Multiple Settings The Mysterious Play: Hierophant of Skies (Accepting votes!)

[DreamBeat]

Tiebreaker time! Idea has a good point. Xanterra is a capable fighter, but she lacks communication skills. On the other hand, when will we get another training chance like this?

Honestly, I think it will be more useful to train ourselves before teaching Xannie. We've found ourselves in some precarious situations, and I think it would be good to work on ourselves so we have a higher chances of not being a liability. I hope training also allows us to think more logically and strategically in future situations.

Is it possible to train with Xannie and do some joint training? It's not teaching her to talk, but it may help with coordination. These are my thoughts, but as always, my vote can change if someone can convince me

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea Felis DreamBeat ​

Spoiler: previous votes

Hey hey! That's not true. Like I know this is supposed to be a moment of cheerful acceptance, but don't sell yourself short like that Rose! You're a great person and everyone would be glad to have someone like you in their lives.



Well, there's only so much we can train in one night, but Xannie is a capable fighter, extremely compatible at fighting a certain someone whom I suspect is about to try something nasty, and has demonstrated some truly quick learning. I think being able to teach her so we can coordinate better would be our best bet.

I, too, have to speak up and say that's not true!

And as much as I want to go on a tangent about why those former "friends" don't deserve that title and how we may have to work a lot on our self-esteem and our perspective on life, etc., etc., I'll be brief and point out just one thing:

YES! Write that thought down and don't let it slip away! (Do feel free to forget the part that came before that, though, because Elias loving us, wonderful as that may be, being the determining factor that we're "worthy" isn't helpful in the long run, either.)


I don't think the wishes themselves are going to be the problem, but I do start to get the feeling Kai may be onto something. Right now, though, worrying about it won't help us much.

In any case--

I'm actually for training. It doesn't have so much to do with the unique weather and equipment, but simply that we're not in the best place emotionally right now, and exercise is probably better at taking our mind off things. Let's celebrate getting all that off our chest by doing something for ourselves for once!

Tiebreaker time! Idea has a good point. Xanterra is a capable fighter, but she lacks communication skills. On the other hand, when will we get another training chance like this?

Honestly, I think it will be more useful to train ourselves before teaching Xannie. We've found ourselves in some precarious situations, and I think it would be good to work on ourselves so we have a higher chances of not being a liability. I hope training also allows us to think more logically and strategically in future situations.

Is it possible to train with Xannie and do some joint training? It's not teaching her to talk, but it may help with coordination. These are my thoughts, but as always, my vote can change if someone can convince me

TRAIN THE EMOTIONS AWAY 2 TO 1!!

Hey hey! That's not true. Like I know this is supposed to be a moment of cheerful acceptance, but don't sell yourself short like that Rose! You're a great person and everyone would be glad to have someone like you in their lives.



Well, there's only so much we can train in one night, but Xannie is a capable fighter, extremely compatible at fighting a certain someone whom I suspect is about to try something nasty, and has demonstrated some truly quick learning. I think being able to teach her so we can coordinate better would be our best bet.

Heh... There are several people who would definitely say otherwise, but you thank your conscience for convincing you to keep at least a little self-preservation... as fleeting as it seems to be...

And as much as I want to go on a tangent about why those former "friends" don't deserve that title and how we may have to work a lot on our self-esteem and our perspective on life, etc., etc., I'll be brief and point out just one thing:

YES! Write that thought down and don't let it slip away! (Do feel free to forget the part that came before that, though, because Elias loving us, wonderful as that may be, being the determining factor that we're "worthy" isn't helpful in the long run, either.)


I don't think the wishes themselves are going to be the problem, but I do start to get the feeling Kai may be onto something. Right now, though, worrying about it won't help us much.

In any case--

I'm actually for training. It doesn't have so much to do with the unique weather and equipment, but simply that we're not in the best place emotionally right now, and exercise is probably better at taking our mind off things. Let's celebrate getting all that off our chest by doing something for ourselves for once!

Mmmmm, For both your sake and theirs, you've already shed enough tears for them and try not to dwell on them too much... At least not bitterly...

You'd be upset with someone who almost killed your beloved pet (You were too young to understand your neighbors poisoned your cat when you were a child but certainly get it NOW)... An unvaccinated dog being tested for rabies is basically its death bed (for they have to chop part of their head off to examine their brain), even if her pup WAS vaccinated... And she never really gave you the chance to explain you didn't know the walls had ears that day, so you don't blame her for thinking you were a snitch...

How did that phrase go regarding "rats" or "snitches", again?

"Snitches get stitches and buried in ditches"...?

Something like that...

And your other friend... Well... You hope she found what she was looking for.

It seemed like she really, really wanted it after all... You two weren't getting along too great near the end of that friendship, and you can't blame someone for seeking happiness... (You'd imagine if you did, Celosia's sister, Terra, might have some "words" for you! And by "words" you mean "being smitten several times" being the Deity of Happiness!)

It's true, however, that you must not and CAN NOT depend so heavily on Elias, especially your self-value, for both your sakes as well!

Guess at least therapy is waiting for you when you get ho--

Oh... Wait... You're not...

Crap...

Tiebreaker time! Idea has a good point. Xanterra is a capable fighter, but she lacks communication skills. On the other hand, when will we get another training chance like this?

Honestly, I think it will be more useful to train ourselves before teaching Xannie. We've found ourselves in some precarious situations, and I think it would be good to work on ourselves so we have a higher chances of not being a liability. I hope training also allows us to think more logically and strategically in future situations.

Is it possible to train with Xannie and do some joint training? It's not teaching her to talk, but it may help with coordination. These are my thoughts, but as always, my vote can change if someone can convince me

"Is it possible to at least train WITH XANTARRA?" You tilt your head and ask curiously as soon as this thought reaches you, looking at Xander.

"...Mmmmmm... It's not exactly teaching her to read or write or learn arithmetic... But... It might help you two become more in sync... And considering she's our only true defense against Elysia if she pulls any shenanigans--"

"Maybe, but DON'T forget about me," Elias boldly interrupts Xander, which startles you for a moment as he continues, "I may not be able to shield myself with the earth, as Xannie can, but I will use my winds however I HAVE TO to keep Rosie safe, even if Sia and I share blood."

You blush and look away for a moment because you have a goofy smile on your face that must look so ridiculous you won't subject your family to! (Gosh, you'd say you don't wanna look like a clown, but you're already the entire circus!!)

"...I agree, We may have to rely on the boy much more than the munchkin..." Papa pretty much growls while looking down, and you realize he must be making some sort of sound with his--

OH. OH WAIT.

THERE ARE TARPS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. ALL OVER.

You gasp as you realize that was PROBABLY how the "healers" took down Xannie so swiftly and silently... XANNIE BASICALLY HAS NO ACCESS TO HER ELEMENT! She's helpless here!

"CRUD..." You mutter while looking at the ground yourself (you'd be making the same sound Papa is if you weren't so short your feet could touch the ground sitting on these benches!)

"Ah, that's probably how they got the element of surprise on us... Xannie couldn't use her power to take them down cause the ground is blocked by the tarps..." Adrian also now notices this revelation.

"...Your training will be a little hindered having to really rely on Xantarra... but if it helps you keep in sync with her, it might be worth it... Though I think by now Elysia probably figured out Xantarra is the key to taking her down, so I'm guessing wherever there's tarp missing we need to be wary..."

"Yes, let us agree that from here onward we try to stay by land as much as possible, muddy or not," Papa suggests, nodding, and you see no reason to disagree.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to Rosie, or any of us," Elias reassures you and your party, and you feel really good about it.

You wonder... How do WINDS fair against STORMS? Is it not the WINDS that blow the STORMS away?

Yes, Earth is a good counter for braving the storm... But are not the winds why storms pass?

Hmmmmmm...

Wait, where did that thought come from???

...

...Well, either way, You feel so safe around Elias... Even If Elysia has already planned to incapacitate Xannie, HE'LL step up.

You trust him.


It didn't take long to find the training grounds after lunch (that your brother and Elias finally managed to convince you to eat despite everything), soaked in rain and surrounded by lightning and thunder in the distance, its mighty wail almost causing the equipment to shake, but thankfully, even in the mud, it is a bit more stable than that.

You breathe a sigh of relief knowing you and your party aren't breaking your vow to try to keep off the tarps for as long as possible.

"Alright, so, very obviously, training is going to be a bit different this time around. We're gonna need to teach Xantarra some cues, the less time it takes for you two to coordinate an attack, the better," Xander grimly explains as you all arrive and look around, and you nod back just as grim.

"Xannie! Come here, sweet girl!" You call her, feeling AWFUL you're basically addressing her like you do a doggie, but, well, She reacts pretty much like one, all she needs is a tail to wag!!

Xantarra runs up to you, and you instantly regret it because the un-tarped training ground is all muddy and Xannie just ran on all fours to you like a gorilla and effectively dirtying Syphnx's nice dress!

"Aw nuts!" You exclaim while you smack yourself on the forehead, completely forgetting about that until the moment the mud hit the dress.

