Fantasy Howl's Flying Castle (Finished! ---Whoo! (*＾▽＾)／)

[Roleplay Skittle]

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When the sock guardian caught Seifer, he swatted him with the same pressure of slap that he had given to the Pond plushie before, whether he was prepared to or not, he was actually ejected from Lydia's soul because he was no longer a welcomed guest.

After the sock creature had done its job, it came over to where James and Lydia were, silently stroking her back with one of its long plushy arms, "that..." Lydia groaned softly and shook her head, taking in a deep breath before she took the sock creature's arm and stood, "thanks, Maurice."

Maurice, as the sock creature was evidently called, stayed for a couple of moments until he was sure that Lydia was alright before he wandered off back into the maze now that the others were gone. Lydia shook her head again after he was gone and looked back to James, placing a hand on her head a moment. She seemed to be thinking about something but her brow furrowed and whatever it was, she seemed to just abandon it, taking his hand again as the dragon's scales rippled and leading him inside the greenhouse.

Inside, the large glass building was very evidently not empty despite how it looked on the outside. It looked like a typical garden but there were very evident elements that simply screamed Lydia and there was soft music playing that seemed to come from everywhere but was definitely atmospheric and not deafening. James would probably recognize many of the pictures and trinkets from things they had done together, whether it be the spell circle they had created to switch back bodies, books they had shared, or images of things from the sunken ship in Shoflo Ocean. There were also many other items from events that he probably didn't recognize because they seemed to be from when Lydia was little, and also items representing things that had happened between her and their friends.

On one side of the glass house there was, what was probably one of the most prominent things in the greenhouse, a very large statue of Howl holding a book of what James would likely realize was a very novice magic book that didn't even deal with real magic. The statue was made out of stone and what stood next to it was a second, slightly smaller statue that was crafted out of marble. This smaller statue was James.

There were several other small statues made of marble sitting on a shelf to the other side of the one of Howl, but none of these James would recognize, though if he took a guess, he would probably realize that they were all Lydia's family, her brothers, her mother and father and likely grandparents and so-on. On the side where James statue stood there was another shelf of statues that were the same size as the ones of her family, but these ones were made out of other materials and James would recognize them as their friends. Most of them seemed to be made out of blown glass, Echo's and Johnny's looked like solid crystal, and Seifer's had a small crack in it.

At the center of the room stood a small house and both buildings were circular in shape. If James looked back towards the outside of the building, he'd see that it didn't look like where they had just come from and there was no trace of the dragon outside, it looked like the countryside and there was a cozy looking manor in the distance.

Lydia was trying to collect her thoughts and after letting James look around some she spoke, "you asked about the spell? The one I think made the dragon?" She'd lead him over to a sitting area that was basically just a bunch of fluffy pink pillows, "before you, Echo, and Serena showed up, a dragon had grabbed me and taken me from where I was with Amaterasu... I just wanted him to stop and I said as much... and he did. It worked a second time against Magvileen... I don't know what it was and I never used it before... but after that, my giant was a dragon."

Whether or not James sat, Lydia would answer his other question about the tattoos, "well... I had thought that it would be easier to have rune marks on my skin than to wear them as trinkets..." she blushed and looked away shyly, her hands pressing into the fabric of her puffy skirt that hung to her knees, "but... I didn't know if you would like them."

Spoiler: Lydia's soul room music

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

James kept looking at Lydia, wondering what had happened when the sock creature reappeared. "What happened, Maurice?" he said, even though he knew it could not speak. He looked back to the hedges, then at Lydia who was holding her head. He didn't press her for answers, but switched the hand she was holding with his other as he placed a protective arm around her shoulders, and glanced back.

His first thought was that Seifer did something, and he frowned. But if Lydia wishes to continue showing him her soul, he will stay with her, though if it was Seifer who did something just now he was going to whoop his behind.

When he entered the greenhouse, his anger was momentarily forgotten as he felt a familiar peace. He smiled at how the peace he felt in here was the same peace he felt sleeping on Lydia's lap, with her hands touching his hair and rubbing his back. She was better than a library on a cool night, sitting in front of a fireplace with tea. He thought he knew what his perfect place was, but no, this was it. "Is this what it felt like, to feel at home with someone?" he said out loud.

