Scheduled vote count started by SoaringHawk218 on Feb 7, 2024 at 5:41 PM, finished with 40 posts and 31 votes.
[X] You all decide to return to Starhelm and regroup with the main army. You've done what you needed to do, and if there are any more Imperial scout groups the Solar Knights will deal with them. There is still a lot to do, and Artemis wants to be a part of the decisions of how to fight the war. You just want to stay with her and make sure she doesn't get hurt.
[X] You decide Melissa does make some good points. With the Empire seemingly trying to take everyone over, any division among the people who are inclined to oppose that (who seem to overlap remarkably well with the group who tend to like you and your manaketeness) would be bad. You'll have centuries to figure out how to best share the oneness of Sol Invictus and the Mother, no need to rush it.
[X] You decide Melissa does make some good points. With the Empire seemingly trying to take everyone over, any division among the people who are inclined to oppose that (who seem to overlap remarkably well with the group who tend to like you and your manaketeness) would be bad. You'll have centuries to figure out how to best share the oneness of Sol Invictus and the Mother, no need to rush it.
-[X] That said, both you and Melissa are entirely too wet behind the ears and lacking in knowledge to do more than make vague guesses. The Mother/Sol combined Hearth to the Dragon, exactly to give temperance and sensibility to her children. And the temperate and sensible option would be to consult, if not older, then at least more experienced and wiser heads than your own. People like Melissa's mother, or aunt, or that charming abbot Father Simon.
[X] You decide you're not going to hide parts of your people's history just to make some humans more comfortable. The evidence points towards The First Mother and Sol Invictus being one and the same, and after any initial issues you're sure that knowledge will improve relations between human and manakete going forwards. After all, the Empire is mostly okay with Sol Invictus, so surely they'd be okay with her first children too.
[X] You all decide on a very risky move: try to bait the Imperial force that had been planning on going to take Hornglade into carrying through with its mission. This will take some doing, as you don't have a complete understanding of the signals and signs the scouting force had been using, but Artemis thinks it's possible they could be diverted into an ambush on the Northern Kingdom side of the border. This would give the united armies a chance to deal a meaningful blow to the Imperial host if it works, but if it doesn't, you could either fail to lure them out, or accidentally engage them in the Divine Realm, something that would severely irritate Mother Marina and other Solar Knights.
Alright, clear win for going back to touch base with friendly forces.
As for the other vote, since the two variants of not spreading the idea widely/deliberately are pretty close, I'm going to have a quick run-off just in case some of the people who voted for the original version just didn't notice it; I had meant to make a note of it on the original vote but forgot.
There is a bit of risk that someone might take it badly (there will be a roll). Not nearly as much as openly discussing it, but enough that I don't just want to assume people'd be happy with it.
Original:
[] You decide Melissa does make some good points. With the Empire seemingly trying to take everyone over, any division among the people who are inclined to oppose that (who seem to overlap remarkably well with the group who tend to like you and your manaketeness) would be bad. You'll have centuries to figure out how to best share the oneness of Sol Invictus and the Mother, no need to rush it.
Write-In:
[] You decide Melissa does make some good points. With the Empire seemingly trying to take everyone over, any division among the people who are inclined to oppose that (who seem to overlap remarkably well with the group who tend to like you and your manaketeness) would be bad. You'll have centuries to figure out how to best share the oneness of Sol Invictus and the Mother, no need to rush it.
-[] That said, both you and Melissa are entirely too wet behind the ears and lacking in knowledge to do more than make vague guesses. The Mother/Sol combined Hearth to the Dragon, exactly to give temperance and sensibility to her children. And the temperate and sensible option would be to consult, if not older, then at least more experienced and wiser heads than your own. People like Melissa's mother, or aunt, or that charming abbot Father Simon.
Just a 2 day vote for this one, and if it seems really one-sided then I'll call it early.
[X] You decide Melissa does make some good points. With the Empire seemingly trying to take everyone over, any division among the people who are inclined to oppose that (who seem to overlap remarkably well with the group who tend to like you and your manaketeness) would be bad. You'll have centuries to figure out how to best share the oneness of Sol Invictus and the Mother, no need to rush it.
"A mother is always a mother. She never stops worrying about her children, even when they're growing up." -Sky-Marshall Desina
You've eaten in a lot of places over your life.
True, most of those places were in your home, usually either the little room just off the kitchen area made for your family, though on occasion Mother had insisted on using the big, formal dining hall "to justify keeping it around rather than turning it into another rune lab."
Since you'd woken up, however, you'd eaten in a lot more varied environments, from mountain caves to roadside camps to collapsed towers to castle great halls. Each of them had their own quirks and setup, their own subtle power dynamics with unspoken in and out groups.
The dinner at the Solar Knight fort was different once again.
The room itself was of similar size and stature to the great hall at Castle Agrithe, though it was a square rather than a rectangle and the high ceiling was set with many glass windows that negated the need for any torches or lanterns to eat by. The big difference, however, was how the tables were laid out. At Agrithe, there was a long "head table" on a raised platform at the opposite end of the hall from the main door, perpendicular to the central corridor between the smaller tables where most of the people ate.
The Solar Knights had a raised platform as well, but it was a circular one in the center of the room. In the center of that platform was a circular table where the Solar Knights themselves and their favored guests ate, which at the moment meant you and Artemis. Radiating out from that center table were longer, thinner ones that held everyone else, both the soldiers living here and the Agrithian riders. The fancy gold-colored tablecloths that the Divine Realmers used surely provided the illusion of a sunburst to the private tables on balconies above the hall, though you'd resisted the urge to fly up and check.
"It's one of our jobs to make a good impression to visitors," Melissa had said cheerfully when you mentioned how impressive it all looked. "If we have the resources to both see to our needs as well as make things look nice, why wouldn't we make things look nice?"
You suppose you can't argue with that; there had certainly been enough tapestries hung around your family's living spaces, though Mother had always said that weaving those was "therapeutic." You'd never gotten into it yourself, preferring to watch Father work, but they'd certainly been nice to look at.
Most of your new friend's attention, however, had been on regaling her mother and anyone else who'd listen with all the things you'd told her about the Union. She does keep back your theories about the Mother and Sol Invictus; the pair of you having decided that there was enough conflict in the world already without risking causing any more. A part of you feels disappointed, but you remind yourself that you have plenty of time to figure that out, once you've made the Empire settle down from attacking everyone, convinced everyone that manakete aren't princess-eating monsters, figured out a better way for humans to use magic, made sure Artemis got to live a long, happy life with someone she cares for (a very essential task, Dragon-you thinks), fixed up Kepesk-Okar and made it habitable, cleared out all the monsters, found out what had given you the heebie-jeebies from the lowest levels…
… Okay, maybe you have a lot to do, but you also have a lot of time in your life to do it.
Shaking your head, you refocus on the here and now as Mother Marina looks your way. "Your people certainly sound fascinating, Mistress Levinheart," she says politely.
You fiddle with the fork, trying to twist the strange "noodles" around it as elegantly as most of the others are managing (thankfully, you're not alone in having trouble; Kelton's given up and is cutting them up and using the fork as a spoon, despite several dry looks from the others at his table). "There were certainly some things that I didn't know about," you say. "I wonder if there are any other places where humans and manakete lived together?"
"Oh, that would be cool!" Melissa says animatedly. "We should try and figure that out. I remember hearing something about the Felicians liking dra- manakete, so maybe they know something. But honestly I'm just really excited to see what else I can learn about the local version."
Artemis smiles wryly. "While I'm sure Ryza would enjoy the chance to get to play teacher for a while longer," she says, earning a mock glare from you, "unfortunately, we can't stay forever."
The younger Realmer nods. "I know, I know," she says cheerfully. "Which is why I was thinking that I should go with you all, so-"
Mother Marina's head slowly turns from where she'd been looking at Artemis towards her daughter. "Melissa…" she says warningly.
Your new friend, either bravely or foolishly, continues. "After all, this could revolutionize the Divine Realm's understanding of why Sol Invictus chose us to be her people, since we'd already proven-"
"Melissa!" Mother Marina says more sharply, silencing her daughter. "Perhaps this is something best discussed in private?" Melissa starts to open her mouth again, but her mother simply narrows her eyes, forcing Melissa to look down and close her mouth.
A long few seconds of silence pass. Melissa glances at you out of the corner of her eye, but you can't do anything but shrug a little. If you'd tried that stunt on your own mother you'd have gotten the same response at best, and you're certain that if anyone other than Father had tried to get into the middle of it they would only have served to harden Mother's refusal. Melissa will have to sort this out on her own. You do hope she can; you'd liked talking to her, and having someone around you can bounce White magic ideas off of will probably be helpful, but trying to intervene will only make things worse.
Artemis seems to have the same idea as she quickly clears her throat. "So, Knight Corona," she says in her most diplomatic voice. "Have you made a decision on what will happen to the Imperial mage and the other prisoners?"
The Solar Knight, clearly glad for a change of subject, nods. "While they entered our lands without official permission," she says. "Their presence does present… shall we say a diplomatic incident waiting to happen. The official position of the Sun Father and the clergy remains neutrality, so if the Empire were to demand the return of their soldiers it is likely they would be given up." She glances at you. "Based on what I have heard of the methods you used to effect their capture, I do not believe that to be in the best interests of our cultural allies in the Northern Kingdoms, and as such I believe it would serve us all better if you removed them from the Divine Realm before the decision is taken from my hands."
'Surprise is indeed a useful tool,' your other self says, apparently in a sage mood from all the talk of history you'd been doing.
You nod in agreement with yourself. "Thank you, Mother Marina," you say. "I appreciate that. What about the priest?"
Mother Marina's face takes on a look that makes you shiver a bit. "Do not worry about him. The Faithful have little patience or forgiveness for one who goes behind the congregation's back and attempts to offer things that are not theirs to offer. You will not have to worry about him any more." You flinch slightly at the tone.
Artemis lightly nudges your ankle with hers under the table, giving you a comforting look. "Thank you, Mother Marina," she says. "Are there any other matters that need to be discussed between us? As satisfied as my men and I have been with your hospitality, we do have to return to the rest of the army. If only to say 'I told you so,' to all of those who said there would be no Imperial activity to find up here. I was hoping we could do so as soon as possible."
"No, I do not believe so," Mother Marina says. "It is too late for you to go anywhere tonight; I would not have guests of the Divine Realm stumbling around in the dark. Stay the evening, get some rest, and then you can begin your journey back to Starhelm tomorrow."
"Thank you, Mother," Artemis says.
The rest of the meal passes mostly calmly, with Melissa slowly coming back out of her Mother's-disapproval induced shell to share a few more interesting factoids about the Union. If she does so in a way that leaves plenty of room for things you haven't had a chance to talk to her about yet but would still be very interesting and/or important to learn… well, that could be taken in a great many ways, and her mother seems not to be interested in having the thorniest part of their discussion in the center of the dining hall. Finally, however, dinner is over and Mother Marina is leading you, Artemis, Phoebe and Belle to your rooms for the night, (apparently, the Realmers have some pretty strict rules against unmarried men and women sleeping near each other, so Kelton, Axton, Lancel and the rest of the yeomen had to go elsewhere).
As the group walks, Artemis glances around before speaking quietly. "I know that the Sun Father is hoping to avoid a conflict with the Empire," she says. "But… I'm sorry to say I don't know how possible that will be. The Regent is clearly determined to reverse the slow decline of the Empire's relevance, and seems to have decided that the only way to do that is to destroy all those who have resisted in the past. Other than the Whitewings, the Divine Realm is the single greatest act of defiance against the Empire. They will come for you eventually."
Mother Marina gives your friend a dry look. "From the fight that you all in the Kingdoms are putting up, that does not seem to be a guarantee, does it?" she says.
"We are doing all we can, of course," Artemis says. "But… well, I wasn't involved in all of the planning meetings Father had, having to spend some time helping Ryza out, but I was there for enough to know that the numbers are not in our favor. Even all the Kingdoms united, which we are not due to some losses and defections in the North due to the Regent's scheme to abduct children to force compliance, we do not have the numbers to fight the entire Empire alone, not forever. We will need support if we are to make them understand that their acts of conquest will not restore that which they lost. At the moment the Whitewings seem to have their own problems, and a human trying to approach the Felicians is usually a fool's errand. That leaves the Divine Realm."
The two women stare at each other for a few seconds before Mother Marina sighs. "I know," she says. "I know, but it has been so long since the Divine Realm has engaged in anything even resembling a full-scale war. We're not like the Whitewings, who seem to enjoy fighting with anyone and everyone, nor the Kingdoms or Republics or Felicians who all have their own rivals to keep them sharp. We are a unified nation, a peaceful one, and the teachings of Sol Invictus are that conflict should be avoided whenever possible. It will take… time, to convince people that Her will for this world is best served by us defending it by force of arms and magic." She takes another breath before giving you both a firm look. "However… rest assured that there are those who are trying to make that case, and the fact that the Empire has violated our holy land, that will carry weight. I cannot promise an army to relieve you yet, but please tell our friends and fellow Solites that they have not been forgotten."
Artemis lets out a slow breath. "While I won't pretend I don't want that army," she says. "I understand that these things take time. After all, Agrithe probably wouldn't have gotten involved as soon as we did had the Empire not tried to abduct me. We have a good defensive line at Starhelm, and now that the Empire's backstab has been thwarted we should be able to hold out for a while."
"I am glad to hear that," Mother Marina says, stopping in the center of a circular room with several doors branching off. "Well, here you are. It has been some time since we needed as many of our guest areas as we do tonight."
"Thank you," you say, curtsying slightly. You're pretty sure you've mastered the art by now.
She gives you a smile. "You're welcome, Mistress Levinheart," she says before sighing. "Unless there is something else you need, I must go and have a little chat with my daughter about appropriate timing."
You hesitate as your other self nudges you to defend your friend somehow. After a second, you carefully speak up. "It's natural to be curious about new things," you say. "When I first met Artemis, after I got… other things out of my system, I was very interested in learning about the world off of my mountain."
The Solar Knight raises an eyebrow delicately, but nods. "I suppose that is true," she says. "Still, there is a time and a place for all things, and dinner with foreign guests is neither the time nor the place to be dropping surprises on your mother." You have to nod back; that is absolutely true. "But you must all be tired from your efforts today; sleep well. I will see you all off in the morning." With that, she turned on her heel and marched off.
The four of you look around at each other before Belle gives an exaggerated yawn. "Well, we should probably do as the big lady says," she chirps. "Unless we want to set up some sort of a watch to make sure that Lady Artemis doesn't get betrayed and abducted again."
Artemis looks at Belle dryly. "I don't think that'll be necessary," she says.
"Probably not, but since the last time that happened I ended up with a bag over my head being handed off to a bunch of bloodthirsty mercenaries in your place, I thought I'd mention the possibility."
You poke Belle's side. "Be nice, Belle," you say. "There's been no signs of trouble, and we're all tired. We should just get some rest."
'Besides,' your dragon-self says. 'Even if that did happen, we'd just save Artemis and everyone again.'
Thankfully, there are no problems during the night, though Belle's comment had made you paranoid enough to move a small table in front of the door so it'd get knocked over if someone tried to come in. However, as the Mother's Light rises in the sky, you leave your long, thin guest room (you wonder where the near obsession with the Sun had come from; while manakete certainly liked it it was just one of the things the Mother had given your people) and reconvene with the others. Then, under the guidance of another of the Solar Knights, you are led back to the dining hall. There aren't as many people around; just Mother Marina, Melissa, and a few servers.
"Most of my people are engaged in their morning prayers," Mother Marina says as she notices you looking around, her tone calm but slightly cooler than yesterday. "However, we have some things we must discuss before breakfast, after which I believe you will be setting off." DC 13: 2,16,18, Partial Success
You glance up at Artemis, who seems confused as well. "Mother Marina?" your friend asks.
The Solar Knight takes a slow breath before gently pulling Melissa forward. "My daughter and I had a… conversation, last night." she says. "And as loath as I am to admit it, she made some good points as to why it would be beneficial, both for the Kingdoms and the Divine Realm, for her to travel with you." Melissa manages not to look too pleased with herself at those words, and after a momentary pause Mother Marina continues. "Of course, there are some conditions if you wish for her to accompany you."
Melissa gives her mother a startled look, starting to open her mouth, but you quickly silence her with a glance; it is her mother's right to set preconditions for something like this. "Of course," you say.
"First, remember that the Divine Realm is not involved in your war," Mother Marina says. "Therefore, while her healing abilities would be very useful, you must swear that you will keep her out of battle. I say this not just as a mother who wishes to protect her daughter, but as her superior as a Solar Knight. Her role will be to learn and observe, not aid you in your fights." You start to open your mouth, but Mother Marina presses on firmly. "Second, at no point can Melissa be unescorted by a trusted individual, even in castles or settlements."
The girl frowns, folding her arms. "Mom, I can take care of myself!" she says.
Mother Marina raises an eyebrow. "It is one thing to take care of oneself in a safe school environment surrounded by trusted members of the clergy. It is very different doing so in a foreign land in wartime," she says firmly. "It is not that I do not trust you, Melissa, just that I must ensure your safety if you're going to be going on this… study trip." She looks back to you and Artemis. "Third, while I know that you will eventually return to Agrithe, and it is possible events will take you elsewhere, Melissa must not leave the Northern Kingdoms unless she is returning here." Her eyes bore into you. "If you agree to these terms, then I will allow Melissa to go with you and continue to learn about this Union, as well as any other events that have or are occurring."
You glance at Artemis, who shrugs. "It's clear that you're the one Melissa wants to come along for," she says. "Which means that she'll be your responsibility, so you're the one who's going to have to promise to obey the conditions."
You look between the three women, your thoughts racing as you consider. On the one hand, having a new friend around would be nice, but on the other, this is a bit responsibility…
[] Agree to the terms so that Melissa might join you. You both have so many questions, and you've kept others safe.
[] Refuse; you don't think you can fully guarantee keeping her safe with the Empire on the march.
A few days later, you find yourself back in the kingdom of Starhelm. Thankfully, there hadn't been any more trouble in the Divine Realm, though when you'd stopped by Father Simon's shrine to give him his map back and thank him for his blessing in letting you enter the Divine Realm you'd found the shrine locked, with a sign on the door saying that a temporary caretaker would be arriving "soon." Thankfully, one of the upper windows had been unlocked, so you'd put the map in that room and left a note for Father Simon or his replacement about where it was.
A part of you had been a bit worried about what you'd find when you got back. After all, while the Imperials had been planning some sort of sneaky go-around attack, that had been before Artemis and her people had arrived. You'd also heard many times that the Empire had a lot more people than the Kingdoms, and you'd even seen some of their armies marching around. However, as you pass by Castle Starhelm, you don't see any signs of trouble. The village has been repopulated and repair efforts are underway, and the few soldiers you see around seem to be the group from Starhelm that remained loyal to the cause of the Northern Kingdoms. "Looks like things are going relatively well here," Artemis murmurs as she turns the force west, towards the main border between the Empire and Starhelm. "But we still need to check in; the plan was that our riders were going to be working to disrupt the Empire's supply lines, hopefully that's slowed them down."
You hope so too.
It takes the better part of the day to get to the border, with every step making you more nervous of what you'd see over the next rise. Finally, however, you reach the border and let out a breath of relief when you see familiar-looking flags flying over an honestly impressive looking wooden fort sitting on top of a hill. "Where'd they get all the wood from?!" you ask as Artemis leads the way towards the fort. "The nearest forest must be miles away!"
"True," Artemis says. "Which means they must have been doing a good job of keeping the Empire at bay to be able to spare the troops and horses to move everything." She studies the construction through her spyglass, frowning. "Though parts of it look like they've been built from cannibalized carts. I wonder if the woodworkers are having trouble keeping everything repaired, or if there was a moment of desperation and Alina or Count Sobieski never took the time to standardize everything."
Before you can answer, a pegasus lands near you. "Lady Cartese," Angela says, giving a slight grin. "Good to see you again, I was starting to get worried you'd gotten lost without our guidance."
Your friend rolls her eyes. "As useful as pegasus knight scouts are, we are capable of surviving without you," she says. "Especially when we have a flier of our own." She looks around. "Things seem to be going well here." DC 9: 16, 16 20, Total Success
"They have," Angela says proudly. "Whatever the Imp's plans were, they didn't involve being repeatedly punched in the supply lines by a bunch of pegasus knights and horse archers. That Sobieski guy may wear the big armor, but he knows how to use light cavalry. Combined with the fact that the Northerners know the terrain well, we've had even the Imperial's wyverns flying in circles trying to stop us." She points to the camp. "We were even able to capture a convoy or two rather than just destroy them, and since we didn't need all the carts that saved us a lot of time on the fortified camp."
Oh, well that answered that question.
Artemis nods, grinning. "That's great to hear. I'll even put up with Count Sobieski surely going back to subtly insisting that he should be in charge of the expedition if these are the results when he does get a chance to show himself."
"Hey, Princess Hornglade helped too," Angela says. "And I'm sure you'll be back to moaning about him trying to take charge in private soon enough," Artemis rolls her eyes, but since you'd been there for some of those grumbling sessions you can't argue with Angela. "I know I've been every time he acted like he knew aerial reconnaissance and raiding strategies better than I did." The Whitewing shakes her head. "But how about you? I see you have some prisoners, so you found something, right?"
"That we did. The Empire was planning a diversionary backstab at Hornglade, but with a little help from the Solar Knights we were able to prevent it. We also made a good enough impression that I have hopes that the Divine Realm will get into the fight sooner rather than later."
"We can hope, we can hope." After a moment of silence, Angela looks your way. "How about you, kid? You have fun?"
You shrug. "I wouldn't call it fun," you say. "But I did do good work, and that's the most important thing."
'Well I had fun,' Dragon-you thinks.
Angela frowns slightly at your tone, but nods. "Well, I guess that's good enough," she says. "Either way, it's good to see you back. The wyverns have started flying in pairs to try and stop us, so having you and your lightning back will be a big help. I think the rest of the noble leaders of this expedition are gathered at the command tent trying to figure out what to do next. You should probably get over there; they'll want to know that there was a threat to the north, even if it's one that you've dealt with."
"An excellent idea," Artemis says.
It takes a while to work your way through the tightly packed camp, even taking into account that a fair bit of the army was actually camped outside the main walled area. Thankfully, people recognize Artemis and move out of her way, so you don't have to fly around to get anywhere, just follow close behind Artemis so that you don't get separated. Finally, you reach the big tent that gets put up whenever a lot of nobles need to have a meeting, and after being given a once-over by the guards outside Artemis leads you in.
"-not stupid!" Alejandro was saying as you and Artemis push through the various hangers-on. "They've already started getting ready to counter our supply raids, no reason we should just keep doing the same thing when they're clearly adapting to it!"
Count Sobieski snorts, his mustache bristling. "And charging the enemy army is a better idea?" he asks. "No, best to reinforce success. Our cavalry have been winning this war since the beginning, best to let them continue doing their work."
"The situation is changing," Sir Rimpler says. "Reports indicate that the main Meridiem host has arrived, and while they seem to be posturing towards the Divine Realm, they could easily turn towards us if the Northlands' army calls for help. Remember, our goal is to protect the freedom of the Kingdoms, not court open battle with the Empire. We should set up defenses-"
"That just leaves the initiative to the Imps!" Alejandro says. "With the Meridiem forces still tired and much of the Northlands mobile forces scattered trying to stop our raids, their main force is never going to be this weak again!"
As the three men continue arguing, an exhausted-looking Alina is the first to notice you and Artemis approaching. "Perhaps a new perspective, especially one that brings more information, will be productive," she says loudly, finally silencing the others as Artemis finally reaches the table. "Lady Cartese, Mistress Levinheart, it's good to see you well."
"To you all as well," Artemis says. "I hear that the Empire's been dealt several severe blows."
"That they have," Count Sobieski says. "And what of you, your ladyship? Was your traipse through the Divine Realm productive?"
Artemis raises any eyebrow, her smile taking on a predatory edge. "Well, seeing as we prevented an Imperial army from making a direct strike on Hornglade, as well as eliminating one of their likely limited supply of accredited mages, in addition to making positive contact with the nearest Solar Knight garrison, then yes I would say it was very productive, thank you ever so much for asking," she says in a sickly-sweet voice.