"Wer hu ta?" Xannie (in her own special way) asks while she tilts her head, and you KNOW she's asking "What's wrong?"

"A-ah... uhm..." You bite your lip, thinking now might be a good time to explain what moms are and why their mementos and gifts are important, but then you get interrupted as your party hears a familiar voice!

"You should give the Hierophant and the wild girl these... She'll be more mobile out of a dress..."

It's Kay!

From the shadows, Kay is hiding in for some reason (and you think the reason is she might be trying to avoid insubordination from your storm-bringer... You get the feeling she's going out on a limb for you and your party...) you suddenly see a burlap sack that looks like it has something in it!

"...And you would know from EXPERIENCE, wouldn't you, healer? ...Or should we even call you that?" Xander asks suspiciously with a raised brow as he grabs the burlap sack.

...Kay doesn't respond...

"What do you know that WE don't...?" Your big brother suddenly asks.

"...Though the Hierophant is a bit smaller... The wild girl... She seems of normal size, the uniform should fit her well," Kay responds, but her shadow vanishes as she says her last words, and she's long gone, effectively answering NOTHING, but still at least being useful.

"Kay..." You mutter as you scuttle back to Xander and the others, Xander now opening the sack and examining its contents.

"...Uniforms fitting WOMEN..." Xander bitterly mumbles, his tone DRENCHED in "How did I guess?" so much you're surprised THOSE WEREN'T the words he actually said.

"...They're wearing them, Under the white cloaks," You suddenly blurt, but it was so quick and sure you don't know where THAT came from, adding, "I saw them when Sia first discovered us."

"What does this mean? Why would the women healers need SOLDIER uniforms?" Papa asks, frowning at the uniform in Xander's hands.

"Considering their "technically illegitimate" GENERAL is A WOMAN, I'm pretty sure we just MET why..." Xander keeps examining the uniform while speaking.

"Mmmn," Papa lowly growls, not liking what's going on here as much as Xander you'll bet.


"Go with Xantarra and ask for a tent for us to sleep tonight, and when you do, help her change into this and then regroup with us once you both have the uniforms on, alright Ro?" Xander requests, and you nod obediently and gesture for Xannie to follow you (and she does, like a happy puppy), finding a "healer" nearby to direct you to a good tent to stay in...





"It's the third-largest one here, aside from the Generals and Second-in-Command Clifton, Lady Hierophant, You and your crest-bearers should be pleased staying here for the night," They inform you way too formally for your liking, it is JUST YOU after all, but you smile and nod as thanks.

"It's perfect, thank you so much, a-and please, call me Rosie! No need for titles with me!" You beam, trying to very kindly and politely, to tell her for the love of Celosia to simply call you Rosie.

"Ah, of course, Lady Rosie," They reply, and you're not entirely sure if she was serious or just trolling you, but she bows respectfully enough and walks away before you can say or do anything in response.

You groan like a certain famous, yellow-skinned, blue-haired, green dress-wearing cartoon wife and then sigh while entering the tent with Xannie (her cute, curious sounds cheer you up, you just can't help but smile around your Earth-bearer), brushing off that odd interaction.

When you and your Earth-bearer get in the tent, you're pleasantly surprised to find your supplies have ALREADY been delivered to this tent... What service!

Wait, hang on...

Inside the (pretty big) tent are four regular-sized sleeping rolls... and then ONE DOUBLE-SIZED sleeping roll... as if for a COUPLE... Let's see:


There's one for Papa, one for cousin Adrian, one for your little sister, Xantarra sweet girl, one for your big brother, none of which are couples...

In fact... The only couple within your group are You and Elia----

WAIT A D*** MINUTE!

AUGH! IS SHE ON YOUR SIDE OR NOT!?

One moment she's giving you and Elias a smug smirk and then the next she's suggesting (almost forcing) you two to sleep in the same sleeping roll?!
Does she approve of you as Elias' girlfriend or doesn't she?!
You'd prefer she would, as she is blood-related to Elias by being his cousin... But... Well, you aren't sure if it's not too mean to not really care if she doesn't approve of you? It might be too mean...
Either way, Elysia's approval or not, you still love Elias and NOTHING will stop you from being with him (unless, tragically, he no longer loves in which case you will back off... Gosh you hope he doesn't stop loving you ever!!)
Why couldn't she just be like a normal cousin that would say, "Oh, you two are dating? Cool"?!
Why does she have to be all ominous and up to stuff!?

...Wait... Maybe she has a reason?
But what reason could she possibly have to be doing all this?
Was it something you said?
Questions upon questions upon questions in this world... Goodness gracious...

Hmmm... Elysia... What are you planning?

You (finally) decide it doesn't matter at the moment, as you grab some shears, thread, a needle, and cotton (from YOUR OWN supplies, as you'll be darned if you're gonna ask Scary Elysia or her "healers" for their supplies) and quickly sew up some undies for Xannie (your mother taught you how to sew as a little girl, and though you're still VERY amateur, with your small and nimble fingers, you figure it'll get the job done enough to make a passable pair of underwear) after kinda measuring her size and cutting them out from the cotton accordingly! (Hey, going commando in a dress is ONE thing, but with PANTS it's terrible!)

"AtchhaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaahh!" Xantarra whines as you slip her newly made undies on and you shake your head sternly.

"Now, now, Xannie, you'll LIKE wearing pants, it's just more comfortable to wear them with undies!" You say to her, she whines in response and you giggle as you begin to help her put on her pants.

"Ka chu che?" She asks again, looking at you curiously, and you're almost sure she's wondering what you just put on her.

"PAAANNTSS, Sweet girl, They're called PANTS! You can move a lot better now!" You cheer while doing a jumping jack, and smile as Xannie mimics you.

"OOOOooooOOOOH!" Xannie cutely exclaims as she feels the freedom of movement from her pants!

"See? What did I tell you?" You chuckle and smile at her as she hops and moves about the tent in pure freedom.

"Patchu pata! Latu lo lee!" She cheers happily as she moves about.

"PANTS, okay, Sweetie? Those are called PANTS," You inform her as you point to the bottom portion of her uniform.

"PAH-PAH...PAAAaaaAAAAHNTss...!" Xannies tries to repeat after you.

"That's right! That's right good, sweet girl! Pants! PANTS!" You praise her for learning a new word so quickly, adding happily, "They're good, right?"

You added the question thinking Xantarra couldn't communicate how the fit was exactly, though she didn't LOOK uncomfortable, and then before you could say or do anything else---

"Pah-Pahnts...GOO-OD!" She suddenly shouts.

!!!!!

Was that... Was that her first sentence?!?!?

"Xannie!? Sweet girl, what did you just say?!" You gasp, wide-eyed, almost not believing what you just heard.

"PA-PANTS...GOO!" She "repeats" her statement.

You immediately pull your Earth-bearer into an embrace and almost cry!

Sure, it was only TWO WORDS strummed together, but... Aw heck, it's something!

"Pahnts goo-od!" Xannie states again, liking the reaction she got from her statement.

"Yes, yes, that's right, good, sweet girl! Pants ARE good!" You reply back.

You suppose in Sphynx's stead YOU'RE getting emotional over her first sentence! After what seemed like an eternity hugging Xannie, and after you're both pants'd up (it looks and apparently fits GREAT on Xannie, but unfortunately for you, YOUR uniform is a tad too big given how tiny you are), it's time to start some training with Xannie! For realsies this time!!





"Alright, training time, take two!" You whisper shout to yourself as you get back in position after returning to your party with the newly uniformed Xantarra!

"Alright, first let's improve on what we've got so far: show me your forms I taught you, and let's see how well Xannie reacts!" Xander orders, and you nod obediently.

You immediately summon Rondo and begin demonstrating to Xander you've managed to retain everything he's taught you (even the forms with the dagger Elias had made for you and your arm shield as well) by performing all the forms and stances of a Halberd (admittedly, it was slightly difficult this time around as your muscles had atrophied just a tad from that hibernation you went through), and, as you'd hoped, Xantarra follows and mimics your movements curiously!

As you go over the moves Xander had previously shown you, you look over to Xantarra to see she's mimicking you move for move... Except instead of using a spear or other such weapon, she's USING THE EARTH as an extension of her arm!

Heh, of course! She had to go toe-to-toe with GIANTS WORMS DAILY just to live (poor thing, having to fight a giant bug just for some protein daily)! Naturally, she'd be an excellent fighter, and with training to help her focus, holy cow, will she be unstoppable!

It may not be reading, writing, or arithmetic, but right now it's super important that you teach Xannie the way to "level up" her fighting skills, cause you DON'T want it to be game over if Xantarra has to fight with Sia again, especially if, this time, Sia's prepared for it!

A small shudder crawls down your spine just thinking about it...

Plus, you DO need to coordinate better, fighting-wise, with your Earth-bearer... That one second or moment Xantarra has to look at you for a command instead of just simply fighting could be the one second an enemy needs to take her out...

You sigh internally and promise to go over some words before leaving here... Maybe tonight, if you can... Though with how draining this is (doubly so by breaking in your muscles again as if they were new) you think you might just be out like a light as soon as you're in your sleeping roll...

