that I’m not as strong as you or the others.” While she may have thought that his presence on the battlefield was brave, he thought differently. All he did was hang back and get guarded by others.

The real brave ones were people like her, who with no way of healing themselves on command, willingly throw themselves on the front lines. Their bodies becoming bloody and bruised, their skin tearing and splitting as they endured countless wounds. Enduring such pain without complaint, they truly exemplified his own beliefs.

“But I want to help out in any way I can. S-so if you ever get hurt, don’t hesitate to come to me, okay?” He punctuated his words with a determined, if not a little nervous nod of his head, before turning slightly. "That goes for all of you too." He announced to the others present on the deck of the ship.

 

[Serei2477]

Zain & Levi - C Support
~~~~
​

Shula had left no details when Zain had gone to visit her.

He had gone to check up on her when he’d heard that she’d gotten shot by an arrow and was healed accordingly. Levi had done an excellent job, leaving her with only a scar that Shula would be happy to show off, though that wasn’t all she had to share.

“He had this…creepy thing ‘bout him. I dunno, felt like the shortstuff actually liked seein’ me in pain. Kinda weird.”

The words had replayed in his head, and he had to wonder if Levi was a bit of a sadist. He’d never seen a doctor enjoy seeing their patients in pain, and his roommate didn’t strike him as the type. If anything, Zain just wanted to clear the air before he allowed his mind to develop a less than kind idea about the shorter man.

But first, a token of appreciation.

He’d gone fishing for something suitable for human consumption and made quick work of fileting and removing the bones. He’d made sure to have a place in the kitchen on the airship when he first arrived due to his many many years of experience working in one.

In exchange for preparing this one special meal, Zain would do all the prep work for the food for that day. It would make his and Mella’s work a lot easier when meal time came around.

For Levi, he created seasoned pan-fried boneless fish filets with a side of cooked rice and a fresh salad. He’d packed it in a bento style box, making sure to separate the fish from the rice and salad in case Levi was vegetarian. Then, he’d wrap it up with a neat bow, years of practice making the process quick and flawless before he took it and set off to find his roommate.

When he did find Levi, he would present the box to him.

“Here. As thank you for helping Shula,” He said. “If you don’t like fish, you’re free to give it to someone else and I can make something more suitable.”

“Oh, uh. T-thank you.” Levi timidly accepted the wrapped box, unsure of whether he should have said more to his roommate for his effort. But as he explained that the meal would consist at least partly of fish, Levi couldn’t help the slight wince that shook through his face. Fish was…. not something he would consider part of his diet.

His only memory of having tasted fish was an unpleasant one to say the least. It was when he was only a boy, barely taller than his mothers knees, when his grandfather had come over to visit. He had brought with him a large, slimy looking fish that he claimed he had purchased from a traveling merchant for cheap. It stunk to high heavens, a quality that his grandfather assured was meant to be. It was apparently a tradition in the northern portion of the continent to let the fish ferment in some sort of liquid before being eaten raw.

He was sick to his stomach for an entire day afterwards, rapidly darting between puking his guts up and being unable to so much as leave his bed due to cramps. After that experience, he had always held an aversion to any sort of fish, the mere sight of it bringing back a sense of unease in his stomach.

Still, as much as he may have disliked fish, the fact remained that his roommate had gone so far as to prepare him a meal. He would at the very least try the meal, even as his stomach protested the idea.

“And it really wasn’t anything. It’s my job to aid those who are injured. If not for her, I believe that arrow may have found its home in me instead.”

”And without you she might have bled out, or it might have been too late to save her arm. Regardless, I felt a thank you was in order.”

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason why he was here. He just didn’t want Levi to think he was using food as a way to butter him up.

”There is something else I wanted to talk to you about.” He began. ”She mentioned you had quite the look on your face when you were healing her. Care to explain? Just so you know, I’m not upset. I just want to understand.”

“A… look?” Levi couldn’t help the confusion that bled through his voice as he tried to think of what Zane was referring to. He didn’t think he was making any kind of unusual face when he was treating her, but then again maybe she had picked up on something he had missed.

“I can’t say that I remember. Did she say what kind of look it was?” He asked, hoping to get some more information from his roommate.

Hmm, was he playing dumb or did he genuinely not know? Levi didn’t strike him as a liar and the hunter had no proof that would call him one.

Zain paused to think about what Shula had said when she told him. It was just a glance from what she could recall, and she felt something was off when he worked on her. From what she relayed to Zain, it was an off putting smile on his face while Levi did his job. It was definitely not the face of your average healer.

”A smile that looked off. One fitting a sadist more than a healer.” He answered. Zain could only hope that no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, for Levi’s sake. ”Is that something you remember? Or would you rather I bring Shula to have her demonstrate?”

“Like a sadist you say?” Levi was slightly hurt that Shula thought of him like that. He never enjoyed seeing others in pain, especially not those who had helped him reach the injured civilians.

“I'm sorry if I came off that way.” His apology was entirely genuine, even if it wasn't directed towards the right person. “It's just that when I'm assisting others through their hardship, I can't help but feel elated. Knowing that I am assisting them through their hardships from the Goddess.”

Zain detected no ill intent when he heard Levi’s apology, even though there was no need for one in the first place. Levi said his peace, telling him that it wasn’t the sight of others being in pain that made him smile in such a way, but the fact that he was easing them through it. The archer couldn’t help but wonder just what kind of smile Levi had on his face that managed to make Shula uneasy.

“A simple misunderstanding then.There is no need for an apology from you.” He replied, satisfied with Levi’s explanation. “Are you aware that you smile that way? It could cause misunderstandings in the future if you don’t control it.”

“Not like that, no. I do not doubt that I may have been smiling, but I didn't know that it appeared that way.” Perhaps he would try and see if he could remember how he felt when he was tending to Shula. If he was causing undue discomfort to those he healed, he hated to think of what they would feel if they were injured. If they would hide their wounds to avoid being near him.

“Oh, this is quite a bother.” Levi sighed and hung his head, holding the lunchbox Zane had made against his stomach. “Perhaps it would be best if I apologized to her in person.”

“Hmm…”

Zain still felt that Levi didn’t need to apologize whatsoever. Neither of them needed to since it was all a misunderstanding. He was certain Shula hadn’t run around talking about it either, so no one would think any differently of Levi…

He was certain Shula would want to apologize as well. Perhaps it would do them both some good.

“Sure. I’ll come with you.” Zain replied. “If you feel that strongly then it would do you well to get it off your chest as soon as possible.”