Alina's eyes widen. "I see…" she says. "You have my gratitude, Lady Cartese; with most of our army deployed to the frontline the heartland would have been vulnerable. What happened?"
You and Artemis quickly work together to summarize your journey to the Divine Realm. You squirm a little when Artemis describes what your dragon's rampage looked like from the outside, especially as most of the other nobles give you looks; you don't feel entirely comfortable with just how calculating many of them seem.
Finally, however, Alina nods. "Well, it seems that Mistress Levinheart was right to insist that the lead be investigated," she says, giving you a respectful nod before looking back to Artemis. "However, with that threat neutralized, we do still need to decide what to do now. You've heard of the successes that we've had, what are your thoughts on our next steps, Lady Cartese?"
The meeting continues for many long, loud minutes later. However, in the end, a plan is hashed out. The council decides to-
[] -Continue the raiding of Imperial supply lines. Not only has this already been successful, but it serves your purpose: you don't need to destroy the Empire, just stop them from conquering the Northern Kingdoms until they're forced to sue for peace because everyone's fighting them. This is especially true now that you'll be able to help protect Angela from wyverns.
[] -Gather the Northern Kingdom forces for a strike on the Imperial Army. Because of the disruption of their supply lines, the Empire is currently on the back foot, especially since a fair bit of their cavalry and wyverns are spread out trying to prevent raids. While there are reports that Meridiem forces have arrived, the nearer army is roughly equivalent in size to your current forces, and as such are vulnerable to being either defeated or at least driven back in disarray.
[] -Build and maintain a defensive line. The Empire will probably be prepared for further raiding, and attacking a similar-sized force seems like a bad idea when they have a much larger reinforcement group not that far away. Besides, you don't actually want anything on their side of the border, you just want to keep them out. This will allow the allies to build up a few fallback defenses so that one back engagement doesn't ruin everything.
The people of the Imperial village of Lastcampe, in the shadow of the Fell Mountain, had gotten used to seeing wyverns flying overhead far more often than normal, and on the whole they were grateful for their presence. True, there had been some grumbling when the local shepherds and farmers had been compelled to give up some of their livestock to feed the patrolling wyrms, but as news had spread of rebel raids and incursions, everyone had decided that better a few cows and goats be devoured by hungry wyverns than the village be torched by the savages from the north and east if the patrols failed to catch them! This was especially true after one memorable day when some survivors of a supply caravan came crawling into town with tales of horror and woe of a group of pegasus knights swooping down on them from above!
Thus, as a bellowing shriek fills the air, the villagers only glance up out of instinct, rather than any true worry. However, as they notice the size of the wyvern descending towards the outskirts, they become more concerned. Even good Duke Wellingford's own wyvern is not so grand as the horned beast coming in for a landing! Subtly, children are hustled away and the mayor is called to meet the newcomer; while the people of the Empire trust wyverns, having them and their riders appearing unannounced generally means that things are going to become… complicated, for the common folk.
The mayor swallows as the massive wyrm landed on the main road. He's no expert on such things, of course, but he gets the feeling the creature looks very tired, dropping down onto its wings and staring with undisguised hunger at a few sheep grazing on a nearby hill.
"Easy, Ignition," the ornately-armored man atop the beast says as he slides from the back of his mount. The wyvern gives an almost piteous hiss as it looks at him, but the knight simply stares his mount down for an instant before it slumps onto its belly tiredly. "Do forgive my wyvern, good mayor," the knight says, removing his helmet to show the face of an older man with grey hair, a thin beard, and very tired eyes. "We have flown from Wyrmrise on an urgent mission for the Emperor, but even urgency cannot overcome the natural need for rest. I am sure that you and your people have been called upon to provide for the war effort already, but if any have spare livestock to feed Ignition, they will be paid generously."
"F-from Wyrmrise, my lord?" the mayor asks, his eyes drawn inexorably to the sword hanging from the Wyvern Lord's belt.
It is a big sword, with a noticeably longer and wider blade than typical. Despite this, it almost seems to hang weightlessly, due in large part to the runes that can be seen shining even through the ornate scabbard. However, what truly draws the mayor's attention are the two large, whole red dragonstones, each blazing with inner fire and containing power beyond mortal comprehension, mounted on the rain guard. It is a sword anyone with anything even resembling an education, as well as many who didn't even have that, would recognize instantly.
Recognize, and respect.
Gasping, the mayor falls to his knees. "M-m-my lord… my lord Blade…" he whispers, staring in awe up at the knight. "Y-yes… yes, anything for you! We'll find someone!"
As some of the mayor's lackeys scramble to find feed for his wyvern and the mayor continues stuttering out how honored he and his people are, Sir Salvador Wyrmsguard, Blade of the Emperor, forces himself not to sigh. While he understands and appreciates the effect that the Fell Slayer has on people, especially those who have only ever heard its legend, sometimes it does get a bit much. However, if it means that he'll be able to get going sooner, so that he can complete the mission Thomas had given him so he can return to his true duty of protecting and supporting the son of his late friend, then he'd endure the fawning and near-worshipful praise.
He would allow Ignition to rest here for a short time, then continue his journey to the Northern Kingdoms. There, he would find the subject of his mission. Once he had found this Ryza Levinheart, he would succeed in his task.
Even if that task is subtly different than the one that Regent Justinian thought he was on.
AN: Finally managed to get this out. Don't know why it was giving me so much trouble, but somehow it was. Hope you all enjoy it anyways.
AN: This is going to be a pretty short chapter: I've got a nasty case of writer's block and I'm trying to overcome it, as well as give you a chance to plan how you're going to make this big strike.
[] -Gather the Northern Kingdom forces for a strike on the Imperial Army. Because of the disruption of their supply lines, the Empire is currently on the back foot, especially since a fair bit of their cavalry and wyverns are spread out trying to prevent raids. While there are reports that Meridiem forces have arrived, the nearer army is roughly equivalent in size to your current forces, and as such are vulnerable to being either defeated or at least driven back in disarray.
"When hunting, always aim to make the final kill as swift as possible. Whether stern chase or aerial stalking precedes it, there is no point nor honor in dragging out the finishing blow."
-Matriarch Aithusa of Kepesk-Okar
"So that's Castle Starhelm?" Melissa asks as she glances over her shoulder at you, having convinced you to take a break from riding with Artemis to ride with her instead. "It looks… nice. And is that the ruins of the old Library over there?"
You nod. "It is," you say, remembering with a touch of sadness how run-down it had been even before you'd sent a dying wyvern careening into one of the remaining towers. You wonder if anyone ever dug them out and gave them a proper burial; for all that they had been on the wrong side, surely they deserved that much. As your new friend turns her mount to follow Artemis and the rest of the yeomen, however, you frown. "Don't you remember that you were supposed to stay at the castle?" you ask, pointing. "It's that way. I'll go with you and let everyone know-"
"Ah ah ah, don't you remember your promise to Mom?" Melissa says cheekily. "I'm not allowed to go anywhere unescorted by a trusted individual, and from what Lady Cartese said most of your trusted friends and allies will probably be at the army camp." She grins. "Which means that's where you have to take me, right?"
Folding your arms, you slip off the horse's back so you can float beside Melissa and look her in the eye. "I promised to keep you safe and out of any fights," you say, "and that will be a lot more difficult at a camp with a bunch of soldiers."
"On the contrary, surely the place with the bunch of soldiers will be the safest place to be, since there'll be so many people to protect me," she says. "I mean, look around; there's less than a third of a garrison for a castle this size around Starhelm, and most of them are on patrol duty!" Her smile fades slightly. "Besides, where there are soldiers, there are wounded, and even if I can't fight, I can help. Healers are always needed."
Kelton, riding with Axton, shrugs. "She's got you there, boss," he says. "Arden was always busy, and that's just with the normal wear and tear of village life. In a real fight… well, having another healer around can't hurt."
Melissa throws Kelton a smile. "That's very wise, sir," she says, batting her eyelashes slightly and causing him to flush and look forward again. "So really, it only makes sense for me to come along. I'm sure you can find someone nice and trustworthy to chaperone me." Her grin takes on a teasing air. "Maybe Sir Kelton over there…"
"Don't enlarge his head more that it already is, or he's liable to start overbalancing and falling at random," Belle shoots over dryly. "And Kelton, fair warning between coworkers; clanker though she may be, the Girls' Oath means that I will have to inform Claire of any funny business that may or may not happen up here."
As Kelton chokes on his breath, you roll your eyes and glide over to lightly bop Belle on the head, something she makes no effort to dodge. "Be nice to Kelton, Belle," you say. "I am too busy right now to be mediating between the two of you if you get into a fight."
Belle shakes her head "Sometimes I forget that you're really a thousand years old," she says. "But I guess I can make your life easier by not making you baby us, so sorry Kelton." She doesn't sound particularly sorry, but when Kelton regains control of himself and waves it off, you decide that it's good enough. Especially since Melissa seems to have taken the hint, and she's flushing slightly herself.
"Sorry, Sir Kelton," she says. "I didn't realize you were spoken for."
Your friend shrugs. "It's nothing really serious," he says. "We just worked together to help Ryza a few times. She's still down fighting in the south, trying to pull troops away from the Empire's invasion up here."
"Then I pray for her safety," Melissa says. "Her and all those who resist the path of darkness."
Trying to get things back on track, you look at Melissa. "Well, so long as the army's still in the Kingdoms, then I guess you can stay and help," you say. "But remember, we made a promise to your mother. It's my job to keep you safe, and that's what I intend to do."
Melissa huffs and grumbles a little, but she does nod. However, you get the feeling you're going to have to keep an eye on her, or at least have someone you really trust do it, or there might be some issues with her trying to sneak into trouble! You don't think her mother would be happy with that!
Count Sobieski sighs. "Very well," he grumbles. "I suppose that it is true that the Northlands' army is as weak as it's going to get at the moment." You're not sure he really believes that, but with Alina, Artemis and Alejandro arguing for a strike, along with some of the minor nobles who are also crowded into the tent, he and Sir Rimpler seem to realize they're outvoted. "Now, we must decide how exactly to carry this out."
Artemis nods. "It will require a major strike," she says, studying the map thoughtfully. "As superior as our cavalry have proven to be, they simply don't have the numbers to break or even do serious enough the Imperial army to be worth the offensive, not while they're in a semi-fortified camp of their own. We're going to need to bring our infantry up to join in the assault."
"Doing so is risky," Sir Rimpler says. "Cavalry and fliers can disengage relatively easily if something goes wrong, but infantry are far less mobile, especially on unfriendly ground. If we've miscalculated and the Empire is more prepared than we expect, then the bulk of our army will be in serious trouble."
Your friend nods again. "That is true," she admits. "But I still think we can achieve a victory here. By the looks of it, all your good work has whittled the enemy's mobile numbers down and spooked the Imperials into consolidating their remaining cavalry into relatively big groups to act as their counter-raiding defense. That means they don't have as wide a web as they could, and they seem to have fewer observers and messengers keeping said groups in contact with each other. If we hit them just right, we can take out a few of these groups. That should clear a path for the infantry to get into position without being harassed or spotted. If we can launch a major attack on them while they're still in camp, unprepared, we could rout them on the spot."
"They do still have some wyverns around, but Lady Angela and her companions have been swinging wide, which means most of their fliers are concentrated on the flanks," Alina says. "Now that Mistress Levinheart has returned, we should be able to contest one pair if they show up."
You nod; you'd been able to fight a wyvern rider one-on-one in the air pretty easily, and you hadn't even brought your dragon into the equation. If she transformed… your two halves wince and preen at the same time as you agree that would probably be a slaughter if it were to happen.
"We still have to be concerned about the cavalry," Sir Rimpler insists. "They've been mixing up their numbers, trying to throw us off. Recent raids have described groups from fifteen to twenty riders, usually a good mix of cavaliers and yeomen. There's even been reports of the occasional Sealed riders leading groups." He frowns. "And it's unlikely they'll fight to the death. If they realize what we're trying to do, they'll send word back to the camp. We have to hit them hard and fast enough that they don't have that chance. Considering we'll have to hold back a reserve of our own cavalry to react to any surprises, we will only have a limited force to be able to punch this hole, this is not going to be easy."
"We go to war with the armies we have, not the armies we wish," Artemis says. "We have to knock out one of the major Imperial armies; if the Northlands and Meridiem are able to combine, they'll smash right through us; there are just too many of them. We need this win. If only to keep the Imperials busy until the Divine Realm gets their act together and comes to reinforce us, or at least threatens to."
Alejandro, who had been surprisingly quiet for someone whose plan had won the first round of the argument, was studying the map, glancing at you occasionally. "There is a possibility that could help put the odds more in our favor," he says. "I remember the tale of your escape from the Talons in Legerius, milady, and we could use the same night-march strategy you used. That would make it harder for the enemy to realize we're coming."
You frown. "It'll also make it a lot harder for us to find anything," you say. "It was really hard for me to just guide Artemis, Kelton, Axton and Lancel. Guiding everyone… that'd be really hard. Especially since I thought I was going to be helping out at the front."
'I'd like to see them try to make us do something else,' Dragon-you grumbles.
"It has its risks, that's true," Alejandro says. "But if we can avoid getting lost, which I'm sure that I and those who are able to see well in the dark will be able to manage-" Belle raises a hand with a grin, "-it will make it much easier for us to get the main force close enough to the Imps to be able to launch a truly devastating sneak attack." He waves a hand. "It'd be possible during the day, don't get me wrong, but it'll be harder."
Several more hours of arguing and planning pass, but finally, finally there's a workable plan for your attack on the Empire.
Please vote by plan
Forward Strike Groups: These groups are expected to only be able to target one Imperial blocking force each. The more Imperial forces are defeated, the greater chance that the main army will be able to keep the element of surprise for the attack on the Imperial camp. However, if a group is not destroyed, then they will be able to send warning.
Support Groups: These groups will not directly engage Imperial blocking forces. However, they will keep an eye out and be ready to jump in to help a Forward Strike Group if something goes wrong, hopefully preventing disaster. The more of these groups there are, the more likely someone will be able to jump in to help a bad situation.
Vote for how many of each group there will be and who is in each group.
(All infantry allies are with the main infantry attack.)
And do you go during the day (Will ensure that the infantry will be able to reach the battle on time, but will also make it easier for the Imperial pickets to get a warning to the main army that an attack is coming) or during the night (Runs the risk of the infantry getting lost and not showing up on time [dice roll] but makes it easier to avoid detection.)
Also, who will you leave to keep an eye on Melissa as part of your promise to Mother Marina? This individual will not be available for the battle.
[] Belle
[] Kelton
[] Elena
[] Sister Selinda
[] An Agrithian yeowoman you met on the trip north
AN: Sorry once again this took so long, as I said I've been having a really bad case of writer's block. If anything doesn't make sense, please ask and I'll clarify.
[X] Plan Maniple
-[X] Night
-[X] 3 Forward Strike Groups
--[X] Group 1: Artemis, 13 Yeomen, 1 Cavalier
--[X] Group 2: Axton, Lancel, 13 Yeomen, 1 Cavalier
--[X] Group 3: Count Sobieski, 14 Yeomen, 1 Cavalier
-[X] 3 Support Groups
--[X] Group 1: Ryza, Angela (and her flight)
--[X] Group 2: Phoebe, 4 cavaliers, 1 troubador
--[X] Group 3: Princess Alina, 1 Troubador, 3 cavaliers
-[X] Sister Selinda
"Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt!"
-Emperor Sun Wyrmblood
"So, what's the plan?" Melissa asks eagerly as you find her sitting at the edge of the camp's hospice area. "Are we going to fight the Imps? I've been hearing horns blowing and drums beating for ages!"
Forcing yourself not to get distracted by the sounds of groaning men and women and the scent of blood, illness and death, you shake your head. "The decision was only made a few minutes ago, so I don't know about ages," you say. "But yes, the Kingdoms are going to be going and trying to knock out one of the Imperial armies that're threatening to invade us." As your friend perks up, a grin spreading across her face, you fold your arms and frown. "Which means we need to find Sister Selinda. I have to go help Artemis, along with most of my friends, so she's the person I know best who'll be able to stay here with you."
Melissa wilts. "But I can help!" she says, gesturing emphatically with her staff. "From what I've heard from the injured, the False Savior's men are more numerous than the Kingdoms, so there's probably going to be a lot of injuries!"
"We have a plan to deal with that," you say, willing yourself to believe in it completely. Artemis's plan to save Starhelm and defeat the scouting group had both been good, and you get the feeling that the others are smart too. They wouldn't have created a plan that they didn't think would succeed, even if it was more aggressive than you'd really like…
'I know,' your dragon-self thinks, the flickers of your discomfort amplifying into a queasy tone that surely isn't helped by the fact that she's far more in-tune with your sense of smell than your heart-form is. 'But if we don't hurt them, they'll hurt us, and we have to stop that, right? And they should be as weak as they're going to get right now…'
Gently channeling her worry down to a manageable level, heart-you continue speaking. "But I promised your mother that I'd make sure you stay safe, and that's what I'm going to do. Which means we have to find Sister Selinda. Is she here?"
The Solar Knight trainee clearly wants to keep arguing, but as you give her your best imitation of Mother's Look (hoping she ignores the fact she's noticeably taller than you), she sighs. "I think she'd just be finishing up her circuit of the wounded," she says, looking around. "Whenever possible, healers cycle in and out of infirmaries like this, to give us a chance to recover our energy and trade out staves while hopefully preventing us from getting overwhelmed by… by what we see." Taking a deep breath, she hops up on her box to get a better look around before pointing. "There she is, I see her!" she says.
Flapping up into a hover, you confirm that the woman Melissa's pointing to is in fact the troubadour. "Alright, let's go talk to her," you say, hoping that she'll be willing to look after Melissa. You'd considered asking Kelton or Belle, but Belle will be needed to try and keep the night-march going smoothly, and while you trust Kelton completely you're not entirely sure Melissa wouldn't be able to smooth-talk him into allowing her to do something she shouldn't!
Hopefully, Sister Selinda's position as an higher-ranking member of the same faith will keep Melissa in line.
It takes a few minutes to work your way over, and when you reach Sister Selinda you're surprised to see Princess Alina had made it there first and the two were engaged in conversation. "Sorry, are you both busy?" you ask, not wanting to wait and give Melissa time to come up with more reasons she should be allowed to go, or at least left without supervision.
Princess Alina glances over at you, giving a sad smile. "I was just checking to see how the wounded are doing," she says. "Even victories bring their casualties. Is there something you need, Mistress Levinheart?"
Nodding, you look to Sister Selinda. "So, I was hoping I could ask you a favor, Sister Selinda," you say. "While was helping Ar- Lady Cartese up in the Divine Realm, we made friendly contact with some Solar Knights. Melissa here was allowed to come down here and observe what's going on, but I promised to keep her out of danger. I have to go help with the battle tonight, so I can't do it myself. Would you be willing to keep her with you, back here at camp?"
Sister Selinda frowns. "With a major battle upcoming, every healer will be needed," she says. "Her Highness was just commanding that we do what we can for the worst off before handing their care to the mundane medics. I had thought that Cadet Melissa would be accompanying us. She shows great skill in the healing arts, and while she has not gone through formal combat training she does have her upbringing as a member of the Solar Knight to fall back on."
You frown even as Melissa preens happily. While that makes sense it does put you in a bit of a bind. You suppose you could ask some of Sister Selinda's non-magical coworkers to look after Melissa, but you've never talked to any of them, so that wouldn't really fill your promise to leave her with someone you trust. On the other hand, you don't want to dump the problem on Kelton or Belle, and asking any of the Agrithians seems-
Before you can fall too deep into a thought spiral, your other self "pokes" you and directs your attention towards Princess Alina, who you notice is studying you with a frown. "Mistress Levinheart and Lady Cartese told the war council some of their agreement with Knight Corona Mother Marina," she says carefully. "And while it would be my preference to have as many healers on the front line as possible in case something goes wrong, keeping faith with the Solar Knights by ensuring their representative remains safe and informed is important. I will ask, Sister Selinda, that you see to that."
You throw the northern Princess a smile. "Thank you, your Highness," you say, hoping you're remembering the proper titles. Mother, those can get annoying at times…
Princess Alina nods. "You have done well by the Northern Kingdoms, Mistress Levinheart, and Hornglade in particular," she says. "And we will be asking more of you so long as this war goes on. It is only fair that we do our best to support your reasonable requests."
Glancing at Melissa, you're not surprised to see her looking disappointed. "Your Highness, Sister, I can help…" she says.
"Sol Invictus teaches us that there is a time to step forward and to take the lead, and a time to step back and support others in their endeavors," Sister Selinda says, a tiny note of ice creeping into her voice despite her clear efforts to suppress it. "It seems that tonight is our moment to step back, Cadet Melissa. There are people here who need our care still. By your leave, Your Highness?" Princess Alina nods, and the two healers retreat back into the maze of tents. (???: 6, 20, 18=Partial Success)
…Is it just you, or did they put their heads together a little quickly and lower their voices below your ability to overhear? 'I hope Melissa's not trying to get into trouble,' you think.
'You know, that's a little rich coming from us,' Dragon-you thinks, having apparently absorbed a weird combination of your worry and your feelings of needing to prevent problems. The joys of having a part of yourself following emotions wherever they go. 'What with all the things we do. Mommy wouldn't be happy.'
'We didn't really have a lot of choices,' you remind her. 'We were often the only ones who could do something in time. I'm sure Mother would understand.' You can't dispute, however, that Mother would be very unhappy with some of the stunts you'd pulled, even if she could accept they were necessary.
Before your dragon can respond, Princess Alina puts a hand on your shoulder and guides you away. "We still have a lot of preparations to make," she says. "You have done your due diligence, none can deny that."
Sighing, you look up at the bigger mage, feeling the coils of White magic flowing around you. "I know, but I can't help but worry," you say. "About everything."
"Nothing is ever certain in war," Princess Alina says gently. "But now, you should find Dame Angela and her flight. The four of you are going to be our best defense against whatever wyverns the Empire will put up to defend themselves." She grimaces. "And I have to go find another troubadour to accompany my group. We're going to be the primary source of reactionary healing for any of the strike groups that get into trouble."
"I can help with that too," you say, weaving a quick healing spell in one hand.
The princess glances at it for a second before nodding. "That is true, and if necessary you may be called to prove that. However, your primary focus should be on preventing aerial detection of our attack. While any warning will be bad, wyvern knights will not only have more information, but be able to get it to the Imperial army more quickly and as nobility will likely have the training to recognize what we're doing. Preventing them from escaping to warn the enemy is essential."
You suppose that makes sense. "Alright, I'll go find them," you say. "If I don't see you again before we leave; good luck, and be careful."
Princess Alina nods. "Be careful yourself, Mistress Levinheart," she says. "May Sol Invictus shine on you, even in the darkest of nights."
"And may the First Mother fly with you," you respond, spreading your wings and fluttering off to avoid being trampled by a group of Parvei cavaliers hurrying to their own assembly point.
It takes a few minutes to find the Whitewings. It seems that Angela and Alexandra had gone out to do a sweep of the area to make sure no Imperial observers were watching the preparations for the coming battle, leaving Bucephila to coordinate with Artemis and the others to set up the plan for the attack.
"We'll have three main strike forces, primarily Agrithian with elements of Parvei heavy cavalry," Artemis is explaining to a group of minor nobles and senior yeomen as you arrive. "I'll lead one force, Count Sobieski a second, and Axton and Lancel the third. Meanwhile, Dame Phoebe and Princess Alina will command our reserves, while Mistress Levinheart and Dame Angela will provide air cover." She looks around. "You've all done excellent work, keeping the Empire jumping at every hoofbeat in the forest. Tonight is the culmination of that effort: a chance to smash an entire Imperial army and send the survivors running back to their treacherous Regent with their tails between their legs!" A cheer rose up from the group. "That being said, the Imps aren't going to just roll over and die for us, they're well trained, and they're actually starting to gather into squadrons worthy of the name, and they just need to survive to make a mess of our plan. Your job is to ensure they don't. Hit hard, hit fast, and show no mercy!"
