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while i appreciate the attempt to calm things down.... immediately adding some more info about the topic is not very conductive towards that goal.
Fire Emblem: Last of the Manakete
- Thread starter SoaringHawk218
- Start date
- Fantasy
... Yeah, I can see that being true. Thank you for reminding me.
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I might be a little late, but Solark really pissed me off, and I didn't notice SoaringHawk's post until I spent like an hour on this post.
Second, Ryza's actions—how she takes on responsibility and handles it adequately, but still has moments of immaturity—are consistent with a precocious child who has been forced to grow up very quickly due to tragedy. Which is...literally what she is. So yeah. I don't know why you'd argue otherwise.
Third: I don't know why you think this is worth focusing on. The fact that Ryza's a child is an aggravating factor, but it's not the core of my argument. In fact, I only brought up Ryza's age by referring to her as "a child" once instead of using "Ryza" in four consecutive sentences.
First off, I'd like to remind you that the post you are responding to was drawing comparisons between Ryza and modern descendants of people victimized by colonialism. If you're going to ignore that side of the conversation, you should at least address why you think it's worth ignoring. Because that real-world context makes all of these arguments much worse.
Let me see if I can summarize said arguments.
I think this perspective is morally bankrupt! Ryza can turn into a dragon, but she's human in every way that matters. She deserves to be treated with respect. Literally every mildly sympathetic character in the Quest agrees with me in that regard. You can think Cicenco is in the right and Artemis in the wrong, you won't find much support in the text.
It feels like you're refusing to consider any perspective except those of the people who want to exploit manakete resources. Which would be kinda crummy even devoid of context, since Ryza's perspective is central to any argument about the reasons for what she did, but it's even worse when you consider the real-world context that I explicitly drew focus to. (And spent an order of magnitude more time on than the "child" thing that you spent a third of your response on.) In that context, when people use the law as a justification for atrocities (or not trying to repair damage caused by them),
And perhaps most importantly: It's completely wrong in the specific situation that this argument is theoretically about. We're not discussing Ryza's response to the abstract concept of humans owning manakete stuff, but of Ryza possibly handing over specific artifacts that she owns. This isn't Ryza asking Lacroix for a random manakete dragonstone, this is Lacroix asking Ryza for documents that are, legally, Ryza's property. Because while most manakete ruins are legally owned by humans, these manakete ruins are owned by Ryza.
So...this is like telling the Apache that they can have artifacts colonizers stole from their ancestors if they accept responsibility for crimes those ancestors committed, as depicted in films like Stagecoach.
I find this argument unconvincing. You seem to assume that humans have claim to manakete artifacts by default, and that Ryza needs to assume special responsibility to claim ownership of both manakete things in general and scraps from her parents' library in specific.
Also...there is literally nothing to suggest the idea that all manakete go crazy. There is negative evidence for this claim. Manakete culture puts a great deal of focus on how they can control their violent impulses the way that humans do; their impulses are just dragon-shaped.
And in case you aren't sick of hearing this, this is another argument people use against minorities. Including the minorities which have been repeatedly invoked in this discussion.
No. Just no.
First, this thread is tagged "child protagonist".
Second, Ryza's actions—how she takes on responsibility and handles it adequately, but still has moments of immaturity—are consistent with a precocious child who has been forced to grow up very quickly due to tragedy. Which is...literally what she is. So yeah. I don't know why you'd argue otherwise.
Third: I don't know why you think this is worth focusing on. The fact that Ryza's a child is an aggravating factor, but it's not the core of my argument. In fact, I only brought up Ryza's age by referring to her as "a child" once instead of using "Ryza" in four consecutive sentences.
Holy fuck. No.
First off, I'd like to remind you that the post you are responding to was drawing comparisons between Ryza and modern descendants of people victimized by colonialism. If you're going to ignore that side of the conversation, you should at least address why you think it's worth ignoring. Because that real-world context makes all of these arguments much worse.
Let me see if I can summarize said arguments.
- You quote the guy framed as a bigoted jerk and treat that as a worthy foundation for your argument, because it's "insightful".
- You say that since Ryza is a manakete, she is at best a nobody, and possibly "an enemy of humankind". She doesn't have human rights, because she's not human, and she should be happy that humans are treating her as well as they are.
I think this perspective is morally bankrupt! Ryza can turn into a dragon, but she's human in every way that matters. She deserves to be treated with respect. Literally every mildly sympathetic character in the Quest agrees with me in that regard. You can think Cicenco is in the right and Artemis in the wrong, you won't find much support in the text.
- Legally speaking, humans have the right to everything in manakete ruins, including those valuable crystals Ryza's getting so worked up about.
It feels like you're refusing to consider any perspective except those of the people who want to exploit manakete resources. Which would be kinda crummy even devoid of context, since Ryza's perspective is central to any argument about the reasons for what she did, but it's even worse when you consider the real-world context that I explicitly drew focus to. (And spent an order of magnitude more time on than the "child" thing that you spent a third of your response on.) In that context, when people use the law as a justification for atrocities (or not trying to repair damage caused by them),
- " And the 'justice to start taking things back' leads down to the 'at worst' path."
And perhaps most importantly: It's completely wrong in the specific situation that this argument is theoretically about. We're not discussing Ryza's response to the abstract concept of humans owning manakete stuff, but of Ryza possibly handing over specific artifacts that she owns. This isn't Ryza asking Lacroix for a random manakete dragonstone, this is Lacroix asking Ryza for documents that are, legally, Ryza's property. Because while most manakete ruins are legally owned by humans, these manakete ruins are owned by Ryza.
- Ryza is like a dinosaur. She needs to just adapt to the new world and accept its rules.
That is just a lie. Both in the sense that the thing you claim is not supported by the text, and in the sense that the sentence "Dragons were burning human cities to ashes killing humans in droves, and the latter retaliated in self-defense" is a belief that the text has framed as a lie. Or at best, a widely-believed historical misconception. It's such a serious falsehood that some scholars had been questioning it before Ryza woke up.
I'd like to remind you that both Shadowhisker and I have been drawing explicit parallels between Ryza's situation and certain real-life groups in comparable situations. And also that most of the "crimes" you claim manakete committed during the war have no to negative evidence supporting them.
So...this is like telling the Apache that they can have artifacts colonizers stole from their ancestors if they accept responsibility for crimes those ancestors committed, as depicted in films like Stagecoach.
I find this argument unconvincing. You seem to assume that humans have claim to manakete artifacts by default, and that Ryza needs to assume special responsibility to claim ownership of both manakete things in general and scraps from her parents' library in specific.
Ryza in the actual story isn't sure she can win a fight with a wyvern rider without support from archers.
I want to compare this to Holocaust denial, but A. invoking Godwin's Law is emotionally manipulative and B. that would be an insult to the case holocaust deniers have. The Empire's literal foundational myth is humanity boasting about genociding the mankete, there aren't any manakete around, there are a lot of manakete ruins. At least you need to read a book to find evidence for the Holocaust.
Bullshit. There is zero evidence for this beyond Ryza's wishful thinking. And the idea that manakete hid in human society for a thousand years, and still exist as a meaningful demographic for Ryza to find, is...ridiculous.