“Oh, y-you mean right now?” His head snapped up from its hung position as he shifted his weight nervously. He didn’t expect for Zane to offer to accompany him for his apology. While it probably would have made it easier for him to explain himself, the idea of just walking up to her and apologizing out of the blue made him a bit timid.

”M-maybe later. I still have some things to do now, prayers to recite, a lunch to… eat.” His nose turned up slightly at the prospect of eating the fish, but it would hopefully let him back out of the conversation for the time being. He would of course apologize to Shula, she more than deserved it if his smile was causing her distress. But he wasn’t comfortable doing it right at this second.

Zain gave him a little nod in understanding. He didn’t expect the other to become so… nervous about it. Maybe Levi was shy, or maybe he had social anxiety. Regardless, Zain delivered the meal and had gotten what he wanted from the conversation. Whether Levi wanted the apology to be a private matter, to finish what he said he’d do, or to put it off, it wasn’t Zain’s business.

“I understand. You will usually find Shula sitting somewhere on deck or in her room.” He answered. Zain thought about warning Levi that Shula would absolutely want to apologize once she found out the truth, but decided against it. ”She might be a little… brash, but she means well. If she comes off too strongly, tell her, okay?”

“Right. Well, thank you for letting me know.” Levi gave a quick bow of his head before adding. “A-and for the meal. I don't have anything to offer than my thanks.”

With another slight head bow, he scamper off to the recluse of their shared room. He stared at the lunchbox for a good minute, mentally dreading the scent once he opened it. With a resolved sigh, he unwrapped the box and opened it, expecting for his nose to be assaulted once again.

Instead, much to his surprise, the smell from the box was actually rather pleasant. Far removed from the rotten smell he was expecting. Tentatively picking off a piece of the fish, he popped it into his mouth. “My goddess…”

“This is fish!?”

 

[Aura Of Twilight]

Yurick
​

The sound of music in the distance reached his ears, the symphony drowning out any racing thought and the voices of people until they were a dull murmur in the background. It was a mismatch of melodies, likely due to there being more than one musician, and yet it was the imperfections that somehow made it more pleasing to the ears. Yurick briefly wondered what instruments were being used but considering music had never been his forte he decided not to dwell on it very long. He had just put a herbal ointment on his shoulder wound and was about to treat his hands (the best he could without removing his gloves that is) when he heard approaching footsteps.

He sighed, the brief moment of peace whisked away like smoke. “Who’s there?” Then he saw a familiar flash of silver. “Oh, Captain. Need something?”

For whatever reason Alena stopped a few feet away from where he sat, leaving an almost awkward distance between them. She studied his face for a moment before her gaze drifted to his hands. “You did well out there, though, I think you aren't to use to this just yet. Air out your fingers, blisters almost always form on one's fingers if care was not taken."

Ah so she was checking up on him, likely doing rounds now that the battle over. The way she made conversation was a bit odd getting used to but he appreciated her straightforwardness all the same. “I’ve been through worse.” He said with a shrug, hoping that’d be enough to end the conversation. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.” He just had the tendency to be neglectful of himself when dedicated to a certain task that’s all, something that his sister always gave him an earful for.

Whether she believed him or not she didn’t show it, instead acting as if she hadn’t heard his reply, adding, “Take good care of your fingers, you seem alright though and more company is arriving, if you have any rawness, use the same powder we issue for feet blisters.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.” The mage stated, barely managing to keep the rising amount of irritation from his voice. The mention of more company filled him with dread. Couldn’t he be left to his own devices a little longer? Apparently not.

“Laters, someone else is here to see you.” And with that Alena was already gone, off to check up on whoever else was on the list.

Barely a few seconds passed when he suddenly felt a presence by his side, followed by, “Food for your thoughts?"

Yurick cursed, nearly jumping out of his skin as he subconsciously reached for the sword he no longer had on his person. Now on his feet he turned, his eyes quickly landing on the ninja he had seen earlier on the battlefield now offering him a plate of cut fruit. He would’ve felt surprised if not for his heart threatening to burst from his chest. Embarrassingly it took the mage a few moments to collect himself.

“I wasn’t aware that a ninja’s repertoire included nearly giving someone a heart attack. I thought poisoning was your style.” He snapped as his heartbeat finally began to slow. “You’re lucky I didn’t slice your head off just now.”

RedArmyShogun Azurian Dream

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: - Northeast of Morriston - Republic of Verguld​

{GM OOC Note, players request for next main mission focus, some collabs are yet to be finished/posted.}

As the evening progressed and the bodies were laid to rest, the Castilian would be quick to rise to the sky, leaving behind that camp, civilians, militiamen, broken wagons and broken bodies. All were left behind, just as the smoke that raised itself to the sky, so would the Castilian. Alena would for herself forget this incident, or at least try to do so. In the hours that had passed before, the commander had noted the interactions between some of her own, but she herself was distant from it.

As she should be. Or was that the correct way to see it? William himself seemed to disagree with that line of thinking, which in turn caused Alena to question herself and fitness to command. Yet she never spoke that aloud or confide the information to anyone else, minus the silent archer who seemed to just stare, keeping her pen hand steady, but ultimately writing nothing on the chalk slate. But such thoughts could be left behind as it would take the nighttime hours, sleep would come to those who wished it, while for others still in a jitters or coping with the actions of the day would be left to lay awake till finally drifting off or as the sun rose in the morning sky. It was then that the airship had finally caught up to the scout force, the road going past Morriston which stood as a mountain top citadel, with its walls and cityscape barely visible in the mountain air to the east, a low fog rolled across the landscape and clouds danced low across the land.

In the ground near the area a flare was fired off by the scout team as the Captain looked with a telescope, to study the source of the signal flare, and while his ship had no observation bubble below it, they were far away enough to give a cursory glance. Alena would be called in short order, and the bells would be rung. To the Mess Hall.

With those in attendance in the immediate aftermath would have a briefing given by Alena.

"We have found the recon team, they are nestled at the opening of the Kalvin Forest, leading into the gorge between Morriston and Tocvin. As you may or may not know the area is thick with undergrowth and contains a number of ravines which the Imperials have used to raid the republic for some time. A number of those on the recon force are wounded and unable to continue the pursuit. We shall take shuttles and our fliers and land in the woods to carry out the search. For now, our objective is to find where they are, how many there are, where they are going, then to report to the Airship.

Two of our number will be split off to help the Recon team with its current situation. Are there any questions before we touchdown?"


Interactions: All Gundam Watcher 27 EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Aura Of Twilight Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin @IG42

 

[Serei2477]

Zain & Shula

Interactions: N/A

Mentions: N/A

