Fandom Fire Emblem: The Closed Book

[WhimsicalWriter]

Although Mayumi heard her allies moving and speaking behind her, her gaze remained firmly on Uriah. She heard Allerick's reaction to the death of his brother and her heart immediately tightened with sadness and regret. As much as she wanted to try to help, or comfort, she was...afraid. Listening to it was hard enough; she wasn't sure if she could handle seeing the prince's distraught expression.


Many minutes passed and people came and left. At one point a pegasus knight offered her something, and for a moment hearing another person's voice had made her hesitate. After a few moments the other woman set the item on the ground and left. Mayumi finally looked to her side to see that it was a vulnerary. The severity of Uriah's wounds suddenly returning to her in a flash, she quickly picked it up with slick fingers and proceeded to use it on his worst injury. It wasn't much, but to her relief, a cloaked woman soon handed her more and it allowed her to treat most of the wounds.


Once she was satisfied that he was out of danger, Mayumi sat back against the wall beside Uriah. The slashes on her arm burned whenever she moved, and there was nothing she could do about them now that she had used up all the vulneraries. However, she didn't regret that in the least. A tight bandage was good enough for now, although she doubted she would be able to fight well in this state.

 

[Der Kojote]

Keshal grimly nodded to Fiana raising his good hand, "I'll do it, there has been enough death from the villagers and out own ranks today...let's finish this last bandit off and be done with it." He was tired... they just needed to get through this last person. Lok was dead, villagers bodies laid across the field of conflict...sure they had save much...but how many others were left to rot on the field? This wasn't going to be a repeat of his village...he was going to save somebody. He still could cast spells, A nosferatu would ease the pain in his arching hand...improper channeling... hell of a thing. He motioned in the direction of the purported bandit. "So...who wants to kill some more bandit scum?"

 

[arisugawa]

A pair of amber eyes gleamed in the darkest corner of the coliseum, gaze sharp and focused as they watched the small family mill about, only mildly interested in their activity. Odelle had chosen the closed off area as her hiding place just minutes after the battle had started, not particularly eager to throw her head on the blade of a bandit for the merchant caravan she'd been hired to protect. She had spent most of her time far in the back rooms of the arena, searching for lost treasures left behind by humans, but had been drawn back into the main room by the sound of voices. At first she had thought it was the caravan, but upon closer inspection it was clear that it was simply a small human family. She shouldn't have been surprised-there was no way the merchants would survive wave after wave of bandits without their bodyguard there to protect them.


Not that it mattered to her, really-the caravan members hadn't quite endeared themselves to her, with their jeers of Housecat and Dirty Laguz. The treatment had annoyed her, but it taught her a valuable lesson: hide whatever traits might give you away as a member of the beasts, and the humans wouldn't immediately react with disgust-they may even give her a fair judgement based on her personality.


As she was busy reminiscing about the behavior of the humans she'd recently met, however, Odelle nearly missed the sound of someone banging on the door-the red bandanna did nothing good for her hearing, despite its usefulness at keeping humans disinterested in her. Even if she'd been deaf and blind, however, nothing could have ever been more noticeable than the man who walked in. He was huge, and also drenched in blood. The metallic scent hit her nose like a punch to the face, and if she wasn't interested in targeting him for her next paycheck she would have let out a quiet hiss.


When the huge man disappeared deeper into the coliseum, Odelle slipped out of her hiding place to tail him, sticking to the shadows so the other humans wouldn't see her. She approached him carefully, stopping several yards away to observe him before acting. He was obviously some type of soldier or fighter-no one could work up muscles like that outside of battle. People like him carried very little money on them, usually, but this mountain of a man might have had a valuable weapon-if there was anything made of silver on him, she knew a fence that would pay top coin for it. So, adopting the sneakiest stance she could, Odelle crept over towards the man, ears flicked forward and straining against the red cloth on her head. Just as she was about to begin searching him, however, a new scent tickled her nose.


It was...hard to pick up under all that blood, for one thing. But something about it was incredibly familiar, almost nostalgic. It reminded her of the Laguz warriors she'd sometimes see as a kid living on the streets of some ratty Ozten city, discussing something that her child self didn't find important enough to imprint to memory. He lacked the same distinctive bearing of those men and women, but he carried the same faint scent of fur... That was when everything clicked, and the young Laguz stood straight up, practically smacking her face against him. "Hello!" she chirped, eyes wide and smile wider. She backed away from the taller Laguz and hurried to pull off her bandanna, hoping that if he saw that she was like him he wouldn't snap her in half for stealing from him(she'd heard that the Laguz were extremely hostile towards criminals from her old captain, and she hoped that this one was either an exception to that rule or hadn't noticed her trying to make off with his personal effects). "What're you doing so far East? Did something important happen? Well," she shrugged one shoulder, black ear flicking as she glanced off to the side, "with the Laguz, I mean. Not the humans' war."