The same is true of any mage. But the hypothetical possibility that all mages could go crazy isn't enough reason to justify the genocide of all mages.
Also...there is literally nothing to suggest the idea that all manakete go crazy. There is negative evidence for this claim. Manakete culture puts a great deal of focus on how they can control their violent impulses the way that humans do; their impulses are just dragon-shaped.
And in case you aren't sick of hearing this, this is another argument people use against minorities. Including the minorities which have been repeatedly invoked in this discussion.
You're framing humanity not getting to own everything in manakete ruins as a punishment to humanity.
No. Just no.
Aerial Intercept
[X] You decide to fly with Lacroix. Sir Octavio wasn't super keen on him being able to fly into Legerius, and with some of the problems going on between the Kingdoms and the Empire you can understand that. However, the mage seems nice, and you'll make sure he doesn't go snooping. Besides, it'll be nice to spend some time with Firescale, she's a sweetheart as far as wyverns go.
Never underestimate the depths women will sink to in order to get revenge. Case in point: the Whitewings are still holding onto their collective grudge four centuries after the fact!
-Wyvern Rider Harold Redstone
As you pack up a few small scrolls that you can't bear to part with (you wish you could take Solariana's, but it's just too heavy) you watch Lacroix tend to Firescale.
"Mistress-" Sir Octavio starts.
"Ryza."
"-Ryza," he continues, clearly not taking the title off in his mind. "This is your home and you have the final say, but I do wonder about the wisdom of accepting transit from this… Imperial. If there is any trouble, you will be completely isolated…"
You sigh. "Sir Octavio, he's not that bad," you say, closing your bag. "He's been really calm and understanding about everything, and he's just offering to help me get to the castle faster before Baron Cicenco tries something else. We'll be fine!"
"He's also a Phoenix Lord," the cavalier says grimly. "People don't get that kind of power in the Empire without being loyal and reliable to their superiors. Here, he's surrounded by enough archers to give even a Sealed flier pause. We will not be there if he decides to try something further into Legerius."
Folding your arms, you glare up at Sir Octavio. "We talked about this for an hour," you whine. "And we all agreed that this was the best path forwards." At least, you'd managed to get Belle and Lancel to agree with you, and Kelton and Claire hadn't seemed to want to restart their feud and so both ended up abstaining, but it was the principle of the matter! "Besides, he swore on the Emblem that he'd get me there and back safely; surely that's good enough for you."
Slowly, the cavalier sighs. "It just feels wrong, to entrust your safety to an Imperial after everything they did to Lady Sypha," he says. "He was very evasive when it came to talking about what his Duchess was doing, and what he did say was not reassuring."
"As far as we know, the only people involved in that were the Talons and whoever hired them, which the Council agreed probably wasn't Duchess Callista," you say. "Besides, Bernard was nice enough, and he's an Imperial."
"He is also kin to Countess Mantrae," Sir Octavio says, but he sounds slightly mollified. "If you are determined, then I cannot stop you, but I do ask that you be careful. For young Lady Sypha's sake."
"I will," you say. "I shouldn't be too long, then we can all go home. Thanks for helping me and looking after things while I'm gone."
"You're most welcome, Mi-Ryza," Sir Octavio says. "I do not believe that Baron Cicenco will try anything while you are gone, but if he does we will protect your home." Kelton, who'd sidled over during the conversation, nods eagerly.
You smile. "I hope it won't come to that either, but I'm glad I can leave things in good hands," you say. "You can look around if you want, just don't take anything."
Both men looked slightly offended. "Of course not!" Kelton says. "Who do you take us for, Belle?"
"HEY!"
Forcing back a giggle, you give Kelton a hug and pat Sir Octavio on the arm. "Alright, I'm heading out now," you say, looking over to see that Firescale and Lacroix seem to be ready. "Don't get into any more fights with Claire, keep an eye on the ward to the lower floor, and stay safe. I'll be back soon." With a final wave to the others who'd come with you, you trot over to the wyvern and her rider.
"Thank you for trusting me, Ryza," Lacroix says as Firescale nuzzles you.
"Thank you for offering me a ride," you say, patting the warm muzzle a few times before carefully circling around, making sure not to make any sudden moves. Just because she's friendly right now doesn't mean Firescale won't react if you inadvertently startle her; that's the wyvern way. Thankfully, she remains calm and steady, allowing you to flap up to sit behind Lacroix. It feels a little weird, sitting this far back, but one of the promises that you'd made to your friends in order to convince them to let you go is that you'd never let yourself be trapped on the wyvern's back. From here, you can fall off whenever you please and fly on your own.
At least it's better than riding a horse.
"Ready?" the mage asks, adjusting his legs in the straps along the saddle that you assume are meant to make it harder for him to fall off, since he lacks wings.
"Yep," you respond.
With a sharp whistle from Lacroix, Firescale stands, spreading her wings. You flinch slightly as the temperature starts rising from the flame filling her membranes; but it's not too uncomfortable. A moment later, with a mighty flap, the wyvern launches herself off the rocky outcrop she'd chosen for her launch spot, gliding for a few seconds to build up speed before flapping to gain altitude. You're forced to hold onto Lacroix to prevent yourself from being blown off.
However, as Firescale circles up into the air, you adjust to the momentum and look around. You have to admit, while you prefer flying on your own two wings, it seems that wyverns are a bit faster than you normally are. That will be nice; it'll cut off some time off the trip getting to Castle Legerius and back. The heat from the wyvern's wings also does a lot to cut down on the cool temperatures of the sky, especially this high up in the mountains. "So do you go flying often?" you call over the rushing winds as Firescale orients herself and sets off in the direction of Castle Legerius.
"As often as I can, though sadly we don't often get to go far," the mage says. "And when we do, it's usually to attend some meeting or to respond to some magical trouble or another."
You cock your head. "What sorts of troubles?" you ask. "I've mostly just been helping James and Siri keep the various runes around Castle Agrithe working."
Lacroix nods. "That is the most common example what Head Mages do, yes," he says. "However, there are other things that require our attention. For example, a few years ago, there was an case of plague that was resistant to the local healers' efforts to cure it. Turns out, it was the latest outbreak of that old scourge Flame Fever."
"What's that?" you ask curiously.
"A particularly nasty little disease that is mildly magical in nature, specifically attuned to fire magic. Not only does that make it more deadly than most plagues, but it's also nearly immune to light magical healing." Lacroix says. "Thankfully, it's not common. In fact, every few decades we think we've finally gotten rid of it, but sadly it keeps rearing its ugly head." He sighs. "Once I realized what it was, it was easy enough to get rid of by draining out its energy, but a lot of people died who didn't need to."
You frown. Other than a nasty bout of Dragons' Humbling when you were in your sixties, you'd never suffered from disease for more than a few hours before Father or Mother cured you. To hear that there were humans, probably including children, who had died just because it took time for someone to realize why they were in danger… "I'm glad you were there to help them," you say. "How did you figure it out?"