Hmmm?

OH! OH! Of course! Mud has both EARTH and WATER! They BOTH can manipulate mud-spheres!

Aaaah, right! Elias and Adrian combined their powers to LIFT AN ENTIRE LAKE and when you were witness to the terrifying battle when Papa first revealed he was your fire-bearer, the storm of fire and wind was something akin to seeing the fires of h*** itself!


"Adrian!" You cheer as you (and Xannie) run up to him wielding a mud-sphere.

"Well, what do you know? Looks like I can manipulate mud as well, eh?" Adrian chuckles at his new discovery.

"Oh, nice! Good work!" Elias praises your cousin, and you nod in agreement vehemently.

"Nice work, Lad! Now if that General tries something, you and the munchkin can make her think twice!" Papa notes triumphantly.

"OOooOOOh, Lalu tata marchu caaaaaaallllloooooOOoooh..." Xannie curiously notes as she is looking at both HER mud-sphere and Adrians...!

Mmmmn... This should probably be a moment where a wave of relief washes over you... but... It doesn't seem to...

You sigh internally while thinking of your Stormbringer, and why she's acting this way...

...Oh well, at least Xannie and your cousin are working together now... You WERE worried she was going to dislike him because of his water manipulation and her aversion to baths like they were of acid and not water... Like a kitty... Huh, Xannie IS kinda both like a cat and a dog, you notice...

"Well, Xan, what do you think? Think we can work together on this?" Adrian asks, smiling and bowing to Xannie while combining his mud-sphere with hers.

"Latta! Achu matcha tutu plika!" Xantarra nods excitedly while seeing both their mud-spheres merge into one.

>>YOUR BEARER OF WATER AND YOUR BEARER OF EARTH HAVE NOW LEARNED TO WORK TOGETHER<<

"Alright, alright, breaks over! Xannie can switch between training with You OR Adrian, but that only works when YOU'RE training, so get back to it!" Xander finishes off your "break" while clapping his hands in a "chop-chop!" gesture.

"Yes, Big brother," You nod obediently and determinedly while answering.

"Oh, and, when you're done with your drills, WE'RE gonna spar for a bit. We can do this ALL day, so let's not waste ANY time!" Xander adds after you answer him, and you sigh and nod in response.

You can't help but wonder if this is Xander's way of punishing you for your lack of communicating your feelings with him and your crest-bearers earlier...


"Haaaaaaaaaahhhhhhiiiiiii," You (try to) sigh (quietly), exhausted and exasperated as you finish changing out of your uniform and into a lavender nightgown Hellie gave you, tiredly crawling into your sleeping roll... With Elias in it.

"You did great today, my love," Elias gently whispers into your ear as you finish snuggling inside, already tenderly pulling you closer to him as you just got in.

"Heh, thank you, darling, I couldn't have done it without you," You whisper back while holding him close as you get comfortable...

Like... Like he wasn't going to be here by the end of it...?

Ever since your conversations with your crest-bearers, you can't seem to shake that feeling somehow...

The feeling that you'll be separated from Elias when this is all over...



"I was about to say the same to you," He whispers a chuckle in your ear, and you just hold him tighter, and he reciprocates. Goodness, this boy could make you feel safe and warm in the middle of a battlefield, let alone wistfully in bed cuddling you... You quietly breathe a sigh of relief as (almost all of) your worries fly to the other side of the stars as you two wind down for the night.


You don't deserve this.
You've never deserved this.
You never WILL deserve this...


That's right... No matter how safe you feel with him, it gets replaced with the anxiety that... Somehow... You feel the two of you will be separated after summoning Celosia...


No...

No.

Celosia is... Celosia is the Deity of LOVE... They wouldn't... Celosia would not separate you from your true love, right?

They WOULDN'T... right?

You know that phrase "Love conquers all"? Isn't the full expression "Love conquers all things, so we too shall yield to love"?

If... If that is true... then...

Surely...

Or... Maybe it's meant to be a bad thing? Like love is a force that can never be surpassed ever? Not even by PEACE or HAPPINESS? Isn't that thinking what led to the Celosian's having to be sky-bound?

You want to know NOW, you NEED to know now...

You'd give anything just to know the answers that you seek...




You take several deep breaths, trying desperately not to hyperventilate.

Elias nuzzles you and gently starts rubbing your back to calm you down.





"I love you," You hear yourself whisper.

His hands hold you just a bit tighter as you feel him kiss the top of your head.

"I love you, too."



Yes... That's right...

You love him.

You truly love him...

Wherever he is, that's where YOU want to be, too...


Surely, Celosia wouldn't separate you two...


Surely...



Surely...



Surely...















...It's dark... and a little cold... The fog is heavy and dense enough to cut with a knife, making looking around basically impossible, but there is a slight sense of familiarity that keeps you curious about this place as the fresh fog slowly begins to lather your face...

Wait... You know this feeling...

You're in... Mist...?

...Like you're in a cloud for some reason??



There's so much mist around you that--

Wait...

You... You've been here before...

When you spoke to--

"Hey Kid, Been a while."

...Speak of the devil and they shall appear...

"C...Celosia," You hear yourself say, adding nervously, "Y-you're here..."



"I am," The Goddess responds, then continues with,"You wanted to speak to me?"


"...Yes."


"...I'm listening," She responds expectantly.


You feel yourself get nervous, but you need to know.

You HAVE to know.


"C-celosia... Wh-why.... Why..."

"Why did you choose me?" You ask point-blank, not sugar-coating it.


Before Celosia can respond, you expand on that question: "W-was I just the first girl who stumbled across the book in the library? I-is that why I got sucked in? Just by a random chance?? Is that why I'm here? Because if it wasn't just random chance, then I don't understand why I'm here...?"

"...Random chance? Why do you think that?" You hear the Goddess respond after a moment.

"B-because... I-I may try to be kind, but... I-I... I hate myself... A-and my father... I-I'm... Filled to the brim... With HATE... There's no one more filled with hate than I am..." You openly admit, possibly for the first time to anyone in existence, "Deep down I-I've been asking myself this time and time again since I got here... I-I can't think of anyone LESS deserving to be YOUR Hierophant... I... I don't know WHY you chose me aside from me just happening to be the first girl near the book in a long time... So... please... I need to know... Why did you choose me as your Hierophant?"

...It is silent for a moment, you truly can't tell if it lasted a second or for forever...

And then, suddenly, Celosia speaks:

"You really haven't figured it out, have you?" She chuckles as she asks you.


"...W-well, N-n-no, th-that's why I was asking---"


"Heh, don't think TOO hard about it, Kid. You'll get it. Eventually," Celosia answers coyly (although for YOU it was rather disappointingly).

Geez, even CELOSIA won't give you actual answers! What the heckie?!

"B-but I--"

"Don't stress. Relax. You've got better things to worry about than the obvious," Celosia interrupts you, adding, "C'mon, Time to get up. You're being called upon, Rosie..."

!!!?!?!??!

"Rosie..."

".....sie..."

"...ie..."



"R-rosie...?" Comes a sweet and familiar voice as you drift back into consciousness when you feel gentle patting on your shoulder. Your body is still achy from yesterday and your grogginess, as always in the morning, gets the better of you... But you know for darn sure it's---

...Kay...?

"Mmmmnnnn... Waaaah?" You mutter, still half asleep, feeling for your glasses that, thank goodness, haven't rolled away too far from yours and Elias' roller.

You rub your eyes and put them on, giving Kay a sleepy smile when you do so, though you kinda regret it instantly... Whoa... Hey, you know you and your smile are hideous, but you thought at least Kay was nice enough to see past that!

"A-ah, Rosie, Sorry to disturb you, b-but I'm afraid You're needed right away..!" Kay whisper-shouts, the urgency in her voice quickly waking you up.

"Mmmnnooh, okay... Sure... Let me wake the others and--"

"A-AH, NO!" Kay grabs your arm (at near superhuman speed, you'd note) as you're about to wake up Elias and the others to go with Kay, then she adds as if backpedaling her over-reaction, "A-ah, it's just... It's very urgent, w-we don't have time...!"

...She sounds so frantic...

Why is she panicking over this? Why is it apparently SO BAD if you wake Elias and the others or not?? Are they not allowed or something????

What's going on?!

>>GO ALONE WITH KAY OR INSIST ELIAS AND THE OTHERS GET TO GO WITH YOU?<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

It's just a wild guess from me but this really sounds like a hostage situation to me, or some equivalent. It's almost certainly a trap... but even so I think we should go alone. If it's not a trap, we should show some good faith, if it is a trap I don't think we would be done so swiftly that the others couldn't organize some sort of rescue.

So I vote we go.

 

[animegirl7676]

My vote is for Kay take you without everyone. It's a bit of a risk.

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea A animegirl7676 ​

Spoiler: previous votes

It's just a wild guess from me but this really sounds like a hostage situation to me, or some equivalent. It's almost certainly a trap... but even so I think we should go alone. If it's not a trap, we should show some good faith, if it is a trap I don't think we would be done so swiftly that the others couldn't organize some sort of rescue.

So I vote we go.