You force yourself not to ruin Artemis's speech with a grimace as another cheer rises from the group before they begin to split up to touch base with their own clusters of men and women. You still don't feel completely comfortable with how eager everyone seems to be to kill everyone who disagrees with them, but you've accepted that it needs to be done. At least until someone sane in the Empire is able to make the Regent stop. Channeling a weave of determination and hope to the fore of your mind, you hurry over to Bucephila.
"Well, looks like we're going to be working together again," the Whitewing says, brushing her pegasus. "One of these days, we'll have to get you that honorary membership Angela's mentioned."
You prevent yourself from rolling your eyes with some effort. "You all really want me to be a Whitewing, don't you?" you ask.
She grins. "Hey, you live in the mountains like us, you love flying, and your mere existence makes the Empire annoyed and uncomfortable," she says. "As far as I'm concerned, you're most of the way there already." This time, you're unable to keep your eyes under control, causing the woman to laugh. "Yeah, yeah, I know you're Lady Cartese's girl through and through, but we can dream, right?" She shakes her head. "But seriously, since we are going to be working together for as long as we're up here, you should probably learn a few of our hand and flag signals to make it easier for us to communicate."
That catches your interest. You've always loved learning new things, and you'd seen Angela and the others convey shocking amounts of information to each other in what looked to you like a few simple gestures. "Sure," you say.
As the rest of the attacking forces organize, you listen attentively as Bucephila walks you through the basics of the Whitewing's signal language, helped by Angela and Alexandra when they return. You can immediately tell this is something that had developed over centuries, and unlike human writing you can't fall back on the similarities between it and Makai to make the learning process easier. Still, by the time the Mother's Gift sinks below the horizon and you're ready to move out, you have enough of a grasp that you should be able to communicate a few very simple ideas.
"This was fun," you say, trying to repeat the comment with your hands.
Angela chuckles. "Unless you meant to say that you wanted to smash someone's head in, you'll need a bit more practice," she says. "But for now, we have a job to to. We've seen a few wyverns around during previous nighttime raids, so we'll probably see some more tonight." She gives a nasty smile.
"Let's show them that their flying lizards aren't the biggest, meanest things in these sky anymore."
'We're not mean!' Dragon-you thinks grumpily as you flap your wings and follow the three into the dusk. 'We are perfectly delightful! Artemis said so!'
'I know,' you think soothingly as you look around. While each of the groups of riders has a few lanterns, you know that they'll be closing them up as soon as they get to the thin, scraggly forest that twists along the border on its way north to the Divine Realm. 'But right now, we need to be scary enough to make the Empire stop fighting.' Your other self shrugs mentally, but doesn't comment with words as you take the lead, your eyes scanning the gathering darkness ahead as your ears lengthen, trying to catch any sound that might point you towards a threat.
Time seems to slow down, and you're reminded of the night you led Artemis, Axton, Lancel, Kelton and Actaeon away from the Talons and bandits on the way to Legerius. How long ago had that been? Weeks? Months? Mother, do you even remember anymore? So much has happened since you woke up, and so much more is at stake. You find yourself wishing Father and Mother were here, so that you could ask them what to do, but they're not. They're with the Mother now, and you have to be strong enough to do this yourself.
"Ryza," you hear Angela hiss from where she and the other Whitewings are hanging a ways behind you, their larger white mounts more at risk of being seen than your small heartform. Looking back, you think she's hand-speaking to ask if you see anything. Clumsily, you respond with a negative before scanning the ground. It takes a minute, but you're able to pick out one, two, three advanced groups in a loose wedge below and behind you, with Artemis's group in the middle. A bit further back, the two squadrons of reserve riders are a bit more lit up, with Alina and Phoebe trying to keep everyone together. Then, you squint and look further back. The infantry are moving, and for the moment they seem to be going in the right direction.
Hopefully Belle's able to keep them on the proper path.
Dragon-you suddenly cuts to the fore of your mind. 'Hey, turn our head to look at that mountain in the distance,' she says, an icy chill overtaking her thoughts as she focuses on your hearing. Trusting your shared instincts, you do as instructed. '…Metal armor… horses… we're hitting the perimeter.'
Nodding, you turn in the direction your ear had been pointed, your eyes scanning the dark ground. After a second, you spot them: a few clusters of men on horses. While your vision is in black and white and you can't read any of the uniform colors or banners… you already know where all your friends are in this area, which means that these must be the Imperial sentries.
Quickly, you turn and flap back to Angela; you don't completely trust your grasp of hand-signal language to convey complex information. "I see them," you whisper as you reach the Whitewing, not caring that there's no way any humans could hear you this high up.
"Where?" Angela asks, her eyes glinting slightly in them moonlight as she pulls her mount into a holding circle.
You point. "I see a few groups," you say. "No wyverns."
Your friend traces your pointing, her lips twisting into a grimace. "Can't get a good count," she says, pulling out a bullseye lantern and turning her body to block it from the east as she starts opening and closing it, aiming at the Kingdom troops. "Any ideas?"
'About fifteen in each group, maybe a few more.' your dragon think. "We could go take a closer look," your heart continues after letting Angela know.
She immediately shakes her head. "Too risky," she says. "If they're following normal patrol patters, they'll have an even mix of cavaliers and mounted archers. You're good, Ryza, but you're squishy. Those bowmen get a look at you…" she shakes her head again. "No, we follow the plan; we point the strike teams at them, then we keep our eyes out for the wyverns. There are going to be a few around, I'm sure of it. It's our job to make sure they don't report back."
You nod, that was the plan. Still, as you look down to see your friends and the Kingdom riders with them (and Count Sobieski) advance towards the Imperial defenders, you find yourself running your finger along your dragonstone. You could make a difference-
"I know you can, Ryza, but we have to pick the right moment," Angela says, causing your face to heat up. Had you said that out loud? "I've spent time with other-you, and… well, no offense, but it's probably best for her to wait until there's a clear, singular course of action for her to take, rather than having her try to adapt to a rapidly changing situation on the fly. She… didn't seem very good at that."
'Rude!'
Before you can decide if you want to protect your dignity from Angela's comment or let them slide for the time being, the decision is taken from your hands by motions in the Imperial groups. "They saw something!" you say worriedly, pointing.
"Heard, more likely," Angela says. "I don't see any riders going back, though; they probably just think this is another raid. We've had enough nighttime skirmishes that they're wary to them, but that means they'll probably stick together and come to fight. Hopefully, by the time they realize that this is a more serious attack, it'll be too late for them to do anything about it."
You nod, but you don't take your eyes off of Artemis's group, your wings flexing and your fingers crackling with lightning as you force yourself not to dive down to help. Artemis is your friend, and you want her to be safe, but she's a big girl and she can take care of herself. You haven't seen any wyverns yet, but their hearing is almost as good as dragons, so if there are any nearby they'll probably come to investigate. You have to be ready for that.
Still, as you watch Artemis's yeomen form their attacking wedge formation, with their cavalier support using them as cover to hide her presence, you can't help but feel your heart leap to your throat.
RESULT: Win by 1-2: Kill 1d6(5) Yeomen and 1d6(6) Cavaliers, no escapes
You faintly hear the whistle of arrows as Artemis and her yeomen shoot into the still-somewhat disorganized Imperials; they'd mounting up but hadn't yet formed their own battle-line. You also faintly hear the cries of men and horses, though you don't think it's loud enough to travel very far for human ears.
However, it seems that the Imperials were not completely unprepared. Their own armored cavalry swirl together, one of them waving a lance that glints bright silver in the moonlight, and charge the approaching Kingdomers. Meanwhile, their own group of mounted archers cluster into their own formation, raising their bows for a volley of their own.
However, just as they they unleash their own arrows, Artemis's whistle reaches your ear, and the wedge of yeomen splits in half, shooting a wave of arrows into the approaching cavaliers. They seem to have aimed for the horses, which were either less armored than the ones you'd seen before or had their armor removed to make them faster. If that was the case, it backfired horribly, as a half-dozen of the creatures fell with pained cries, dropping their riders with them.
The remaining cavaliers, disoriented, try to split to chase after their attackers, but the Parvei cavalier accelerates, dodging most of the ill-aimed volley of Imperial arrows and catching a few on her armor. Then, she cuts across the Imperial cavaliers, and seemingly acting on instinct they turn to chase her as she gallops away, clearly intending to lead them on a merry chase to give the yeomen time to work.
Meanwhile, the Agrithian skirmishers move to engage their Imperial counterparts. Under Artemis's guidance, the Agrithians get another volley off into their opponents before the Imperials can reorient. A bunch of the horse-archers fall off their mounts, including one that had clearly been turning to ride away. It seems like Artemis is doing well
You let out a sigh before turning your attention towards Axton and Lancel's group, which had been a bit further away from the Imperials they'd been going for.
RESULT: Tie : Kill 1d6 (2) Yeomen and 1d6(5) Cavaliers, loose 1 yeoman, one potential escapee
The slight difference in the time it took this second group to get to their target meant that the Imperials have a few precious seconds more to prepare their counter-charge. Once again, Agrithian yeomen and Imperial cavaliers take the fore of their respective formations, with arrows striking into the melee warriors. The attacks take their toll, but by a combination of greater numbers and a more disciplined leader these cavaliers are able to keep up with the split, forcing the Agrithians to fall back.
A few arrows fly at the Imperial light cavalry, but on the whole they remained relatively untouched, and their return shots injure some of the Agrithians and even send one of the friendly cavalry tumbling from his horse. Your heart catches as you see them land badly, if the arrow hadn't killed them… the way their neck twisted surely would have. Thankfully, you're pretty sure it wasn't either Axton and Lancel, but it was still one of their friends, and that hurts.
Unfortunately, the un-harrassed Imperials seem more able to make a plan. As the cavaliers continue to hound the Agrithians and their archers prepare another volley, you see one of the enemy horsemen hanging back. While they aren't making a break for it yet… it's clear that they're ready to if they deem it necessary.
RESULT: Win by 1-2: Kill 1d6(3) Yeomen and 1d6(2) Cavaliers, no escapes
You almost don't spare a glance in the direction of Count Sobieski's group; while you don't want any of them to get hurt, they're not your friends in the same way as Artemis and Axton and Lancel are. Your dragon-self, however, has already sunk into a hunting mindset as the smell of blood and the sounds of death reach your nose and ears, and she draws your head to at least take a brief look.
Being a more heavily armored knight than your bow-wielding friends, your heart sinks as you see the Count leading his group far closer! True, he had more men than the others, but not by that much! However… as the lines look set to fully clash, it seems that he had chosen his approach well, as you spot the faint line of a fence of some kind that the Count turns his group along, forcing most of the Imperials to break off.
A few are able to compel their horses to make the jump over the fence, but that just brings them into the reach of the two cavaliers that had positioned themselves covering the Agrithian horsemen. Count Sobieski expertly spears one of the enemy cavaliers with his lance before drawing his silver sword and slicing at another who gets too close. That one is able to stay on their horse for a few more strides before the other Parvei cavalier knocked him down with a jab of their own lance. Meanwhile, the Agrithian yeomen were able to send a volley of arrows just before the Imperials could, meaning that while there did seem to be a few minor injuries, all of the Kingdom soldiers were able to keep riding, pursued by the Imperial cavalry. Still, it seemed that the close clash had gotten the Imperials' temper up, as they made no effort to split someone off to warn their camp.
"Things seem to be working out for the most part!" you say excitedly. "We could quickly drop down on the group harassing Axton and Lancel, they're the only ones that seem to be having any real tro-"
Before you can finish, a screech splits the air. Spinning, your eyes widen as you see a pair of wyverns rising from a hilltop further east; you'd missed them! Thankfully, they're both flying towards you rather than trying to go tell the main Imperial army what was going on, but they still represented a greater threat.
"We could, yeah," Angela responds grimly. "But it looks like it's time to earn our pay. We'll have to trust one of the other support groups to go help your friends, or for them to wear the cavaliers out and pick off the Imps' yeomen-wannabes with superior skill. Biggest danger is if the Imps try to run, but if the support groups can get into position fast enough, they should be able to chase down any runners."
You hesitate for a moment, your eyes tracking between the two options. On the one hand, you trust Axton and Lancel, but they're your friends, if anything happens to them… and besides, hadn't everyone said preventing the Imperial sentries from warning the main camp is vital? True, Artemis and Count Sobieski seem to have that handled, and you can see some motion from the support groups moving up to see if they're needed, but in the chaos of a night battle they might not make it in time. On the other hand, the wyverns do need to be dealt with…
You-
[] Go with Angela and her flight to challenge the wyverns. That's something the four of you alone can deal with. Axton and Lancel will be okay, surely, they're both tough, they know what they're doing…
-[] Fight in your heart-form.
-[] Fight in your dragon form (choose an emotion to transform in/how many rounds)
[] You quickly tell Angela to go help Axton and Lancel; you can handle the wyverns, or at least keep them busy. Your Yellow magic will work well against their Red, and you're a better flyer than they are!
-[] Fight in your heart-form.
-[] Fight in your dragon form (choose an emotion to transform in/how many rounds)
[] You just can't abandon Axton and Lancel, not after doing so at Legerius! You go to help them, trusting Angela and her friends to hold the wyverns off. They're good at playing keep-away, and the wyverns will probably get mad enough at them that they'll keep fighting until you get back.
-[] Fight in your heart-form.
-[] Fight in your dragon form (choose an emotion to transform in/how many rounds)
[] Write-in
AN: Well, I'm still alive. Just fighting that old specter of writer's block. I had bits and pieces of the chapter lying around, but could never muster up the motivation to put them together and finish it.
I would like to thank @gamer50018 for motivating me to get my head back in the right place and finish up.
[X] Go with Angela and her flight to challenge the wyverns. That's something the four of you alone can deal with. Axton and Lancel will be okay, surely, they're both tough, they know what they're doing…
-[X] Fight in your heart-form.
"Never grow overconfident in battle. Even the most certain of victories can be turned around in an instant by the will of the spirits."
-Marquess Wachenberg
For an instant, you hesitate, your eyes locked on where Axton and Lancel are running away from a seemingly endless horde of Imperials who want to kill them. You left them behind once before, can you really-
'But we have to fight the wyverns!' Dragon-you snarls. 'That's what you said we had to do! Stop changing our mind when we're in the middle of something!'
'But-' you start, only to realize she's right. Those wyverns are something only you and the Whitewings can fight. Artemis and the others seem to mostly be doing alright, and the supporting groups are moving up to help Axton and Lancel. True, they're not moving in quite the right direction, but they should be able to make it there eventually. Hopefully they'd be able to sort everything out on the ground.
Swallowing and forcing yourself to trust your friends, you turn and fly with Angela and company towards the flaming wings that mark the approaching wyvern riders. Glancing at your companions, you see Angela waving to get your attention before making a few exaggerated hand signals. "Hit high…" you mutter as you translate to yourself. "Okay."
Flapping hard, you shoot higher. You can see the plan, your smaller size and slightly darker coloration will probably keep the Imperials from noticing your presence until it's too late. Wyverns can see decently in the dark since they're related to dragons, but these ones are following the directions of humans that can't see in the dark. Mother willing, the delay between the wyvern noticing you and it being able to convince its rider you're a problem will give you the opening you need.
Win by more than 6: Kill both wyverns, catch all stragglers from other groups
You let out a small breath as you see both wyverns accelerate, spreading out just enough to give each other space to maneuver while still covering each other's wings. They seem utterly focused on Angela and the other Whitewings, who had dropped slightly lower to further draw the Imperials' attention away from you. You tense up as you see one of the wyverns look in your direction and starts to flap harder to mirror your rise, but her rider taps her neck with his lance before accelerating, causing her to refocus on the approaching pegasus knights.
You sigh; it seems that even after centuries of riding and working with wyverns, humans haven't figured out that just because they think in the short term like a dragon-self doesn't mean they're wrong.
Well, you suppose that's to your benefit tonight.
Beginning to glide, you twist in midair so that your body blocks the majority of the lightning starting to gather around your hands. Swallowing, you build your first feedback loop as Angela and friends split up, starting their frantic-looking circling motions. This time, however, there are two wyvern riders against them, so one immediately turns to go after Angela while the other chases Bucephila and Alexandra, forcing the formation to split up.
"You bitches have really gotten cocky!" you hear one of the Imperials say as you finish your feedback loop and pump the energy into Thunder's Cry, causing it to begin sparking and flaring. "Think that just 'cause you were able to flap around a bit with your rebel friends-"
Spinning in midair, you take a second to aim your Arcthunder blast at the speaking knight. Whether by sheer luck or Angela's maneuvering, he'd just started turning, giving you the biggest possible target for your spell. His wyvern recognizes the threat a moment before her rider and she instantly tries to evade, but by then it's too late. In a crash of thunder, several large lightning bolts stab into the creature's wings and spines, overwhelming the Red flight magic and causing the flames within to go out even as the wyvern and rider both convulse as Yellow magic ravages their systems.
"Nice shot, Ryza," Angela calls cheerfully as she twists into a dive of her own, following the flailing wyvern down for a moment. You're about to ask why, only to grimace as she jabs her lance into the back of the wyvern's skull, right where the neck meets the head. If there was any chance that the pair would be able to recover from your spell, she took that away. "Get out of our skies, scumbag!"
A part of you starts to shy away from the sight of something that looks so much like a part of you dying, but your other self pushes you onwards. Twisting, you look over to see how the other Whitewings are doing. With only two of them, they haven't been able to do the same hit-and-run dance as the could as a full flight, but thankfully they weren't trying to. Instead, they're simply keeping their distance… and as the surviving wyvern knight realized that he was in a far worse position than he'd thought, they swing around in front of him to block his escape. The wyvern takes the bait, snapping at Alexandra before shooting a jet of flame at Bucephila. This gives you and Angela time to join them. Rather than charge up a full Arcthunder, you simply weave a quick Elthunder which you send into the fleeing wyvern. You couldn't let him escape, you had to stop him!
The draconic cousin roared in pain as your lighting hit it, but before any of the Whitewings could jump in and finish him off he rolled over and sent a ball of fire flying your way. Yelping, you spin aside, but the burst of Red magic catches the hem of your cloak, and you spend the next few seconds flailing and panicking and trying to put it out!
Thankfully, while you were busy, Angela and friends weren't. Diving in, they use the furious, agonized wyvern's thrashing to jab at its vulnerable points, most importantly its rider. With a cry, the man's saddle-harnesses are severed with a few well-aimed stabs and cuts, causing him to fall off. Instantly, the wyvern abandons all attempts at fighting back, instead diving to catch its rider before he hits the ground. While heroic, the move is ultimately doomed, as the three pegasi dive faster and a moment later, two lances stab behind the wyvern's flaming wings while a third strikes in the vulnerable point at the base of the skull, causing the burning membranes to go dark as the wyvern topples from the sky, landing with a crunch on its rider, surely crushing him.
"You okay?" Bucephila asked as she rejoins you.
You nod; you'd managed to use your own Red magic to starve the flames licking up your cloak. There's a nasty singe that'll have to be fixed, but it's not that bad. "Are you all alright too?" you ask. "I have healing-"
"We're good," Angela cuts in, her eyes scouring the darkness. "Quick, what's the situation, we finished those lizards fast enough that we should be able to deal with any other runners!"
Nodding quickly, you turn to see how your other friends are doing.
RESULT: Win by more than 6: Kill or capture entire group, can catch one escapee from another group
You let out a breath of relief as you see that Axon and Lancel seem to have recovered from their bad start. While the cavaliers are still chasing them, it seems that the heavy armor they wear, while granting them good protection, also slows them down. While your Agrithian friends seem to be almost as blind in the darkness (with one yeomen nearly unhorsing himself on a low-hanging branch), their lighter outfits and weapons mean that they're able to stay mostly organized.
Axton also seems to be taking the lead, weaving through the trees rapidly to try and keep everyone together. After a few seconds, however, the Agrithians seem to be breaking up, and you're just about to get worried when you realize that the Imperial cavaliers, with their own trouble seeing in the dark, don't seem to have noticed the split. Instead, they just keep chasing the smaller group.
It takes you a second to realize what the plan is, but as you watch the cluster of Imperial yeomen following in the wake of their cavalier allies and trying to line up another volley, stumble straight into the ambush of Axton's group… who had all drawn their short swords while their opponents still have their bows out. You wince, even at this distance you can smell the blood and hear the screams. Apparently, guys with sharp metal weapons do really well against guys with long, curved sticks with string on them in short range.
The cavaliers reacte quickly, but Axton had either timed his attack really well, or the Mother was smiling particularly brightly upon those who fought for freedom, as they had just entered a particularly thick section of trees. As they turned to try and rush to their allies' aid, the Imperials got tangled up in each other, Lancel was able to turn his own group of yeomen around, bows raised to start sending arrow volleys into the less-armored sides of their opponents horses. That seems to no longer be a fight the Imperials can win. (Imperial Reinforcement Roll: 3/6)
'Good,' your other self growls. 'We need to press the attack; there are more Imperials coming from the south.' You glance in that direction, quickly running a few calculations in your head. While they're clearly coming this way (likely having seen the wyverns deaths and your lightning), they seem to be far enough away that they aren't an immediate threat. Quickly, you go back to scanning the current fights as Angela gives a huff in your direction.
RESULT: Win by more than 6: Kill or capture entire group, can catch one escapee from another group
Just like with Axton and Lancel, the cavaliers trying to force Artemis and her horse archers into a melee fight were starting to slow down as the momentum of their charge faded. Unlike your other group of friends, however, the Imperials' numbers had already been thinned enough that Artemis doesn't have to do anything fancy. She leads her own soldiers and the enemy to an open area, one with few trees, before split up her group. They then form a concave around the Imperials so that they can keep shooting into them without risking hitting each other. Any time the tired horsemen try to charge a section of the Agrithian line, that section falls back, allowing the others parts of the line to advance, keeping the whole group of Imperials hemmed in.
Before long, the Imperials seem to decide that they'd had enough, turning to try and ride out of the trap. However, Artemis and the others are easily able to keep up, and soon those few that are still on their horses are dropping their weapons. You're too far away to see details, but you relax slightly when you see your friend lowering her bow for a moment before waving a hand down, ordering a few of her fellows forwards to begin disarming and dealing with the Imperials. It seems that situation is resolved.
Just one other thing to worry about. You quickly turn in place to see how Count Sobieski is doing.
RESULT: Win by more than 6: Kill or capture entire group, can catch one escapee from another group
That battle seems to have mostly finished already. The Parvei nobleman had used the fence to repel a few more attempts by the Imperials to jump over, keeping the majority of the heavily-armored attackers from getting too close. The Imperial horse archers were trying to shoot Count Sobieski and his partner off their horses, and you flinch as you see a few arrows strike true… but either because his noble-forged armor is exceptionally strong or he's just really, really tough, he's able to stay in his saddle even as he and his fellow fight off those cavaliers that make it over.
This seems to have been at least somewhat by design, as he is able to draw arrows away from the yeomen with him. That means they're able to take their shots well, and unlike the Imperials they aim more for the horses than for the people riding them. You grimace as the sounds of wounded, screaming horses reaches your ears, but you're able to keep your dragon-self in check from rushing off. The important thing is that, while the battle isn't completely over yet, it's clear that after the arrival of the rapidly-approaching reserve groups those Imperials won't be doing any better than the others.
"Ryza?" Angela hisses, and you feel her lightly wack your leg with the butt of her lance. "What's going on?!"
You force yourself back to the moment, though you're unable to completely keep the irritated hiss and glare from escaping the part of your mind that's a dragon in a fighting mood. "Everything seems to be fine," you say as the Whitewing flinches back slightly. "I think just about every one of our friends has won their battle, and that was even before the reinforcements showed up."
As you speak, Phoebe's unit manages to find their way to Count Sobieski's fight, seemingly inadvertently striking just as a group of Imperial cavaliers had finally managed to force their way over the fence. There's a tangle of confused horses and warriors, but by the time things clear up the few Imperials that aren't on the ground are trying to flee. However, with a group of fresh yeomen hot on their hooves, they don't get very far. Meanwhile, the troubadour who'd been with Phoebe quickly starts trotting her horse around, and you see flickers of White magic flaring as she tries to patch up anyone, Imperial or Kingdomer, who's badly injured.