"Thankfully, it'd be relatively simple for you; you'd just need to look for the unusually-high concentration of fire magic. I was pretty sure of its identity from the moment I saw some of the sick, but I did have to see if the illness absorbed further fire magic to be certain." He glances back at you. "That's but one example of what a Head Mage might be called upon to do. I do not know who the previous Head Mage of Agrithe was, but it might be prudent to see if they left any journals; that might give you some guidance as to issues they were monitoring."
"Okay," you say, nodding. That did sound like a good idea. Maybe James would know something too. "Thanks for the suggestion."
For the first few hours, the trip is quite peaceful. Every now and then, you slip off of Firescale's back and fly after her (she starts to dive after you the first time you do this, seemingly wanting to catch you before she remembers you can fly too.) It turns out she is noticeably faster than you, so she has to slow a little in order to let you keep up, but it's still nice to get some more flight time in.
However, as you're resting your wings, your description of how heart-form flying works is interrupted by a dangerous-sounding hiss from Firescale. "What is it, girl?" Lacroix asks softly, stroking his mount's neck. Frowning, you watch as the wyvern's head tries to turn and look around and above her. Turning yourself, you look behind you, wondering what's got her riled up.
For a moment, you think that she's just getting irritated by nothing, but then you see a flash of white, nearly invisible against the clouds above you. "I think we're being followed," you say, your sharp eyes spotting another flash of white off to one side. "Something in the sky… I think they're pegasi."
Looking back himself, Lacroix sighs. "If the pegasi are following us and not flying away, that means they're directed," he says. "And that means Whitewings." He looks to you. "Did the Kingdoms hire any Whitewings?"
You hesitate for a second, but a third flash of white in the clouds makes up your mind. "Yep," you say. "There was a big meeting, and they agreed to pool some money to pay for them."
The mage nods, his eyes scanning as he dips the angry, nervous wyvern lower. "That's good; that means they'll hopefully listen to you," he says. "We're just passing through-"
Before he could finish his sentence, three pegasi drop from the clouds in a rough triangle around you. Unlike the wild ones you'd seen when you were young, these three had saddles, attached with pale blue straps in order to blend into the sky. While not as armored as some of the horses you'd seen human cavaliers riding, as they dip lower you can see their faces are covered by ornate silver helmets decorated with wings, and their necks and shoulders were similarly protected.
Upon each of their backs sat a slender woman. Like their mounts, these women wear only light armor: bright blue breastplates over their chests and winged helmets upon their heads. Each of them is carrying a long, slender lance, and from the way they're aggressively circling you get the feeling they're perfectly willing to use them.
"Oi, lizard breath!" the closest of the Whitewings shouts, flying just close enough to glare effectively as Lacroix pulls Firescale into a circling motion as the pegasi riders moved to hem you all in.
"You lot aren't welcome here!" she continues, her eyes flashing angrily. "Give us a good reason why we shouldn't splatter you and your overgrown newt across the countryside!"
For a moment, you flinch back; you'd heard that Whitewings didn't like Imperials, but this was worse than you'd ever imagined! However, you steel yourself and drop off of Firescale as she snarled deep in her throat, her eyes staring murder across the sky. You had to head this off fast!
"He's with me!" you call, raising your hands as you circle around between the Whitewing leader and Lacroix. "My name's Ryza, I'm a friend of Agrithe and Legerius, we're just passing through. There's no need for any trouble!"
The woman's eyes widen as she stares at you. "What the…" you see her mouth say, nudging her pegasi's sides to push it forwards a little.
A moment later, a roar of fury sounds behind you before Firescale shoots in front of you, a jet of flame snorting from her mouth in the Whitewing's direction. Thankfully, the woman's still far enough away that she's in no danger, but she hisses out a curse as she pulls away, her pegasus neighing in panic, and you hear the other two approaching from behind, causing Firescale to turn back towards them, more fire boiling in her maw.
"STOP!" you cry, darting over to Firescale and staring into her eyes. "Stop, calm down!"
The wyvern does not obey you; you've only know her for a day, but thank the Mother she does hesitate for an instant. This allows Lacroix to pull her back into a holding pattern, stroking her neck and whispering soothing words into her ears. She'll listen to him, she has to.
Turning back to the Whitewings, you raise your voice. "Leave her alone!" you call, allowing a note of anger into your voice. "I promised them safe passage, and I've been promised safe passage as well!"
The Whitewing leader brings her mount around again, this time circling far enough away to not risk provoking Firescale again. "Wait, are you that weird dragon girl the Agrithians dug up?" she calls, finally sounding more confused than angry. "I didn't think you were real!"
Biting back your temper, you call back. "Manakete. I am Ryza, and I'm a manakete, and we're on the same side so I'd appreciate it if you never called me a dragon improperly again! I'm just going to Castle Legerius to talk to Countess Mantrae, and Master Skyfire's coming with me on Revisionist business. Please, let us pass."
The woman frowns, her eyes flicking between you and Lacroix. "What sort of honest business could an Imp have here?" she asks.
"Well met, Dame Whitewing," Lacroix calls. "I am Lacroix Skyfire, and I come not as foreigner, noble or agent, but as a scion of Thundercrier and a member in good standing of the Marble Hall. In the name of the ancient Compact, I request and expect to be allowed safe passage to speak to one of my fellows"
The Whitewing's eyes narrow. "I'm getting paid to keep your sort out of here," she says. "Why should I trust that you're not some sort of spy or saboteur?"
"I can vouch for him," you say. "Just a friendly manakete flying with a friendly mage to go talk to some of our friends in Legerius." Carefully moving forwards, you try to lower your voice while still being audible. "Please. I need to talk to Countess Mantrae; it's really important, and Master Skyfire's a good friend of Mistress Flarestone. There's no need for any trouble."
The Whitewing's thoughts clearly race as she looks between you and Lacroix. You desperately hope she won't try to stop you: while Lacroix would probably just agree to leave, it would still be a frustrating to have another of your allies making things harder for you.
Finally, however, the woman sighs. "Alright, fine," she says darkly. "Be grateful the kid's vouching for you, Imp. You can go to Castle Legerius, but my girls an I'll be watching you the whole way, and if you try to wander we will splatter you, understood?"
"Understood, Dame Whitewing," Lacroix says calmly, continuing to stroke Firescale as she glares hatefully at the intruding pegasi. "I will warn you, however, that my wyvern is already on razor's edge; for all our sakes keep that in mind with your escort formation."
The woman grunts, but then whistles and makes a complicated series of gestures with her free hand. The other two Pegasus knights circle back to fly above and behind you, not immediately threatening but still close enough that they could dive into any fight that might break out. The leader, meanwhile, spins her mount to start leading the way towards Castle Legerius.
Gliding back to Firescale, you gently stroke her behind her horn, smiling. "I'm just going to go talk to the mean lady," you say in Makashi. You have no idea if she'll understand that any better, but it makes you feel better. "I'll be fine."
Firescale croons softly, seemingly a little calmer, though her head keeps trying to turn to look back at the Whitewings flying behind her. Nodding to Lacroix, you flap your wings faster to get closer to the woman. "Hello," you say, thankful that she wasn't pushing her pegasi to full speed. Or maybe having her weight on its back made the flying creature slower. "I don't think I caught your name. I'm Ryza."
