Key of Stars
Elementary
"Right, before we begin..." The enigmatic woman started, pushing her glasses back further up her nose as she regarded the two people seated in front of her. "Pray tell, why exactly are you here?" She asked, glancing at the blond man seated next to Alyssa. Beck lazily met her gaze, twirling embers in between his fingers. "Figured Aly might need a little help." He answered with a shrug, snuffing the embers and stiffling a yawn. "Question of my own, why do you look so displeased about me being here?"
Cassandra sighed, ignoring the first mate's question as she turned her gaze to Alyssa. "I assume you know why I called you here?" Alyssa nodded. "We're going to discuss the types of terrain I might end up in during my mission."
"Very good, then we'll start with the worst, the marsh." She used the tip of her finger to tap the map in a specific location. "How will you deal with the humidity an dense vegetation?" Beck immediately opened his mouth to answer. "Easy, just burn-" "Shut up." "Yes ma'am." Alyssa thought about it for a moment before speaking up. "My regular clothing will be fine, the climate out here might be colder but I'll be fine without my cloak. As for the vegetation, I plan on using my silver to create platforms to walk over, a smaller version of mother's bridge of gold." Cassandra tapped her chin. "Will you have enough silver left to defend yourself?" Alyssa nodded. "Foren and I worked on some smaller weapon designs just in case."
"Very well then, next," She tapped another spot on the map. "What about the wastelands? What will you do against a sandstorm?" "Use my silver to prop up a bunch of the sand and create a hill for me to take shelter behind." "Right, and what if you run into bandits?" Alyssa didn't hesitate. "I'll show them the end of my blade." "But what if they capture you?" "They won't." Beck smiled but Cassandra didn't look nearly as amused. "But if they do." Alyssa sighed. "I will leverage my identity to get out of the situation, mother's wrath reaches anywhere if she wants it to."
Cassandra nodded sharply, tapping the next location. "Next, the ashlands. Not much to say here that hasn't been said yet, your plan for sandstorms will serve you well here as well. That said, do keep in mind that your silver will conduct heat faster than your mother's gold." Alyssa nodded, though she secretly hoped it wouldn't ever come to the ashlands.
"Next is the frozen north, right?" She asked, manipulating some of her silver into a little arrow to point at the map. Cassandra nodded, nimbly grabbing the silver object out of the air and chucking it at Beck. The blond pirate just as easily fished the projectile out of the air and tossed it up and down a few times before tossing it lightly towards Alyssa. "Right, so what would you do?" Alyssa grinned. "I would bring Beck as my personal heater." Beck mirrored her grin, not at all offended by the fact she intended to use him as nothing more than a heater. Cassandra herself was less amused, impatiently tapping the map. "I'll ask again, what would you do."
I can make up for the terrain with my platforms, as for the cold, I'll have to ask the ship's tailor to make me a warmer outfit before I go. As far as residents are concerned, anyone who stands in my way will be cut down, that's how it has always been."
"Very well, I think discussing the next area is hardly necessary but we shall do it anyway. The treasure isles are Alric's territory after all." Beck scoffed. "If that grump believes he can stop me from breaking the necks of whoever dares to hurt Aly at sea he is in for a surprise." Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I don't doubt that, but don't delude yourself, the Lord of Storms would dispose of you with a flick of his finger. Just, be careful Alyssa."
"Finally, Solmar. It's..." "Isn't that where that blood-sucking bastard is from?" Beck interjected. "Yes, but don't let Liam hear that, he absolutely detests the place." Cassandra answered, swiftly moving on. "Well, that aside, Liam did say he wanted to give you some advice on surviving the place, as well as another health check-up." Alyssa groaned. "You're kidding, right? I had one last week as well." Cassandra let a genuine smile slip. "He expects you there this afternoon, don't be late. And Alyssa... Be careful out there, alright?"
(I started writing this up a while ago but then I went on holidays and got so busy for a few days that I could only finish it now on my phone.)
Cassandra sighed, ignoring the first mate's question as she turned her gaze to Alyssa. "I assume you know why I called you here?" Alyssa nodded. "We're going to discuss the types of terrain I might end up in during my mission."
"Very good, then we'll start with the worst, the marsh." She used the tip of her finger to tap the map in a specific location. "How will you deal with the humidity an dense vegetation?" Beck immediately opened his mouth to answer. "Easy, just burn-" "Shut up." "Yes ma'am." Alyssa thought about it for a moment before speaking up. "My regular clothing will be fine, the climate out here might be colder but I'll be fine without my cloak. As for the vegetation, I plan on using my silver to create platforms to walk over, a smaller version of mother's bridge of gold." Cassandra tapped her chin. "Will you have enough silver left to defend yourself?" Alyssa nodded. "Foren and I worked on some smaller weapon designs just in case."
"Very well then, next," She tapped another spot on the map. "What about the wastelands? What will you do against a sandstorm?" "Use my silver to prop up a bunch of the sand and create a hill for me to take shelter behind." "Right, and what if you run into bandits?" Alyssa didn't hesitate. "I'll show them the end of my blade." "But what if they capture you?" "They won't." Beck smiled but Cassandra didn't look nearly as amused. "But if they do." Alyssa sighed. "I will leverage my identity to get out of the situation, mother's wrath reaches anywhere if she wants it to."
Cassandra nodded sharply, tapping the next location. "Next, the ashlands. Not much to say here that hasn't been said yet, your plan for sandstorms will serve you well here as well. That said, do keep in mind that your silver will conduct heat faster than your mother's gold." Alyssa nodded, though she secretly hoped it wouldn't ever come to the ashlands.
"Next is the frozen north, right?" She asked, manipulating some of her silver into a little arrow to point at the map. Cassandra nodded, nimbly grabbing the silver object out of the air and chucking it at Beck. The blond pirate just as easily fished the projectile out of the air and tossed it up and down a few times before tossing it lightly towards Alyssa. "Right, so what would you do?" Alyssa grinned. "I would bring Beck as my personal heater." Beck mirrored her grin, not at all offended by the fact she intended to use him as nothing more than a heater. Cassandra herself was less amused, impatiently tapping the map. "I'll ask again, what would you do."
I can make up for the terrain with my platforms, as for the cold, I'll have to ask the ship's tailor to make me a warmer outfit before I go. As far as residents are concerned, anyone who stands in my way will be cut down, that's how it has always been."
"Very well, I think discussing the next area is hardly necessary but we shall do it anyway. The treasure isles are Alric's territory after all." Beck scoffed. "If that grump believes he can stop me from breaking the necks of whoever dares to hurt Aly at sea he is in for a surprise." Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I don't doubt that, but don't delude yourself, the Lord of Storms would dispose of you with a flick of his finger. Just, be careful Alyssa."
"Finally, Solmar. It's..." "Isn't that where that blood-sucking bastard is from?" Beck interjected. "Yes, but don't let Liam hear that, he absolutely detests the place." Cassandra answered, swiftly moving on. "Well, that aside, Liam did say he wanted to give you some advice on surviving the place, as well as another health check-up." Alyssa groaned. "You're kidding, right? I had one last week as well." Cassandra let a genuine smile slip. "He expects you there this afternoon, don't be late. And Alyssa... Be careful out there, alright?"
(I started writing this up a while ago but then I went on holidays and got so busy for a few days that I could only finish it now on my phone.)