~~~~~

Shula and Zain had spent their free time talking to their comrades as well as preparing themselves for the upcoming mission. The thief had decided that one of the ways to distract herself would be to take the time to be a little mischievous, much to Zain's annoyance. Aside from the "surprise", everything remained relatively peaceful. The archer felt slightly sorry for the new friends Shula made but was also glad, mostly glad. Now he wouldn't be the only target to her mischief.

'About damn time...' He had thought to himself. Hopefully her new friends didn't mind a prank or two so he could finally catch a break...

During the nighttime, Zain himself had no trouble falling asleep. He'd killed and butchered animals plenty of times; the bandits were about as close to wild animals as a beorc could be. It was easy to fuse the two and desensitize himself to it. Shula, on the other hand, could only manage a few hours of sleep before she was sitting on her bed unable to rest. For her, the battle at the caravans as well as the actions of the past still kept her awake. It would become apparent to her roommate that interrupted sleep was a very common occurrence for her, much to his relief or annoyance depending on if he wanted company that night. With newfound boredom, she decided to take a walk around the airship and explore wherever she could until the sun showed up.

The bell was heard loud and clear and the duo would make their way to hear Alena's briefing. So recon found them at Kalvin Forest. The area's thick, full of undergrowth, and has ravines that doubled as a raider path. Their mission seemed simple enough on paper, and if they did as good as they had against the first group then this should be easy.

Of course, there was always a chance for something to go wrong. Zain and Shula both knew this.

"No questions from me." Zain answered.

"Me neither" Shula seconded.

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Spoiler: Shula and Jin C-Support

Shula was bored. Incredibly so.

After the battle at the flaming caravans, and after having her shoulder muscle explode from that stupid arrow shot, she decided to take a break from being in her room and go bother someone. Yurick had already heard enough from her and she didn’t want to go from good roomie to a pest. So to give him a break, she decided to spread her social circle and interact with someone else. Someone who wasn’t Zain of course.

She had been walking around, looking for someone who might want to have a chat or even just exchange pleasantries. From what she could tell at orientation, most of them seemed open to conversation, but the problem was who would be open to conversation with her?

The quiet sword girl? Nope. Shula wasn’t interested in playing charades nor did she want a one-sided conversation.

Red? He seemed nice. Maybe she could talk to him later.

The big boobed Serpent? Would the serpent lady even be interested in talking to her? Not like the two seemed to share anything in common at a glance, and to be frank, the Serpent lady seemed more interested in chatting up the men.

Chalkboard girl might be interested in writing a conversation, but at the moment, Shula didn’t even know where the girl had gone, nor was she interested in hunting people down.

Hm… Who else could she bother?

Well, just as she thought that, a prime target was caught in her peripheral vision, making her pause. The man who was the only one to not have a weapon by the looks of it and yet managed to hold his own fine against the bandits. Others had magic, but he didn’t seem to have a tome or anything to indicate as such. He had a staff like Zain’s roommate, but that wasn’t exactly good for killing swordsmen or axe carriers, was it? So he’d just run up and punch a guy? Or disarm a weapon wielder with his bare hands?

That was kinda cool, actually.

But… Just what was the guy doing?

He was seated, sitting up straight with his hands on his lap and his eyes closed. It was such a bizarre sight to the girl that she couldn’t help but to stop and stare. Had he fallen asleep like that? If yes, how the hell was he keeping his posture so straight?

From where she stood, Shula couldn’t really make it out. She decided to take a closer look.

She would approach him, pausing only when she was right in front of him. From what she could tell, his breathing was slow and shallow, indicating a very calm and relaxed state, but the breathing pattern… Didn’t look like one from someone who was sleeping. So was he awake?

Shula was curious now.

The thief crouched down in front of Jin until the two were face to face, her arms resting on either leg. She was, admittedly, a little close to the other but she’d keep herself arms length in case the guy wanted to throw a fear punch.

Would this scare him? Maybe. Only one way to find out.

“What’re you doing?”

Jin didn’t often take up meditation. Usually it was an excuse to nap, though it was useful when he had thoughts running rampant in his head. The Empire had something to do with those bandits, after all, and that just brought up bad memories. While he was prone to drink, at this point booze didn’t drown his thoughts away, just make him a bit fuzzy and kill time. So, at times, he would follow the instructions of the temple. Admittedly, it did help keep the mind sharp as well. However, he wasn’t at the level of the masters who seemed to enter a comatose state and could not be disturbed. He still registered being approached or talked to.