"You said that already," she says. A moment later, she sighs "Angela. Name's Angela."
Forcing yourself to smile, you move a bit ahead of her to draw her eye. "It's nice to meet you, Angela. I've heard a lot about Whitewings, but you're the first I've met."
Angela's eyes sweep over your wings. "I've heard a bit about you too," she says after a moment. "Honestly, I figured there was a decent chance that you were just some young-looking mage who got built up and exaggerated as the story got retold. Did you really rout an entire Talon chapter?
You blink before shaking your head. "No, no," you say. "I helped get Sypha out, and helped injure their wyvern badly enough that it couldn't follow us, then we all left."
The Whitewing whistles and throws you an impressed look. "Even being part of a fight against one of those monsters is a worthy feat," she says. "We like to have at least six-to-one odds to make sure that they don't get a lucky kill on any of us." She smiles darkly. "Though if the stories are true, you're probably bigger than they are, so maybe they need to outnumber you six-to-one."
You sigh. "Maybe when I'm fully grown, but right now I'm quite happy having friends to help me out," you say. "Friends like Master Skyfire back there."
She gives you a weird look. "…You do know that the Empire-"
"Yes. Yes, I know what happened, but Lacroix's trying to help make things right," you say. "That's why I want him to be able to talk to Jenna. They've both promised to help me tell people what manakete were really like."
Angela gives you another odd look, but after a moment she shrugs. "No skin off my nose, kid, but a word of warning. Be careful with trusting Imperials. They'll stab you in the back without a second thought when given the word by a 'superior,' and I get the feeling there's gonna be a lot of people in the Empire who'll want your back to get stabbed."
Sighing again, you give her a nod. "Thanks for the warning, but I've found that most people aren't that bad." True, you have run across some, but you're hoping they're the minority.
With this conversation seemingly reaching its end, you drift back to Lacroix and, with a bit of effort, land on Firescale's back without burning yourself on her wings.
"Well that went relatively well," the mage says cheerfully.
"Really?" you ask. "They seem to hate us!"
He sighs. "Oh, they don't hate you, Ryza," he says. "In fact, if one of them had come across your home and woken you, I'd say you'd have been accepted with open arms. You probably still could get yourself at least honorary membership with minimal effort. No, it's me they hate. Both Firescale and I."
"But why?!" you ask. "You're nice. I know that they seceded from the Empire, but so did Artemis and Agrithe and Legerius and they're not as… as…"
"In-your-face about their anger?" Lacroix fills in dryly. "Well, the big thing is that the Kingdoms tended to leave the Empire for very practical and political reasons. Some nobles wanted more power for themselves, power they couldn't get within the Empire. Others were involved in some sort of trouble, and so independence was a good way to get out of it." He shrugs. "And there were some that genuinely believed in their little region's right to determine their own fate, or were pulled along by more ambitious allies around them."
That all sounded very reductionist and a bit arrogant, but you don't want to cause any problems with the less-than-friendly women still surrounding you. "And the Whitewings?" you ask.
Lacroix sighs again. "The Whitewings… well, they had a very specific reason for leaving. Did Lady Cartese never tell you?" You shake your head. The man seems to consider for a moment before continuing. "About four hundred years ago, there was a grand plan by the Emperor of the day to clear the Black Forest, what you call the Verdant Wall, of monsters, once and for all. And there was a very real hope they might succeed."
"Really?" you ask. Even the Black Tribe, who'd lived there, had never completely made the forest safe, though from what you'd read while working with Lacroix monsters had been rare in the forest proper, coming more from the darklands beyond the Wall.
"Really. Soldiers and mages were gathered from all corners of the Empire, and at that time all humans did still pay homage to Wyrmrise. They called themselves the Army of Cleansing, and they were motivated, well supplied, and lead by perhaps the greatest warrior and general the Empire had since the First Emperor himself: Crown Prince Ignatius Wyrmblood."
You frown. "So what went wrong?" you ask.
"At first, nothing. They pushed out of the Marble Hall itself and started clearing the forest, stroke by stroke. There were some difficulties, of course, but by and large they were doing well." He pauses, seeming to consider, before carefully continuing. "However, while Ignatius Wyrmblood was a mighty warrior and a brilliant general, he was not… the best of men. He could be overconfident, even arrogant, and sadly that flaw caused much suffering."
"There are some who say he was cursed. That some monster or ancient relic found on the campaign clouded his mind. Others say that the glory of a string of particularly grand victories got to his head, and he made a bad choice in the heat of the moment. However, what no reasonable person can deny is that he… he did something unforgivable, to a young Whitewing lady in camp. They were still part of the Empire at this point, and they'd sent many of their best and brightest to aid in the effort to end monster attacks once and for all, and one of them caught Ignatius's attention."
You cock your head. "What did he do?" you ask.
"Nothing worthy of your ears, Ryza," Lacroix says, his voice brooking no argument. "The point is, the leader of the Whitewings and mother of the wronged woman, Sky-Marshal Victoria, came to the Prince to demand restitution. He… again either cursed, heady in the moment or simply arrogant, refused, and further insulted the Sky-Marshal and her family. In rage, she challenged him to a duel-"
"What's a duel?" you ask.
"It's a form of sanctioned combat where two people fight, usually to the death, over either a grievous insult or as a form of trial."
You blink. "That sounds stupid," you say bluntly. "Wouldn't that just mean the bigger, stronger person would always win, so they'd always be right?"
Lacroix laughs dryly. "Yes, it does have its issues," he says. "And there have been efforts made to limit the scope and use of trials by combat, but as a matter of preserving or regaining honor it's still considered a legitimate tool, and Sky-Marshal Victoria and her family had certainly been wronged. She challenged the Prince, he accepted, and she killed him."
You frown, glancing back at Angela. Would she have challenged Lacroix to a duel? Would she challenge you? "What happened then?"
"By all accounts, it had been a legal duel, fought in accordance with all the laws and traditions. However, the Sky-Marshal had just killed the son and heir apparent of the Emperor. She also took the Galeforce, the weapon he carried, for herself. This too was traditional and legal, but the Mastercrafts had always been under the control of the Emperors and their representatives, a lot of people claimed that she was overstepping her bounds. Those two facts, along with the slain Prince still having many friends and allies, both in court and in the army, led to demands that she be executed herself. In response, she took her knights and went home, declaring that if the Empire would turn its back on her and hers, she would do the same."
You consider the mage's words. While it was clear this Ignatius had done something really bad, was killing him really the right thing to do? Especially since it had apparently been done in anger, which tended to lead to poor decisions. "I'm guessing that didn't go over well?"
"It went over terribly. The army fractured between those who saw her as having done what any parent would do when their child was wronged, and those who claimed that this had all been some plot to gain power or create an excuse to secede. That division, along with the loss of the general and the desertion of the majority of their air support, left the Army in a dire situation. The monsters seemingly sensed their weakness and attacked with renewed vigor and coordination. Before long, the army was driven from the forest, leaving behind many dead. Even the Shadowgift, the fourth Mastercraft, was lost during the retreat."