He looked up surprised at the statue of him, and melted that this girl deemed him this important to her. He looked at the other statues and wasn't surprised Seifer's had a crack. He bet that in most people, the representation of him would be cracked. He didn't know her friendship with Echo and Johnny was more solid than the rest, and he felt happy knowing more of these things about her.

He turned around slowly, taking in the view, and peered out the windows at the manor. "Is that your family's house?" he also looked at the statues that looked like Lydia and stared at them long. "So this is what your parents and brothers look like." he smiled. "I can tell who's Frederick. I'd love to meet them one day."

After looking around, he sat on the puffy pink pillows, listening to Lydia's story. "That is odd . . . I don't know how that could come to be either. It sounded like a deathknight thing --- but good instead, like when Seifer first learned of his command powers. Actually like that. Did that dragon possibly do something to you?"

About the tattoos, he looked back at her arms. "I like them. They're more practical." he nodded.

Roleplay Skittle
OOC | Characters | Moments in Time
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[Roleplay Skittle]

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Maurice of course hadn't offered a response to James, just gave him the same beady eyed stare he had previously before he left. Lydia just smiled meekly and shook her head, "Seifer's just a complete toad," she had changed her stance on him for a while but it looked like he was back to his old ways and it was likely, at least in her mind, that the brunt of his ill-mannered tendencies would likely be spread out over everyone else since Renee was no longer a target. She leaned into James comfortably as she led him when he put his arm around her.

As James questioned aloud about feeling at home with someone, Lydia just smiled warmly, squeezing his hand, "I'm glad you feel that way... you're always welcome here."

She glanced outside towards the manor and shook her head, smiling slightly, "no... it's our home in the countryside... I've always liked it more there, it never felt like I had to be someone I wasn't whenever we stayed there... really that's how it seemed for everyone, like it was a whole other world," She watched the house fondly for a moment before looking back to James, her arm curling around his in a slight hug, "of course. I want you to meet them... and I'd like it to be in Frankia's country side so you can see the real them... without all of the pomp and circumstance."

"The dragon?" She looked slightly stunned and then thoughtful for a moment before she shook her head slightly, "I... don't think so... it was just a black dragon and no where near as powerful as Valdanr."

She glanced down at the various tattoos on her skin which didn't seem to represent anything other than what they symbolized, the only one that was a recognizable phrase or word was James' name, which she grazed lightly with her fingertips as she smiled to him, "really? So... you wouldn't mind if I had them outside?" She knew her parents would never allow such a thing because they would think that it would make it less likely for her to find a husband, which had never before been something she even considered or thought about, of course she hadn't thought about getting any tattoos until this adventure and even then it was for practical reasons as James said rather than for decoration.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

"I wouldn't mind at all," said James shaking his head, as his arm curl-hugged her arm too, "and I encourage you to have them before we fight in a battle again." he touched her ear where an earring usually would be. "Valdanr's fire will probably be more powerful than any of the dragons here. Your trinkets may melt, Lydia,"

He suddenly had a thought and pulled out his wand. "I wish there were runes that would allow me to do wand-less magic too. This is so fragile." he showed her. "An ordinary person can snap this in two if they tried very hard."

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[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia could only smile brightly and give him a more enthusiastic hug. She nodded at his suggestion, he was right. She could lose an earring or as he said, have them melted and that definitely wouldn't be fun.

She looked at his wand as he pulled it out and stared for a moment before looking back to him with an expression that not quite represented revelation even though that was quite what she just had, "maybe you could get a tattoo on your hand to help you direct instead of a wand... we could work out a spell circle that is a simplified version of the magic directing sections that we used in our spell circles for soul switching," she just looked at him plain faced, like she was stating the obvious with her explanation of what they could do to remedy his wand situation.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

James hugged Lydia back, smiling. He always secretly catalogues everything he does that earns him affection from her so he could do it again. "You can do that?" he said, excitedly, and looked down at his palm. "Let's do it, Lydia. This'll be monumental if it works --- oh, by the way, about Maurice, is he or she a stuffed animal you had as a child?"