"Okay, everything's clear, at least until those Imperial reinforcements arrive," you say, quickly throwing out a few details.
Angela nods. "Great!" she says before pointing towards Bucephila and Alexandra. "You two, go let Lady Artemis and Count Sobieski know about the enemy reinforcements, we need to hit them fast before they can figure out that we've wiped out this entire section of their perimeter guard! Ryza, you and I're going to keep an eye on them, make sure they don't send any runners!
"Right!" you say, turning and falling in on the more experienced skirmisher's wing as she turns and starts circling around towards the new group.
As you fly, you spot a single Imperial rider splitting away from the rest of the approaching group and turning back. "Someone's trying to go warn the others!" you say quickly to Angela, flying just enough ahead to point.
She looks through the darkness with a grim smile. "Good eye, kid," she says. "One of the big advantages the Imps have is that their wyverns can see in the dark a bit, so night fighting's hard for us. It's really nice to be on the other side of that for once!" Nudging Peri's sides, she drops into a shallow dive. "Let's deal with him quick so we can go back and help the others. Let me try first, if we can avoid flashing lightning that'd be great."
"Okay," you say, wishing you'd had time to study Black magic so that you could be more helpful. Really, you just wish you'd had time to study magic in general, rather than having to run around trying to keep the humans from causing themselves unnecessary problems!
You wonder if that's how the Arbiters had felt.
Shaking your head, you concentrate on the moment as you follow Angela. At this range, even she seems to be able to see the Imperial, and thanks to pegasi's quiet wings he doesn't seem to have a clue. Setting her lance, the Whitening dives in. You hold your breath, but Angela's aim is true, and a moment later the man is thrown off his horse by the force of her blow, the prongs below the head the only thing that keeps the lance from getting stuck. "Nice!" Angela cheers herself as she pulls up, leaving the horse to gallop off in panic.
"Should we stop it?" you ask, pointing after the fleeing mount.
"Nah, horses aren't as smart as pegasi," she says as she turns back. "It'll get lost and wander back into the Imperial camp long after we're gone." She shakes her head. "Besides, we should get back to make sure there are no other leaks." You nod quickly and fall in behind her again.
By the time you get back, you see the Imperial reinforcements pulling up to a halt at the top of a small rise, their leader looking tense as his horse paces back and forwards beneath him. You don't know if they're saying anything, but you can see his helmeted head turning back and forwards.
Thankfully, he doesn't seem to be able to see the yeomen moving carefully forwards, relying on the distance, darkness and their mottled green cloaks to keep them hidden. It seems that Artemis's group, Axton and Lancel's group, and Princess Alina's groups have formed a rough concave as they approached. In the sky above them were Alexandra and Bucephila.
Quickly pointing them out to Angela, your friend nods. "Good," she says. "The Imps will probably notice them soon, but hopefully not until they've gotten close enough to force an engagement. We'll just have to make sure that they can't run away." She throws you a grin. "A few lightning bolts dropping between themselves and safety should do it if they try to make a break for it."
"Alright," you say, though you also run a finger along your dragonstone in your pocket, just in case. This group is a bit smaller than the others, and you don't see or sense anyone particularly dangerous, but you want to be ready just in case.
A tense minute or two passes, though it feels like hours, as the Kingdom yeomen approach the Imperials, still thankfully remaining hidden from human vision. You look up, thanking the Mother for the helpful clouds that have moved in to cover the stars.
Your attention is drawn back to the ground as the Imperial sends a pair of his riders down, clearly intent on trying to figure out where his friends in the other groups were. Unfortunately for them, their path takes them straight towards Princess Alina's group, and a moment later you see her jerk her hand. Before either of the Imperials can realize what's about to happen, a volley of arrows strikes the pair down. As shouts and cries rise from the Imperials still on the hill, the Northern princess rides forwards, a ball of light forming above her as she raises her voice.
"Imperials, I am Princess Alina Sundaughter-Hornglade!" she calls, somehow making her voice carry across the distance. "You and your Regent, by lies, deception and mercenaries, attempted to abduct not only myself, but many of my friends and compatriots among the Free Kingdoms of the North. Failing that, you invaded us directly. While Sol Invictus and her people desire peace, there must be consequences for wrongful aggression!" The other Kingdom groups accelerate, the sound of their hooves filling the air. "And yet, I can be merciful. Throw down your weapons, and I promise you your lives. Resist, and you will be destroyed."
You hear Angela's dark chuckle. "I think I like her," the Whitewing says. "But I think that was your cue."
"Oh, right!" you say, weaving your Yellow magic. As the Imperials, clearly recognizing that this was not a fight they could win, start to turn and gallop away, you first channel your magic and feed it back through your own will, then into the tablet, until finally a massive Arcthunder slams into the ground at the bottom of the hill in front of them, sending many of their horses stumbling and panicking at the sudden bright flash and loud noise.
"Hey, Imps!" Angela shouts as she circles a bit lower, waving her lance as Bucephila and Alexandra rejoin the pair of you. "I assure you, we're not nearly as friendly as the nice girl over there!" Taking your cue, you start flaring Yellow magic about yourself, ensuring that some feeds into your wings. Lancel had said that was really intimidating when he saw you do it back home, hopefully the Imperials would too! "So tell me, punks, are you feeling lucky!?"
It turned out, as many of the Imperials started to scatter away only to see Kingdom yeomen moving to block their lines of retreat, they weren't.
"I'm really glad that all worked…" you say as you sit behind Artemis on Actaeon. The battle between the advance force and the scouts had ended a couple of hours ago, and thankfully there weren't any other signs of Imperial scouts, leaving the way open for you to reach their camp. Remaining hidden amidst a grove of trees that was close enough to watch them while far enough away to remain undetected, you have a good view of your target.
Similar to the Kingdom war-camp, there is an interior walled section on a small hill, though the Imperial version is smaller. The majority of the soldiers are in and around countless tents laid out in neat, organized rows going down and around said hill. You're honestly a little impressed, unlike the patchwork mish-mash of different groups that the Kingdom camp was made of, or even the chaotic-seeming Talon camp, it looks like these Imperials worked very hard to make sure that everything had a place and everything was in its place. Detected?: DC 11-11=Fail only on 1s: 13, 2, 17 Total Success
You almost felt bad about the fact that you were going to mess it up. You don't see any signs that they know what's about to happen to them, which bodes very badly for them.
'Well, if they didn't want us messing up their fancy little mobile homes,' your other self thinks. 'They shouldn't have been such jerks! Come on, what are we waiting for?!'
You poke yourself mentally. 'Waiting for Kelton and Belle and the rest of the walkers to get here!' you say. You force yourself not to worry about the fact that they seem to be taking longer to get here than you'd thought they would. Angela and company had gone looking for them, they'd find them and get everything back on track. You'd offered to do it yourself, but Artemis had asked that you stay and see what important-looking things you you could point out in the Imperial camp, since you're the only person who can really see in the dark.
'We could take them ourselves…' Dragon-you grumbles, but she subsides as Artemis reaches back and ruffles your hair.
"I'm glad it worked too, Ryza," she says, "You did great."
Preening slightly, you wrap your arms around her. "You did too," you say. "Angela, Bucephila, Alexandra and I only had those two wyverns to deal with, you had to face a whole bunch of guys…"
She snorts. "I had to face a bunch of half-trained levies and their accompanying men-at-arms," she says. "There wasn't even a properly trained nobleman or professional soldier guiding them, they had no clue what they were doing." She grins. "But now, it seems that everything's working out well. We can only hope Alejandro won't be utterly insufferable about his plan going so well when he arrives."
"My dear Artemis!" the myrmidon-lord says as he approaches, his hand over his heart. "I am positively delightful! I would never, ever be insufferable! Certainly not to lovely ladies such as yourself and your little friend!"
Your friend rolls her eyes. "Well, it seems like you've finally arrived at least," she says, giving a nod to Kelton, who's moves around the noble to stand near you. "What took you all so long?"
Looking past Alejandro, you see that the infantry portion of the Kingdom army is trickling in, you must have been more distracted than you'd thought to have missed them. Ranks of axe-wielding Agrithian fighters are in front, looking pleased that they finally get to do something rather than sitting back as the yeomen solve all their kingdom's problems. Behind them, a disorganized-looking mob of Rignali swordsmen and archers seem to be barely restraining themselves from launching the charge all by themselves.
Of the Parves soldiers, there is no sign. Nor do you see Belle. Arrival of infantry: DC 5: roll 11 3, 18: Partial Success
Clearly recognizing your worried look, Alejandro gives you a wry smile. "Do please forgive our clanky neighbors' absence," he says. "They got a little turned around trying to get over some rough terrain, which delayed us all until dear Dame Belle agreed to stay and keep them moving. They should arrive soon, in time to finish up what we've started."
"She even did it with minimal grumbling," Kelton says, reaching up and patting your arm. "Though that was probably because she was so happy she was getting to yell at people and not be called out on it!"
Giggling, you slip off Actaeon's back and glide to the ground. "Aw, she's not that bad," you say. "But I'm glad you all made it."
"Indeed," Alejandro says, moving up to peer at the camp. "So," he says. "It looks like we're in the clear," he says, his voice turning serious. "Once we've gotten everyone organized, we'll need to hit hard and fast to do as much damage as we can. We probably can't wipe out the whole army, sadly, but we should be able to utterly route it from our current position." He looks up at you. "Might I make a suggestion, Mistress Levinheart?"
You nod. "Of course," you say.
"You, Dame Angela and her companions should focus on trying to eliminate any important targets you can find, while Lady Artemis, I and the main army cause chaos and send the main army running with their tails between their legs. You'll be able to move far faster and more aggressively, and with your ability to see in the dark you should be able to find them quickly and efficiently."
Looking at Artemis, you see her frown but slowly nod. "He's right," she says. "That will be very helpful, but be careful. While we'll be causing enough problems for the Imperials that you shouldn't have too hard of a time, some of the targets I can think of off the top of my head might be dangerous." She grimaces. "You know yourself best… but I think this might be the time to call the big girl out."
You nod, your thoughts racing. "So what should I be looking for?" you ask.
As the various Kingdom soldiers prepare for their own attack, you listen attentively as Artemis, Kelton, and the other nobles and leaders give you occasionally-conflicting advice on what you should do and who you should look to take out. It gets a bit confusing and frustrating, but by the time the attack is ready you have a workable list of targets in mind.
Lifting off with the Whitewings and leading the way towards the Imperial camp, you take a deep breath, drawing strength from your dragon and the knowledge that you're doing the right thing.
It was time to show the Empire why they fear your people!
(Please vote by plan.)
How do you fight?
[] Artemis is right, the time to call upon your dragon is now. Feed her enough emotions to ensure that she can complete the mission set before her, then let her loose. 'I swear, I will ensure that these people can no longer threaten us or ours!'
-[] Which emotion do you use? (Anger, Determination or Fear)?
[] You hesitate to commit your dragon immediately; there is so much that could change so fast. No, better to hold her in reserve at first, ready in case something goes wrong and you need to point her at a very specific problem. The only risk is that the delay in going all-out might make things harder, but you're sure you can manage.
-[] Do you use Bolting to bombard your targets from a distance, or fly directly with Angela and the other Whitewings?
What are your targets? (Choose as many as you want, putting them in order from most important to least important. The longer a target is left alone, the harder it will be to engage. Also, there might be reasons why you can't hit all of them…)
[] By the sound of it, the Duke of the Northlands, Lord-General Wellingford, is leading this army personally. While he is apparently a Wyvern Lord, if you can find and eliminate him, it would be a devastating blow to the Empire. This will be somewhat risky to you, but if all else fails you can fly for cover from Artemis and her bows.
[] Grimly, Alina points towards a set of flags and tents that look out of place. "Lord Starhelm is here," she says. "While he has betrayed the ideals of the Kingdoms, he does have a claim to his lands, one that is causing us… difficulties, with some of his people. If you could capture him and bring him to us, then we could cut off that risk." That would be difficult, but if you could pull it off, that would be good, right? (Cannot be chosen if Bolting is used).
[] Near the heart of the camp is a collection of tents of wounded soldiers and the healers tending them. Eliminating these targets is… distasteful to you, but maybe you can scare them into surrendering and not healing anyone who gets hurt by the rest of the attack. If not… well, getting rid of them will help Artemis, so dragon-you insists it's okay.
[] With the tension between the Marble Hall and Wyrmrise, there are not nearly as many mages as usual in an Imperial army. Those that are here, as is tradition, have their own section of the camp. If you were to strike this point, it would deal a major blow to the Empire's ability to field magic users to counter your own abilities. They'll fight back, but you think you can do it.
[] If there's one thing you've learned from the march up north, it's that large groups of humans can't get very far without supplies. Which means that the Imperials have to have a bunch of them stored somewhere. If you were to find and destroy that, you'd be able to really make life difficult for them even after you and the Kingdom soldiers are forced to leave. It should be relatively safe to do.
[] Lacking natural weapons and innate magic, humans are forced to use tools to fight. Since you don't want these humans to be able to hurt anyone, removing their tools would be a good idea, and like the food and other supplies it shouldn't be that hard.
[] Scattered around the outside of the camp are several wyvern nests, some of which are occupied. While you don't think you'd be able to kill all of them, if you were to anger and scare them, they'd go into a fury that would make the Imperials unable to mount or control them. While they will still be dangerous, they'll be far easier for the Agrithian archers to deal with when acting in a feral frenzy, and they might even get into fights with Imperials who get in their way.
[] From your vantage point, you can see that the Imperials have set up a few wooden towers in their camp, especially around the walled area at the top of their hill. From what your friends told you, those are sentry towers that will not only keep an eye on the surroundings, but act as hard points for the soldiers to rally around. While Artemis and the others insist they'll be fine, if you could take a few of those out, that would make life easier for them.
[] You trust your friends. You really do. You also know just how devastating surprise can be; the panic-stricken moments of your father hustling you through your home as Mother threw herself in front of the cruel, mad manaketes who had come to kill you all was still a scar in your mind. However, you also remember that surprise can be overcome, and if the Imperials start to really fight back your friends could be hurt. If you were to use your power to sow general chaos among the Imperials as they try to rally… well, that would mean there'd be less time for them to gather together to fight back.
[X] Plan: Can't Invade us with no supplies and no weapons, can you?
-[X] Artemis is right, the time to call upon your dragon is now. Feed her enough emotions to ensure that she can complete the mission set before her, then let her loose. 'I swear, I will ensure that these people can no longer threaten us or ours!'
--[X] Determination
-[X] Scattered around the outside of the camp are several wyvern nests, some of which are occupied. While you don't think you'd be able to kill all of them, if you were to anger and scare them, they'd go into a fury that would make the Imperials unable to mount or control them. While they will still be dangerous, they'll be far easier for the Agrithian archers to deal with when acting in a feral frenzy, and they might even get into fights with Imperials who get in their way.
-[X] Lacking natural weapons and innate magic, humans are forced to use tools to fight. Since you don't want these humans to be able to hurt anyone, removing their tools would be a good idea, and like the food and other supplies it shouldn't be that hard.
-[X] If there's one thing you've learned from the march up north, it's that large groups of humans can't get very far without supplies. Which means that the Imperials have to have a bunch of them stored somewhere. If you were to find and destroy that, you'd be able to really make life difficult for them even after you and the Kingdom soldiers are forced to leave. It should be relatively safe to do.
-[X] Link up with Artemis after this and either back her up or withdraw, depending on how the encounter is going.
"I do not know a human alive who hasn't had a nightmare of being hunted by a dragon. That night… bloody Fell, that night all our nightmares came true… I still hear its roars… the screams..."
-Sergeant Freddy of Kringen, Imperial survivor of the Battle of Dragon-night.
Clouds begin to gather in the night sky, blotting out the stars as you lift off with Angela, Bucephila and Alexandra to fly to your position. You wonder if that's a good omen or a bad one. "I still think we should be hitting their troop concentrations," you hear the Whitewing flight leader say as you force yourself not to worry too much. "Or at least smashing that wall so the main force can get in and kill off their leadership."
"I'm sure this can work too," you say. "I was there for all the meetings Artemis had about supplies and such, so that means the Imperials must have had those same meetings. If we destroy all their supplies-"
"I know all about supply raiding and small war, kid," Angela says. "That's one of the things we train for, it's the Whitewing way. We don't have the numbers to fight the Empire head-on, so we stay free by being ready to make their lives a living void if they ever try anything while the mountains let those who stay behind fight defensively." You glance over to see her frowning. "It's just not often we're in a position to take out a Duke. I was looking forward to that, would be a big feather in all our caps when we get back home."
Bucephila snorts. "Nobody'd ever believe we did it, not when we're flying wingwoman to a literal dragon," she says.
Ignoring her, Angela continues. "Besides, it'd be the best way to ensure that this duchy isn't in a position to invade anyone ever again."
You hesitate for a long few seconds as you reach your optimal height and begin making your way to hover over the Imperial camp. "I know," you say. "And I know I should really be listening to you and Count Sobieski and everyone. You're all way more experienced at this than I am… but…" You swallow your words a few times. "I… I never wanted any of this. It's one thing to fight someone right in front of you, someone who's trying to hurt you or your friends, who you know is planning to attack someone else… but those people down there have no idea what's about to happen. Who knows how many of them even want to be here? I just…"
"Don't want to be the bad guy?" Alexandra says, barely audible over the rushing air.
Nodding, you look down. You're nearly in position, and you can see that the Kingdom attacking force is nearly prepared. Any second now, the battle will begin. "They think manakete are monsters," you say. "They've built up this whole story about how people like me did all sorts of terrible things. I… I don't want to play into that. I don't want to just leave Artemis or you or anyone else in trouble, so of course I'll help, but I want to do it my way. Maybe it won't change anything, but with all the work the Revisionists are doing… I'm hoping that after this is over I can still convince everyone that manakete aren't evil."
A long silence fills the sky before Angela beckons you over. Avoiding Peri's wings, you drop into a position where she can give you a hug. "It'll be okay, Ryza," she says, far more gently than you've ever heard from the occasionally prickly Whitewing. "I've heard some of the soldiers talking about you in camp, people who've heard all those same stories but have also been around you. A few of them still have some worries, but for the most part they like you. Things'll change."
You lean into her for a moment before looking back towards where Artemis and her people are. You see your friend raising a flag, waving it back and forwards in your direction, before raising her bow and pointing forward, urging her soldiers towards the Imperial camp. "It's starting," you say, slipping off of the pegasus and spreading your wings to catch yourself after falling a meter. "Give me a moment." With that, you draw your dragonstone and close your eyes to focus.
'Don't worry,' Dragon-you says as you press your stone against your forehead, lighting beginning to flicker around you. 'I'll handle everything.'
'I know you will,' you say. 'But remember, our job isn't to kill everyone. We want to make sure that they can't fight anymore no matter what happens. First, we need to stop their wyverns. Then, we go and break and burn all their weapons and supplies so they can't use them on anyone else.'
As you think this, you weave Determination into your words and thoughts, filling yourself up with a need to see this mission through. Your wings fold around your body as it starts to twist and warp, lightning beginning to fill the air as you fall like a storm-wreathed meteor towards the Imperial camp.
'THIS WILL BE DONE!'
…
Your wings burst open as your form finishes morphing from your small, frail heart into your draconic self. Slitted eyes sweep the camp as you fold your wings into a rapid dive. Your mission is clear. The wyverns represent an intolerable threat to your human friends, and thus they must be eliminated no matter the cost.
You sense the three nexuses of Green magic falling in behind you as Angela and the Whitewings dive to cover your wings and tail, but thankfully they remain far enough behind to not get in your way. Opening your mouth, you let out a massive roar that echoes far and wide, angling your dive towards the nearest of the wyvern nests. As stunned and panicked shouts start rising from below, you bare your teeth, too little, too late. Even as you see Imperial humans start to scramble from their tents, throwing on clothes and armor and staring up at you, you're almost at your first target. Ryza Success: DC 10-6+1:= 5 (18, 18, 6) Total
Slamming into the ground, you roar a challenge to the wyvern that's uncoiling from her sleeping position, flames staring to lick at her wings as it snarls back at you. However, you don't let yourself be deterred. You're bigger than she is, older, stronger, and more importantly you have a mission. You need to make sure that this hatchling and her human can't hurt anyone else! Which means you either have to send her flying away… or end her.
The wyvern's eyes widen as you dive onto her, bullying your way into her space and slashing at her with razor-sharp claws and breathing a jet of lighting into her face. The Red magic boiling around her is flayed away by your Yellow energies as she screamed and thrashes, her own talons barely scratching your yellow-gold scales and her fire breath failing as its magical power is drained and dispersed. She does still have one dangerous weapon as her sting tries to jab at the base of one of your wings, but your extra limbs are more helpful. One foreleg snaps out to catch her tail and wrenches it. Tail-bones shatter and scales tear as she shrieks again and tries desperately to pull away, falling back on the instinctive submission of a predator overwhelmed by a more powerful rival.
"Cinder!" a human cries as you bull-rush the wyvern into into a nearby tent, roaring at her again before finally being shoved off by a desperate thrash of her wings. Twitching your head, you see a half-dressed human woman with a shining lance in hand dashing towards the scene from another tent. "Get away from her you-" Before the annoying human can finish her threat or you can draw in another lightning breath to fry her, Angela drops in and spears the Imperial, sending her sprawling to the torn-up ground.
The wyvern shrieks in fury as she starts flapping her wings to rise into the air and chase Angela, the cries of the humans trapped in the now-burning tent beneath her drowned out by her rage as she tries to avenge the woman that must have been her rider. However, before the wyvern can get more than a tail-length off the ground you lunge forward and grab her legs, slamming her back to earth and slashing your talons deep into her sides.
"Flee, hatchling," you growl, your words icily calm in contrast to her thrashing rage. Before she can find a way to retaliate, you give her a sharp bite on the back of her neck to reassert your dominance. As she tries to pull away again, you finally let her go, using your wing to redirect her scrambling deeper into the Imperial camp where she flattened another tent. Thrashing, she gets back to her feet, her wings spread and tail lashing furiously as she glares at you, rage and fear waring in her mind.
Unfortunately, in the act she loses her situational awareness and slams a pair of soldiers as they emerge from their tent with her tail, sending them flying. Instinctively, she spins and roars at them, causing another Imperial to panic and jab at her with his lance, stabbing her in the mouth.
Grimly satisfied, you flap your wings and shoot into the sky as the wyvern, driven mad with grief, pain and fury, lunges at her attacker and crushes him beneath her bulk before continuing to lash out wildly. Not only is she no longer a threat to Artemis or the others, she'll keep this section of the Imperial camp flailing. Now, you just have to do this a few more times, and you'll have completed the first and most time-sensitive of your tasks. Ignoring the few arrows that shoot past you and clatter against your belly-scales, you turn and begin flapping towards the next wyvern nest, letting out a warning roar to let them know that you're coming for them.
This roar also served to keep the Imperial eyes on you. Cries of "Dragon!" and "Fell-sworn!" and "Oh spirits help us…" echo throughout the camp, nearly drowning out the thunder of footsteps and hoofbeats as the Kingdom soldiers charge. As you dive in towards the next wyvern nest, spotting a man guiding his charge out and starting to clamber onto his back without bothering to put on a saddle, you hear the first wave of Kingdom soldiers hitting the edge of the camp.
However, you ignore them. They have their mission, you have yours. Roaring again, you land and skid into the Imperial pair before they can fully settle, causing the wyvern to jerk and throw his rider. The lesser dragon-kin immediately tries to back up to cover his human, but you're faster and more determined, gathering a coil of Yellow magic into your maw and sending it on its way, scarring the ground and drawing a scream of pain from both man and wyvern, though your distant cousin uses his wings to take the brunt of the blow for his person.
Before you can do more, the wyvern pushes through its pain and spits its flame breath at you, forcing you to flinch back and close your eyes as the heat washes over you. An instinctive Barrier slams around you to ward off the worst of the magic, which leaves the wyvern free to grab his twitching, injured rider and lift off to fly west at full speed.