"Wait, there were four?" you say. "I read there were only three."
Lacroix nods. "That is the current narrative, yes. Many modern tellings of the story leave out the Shadowgift, both because of its loss in the Forest and because not much is known about its wielder during the Dragon War." You flinch, but don't comment on the name. "However, the Bow of Darkness did exist, and there are still some fools who seek to go and recover it." He pauses to think for a moment before continuing. "Some claim that there's even a fifth Mastercraft: the Sunstar, but there's much honest debate over whether it truly counts. It's true that the Old Master did make it, but it was not completed by him: he was killed before he could finish it, and Emperor Wyrmblood took it with him. It passed through several hands until it was claimed by Sun-Father Leon, the founder of the Divine Realm, who claimed to have completed and purified it with Sol Invictus's personal guidance and blessing. None deny that it is a powerful staff, supposedly able to restore even the recently dead to life. However, most Imperials deny its legitimacy as a Mastercraft."
All of that sounded really complicated, and you get the feeling that a lot of people are just saying what makes them and their side look the best, but you nod. "So the Whitewings never rejoined the Empire?" you ask.
"They did not. An attempt was made to forcibly re-conquer them with the remnants of the Army of Cleansing, but their mountainous home and skill at raiding made that impossible. In the end, after Emperor Bonom died and his daughter Willina took the throne, she made a tense peace with the Whitewings. She recognized their autonomy in return for aid against a large monster counter-attack from the southern forest, which lead to the Whitewing's mercenary traditions today. However, they never forgave the Empire for what Ignatius did, and there are some who believe that they should push Sky-Marshal Victoria's vengeance to its final conclusion by seeing the Wyrmblood line rendered extinct, just as her line was. Thankfully, they're a small minority, but there are many who simply hate the Empire and all it represents."
You frown, staring ahead at Angela. She does seem… very angry, and that has to be painful, being so angry all the time. "That sounds really sad," you say. "Has no one tried to make things better?"
"Emperor Thaddeus was making strides to try and normalize relationships, though from what we know in the Southlands his emissaries were meeting unreasonable demands and insults from the Sky Marshal, and so they were forced to withdraw. The truth is likely more complicated than that, but for the moment the divide remains as wide as ever."
The rest of the trip back to Castle Legerius passes in tense silence. Another trio of Whitewings briefly appears, but Angela waves them off with more hand signals and a few waves of a pair of flags she pulls from her saddle, and they fly back the way you came. You don't really feel like talking or flying any more, simply sticking with Firescale and Lacroix to make sure nothing bad happens.
Finally, you spot Castle Legerius, and the Whitewings begin escorting you down towards the path outside the castle. Faintly, you can hear shouts and cries from the castle, and as you shade your eyes and peer down you see men with bows hurrying around, seemingly preparing to fight. Thankfully, nobody seems willing to start anything just yet, so you and Lacroix land a few dozen meters away from the gate. Hopping off Firescale's back, you carefully pet her head before walking a few paces forwards and waving.
"Hello!" you call. "It's Ryza with a friend. May we come in?"
You see the people on the wall muttering to each other, but thankfully none of the bows you see have arrows drawn back or readied, so it seems they're not going to shoot you or Lacroix. However, it doesn't seem they're in a hurry to let you in, either.
You're just about to go closer, to try and get some answers, when the gate grinds open. You start taking a step forward, only to feel an icy chill as a group of six cavaliers rides out. The one in front… Oh Mother you know that lance…
"Hi, Sir Ector!" you call, forcing your voice to be friendly as the rest of the cavaliers spread out, their own non-magical lances readied. Glancing up, you see that the Whitewings are still here, circling above Lacroix and Firescale. "It's good to see you again."
The man himself rides closer, shifting his lance so as to be able to raise the visor of his helmet. "Well met, Ryza," he grinds out. "Though I wonder at the strange guest you've brought with you in these troubled times."
Spreading your wings, you glide up so you can look at Sir Ector in the eye. "This is Master Skyfire, a Revisionist," you say. "He and I've been talking about my manaketeness; and he's a friend of Jenna's. He wanted to talk to her about what they've learned, and I could use a quick ride back to talk to Countess Mantrae about some trouble, so it seemed best for us to travel together."
The cavalier frowns. "With the Empire mobilizing," he says, "did you think that it might not be prudent to have high-ranking members of their forces wandering around?"
You fold your arms. "We were not wandering," you say sharply. "We knew exactly where we were going, and even if we hadn't Angela up there was very insistent on escorting us. He's a friend, and he's come in peace. I don't see why that's a problem."
Grunting, Sir Ector directs his horse around you and approaches Lacroix, who's been sitting comfortingly on Firescale's back. "Hail, mage," he says sharply as you follow, keeping on the opposite side of him from his lance. "What business do you have in Legerius?"
Lacroix bows his head. "Well met, sir cavalier," he says formally. "I am Lacroix Skyfire, and I come not as foreigner, noble or agent, but as a scion of Thundercrier and a member in good standing of the Marble Hall. In the name of the ancient Compact, I request and expect to be allowed safe passage to speak to one of my fellows."
Sir Ector looks him over, his eyes narrowed. "That is your legal right," he says finally. "Just as it is our right to restrict and monitor your movements. Dame Angela and her flight are acting with the blessing and authority of Legerius and Countess Mantrae."
"I never said otherwise," Lacroix says soothingly. "I intend no offense or trouble; I have simply come to confer with my old protégée and associate about a matter that I think will be beneficial to all mankind, and beyond." He throws you a meaningful look as he says this.
The cavalier's frown somehow deepens even further. "Very well. There is a shelter for your… mount, outside the wall. With what happened the last time one of those creatures entered Legerius, they are not welcome inside at this time."
You start to open your mouth to argue, but Lacroix silences you with a glance. "That is acceptable," he says. "Though if possible I would purchase some food for her; she has flown hard today and has not had time or leave to hunt."
"You may make that request of Countess Mantrae," Sir Ector says before looking up into the sky and waving. Angela swiftly dips down, her pegasus landing gracefully. "Dame Angela, what is the status of the patrol route?"
"I sent the reserve flight to fill in the gap," she says immediately. "Everything's clear; no signs of trouble. Just this one."
Sir Ector nods. "Very good," he says. "Would you stay here until our... guest, is ready to leave? He will need to be seen out of Legerius after his business is concluded."
Angela nods, a smile finally appearing on her face. "The girls and I'll be happy to have some time to rest," she says, petting her pegasus's mane. "Thank you."
"Thank you for your and the Alliance's support in these times," Sir Ector says. He glances back at you and Lacroix. "Mistress Ryza, you may enter: I'm sure Her Grace will be pleased to see you well. We will see to your associate."
A part of you wants to insist that you stay with Lacroix, since the last time you left someone alone in Legerius it had not gone well. The mage, however, gives you a reassuring nod. "It'll be fine, Ryza," he says. "I'll get Firescale settled, then I'll meet you inside. A lot of castles have wyverns stay outside; they don't play well with horses unsupervised."