What now… He thought internally, but didn’t move or open his eyes. More or less he was waiting to see what they would do. Jin hadn’t exactly made friends and he presumed if someone was bleeding out the sound of footsteps would be more urgent and accompanied by yelling.

Then she spoke. Curiosity, was it? Jin’s eyes opened without his posture shifting. Not a bad first sight. After a moment, he let out an amused huff paired with a smirk. “What are you doing? My face can’t be that interesting to just watch,” He joked before his posture relaxed slightly. Jin wouldn’t be able to just go back into that state, but a distraction was also good. “Meditation. Never seen it before?” It was really only practiced by monks of the East, so it made sense.

Huh, so he was awake.

His eyes opened, topaz color meeting sapphire as she looked at him. He’d come across as easygoing with his introduction, so that’s what she expected when he started communicating with her. Hearing his joke, she couldn’t help but grin.

“Wondering how the hells ya managed to sleep like that. My back hurt just lookin’ at ya.” She said, watching him relax his posture just a bit. Then he answered her question, and by the look on her face, it was obvious what the answer would be.

“Nope. Never heard of it either. I’ve seen people fall asleep standin’ up and sleep in their chairs, but nothing like meditation. Ya just… sit there daydreaming or somethin’?” She asked him. Shula was curious before, but she was even more curious now.

Jin let out a gruff chuckle at that. “Not sleeping, sneaky,” He replied with a smirk. So it was just curiosity. It made sense given that traditions of the monks weren’t much performed outside of the east. Though, it wasn’t as if traditions were even consistent across temples depending on the region and worship.

He uncrossed one leg, planting his foot down and propping up his knee to rest an elbow on as his other’s hand slid behind his body to support his posture.

“...Yeah… something like that. Er, more like the opposite,” Jin mulled, his eyes averting in thought briefly before returning to hers. “Supposed to empty your mind, actually; focus on yourself. Helps parse your thoughts when they’re going a kilometer an hour and improve your–Well, focus,” He told her with a shrug. “..Buuut, I wasn’t the best student and sure as hell ain’t a master, so, I’m probably partly wrong. That’s what I use it for, anyway… So do you usually sneak up on people when ya’ think they’re sleeping?”

Sneaky, huh? Not the first time she’s heard that, but of all the things she’d been called before, it was definitely one of her preferred nicknames.

Still, it sounded… odd. You’re supposed to sit there and empty your mind, and it was to help relax and sharpen your focus. How did that work?

Something told her Mr. Punchy wasn’t exactly the best person to explain it, that something being Mr. Punchy himself.

“Huh. Sounds like it’s a big help for someone with a busy head. Kinda neat. I’d ask ya for a lesson or two but somethin’ tells me I won’t be a good student either.” She responded with a little grin. Just the thought of sitting there emptying her head made Shula feel sleepy.

Oh right, she had approached him and had yet to move from her crouching position. To any onlookers this might have seemed a bit of a weird way to have a conversation.

“Not anymore.” Shula answered. “Back when money was a problem it’s how a girl and her companion managed to get anywhere. But now that I’m here, sneakin’ on ya was to find out what the hells you were doing. You normally meditate where someone can come bother ya?”

“Reeaally? It’s not like anyone’s gonna hit you with a stick here if you mess it up,” Jin replied playfully. Each master at the temple was different, but when your center of balance was too low, footing at an improper angle, arm not extended enough, the stick usually came in from somewhere.

His smirk slightly deteriorated at her next words. So she grew up poor. He knew what that was like. “Yeah… I can get that. And no… Not really. I don’t usually do it at all. Believe me, if I knew it apparently attracted women, I might’ve done it more often,” He said with a bit of a chuckle, his eyes drifting to her shoulder and he idly pointed an index finger towards it. “You were the one that got shot,” He mused, tilting his head a bit. “It’s not slowing you down so I assume it's doin alright.”

“Might need one to wake me up if I tried.” She responded with her own joke. Maybe a smack to the back of the head would suffice if there weren't any sticks around.

It was slight, but Shula wondered if she'd seen correctly regarding the other's smile. Had she struck a cord? Mr. Punchy's personality wasn't exactly uncommon where she and Zain had to fight through to escape Izmir, so it made her wonder if he'd hung around that side you can find in every town.

She couldn't help but chuckle alongside him. He didn't meditate often if at all? Curious…

Then he mentioned her shoulder, and Shula's smile went from a grin to a proud one.

“Hurt like a bitch, but I got a pretty cool scar out of it. Damn archer is lucky I didn't get my hands on ‘em first.”

The Serpent lady gave that bastard mercy.

“Oh that reminds me,” She began. “You don't use a weapon, right? So what do ya do if ya need to block something?” This part she was most interested in because it wasn't common at all to see a sober guy defend himself with his fists against a blade. Well, the ones that did usually ended up becoming ribbons.

The smirk returned a bit at her joke. “Well, it’d certainly wake you up, I’ll tell you that from experience,” He replied. That thing hurt about as much as it looked to. Still, she didn’t seem all that deterred. Rather she seemed prideful. Another amused huff escaped him before he scratched his cheek a bit sheepishly. “Well… I dunno about that. You’re a bit small to bite anyone in half.”

Serpent lady was definitely the scarier of the two.

Then the topic turned back to that of his martial arts and he laughed a bit. “Well… ya’ kinda don’t,” Jin answered truthfully. “It’s more like, redirection and dodging. Even with a shield or a weapon, blocking drains energy and the force transfers into your body. Buuut, if you redirect the attack, you don’t take it head on and you don’t use up as much energy… You probably do similar stuff. Not all that feasible to block head-on with daggers, is it?”

“Well what’s scarier? A Serpent who’ll kill you nice and quick or someone with a knife who knows where to stab so ya stay alive? Hmmm?”

Well, the former didn’t apply to her and the latter applied to Zain, but that didn’t prove her point did it? So Punchy didn’t need to know that!