 

[Dirtbear]

Alone in the holding cell, Gaia found small pots filled with captured rainwater and a small cot in need of some repair. He placed his clothing neatly on the cot and stopped when he heard soft pads touching the ground. His ears twitched and he softly sighed as he was being paranoid.


'Must be the children...' he thought to himself. Gaia stretched his muscles and grimaced at the pain of his wounds were growing in annoyance. He was about to reach for the pots when someone tapped his back. 'Had to be a child...' he thought as a growl rolled from his chest. He turned and saw the black fur first before he raised his lip in malice. His eye-teeth were visible when he faced the small feline and the intake of air expanded his chest, causing a wide berth of muscle to tighten. She spoke and his breath hesitated to escape.





"..." Gaia paused and his lip lowered, covering his eye-teeth. A low rolling growl emitting from his chest and he looked her up and down analytically. Gauging her stance, awkward yet adventurous. Watching her eyes, sharp yet hopeful. Capturing her scent, young... 'very young...' He looked into her eyes again before speaking. "It's none of your concern, whelp. And you should announce your presence before approaching those you do not know, especially Laguz of the Beast Tribes. One would tear your throat out before discovering your intentions." Gaia growled. He didn't like the casualness she exerted. Gaia glanced at her bandana in her hands and let a small quick grin flash over his face. 'Not so wet behind the ears...'





Gaia reached out for the pots holding the rainwater and uncovered the lid. He poured the contents over his head and let the water wash over his skin. The blood stuck to his fur loosened and slid with the water to the ground, leaving a dark brown river to find the drain in the center of the cell. Gaia opened his amber eyes and cast them over the young one still awaiting his response. "There has been many years between the last time I've seen another Laguz. And this war, isn't entirely a concern to me." he spoke as he reached for another pot to rinse himself with. Unconcerned with the cloth around his waist, as it was tied firmly, from falling with the water. His skin was cleansed with the second pass of water and the blood staining his fur was no longer thick. Gaia let out a sigh as his senses weren't muddled by the blood anymore, just a stench of dirty water was wifting in the air as the water drained. He sat on the cot beside the clothing and began to run his claws through his fur, grooming it and ridding the small knots from it. While keeping his eyes on his 'guest', as to find out what she wanted.

 

[Castello]

After walking for a while Allerick finally came across a descent place to bury Lok. It wasn't perfect, there was surely more death around, he could smell it. But for what he could see, there was a patch of flowers and a church that was actually still standing. "Rosso, this is the place." Allerick said, looking towards her. She nodded and set down Lok with the utmost carefulness. "Alright M'lord, I will go find a shovel you can wait here. I would not want anything more to happen to your arm." Rosso said and moved away into a nearby shack.


Allerick slowly moved up onto Lok's body. He hadn't had a good look at him, but he looked actually quite peaceful in death, his face still remained intact and he didn't seem to have died a painful death. The arrow however was still lodged in his chest and Allerick reached his hand for it, grasping even hurt, his wrist was in bad condition. he grabbed it and began to pull however once it came out Allerick unexpectedly fell back. He dropped the arrow and returned to his brother and knelt down. "Lok... This is my fault. I should have never left you.... I should have never let you come. Mother... Father... I am so sorry. My sins will never be repaid, the least I could do is fight in your guys' name." Allerick said and reached for Lok's sword, the one he so confidently called the Killing Edge. He looked at the blade, it was in fine condition, however it lacked something Lok's swords usually had, blood. Lok died without a fight, he wouldn't want to die that way, Allerick knew his brother. The thought caused another stream of tears to engulf his face furthermore. He gripped his sword tightly and began to gather the nearby flowers, making a bouquet. He looked at the flowers, some roses, other tulips. he slowly set the flowers over Lok's wound and without hesitation got up.


"Lok, with your sword I will win this battle for us. There shall be no more needless death. I can assure it, in recognition of the brother I love..." Allerick said and began to run off, Lok's sword in hand.


@Killigrew @Der Kojote @TechEwok @explosiveKitten @BrownBear @arisugawa @WhimsicalWriter


If you guys want I can finish this battle off in this post if you guys just want it to be over with. Then I'll get working on Part 2 :3!

 

[arisugawa]

Odelle skipped out of the way of the dirtied water, booted feet surprisingly soundless as they danced over the cobbled stone. Her nose wrinkled as the scent of blood and grime billowed up into the air, stronger than ever now that it wasn't offset by the heavy fur that it had been saturated into. "So, that old geezer wasn't lying about how hostile the tribes are, huh?" she murmured, more as an out-loud thought to herself than anything she'd meant to share.