"Okay, if you're sure," you say. Sir Ector gestures one of the other cavaliers towards you and the Whitewings while he and the others lead Lacroix and Firescale to a somewhat shabby-looking covering not far from the gate. It seems a poor shelter, but you suppose Firescale had done well enough outside on the mountains. Wyverns are tough; she'll be fine. More importantly, while clearly escorting him, they don't seem to be aggressively poking him or forcing him around.
"You genuinely do like him, don't you?" Angela says from behind you as she slides off her pegasus, gently stroking the creature's side before taking the reins and following the cavalier towards the gate.
"He's nice," you say. "And he was really interested in talking about what my people were really like; not all the lies and rumors." You glance at her, frowning. "On that note, how did you hear about me? I thought the nobles were keeping that to themselves?"
Angela rolls her eyes. "Oh I'm sure they're trying too; it's why I thought the stories were just rumors, but believe me, whenever anything interesting happens, news of it spreads no matter no much people try to stop it. I personally heard about you from one of the stable hands, but to hear him you were ten feet tall, glowed, and could kill a man just by looking at him."
You sigh. "Why are people like this…" you whine. "Why can't I just be me?"
The Whitewing laughs. "I'd take it as a complement, myself," she says. "If people are making you out to be tougher than you are, everyone'll be too intimidated to try anything. You can win just by showing up."
"But I don't want people to be intimidated by me!" you say. "I don't want people to think I'm a monster!"
Angela cocks her head. "I mean, people can be intimidated without thinking you're a monster," she says. "People can be both feared and respected; that's pretty much the basis of the world."
"But wouldn't it be better to just be respected? To have people listen just because they think you're worth listening too, not because they're afraid you'll hurt them if they don't?"
The Whitewing starts to open her mouth, only to stop before slowly closing it, a thoughtful look on her face. Before she can come up with an answer, you pass through the gate into the familiar courtyard of Castle Legerius.
The atmosphere is tense. There are fewer people moving around, and those that are moving keep glancing nervously at the sky. Thankfully, when they see you and the Whitewings enter, they seem to relax a little.
Countess Mantrae is standing at the top of the stairs, flanked by two men carrying large, silvery bows that seem to glitter. Her eyes are cool, though they soften a little as you curtsy. "Hello, Countess Mantrae," you say.
"Ryza, it is good to see you well," she says. "I admit; I was not expecting to see you for another few days at least."
You nod. "That was the plan, yes, but you told me to tell you if there were any… problems, and I'm afraid to say there's been a bit of a problem…"
The woman sighs. "Well, I am glad that you have faith enough to come to me," she says. "Although I do have some concerns about your… traveling companion. Are they a messenger from the Empire?"
You shake your head. "No, no, Master Skyfire came in relation to me," you say. "He's a friend of Jenna's, and he wanted to talk about the information that I'd shared with her and said she could share out."
"Skyfire… Head mage of the entire Southlands Duchy?" Countess Mantrae asks.
"Uh-huh. I met him yesterday when he was on his way over and he happened to spot me flying, and he's really nice. We talked a bit about manakete, and he was still interested in coming and talking to Jenna so I offered to escort him here." You shrug. "Well, he says he's escorting me, but since people seem upset that he's here I say I'm escorting him." A small smile crosses Countess Mantrae's face. "I did promise him safe passage. Sorry about that, but I really did want to give him a chance to talk to Jenna."
Sighing, Countess Mantrae walks down the stairs to stand closer to you. "In future, Ryza, it is considered bad form to promise safe passage through domains not your own," she says. "As Head Mage of Agrithe, you can promise it there, but legally you have little power in Legerius." You wilt a little, and she pats you on the shoulder. "That being said, you are a friend here, and since I'm sure he's invoked the Hall's privilege of travel he does have a legal right to come and speak to a fellow mage in good standing." She sighs. "I do wish all this could have been done when it was less likely to cause ripples among the population."
"Okay," you say. "Sorry about that."
Countess Mantrae waves a hand. "Something to keep in mind for the future," she says. "After all you have done, it would take more from you than a faux-pas made in ignorance to offend me." She frowns. "But you spoke as if you had troubles of your own."
You grimace, hearing the sound of footsteps behind you. "Well, while I was up there, I met Baron Cicenco …"
You watch as the Countess's face flashes through emotions: annoyance, anger, frustration, and a few others you don't recognize. At no point do you see surprise. "I see," she says, taking a few steps back. "We shall speak of this further, but first I must see to my guest." You nod and trot to one side, allowing Lacroix to take your place. Two of the cavaliers are flanking him, quite close, and one has a hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Master Skyfire," Countess Mantrae says, her voice cool and even. "You have chosen a somewhat awkward time to visit."
"It seems so, Your Excellency," Lacroix says, bowing. "First, my deepest condolences about what happened to your daughter. Rest assured, Her Grace is looking into the matter,"
"Hmmm…" Countess Mantrae murmurs, her sharp eyes scanning the mage. "Have any steps been taken to bringing the criminals responsible to justice?"
"Missives have been sent to the Grandmaster of the Shrieking Talons and the Duke of Shattermount," Lacroix says. "Barons Rickman and Warwick-Lightbringer have been most insistent; this matter will not simply go away."
The countess's eyes narrow. "Until the ones responsible are, in fact, properly punished for their invasion, I'm sure you will forgive me for being skeptical," she says icily. "But enough of this. You say you've come to speak with Mistress Flarestone. I'm sure she'll be quite happy to hear your voice." She gestures to the knights. "See to it that Master Skyfire is safely escorted to our Head Mage and then back to his mount."
You raise a hand. "Um, I was hoping to fly back with him if I could," you say. "And we might not get done with our conversation until after he and Jenna do."
The mage smiles. "Oh, I'm sure Jenna and I will have plenty to speak of," he says. You resist the urge to puff up your cheeks; you were trying to be supportive! "You don't have to worry about me, Ryza." Before you can come up with an answer, he bows to Countess Mantrae again, who nods sharply, gesturing with a hand. With that, he politely moves around her to enter the castle.
As the doors close behind him, you slump slightly. "I… I'm sorry," you say. "Sir Octavio was saying that it might not be a good idea for Lacroix to come here, but I overruled him…" 'please don't let me have made things even worse…' you think desperately.
Sighing, Countess Mantrae shakes her head. "Whatever the current climate, he does have a legal right to be here;" she says. "Even if an open state of war existed between the Kingdoms and the Empire, technically he would still be allowed to come in peace. Having you with him likely did make things less tense and dangerous for everyone involved."
"But he wouldn't have come at all if it wasn't for me-"
She shakes her head. "Don't go down that road, child. My daughter would not be safe without you." She finally smiles a little. "I can put up with having an unwelcome guest for a while far more than I can put up with never seeing my little girl again." She sighs. "With that, we should deal with your situation. Come, this is the sort of conversation that should not be aired in public."
The pair of you make your way to a small, private balcony about halfway up the castle. As you sit down, a small, nasty part of you wonders if this was where Mantrae betrayed Artemis. You push that thought from your mind, it's not helpful right now. Instead, you focus on describing what Baron Cicenco'd done; how he'd come to your home, insulted you, threatened Kelton, and then demanded that you go to his castle.