My vote is for Kay take you without everyone. It's a bit of a risk.

COME QUIETLY UNANIMOUSLY!

​

It may be really early in the morning, but...

Yeah...

It's probably best not to cause a scene, especially when that scene is literally gonna wake EVERYONE UP, and you don't wanna think about what chaos will happen when your crew wakes up to you possibly being kidnapped???

You nod quietly, imaging you look absolutely hideous with your puffy morning eyes, hair in disarray, and overall zombie-like look (and energy) that's completely normal for you when you just wake up.

Kay helps you slowly wiggle your way out of your sleeping roll and you are extra careful not to wake up Elias, though you can't help yourself and plant a gentle kiss on his cheek as soon as you're out.

You point to your hairbrush and give Kay puppy-dog eyes and she smiles and nods, helping you brush your hair and even braiding it for you!!!

You smile and hug her, following her (and ALMOST GASPING to find there are four more "healers", you wonder why they're there for a moment but something inside you tells you that if you hadn't gone quietly they probably might have stepped in) to, and this is no shocker to you by this point, Elysia's tent.


Kay and the other "healers" line up at Sia's tents entrance, forming mini rows with Kay making one uneven and opening the tent for you...

You take a deep breath, nod to Kay...


...And head inside...



Gosh, it's SO DARK...

You hear a crackling sound like a small spark of lightning hits what you assume is a candle because the whole once pitch black tent suddenly has some light, and--

"...And for Celosia and their son so loved their people, that the son gave their life for them..." An ominous, but familiar voice says from in front of you.

Elysia...


"Wh-what..." You mutter, giving her your best puppy dog eyes without really realizing it.


"It's the message written by our ancestors who wrote the last account of Celosia's son before they sacrificed themselves so that this isle could float and save us from the Neptneans and Terrains..." Sia replies back grimly, sizing you up as you both stare into each other's eyes.

Her eyes are intense and fierce, but you'd be lying if you also didn't see the calm vastness of the sky in them like Elias' eyes as well.

"Oh..." You manage to stammer back, blinking in confusion, then gulping and daring to ask, "S-So... Does.. Does this mean that I passed your test or something after all?"

Sia wickedly smirks while answering, "Of course YOU have--"

Naturally, with that look on her face, despite basically saying she WILL accompany you all as your fifth crest-bearer you don't feel any more at ease than you did yesterday, cause it's so blatantly obvious there's a catch---

"-- But I didn't say THE OTHERS have--"

And there. It. IS.

"W-wai--"

"Take her to where I told you to, and, once she's safely there, THEN bring the others," Sia orders her girls in white cloaks (You're dense, but not THAT DENSE to still think they're just "healers" at this point...).

"What--"

"I'm so sorry," Aditi mutters sadly as she, Kay, and another "healer" apprehend you (again) and take you away from the General's tent!






"Ah!" You cry as the girls place you in the middle of... tarpped ground... but it's perfectly cut into a circle...

As soon as the "healers" take their hands off of you, you try to run out of the tarpped ground but---



Uh... Sia doesn't want you to...

You gasp as you collapse to your knees moments after the lightning surrounded you...


You are now trapped in a prison of lightning...!




"ROSIE!" You hear your love's shouts as you turn around to see him and the rest of your family approaching.


"ELIAS!" You cry back, wanting to reach out to him... If literal "lightning jail bars" weren't ready to FRY YOU for trying...


Sia and the "healers" block the way from where Elias is to where you are, seemingly determined to separate you two...



Why, ELYSIA!? WHY!?




"ELYSIA!" Elias snarls, getting angrier by the second, "LET. HER. GO."

"In a moment," Elysia responds, unfazed by her cousin's anger, "First... I'd like to test YOUR mettle... More specifically... Just how far YOU'RE willing to go for the one you claim you LOVE."

...What?

"What did you just say...?" Elias mutters back in a perfect mix of anger, shock, and uh... well, infuriated by Sia's audacity to test his love for you? You're pretty sure if Elias had ever been mad at someone's audacity it's right now and it's at Sia...

"You are NOT the strongest of us," Sia then explains, almost like completely changing the topic, but she then gets back on track by adding, "There is a stronger Crest-Bearer than you... You really think you can protect her from everything?"

"I can at least protect her from YOU," Elias rebates.

"Oh, You mean like you did just now?" Elysia retorts.

Elias growls in response.

"That voice... I KNOW you can hear it... I know you can ALL hear it... And I know you can all fathom just HOW MUCH POWER is behind that voice!" Sia announces with gusto, and your Crest-bearers (as always, sans Xannie) gasp, but it definitely looks like Sias telling the truth given how guilty and worried almost all of them look.

Elias included.

"Wind was seemingly the strongest crest... When my father heard from yours that his son was BORN with THE CREST OF WINDS, He assumed it would be the strongest of us all," Sia explains, "Leaving ME in second place... Until I could BEAT you, that is... I actually WAS planning on taking a little trip to the imperial city in a few days... See just HOW strong you could be... If I could beat you and bump up from second to first..."

Elysia... No... This isn't a competition!!!

"And how convenient that YOU have come to ME instead," Elysia continues rather smugly, adding, "You have no clue how vexing it is to always be IN YOUR SHADOW without even having MET you! Even more vexing when, AFTER MY FATHERS DEATH, I keep hearing a voice call out for help, and it's stronger than anything I've ever sensed... Even YOU."

Elias looks at you longingly and narrows his eyes in response. Xantarra, sensing the ever-growing tension in the air, starts barking her gorgeous little head off, about to pounce on Sia, but you wouldn't advise that! You've got a feeling Elysia prepared for this, and, one look around only confirms your suspicions: The healers are all carrying tarps... Tarps that are just large enough to engulf a human... or a crest-bearer so that they can't touch the earth they need to fight!

Thankfully Elias stops her and shakes his head. Xantarra growls at him a moment, but they exchange intense glances wordlessly, and, somehow, Xantarra looks away, hangs her head... and nods... Backing down of this (very ill-advised) battle.

He turns back and gives the same look to the crest-bearers and your big brother, and they seem to all hesitantly agree: Elias will fight this battle ALONE.

...It would seem he HAS TO... Not just for your sake... But for his own as well...

"I'm sorry, I didn't know my father boasted about me like that... I assumed he wouldn't because I ended up killing my mother when I was born..." Elias uncomfortably apologizes on his father's behalf (which he shouldn't have to, but you know with his sweet nature he would anyway) and, for a moment, he looked like he was about to cry thinking of his mother for a moment...

You hope he doesn't blame himself... In all this, you make a mental note to TALK TO ELIAS about his mother... You really, really feel it's needed...! How could you have been so stupid?! OF COURSE he would blame himself for her death since his birth caused it!!!

"Ah, yes... I heard Auntie Alysha died after giving birth to her youngest soon... The wind-bearer... You... Speaking of... You know that she was called Aries on the battlefield, correct?" Elysia seemingly shows some compassion, but then does a complete 180 finishing that sentence.

"Yes, of course..." Elias narrows his eyes as he responds, and he must have been slowly converting his posture into a fighting stance, cause you JUST noticed he looks ready for battle.

"Were you ever TOLD WHY?" She asks, and this time, it's 100% sounding like she's coaxing him into a battle, adding:

"...Because they say, on the battlefield, her attacks were so strong and fierce it was like getting BATTERED BY A RAM!" Sia answers--

"Allow me..."

"TO DEMONSTRATE!"

And as the lightning and thunder become more deafening and the storm becomes more furious, Elias, in retort--

Fashions circle blades of wind around his arms...

You KNOW it's just wind spinning fast his arms, but---

They look...

Like saw blades...

Wh-what about his staff...?

H-how long... Has he been able to do that??

Has he... always been able to?!

Did... did he really...?!

>> ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER ELIAS KILLED HIS FATHER<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

>>STORY SWITCH<<

The little Hierophant kneeled helplessly in her prison of lightning which was caused by her own Bearer of storms....

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MAURY DETERMINED THAT THIS BOOK IS TRYING TO GIVE YOU A HEART ATTACK!!

WHY.

WHY IS THIS PERSON WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE HER ALLY TRICKING AND TRAPPING HER?!

WHAT THE ACTUAL F***?!?!?!?!?!

Okay...

Okay...

Calm down...

You can't HELP Rosie if you go into cardiac arrest in the local library staff break room!

You take a deep breath and try to calm yourself.


Before you can open your eyes and read another sentence from this accursed tome, you hear a *PING!* coming from the computer and you'd be willing to bet your life that's the response you've been waiting for!

Send New Email

New Email Received

SuperhelpfulMaple@wahoo.com

Re: Inquiring about a contact of yours?

Hi!

Wow, you really must have done your homework! Or, I suppose, are trying to, right~? I love a man who's committed to their studies, tee hee~

Is that YOU in your display picture? You're really cute! Are you single~?

Listen, I'm not supposed to do this, buuuuuut--

Here's my Nana's phone number: +0121 44 1XX2 9XXXXX

I just called her, she said she'll be on the lookout for an American number calling her, but try not to call her too late, okay?