"Let them go." you call as you spot the Whitewings turning to pursue the wyvern. "He's fleeing. We have a job to do." Ignoring any attempt by the pegasus-riding humans to dissuade you from your path, you turn towards the next wyvern nest.
Life and death are nothing, while completing your assigned task is everything.
You quickly lose track of time, paying attention to seconds and minutes doesn't help you. Heart-you had been kind enough to give you plenty of Determination to work with, so you can lose yourself in the act of doing what you'd set out to do without worrying about anything else. Even as the sounds of clashing weapons and screams coming from the eastern edge of the camp grow louder, along with the scent blood and fear, you ignore them. None of that's your job, so it's not your problem.
Instead, you strike wyvern nest after wyvern nest. Six times in all, you and Angela and the others fall upon the wyverns as they try to lift off, moving so fast that the Imperials can't rally to stop you. A tiny part of you points out that if you'd waited longer, this might have been harder, but the majority of your conscious mind doesn't bother to care. Instead, you bully the smaller, Red-driven dragon-kin, wounding and intimidating them into either fleeing or driving them wild with pain until they start lashing out. A few times, their rider is in position to try and interfere, but your Whitewing wingmates are quick to eliminate them so you don't have to waste time.
You do take a few injuries during the fighting, including a claw slash down one wing that rips the membrane a bit, a cluster of stabs to your back-left leg from a male's horns, and multiple burn marks from fire breath. However, you simply grit your teeth and push through the pain. You'll be able to deal with that later, now you have to work!
"That's the last of them," you growl finally as you flap into the air for the last time, watching a limp-winged wyvern flutter away with a whine, shaking her head to try and clear the blood from her eyes from where you'd slashed a deep gash into her forehead. At least, it's the last of the ones you're allowed to target. You can smell one more wyvern somewhere behind the wall atop the hill, but everyone had told you you couldn't go fight that one in its home. Hopefully it comes out soon so you can deal with it.
Angela pushes her nervous pegasus closer to you as you flap higher, looking around for your next target. "Hey, big girl, you look like you've taken a bit of a beating," she says. "You want to take a breather-"
"We have a task," you say sharply, spotting the nearest large tent, faintly emanating the scent of steel and oil. Folding your wings, you dive towards it. "Keep up."
A cluster of Imperial soldiers in various states of dress and preparation are scrambling around the tent, getting in each others way as they try to get armed and armored. One looks up just in time to see you coming in, and he lets out a scream. "DRAGON!" he wails, diving for cover as you slam into the ground hard enough to send some of the Imperials to the ground with your impact.
Snarling, you draw your inner lightning towards your mouth for a big breath. "Get out of my way, humans," you hiss. "I am here for your weapons, but I will take your lives too if you interfere." Killing the humans isn't the point of this exercise, so if a few words as you gather your Yellow magic gets them out of the way, so be it, or at least that's the thought your heart self had suggested.
A few smart humans take the hint and scramble away from you. Other, however, are stupid. One leaps forwards with a lance, aiming for your eye. Before he can get close, a javelin strikes him as Bucephila swoops in low, followed by two other javelins killing a pair of archers as they aim at you.
Not bothering to say anything more, you unleash your gout of lightning breath, burning through any Imperials foolish enough to stay in your way on its way to the tent. You huff as the effect is a bit less than you'd like, there's some fire, but not enough to burn everything before the Imperials come back and put it out. "Fine," you mutter to yourself, stomping forwards over the twitching bodies of the humans who'd gotten caught in the breath attack. One stumbles back to their feet and tries to slash at you with a sword, but you swat her irritably aside with one foot, and she doesn't get up again. "Angela, get a torch and burn it once I've smashed everything."
"Mercy…" a weak voice says as you tear your way into the tent. "Mercy…"
Looking down, you see an injured human in Imperial armor, his right side badly burned by your lightning, trying pathetically to crawl away. For a moment, you ignore him, since he has no weapon and isn't any threat to you. However a faint poke from your heart, lingering in the back of your mind, makes you pause.
'Just throw him out, it won't take any time or interfere with the mission.'
It sure seems like a waste of time, but you suppose you have enough limbs to multitask a bit. Besides, the stench of his terror is irritating to your nostrils. Huffing, you grab him around the waist in one taloned forefoot as your tail begins smashing a rack of bows and spears. "Move," you grumble as you toss him out of the tent, ignoring his panicked cry.
After a few seconds, you've broken everything made of wood and bent the metal. A few weapons had made you hiss as you sensed angry magic within them, magic that seemed to hate you in particular. You'd been extra thorough in destroying those.
Pushing out of the ruined tent, you spread your wings as the Whitewings drop lit torches onto it to make sure that nothing you might have left behind was usable. "Alright, let's go," you grunt as you lift off.
As you fly away, a tiny flicker of your attention returns to the man you'd tossed clear of the now-burning tent, noting that he was staring after you with wide eyes and open mouth. Most of you, however, has already forgotten he existed and is searching for the next armory tent.
In many ways, targeting the Imperial's weapons is much easier than their wyverns. The wyverns, even without tools, could put up something of a fight. Without hands to wield them, these weapons are useless and good only to be smashed and burned.
Unfortunately, there are some Imperials that are starting to be a bit more successful at getting into your way. Not as many as there could be thanks to the Kingdom soldiers doing their job, but some. You take a few small wounds as you destroy armory after armory, mostly from arrows and axes. Still, with Angela and company backing you up you don't run into any real problems as you carry out your task.
You also take the time to hit any other Imperial supply areas that you spot. The organization system the Imperials had set up was impressive, but in this case it was working against them as it made it much easier for you to find what you needed to destroy. It also tends to put the different targets close to each other, allowing you to move quickly. Barrels of water are smashed open, food is scorched by lightning and torches, stores of tools and building material scattered to the winds, animals scattered as their fences smash under your weight.
On occasion, you actually see groups of Kingdom soldiers as you fly from place to place. For the most part, they're winning easily, running down small groups of Imperial soldiers that are fleeing or annihilating those that managed to gather together and get some weapons, but on occasion you see larger groups of Imperials, often gathered around one of the towers you'd spotted. "Aren't we going to help them?!" Alexandra calls to you as you whip by one of these fights as a more ornately-dressed Imperial with a silver lance rallies a group of other soldiers against a bunch of Rignali myrmidons.
"They have their mission," you say as you swoop down to grab a cart full of supplies and flip it over before jumping on the remains a few times to ensure it's all crushed. "We have ours." You can't get distracted, if you destroy all these supplies this army can't fight anymore, and that's your job to make sure that doesn't happen.
Finally, however, you look down upon the camp after what you think could have been a few tens of minutes, your eyes sweeping for any more large concentrations of weapons or goods. "I think we got most of them, Ryza," Angela calls as she finishes rubbing a bit of vulnerary-stuff onto Peri's flank where an arrow that had been aimed at you missed and nicked her. "We should check in with Lady Cartese, see if there's anything else we need to do."
You frown. "But there might be more supplies we haven't gotten yet," you say. There're still parts of the camp that haven't been overrun or smashed by you, and if there are still supplies then the Imperials are still a threat.
"Yeah, and maybe she knows where they are!" Angela says, slightly more quickly than really needed. However, you don't bother trying to figure out why she might have done that, as your other self is sending some faint feeling of agreement. Rather than wasting time arguing, you simply nod, turning to look for the flag that should represent your friend. "There," you say, angling towards the area that you're pretty sure was where the Imperial mages had lived. You should have gone there, surely they had their own supplies. Well, now you'll have a chance to destroy anything Artemis didn't already.
Landing hard, you narrow your eyes as a trio of Agrithan soldiers yelp and aim their bows at you. Before you can tell them off, however, Artemis looks over from where she's shooting arrows into a group of fleeing Imperials. "Hold! She's a friend, remember!" she snaps as she gallops over on Actaeon. "Ryza! How are you!" She blanches slightly. "Spirits, you look like the void! Healer, get a healer-"
"I'm fine," you say, shaking your wings to dislodge a few arrows that had gotten stuck in. "My mission is ongoing. I've destroyed most of the supply concentrations, are there any others you know about?" You look around, seeing a few boxes that some of the Agrithian soldiers are poking at warily. "I can get those-" Army Success: DC 10-9+1=2 (14, 6, 1) Partial
Artemis quickly shakes her head. "No, no, those are fine," she says, moving into your path. "We were able to overrun the Imperial mages before they could use up most of their supplies, so we're taking them." You cock your head, that hadn't been the plan… "But I'm glad to hear you're doing well." She looks over to Angela. "Dame Angela, how are you?"
The Whitewing grins wryly. "Tired," she says. "Ryza sure knows how to run a tight operation, but damn if it isn't a thing of beauty to watch her put the run on the Imps."
You twitch your tail, slightly frustrated at the delay as a Northern Kingdom troubadour encourages her horse to get close enough to cast Mend on you (though a small part of you admits the decrease in pain does feel good…) "Rest is for those with insufficient determination," you grumble. "What other supplies are there for me to destroy?"
Artemis and Angela glance at each other. Your friend sighs but shakes her head. "There are no other major concentrations I know of," she says. "I suppose you could pick through the rest of the camp, but right now we control most of it outside of their central fortified section, which means most of their nobility and leadership's sadly intact." She grimaces. "But we've done a lot of good work, especially you." Hearing that gives you some satisfaction. She looks up towards the walled area, grimacing. "I'd hoped that Duke Wellingford would come out and fight so we could pick his wyvern off too, but looks like he's holding back. Wonder what he's-"
Your head jerks up as you hear a pair of shrieks from the southeast. "Looks like we got another patrol coming back, like the one that was around when we were coming here" you say, flexing your wings. "I'll go deal with them."
Before you can lift off, however, you hear a deeper shriek from the center of the camp. Turning, you see a large wyvern, a little bigger than you are even, rising from behind the wall. "Well, now we know what he was waiting for," Artemis says grimly, grabbing your wing hard enough that you abort your launch. If you took off you'd hurt her and your primary task is always Keeping Artemis Safe. "What do you think, Ryza, Angela?"
"We can take them," you say. What's three more wyverns?
"Maybe, but it'd be a major risk," Angela says warily. "Rumors say he's a Wyvern Lord, and if they get together we'd only outnumber them by a bit. If we could lure them into bow range, it'd be easy, but I doubt he's that stupid. No, if they all get together… I don't think that's a fight we could win without losing people." She looks between the approaching pair and the duke, clearly thinking fast. "But if we're quick, we might be able to hit one before the other can interfere. We'd have to do it really fast…"
Artemis grits her teeth. "It's risky," she says. "And while it would be a major benefit, in many ways we've already won. This army's shattered. For all that a bunch of them were able to escape west, it'll take days for their officers to round them up from their rout, and with Ryza's annihilation of their supplies they won't be able to do anything for weeks or months. Maybe not even until the war is over. If we pulled back now, burning a bunch more stuff on the way, Duke Wellingford likely won't risk trying to force a fight."
What do you do?
[] Fall back. It rankles at your determination to turn tail like that, but heart-you reassures you that you've Done Your Job, and there's no need to risk Angela and Bucephila and Alexandra to try and win harder. Sometimes, it's best to quit when you're ahead.
[] Finish the job. You have three wyverns you haven't killed or driven off yet, and that was your first task. Show the Empire that you're not going to leave a job half finished!
-[] Go for the Duke first. He'll be harder to beat, since he'll have a Seal that gives him an echo of draconic strength, but if you can eliminate him it'll make this an even more crushing victory.
-[] Go for the pair of approaching wyverns first. While the duke is strong, he can only be in one place at a time, while they could be in two. Besides, you're all but certain you can eliminate them before he could interfere.
[X] Fall back. It rankles at your determination to turn tail like that, but heart-you reassures you that you've Done Your Job, and there's no need to risk Angela and Bucephila and Alexandra to try and win harder. Sometimes, it's best to quit when you're ahead.
"I'm glad she's on our side..."
-Holga, Agrithian Fighter
"I think we should pull back."
You bristle at Artemis's words. "But my mission is not complete yet!" you argue, your eyes narrowing as you watch the three wyverns maneuver in the sky. You can reach them! You can stop them! The only reason you're not already in the air on the way towards this Duke Wellingford is because Artemis still has her hands on your wing, so if you were to use your flight magic you'd hurt her, which is unacceptable! You start pulling your wing from her grip so that you can get on with your task.
However, it seems she knows you well, as she clings on more tightly. "Ryza, Ryza stop and think!" she says, a note of what your heart-self identifies as franticness entering her voice. "You're still injured-"
"No I'm not! I can handle it! I can take them!" you say, pulling your wing harder.
Angela quickly maneuvers her pegasus to press against your other side (despite the creature's clear nervousness). The nexus of Green magic isn't nearly enough to stop you, but it is noticeable and another barrier that's in your way, and only your heart leaning on you prevents you from using your tail to forcefully shoo the intruder away. "Look, look Ryza, I get it! I want to smash all the Imps too-"
You almost sigh, you're not angry, but it's frustrating to be denied your purpose because these humans just don't get it! "I have no interest in most of the Imperials, they are not my mission," you say. "Just those. Three. Wyverns."
Shifting, Artemis slides along your wing until she reaches your body, ducks to your front, and starts gently running her hand along the hair-spines down your back. "Easy, easy Ryza," she says. "You already completed your mission."
You frown as you look back at her. "But I was instructed to kill or drive off the Imperial wyverns, then smash their weapons and supplies," you say. Had she forgotten that already?
Another human approaches, and you glance over Artemis's head to see Alejandro coming up to stand on the other side of your wing from her and gently pat your side (though honestly, with how much he irritates Artemis shocking him alone could count as a side objective rather than a barrier to launch…). "I think what dear Lady Cartese means is that your mission was to drive off or eliminate the wyverns in their nests," he says. "I recall that you were specifically told not to go for the Duke's beast, and those two that just arrived were not included either. You have already carried out your task masterfully, Mistress Ryza. There is no need to show off any more."
Frowning, you scour your memories. Was he right… yes, yes you suppose he was, technically. 'We need those wyverns cleared before they can take flight,' Artemis had said. 'Don't worry about the duke's, it's too dangerous to be worth going alone. Just get rid of the others, and our bows can take care of the rest.'
Still… "There might still be supplies…" you say, switching back to your second objective since fighting your allies to try and complete your first is getting to be more trouble than it's worth.
"Ah, but did we demand that you destroy all of them?" Alejandro says. "Or did we say, and I quote, 'Those supplies and weapons are vital to the Imperial efforts. If they're destroyed, then they can't continue to fight. Destroy as many of them as you can, Ryza, would you?'" He gives a slight grin to Artemis. "I do believe that's what you said, my lady? More or less?"
Your friend throws him a look that's half gratitude, half annoyance. "Much as it pains me to agree with Rignali, he's right," she says. "Ryza, you've done amazingly. Brilliantly. But in every raid, even large ones like this, there comes a moment when it's best to take your win and pull away before the enemy can rally." Angela nods.
…You… suppose, that's true, though it seems to be cheating to lean on technicalities like this. Still, since everyone's saying it… "Alright," you say, lowering your wings. "What is my next task?" Finding another purpose mid-transformation is… difficult, but if it keeps you useful while you still have emotional energy to burn then it'll be worth it.
Artemis finally lets your wing go as she gives a signal to one of the Agrithian soldiers who'd been watching warily from his horse. He nodded before grabbing the big horn hanging at his side and beginning to blow into it. "Well, while I doubt the Duke'd risk coming over to fight, people do stupid things when they're angry," she says. "If he does come into range of our bows, then by all means help us kick his teeth in." That sounds very inefficient as opposed to shooting, shocking and biting him, but you don't waste time or energy commenting. "But that's only if he actually attacks. On the whole, please just be a presence. A threat to give us space to withdraw cleanly."
"It will be done," you say instantly. Like your mission when you left Agrithe, only in reverse. Yes, you can do that.
Artemis pauses before wrapping her arms around your neck. "Don't get hurt anymore, Ryza, not tonight," she says. "The Imperials will know what they're dealing with now; any further enemies will be ready for a dragon." She smirks. "Or, as ready as anyone ever can be, which isn't much."
Snorting, you look up as the three wyverns continue their maneuvers. Instinctively, you recognize that you'd no longer be able to fight them in isolation even if you were already flying. "Carry out your task, Artemis," you say. "And I shall carry out mine."
Your friend nods. "Yes, Ryza," she says before hopping back up on Actaeon and riding back over to her cluster of messengers and bodyguard-riders, starting to yell instructions and gesture wildly again. Alejandro gives you a nod as well before darting off to deal with his soldiers. Huffing, you lift off, followed by Angela and the other Whitewings as you dedicate yourself to being big and visible.
Over the next tens of minutes (time is still difficult for you to accurately measure while you're focused), the various Kingdom soldiers retreat from the ruined Imperial camp. Throughout the once orderly rows of tents, fires are burning, screams and moans can be heard, and the scent of ash and death hangs upon the air. There are still clusters of resistance, and groups of heavily armored soldiers are beginning to carefully poke out from the fortified center of the camp, covered by the Duke and his wyvern wingmen.
However, as Artemis had predicted, the Imperials don't seem to have the nerve to come fight, at least not until they've organized. Which leaves you only occasionally flapping up into the air to give a roar or two before ducking down to smash up some small pocket of supplies you'd missed. Just because Artemis had given you a directive to be a Presence, didn't mean you couldn't continue carrying out your second mission!
As your emotions begin to burn low, you land in the remains of one of the armory-tents you'd burned earlier, roaring at a few Imperial survivors who'd started poking at it as the Kingdom soldiers leave. The Imperials flee instantly, and you're about to launch again when your foot kicks something. Looking down, you frown as you realize that one of the weapons hadn't been broken properly, simply being buried in the ash. (Loot Roll: d6>5, Specific: d4>1)
It's a well-made weapon, you think. A long sword with a strangely open interior, connected by a mis-mash of glowing blue spurs. The blade itself also shines with runes that exude magical energy. A flicker of anger is suppressed by your heart before it can feed into your driving will, so you study the weapon dispassionately. You should probably break that… if you'd been at full focus you already would have, but now you have to think about it. You're getting tired. Shaking your head, you raise a taloned foot to smash the blade.
"Hey, big girl, wait!" a voice calls.
Turning, you raise an eyeridge as you see Belle dashing towards you, Kelton huffing along in her wake. "Hello, Belle," you say, even as you chide yourself for getting distracted.
She reaches you, patting your foreleg. "Saw you land, figured we'd check to make sure you're okay," she says. "Hey Angie, big girl give you any problems?"
The pegasus knight raises an eyebrow. "I wouldn't phrase it like that," she says.
Belle laughs. "Yeah, but I'm one of her best friends," she says, ruffling your spines. "She loves me, so I can get away with saying stuff like that." She looks down before going rigid. "Holy sh-indigs is that a Brave Sword?!"
You shrug. "I guess so. It's an Imperial weapon, so I was about to destroy it."
Instantly, your friend starts shaking her head. "What, are you crazy?!" she says, bending down and snatching it up. "These things are super useful and valuable!"
"But it is an Imperial weapon," you say, reaching out and trying to grab it. However, tired as you are, Belle is able to dance out of your reach. "I was tasked with destroying Imperial weapons."
Kelton chuckles. "What're you talking about, Ryza?" he says. "It's clearly Belle's weapon. She's holding it, after all, and I heard somewhere that possession's nine-tenths of the law or something."
The thief grins at him. "Yep. Yep, no Imperial weapons here, just Belle's new baby," she purrs, running her hand along the blade to dust off the ash.
…This strange human conception of ownership and reality doesn't really make sense to you, but as your Determination begins to flicker and wane you can't summon up the energy to argue about it. "Okay," you say, lowering your foot. "Well, what now?"
Another horn sounds to the east, from the outside of the camp. Bucephila and Alexandra, circling above you, quickly make some gestures that you recognize as a recall order. "Lady Artemis says-" Angela starts.
"I understand," you say. "Belle, Kelton, get on, we seem to be leaving, and my task is to be a Presence and ensure that everyone makes it safely away. That means we should leave."
"We won't get in your way?" Kelton asks, glancing towards where the three wyverns still circle at a safe distance.
"We will not be going too high, if necessary I will drop you off and engage in mission 'kick their teeth in,'" you say, drawing snickers from all the nearby humans. "But I will not leave you here."
Kelton and Belle glance at each other before nodding. "Alright, if that's what you want," Belle says, hopping onto a crumbling box to get enough hight to straddle your back with another jump before offering her hand down to Kelton, helping him join her.
As you lift off, you briefly see Duke Wellingford and his men start turning towards you, but the sound of nearby hoofbeats announces that you have an escort of yeomen (you smell both Axton and Lancel among them, which is comforting). Seeing this, the Imperials turn away again and drop low enough to start rallying more of the scrambling Imperial survivors.
As you fly back towards the mass of Kingdom warriors preparing to leave in an organized fashion, your heart pokes you. 'Before we declare mission complete, could you do one more thing?'
You are… tired, but you nod. 'Yes, what is it?'
It takes your other self a mere second to explain the entire plan at the speed of thought, and another second for you to instinctively measure your remaining strength and figure that this act won't interfere with the amount you'd need to expend to defend the retreat if the wyverns did try something. In fact, it'd barely take any at all.
Flapping a little higher, you turn into a hover between the Kingdom soldiers and the Imperials. Drawing in a deep breath, you bellow at the top of your lungs so that your words echo through the burning ruins of the camp.
"This does not need to continue! We want only to live free, to not be invaded or our friends to be attacked or children kidnapped or our homes plundered or ANYTHING LIKE THAT!" you shout. "Just GO AWAY! Go back to your own homes, your own families, and this stupidity can END!Take the hint that you don't have weapons to fight with anymore or food to eat here and let this allSTOP!" Shooting a final breath of lighting into the air to put an exclamation mark on your point, you drop back into a glide towards the Kingdom army.
"…Ryza…" Kelton says, more loudly than he really needs to, and when you glance back at him he's clutching at his ears. "A little warning next time!" Belle moans, shaking her head with a dazed expression.
"Sorry," you say. You never wanted to hurt Belle or Kelton.
'It was my fault,' Heart-you says. 'I should have remembered you'd carry out any task instantly and had you drop them off first.'
Finally, however, you fly over the Kingdom army as it begins to march away, carrying as many of their own wounded with them as they can. You see healers begin to swarm forwards from the force of Parvei armor knights to tend to those they could. ???: DC 10 -2+5=13: 3, 7, 16
As you start flaring your wings, wanting to get down to the ground before your well of emotion runs dry and Heart-You takes over again, you vaguely noticed that two of the healers are sticking pretty close together while others fan out solo, probably to help more wounded. Honestly, though, you don't really care. It isn't your mission, so it isn't your problem. Instead, you focus on looking for Artemis, spotting her near the back of the formation. Angling towards her, you finally came in for a hard, tired landing.
"Welcome back, Ryza," your friend says, coxing Actaeon to get close enough that she can reach out and stroke your side as you walked beside her. "I heard what you had to say."
"Do you think it will work?" you ask her on prompting from your other self as the last dregs of your emotional energy fade away. Clearly recognizing the signs, Belle and Kelton hop off, leaving you to finally let go of the transformation. The last thing you hear as you return to your small heart-form is Artemis's quiet response.
"I don't know, Ryza… but for your sake, I hope so."
The last leg of a journey always feels the longest. When it involves traveling to a known destination, that's because of the anticipation of the transit finally being over, allowing one to either rest or carry out the task set before them.
When going someplace new, it's mostly the frustration of actually finding the spirits-cursed place!
Salvador had been to every major city in the Empire in his time as a Wyrmguard, usually following Thaddeus around as the late and lamented Emperor worked to keep his ancestors' domain trundling along the path of history without letting the idiots of the realm upend things. Salvador'd even been to many of the larger villages and hamlets surrounding the major cities and along the paths between the Heartland of the Empire and the borders of other nations.
Despite his vast travel experience, however, one place the Wyvern Lord had never been was "some hill near the north end of the border with the Northern Kingdoms." Which was how the location of Duke-General Wellingford's Army of the Northlands had been described to him by the overawed villagers of the last little collection of huts he'd stopped by when Ignition would fly no further without a generous bribe of food.