Throughout your description, Countess Mantrae does not speak, simply sipping at the wine in her hand. When you finally finish, she remains silent for a few more seconds before sighing.
"I'm sure that this is not the answer you want to hear, Ryza, but nothing he did was illegal," she says. "Dishonorable? Yes. Insulting? Most certainly. Illegal… not quite." She frowns. "That being said; he is skirting close enough that I will be able to make my displeasure clear and directly order him to cease and desist harassing you, and if he continues then he will be crossing the line by disobeying his liege."
"Even threatening Kelton?" you ask.
Countess Mantrae sighs. "That did come closest, though legally he was within his right to demand respect from a commoner, and he never explicitly ordered anything done to him." She frowns thoughtfully. "He was remarkably daring, though, especially with those last comments. You would have been well within your rights to demand satisfaction of him, and as a mage you would have been allowed to override his choice of weapons and to the best of my knowledge he has no wyrmbane weapons. I suppose he could have just nominated a champion…"
You cock your head. "What sort of satisfaction?" you ask. Could you have ordered him to give you an apology since he was in your home?
"You could have challenged him to a duel. He did grievously insult you, your family, your retainers, and your people. Wars and death duels have been fought over far less."
You flinch. "I… I don't know…" you say.
She nods gently. "I imagined it wouldn't be your preferred method," she says. "I was never fond of it, though my uncle did always say that it was a way of punishing unwise people's mouths for making promises their bodies couldn't keep." She steeples her fingers. "As his liege and Countess, I will say that challenges issued after the fact are often considered petty and vindictive. As a mother, I will say they are not illegal and leave it at that. Either way; I will send a letter making clear my displeasure with his actions, and I will give you one as well for any men he might have left to try and strong-arm you into going. You do not have to present yourself to him if you do not wish to." She leans back, thinking. "I'll also put a few of my own men on the border; to keep an eye out for if he tries anything while you're not around. If he does… well, I assure you, there will be consequences for him."
"… Thank you," you say softly.
After a long, tense moment, Countess Mantrae pours you another cup of milk and pushes some of the cookies in your direction. "Let us put that boorish man behind us and speak of happier things. How are you? Was your trip home to your satisfaction?"
You spend the next few minutes trying to calm down as you talk to Countess Mantrae about your home. You end up mostly telling her about the way things had been, rather than the way they were, to try and make you feel better. She seems to appreciate the conversation, and she even seemed to warm a little to the fact that Lacroix truly had seemed to honor and respect your culture, though she still seemed displeased with his existence in her general vicinity.
After a while, however, she must return to matters of state, leaving you at ends. You consider trying to find Jenna and Lacroix, but after a minute you decide to see how Sypha's doing. Soon after, you find yourself outside her room, where she'd apparently retreated when Firescale was sighted in the distance. Gently knocking, you whisper her name.
A few moments pass before the faint harp sounds from inside slow and footsteps cross the room, allowing your friend to peek out nervously. "Ryza?" she asks.
"Hi, Sypha," you say, opening your arms slightly. The bigger girl smiles and accepts the embrace. "How are you?"
"I'm okay," she says, though from the look Daniella is giving her from deeper in the room, a brush in her hands, you guess your friend isn't quite as fine as she wants to be. "I'm glad you're here. When I heard that… that wyvern, I thought…"
You gently rub Sypha's back. "I came with her," you say. "Her and her rider. He's a friend of Jenna's; he was one of her teachers at the Hall, and they're both Revisionists. He's a good man."
Sypha pulls back, smiling. "I'm glad to hear that," she says. "Jenna's been all but locked in her lab, going over everything you told her. It sometimes drives Mother to frustration, since there is a lot that needs to be done, but we're managing, and I'm glad that your people are getting fair share of good recognition." She takes your hand and tugs you into her room. "So how are things going at your home? Is everyone alright?"
"Yes, everyone's fine," you say. You end up having to re-tell the same story you told her mother, again keeping the conversation on the calmer, less tense events of the upper floors rather than the monsters in the basement. Sypha's already worried enough without you making things worse. You do reassure her that Claire and Sir Octavio are okay, and that they'll be home soon.
By the end of the story, you can tell that Sypha's feeling a lot more comfortable, so you decide to give reconciliation a chance. "You know, if you want to meet Firescale, to see that she's nothing like that other one, I can introduce you two," you say. "She's a real sweetheart, honestly. She tried to adopt me a bit, since manakete and wyverns are distantly related."
For a moment, Sypha looks tempted, but after a glance out the window she shakes her head. "I… thank you, Ryza, but no. Not yet. Maybe someday, but right now… I guess it's still a bit too close. Too soon."
You nod; you can't really say you blame her. "Alright," you say, before your eyes widen. "Oh, I almost forgot! While I was at home, I found something, look at this!" From your inner pocket, you pull out Goaty. "This is my favorite toy from when I was very young, and he survived! Say hi, Goaty."
"Baa."
Sypha's eyes light up. "Wow!" she squeals. "He's so cute!" You're glad that you took the time to wash Goaty as Sypha holds out her hands to hold him.
"He's a little fragile, so please be careful with him," you say as you hand Goaty over.
By the time one of Countess Mantrae's men comes to tell you that Lacroix is ready to leave (and has been taken back to his wyvern), you, Sypha, Daniella, Manuela and Sara had broken out Sypha's own toys to play with. You had to admit they looked a lot nicer than the still-shabby Goaty, but they weren't magical, and your friends seemed to like him.
It felt nice, to just get to be a child again, without having to worry about all the problems in the world around you.
It's late by the time you and Lacroix get back to your home, so despite the fact that you'd been planning on leaving as soon as you got back, you realize that's just not feasible. Instead, you decide you'll spend one last night at home before leaving in the morning.
"Nice place," Angela, who'd flown with you along with her two friends, says as she looks around. "Right on the border. Kind of surprised we never found it, but eh, what's done is done." She grins down at you. "Welcome to the neighborhood, I guess."
You fold your arms. "I've been here longer than you have," you say.
She chuckles. "I guess that's true," she says, holding out a hand. "Well, I should probably be getting back, but if you ever need mercenaries, feel free to look to us. Palla's not too far away, you'll be able to find it. Do you want me to add you to the list of places where roving flights stop off to see if you need work?"
You shake your head. "No, I'll probably be living in Agrithe mostly, but thank you for the offer," you say.
"Sure thing," she says. "All the best, kid. Any friend of the Kingdoms has a pretty good chance of being a friend of ours, even if they are a bit trusting of Imps for our tastes." She makes an odd gesture with her hands, crossing them over her chest, thumbs intertwined and fingers extended as if they were wings. "Fly high, fly free Ryza."
"You too, Angela," you say. "Thanks for flying with us."
"Anytime, kid." With that, the Whitewing swings herself onto her pegasus, whistles to her fellows, and the three of them fly back east.