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[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia's shoulders shrugged slightly at his question, "well... I've never done it before... then again, I'd never participated in crafting a giant spell circle so that people could switch bodies and that worked," she grinned enthusiastically at him, "so I'm not going to say it's not possible!" Monumental in deed. Lydia wondered if any spell casters that wielded wants or other artifacts to direct their magic had thought of it before. It probably would have been easier for her to cast in the beginning if she had used a wand, but she so wanted to be like Master Howl, she just didn't want to.

Blinking a few times at James as he asked about Maurice, she raised her index finger to the corner of her mouth as she glanced upwards in thought, "yes... and no..." she smiled at him, an amused huff slipping from her slender little nose, "Maurice has always been made of socks, but he used to be pink. My grandma made him for me. I still have him outside and he's still pink... but as I got older, in here he turned black and white."

Lydia took his hand in hers after they had chatted for a little while, examining the palm and the back of his hand and going over runework in her mind, some of it being echoed on his hand as she thought about the possible formations for a magic directing spell circle. She continued answering any questions that he may have about her soul room. Lydia even had a representation of their gryphon discussion, a gryphon with the same color eyes as James and feathers the color of his hair holding a sandwich tied with a ribbon and a stick atop it in his beak. What almost seemed like a holograph of Sasha flew around the whole of the greenhouse and sometimes would land and hassle a blue flower or catch a holographic mouse or some other little creature that appeared only for the sake of her catching it.

After a while, when the excitement had subsided of having James there seeing an intimate part of who she was, Lydia brought up what they had been meaning to discuss since arriving, "James... about Hisaya... if you don't use a wish for him... what are we going to do?" It was a logical question, right now James was sharing his body with the former Deathknight and if that was how it would always be... "I know it might not be your first choice... but can you live the rest of your life with him inside of you?"

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

"No. We've talked about it, Hisaya and me. That talk he called us all for, he was preparing to move on so that he can see his wife and kids." said James. "But now . . . I don't want to wish for his body before the fight with Valdanr. Do you think that's selfish of me?"

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[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia watched him in silence for a moment, the corner of her mouth quirking in a slight smile, "yes... before... before he realized his wife and child could very much be alive," Lydia chewed her lower lip hesitantly before she huffed again, her smile turning to one of embarrassment, "I don't think you're selfish... for goodness sake, James, you are sharing your body with someone that very nearly killed two of your friends and one of your brothers. I think it's understandable and I don't think it was fair of Hisaya to try and use his helping with the spell circle against you."

Lydia placed her hand on his, "you are the one that worked so hard to summon Ifrit and I think that you are the one that should decide what you do with your wishes," leaning against him, she wrapped her arms around his waist, "if you want to help him... but you want to save your wishes... maybe you could tell him that once Valdanr is beaten, if you have the wishes left, you will use one to get him his body back? This way you don't have to worry about needing the wishes and not having them."

She leaned back from him then, her face set in seriousness, "but you should still think about what is going to happen in the event that you do need all three of your wishes."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

James nodded when Lydia said she didn't think he was selfish, then breathed contentedly in her arms. "Actually, I summoned Ifrit by accident, I don't even remember the incantation." he hugged her back, swaying in place as he breathed in the scent of her hair. "If I don't have the three wishes anymore, I thought of asking him if he wants to be bound into a golem core so that he could be with his family, or if he wishes, to have him move on."

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[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia couldn't stop the abrupt laughter that escaped from her then, followed by a soft snort as her hand clapped over her mouth to stop the sudden outburst, but her eyes were still twinkling as the sound died down into a chuckle, "why James Pendragon... if ever you were to doubt you are as powerful as your father..." She gave him a tender kiss on his cheek, "I don't even think that's a question anymore, after all you've accomplished."