Of course he could just dodge, but redirection? She knew a thing or two about dodging and redirection, but she had a weapon to help with that. He didn’t. But he did make a valid point.

“If I blocked everything that attacked me then I’d be dead by now, so I see your point.” She answered. Not to mention any archer out there using wooden bows would be going through them more often than a noble girl changing clothes. “And I’m here thinking you could do some cool shit, like punch a sword so hard it snaps in half or maybe even catch it with your bare hands. Unless that’s a thing only masters can do? Oh! What if ya add magic to the mix though? Could ya do some cool fire fist shit?”

This part in particular caught her attention and by her tone of voice, she grew a little excited. Maybe she could convince Sunshine to help her test this little experiment if it was possible.

“I wouldn’t call what happened there quick…” Jin trailed off sheepishly. There was something particularly gruesome about a plain ol’ mauling. The added bonus with Shula is that she was nice to look at. Sure Vierra was too, but only when she wasn’t trying to eat you.

At her posing of ideas, the monk’s smirk grew a bit. He shrugged, making an expression of mock offense. “Well I’m sorry lill miss stabby. I only broke a tiger’s neck,” He replied to her insinuation that wasn’t cool, though clearly by his tone he wasn’t all that aggrieved by it whether she meant it or not. “I probably can, but it’s a bit tricky, especially with a weapon that’s coming down at me. I can sunder armor and shields just fine with ki manipulation,” He explained before a hand came up to stroke his chin in thought. It wasn’t something that he truly knew and he hadn’t really seen the monks do it. They more of took ideas from the elements to incorporate into their training rather than made use of magic to physically incorporate them. “...Maybe? Never actually thought about it…” He hummed with mild interest. “It’d probably take a while… getting enough proficiency with a specific tome of magic and your own ki to be able to use both in a way that did anything…”

Wait.

Did she hear that right???

“You broke a tiger’s neck with your bare hands?!” She asked him in awe. Perhaps she was too busy getting shot to notice him being a fucking badass. “That’s fucking cool!”

But what if his hands were on fire or covered in ice while he snapped the tiger’s neck? That would be even more badass.

“I think we could get Sunshine to help us experiment. Could you imagine the look on people’s faces if you punched and kicked enemies with actual fire magic?”

She wasn’t sure which would be more difficult, Punchy learning how to wield the magic for cool monk combos or convincing Sunshine that this was absolutely worth the time and investment. Regardless, the cool fire monk idea would have to wait for another day.

“Where’d ya learn all this stuff anyway? Never seen anything like it in Izmir or Lyon.”

Jin’s head cocked to the side slightly, eyeing her with a raised brow at her outburst. “...Yeah…?” He answered cautiously. “Same way I sunder armor…” He added as he watched her excitement. He felt she was already planning–something. “Whoa, whoa… Who’s sunshine…?” He asked before moving onto her question.

“Well, that’s cause there ain’t any there–Least not that I know of,” Jin told her. “It’s a… different mindset. Gotta go to one of the temples in the dynasty and be admitted as a disciple. Spent half of childhood in the temple… Sometimes the monks will go on pilgrimages, but other than that, you ain’t finding it outside of the dynasty.”

“Sunshine, you know, my roomie. Tall, blonde, with a bright and sunny personality.” Shula explained. Since only one person fit that description, she figured that Jin would know who she was talking about.

If he’d been listening, Zain would have outed her terrible name remembering skills. If Jin really wanted to stump her, all he had to do was ask for the name of a certain person. Or even his own.

Shula listened to his explanation, her lips tugged to one side. “Unfortunate. People in Izmir could really use this monky stuff. Maybe if they had these temples they could find shelter away from the damn slavers and know how to defend themselves.” Then again, how long would these temples have before slavers took over? They’d for sure be used as traps to lure escaping slaves into thinking they found refuge. But it would work to give hope to the people that needed it.

Jin stared at her. He wasn't even sure who his roommate was, or if he even had one, let alone hers. Tall and blonde… There was one of those, but he didn't seem all that upbeat. He was mostly stone-faced.

“...Eye patch?” He asked, scratching his cheek unsure.

However the following elicited a low huff laced with feigned amusement. “Hah… No. Temples don't really do anything to stop what's happening around them,” He remarked vaguely before shrugging and his expression turned to normal. “They're kind of… bubbles, save for when you go out to trade or do… monk stuff.”

“Yeah, him! Ain't he just the bubbliest?” If Jin couldn't tell, it was sarcasm. She always did love calling the most stoic and cold people happy sounding nicknames. Hells, Zain had been “Smiley” for a while before she finally learned his name.

Hearing his response, she had a little smile on her face.

“I think the temples can try to be their own bubble, but that ain't gonna stop other people, is it? I'm willin’ to bet every coin on my person that runaways would sneak in and use ‘em as a rest point. Or, they might just try to join so they can finally feel safe. Tell me this, would ya rather sneak into a temple and pray ya don't get kicked out, or risk getting caught by slavers?”

It was clear Shula wasn't thinking of the temples as a way to spread monk studies or as a haven for monks to learn the art in peace. Rather, she was thinking of the slaves who could use the temples as a hidey hole or as a place for them to learn… anything that wasn't common slave jobs really.

Jin narrowed his eyes a bit at that. It made him wonder exactly what the hell his own nickname was if the moody looking guy was called ‘sunshine’. Then again, he was calling her ‘sneaky’.

Regardless, at her question, he shrugged. He had tried to steal from the temple before they took him in. So he got it. He understood more than she knew. He wasn't really intending to use the temple for shelter, but it was preferable to having no money or food. His only other trade was some farm work, but it was hard to just start up a farm from nothing. Plus, farming wasn't really a quick turnaround.

“How big of a slaver problem is it over there?” He posed to her.

Shula had to pause and think about his question. She wasn’t thinking about how big a problem it was over there but rather how to word it so he understood just how big.