Also... My Nan may mention a book that she read, it was the last thing she read with her beloved cousin before they mysteriously vanished... I think she committed suicide by jumping out of the hospital window before my Nan got better or something... But... She used to say that the book, like, ATE her cousin or something...?

You know, typical trauma coping mechanisms and stuff... Just try to "smile and nod" over the phone, alright handsome?

Don't make me regret giving you her number, okay?

Oh, and, let me know if you want MY number as well~


~Elisa

You have absolutely no idea why, but...

You suddenly have the sudden, STRONG urge to punch this Elise in the face.

Or her throat.

Definitely her throat if this turns out to be a faulty number, that's for d*** sure...


You'd be doing her a favor: She has RIDICULOUS taste in MEN.

Tch... Handsome... Right... AS IF you'd agree Alistair is HANDSOME... His face looks like a d*** clown mask! All he needs is a red nose and he'd be set!

...Well... To be completely fair... You suppose... MAYBE... KINDA... SORTA... His BODY is... pretty... pretty nice... YOU GUESS...


HE WANTS TO BE A FIGHTER AS A CAREER, HE HAS TO AT LEAST HAVE THAT FOR HIM, OKAY?!


...Speaking of clowns with decent bodies...

You sigh as you grab your phone, knowing you just need to look at your recent texts to be able to reach Bozo the body-builder:

Alistair Sol

them

Hey, it's me. This is my number so you can contact me as soon as Elisa responds, alright?

He saved his name as "Alistair Sol"? Geez, how lame can ya get?


You have a much better "nickname" idea in mind~

Punk A** B****

them

Hey, it's me. This is my number so you can contact me as soon as Elisa responds, alright?

me

Yo, Clown-a**, your GIRLFRIEND just got back to us.

them

That's grea-- Wait, what? Girlfriend??? But I don't have a girlfriend???

Oh wooooow, he's single... How could such a catch of a man not have girls your age lining up at the door to date him?

Well, you say that, but apparently, this ELISA is... IF YOU DON'T PUNCH HER THROAT OUT FIRST.


ARGH.

ANYWAY.

TIME TO FINALLY CALL OPHELIA!!

You open up your contacts app, get to the keypad, and input Ophelia's number with bated breath.

It begins to ring, and you almost forget to breathe for a second----

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Minako]

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

"You heard me! SHE'S GOING TO DIE!" You cry, fighting the tears and sobs choking your throat like a bad piece of meat stuck in it.

"S***..." Alistair mumbles.

You can tell he genuinely doesn't know what to say.

You don't really blame him: What CAN he say to this?

Rosie...

You feel hot tears roll down your eyes when you realize she was doomed from the start... And the last time you saw her was at the end of history class... Just a casual goodbye and a wave...

If you had known that was the last time you were gonna ever SEE HER, you might have said a bit more to her!

Like TELL HER NOT TO GO TO THE LIBRARY!!!

"We need to get her out of this book!! RIGHT NOW!!" You shout, still crying on Alistair's shoulder.

"I wish we knew HOW, but neither of us has any idea HOW... Heck, I'd settle for somehow TELLING Rosie what's gonna happen once she summons Celosia!" Alistair kinda suggests back... surprisingly taking a handkerchief out of his pants pocket and handing it to you...!

Whoa...

Okay, MAYBE he's not so bad, after all...

"Yeah, AT LEAST THAT," You sniffle and blow your nose with the handkerchief, feeling guilty you've ruined his nice handkerchief with your gross mucus, and make a mental note to order him a new, better handkerchief online once you guys get Rosie back...


...Well... IF you guys CAN get Rosie back ALIVE...

Is that even possible...?

****!

...You had a bad feeling when Kaine suggested to NOT summon Celosia, and it turns out he was 100% right!

You feel tears and snot coming on, so you dry your eyes and blow your nose, again, as you take a ten-minute break from reading this unholy tome of death to be able to go on.

"...I guess our only hope is Elias now... Elias, Kaine, and the rest of the crest-bearers... Maybe they'll figure it out before she summons Celosia..." You sob and nearly choke sadly as you and Alistar finally release each other from your hugs (Holy ****, had you guys been hugging that entire time?!).

You pull away as the clown dries the lastest tears, and---

...Hey... Why is he looking at you like you're a crazy person???

What did you say?

"...Wh...What...?" You slowly ask him.

"Who?" Alistair asks.

...Ok, never mind, this guy is a COMPLETE clown. Straight out of clown college.

"Dude... I just found out my best friend is gonna die today at the age of 16, almost 17! Why are you joking around right now!?" You lash out at him, and he just looks at you EVEN MORE concerned!!

***!!


"Corny..." He begins, rather patiently, as he walks past you and grabs the book, flipping its pages to the latest page, and then handing it to you, adding, "I want you to read this passage."

You give him a look and rudely snatch the book away from him, then drop your gaze from him to the book and read the passage Bozo the body-building clown is pointing to--

And so the boy of winds fights with the bearer of storms, intent on freeing his love, the little Hierophant, and proving to the Storm bringer once and for all who is the strongest among all of the crest-bearers---

...Hey... Hang on...

Wait a d*** minute...

>>IS THERE SOMETHING AMISS???<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

Well, that's certainly a development.

As for the thing that's amiss... given he asked "who" and the passages, I'm guessing their names were not actually mentioned in the book's text?

 

[Felis]

I agree, the only name that's been written out in the book paragraphs is Celosia! Everyone else has only been mentioned by description or title in the snippets we've seen so far (I skimmed over the older ones to be sure). So unless it's different in other parts of the book, how does Cornelia know their names?

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

Idea Felis ​

Spoiler: previous votes

Well, that's certainly a development.

As for the thing that's amiss... given he asked "who" and the passages, I'm guessing their names were not actually mentioned in the book's text?

I agree, the only name that's been written out in the book paragraphs is Celosia! Everyone else has only been mentioned by description or title in the snippets we've seen so far (I skimmed over the older ones to be sure). So unless it's different in other parts of the book, how does Cornelia know their names?

H-hang on now...

Wait... WHAT?!

No... No... Y-you're SURE you've read those names in the book before...

You're SURE of it!


In a desperate frenzy, you begin flipping through the pages of the book over and over and over again, like a true madwoman, reading and rereading through pages of the book and--

The boy of winds, who so loved the little Hierophant, the chosen daughter of Celosia--

Nope.

The man of fire, with an unrivaled sense of duty and strength---

Nuh-uh.

The Bearer of Earth, who was stolen from her mother and father when she was just an infant---

No name found...

The Captain of the Guards, seeing the little Empress AND the Hierophant of Skies as if they were his own little sisters---

STILL NO NAME.

The Bearer of Water, making a vow to protect the girls of his Mother's village---

Not a name.

Not a single g*******, solitary NAME in sight, sans Celosia!!!!


Just their titles or descriptions...

ROSIE'S name isn't even written in this book... Just "The Little Hierophant" or "The heartful Hierophant" or "The Hierophant of Skies" or, APPARENTLY, "The chosen Daughter of Celosia"!!!!!!!

HOW CAN ROSIE BE YOUR DAUGHTER WHEN YOU'RE GONNA EAT HER, HUH CELOSIA?!

What the actual f*** is going on here?!

"...Corny?" Alistair worriedly asks you after a few moments as you continue to flip and reflip through the pages.

"But... I.. I-I coulda sworn..." You mutter, more to yourself than the clown college graduate over there, but you still let those words escape you as you keep scanning through the book--

You know insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, but...

You're sure... You're SURE you've read those names!

How ELSE would you know their names, right?!

Hey wait, what---



AUGH!

YOUR HEAD!

YOUR HEAD!!!

GEEZ, WHAT A TIME FOR A MIGRAINE TO COME ON!!!


>>WHAT IS CELOSIA'S HINT?!<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[PatriasLover]

link between worlds hah i got it

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

PatriasLover ​

Spoiler: Answer

link between worlds

"The link between worlds... You must... Find... The link... between your world... and ours..."

What the...

Who...

WHO THE **** WAS THAT?!?!?!

The link between worlds?

The link between this world and the world of the book?!?!

Is that what the voice meant?!


"The... The link... Between...Worlds...?" You mutter, again, more to yourself than the clown next to you.

"The what?" He asks, just as confused as you.

"I-I... I'm not exactly sure who... Or WHAT... is telling me this... but... I think we need to find the link between worlds...!" You exclaim, trying to decode this insanity before you and quickly losing your temper when you're finding that you CAN'T...

"The link between worlds... Like, the link between this world and the world of the book?" Clown college graduate asks, scratching his head, equally as perplexed.

"Yeah, pretty certain that's exactly it," You huff, annoyed, wondering what in the ever-loving **** that could even MEAN.

The two of you have a moment of silence to think about what this "link between worlds" could possibly be... And possibly WHY you need to find it...

But THIS is the biggest hint you've gotten yet, you feel, and you are for d*** sure NOT gonna let it slip through your fingers!

Not when Rosie's life is literally at stake!

Link between worlds...


LINK BETWEEN WORLDS...

F***!!!!