Supposing that the only reason he might not still have the wishes is because he had left Ifrit without discussing anything about wishes with him and considering that he wasn't even sure if he would have those wishes in the long run, the best thing she would be able to do is research Ifrit and find out what sorts of things would appease him in order for James to not have lost his wishes because that would be an all around disappointment, but she didn't say anything, she would just do as she thought because that would be one way of helping James out, "it wouldn't be the same... but at the very least he would be able to be with his family... I think they would need to get accustomed to the idea though... they might not be able to handle it if he just shows up as a golem in the event that's his choice."

She honestly hoped that Hisaya wouldn't choose to move on. It just didn't seem fair to anyone for him to do so. He had been swept up into something on accident and hadn't thought that anything he knew would have harmed him in anyway, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. At least if he did choose to move on, his family would know what had happened, "if he Hisaya does choose to move on... will you take him to go see his family one last time?" The way Lydia looked at him then and the inflection in her voice showed that she wasn't asking if he would make the choice to, she was personally asking him if he would do it.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

Those words Lydia said about being as powerful as his father, left James with a look as though he had a treasure with him for a long time, but was not aware of what it was until now. So he stood there just dumbstruck. There was another wish he had since childhood that was answered.

"How do you do that?" he said to Lydia suddenly. "How do your words just ---" he made a tumbling gesture with his hands, " --- alter me?" again he was looking at her like he had never seen anyone quite like her before, as though she was magic and he didn't know what magic was.

When she mentioned about the golem, he nodded after he temporarily got over how Lydia changed him so simply, "I'll be there so that Hisaya would be there when you write the letter. He'd have to explain the golem part to his wife. And yes, I'll take him to visit his family if he chooses to move on. You'll come with me, right?"

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[Roleplay Skittle]

The way James always reacted to her words of encouragement, words that she said only because she thought she was stating the obvious, never ceased to make her heart flutter. It was like every time she embarrassed him and he would look away trying not to look so pleased, it made her sigh inwardly and her large green eyes were full of love for him. The warm look in her eyes cleared somewhat as he asked her how her words altered him, a gentle smile on her lips, "it's my job as your partner to be honest with you and tell you what you otherwise might not realize," she gave him another tender kiss to his cheek before settling against him.

She nodded her head, it only seemed logical for Hisaya to help write the letter, and she wouldn't have it any other way, if they could hear from him and hear at least a summary of his story without all of the disasters that had happened to him, that would probably ease their consciences. She looked up at him and smiled brightly, nodding her head again but more enthusiastically, "of course! And... we can visit my family afterwards... but only if you want to."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

"I want to." said James, smiling. He wrapped his arms around Lydia as she settled against him and bent down to plant a kiss on those petal soft lips. "My partner." he added, warmly, feeling very giddy again. "Oh, I remembered something I wanted to do." suddenly he showered her face with kisses, attacking her with his lips which escalated to so much gusto he was suctioning her skin again.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

There had been no doubt in Lydia's mind that James would want to meet her family, but it pleased her all the same when he said aloud that he did and she returned his kiss with gusto and giggled slightly as he repeated that she was his partner. She then looked at him curiously when he said that he remembered something he wanted to do and the giggles returned as she closed her eyes and accepted his kisses openly, squealing slightly as he started getting carried away, "just because I'm your girlfries doesn't mean you can eat me!" she exclaimed between giggles and squeaks.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Lydia's Soul "​

"Hmm, but that's the privilege of boyburgers, my Lydia." said James casually, nipping on her nose with his lips pulled over his teeth. "I also seem to remember you talking about gobbling me up. Remember what happened after that?" he smirked as he tickled her. He then began to remind her more enthusiastically of that ear-steaming time in the woods until it was time to return to the outside world.

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[Zer0]

- Ethellion -
" Sacred Grounds "​

Later that day, after James and Lydia's consciousness were back in the outside world, Seifer came shuffling to Lydia when she was alone and apologized for slapping the Pond plushie. It was just a joke, but Renee helped him realize it was something precious that shouldn't be joked around with.

James, upon learning from the archer himself what he did, punched him in the face, almost like a reverse situation of that time months and months ago during the Warlock Tournament. Words were not needed between them. Seifer understood he did something wrong, but it honestly was just a joke and not really trying to hurt Lydia. James scowled at him and didn't whoop him some more, but would not acknowledge his presence until Lydia forgave him.