“Up ‘til escaping, I’d never seen a Laguz not in chains. I’ve seen way more slaves than I did owners or free folk.” She responded. “Heard raiders’ll kidnap village people and sell them as slaves in Izmir too.”

She didn’t doubt it was true. Shula was damn certain that buying and selling slaves was a good moneymaker. That’s why schools like the one Zain went to existed, right?

“What have you heard about the place? I know Lyon knows what's up and they take in runaways, but that's about it.”

“That bad, huh?” Jin hummed at that, idly grasping his chin in thought as he thought on her other question. “Not much to be honest. I’ve traveled around doing freelance work, but haven’t really went over to the Sultanate. I’ve seen some Laguz in the dynasty, but there’s not such a widespread problem over there. It’s not really looked as kindly upon,” He told her. Absent of personal experience, he was reliant on what he heard from others he encountered, but that didn’t provide full details. It seemed like it was all but a certain thing in Izmir from what she was telling him. “Kind of on opposite ends of the continent, so not really an optimal choice to aim for the dynasty if you’re lookin’ to escape, though…”

Huh, so the Dynasty didn’t know much about Izmir. Can’t say she was surprised.

She had more she wanted to say. Something about this guy made him easier to talk to than the others, and Shula did have some things she felt was okay to share.

Unfortunately, she sensed the presence of someone approaching her. An angry aura followed them too; she could feel it. There was only one person she knew who would be looking for her right now.

She smiled a knowing smile at Jin as the person behind her approached, his face deadpan but it was apparent he was not happy.

“Guess our talks over-”

Zain grabbed her from the back of her shirt and pulled her back, knocking her off balance and making her fall on her ass. A dragging noise from fabric rubbing the floor followed suit with the other’s footsteps, Shula clearly amused.

“So ya found the surprise in your bed, huh?”

“Yes, and you will clean it up.” He answered, continuing to drag her with one hand towards the dorm area.

Shula just laughed and started waving goodbye at Jin. “Bye Monky~ Let me fight alongside ya sometime!”

Jin’s expression shifted as he saw the angry person, another he didn't recall the name of, stomping over to them. He didn't move to react, simply sitting there and watching the turn of events idly. “Surprise…?” He murmured, more to himself than anything else. She sounded more like she was a thief, but apparently she had adapted to leaving gifts rather than taking them.

He let out an amused exhale from his nostrils and raised his hand slightly in a motionless wave. “Sure thing, Sneaky. Just don't leave any gifts in my bed.”

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

Levi Grantz
Location: North of Morriston
Mentions: Serei2477 AnonyMouse
Interactions: RedArmyShogun
​

As the evening drew on, Levi excused himself from Vierra. Later on, he was given a lunchbox by his roommate, as well as a few questions about his tendencies while healing others. Thankfully, Levi was able to clear up some of his concerns, although he was now set with the problem of how to apologize to his companion.

After finishing his lunch that Zain had prepared for him, and coming to terms with the fact that he did indeed eat fish, Levi found himself hesitating on what to do. He still needed to apologize to Shula, but a part of him was still nervous about what would happen. Zain said that she would probably accept his apology, but what if she thought he was just making up excuses for himself? Racked with indecision, he found himself recusing himself into his shared lodgings, bouncing between tending to the hellebore and re-reading scriptures to try and take his mind off of it.

This continued for quite some time, until the specter of fatigue slowly began to work its way through his body. Stifling a yawn, he noticed that the sun had already started to slowly descend below the clouds. He hadn’t even noticed that he had wasted almost the entirety of his day cooped up in their room. Deciding that it would be too late to go and bother her, Levi decided to get himself ready for bed. By the time Zain would have returned to their room, Levi would be fast asleep underneath the covers, with any attempts to awaken him met with an incomprehensible mumble and a groan.

It wouldn’t be until the first traces of light would peek in through the port-window into their room that he would stir. The soft thump of his feet and the creaking of the door to their room the only sign to Zain that he had departed. Making his way to the upper deck, the morning chill worked it's way through his body as he breathed deeply and exhaled.

Closing his eyes and templing his hands, he began to pray. He prayed in silence, the only sound being the ship itself and the air whipping through his hair, blowing it all over the place. After around an hour, he departed from the deck and returned to his room.

Soon after, the same bell that had sounded a few days ago informed everyone to once again gather for a mission briefing. Quickly getting dressed and gathering his equipment, he silently followed everyone else as they reported for the briefing.

He found himself gathered with the rest of the crew-members as Alena briefed the group of their mission. The fact that the reconnaissance force was injured, and that they hadn’t requested his assistance was an uncomfortable feeling for the priest. Levi wouldn’t lie and say that he would be able to have healed every member of the injured group and still be able to participate in the current mission. Even if he had the stamina required to heal every injured member of the reconnaissance force, there was still a very glaring issue.

Healing magic wasn’t a perfect cure-all for the injured. While it could do amazing things, such as bringing back one from the brink of death, and healing grievous injuries while leaving only minimal scarring, that was only for the physical body itself. Stamina, mental fortitude, whatever you wanted to call it; Healing magic couldn’t restore that. The injured members would still need to rest, or else they would just be pushing themselves past the point of exhaustion.

But even without the use of healing magic, he still knew enough to be able to assist in tending to the wounded. He would have gladly sacrificed some of his free time to aid the injured had he known.

“Um, you mentioned shuttles.” Levi raised a hand in the air, before continuing with his question. “Why can’t we land the ship like before and proceed on foot?”

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

Vierra gave a small, but friendly laugh when Levi said he was not as strong as her or the others. She certainly disagreed with that, but was still flattered he thought so. "Nonsense. My strength comes from a little rock tied around my neck," she said, thumbing the locket which encased her Laguz stone. "But thank you all the same. I look forward to the day we won't need such things."