YEAH, GREAT, THANKS FOR TELLING YOU WHAT TO LOOK FOR, STUPID VOICE, FAT LOAD OF GOOD IT DOES YOU WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE F*** IT ACTUALLY IS!!!!!

"What if--"

"What if this link is something that is in BOTH worlds...?"

Wait. Could it really be THAT easy?????????

No, no... It couldn't possibly be that simple...

"Mmmn, No... That's impossible, isn't it? I mean, Even if this world HAD ancient Medieval stuff that wasn't lost to time, surely it'd be in museums and well away from the public reach, right?" You ask, and you really DON'T wanna shoot down his idea, ANY PORT IN A STORM you say, but even if you WERE willing to bust into a museum to get this "link"... Your wallet DEFINITELY CAN'T pay your way to the side of the globe that would have something feasible to use...

Though, admittedly, you WOULD LOVE to travel around the world, preferably with your future spouse, one day...

AUGH! NOT THE TIME!


"What if it's simpler than that?" Alistair poses an interesting question that you don't quite get... but would love for him to expand on it.


"Beg pardon?" You raise an eyebrow and beg him to go on.

"Well if we had to go all the way around the world to get this link, the hint wouldn't be of much use anyway, right?"

"Yeah?" You dare to ask again, scratching your head.

Wait... Did he say "we"...???

He would... He would go with you to the other side of the world... Just to help you save Rosie????

Interesting...

Well, it's only interesting if that wasn't a slip of the tongue, you suppose... Or just because he wants brownie points with Rosie...


"What if it's something Rosie brought with her? Into the world of the book?" Alistair asks.

WHAT IF...!

WHAT IF THAT'S IT?!


"A-ah! A-ah! You think so?!" You blurt out, rather loudly, while quickly rushing to your backpack and going through your items.

Let's see...

Let's see...

Do you and Rosie have matching ANYTHINGS that she had in her school bag today?!

You shuffle through your items fervently and try to see if Rosie might have bought the same thing!

>>ITEM LIST TO CHECK THROUGH:

-PHONE
-NOTEBOOK
-BINDER
-WALLET

WHICH WILL YOU CHECK FIRST?<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

THE ORDER YOU EXAMINE CORNELIA'S POSSESSIONS IS IRRELEVANT! THAT BEING SAID, ONLY ONE ITEM IN HER INVENTORY WILL DO!

 

[PatriasLover]

wait so did my charictar float into existence?)) the notebook

 

[Idea]

I believe there was the mention of a photo in the wallet earlier... If I'm not misremembering, maybe that's it?

 

[Felis]

I think Rosie left her notebook in the library to reserve seats for us. She did draw something for Elias, though, and I believe she used the paper in her binder, so if we have a matching binder, maybe that could be it?

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

PatriasLover Idea Felis ​

Spoiler: Order

Notebook, wallet, binder, then phone

You decide to check the notebook Rosie left behind...




Mmmmn. Nope.

It's cute, but also not your style... You definitely don't have a matching notebook...

You sigh heavily, shaking your head as you flip through the pages of notes and doodles...

This is crazy.

THIS IS INSANELY CRAZY.


But, honestly, WHAT CHOICE DO YOU HAVE????


This might be the only way you can contact her, or even better, GET HER OUT OF THIS TOME OF DEATH!


Alright, perhaps a matching picture in your wallets?





Oh yeah... You remember this day...

You two had passed a really hard test (Rosie with a B-, but you with an A+) and your moms both gave you an advance on your allowances (Rosie with a little less cash money than you), and you two headed straight to the mall on the first bus as soon as school was over that Friday...

She bought some candy, a manga about the ever-so-cute hit game 'Critter Crossroads!', an adorable 'Little Lovely Lilt' plushie, the cute, pink, frilly wallet she uses now, and a slice of pizza for lunch...

You bought the latest OhMyPop! Figurine of your favorite anime protagonist, the latest volumes of your favorite manga, and some limited edition princess pins... As well as a calzone for your lunch...

It was the most time you've seen Rosie smile and be happy... At least, since you first met her in 5th grade, anyway...



As you stare into this picture, you realize what an enigma your best friend truly is: She's always happy and smiling around YOU, but when she's alone... And thinks no one's looking... Right before she notices you in the crowds... You could swear she looks like she could cry a river and drown the whole world... Like a baby bunny anxiously looking for its mother, lost in the dangerous woods...



All this time... You've been trying to convince yourself you were seeing things... That such a smiley, happy, bubbly person couldn't possibly be a soul so in despair...

Then you take a look at that d*** book, and it's like all your worst fears are confirmed... and...

A dark thought looms over you: Is this all YOUR fault?

Is it because you choose to ignore her subtle cries for help that she ran away into this book? Did looking the other way cause you to miss saving her from her new untimely demise?


You shake your head in an attempt to shake these horrible thoughts away. You DON'T want Alistair to see you begin to bawl your eyes out... AGAIN...



No... You're almost certain Rosie doesn't have this picture in her wallet, unfortunately... You printed it right away, but you doubt Rosie has...

You check your binder, just to see if maybe Rosie might have had one of the same---



Aheh...

No... Even though you both love mythical, fantastical creatures... Rosie isn't as into mermaids as YOU are... She definitely wouldn't be rocking a pretty, shiny, scaly mermaid binder...





Ugh, this is hopeless... You don't have matching tastes in notebooks, or binders, or pictures in wallets...

In fact, the only thing you both really wanted was the latest---



SMARTPHONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


YOU BOTH STUDIED YOUR BRAINS OUT AND BEGGED YOUR PARENTS TO BUY YOU THE LATEST CHERRY MODEL SMARTPHONE!


AUGH! HOW STUPID!!!


COULD YOU HAVE BEEN HOLDING THE KEY TO COMMUNICATING WITH ROSIE THIS WHOLE TIME?!

"Alistair..." You manage to mutter, snapping him out of deep thought.

"Mm?" He turns his gaze towards you, indicating you have his attention.

You hold up your phone and look as if you'd seen a ghost, mumbling as loud as you can (which isn't too loud at all), "Same make and model...?"

His eyes dilate like he just came back from an eye exam and his eyebrows nearly fly off of his face.

"That could be it!" He exclaims.

Without waiting another moment, you immediately unlock your phone, search for Rosie in your contacts, and dial her number... Your phone suddenly begins to glow!!!

"Please... Oh, please... Let this be it...!" You pray to whatever deity feels like listening to you as you hold your breath while the phone rings...

It rings once... Twice... Thrice---


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOLY S***!
HOLY S***!
HOLY S***!!

SHE ANSWERED!

SHE ****ING ANSWERED!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"ROSIE! RO! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" You shout and yell into your phone, "I-IT'S ME! CORNY! YOUR BEST FRIEND! ARE YOU THERE!? CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"


...But there was no response...

You and Alistair lock eyes for a moment in concern, waiting for anything, anything at all to hear back.

A few seconds feels like a few eternities, so you decide to shout again:

"ROSIE! LISTEN TO ME! I'M AT THE LIBRARY! I'M READING THE BOOK YOU'RE IN! YOU ARE THE HIEROPHANT OF SKIES, RIGHT?!?!" You continue to shout desperately... but the dead silence in response makes you feel like you're crying to a deaf ear...


You exchange glances with Alistair again, but you quickly lose patience, this time you immediately resume shouting:

"ROSIE, YOU CAN'T SUMMON CELOSIA! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! YOU CAN NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, SUMMON CELOSIA!!!!" You cry, tears and sobs nearly choking you, but you fight it, the message has to get across as clear as possible, "LISTEN TO ME, LISTEN: ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED GATHERING ALL SEVEN CREST-BEARERS AND COMPLETE THE CEREMONY TO SUMMON CELOSIA, SHE'S GOING TO EAT YOU! IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR POWER TO GRANT YOU THREE WISHES THE DEITY THEN DEVOURS ITS HIEROPHANT! DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOU'RE GOING TO GET EATEN ALIVE IF YOU SUMMON CELOSIA!!! DON'T DO IT, OKAY?! DON'T YOU SUMMON CELOSIA!!!"

You're losing your mind, so close and yet so far from reaching your best friend since childhood, when suddenly--

You hear a muffled gasp!

"ROSIE? ROSIE?! ROSIE, ARE YOU THERE!? IS THAT YOU?! ROSIE!!!" You cry and shout into the phone...

To no avail...

You swear you could have heard her voice, far off in the distance but before you barely manage to hear it clearly---

Nothing... Like it suddenly cut off...

You pull your phone to look at your screen and, as you feared, she hung up on you...

She hung up on you without saying a word...

"Rosie..." You nearly choke as you sadly look at your home screen, no longer even in the call, feeling a tear escape your eye as your grip tightens on your phone, and you mutter pathetically again, "...Rosie..."

You then feel a gentle hand on your shoulder and look up to see Alistair smiling at you consolingly. He then hands you the book, giving you a look. You know what he wants you to do.

"Listen, maybe she's just not by her phone right now... We won't know for sure unless we read the book and catch up on what's been going on... I seriously doubt she was just ignoring you," Alistair kindly injects some logic into the situation, even providing an explanation for whatever the fresh he** just happened.