As the days passed, Johnny and was learning the languages of the dragons and the armies crossing with them together with James. Because of his ability, James was assigned the task of coordinating communications between armies and spent the days teaching soldiers under him how to summon ethereal owls and spying bees.

The old guardians allowed Renee and her friends to come and talk to the manna tree, in the Sacred Grounds, eight leagues away from where the Devourer was stopped by the alliance of men and dragons. They flew past that place on their way to the manna tree. There was a hole there, where space and magic was warped that the dragons would not fly near for fear of manna burns.

Kenren looked upon that place and decided, once this battle with Valdanr is over, he will include the permanent destruction of the Devourer and his servants in his to do list.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

It made Lydia's heart beat quicker when James called her 'my Lydia,' and his reminder of their time in the tent on the snowy tundra did not leave her unbothered, but considering they had already had their first kiss and she was not so hindered because they were in her soul, Lydia did well to be certain that she was not the only one with steam coming out of their ears by the time they returned to the outside world.

Thanks to James, Lydia had almost completely forgotten about Seifer's misdemeanor in her soul by the time he came to her to apologize. She quirked an awkward smile and since she wasn't quite as angry as she had been, she actually accepted his apology right off, but bopped him on the head like she had bopped him when she scolded him about running off with Renee. She told him she was just a hair's breadth away from telling James about what he did during the body switch, but had decided against it because she didn't see what good it would do and that she liked to think that Renee's influence had made him a more considerate person so she hadn't thought it was anything more than a joke, albeit a pretty thoughtless one. Of course when she heard about James punching Seifer because of what had happened, she was stunned by the gesture he took on her behalf and practically drowned James in affection.

During the rest of the week, Lydia had a primary goal in mind and so when she wasn't asked to do something else, such as assisting other mages with their casting, or working out spell circles with various eventual outcomes, she focused her time in creating a spell circle for James to use in order to direct his magic. She also began working on runic designs for her own markings that she would eventually imbue her skin with.

Being in a position where she could actually impart her knowledge on others in such a manner was baffling for Lydia. She had never even dreamed of making it to this point, she always thought she would just be struggling with her own mastery and the fact that she had come as far to actually be able to cast at least a few of her spells without words to go along made her feel a strange sense of pride and a greater sense of accomplishment. It was hard for her to believe that she had come so far and it hadn't been entirely under Master Howl's wing, of course she wondered if that was part of why he had sent her on that first quest in the beginning, because he knew that he could help her with the foundations of her magic use, but that she had to really discover them on her own. Her happiness with her success was unbound and whenever she saw James, she showered him with some of that happiness most affectionately. Though their friends didn't go untouched by her happiness either, it wasn't to the same degree as James.

Lydia was excited to visit the Manna Tree, if anything because it was a new experience. It was nice to see that a tree that had been so close to Valdanr in the beginning had gone untouched and she was eager to see what it had to say. As they flew past the great warped hole, Lydia could only shake her head, her thoughts trailing along those of Kenren as she wondered why any of these creatures that only sought destruction had been imprisoned in the first place and not outright destroyed. Even after thousands of years, they still harbored the same hate that they had so long ago so it was obvious they wouldn't change and Lydia would support Kenren in his decision should he ever voice it.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee scolded Seifer, reminding him about what happened to his soul and how he should have known better with a disappointed frown. As someone who studies souls and the meanings behind each one she visits, the winged teen couldn't let what Seifer did to Lydia's precious item go. So as she watched Seifer apologize to the witch, Renee internally swore to not travel into someone's soul with someone else unless they really trust them. It's a precaution. One that Seifer helped her see as she does not want anybody to mess with souls like that.

She already had enough experience and heart-ache from Valdanr doing the same and worse to Seifer's soul; she didn't want anymore of that stress and will avoid it as much as she can. Of course she jumped in shock when James punched her boyfriend. Renee didn't stop him but she did pass Seifer an ice pack so he doesn't get a swelling on his cheek; understanding that this might be a guy thing again. Then she apologized to Lydia as well, for what has happened and ask her to let her know if anything feels weird just so she can check on it with Inner Lydia too.