She had heard tall tales of certain Laguz transcending the usage of stones, but that's not what she was referring to. The Laguz stone and her 'other self' were all false power. She understood the necessity of the beast within and never hesitated to unleash it when all else failed, but still yearned for a world where she wouldn't need to transform at all. A fantasy, perhaps, but one she clung to dearly.

"True strength comes from the bonds we make with one another," Vierra said, with a flourish of her lute strings. As cheesy as it sounded, she truly belived that and was truly grateful to him for reminding her. The day's events had troubled her. The savagery and senselessnes of it all got under her skin. But now, she felt a little better. Her fingers danced across the chords with a newfound lightness. She had been searching for the right tune ever since she arrived on deck, but now finally felt as if she'd found it.

As Levi excused himself, the serpent Laguz began to play once more and remained that way until the sun dipped low, flowing gracefully from one melody to the next until, at last, she retired to the mess hall for a long-overdue meal, a chance to rest her fingers, and perhaps some casual conversation with anyone who wished to have it. However, very few approached her. She dined alone. Vierra often wondered if this was due to her Laguz nature or her (alleged) beauty. Perhaps both?

It was becoming a familiar pattern for her, everytime she joined a new social circle. She sensed no fear from them, just an overall wariness of the unknown. Perhaps she was too 'weird.' They didn't know what to do wiht her. By now, there was usually a wannabe playboy who would break the ice by trying to buy her a drink or spit a cringey pickup line. Or some idiot would ask "whut dem thangs on yer head do" or "I bet you can scratch all kinda itches wit dat tail, I tell you whut." But, no. She hadn't even encountered that... yet.

Vierra sighed as she finished her meal, alone. Perhaps I am more normal than I imagined, she thought with an eerily cheerful and bubbly smile as she took her plate to the kitchen to wash it, as was her habit. Or maybe they're so weird, I blend right in. As someone who had been put on a pedestal most of her life and treated like a showpiece, it felt nice to not be noticed... at least for a little while. A little devil inside of her still craved attention but, for now, she relished the space afforded her.

That night, Vierra fell asleep in the ship's lounge while reading a book. She was sprawled on one of the couches, with her tail wrapped around herself, and a half-finished romance novel dangling from her fingertips. Despite appearing extremely vulnerable, few people would be foolish enough to disturb a sleeping Laguz. It was a scene best observed from afar. Vierra was --and always had been-- a light sleeper, ever-vigilant, even in the dead of night. She dozed off with the setting sun and awoke with the moon at its height, feeling quite refreshed, despite the late hour.

She cast her emerald gaze across the empty room, which had been decently full when she began her siesta. She sensed movement in the hall, but whomever or whatever it was departed before she could investigate. A sleepwalker? A night owl? A lurking assassin or thief? Whomever this person was, they had either thought better of coming near her or had done so with the utmost subtlety. For their sake, Vierra assumed the latter. After a yawn and a stretch, she shuffled to her quarters to wash up and try to get an hour or two of proper rest before morning comes.

* * * * *​

Vierra was performing her morning stretches and usual exercises on deck when the signal flare was spotted off the Castilian's bow. Due to this, the wailing sirens and alarms which followed it didn't catch her off guard. She was among the first to arrive in the mess hall for the briefing. She took a seat and waited as the others began to gather. The serpent Laguz watched through steepled hands as Alena laid out the current situation. Her eyes narrowed at the silver-haired woman's words.

Vierra didn't like this situation at all. On one hand, the terrain was perfect for a serpent. She could move freely and stealthily through the underbrush and even the trees themselves. But, other than that, it sounded like the odds weren't in their favor here. The thick foliage would impede Alena's mount, and possibly Sevin as well. It limited the range of their archers. It would also be virtualy impossible for fliers or the Castilian to provide overwatch. Frankly, it was the perfect ambush set-up. This enemy had already proven themselves capable of crippling the recon team and could be lying in wait anywhere. What seemed like a retreat could just be a tactical one.

Zain and Shula had no questions. Vierra's gaze slid to them both, accompanied by an amused smile. She couldn't tell if the simplicity of their response was due to confidence or resignation. Levi spoke up next, with a question about the Castilian's role in today's operation.

"You doing alright, hun? Because you're asking why we can't land a ship in a forest," Vierra teased. She wasn't intending to be a smart-ass or talk down to the young priest, but this situation was precisely why the Castilian had landing crafts. There was no water here, or at least not enough to float a massive airship. "Terrain limitations aside, I suspect our captain doesn't want to put our crown jewel in unecessary danger. The trees are dense. Too many unknowns this time. Better to keep a buffer between the Castilian and whomever or whatever is down there," she said, glancing to Alena and the captain for confirmation or correction.

"In any case, I've ony one question: Will we be splitting up?" she asked of Alena. "If we are branching into small groups, I'd like to be paired with Zain... if you have no objections," she said, seeking the hunter's approval. "I may be a serpent, but tracking is not my strong suit. I'm more a city girl, you know, and I do believe training and experience trump natural talent on this one. I can watch your back while you work and maybe learn a thing or two while I'm at it."
Interactions: Shotgunpenguin (Levi) | Serei2477 (Zain) | RedArmyShogun (Alena)
Mentions: everyone else

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Jin Reiner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

Jin had aided in the burial of the bodies. It gave him an excuse to scrounge through the belongings of the bandits. He got some odd looks, but he didn't really care. While onlookers may assume the worst of him, he had little care for their spoils. No, he was looking for something specific. It wasn't a guarantee that he'd find it, but there was a good indication that the imperials had some hand in this, which mean more than likely after going through enough bodies, he would find it.

And he would be proven right. An insignia, slightly different than the one he found as a child, but close enough to confirm his suspicions. The Kovlovians were involved.

It had been a long time since he had meditated, but picking up a medallion like before brought up sour memories and thoughts. He wasn't an easy guy to tick off, but this discovery had made him more emotional than he liked to be. It was still a sore spot, it seemed. Thankfully, he was at least skilled at hiding it.