It wasn't that the collection of shepherds and farmers had been trying to be unhelpful. On the contrary, they'd been very eager to point him where he needed to go. Unfortunately, while he was sure their directions made perfect sense to them, they were far less useful to him. Salvador was a man who'd grown up amidst the strikingly distinct cliffs and plateaus of the Heartland, who'd followed paved roads with regular distance markers and a well-organized and centrally-funded network of way stations and patrols, so parsing out what counted as a hill, what counted as a mound, and which particular patch of trees they meant by "the big grove with the hole in the center" was nearly impossible.
However, there had been one very important (and concerning) piece of information given. "Please be careful, Lord Blade," a little girl had said as he'd been about to leave, having bravely approached even while clutching a straw-stuffed wyvern doll to her chest as she stared up at him with big eyes. "My brothers 'nd cousins were out at the mill on that mound over there chasing away rats, and they said a bunch of pegasuses started attacking them until they threw rocks at them and they flew away. Be sure to bring some rocks to throw at them if they attack you."
As a woman who was probably the girl's mother hustled forward to drag her away, apologizing profusely for the bother, Salvador had waved a hand. "Good information can come from any source," he'd said, giving a nod to the little girl. "Thank you for the warning, young one. I will be careful." The child had smiled at that, waving her toy towards Ignition. The big wyvern had clearly been confused, but had given a rumbling noise that had hopefully been interpreted as friendly by the commoners.
Salvador hadn't even been lying to make the girl feel better, that piece of information had been extremely important, and he was slightly frustrated that nobody else in any of the other villages had been able to stop fawning long enough to mention it to him! Pegasus raids (for all that he doubted they'd actually harassed the mill, let alone been chased off by little boys throwing stones) implied that a force from the South had arrived. While it was technically possible that the Northern Kingdoms had hired some Whitewings themselves, they likely wouldn't have risked those assets on deep raids into wyvern-patrolled territory.
Which meant that the war was probably about to get a lot more complicated. If it hadn't already. If he'd known that a day or two earlier, he'd have been able to step up his timetables and get where he needed to be faster! Now, all he can do is hope he's not too late.
The Blade of the Emperor is drawn from his thoughts by a hiss from Ignition. "What is it?" he asks, pulling himself to the present and beginning to scan the area. Wyverns may not always have the foresight to know how to best proceed in a complex situation, but something every wise wyvern rider learns is that their senses are far better than a human's. Thus, when they started reacting to something, you should pay attention!
The massive wyvern dips lower, growling softly as his eyes scan the ground below the pair. Leaning to encourage Ignition to tilt and circle, Salvador adds his own gaze to the search.
It takes only a few seconds to spot what Ignition had noticed, a group of men skulking around in the shade of a small group of trees. The Wyrmguardsman briefly considers if they're locals, but quickly discards the idea. Not only are they not moving with the confidence or openness of locals, but Ignition's clearly concerned by them. While a young, inexperienced wyvern might get confused and hyper focus on any humans sighted below, Ignition is an old, intelligent, cunning creature. He knows how to tell random peasants from something worth bringing to Salvador's attention.
"Good eyes, Ignition," Salvador says, patting his companion's neck as he turns into a shallow dive. Either they're a patrol from the Northlands army and can point him in the right direction, or they're a Kingdom raiding force that needs to be… dealt with.
The latter is looking more likely, as Salvador saw and heard panicked noises coming from below as the unknown soldiers scramble for deeper cover. Frowning, he draws the Fell Slayer, letting the strength of the two dragonstones flood him. He is the Blade of the Emperor. He is Theodore's Chosen. He will solve this situation.
Letting out a final roar, Ignition smashes through some branches to land in front of a cluster of haggard-looking men in armor. With a swiftness born of long experience, Salvador scans the six soldiers for distinguishing features even as they stumbled back, crying out in fear.
The thing he notices immediately is that these are Imperial soldiers. They all wear either the traditional red breastplate or red-dyed gambesons, though said armor is dirty and scuffed. More concerningly, only one of the men still has his shield, and of the lighter-armored troops only one has his heavy axe. Several of the metal-armored men have their lances still, but the rest only have small daggers and other sidearms, many of which are pointed at Ignition and Salvador.
"Stand down!" the Wyvern Lord commands, letting the Fell Slayer blaze with fire as Ignition roars at the men aggressively. "Drop your weapons in the Emperor's name!"
The lead soldier, the one with both lance and shield, is the first to recognize what's going on. "Oh thank the Emblem!" he says, falling to his knees and dropping his spear as ordered. "You're not that monster!" The other soldiers quickly kneel as well, their signs of fear fading somewhat as they stare at the Fell Slayer.
Detaching himself from his saddle and sliding off, Salvador nudges Ignition and gives a quick gesture to watch their backs. As the wyvern rumbles his agreement and shuffles around, Salvador moves to stand in front of the men, planting the tip of the Fell Slayer into the ground in front of him as fire weaves around it in what's surely a mesmerizing display. "What are you doing here, soldiers?" he asks sharply. "Where is Duke-General Wellingford's army?"
One of the soldiers further back whimpers. "They're all dead…" he moans even as one of his fellows alternate between telling him to shut up and whimpering themselves. "That void-cursed monster came down spewing death and the barbarians were everywhere and everything was on fire-"
A whoosh of flame causes the man's words to end in a startled squawk. "Calm yourself!" Salvador says firmly. "You are soldiers of the Empire, not frightened children! Take a deep breath, then report in a calm, useful manner."
The soldiers glance at each other before slowly starting to nod. "Y-yes, my lord Blade," the leader says, taking the deep breath as commanded. After a few seconds, during which Salvador waits patiently for the frightened soldiers to regain their discipline, the lead man finally starts speaking again. "Well, we were in camp," he says. "Things had been kind of tense, with all the raids and everything, but the cavalry was out forming a cordon along with some of the wyverns, so we figured we were pretty safe." He shivers. "Then… then as Biggs said, that dragon dove on us from the sky, shrieking bloody murder and shooting lighting everywhere."
Ryza was there?! Grandmaster Gunther had predicted that she'd come north, but Salvador had hoped that he'd be able to get here first, with her probably having to travel with the Agrithians. It seemed that they were faster than he'd anticipated. "I see," he says, keeping his voice calm and steady. "What else?"
The soldiers, having paused to see Salvador's reaction, seemed surprised by his lack of shock. "Ah… yes," another of the soldiers continues. "Well, the dragon was flying around attacking the wyverns, then the Kingdom soldiers showed up." She shivers. "Fellbreath, they were everywhere… everyone was screaming and running around and the wyverns were shrieking and dying…"
"Some of the dumb brutes even turned on us!" another of the soldiers snarls, anger overwhelming fear. "Some of my buddies died to one of those-" A warning growl from Ignition shuts the axeman up.
Salvador's thoughts race. It's clear that something terrible had happened at the Imperial camp, which means he needed to get there fast. "How was the battle going when you retreated?" he asks, trying to keep any signs of judgment from his voice. If the Northlands army is as bad off as he fears, they'll need every soldier they can find to reconstitute it. Even the dumb ones who insult wyverns when a large, intelligent member of the species is right there along with the rider who loves and respects him.
The soldiers look at each other again. "It was really hard to tell…" one says. "It seemed like the rebels were everywhere, everything was on fire. If you tried to go get any more weapons than what you had, you either ran into the dragon or found the armory tent on fire. Only place that was sort of clear was the west half of camp, so that's where I went…"
"I think the central fortified section of the camp might have been holding," the female soldier says. "But the second that dragon finished with whatever else it was doing…" The entire group shudders.
Forcing himself not to sigh, Salvador gestures for all of soldiers to stand. It's clear they don't know enough to waste time questioning them when he should just go and find out more from the scene. "Where is the camp?" he asks. "And where is the backup rally point?"
After a few seconds of arguing with each other, the de-facto leader of the group points. "It should be straight that way, my lord Blade," he says. "But we lost track of the rally point while we were running…"
"Dragon probably burned everyone who went there anyways…" one of the others mutters. Salvador chooses to ignore him.
Meanwhile, the leader continues with a grimace. "What… what about us, my lord?" he said, his eyes flicking the the fire-licked sword still in Salvador's hands.
Thinking quickly, the Blade remembers another small hamlet he'd noticed just before Ignition had warned him of these men. "There's a town a few miles that way," he said, pointing. "Take these soldiers, along with anyone else you find on the way, and rally there. Ensure that no further Kingdom raids threaten the citizens and await further orders." Pulling out a piece of parchment, Salvador uses a piece of charcoal to scribble a few words to that effect before taking a small disk of wax and pressing the ornate pommel of the Fell Slayer to it. Heat flares throughout up the sword, causing the wax to melt into the Emperor's Seal: a wyvern flying over a mountain broken in half, a sword in one talon and a crown in the other.
Reverently, the lead soldier takes the offered note as if it's a holy relic rather than just their shield against charges of desertion. "T-thank you, my lord Blade!" he said, reaching down and grabbing his weapon. "It will be done!"
As the cluster of soldiers hurry off, giving their own thanks to Salvador as they go, the man waits for them to be on their way before putting the Fell Slayer back in its sheath and tiredly climbing back onto Ignition. "Why can't things ever be simple, old friend?" he asks his wyvern, who gives a comforting croon before launching back into the air.
For the next twenty minutes, as Salvador flies, he spots several more groups of routing soldiers making their way southwest, which probably means there's plenty more going straight west. Some might even risk skirting the border with the Divine Realm and hug Northwest to try and escape. Each time he sees a group, he pauses briefly to ask them if they know anything new and to direct them towards the rally point he'd set up. None of them have any notable information, but it gives him some cold comfort to know there's some soldiery still in the area, even if the rest of the army has been annihilated.
Finally, however, he spots something more interesting.
A larger group of tired-looking soldiers on foot are standing in a cluster. Around them, a quartet of cavaliers and a Paladin (based on his ornate shield) circle in a distinctly predatory fashion. Nudging Ignition down, Salvador comes in for a landing. This looks like a more organized attempt to regain control of a routing army army, which means they'll have more information on what in the demon-ridden void happened!
"-you're all lucky that the plan for the moment isn't to string the lot of you up for cowardice!" the paladin yells as Salvador approaches, his silver sword waving around like a baton as he rides back and forwards in front of the corralled cluster of infantry. "But if you don't get marching back to camp right this instant, that can quickly change! And Emperor help any man who threw away his weapons!" The soldiers, who outnumbered the group of noble cavaliers at least six to one and several who clearly have no weapons in hand, look at each other warily as their stances tense. "Did I stutter, maggots?!" the cavalier roars, raising his sword high. "Get! MOVING!"
Salvador frowns. While every soldier who turned their back in the face of the enemy without orders was arguably deserting and certainly not living up to the expectations of the Imperial Army, good commanders recognize the needs of practicality, especially when entire armies were on the line! "Hold!" he calls, landing Ignition between the paladin and the band of soldiers before things can get ugly.
The paladin glares at him. "Who are you?!" he snaps. "How dare-" Silently, Salvador draws the Fell Slayer, allowing the fire magic within to burn bright as he holds it up like a torch. Even as the sound of gasps and armored knees hitting the ground behind him reaches his ears, the Wyrmguard keeps his sharp gaze upon the paladin in front of him.
If he takes some pleasure in the way the irritating man's face goes pale, well, Salvador is only human.
"M-my lord Blade…" the man says, lowering his own sword and bowing in his saddle. "I-I-"
Salvador lets the stuttering continue for a long few seconds before he gestures with the Fell Slayer, causing flickers of fire flash into the air. This shuts the man up instantly. "What is your name?" he asks coolly.
Swallowing, the paladin sits up in his saddle as straight as he can manage. "I am Sir Mordred, Champion of Count Keylik of the Duskline," he says. "I was sent to restore discipline to the soldiers who fled the battle. W-what brings you here, my lord Blade?"
Salvador lowers the Fell Slayer a bit, though the fire still burns around it. "I am Sir Salvador Wyrmguard, Blade of the Emperor. I bear Emperor Theodore Wyrmblood the Third's Sword and speak with his Voice. Will you listen?" Everyone nods with almost indecent haste. "Good. Our Emperor sent me here with a vital task," Salvador continues. "To this end, I am traveling to link up with the Army of the Northlands." He then makes a show of looking around. "It seems that something has gone… quite wrong. Would you care to explain, Sir Mordred?" He knows that the disaster he suspects probably isn't Sir Mordred's fault, but instilling a little bit of the same fear the paladin had been putting into his subordinates onto him might calm him down in future.
The paladin pales, but nods bravely and starts giving his report with as much dignity and clarity as he could while still watching the Fell Slayer warily. On most of the main points, he agrees with the various reports of the retreating soldiers Salvador had already spoken to. However he is able to give some more details about what was damaged and destroyed during the battle.
By the end of the description of last night's events, it's clear that while it the Kingdoms had launched a major and well-planned raid, they had not managed to send the entire Imperial army to fight at the Sentinel's Wall. Instead, they'd seemed focused on sowing chaos and causing mass destruction of resources. True, the casualties for the Northlands army were heavy at best, disastrous at worst, but with the number of light cavalry the Agrithians had apparently brought to the battle the fact that anyone had escaped was a miracle. Once they'd left, Duke-General Wellingford had then worked quickly to re-establish order in the camp, though the situation was still dire.
Then there was problem of the the lightning-spewing dragon. Though nobody referred to her by name, Salvador was all but certain it was in fact Ryza Levinheart who had caused the most visible damage, if not necessarily the most. Which was good since it meant that Salvador was in the right place and hopefully could complete his mission relatively quickly. If only she hadn't revealed her presence by raising the bloody void amidst one of the main Imperial army formations in the area and wreaking spirits only knew how much destruction!
Once Sir Mordred finished explaining the situation, Salvador nods. "It is good that you are rallying the army," he says. "I will proceed to the camp and speak with Duke-General Wellingford. These soldiers are to be sent back as well. The Empire cannot afford to lose any more of our warriors than we already have." He narrows his eyes slightly. "Do I make myself clear?"
Sir Mordred grimaces, but bows. "Yes, my lord Blade," he says, waving his escorting cavaliers away from the cluster of men, who slowly relax. "Get back to camp, all of you!"
Turning in Ignition's saddle, Salvador watches as the common soldiers' discipline reasserts itself. Bows and murmurs of "Yes sir," and "Yes my lord Blade," echo around the group as they gather up whatever weapons and equipment they'd managed to run away with and begin trooping their way in the direction of the camp in a reasonable facsimile of a proper marching column, considering the circumstances. A few even stepped out of the line to take up the role of officers.
"Continue searching for survivors," Salvador commands Sir Mordred. "I've sent those I've found on my way here to rally at a small town over in that direction, but there are likely others around." He narrows his eyes slightly. "Might I… recommend, a more tactful approach in future? We cannot afford to be fighting each other in this moment of crisis."
The paladin grimaces again, but takes the "suggestion" for what it truly is. "Yes, my lord Blade," he says. "I will see it done." Rallying his cavaliers with a whistle and a gesture, he turns and rides westwards.
Taking a long, slow breath, aware of the the eyes still upon him, Salvador finally puts away the Fell Slayer and takes off again, flying towards the camp with all speed now that he now knows it still exists. Soon, he sees pillars of black smoke rising into the morning sky. "We're almost there, friend," he says to Ignition. "Let's see how bad it truly is."
Sweeping in for a landing, the answer quickly becomes apparent: very bad. Nearly the entire eastern half of the camp is nothing but ash and embers, with plenty of fire and destruction on the western half as well. All the blazes the Kingdom soldiers had set seemed to have been put out at least, though there are still several large funeral pyres burning around the edges of the camp. Soldiers pick among the ruins, looking for survivors, bodies, and any supplies that might have survived the catastrophe. As best Salvador can see from so high, the men vary between being fearful and in utter shock. He grimaces, morale has got to be nearly rock bottom down there.
Fixing this mess, while not his mission, is going to be a grueling quest in and of itself.
As the pair fly over, Salvador spots countless eyes turning to look up at him. There are a few cries of concern, but thankfully the nervous soldiers seem to quickly realize that Ignition is a friendly wyvern rather than an aggressive dragon. Coming in for a landing, Salvador notes that no air patrols are around to challenge or escort him. It seems that the rumors that the wyvern force of this army was all but annihilated are true.
However, as he sets down in a rapidly-cleared section of the central camp, there are a few soldiers in the fancy armor of trusted noble retainers that hurry over to greet him, so things haven't completely devolved into chaos yet. "Sir!" the leader says, giving a respectful nod. "You don't look like one of our lost wyverns, who-" she pauses as she gets a better look at him, clearly recognizing the size of Ignition and the ornateness of Salvador's armor. "Pardon me, my lord!" she says, bowing more deeply.
"My name is Sir Salvador of the Wyrmguard," Salvador says as he dismounts, drawing and planting the Fell Slayer in front of him, though he doesn't feel the need to ignite the flames to make his point. "My master the Emperor sent me here on a vital mission. I must speak to Duke-General Wellingford as soon as possible."
The woman gasps, covering her mouth. "Blade… My lord Blade!" she says. "Y-yes, of course!" Turning, she gestures to her subordinates. "Find some provisions for the Lord Blade's wyvern!" she orders.
The two men look at each other. "That… might be difficult, Gwenlynn," one of them says warily. "With how much was destroyed-"
Gwenlynn throws a panicked look at Salvador. "There has to be something!" she hisses to her men. "Find something!" She grimaces as she looks back at Salvador while the others scamper away. "My apologies, my lord Blade, we are… less prepared for the arrival of someone of your status than we would have wished…"
Waving a hand, Salvador forces himself not to give the nearly hyperventilating young woman a reassuring smile; he has to maintain discipline and decorum. "Fear not, Dame Gwenlynn," he says. "I have heard of the troubles this army has had, and you did not know to expect me. While Ignition will appreciate the food, for the moment the most important thing is that I speak to the Duke-General."
A faint whine from Ignition tells Salvador what his mount thinks about that comment. Reaching back, he runs a comforting hand along his friend's snout, quieting him.
"Y-yes, of course," Gwenlynn says. "This way, my lord Blade." Turning, she quickly hurries towards the big central tent with the banner bearing the Northlands Duchy flying from it. Salvador falls in beside her, keeping his chin tipped up and not letting any sign of concern about the state of affairs reach his face, especially as nearby soldiers start whispering and pointing as they recognize just how important the newcomer is. These people need the sort of unflappable confidence that he has learned to exude, and he will give it to them.
As they walk, Dame Gwenlynn glances around before lowering her voice. "Emblem, it is good to see you, Lord Blade," she says. "We have… not had a good night."
"So I have heard," Salvador says diplomatically.
She swallows. "My lord Blade… as you were approaching, did you happen to see any wyverns with injured riders?" she asks. "My… my brother, Orion… he was posted in the main camp area, and he got hit by that brute of a dragon… I saw Hunter flying away with him in her claws, but I couldn't see… we've gotten a few wyverns back, but he wasn't among them and none of them or their riders were in good shape…"
Salvador shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Dame Gwenlynn," he says quietly. "I did not see any other wyverns out there. Just foot soldiers and a few cavalry."
She wilts, but nods. "I hope he's okay…" she says softly. "It's just… damn that dragon. Damn that Fell-sworn monster!" Salvador remains silent as she takes several deep breaths, regathering herself. "I'm sorry, my lord Blade, I should not burden you with my troubles."
"The troubles of all the Emperor's people are his troubles," Salvador says, quoting Thaddeus. "And the Emperor's troubles are the Blade's troubles."
Gwenlynn gives a shaky nod, but before she can say anything else the pair arrive at the central tent. A pair of armored guards stand outside, but they cannot guard against escaping noise. From within, Salvador can hear the raised voices of a meeting that was going very, very badly for all involved, something that is surely decreasing the morale of the soldiers shuffling around the area even further. "Sir Salvador Wyrmguard, Blade of the Emperor, to see His Grace," Gwenlynn says formally to the guards.
Both men immediately bow. "Of course," one says, pulling the flap of the tent aside, his helmet turning to look at the sword in Salvador's hand, his stance tired but with a faint glimmer of hope that hadn't been there a second before. Technically, letting Salvador in without announcing him was a breach of protocol, but from the shouting it was clear that it would take many minutes to get to the Duke and convince him that Salvador was there. Salvador decides that, in these stressful times, some decorum can be set aside in favor of getting down to business.
"Thank you," he says, ducking into the command tent.
"-lost half the fucking army!" someone was shouting. With the scrum of armored people crowded on the carpet in the center of the open space, many of whom still had the dirt and grime of last night's catastrophe clearly visible, Salvador couldn't even tell who'd said it. This was especially true when everyone else started either denouncing the man as a coward or proclaiming him the only sane person in the tent.
"We'll get most of it back, we already have patrols out rallying them!" another angry voice shoots back. "And when we do, we must go smash those fucking rebel scum and their Fell-sworn beast! This dishonor cannot stand!"
"With what supplies!?" a third voice shrieks over the chorus of agreements and disagreements. "We barely have enough water to survive the day, let alone to carry us onwards! And don't even get me started on the food shortages! I've heard back from my contingents, and I can tell you if we don't start sending out foraging parties immediately, what we don't lose to starvation and dehydration we'll lose to desertion within a week! If not sooner!"
The shouting continues, getting even less productive and more angry, but just as Salvador is about to draw the Fell Slayer and shoot some fire into the air, a massive voice roars from the other side of the blue-blooded mob.
"SILENCE!"
It takes several seconds, but finally the crowd goes from the sort of screaming matches that usually mean death duels are imminent to a mutinous quiet. As arms lower, Salvador finally catches sight of Duke-General Wellingford. A tall, broad-shouldered man with short black hair, the defining feature of his wide yet clean-shaven face is a long burn-scar from one ear, over his nose, and to the other corner of his mouth. He's an imposing figure as he glares around his various nobles, lieutenants and hangers-on for several seconds from his position on a throne set up at the head of the tent. Once he's certain none will defy him by restarting the argument, he turns towards Salvador. "We have a newcomer," he says darkly. "Step forward and report."
Silently, Salvador pushes through the crowd, the Fell Slayer sliding out of its sheath. Hushed gasps and whispers follow him as the scrum parts like water before a ship, finally allowing Salvador to plant the sword point-down, both hands folded upon its pommel as fire begins to wind from the dragonstones down the blade. "Duke-General Arthen Wellingford, I am Sir Salvador Wyrmguard, Blade of the Emperor," he says formally. "I bear Emperor Theodore Wyrmblood the Third's Sword and speak with his Voice. Will you listen?
The Duke quickly suppresses the slight flicker of surprise and nods. "Ay, lord Blade, I will listen," he says. "I would say your timing was impeccable, had you come but a day earlier!"
Salvador meets the man's eyes coolly as mutters fill the tent. "I go where my Emperor commands, Your Grace, when my Emperor commands," he says. "My mission was not to reinforce you, as you and your army were trusted to see to the Empire's needs here."
More murmurs fill the tent for a few seconds before Wellingford waves his hand at the crowd, a grim look crossing his face. "You do speak truth, Lord Blade," he says grudgingly. "What quest has our Emperor sent you here to complete?"
Nodding, Salvador softens his stance a touch. Anger has not clouded the duke's mind such that he forgets who he speaks to. "My mission is to seek out the dragon known as Ryza Levinheart, on the express orders of Emperor Theodore," he says. He briefly considers using the proper term for the young mage, but decides against it. Even without the events of last night, he doubts these soldiers would care what the girl called herself. ??? DC 15 +5-5=15 (17, 15, 4)
Surprisingly, the response to Salvador's declaration was… somewhat mixed. He'd expected the scoffs, snarls, glares and hisses of anger that made up the majority's reaction. What he didn't expect was the small number of murmurs and awkward glances. The Wyvern Lord especially notices one of the younger men, the winged helmet of a wyvern rider under one arm and a mop of silky golden hair, frowning thoughtfully as his hand traces towards a pouch at his side, one that has a corner of parchment sticking out of it.