As the days passed, Renee trained to use manna under brother's watchful eye, making sure nothing bad will happen during training. It was stress-inducing as she wasn't used to practicing her magic this much unless it was transformations. She had to focus a lot and every little distraction tends to be a problem for her since she pays attention to small details. Her brother helped a lot though and she is ever grateful, making sure to tell him that after finishing training for the day. On the days that she's not training her manna, she would have a small competition with Seifer on their archery skills, trying to one-up him when she can. Then she looks after Sirius with Seifer while studying again.

So on the day they were to visit the Storm Wall Manna tree, Renee asked everyone in the group if they wanted to come with her since the old guardians gave her permission. She didn't want to go alone. For once, she actually wanted to go with everyone. Together. The Pendragon teen leaned on Seifer who's behind her as the dragons and the old guardians took them to the Sacred grounds, squeezing his hand occasionally. When they flew past where the Devourer's is supposedly held, Renee shivered; able to sense the massive amount of manna that's warped together with space and it's really disturbing to feel.

"Ken-chan!" Renee called out, feeling comfortable with the Prince again. "Did you bring the list of questions with you for the Storm Wall Manna tree?"

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Ethellion -
" Sacred Grounds "​

"Yes, I did!" said Kenren, passing over a small roll of parchment sealed with his insignia to Renee, as the dragons ascended up a mountain top and whooshed down the valleys, leaving the hole out of sight. The prince continued to look back at it in deep thought, before Brok, the centaur, who was their guide, said that the grounds were coming into view.

Seifer, who was hugging Renee, patted her stomach comfortingly when she shivered, then craned his neck and leaned as far as he could to the side without falling off the dragon's back to see the sight before them.

It was a grove of giant orange trees, almost as high as Luthien was, except its tops didn't break through the clouds. It was surrounded by a forest of smaller orange trees to the east, while to the west, the land was blackened. There was a river of blue light, like manna flowing and flying with the wind, and it seemed that it couldn't make up its mind whether to destroy or nourish the surrounding areas.

It seemed that time was warped as flowers died, and bloomed, over and over again in quick succession. There were powerful runes guiding the chaotic manna flow, that eventually mellowed out a few miles to the north until it disappeared.

"The last war ten thousand years ago, almost destroyed our sacred tree." said Brok. "Our druids have been healing the land ever since, yet the Devourer's hunger touched this place before he could be sealed away. It has been growing worse lately. Did you know, manna trees sing to keep the chaos at bay? To prevent the Rift Wars from ever happening again, yet over the years it seemed that the strain on our tree has grown. We do not know what's been happening in the world beyond the storms, but it has stunted its growth. It's actually shrinking."

After the dragons descended, Brok asked them to cast their shielding charms, then led the way through a safe passage where acolytes who guarded the tree greeted them. These acolytes seemed ghostly. It was an unfortunate effect from staying so close to a chaotic manna flow for many years, trying to heal it.

Renee could sense it. It was dying, valiantly fighting to keep the chaos at bay. It was indeed straining itself too much, or perhaps it was because of the death or uprooting of the other manna trees that it's burden had become so heavy.

James, who had been on cloud nine ever since Lydia made his ears steam, plus drowned him in affections leaving him happily flabbergasted at her enthusiasm --- removing his initial belief that Lydia had no interest in a honeymoon after a wedding --- plus showered him some more in affections, could not be bothered by end-of-the-world things and wars. He had difficulty keeping a somber face as Brok told them the story of the tree.

Meanwhile, Johnny was looking at the place with awe. Everything had such nice colors and he listened to everything the centaur said, asking him questions such as what spells they used to keep all this chaotic magic under control.

Kenren took in everything the way he would a battle. Etching the consequences of the Devourer coming back into his mind. All of a sudden, the Orients seemed like a smaller place compared to the world that was still in danger. "What would happen if this last manna tree burns itself out?" he asked Brok.

"Ragnarok." said the centaur.