As he spoke of the time between his last meeting with one of his kind, one ear flicked curiously, and Odelle nearly asked him for a reason behind his apparent avoidance of other Laguz-but then, he didn't seem the type to respond well to needless prodding, and the space they were in was too enclosed to give her a good chance at getting away from him if she riled him up. So when she opened her mouth again, it was to say, "Anyway, the fighting's slowed down, from what I hear out there," one ear flicked towards a wall, acknowledging the battlefield outside the arena, "so who won? It wasn't the bandits, was it? Oh, it would be a shame to have this town wiped off the map. Pleasant humanfolk 'round here, you know? Well-mannered children, friendly enough to outsiders-human outsiders at any rate-and the merchants are lax enough for even the most butterfingered-" she paused, trying to think of an alternative to the word thief, "-loose-lipped clout to, uh, make a steal at their shop. Funny thing, too, with the war going on and all you'd think they'd hug every last gold piece to their heart."


"So!" Odelle continued brightly, hoping her sunny tone would make her sudden subject shift less obvious, "You wouldn't happen to be a part of a merchant's guard or something of that ilk, would you? This bandit raid has quite thoroughly relieved me of my job, you see," As she spoke, she flicked her ears back against her head and began to retie the bandanna, tilting her head upwards to make tying the knot easier, "and I am currently in the market for a new job."

 

[Dirtbear]

Listening to her babble on about things started to bore Gaia and he nodded his head. She continued and he was starting to drown out the conversation she was having with him as he thought of what he needed to do. He grabbed his clothing and began to dress in front of her. Gaia wasn't embarrassed to change in front of female company, especially Laguz of the Beast Tribes. He fitted his vest and his loose pants and fixed his collar on his vest to show the Blue Rose Emblem. He stood with pride once he had on his vestments and the attire fit loosely and snug at the same time. By then, she was finishing her long speech about some nonsense. His eyes went down to see if his tail was inside his cloak and when he looked back up, he stopped at the dishonorable sight at her hip. A sword. A Laguz would never wield a sword, especially one with the honor of the Beast Tribes. His temper flared and he walked forward grabbing a hold of her shoulder and tossing her aside. He kept walking to leave the cell and the filth that considered herself part of the tribes.


Gaia was beyond angry. He thought he had found someone he could look over and share his history with. But all he found inside the urchin, was dishonor and shame to the Beast Tribes. He felt his heart had been torn asunder and the immense pain was enough to make him unbearably hot. Gaia's pace was quick and for his size, was enough to make people move away from the charging mountain with haste. He clenched his jaw and his growls were rumbling. His hand went to his chest pocket to feel the journal he carried with him always. It was there and it comforted him but not enough to forgive the whelp. She didn't even introduce herself, and she disgraced herself by carry that... junk. 'Were her claws not enough to fight and defend those she cared for? Was her eye-teeth not sharp enough to strike fear in the humans and Laguz? How she shamed me... BAHH!' Gaia roared out and the closest thing to him was a table along a wall. He reached for it mid-stride and tossed it across the wide hallway. It shattered against the wall and the merchants and residents of the city quivered in fear of the lion. Gaia kept walking off into the depths of the arena, harnessing the anger inside him.

 

[arisugawa]

"Oh-Um, alright then? No open spots?" Odelle called after the other Laguz, reaching up with one hand to rub absently at the shoulder he'd taken a hold of. It wasn't the first time she'd been pushed out of the way-cities as small as this one were always surprisingly crowded, and no one really felt the need to be courteous towards some gutter-cat with dulled claws.


She could feel the rage falling off the man in waves, however, and with a harsh sigh-she hated dealing with angry people, they almost never responded to reason-she began to trail after him, allowing him to keep a considerable lead so her light footsteps wouldn't be detected. She offered the frightened humans a gentle nod as she passed, barely turning her head away from the lion-she didn't want to lose his scent. Once she was no longer in danger of being spotted by the humans, Odelle opened her mouth to draw in the scents from the air, orienting herself so she was following the path the Laguz had taken.


Once he was back in her line of sight, Odelle slowed her steps considerably, instinctively rising up on her toes to reduce the amount of contact her feet made with the ground. Her eyes flickered around to study the area of the arena they were in, picking out escape routes in case the massive man reacted poorly to her mending of bridges. She could only find two, but it was too late to let him keep walking-she was almost certain she'd be pushing her luck by doing that.


So, with another soft sigh, Odelle called out, "Hey, lion-beast tribe man? I'm sorry about whatever happened back there-I don't really know what I did, but-" her expression lit up suddenly, and her ears strained against her bandanna with the realization of, "-Oh! It's rude to ask a Laguz if there's a job opening up in their profession, isn't it? Might imply something, or whatever." She coughed, one hand drifting down to the old sword at her hip to nervously fiddle with the bronze pommel. Despite her attempts to come off as relaxed, the thief was slowly but surely edging towards one of the exits she'd spotted just moments before. "Well, I meant absolutely nothing at all by it! You seem-uh, very...capable?"