...You have a horrid feeling he may be wrong...

"Yeah...Yeah... " You nod, taking the book from him, and opening it up to where you left off:

The boy of winds controls a mighty gale to surround his hands, like a gauntlet of gust and strikes fiercely at the bearer of storms, disappointed to find they had parried at the last possible moment, matching his speed adequately. The mighty downpour brought by the bearer of storms rages on, lightning striking from all directions as thunder roars and bellows deafeningly. The boy of winds does not back down, and the clash of crest-bearers continues while the little Hierophant watches on, helplessly, still trapped in her fulgurous prison...

>>STORY SWITCH<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

PatriasLover Idea Felis ​

​

"What's the matter, Elias? Can't keep up with the storm?" Elysia teases him as she narrowly dodges another of his attacks.

You can't really see Elias' face too well, but... When you were able to catch a glimpse of it... It looked like he was going a bit slow... On purpose...


Even after all this, Elias doesn't really want to hurt his relative...


"Let Rosie go! She has been nothing but kind to you and even healed you from your consumption, and THIS is how you repay her?!" Elias grunts in response, narrowly missing some lightning bolts... If he didn't have amazing speed from the winds he would be burned to a crisp by now...

"YES! EXACTLY!" Sia shouts back, and Elias pauses, stunned.

Sia stops as well.

"I'm doing this FOR HER!" She unexpectedly shouts... While pointing at you.

"Wh...What?" Elias replies, confused.

Wait... So... Elysia is imprisoning you in lightning... for your BENEFIT?!

HOW?!

WHY?!

SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I don't want anything to happen to her!" Elysia explains, continuing with, "If you can beat me, then that proves to me that, maybe, you can beat or at least TAME whatever has that power..."

"But they're a crest-bearer, right? They're one of us, why would they--"

"Are you joking?! I'm not even fully on your guys' side... YET... What makes you think THEY will be? If they go rogue?! Or worse, are ALREADY ROGUE!? Do you have a plan for that?!" Sia ruthlessly interrogates your love.

Much to your chagrin, she is making good points...

You still haven't been able to hear the voice like the rest of your crest-bearers...

"Fine," Elias agrees, adding, "If I beat you, you let Rosie go. Immediately!"

"And if I beat YOU," Elysia responds, "You all follow MY ORDERS. Starting with keeping Rosie HERE, at least until we've scouted the next Crest-bearer and eliminated the threat if it's not a crest-bearer!"

"But the compass won't work without her!" Papa cries, and it breaks your heart to see all your family worried about you in your prison...

"Nonsense. That thing is glowing so brightly I'm sure it will still keep glowing without her! Besides, that power may not even BE a crest-bearer!" Elysia immediately dismisses the concern, and you couldn't be more convinced that Elysia leading this whole shindig could prove disastrous!

She's an amazing general, but not so much a travel buddy.

And, if you're honest with yourself, you're terrified of her, especially if THIS is how she treats people she's... fond of...? (Jury's still out on if she is or not...)

You really don't know what she thinks of you, even after all this, honestly...

So many things are spiraling through your mind...

You KNOW if Sia goes wherever that voice is, "guns blazing", you'll NEVER get the 6th crest-bearer!

Soldiers are now running towards this spectacle, shocked at your prison, the girl they don't know is their general, and the "healers" helping said girl!

Sia snaps her fingers and points to the upcoming crowd, the "healers" are now forming a sort of human wall, separating the soldiers from the fight between Elias and Elysia.

"HEY! Who are you!? What's going on here!?" Chase demands, angered at the sight before him and his friends, especially outraged when he catches sight of YOU imprisoned.

Stone also looks pretty angry, too... And for a fellow big guy to look mad, you KNOW they must be fuming! Good thing looks can't really kill!

...Then you spot Clif running up as well... The person who, technically, rightfully should be General right now...


In panic and fear, you ponder if you should yell at Clif to pull rank on Elysia... If ANYONE could get her to stop this madness, it's Clif...

At least... After he threatens to reveal her to a higher authority that will inevitably strip her of her title... That she took technically illegitimately...

No... NO...

You'll NEVER befriend Sia that way... And you TRUST Elias... You KNOW he can beat Sia!





...But what if he doesn't???

You lie to yourself A LOT, but you CAN'T DENY that you're NOT COMFORTABLE in this situation right now!!

You're already running on ZERO dignity having this be the 4th time (give or take) you've been the damsel in distress!!!!

That, and, you know Elias can match her speed for speed, and experience for experience... But if Sia fights dirty... Plus, You KNOW he's hesitant to hurt a relative... Unfortunately, Sia ISN'T!

What should you do?!

>>CALL OUT TO CLIF OR TRUST IN ELIAS COMPLETELY??<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

We need the Crest Bearers. Whether or not we end up summoning Celosia in the end, the fact is we need their cooperation. Sia isn't being cooperative, but she's at least reasonable enough to have given us an out, but I don't think her personality would give us any leeway if we tried cheating. We need to trust Elias. Plus, while what she's doing right now is kind of a ridiculous way to make her point, she does have a point. If Elias can't beat her, we may be in big trouble either way. Lastly there's the matter of there most definitely being a bunch of grudges and other personal feelings in her, all of which make it even less likely that she would take us cheating lying down.

So I vote we put our trust in Elias.

 

[Felis]

I agree. We need to trust Elias (and Elysia, too). We're not going to make progress if we already doubt our crest-bearers' abilities - or get on their bad side, for that matter.

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea Felis ​

Spoiler: previous votes

We need the Crest Bearers. Whether or not we end up summoning Celosia in the end, the fact is we need their cooperation. Sia isn't being cooperative, but she's at least reasonable enough to have given us an out, but I don't think her personality would give us any leeway if we tried cheating. We need to trust Elias. Plus, while what she's doing right now is kind of a ridiculous way to make her point, she does have a point. If Elias can't beat her, we may be in big trouble either way. Lastly there's the matter of there most definitely being a bunch of grudges and other personal feelings in her, all of which make it even less likely that she would take us cheating lying down.

So I vote we put our trust in Elias.

I agree. We need to trust Elias (and Elysia, too). We're not going to make progress if we already doubt our crest-bearers' abilities - or get on their bad side, for that matter.

Trust in Elias, unanimously!!!

You've told yourself for a while now that you DO trust Elias... You trust him with your life...


It's time to put your "money" (or tallons, in this case) where your mouth is...

You hang your head as you decide to keep your mouth shut and watch Sia's INSANE test go on...





"What the--?!" Chase gasps as the human wall forms from the "healers", shock and awe lasting only a moment as anger takes its place quickly enough.

"H-hey! What's going on here, ladies?! You're only supposed to take orders from---"



"Ah..."


"Clif?! What are you doing? You're lieutenant now that your dad retired, right!? Stop this nonsense!" Chase pleads and orders.


"...I sure am..." Clif begins, then slowly raising his arm to point to Sia, "And there's the General..."


Gasps shower the crowd (or, at least, the non-healers in the midst) as they all direct their gazes to the human wall... And Elysia...


"You're kidding! THAT'S who's been behind the cloak all this time?! But, you're---!" Chase begins, perplexed, then stops himself and turns to Clif, "Wait...DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?!"


"Mmmn, no, not exactly... But... I had a feeling," Clif (admirably) answers honestly, looking guilty for obviously keeping his hunch to himself.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Chase interrogates, and you feel awful as this conversation goes on, because you can tell from his tone AND the look on his face that Chase feels betrayed...

You can't really blame him... If Clif had a hunch and didn't share it, it's basically a lie by omission...


You, uh... Know a thing or two about... Lying by omission... Especially to your best friend...



"Because..." Clif begins, and now HE'S the one giving puppy dog eyes, "I-I... I couldn't do that to her..."

He's looking directly at Sia now...


"Don't blame him, darling!" Booms a familiar voice you KNEW was among the "human wall" the "healers formed"---




"We ALL knew..."

Heh heh... How did you know...??



"KAY?!" Chase shouts, even MORE betrayed than before, "YOU knew TOO?!"



"Don't blame your wife, Fallon, the laws made it IMPOSSIBLE to train these ladies with the rest of you, so it had to have been done in secret..." Sia explains, stopping the fight to keep the couple from fighting even more than they were... Guess this all explains why THE MEN at least didn't know who their general was...


"TRAIN?! WHAT?!" Chase, appalled by this news, and things just keep getting worse and worse the more he hears...


"Of COURSE I want to train!" Kay shouts, sounding like she's about to--



Oh dear!

"Do you know HOW MUCH BIGGER THE TERRAIN AND NEPTNEAN ARMIES MIGHT BE?! If TERRAS CREST-BEARERS are there?! Even with OUR crest-bearers, they will outnumber us a million to ONE, and you all want to cut the number of us fighting IN HALF?!"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, that's right...

You've never given this much thought, but... There's A WHOLE WORLD under this isle...

Cion Isle is... Hmm... Maybe the size of Texas? Maybe a little bigger....??

Compare that to how giant and vast the oceans below are, and how much land there must be down there...