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[Katsuya]

Smiling, Renee took the small roll of parchment from Kenren, having a moment to look at the insignia. Taking a deep breathe to avoid laughing, she patted on Seifer's hands that are over her stomach and eyes widened from the colors of the area they are headed to. After making a shield that's enhanced by everyone adding on to it, Renee opened the parchment to read what sort of questions Kenren had for the tree.

"Oh yea. Historia mentioned about one of the other manna trees not singing as well." She looked at Renee who noticed her concerned face and waved it off with a sad smile. The Pendragon teen knows she's talking about Sunny. However she squeezed Seifer's hand as she sensed it. The Manna tree here was really struggling with the flow, dying as it held as long as it can. Gears turned as she lowered the parchment and looked at James biting her bottom lip before muttering.

"James, I think something happened to Sen, Seth, and Minnie. The Manna tree here is dying from the strain its going through right now." Her trembling wings folded against her head as her eyes looked wet and teary. "I hope they are okay..."

Echo looked on with wide doe-like eyes and stayed close to Johnny when they saw the ghostly acolytes; ears folding back as she greeted them too. The fawn didn't want to be rude to the ones who are watching over the Manna tree here but she's still iffy with spirits or anybody who looks like one. Then she listened to what the guide said to her beau as he asked what sort of spells did they use for the chaotic mess.

Serena wanted to poke one of the acolytes to see if they really were ghostly in just appearance or more; but she didn't. Instead she listened in for anything type of singing from the Manna tree or perhaps she was looking for inspiration to play in her violin again as she looked around the area as well. Still keeping up with the group.

Chenglei walked beside Kenren, taking everything in as he just listens what's around him. Kurosaki waited faithfully on the belt that's around his waist. He frowned at the answer the guide has provided and that's when he realized this is much bigger than any of them anticipated. Truly.

"Ragnarok?" He repeated.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Even though Lydia was an expert at separating business and pleasure so while when she was alone with James, she was with him one hundred percent and out there on their way to visit the Storm Wall's manna tree, she should be all business - she found it a little difficult to keep her mind on the present. Her ability to focus was still like a switch she could turn on and off, but it seemed to have its own trigger now and every time she looked at James her cheeks would flush and she'd look away shyly, gently clearing her throat. She was entirely enamoured of James and struggled to keep a serious facade as she heard about the situation of the manna tree, incorporating that with what they knew about the trees on the other side, Lydia could only lower her gaze solemnly as she pushed any less serious and definitely more pleasant thoughts out of her head and just hoped that Minnie and the twins would plant Luthien again soon because it sounded like this tree was in dire need of help. If this tree, as Serena said, sang to keep the chaos at bay and was currently the only tree in the ground and able to do its job, it was no wonder it was struggling.

She was awed in a way that the chaos was so prevalent that even with the great power of a Manna tree, as Luthien had shown, it required more than one tree to contain it and she couldn't help but marvel at the fact that these trees tried to protect the whole world from destruction. It gave her a new found pride in her last name and a stronger respect for trees in general. She also questioned why it always seemed to be that good was always way more underpowered than evil, leaving them at a disadvantage and needing some great thing that would tip the scales in the favor of light over dark. It was this way in all of the stories she had ever read and it didn't seem to be any different in real life. A wry smile made it's way onto Lydia's lips for a moment.

Much like Johnny, she was looking everywhere with wonder and listening intently to what Brok had to say and as Johnny asked his questions, she also waited for the answers to them and incorporated her own questions, especially once they descended and the acolytes greeted them. Lydia was very interested in those trying to help and heal, wondering if there was anything she could do to help in their task until things could be put right again.

The prospect of Ragnarok troubled her greatly and her brow furrowed as she looked to the ground, her hand clasping James' tightly. There wouldn't be a Ragnarok if she could help it, they'd do what they were destined to and set everything right. Her thoughts paused though as she heard Renee speak and she looked to her before James and then back again, loosening her hand from James' and moving over to the Pendragon sister, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Seth and Sen are brilliant and crafty... and Minnie is..." Lydia searched her thoughts for a good description of the Cool Beans Guild secretary and smiled when she found one, "very formidable... I'm sure they're fine, but you know not all things go as planned, no matter the good intentions involved," Lydia gave Renee's shoulder a squeeze, "I'm sure they're fine, but they were in an area that was under attack so it's likely they had to overcome some obstacles along the way."