As you watch the three pricks of white fade into the darkness, you hear Lacroix approaching from behind you. "Thank you for accompanying me to Legerius," he says. "I understand why they feel that way now, but it is somewhat disheartening to be treated with such fear and disdain." He smiles sadly, holding out a small scroll. "I'm sure you will be advised not to take this offer, but I am honor-bound to extend it. Should you wish to take the quickest route to the Marble Hall, I'm sure a letter can be sent to me by messenger bird, and I can escort you there. This letter will serve to identify you as a promising apprentice I'm transferring as a favor for Jenna in return for the information and access she gave me. I swear, should you choose to trust me, I will see you to the Marble Hall safely."
You accept the letter, nodding. "Thank you," you say. "And thank you for… for believing in me, and in my people, even before you had any real evidence."
Lacroix bows slightly. "You are most welcome, Ryza," he says. "It will take time, and it won't be easy, but I believe that one day we'll be able to show the world what manakete were truly like, and I believe the world will be better for it." With that, he retreated to Firescale, who's looking a little tired and grumpy.
As you reassure Belle and Kelton that you're okay and settle down to rest, you find yourself looking over the letter that Countess Mantrae gave you, the one that should get you past Baron Cicenco's men without trouble. You know that just following the plan and going home in peace is the moral option. You're even pretty sure it's the smarter option, not making trouble.
However… a part of you, centered around your faintly crackling stone hugged to your chest, is feeling vindictive. Mantrae's words ring true: he had hurt you. Had insulted you and tried to make you feel unwelcome in your own home. Also, no matter what semantics or excuses he tried to hide behind, he'd threatened Kelton, and that was wrong!
Would it not be justice for him to suffer some consequences for that? If Mantrae can't do anything to him for that offense… a part of you can't help but think that you should make your own displeasure clear. Otherwise, surely men like him would continue trying to take advantage of you.
It's not like you'd have to kill him, after all. Lacroix had said duels didn't have to be to the death…
[] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
[] You decide to show Cicenco that you're not going to tolerate his insults. Call him out; if he refuses then he exposes himself a bully and a coward, and if he accepts then you can show him why antagonizing you is a bad idea!
EDIT: Adding write-in
[] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
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- Location
- Not the asylum anymore
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] You decide to show Cicenco that you're not going to tolerate his insults. Call him out; if he refuses then he exposes himself a bully and a coward, and if he accepts then you can show him why antagonizing you is a bad idea!
I'm leaning towards "unbelievably arrogant", and think it's high time to vent a little.
I'm leaning towards "unbelievably arrogant", and think it's high time to vent a little.
- Location
- Florida
Wow I am honestly seriously stumped on what to vote for. To stave off any flip flopping I'll just wait to see further discussion.
"Lacroix is trying"?
That period should not be there.
Either Lacroix's knowledge of what happened is less than accurate or this is worded strangely, because as is it sounds like he's saying that the Sky Marshall was making unreasonable demands that the emissaries were meeting and that she was insulting them, which they (by my understanding) responded to by insulting her back. I'm pretty sure that's not what happened, and I feel like that's not the intended meaning what Lacroix is saying either.
Pretty sure this sentence should end in a question mark.
"why"
I feel like there should be a comma after "me".
"by"?
"though"
This sentence should end in a question mark.
Pretty sure the comma should come after the parenthesis.
"admit they looked"?
Pretty sure that semicolon should be a comma.
I personally would prefer something like this, but in absence of that...
[X] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
Let me be clear, I do not consider giving Cicenco a piece of our mind to be "sinking to his level". My main reason for not challenging him is Mantrae pointing out that doing so after this much time has passed would be considered petty, with the additional reason being that it's probably more trouble than it's worth right now to go out of our way to do it.
- Location
- Florida
[X] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
If it's a matter of timing I'm willing to give him the time and rope.
If it's a matter of timing I'm willing to give him the time and rope.
Ryumancer
Dragons Are Romance
[X] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
As much as venting would probably do Ryza some good, the Heart's job is to keep the Manakete from making ill advised, impulsive decisions.
As much as venting would probably do Ryza some good, the Heart's job is to keep the Manakete from making ill advised, impulsive decisions.
[X] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
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[X] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
Ryza was just saying she doesn't want to be feared. I wouldn't put it past the guy to try to use any premature intimidation as "proof" that she's some dangerous beast after all.
Ryza was just saying she doesn't want to be feared. I wouldn't put it past the guy to try to use any premature intimidation as "proof" that she's some dangerous beast after all.
TaliesinSkye
Occasional Editor
- Location
- Northeast Ohio, United States
The wisdom of the Heart is knowing when not to fight unnecessarily. The wisdom of the Dragon is knowing to fight when it is. Together, they are one whole.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
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- Location
- Earth
This is probably the best option we have I will vote for this
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
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Hestia&theCourt
Turns out we're plural too.
- Location
- In transition
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
No point in picking this fight right now, but I'd definitely rather reserve the right to act directly in our defense rather than leave it to Mantrae and ignore the matter entirely.
No point in picking this fight right now, but I'd definitely rather reserve the right to act directly in our defense rather than leave it to Mantrae and ignore the matter entirely.
Dragonmaster150
Firstborn of Dragonkind
- Location
- Dragendolan: Land of the Dragon Kings
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Not sure if write ins are allowed, but I think TaliesinSkye's is the most consistent with Ryza's character and also jives with my own personal belief that being a pacifist doesn't mean also being a doormat. After all; "Evil festers when good men do nothing." I'm also a fan of the saying; "Walk softly and carry a big stick".
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
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- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- He/Him
What, you've never seen a little girl flying with dragon wings before?
The most important conflicts in this Quest.
A child protagonist is certainly handy for authors wanting to avoid directly discussing certain...topics.
mood
Ryza pouting and pointing out that she's technically older than everyone else when her dignity is bruised is always so cute.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
As far as I'm concerned, these plans are equivalent. Either is fine.
- Pronouns
- He
[X] No. No you won't go down that road. Follow the plan, go back to Agrithe, and if he tries anything leave it to Countess Mantrae. You won't sink to his level.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
If he tries that shit again he's going down is all Im saying.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
If he tries that shit again he's going down is all Im saying.
[X] Write in, The Middle Path: Wisdom isn't found in mindless aggression, nor passivity, either. Wisdom is seeking to avoid conflict, but being willing to stand up for what is right when it's justified. You're not going to sink to his level and plan a confrontation, but you will defend you and yours with necessary force if he presses the matter far enough.
Pure, pristine passivity is not a moral virtue; it is, if anything, a failing. It renders you unable to support or defend the people who've placed trust in you to help them in a crisis. Just my opinion, anyway.
Pure, pristine passivity is not a moral virtue; it is, if anything, a failing. It renders you unable to support or defend the people who've placed trust in you to help them in a crisis. Just my opinion, anyway.
Dragonmaster150
Firstborn of Dragonkind
- Location
- Dragendolan: Land of the Dragon Kings
- Pronouns
- He/Him
If this is the case, you may wish to actually paste the vote into your comment. It doesn't get counted in the vote tally if you just reply to the original comment. It should be formatted like this:
[ ] Vote
With an X in the square brackets.
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