A bit of meditation and distraction from Shula and he was back to his snarky stoicism, standing with his arms folded and an almost bored expression as they were briefed. His eyes turned to Levi and Vierra as they spoke of why they couldn't continue via the airship.

'I'd wager they're more concerned about imperials than the trees,' He commented internally.

The monk gave a slight shrug. "All good on my front," Jin replied simply.

Mentions: RedArmyShogun Serei2477 AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin

 

[Azurian Dream]

Tiko Normory
Location: Ambushed Woodland - Verguld, Tavin Region

Mentions: RedArmyShogun Alena, AnonyMouse Vierra, Shula/Zain Serei2477 , Shotgunpenguin

Interactions:​

It was an interesting thing, watching the land shrink as the clouds came closer. Tiko was impressed by the technological advancement that was the airship Castilian. The report that followed as he watched over the railings informed them of Kalvin Forest which Tiko's original team had been marking as potential grounds for where the targets had been streamlining from. Turned out that had been on the mark it seemed, too bad it had been a result of wounds as well. When any following questions were asked Zain, and Shula were quick to make their absence of such known. The ninja himself kept quiet for a moment to see how others felt. The healer Levi brought up the question of landing which was a fair wager not used to this type of travel.

"Kalvin Forest is extremely forested, and nary a flat land to its name. The ship needs legitimate flattening to rest on involving danger to the hull if it lands on unstable ground. So much so it could break if luck is pushed," Tiko expressed to the Healer appearing right behind them with a soft pat on their shoulders. In fact, in full honesty, this was an area of landmass perfect for Tiko's ability, but for the heavy hitters, it was indeed an impending nightmare waiting to happen. There would no doubt be room for potential trappings here Tiko, and other speedier on-foot units would need to make up the difference. Vierra also teased the healer Tiko to wanted to know if party splitting would be part of the procedure. More than likely he would need to play a bit of tracker depending on the layout.

"Of course, another thing to consider is winged units we can be in for some bad time if they find us in the small clearing available on the route. Surely the Castilian had a Ballista or two to ease that," Tiko questioned.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: - Northeast of Morriston - Republic of Verguld​

Listening to all the questions, comments, or lack of the following, a trend was establishing itself, maybe in the future she should forgo asking if they had questions and continuing along. It was food for thought as they said. As the silver knight studied the ones who had something to say, she was not surprised for the most part. The Priest was first to speak up with any sort of question. Unfortunately, their only healer who would be on hand at the given time, events had taken the priestess away, though the monk could also do some healing. He had a question in regard to the traveling method, or as in why they would be using the smaller landing craft rather than the main ship.

Vierra was quick to speak up alongside Tiko to answer the question. Both were right for the most part, even as Vierra carried on with the conversation, stating her interests in working with the archer, no, the hunter Zain. Provided they did split up.

Alena herself was not too keen on the idea. But it did warrant some pursuit.

"Both of them have the right of it. Tiko and Vierra. The area in general is unknown, mapping it has proved rather difficult, and it borders the Imperial regions in general. It is possible we put the ship down in there and run right into a boarding force. Not to mention the beasts that roam the land, it is also possible we run across their own airship, provided they are indeed Imperials."

With that said final preparations would be carried out, the course and mission already decided as the engines roar to life, putting The Castilian was now hovering above the elements of the recon team as Alena carried on; "I rather we not split up. We've gotten communications from the ground team via signals exchange, unfortunately two more of our number must join them, leaving just ten of us to conduct the operation. Less than ideal, but we'll make do... However, if our numbers dip lower, our role may change in terms of objectives.

In short, the Company followed about 40 men and women that were with the raider forces. Upon entering the woods, they were ambushed by twenty to thirty men but fought off the attack this happened only a few hours ago, so it is unlikely they have gotten far, or rather that they would plan a second ambush. We must pursue carefully, and while I want to keep us all together, if we do have to split up, do keep at least another person or two with you. I'll be keeping towards the back, I'll take a volunteer, or I'll just grab Levi, to keep to the rear with me. I'll be able to endure an attack long enough for us to react. Our objective is to find where they are based or what they came in on, then we'll do a follow up or reported it for the combat companies to deal with. We'll look for tracks, then follow them, our goal isn't to fight the enemy here and now."

With those words said, it would now be up to the individual skills and tracking abilities of the party.

Interactions: All EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Aura Of Twilight Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin @IG42

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

Levi Grantz
Location: Northeast of Morriston
Interactions: RedArmyShogun
Mentions: AnonyMouse Azurian Dream
​

Levi felt a small tinge of embarrassment at Vierra’s words, a small dusting coating his face as he fiddled with his staff. Admittedly his knowledge of airships and how sturdy they were was quite lacking, but it appeared as though his question was enough to result in a teasing remark from Vierra. He was sure she hadn’t meant it in a mean way, but it didn’t make him feel any better about her words. Before he could respond and defend himself, a sudden pat on his shoulder caused him to jump in his own skin, quickly rounding about to see the hooded assassin who had assisted them in the previous battle.

The small yip that could be heard certainly hadn’t come from him, and was obviously a sign that some sort of fox or other small creature had somehow snuck aboard while they had landed from before. Hopefully they would be able to find the creature post haste. Trying to disguise his shock under a quick cough, he muttered out a quick thanks for the man’s explanation before turning back to face Alena.

Levi honestly assumed that the airship could handle crashing into a few trees. With it being made of metal and the trees being made of, well wood. But apparently that wasn’t the case, as Alena explained the risks involved with descending down into the uncharted and potentially dangerous forest below. He couldn’t argue with her explanation, both for the dangers of landing the craft and for suggesting that he stick with her once they descend.

Levi actually did have a question to ask her, something that he had been wondering since the last battle, and this would prove a good opportunity for him to ask. “That is fine with me.” He would be relying on her for the lion's share of the tracking, as well as the fighting should they encounter the enemy.