Most of the Blade of the Emperor's attention, however, remains on Wellingford as his frown shifts into a cold smirk. "Well, if you hunt dragons, Lord Blade," he says. "You've come to the right place. While we do not have the mobile forces to carry out full reconnaissance in the face of enemy counter-reconnaissance, the beast likely returned to the rebel camp across the border, or perhaps to Castle Starhelm." He grits his teeth. "Would that we could assist you in your mission, but this army is not in position to launch an immediate offensive."
Salvador waves a hand. "That should not be necessary," he says. "And from what I have seen and heard, it seems to me that this army would do best in falling back and leaving the Meridiem force to take the fore, while it remains an army in truth rather than just in name."
That draws an immediate outburst. So many voices start shouting that Salvador could not even begin to follow them all. Thankfully, he does not have to. The Fell Slayer roars in his hand, fire swirling around his body and causing the nearest men to instinctively stumble away from him.
"I am the Blade of the Emperor," Salvador says, his voice like thunder as he draws upon the power held in the sword, and through it the will of every man and woman who'd carried it before him in service to the line of Wyrmblood. "I bear Emperor Theodore the Third's Sword and speak with his Voice. You. Will. Listen." He waits several long seconds for the echos to die down, before letting the fires of the First Emperor's Sword fade away in turn. "I have seen many armies over my long service to the Empire and the Emperor. Few have taken as devastating a blow as this one has and remained cohesive. The fact that this force did not shatter into a dozen roving bands of hungry survivors is a complement to the skill and discipline of every person in this tent, as well as the soldiers serving outside." Best to throw them some bone to keep them from rioting. "But to try and force an army this damaged into battle is not bravery, it is foolishness."
The duke stands, stalking down from his throne and moving to loom over Salvador, the Elysian Seal mounted on his right pauldron blazing with its master's emotions. "My orders as a General of the Empire, from both Grandmaster Gunther and Regent Justinian themselves, are to prepare this army to strike against the rebel states as well as their hidden masters, to avenge our Emperor," he says icily.
"That is true," Salvador says, not intimidated by the other man's greater size. He is the Blade of the Emperor. He will not be pushed around, not even by a Duke. He has only one master. "But as Blade of the Empire, I am permitted to wield the Emperor's role as Supreme Commander of all the Empire's Armies in his stead, and I am old and experienced enough to know when I need to invoke that authority! Thus, I am rescinding that order. Events have changed, and we do not have the time or manpower to send a message back to the Council asking for clarification." The duke's eyes narrow further, but Salvador meets the bigger man's gaze firmly. "By accepting the title of Duke-General and taking command of an Imperial Army rather than just your own forces, you accept oversight. I will not allow you to sacrifice this army and the soldiers in it on the pyre of pride, no matter what Grandmaster Gunther's said."
The two Wyvern Lords stare each other down for several long seconds before the duke makes a chopping gesture. "Leave us, all of you," he growls. Out of the corner of his eyes, Salvador sees some of the nobles looking between their duke and himself. The Blade nods, it is a fair request, and even if it wasn't, having this sort of argument in front of an audience would be bad for the already shaky morale of this army.
The two men hold each other's gaze as the various hangers-on shuffle out of the tent. Just as Salvador thinks they've all left, Wellingford looked over his shoulder, his simmering anger momentarily dulling to mere frustration. "Leave, Godric."
Glancing back, Salvador realizes that the young blonde wyvern rider he'd spotted was standing just inside the tent, hesitating. "Father, please…" the young man starts to say, only to trail off as his father makes another sharp gesture. "Yes, Your Grace," the young man finishes stiffly, stepping out of the tent and letting the flap close behind him.
Wellingford sighs. "Precocious heirs are a blessing and a curse," he grumbles as he walks to a table along the side of the tent and pours himself a goblet of wine before offering another goblet towards Salvador. "I know there won't be an indolent upon my throne when I'm gone, so long as the boy can survive that long." The Blade accepts the goblet and allows the duke to pour him some wine as well, giving a small toast. Not only is his throat dry from his long flight, but best to try and form some sort of rapport with the man he was currently forcing to make a smart but unpopular decision. He even lets the fire fade from the Fell Slayer's blade and puts the weapon back in its sheath. Grandstanding is expected for crowds, but for one man it's simply gauche.
Unless it turns out to be necessary.
After a few seconds of the two Wyvern Lords simply drinking in silence, the duke finally sighs. "I know what you're going to say," he says. "And damnit, I know you're right, Lord Blade. But my people are angry. They just watched their friends and comrades slaughtered by a nightmare of our darkest legend, aided by fools and rebels who either are too stupid to recognize the horror they treat with, so mad as not to care, or both. A retribution of blood is demanded."
"I understand your anger and your pain, Duke Wellingford," Salvador says quietly, thinking back to that night upon the highest tower of Wyrmrise. "Truly, I do. But this is not just your army, but your people."
"Ay, that's the rub, isn't it?" Wellingford says. "As a General of the Empire, my duty is to prosecute the Empire's wars, to defeat her enemies, and to bring her glory and victory. As Duke, my duty is to protect my people. However, how can I claim to protect them if I let that monster lurk across the border, mocking us as it revels in the suffering it inflicted?"
Frowning slightly, Salvador sets down the glass. "Emperor Theodore has given me orders to deal with Ryza Levinheart," he says. "For now, your focus should be your role as Duke. Void, even as General, preserving this army is of vital importance. A routed army can recover and seize victory at a later date. An annihilated army cannot."
The other man gives him a strange look out of the corner of his eye and is silent for several long seconds. Finally, however, he lets out another grumbling sigh. "If you have made your decision, Lord Blade, then it is will will be," he says. "I can either agree, or argue and force you to overrule me, as is your legal right in this case. Neither option is palatable to me, you understand that, don't you?" Salvador nods silently. "But… I suppose in the end, one is slightly more palatable. Very well, we shall fall back to my castle for now. While there are not enough surplus supplies for offensive maneuvers, at least we won't starve while we reconstitute." He growls. "It will take some time, but the army of the Northlands will have our revenge."
"Do not rush," Salvador says firmly. "The Meridiem army will be able to hold the line. Focus on your army's recovery, I'd rather there be two Imperial armies in six weeks than one and a rabble of hungry, thirsty, weaponless soldiers in one." Wellingford narrows his eyes, but nods. "Thank you, your Grace."
"Thank me by bringing me that damn dragon's head, Lord Blade" the duke says as he pours himself another cup of wine. "I'm sure you'll have to cart it off to Wyrmrise afterwards to be properly displayed, but I want a chance to spit on it first." He drains the liquid, giving Salvador a chance to grimace. He'd expected anger and aggression, but this level of hate… while understandable, it will make things potentially more complicated going forwards.
Thankfully, he's able to smooth his face back to neutral before Wellingford looks back at him. "So, what can I do to help your quest?" he asks in a faux cheerful voice. "I would offer to fly on your wing, as Lord Mycelus did for the First Emperor, but I'll need to stay to keep the army together. Besides, with the Whitewings having stolen the Galeforce, it just wouldn't be the same image."
Salvador nods. "I will need to touch base with the Meridiem army to let them know they will need to stand down from their posturing towards the Divine Realm and move to guard against the Kingdoms," he says. "So I will be able to get the food Ignition needs there. However, a better map of the local terrain will be useful, so next time I am not arriving a day late, as you say."
The duke lets out a bark of grim laughter. "Very well," he says. "Speak to whoever escorted you over, they'll get you what you need." Salvador inclines his head, and after a moment Wellingford does the same. "Just… just promise me that monster dies, Lord Blade."
Picking his words carefully, Salvador speaks. "Nothing can ever be guaranteed in war, but if my Emperor's plan succeeds, there will be no further threat of draconic attacks." With that, he turns and leaves the tent.
As he steps out, standing aside to let the mass of nobles and lieutenants pour back in to continue their knock-down brawl of a meeting, he's surprise when the Duke's son approaches him. "Is there anything that the Northlands Duchy can do to aid your mission, my lord Blade?" the boy asks formally.
Salvador considers for a long moment before nodding. "Your lord father promised me a map," he says. "So that I will be able to find my way more swiftly around the Northlands. You wouldn't happen to know where one is, would you?"
Godric immediately nods. "I do, Lord Blade," he says. "By your leave?"
"If it is acceptable to you, I would walk with you, young lord," Salvador says. "I do have some questions about the happenings up here, ones that will help me on my mission." The younger rider frowns, but nods. "Excellent." Resisting the urge to hurry the boy along before anyone can interfere, Salvador walks with him as they head away from the central tent and deeper into the maze of living spaces.
As they march, Salvador considers how to bring his question up before deciding to probe the air current again to make sure he hadn't misread the young man. "You remember what my mission is, do you not?" he asks.
Once again, there is a slight hesitation on Godric's part. "You're here to… hunt the dragon that attacked us, aren't you?" he asks, an edge to his voice. Not of anger, not his father's rage or hate. More… concern? Confusion, but not at Salvador's mission.
More at his own reaction to it.
"In a manner of speaking," Salvador says. "It strikes me, however, that you have seen more of her than I. What are your thoughts on the dragon?"
The boy cocks his head as he looks at Salvador. "Lord Blade?" he asks. "Surely Father would be a better person to ask? I wasn't present for most of the battle, having been leading the southern anti-raiding cordon until I heard the sounds of trouble and came to investigate." He grimaces. "Not that I would have been able to help much, seeing what happened to the other wyvern riders…"
"Perhaps he would be," Salvador says. "But he is busy now, and you are here." Godric hesitates, glancing around with an air of nerves, causing the Emperor's blade to lower his voice slightly. "There is no answer I am looking for save the truth, and that truth will not be used against you. I do, however, expect an answer." The boy has to learn to keep his emotions from hobbling him, especially so obviously.
Finally, the young wyvern rider looks up at Salvador. "I… I just can't help but think if she wanted to do more damage, she could have," he says quietly. "I know everyone's angry and scared right now, and Father and most of the other leaders lose no opportunity to remind everyone of the amount of damage she did and how many people died in this whole spirits-dammed mess… but honestly, she could have done so much worse."
Salvador nods. "You refer to her as her," he says. "Why?"
The boy's hand flashes to his pouch again. "Ah, y-you did…" he says weakly. Salvador just gives him a dry look, causing Godric to wilt. He also has to learn to either not lie or become a better liar. Probably both. "Sorry, my lord Blade," he says. "Just… please, please don't tell my father."
"So long as they are not a danger to anyone, I give my word to keep your secrets," Salvador says.
Nodding, Godric still takes a moment to continue. "Well, when I was younger, I squired in the Heartland, not far from the Marble Hall," he says. "While I was there, my mentor would sometimes visit the Hall on business, and he brought me along. And… well, there's this girl…"
Despite the seriousness of the situation, it took some effort for Salvador not to smile. How many of the most memorable and amusing stories, even some from his own youth, started with those words? "A mage?" he asks.
"Yes," Godric says. "I never told Father about her because I know he'd never approve. She's too soft for him, not of an equivalent station to myself… a Revisionist." He smiles weakly. "Still… we do share letters, and she recently sent met a functional novel about Ryza! The mana- dragon…"
"I know the term," Salvador says. "So, I'm assuming you know some of the things Ryza says about herself, but you've also seen what she's capable of. Your thoughts?"
Godric hummed thoughtfully. "I mean… she's an enemy, or at least working with them," he says. "And Emblem is she destructive when she puts her mind to it… but at the same time, that just reinforces how much worse she could have been. If nothing else, she's a whole lot smarter than the old stories would have us believe." He shrugs weakly. "But I wasn't here for the fight. I wasn't in the thick of it. People who were… they're scared. Maybe eventually some of them will be able to think about last night logically… but that's going to take time, even with the fact that she shouted at everyone to go away."
Cocking his head, Salvador's frown deepens. "What?"
"Right as she was leaving, she turned and yelled at us. She ordered us to all go away, said something about them wanting to live free and not be invaded or have their children attacked or something like that. A few people I saw seemed like they were listening, but mostly everyone was still running around like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to put out fires." As Salvador ponders that revelation, Godric looks at Salvador. "My lord Blade… Are… are you going to kill her?"
After a few seconds, the Wyvern Lord spoke. "If that is the only way to protect my lord and the Empire… then I will do what I must." The Fell Slayer at his hip seemed to flare with his words. The younger wyvern rider nods slowly and does not press further.
As the pair continues to walk in silence, Salvador wishes that he had a clearer idea of what exactly to do next. He's read the Revisionists' stories… but all around him, he can see and smell the smoke and fire of her wrath. Ryza had clearly picked a side in this war, and that side was against the Empire. However, she was also claiming the moral high ground of the defender, which could either be true or a way of trying to manipulate opinion…
The more Salvador learned about Ryza, the more strange this whole situation became. She was clearly intelligent, which not only flew in the face of most of the old stories about dragons but also meant that it was possible her motives and maneuvers could be predicted. She surely recognized that the Empire represents a clear and present threat to her, thus it only makes sense that she would try to find allies to protect herself. Her actions were reasonable, logical… and thus, it was possible that she could be reasoned with. Convinced that standing down would be safer for her, that she could lean on the protections of a mage of the Marble Hall to act as a shield.
As Godric gave him a detailed map (drawn by his own hand, apparently), Salvador made up his mind. His Emperor's mission could still be accomplished, despite this… snag that Ryza had thrown into his path. It would take some time to go to the Meridiem army and bring them up to speed to make sure they didn't start another war.
Lifting off, the Blade of the Emperor cannot help but wonder what the manakete was plotting now, what thoughts and schemes danced through her millennium-old mind…
You grumble slightly as you wake up to feel Actaeon still shifting beneath you as he walks. If Artemis wasn't holding you, you'd probably fall off!
After de-transforming last night, you'd nearly fallen to your knees, panting. Not since your Awakening had you spent so long in dragon form, and that had been different. This had been nearly non-stop fighting from start to finish! Could anyone really blame you for falling asleep just as soon as you'd managed to clamber up in front of Artemis so you didn't get left behind!?
"'rewebckyt?" you ask as you push your hood out of your eyes, looking up at Artemis and blinking against the early-morning sun as it glares at you far more brightly than it has any right to.
"Almost," your friend says. "We should reach the camp in another twenty or so minutes." She frowns worriedly as she looks down on you. "Are you alright? That… seemed like it was hard on you."
You consider your answer as you lean back against her. "I think so," you say. "Just tired. I don't do well when I don't get enough sleep."
A faint giggle from next to you causes you to turn to see Belle seemed to have managed to convince Lancel to let her ride with him. "Well, hopefully you'll be able to take a nice long nap when we get to the camp," she says, pressing herself against the yeoman's back (and was it just a weird light, or did he flush slightly)? Looking the other way, you spot Axton and Kelton, and all around you you can hear the sounds of the moving Kingdom army.
"Did everyone make it out alright?" you ask.
"There were casualties and wounded," Artemis says. "But thanks to your efforts, far fewer than there would have been if we'd tried to do a comparable amount of damage without your help." She ruffles your hair. "Don't worry, Belle is right. Even though we won, we'll still have to take some time to rest and recuperate ourselves. That means that you'll have a few days at least to recover, maybe more."
As you settle back into Artemis's embrace as she continues riding with the victorious army back towards the camp, you allow yourself to consider what you'll do with your few days at least of relative free time.
What do you do (choose 3, please vote by plan).
[] Just rest and recover. That was a stressful night, and you want to make sure you're fully prepared for anything that might come up.
[] Spend some time reading The Dragon Within and getting to know your dragon-self better. While this long-term transformation went relatively well, perhaps you can learn more to make next time go better.
[] Spend some time with your various friends, making sure everyone's okay. (Choose 2)
-[] Artemis and Phoebe
-[] Kelton and Belle
-[] Axton and Lancel
-[] Angela and the Whitewings
-[] Melissa and Sister Selinda
-[] Elena
-[] Lord Alejandro
-[] Princess Alina
[] Write some letters to some of your other friends who aren't around, letting them know what's going on. You have no idea how you'd get them delivered, especially some of the people who come to mind, but maybe something could be sorted out? Even if it can't, just writing them might give you some insight. (Choose 2)
-[] Archduke Letoro and Dione Cartese
-[] Countess Mantrae and Sypha
-[] James and Siri
-[] Archmage Stormspeaker (difficult to deliver)
-[] Lacroix Skyfire (very difficult to deliver)
[] Spend some time with the people you don't know as well: Count Sobieski and Sir Rimpler, as well as more ordinary soldiers. Maybe you'll just soothe nerves that might be fraying slightly at some of your more over-the-top acts, and maybe you'll even meet new friends!
[] Spend some time studying magic. You won't have the time to schedule out what exactly to practice, but you'll pick up something useful.
-[] Continue learning Yellow Magic
-[] Continue learning White Magic
-[] Continue learning Red Magic
-[] Continue studying Runewrighting.
-[] Begin learning Green Magic
-[] Begin learning Black Magic
-[] Begin practicing rituals for the colors of magic you know (Yellow, White and Red.)
[] Spend some time learning about the culture/history of the Northern Kingdoms and Divine Realm, since you might be here a while.
[] Write-in (Subject to Veto)
AN: This is probably the strangest mainline chapter I've written since it's the only one where there's more of other characters POV than Ryza. I'd originally meant it to be more even, but most of Ryza and the Agrithian's side of the aftermath will come from the vote so I suppose it makes sense.
[X] Rest and Recover
-[X] Just rest and recover. That was a stressful night, and you want to make sure you're fully prepared for anything that might come up.
-[X] Spend some time with your various friends, making sure everyone's okay. (Choose 2)
--[X] Artemis and Phoebe
--[X] Melissa and Sister Selinda
-[X] Spend some time reading The Dragon Within and getting to know your dragon-self better. While this long-term transformation went relatively well, perhaps you can learn more to make next time go better.
"Your commitment to your wellness is part of the revolution."
-Sub-Marshal Danielle to Sky-Marshal Victoria
Far sooner than you would have liked, the column of returning soldiers reaches the camp. All around you, you can hear welcoming cheers as those men and women who'd stayed behind greet their comrades, congratulating them on a great victory, asking for stories, and generally celebrating. You're sure there are some sad moments, people who are finding out that their friends aren't coming back, but on the whole everyone's in a pretty good mood.
You'd think that the people who'd participated in the raid, yourself included, would all be bundled off to bed while those who'd stayed keep you all safe. After all, you'd spent the last day and night awake! However, for reasons best known to the human brain, Artemis, once she's seen to Actaeon, begins making her way towards the command tent, along with the other nobles and leaders, for a meeting.
Meetings are good. Meetings are essential. Meetings should be held when everyone's awake!
Still, Artemis is your friend, and if there's going to be talk about what to do next you should probably be present for that… even if you are feeling a little grouchy as Dragon-You's irritation at being kept up flickers throughout your being. Therefore, you sigh and begin trudging after her.
However, your friend looks back with a small frown. "Ryza, you know you don't always have to join these things," she says. "You worked harder than anyone else last night with the possible exception of Dame Angela and her flight. Nobody'd think less of you if you were to go and rest, especially since you're going to have to find where your tent was put up. It should be near mine in the Agrithian section, but if someone forgot you can just use mine." She grimaces. "I have the feeling this is going to drag on a bit."
You hesitate, but you are really tired… "Alright," you say, letting your other self make the decision, in this case it's probably the right one. "Thank you. Sorry I'm too tired to help."
Artemis smiles. "As good a friend you are, Ryza, I did survive seventeen years before I met you, some of which involved dealing with a bunch of men trying to claim credit for things." She reaches out and pulls you into a one-armed hug. " Get some rest, Ryza, and don't worry. I won't let them either gloss over your contributions or volunteer you for anything."
"Okay," you say. "Thank you."
Your friend ruffles your hair. "You've given so much already," she says. "What good is victory if it breaks the ones who win it?"
It takes a while to find your way to Artemis's tent, with most of the soldiers being busy celebrating. Thankfully, Belle and Kelton remain with you, and they're able to help you see over the crowd without you having to use your tired wings. Thankfully, it seemed that whoever had been organizing things while you and Artemis had been in the Divine Realm had remembered to leave space for you and your friends, and so you were able to crawl in and lay down on the warm mat. You'll pay for this later with a messed-up sleep schedule, but for the moment you need sleep.
As you pull the blanket Mother had left for you over your head, you find your mind drifting back to those many frantic minutes of dragon-form flying and fighting. You remember the looks of horror, the screams of fear, the smell of blood…
'…We did the right thing, didn't we?' Dragon-you asks, picking up on your flickers of distress and taking them into herself, her Determination having long since been spent.
Quickly, you wrap yourself in her and her in yourself. Of course you had, you think logically. All evidence points towards some nefarious force in the Empire driving it to try and take over everyone else by force, no matter what the normal people thought. You're just protecting the people you care about, the people who would fight whether or not you did.
Your thoughts spin for a few more moments before both halves of yourself come to concordance. You know that you are doing what you have to, even if it's not what you want to.
However, you also decide that you do not want to go to war tomorrow.
That's fine, you think as you curl up into a ball under the blanket and let your tired body fall asleep. After all, Artemis had said that there would be time to rest. Unless something absolutely crazy happened, tomorrow, you would just… rest. Regather yourself, recover, maybe do some reading. Just… be Ryza for a day. Not Mistress Levinheart or the dragon fighting for Agrithe, just Ryza.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kelton asks as you finish packing your scrolls into your bag, along with some food and water. "I mean, just because we punched the Imps in the face pretty hard last night doesn't mean the war's over, right?"
You nod. "I know," you say. "But you heard Artemis's announcement to the rest of the Agrithains, we're all getting a rest day, I don't see why that doesn't apply to me."
Belle looks up from where she's tenderly polishing her new sword (you're starting to think she loves that thing a little too much…). "I don't think he's saying that, boss," she says. "I think he's just a bit worried that you're going to be out of camp by yourself. You are small, squishy, and just painted a really big target on yourself last night. I wouldn't put it past the Empire to try and pull some crazy stunt."
Sighing, you fold your arms. "I understand that you're worried about me," you say. "And I appreciate it! Really, I do! But… but I just want to have a bit of time to rest and think on my own." Your friends glance at each other. "Which doesn't mean I don't like you or don't want to be around you or anything!" you continue hurriedly, a flicker of worry fanning within your other self before you can fully channel it away.. "It's just… sometimes, when I was little, I would just want some quiet time, and I'm feeling that feeling again."
"I mean, I guess," Kelton says. "But you could stay and rest in camp-"
You raise an eyebrow before gesturing around. "Kelton, do you really think I'm going to get any rest here?"
The soldier grimaces, nodding in understanding. You'd slept through the morning and most of the afternoon, but even as the day wears on and evening approached, the sounds of shouts, horses, armor, hammers, bowstrings, more shouts, and any number of other things fill the air. Almost constantly, groups of riders cycle through the camp from the scouting and poking they were doing towards the Imperials (not nearly as many as before, from what you've heard these are just the backup horsemen who didn't take part in the raid trying to keep the pressure on). Even after all you've done getting used to being around large numbers of humans, you don't understand how anyone could find this sort of thing relaxing.
"I promise, I'll be careful," you continue, pointing. "I'm going to go to that grove of trees near that stream over there, back to the east. It's away from the Empire, so I doubt anyone'd go poking there. I'll also take a careful look around to make sure there's no trouble before I settle down."
"…alright," Kelton says, patting you on the head. "Alright, we'll let Lady Cartese know where you're going in case something comes up, but hopefully we did enough damage last night that the Imps won't be able to try anything."
Nodding, you close your bag and heft it onto your back, feeling a bit pleased with yourself that it's not as hard as it was when you first started carrying it around. "I hope so too," you say. "I hope they take what I said to heart and just go away so this can all be over."
From the way your friends glance at each other again, you're pretty sure neither of them think that's going to happen. However, they're kind enough not to say so, not when you're just about to go take a break! They do walk with you as you make your way to the edge of the camp. You could have flown all the way, but that would draw attention and right now you honestly don't want a lot of that. You'll have to fly eventually, but by that time everyone will be behind you so it'll be easier to ignore the staring. You do hear some shouts and cries as you finally lift off and make your way towards the hopefully private spot, but since none of them are people you know, you are able to pretend you don't, and you soon leave the camp far behind you.