These guys don't stand a chance if the people below find a way up here...

No wonder Sia was training the women in secret...




"Kay..." Chase mutters, quickly deflating from anger and indignation to regret in record timing.


"...I know... I know even with us... Celosia... Even if WE ALL FIGHT... I know... I know we still won't stand a chance...but... B-but..."



"If I'm going to die... I want to die beside YOU, Chase... I want to die beside you!!"


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Don't you see?! As soon as they find a way up here, if they want to go to war with us... It's going to be a BLOODBATH... And it won't be THEIR BLOOD spilling...!"



Oh, Kay...

No wonder these Knight Maidens pledged their loyalty to Elysia: She's training them to give them a chance to fight (and die) alongside their loved ones!!


"Kay..." Chase mutters again in response, having been completely oblivious to his wife's feelings AND the grim situation at hand... until now, that is.



"The situation is MUCH direr than it appears, Fallon. I've always found it ridiculous women couldn't train, especially when my parents and aunt and uncle trained me in secret since I learned to walk properly."


"Wait... So... Aturius was your father... His wife obviously your mother... but... If that's the case, then... Who were your aunt and uncle???"


Elysia has sly, smug smirk on her face before she answers Chase, and then she points to Elias:

"My aunt and uncle were his parents. This is the son of one of the best knights this Isle has EVER known, ARIES, and... HER husband."



"WAIT, ARIES WAS A WOMAN?!?!?!"


...You WERE kinda sorta wondering how she was a soldier in this time period when women were still clearly not allowed to fight yet...

Welp. Guess now you know the answer: She basically crossed-dressed most of the time or something.


"Even if you essentially "doubled" the armies size... If what you say is true... We still wouldn't stand a chance, even WITH the women," Stone finally speaks, pointing out a flaw in Sia's plan.


"...I know, I've been composing strategies and plans to try to give us a hope of a chance... But the only solutions that aren't laughable involve the crest-bearers... Once we have all seven we have a hope of standing a chance, maybe... Especially if that great power is one of us..."

Right... Now that you know all this... It makes sense to you now that that voice and power are driving her nuts: If it's good Elysia NEEDS to ally with it immediately and...

Well... You don't even wanna think about it if they're bad...



Uhm... Clif?

Hey... This is a horrible realization for all the men, right??

Why on Cion does Clif look guilty instead of shocked and appalled??



...Did he know something about this, too?

But shouldn't only the women know about this?


Everyone seems to be too preoccupied to notice Clif at the moment, but something's not adding up...


Why and HOW does Clif know about the world below?

He's not exactly buddy-buddy with Sia... And even if CORA could (and definitely would) get in Elysia's good graces, she's currently taking care of a certain expecting Empress and isn't capable of spilling the beans to Clif even if she wanted to break the vow of secrecy that Elysia made the other women and wives swear...

And Elysia would sooner throw herself off of Cion Isle before trusting CLIF...

Are you looking too into this? Has panic caused you to lose your thinking capability? Is that just his shocked face???

>>PROD CLIF FOR INFORMATION? Y/N<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

Hmmmm… I want to hear other folk’s thoughts on what we should do before I lay my vote. I honestly don’t see a downside to prodding for information, aside from the lack of leverage… and I’m not sure whether we should prod or wait until we do have leverage… or if there’s some reason not to ask at all that I’m forgetting.

 

[Felis]

Maybe Clif knew something from Arturius? I think they were fairly close, weren't they? That would also explain why he never questioned Elysia's identity much, perhaps?

In any case, I'm also leaning towards prodding for information. Let's get everything out in the open; it'll only make things more complicated if we discover later on that someone wasn't telling the whole truth here. And if we were reading too much into it, well, right now nobody could really blame us for being confused or overreacting, right? There's a lot going on, after all.

 

[Idea]

Maybe Clif knew something from Arturius? I think they were fairly close, weren't they? That would also explain why he never questioned Elysia's identity much, perhaps?

In any case, I'm also leaning towards prodding for information. Let's get everything out in the open; it'll only make things more complicated if we discover later on that someone wasn't telling the whole truth here. And if we were reading too much into it, well, right now nobody could really blame us for being confused or overreacting, right? There's a lot going on, after all.

In that case, I'll put my vote on prodding too.

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea Felis ​

Spoiler: previous votes

Hmmmm… I want to hear other folk’s thoughts on what we should do before I lay my vote. I honestly don’t see a downside to prodding for information, aside from the lack of leverage… and I’m not sure whether we should prod or wait until we do have leverage… or if there’s some reason not to ask at all that I’m forgetting.

Maybe Clif knew something from Arturius? I think they were fairly close, weren't they? That would also explain why he never questioned Elysia's identity much, perhaps?

In any case, I'm also leaning towards prodding for information. Let's get everything out in the open; it'll only make things more complicated if we discover later on that someone wasn't telling the whole truth here. And if we were reading too much into it, well, right now nobody could really blame us for being confused or overreacting, right? There's a lot going on, after all.

In that case, I'll put my vote on prodding too.

Prod Clif!!!

You decide it's for the better that you pursue this matter because Clif definitely knows something and it's time for ALL THE CARDS to be on the table!

"CLIF! Everything's all out there now! If you KNOW something... You've got to tell us!!! PLEASE!" You shout, though honestly, you wonder if it was all in vain as the loud roars of the thunder might have drowned out your plea with this downpour!

Somehow, your cries were heard, despite the storm, because suddenly the attention turns to Clif!

"Anything ELSE you'd like to tell us? Let me guess: You knew about THAT too, huh?" Chase asks bitterly, clearly salty about all the revelations from earlier, and you can't blame him for feeling betrayed Clif didn't deem him worthy of being on a need-to-know basis about these things...



"Not... Directly... But--"

"...Of course," Chase disgruntedly sighs.

"...Let him talk," Stone silences the red-headed soldier, giving Clif room to speak.




"...When my Mother died when I had barely come of age... My father... He... He was so distraught... He locked himself in his chambers for days... We worried we were gonna lose him, too... He wouldn't eat... Barely slept..."


"Not only did he miss his other half terribly, but... He used to say she was the light of his life... So when the light died... He thought the world would soon follow... That plague and famine would curse this holy land blessed by Celosia... A sea of soldiers ordered to slaughter us would rise from the land and sea below and end us..."

...And he wasn't wrong... These plagues and famines surely couldn't have started much longer after Clifton's mother died...


"He was letting himself waste away... Wondering if he could have saved her... If he would have been able to get her medicine in time..."

Oh, Clif... You and your poor father have been through so much...


"I really thought I'd lose him too... And then... One day... Like a miracle... He emerged... With some hope..."

Hope...?

What happened?


"My mother, from beside Celosia, had given him a vision: a small figure of light, emerging from the darkness, would restore the light to the world, along with seven other figures... Each that also shone from a certain part of their body--"


"--One from their hand--"


"--One from their foot--"


"--There was even one from their back--"


"---And of course, the first figure next to the small one--"


"--Had a glow on their forehead--"


"He couldn't quite make out where the glow from the other two was coming from, but he knew they shone as well! Together, the seven of them combined their light into the small one... And the world was bathed in the light once again..."

Small--

Wait... That figure... With the seven others...

Could... Could that have been YOU?!




"It was pretty apparent the seven figures were the seven chosen crest-bearers of Celosia... And that the eighth smaller figure was the Hierophant themself... My father had faith in her and in Celosia's crest-bearers... That they would save this land from darkness... And when General Aturius died... And the storms overtook the grounds... Drowning out the light... Somehow, I knew... I knew..."


"One of those figures was you..."



"Hmph. I never understood how such a stout, serious, and stoic man ended up siring such a dimwit... But I suppose you aren't as foolish as you portray yourself... And I suppose you inherited your soft-hearted antics from your mother, didn't you?"

Sia then... Uh... Begins to lift her shirt--?! WHOA WHOA WHOA, WHAT PROMPTED THI---


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOOK! LOOK! ON HER TUMMY!!!!

A CREST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FREAKIN' FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!


"Yeah, well, It kept YOU in your rightful position, huh?"

"Hmph. I suppose."

"We'll see about the "rightful position" part after we head back to the imperial city with ALL the crest-bearers in tow and amend some laws..." Xander grumbled unhappily.



Not that you had any doubt, but it's always a relief when you ACTUALLY lay eyes on the crest...!


"Hmph. Now that the "pleasantries" are out of the way... Let's finish this, Elias," Elysia commands, thunder booming behind her.

"Right!" Elias obeys, and again, summons the gusts of wind around his arms that are sharp as blades...


You can't really stomach seeing them... The weapon that murdered Aesop went missing and was never found... You didn't even KNOW Elias could DO THAT until this battle began...


Poor Elias...



How on Cion Isle will you tell him that he may have murdered his own father as well as his mother...??

...Should you tell him...?

What would he do with that knowledge? Would that old woman's word be enough?

Telling Elias the truth wouldn't change anything, it would just hurt him... But you think he deserves to know your theory there is a strong chance he killed his father, right?

>>DECIDE TO TELL ELIAS LATER? Y/N<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​