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Ethellion -
" Sacred Grounds "​

"Yes, Historia told us as much." said Brok to Serena, the clip clap of his hooves echoing like Echo's on the stone passageway they passed through; Seifer squeezed Renee's hand back, "What's wrong, babe?" he said quietly and peered at Serena then at the parchment as though he thought it had something to do with her sad smile.

James looked worried, but Lydia's words comforted him too, so he ruffled his sister's hair. "What Lydia said. Sen and Seth started their guild with just fourteen gold and a high-five, and Minnie's no mean feat. She makes them behave, that's more than we could accomplish, sis," he chuckled, "so have hope."; Seifer just nodded and squeezed Renee's hand again.

"As for this, we'll think of something together." said James encouragingly. "We always do."

Meanwhile, Johnny curled his arm around Echo and patted it when he noticed her iffy-ness, casually moving away from the ghostly acolytes while still having a conversation with the centaur. Brok was explaining Ragnarok to Chenglei and Kenren.

"According to the seer Volva who recited it to Historia, Ragnarok is the twilight of the gods. The great battle that heralds the end of the nine realms, where the giants will return and do battle with the gods. Three roosters will crow, one in Jotunheim where the giants dwell, another in Valhalla, and the last in the Halls of the Dead. The great hound Garmr, servant of the Nameless One will break from his cage and howl, Yggdrassil will shudder and groan, the giants will come from the east, their shields before them. The seas will be torn and the Devourer, a serpent so large that it surrounds the earth and grasps its own tail will raise itself from the depths of the oceans to join the battle, crashing giant waves upon the shores. "

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

"They're talking about Sunny, the first tree I talked with..." was her response to Seifer, kissing his cheek to reassure him that she'll be fine.

Renee used her other hand to pat and lightly squeeze Lydia's; the one that's on her shoulder before giggling lightly at James ruffling her hair. "Yea....Yea, you're right. They'll be fine with what sort of chaotic mess they'll make with Minnie putting them in line at the end of it all." She giggled at the end, wings fluttering now. Though she blinked in shock with what James is encouraging at, looking at Lydia before looking back at him; she gave them a knowing smile and sighed, shaking her head.

"Always will, brother dear." Renee agreed. Wings flapping a few times as she squeezed Seifer's hand back.

Echo appreciated Johnny's consideration, gripping onto his sleeve like a koala to a branch with just her arms. She listened in the the conversation, ears folding back with each detail.

Chenglei looked really disturbed when the guide finished talking about Ragnarok. His grip to his katana tightened, knuckles turning white. "So...it becomes an apocalypse by the end of it all, even so far as to end any living being that's not evil or sided with their cause." He wondered why would-

"Why do they want that?" Serena asked bluntly, raising an eyebrow. "Why would anybody want to end the realms? or even destroy such beauty in nature? Are they simply idiots or just want to do evil things because 'Bwa-haha! We're evviillllll~!" The blonde, as animated as ever, made her hands look like claws with the shadows, closing one eye while scrunching up her nose and sneered like she was a chihuahua.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia nodded slightly as James added to her words of encouragement, her nod becoming more enthusiastic before it stopped all together, "see? And you are both their siblings, so you should know better than anyone!" She gave Renee's shoulder one last squeeze before stepping away. They'd all been in tough places even when they were less able than they are now so she was definitely confident that they could pull through, even if it was taking longer than they expected it to.

She went back to listening intently to Brok as he explained Ragnarok, watching the orientals that were listening before her attention turned to Serena, her eyes widening in shock at the statement she made before she turned her face away, her hand over her mouth and her shoulders shaking as she tried not to burst out laughing and limited her laughter to only some stifled giggles, one of her arms around her waist as her dark hair hid her face. She shouldn't really be laughing right now but Serena... well Serena was Serena.

Zer0 Katsuya