After a few minutes of flying, including a few circles around the grove to make sure that nobody's already there, you settle down in the middle, tipping your head back and taking a long, slow breath. It's quiet here, more quiet than anyplace you've been since you left Agrithe to come north. You know what you're doing is important, but it is nice to let your ears rest for a while.
Walking to the stream, you find a big, dry rock to put your bag on before taking your boots and socks off and dipping your feet into the cold water. Leaning back against the rock, you sit quietly, letting the flow of the stream slide against your feet and calves, washing away the ache.
'This is nice,' your dragon says. 'We should do this more often.'
'We should,' you agree, looking at a nearby tree. It's different from the ones you'd grown up around, with much bigger leaves than the small green needles of the mountain trees around your home. You've seen others like it, but you take the time to be quietly amazed at the sheer variety of different things that live in this world. Once this stupid war is over, you should take some time to just look around the continent. You'd never really had much wanderlust as a child, but after what you've already seen, what other wonders might you find? Of course, this would be after you did some work on helping humans use magic without dragonstones, looked for other manakete survivors-
Your other self tries to pull away from the coils of melancholy that start leaking into your thoughts as you remember all the things you need to do. 'No. No being sad or thinking about hard things right now,' she says. You nod, channeling your emotions to calmer thoughts. That tree looks really nice, and it has those odd nicks by some of its branches…
A memory drifts through your mind, and you allow yourself to sink into it.
…
"Mother, I'm tired!"
Your mother turns to look at you from where she's standing further down the path, her long gold hair flowing like a cape in the wind along the slopes below Kepesk-Okar. "That's alright, sweetie," she calls. "Come on, we'll rest here."
But she's so far, your forty-five year old mind thinks desperately. However, you don't want to disappoint her, so you force your aching feet to keep going, finally reaching the big rock she'd sat down on twenty or so of her paces ahead of you, even though it feels like miles and miles to you. "Why do we have to walk so far?" you whine as you first try to clamber up onto the rock next to her, before finally giving up and spreading your wings to flutter onto it. Your wings are tired too, having hovered some of the way down to try and make your feet hurt less.
Mother wraps an arm around you to pull you close. "Because despite what your father sometimes thinks, there is more to the world than just scrolls and tablets," she says teasingly, leaning down to kiss your forehead. "And I want you to be able to see it for yourself."
You puff up your cheeks. "But couldn't Dragon-You just fly me?" you ask.
"While all parts of me love spending time with you, my dearest child, that's excessive and you know it," Mother says. "Besides, you're getting to be a big girl now. You're growing up, which means that you don't need Father and I to carry you everywhere."
"But I'm tired…"
"And that's alright," Mother says. "Because you did make it here." Turning your head, she points you up towards the door, barely visible as a rough rectangle in the wall. "Look how far you walked."
Sighing, you point down the slope. "But there's so much further to go…" you say despondently.
Mother is silent for a few seconds before pointing. "Do you see that big tree, the one that's standing by itself a bit?" she asks. You nod. "When I was a little older than you, I followed my bigger cousins there. They liked climbing it, challenging each other to get to the top. It was much shorter then, but it was still pretty tall."
"But couldn't you just fly up?" you ask.
"None of us were Sky-Blessed, I think that comes from your father's side," Mother says. "But where was I? I wanted to play too, but it was hard for me to climb up. What Saph did was make a little mark on the highest branch I could get to each day, like this." Her hand glows with Red magic as she causes the stone you're sitting onto to develop a long, smooth groove. "That way, each time I got higher than that, I could tell that I was improving." She pulls you into her lap, her wings extending to wrap around you. "You got tired here today, and that's okay. Next time we take this walk, you'll be a little stronger, get a little further. That's how we grow."
Smiling, you lean back into her embrace, tilting your head so you can look up into her eyes. "Yes, Mother," you say.
…
Swallowing, you stand, drying your feet on some grass before putting your socks and boots back on. Then, you make your way to the marked tree, running your fingers along its bark. "Look how far we've gotten," you say to yourself. "We can't even see the door from here." Hopping up, you grab onto the lowest branch and begin pulling yourself up with arms and legs alone, though your wings remain open just in case you slip.
It's difficult, but eventually you find yourself sitting at the top of the tree, letting you look out over the plains of the north part of the continent. 'Go us!' Dragon you says as you add a scratch to the top branch, alongside several others. Someone must have been climbing this tree, probably some children from that village you see a mile or so further east. You wonder if anyone will notice that someone else climbed their tree and left their own mark on it.
'Yes, go us,' you think, taking a rest.
Several long minutes pass before you fly down to retrieve your bag. You'd proved your point already, no need to do it again. As you consider what scroll to read, your eyes fall on The Dragon Within. Your other side's first two outings had both gone well, but Mother always said that growth was something that should never really stop. It was up to you to work to always be more in tune with all parts of yourself.
Unrolling the scroll, you find where you'd left off.
The Path may be named after the Awakening, but that is not where it ends. While it is expected and encouraged for heart and dragon to spend time simply getting to know each other after an Awakening, eventually they will need to begin working to improve their communication and coordination, so that they can mature into solid, stable manakete wholes.
'I think we're doing really well!' your dragon says, picking up on a tiny flicker of irritation and spinning it into herself.
You nod. 'True, but we have had a few snags. Let's see what the elders have to say.'
While different manakete will find different ways to work with themselves, one of the most common next steps is the Twinning of Wills. While both heart and dragon are awake, at this point in a manakete's psychological development they remain separated by which body they use. Aside from a few difficult rituals discussed elsewhere in this scroll, the heart is completely in control of the Heart-Form, and the dragon fully in control of the Dragon-Form. This is good and helpful to ensure that there is structure and organization in our lives, but there will be times when one or the other will wish to directly interact with the world while the manakete's body is in the other's form.
'You know, you're right, they're really smart! I could do all sorts of good if I could be in charge sometimes without people getting scared because I'm bigger than they are!'
Rolling your eyes, you "bop" yourself. "If you keep interrupting, we won't get anywhere!" Dragon you simply coils with teasing interest as you keep reading.
Dragons tend to be more insistent on retaining control of their own bodies, especially since they have usually spent so long with so little time being able to be the one directing the body. Thus, the first step will likely be the heart's, to invite their dragon to stand in their soft soles and truly feel what it is like to be small.
Even as your other self huffs, heart-you thinks that statement over. It makes sense. How often had your dragon whined about how unfair it was that you got to be in charge most of the time? While it was necessary, since she does tend to act first without thinking about whether you've missed some human social cue (such as when she'd zapped that poor Imperial Kelton'd hurt who you could have saved…). You shake your head, no thoughts about the stupid war right now. You're busy trying to be a better Ryza. You keep reading.
By our nature, manakete call upon our dragon in times of stress and trouble. While the heart will remain in conscious control, the dragon serves to protect the shared psyche from fear, doubt and second-guessing in times when decisive action is needed. To allow the dragon to step into the shoes of the Heart-Form, one needs to practice deepening this instinctive connection. By the methods one has learned to reach for the dragon within, wrap yourself in them, allow them to shape your actions. It will take time, and care must be taken not to trigger an unstructured transformation that might bring about Draconic Feedback, but with practice, the next step on the Path will be taken.
Reaching the end of the section, you think over the scroll's words. In addition to the obvious benefit of letting your dragon interact with a bigger part of your life, so your friends can know all of you better, you're pretty sure that this act would allow your dragon to call upon the full weight of her power, at least for a little while. It probably wouldn't be safe to do it for long in a stressful situation like a fight, but if you wanted to, you could probably have nearly dragon-level magical strength in a heart-sized package…
That… could be very useful. In fact, it almost sounds like what you did when you were taking the practical portion of your test at the Marble Hall. Giving yourself entirely over to your dragon, letting her take the fore… and the results had been enough to stun even Blitzbolt into keeping his anti-manakete mouth shut! If your dragon had been Awakened at the time, would she have been able to speak directly? Move of her own will?
"Alright," you say. "Does this sound good to you?"
'YES!' Dragon-you thinks eagerly. 'Let's do it now right now!'
Laughing, you lean back. 'The scroll did say we'd need to practice,' you say. 'But yes, I think we should start working on this step.' Closing your eyes, you allow your wings and ears to lengthen as you dive into your draconic power, trying to push yourself deeper, to call upon her more fully, to focus…
It sort of works. You are able to pull your dragon closer, but in this peaceful place, you're not able to get nearly as deep as you feel you'd have to by the time you lose concentration and resurface.
That was okay. As Mother had said, it's okay to get tired, to make a little mark and say "I will do better next time."
(Twinning of Wills: 1/3 sessions completed.)
Night is starting to fall by the time you fly back to camp. You'd mostly focused on practicing the Twinning of Wills, but you'd also taken time to read other, lighter scrolls, as well as simply enjoy the peace and quiet. Tomorrow, you'll probably have things to do, but today's rest has done you a lot of good.
Landing, you begin making your way quietly through the camp on foot. You do still hear the whispers and feel eyes on you, especially since you're in the Vennlani portion of the camp. You haven't spent much time around this kingdom's group, since they didn't have the big cavalry contingent of Agrithe or Parves. From what you've figured out, they seem to be more focused on fortifications and siege-works, with several big ballistas mounted on towers sticking out of the makeshift wall around the Kingdoms camp.
No wonder Sir Rimpler's always talking about making defenses and fortifications, that's apparently what he's really good at!
As if summoned by your thoughts, you hear the knight's voice from ahead. A moment later, you hear Artemis responding to him. Turning, you begin making your way over, wondering what they're talking about.
You find the pair soon enough, standing off to one side of a main pathway as they talk to each other. You frown slightly as you see how tense Artemis's stance is, slowing your steps and closing your mouth before you call out to her.
"-still have my doubts," the man is saying, the feather in his big hat bouncing as he looks down at your smaller friend.
Artemis's eyes narrow. "Surely, after all she has done, Mistress Levinheart has more than proven herself as a friend of the Kingdoms?" she asks, her tone dangerously icy.
The older man doesn't seem cowed, however. "Perhaps, though I question why the dragon has wandered off, nowhere to be seen," he says. "Reliable soldiers are-"
"Manakete," Artemis snaps. "And Mistress Levinheart is not a knight of Agrithe, she is Head Mage, which as I would have thought you would know means that she's trusted and enjoys the right to flexibility and discretion." Your friend takes a step forwards into Sir Rimpler's space. "And even if she didn't, the war council decided that those forces that took part in the raid last night would take time to rest and reconstitute, while those that hadn't pull their weight."
You can't see Sir Rimpler's face, but from the way his shoulders go rigid, you get the feeling he does not appreciate that comment. "There is a place for heroic charges of unarmored horses and half-armored riders," he says. "But while casualties were surprisingly low, they did exist, and Dame Angela's report said that a pair of wyvern messengers was seen flying to the Meridiem army as the Northlanders began their withdrawal. When they arrive, they will be less susceptible to Agrithe's… preferred methods."
Okay, this is getting out of hand. Trying to hurry while not looking like you're hurrying, you make your way over, nodding to Phoebe as she spots you. "Hello," you say, pretending you hadn't overheard them arguing. Father and Mother had never liked it when you heard them fighting, after all.
"Ryza," Artemis says, softening her voice. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm well," you say. "Being in dragon form can be stressful, so it's important that I take time to rest to make sure we're both ready when we need to be. I was also practicing something interesting to do with my other half." You make sure not to look at Sir Rimpler as you say that, waiting for a few seconds before turning to look between him and your friend. "So, did anything interesting happen while I was gone?"
The man is silent for a moment before answering in a calm, even voice. "Scouts have determined that the Imperial army opposing us up until now is retreating," he says. "Though they do maintain a significant number of soldiers."
You nod. "Well, the more people they have, the more people they have to feed, right?" you say. "Which means it will be longer before they can come back." The man slowly nods. "Which means that, so long as we all work together, we won't have to worry about being outnumbered by the other Imperials when they arrive. Isn't that right?"
The two nobles glance at each other. "That's true," Artemis says. "We certainly won't have to fear the sort of attack we launched, with the fortifications that have been set up here."
Sir Rimpler's lip twitches, but he accepts the peace offering and nods. "They would have to get here, first," he says. "While they might have the heavy cavalry to punch through a cordon, it would be painful for them, and we'd have plenty of warning."
Forcing yourself not to smile, you nod. "Great! Well, I was going to head back to try and get some sleep," you say. "Tomorrow I'll probably go see if I can help the healers, it'll be good to practice my White magic a bit. You coming, Art- Lady Cartese?"
Artemis raises an eyebrow, but nods. "Yes, that sounds good," she says. "Most of our people have recovered, so if the Imperials haven't finished retreating by tomorrow we can see about picking off stragglers, remind them why they're running with their tails between their legs." She gives the Vennlani knight a nod. "Sir Rimpler."
"Lady Cartese," he replies, giving a small bow before turning to leave.
As you and Artemis head back towards your tents as well, Artemis sighs. "Thank you, Ryza," she says. "I was letting my temper get the better of me. Thank you for reminding me that, as much as we sometimes irritate each other, we are all on the same side right now."
You look up at Artemis, noticing the bags under her eyes. "Did you get any rest today?" you ask.
She sighs again. "Not as much as I probably should have," she says. "Spent most of the morning arguing with the rest of the leadership, where we alternated between congratulating each other, second guessing every single decision, and arguing whether we should march in force to try and finish the Imps off." Her eyes turn down. "Then I had to go through and look at how everyone was doing. We came off better than I'd hoped, thank you and the spirits, but there were still casualties, especially when we started to hit the enemy camp's wall. We won, and it was absolutely worth it, but it stung."
You cock your head. "Is there anything I can do?" you ask.
She shrugs. "I think you have the right idea to go check in with the healers tomorrow, relieve any of them that are getting tired, but for now things seem to be alright. I'll probably need to check in with the horse-"
Reaching out, you take her hand. "Do you need to do that?" you ask. "Or can someone else do it so you can get some rest?" When Artemis gives you a surprised look, you cling on more tightly. "I felt a lot better after I took a rest. You will too."
Your friend hesitates, but a soft cough from behind you draws both your eyes to Phoebe. "My lady, I think Mistress Levinheart has a point," she says. "We have had a long day, night and another day. You need sleep."
"But I'm in charge of these people!" Artemis says. "I can't-"
"My lady, we both know that Dame… that Selena would have dragged you back to your tent a long time ago if she'd been here," Phoebe says.
Artemis freezes for a long moment before slowly sighing and nodding. "She would have, wouldn't she?" she says softly. "Alright. Just give me a moment to give some directions, then I'll go take a rest. For her sake." You and Phoebe nod, falling in behind her as Artemis makes her way to a man you vaguely remember as one of Archduke Cartese's knights who acts as one of Artemis's aids. You don't understand most of the instructions she gives him, but he bows sharply.
"I will see it done, my lady," he says.
"I know you will," Artemis says. "If you have any issues, bring them to my attention immediately."
As she turns to head back towards the tents, you see Phoebe subtly shaking her head at the other man and gesturing to herself. He raises an eyebrow, but glances after Artemis before nodding and turning to carry out whatever job he'd been given.
Walking beside the two humans, a thought strikes you. "Artemis, Phoebe…" you say. "I… I've heard you mention Selena a lot. She's clearly important to you both. Would… could you tell me a bit about her?"
Artemis hesitates as she reaches her tent before nodding. "I suppose you've told us a lot about your parents, Ryza," she says. "So it's only fair. Phoebe-"
The cavalier nods. "I don't mind," she says. "Mistres-" You give her a Look. "Ryza is a friend to us both, and I'm sure Selena would have loved her. Eventually." She smiles sadly. "Besides, it has been… spirits, how long has it even been?" Taking the flap of the tent, she holds it for you and Artemis. "I'll just go grab something to drink for us all, since I get the feeling this will be a long talk. Then, after that, you get some sleep."
"Thank you," you say, crawling into the tent. It's mostly the same as the little one that you'd been given, just with a stand for Artemis's cloak and leather armor and another for her bow. You politely turn your back as Artemis slips out of her outfit and into a lighter tunic.
Once she's done, Artemis comes over and sits on the sleeping mat, running a brush through her long hair. "So, what do you want to know?" she asks.
You consider for a moment before shrugging. "Whatever you're willing to tell me," you say, sitting cross legged in front of her. "I heard from Robin that your father introduced you two. What happened with that?"
Artemis chuckles. "Well, if Robin was talking about my childhood, he would probably tell you I was a difficult daughter sometimes," she says. "Void, Father probably thinks I still am." She shakes her head. "Well, nobles will traditionally have a retainer or two, to act as a combination of trusted bodyguard and confident. Normally they choose their own, but since I was a child Father found someone for me."
Cocking your head, you frown. "I know he's busy, but why couldn't he or your mother look after you?" you ask. After all, Father and Mother had often been busy, but they'd always had time for you.
"I think you underestimate just how busy my father can get when he feels he has to," Artemis says. "There had just been a very nasty border war between Rignali and Legerius, one that Father was trying to mediate before Mantrae decided to ask for help from her family in the Empire, which would have been a disaster. That meant Father and Mother were often away, and when they were around they were having meetings." She shrugs. "Nowadays, I understand the importance of that, but I was a child, and not a precocious one like you. I did not take being shoved off well, so I shoved back."
Honestly, you can't imagine doing anything like that. You suppose that it could be that Artemis had been able to see so many other people, while Mother and Father had been your entire world, so any thought of sowing discord was out of the question. "So they thought Selena could help you?" you ask.
"Well, that and Father was still trying to convince me to take more interest in the knightly training he figured I'd need, so he thought having a cool woman knight around would help with that." She snickers. "Of course, that didn't work out the way he planned, but I suppose it did help Selena and I bond." She gestures you closer, and as you approach she starts brushing your hair. "I wasn't super fond of Selena at first. She was the daughter of one of my father's household knights, and while I could admit she was cool I was still being a brat about the whole thing. However, she convinced me to come with her to the training yard, and that's where I saw Robin. I decided then and there that I wanted to be an archer girl."
"And you worked out, didn't it," you say.
Artemis nods. "It did, thanks in part to Selena encouraging me. She would take me to the yard all the time, especially when Robin was around, and let me watch. I'm sure in part it's because she wanted me to be happy, she was such a kind woman who did like me even when I was being a pain, but also it did solidify her as someone I could trust in my little girl brain. Gave her something to build our relationship on."
You lean back into Artemis. "Well, I'm glad you had that," you say. "… If you don't mind, could you describe what she looked like?"
Your friend's brushing pauses for a second. "Sure," she says. "She'd be about… three, four inches taller than me, though part of that was her hair would absolutely never lie flat. She moaned about that all the time, how it was this bouncy bunch of brown curls that would become absolutely unmanageable if she tried to grow it out." She runs her finger through a knot in your hair. "She'd help me deal with my hair, but she always said how jealous she was that mine was nice and straight."
"She did that with me too," Phoebe says as she slips back in, two bottles and several cups in her hands. "Part of the reason why I never grew mine out much was because she would always get that sad, wistful look in her eyes when she saw me. Made me feel guilty, so I kept it in a short ponytail" Sitting down, she pours out a cup of the fruity drink you'd taken a liking to and hands it to you before pouring wine for herself and Artemis. "Why do you ask, Ryza?"
You shrug. "I don't know… it's just, whenever I hear about her, I almost feel like I've met her before, even if I know I haven't."
Artemis and Phoebe glance at each other. "Well, she was with me when I was going near your home, before… well, before," Artemis says. "You mentioned once that there was some sort of spirit there, one that let you see if I was worthy to wake you up. Maybe you were in her head for a while."
You suppose that's possible, though… "If that were the case, she probably would have," you say. "I mean, with how great she was, she probably would have been a good choice."
"Maybe, but she was super protective of me, and could be suspicious of strangers," Artemis says. "She might not have been the best choice, since I would have taken cues from her." Phoebe nods.
"Okay," you say. "That sounds kind of like Mother. She would have loved you eventually, but at first… but Father and I would have won her over in the end." The three of you sit in silence for a minute, simply drinking your respective beverages, before you look at Phoebe. "So how'd you meet her?"
Phoebe goes tense. before letting out a slow sigh. "That… is a complicated answer," she says.
Frowning, you reach out to pat her knee. "If you don't want to-"
She shakes her head. "No, no, it's fine," she says. "Well, my father was one of the Archduke's barons," she says. "He… well, let's just say, knowing what I do now, he was not a very good noble. I actually first met Selena when she was investigating him on behalf of the Archduke, but I didn't know that at the time. All I saw was this calm, confident woman, a member of the Archduke's household. I was just a little enamored, following her around the castle like a lost puppy."
"Were you there, Artemis?" you ask.
She shakes her head. "No. I'd got pretty badly ill at the time, and so I was stuck in bed for this whole adventure." She grimaces. "Ironic, I suppose, knowing what comes later." Phoebe flinches, causing your friend to bite back a word at herself and reach out. "Sorry, Phoebe. I shouldn't have said that."
"No, it's fine, my lady," Phoebe says. "Well, one thing led to another, and I ended up catching her eye. In the end, I had the choice between doing the right thing and the easy thing, and while it took me longer than it should have I ended up choosing the right thing. Of course, that meant that suddenly I didn't have a home anymore, but Selena took me in. I became her squire not long after, once she vouched for me." She takes a long drink from her cup before pouring herself another helping.
Shifting out of Artemis's lap, you move over to Phoebe and wrap your arms around her. "I'm sorry," you say.
She jerks before returning your hug. "No, no, it's not you," she says. "Just… just thinking." you nod, the weight of your father's stone in your pocket reminding you of exactly how those thoughts feel. "I… I want to thank you," she says. "Thank you for being such a good friend to Lady Artemis. For… well, please don't take this the wrong way, but you kind of remind me of Selena, because you're super nice, but also super dangerous when you need to be."
"Thanks… I think."
Artemis and Phoebe laugh, and after a moment you join in. "It was a complement," Artemis says. "So, what else do you want to know?"
You don't know how long you, Artemis and Phoebe talk. Not just about Selena, but about your lives, your hopes, and anything else that comes to mind.
It's nice to just be a girl having girl talk time with your friends.
Support Rank: C with Phoebe.
Support rank B Artemis and Phoebe.
The next day finds you making your way over to the healer's area of the camp, still feeling content. You'd left Artemis to get some sleep, and from the lack of being woken up during the night it seems that things are still going fairly well. Even the faint whiffs of blood and sickness from your destination don't deter you. It's unpleasant, but it's something you can help with.
"Mistress Levinheart!"
Turning, you see an exhausted but pleased-looking Melissa making her way towards you, leaning slightly on her staff. "Hi," you say, hurrying over to her. "Are you alright? Did you stay up all night?"
The Realmer girl shakes her head. "Not the whole night, no," she says. "But there were plenty of wounded, so Selinda and I were pretty busy helping everyone. She's really cool, thanks for leaving me with her. It worked out great!"
You nod, it's good that they got along. You still feel a little guilty about dumping your task on the Sister with such short notice, but by the sound of it things went well. "Great," you say, looking around. "I was coming by to see if you all needed any help over here."
"I mean, if you want, we can always use more healers," Melissa says, turning and leading you deeper into the infirmary area. "Honestly, most of what we do is deal with accidents and illnesses, you would not believe how many people get sick! It's almost as if nobody's heard that they should wash their hands upstream of where the waste is disposed of!" She shakes her head. "That's why the Divine Realm puts such an emphasis on education; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as Sun Father Hippeus said."
That makes sense. Mother had always told you to wash your hands too. "Well, I'll do what I can to help," you say, lighting up your hand with White magic. "Though I haven't done all the research on disease-curing magic. I can keep myself healthy, or at least I've been able to so far, but doing it for someone else is harder as I understand it."
Melissa grimaces. "Yeah, it is," she says. "Priests have theorized that the soul instinctively knows its own body, and so even relatively uncalculated healing can be used to cure illnesses in oneself, at least if they're minor. For someone else, or for a nastier disease or poison, then you need a Restore staff." She holds up her Heal staff. "I'm not really trained with those, but I can go around and make sure that the people who are suffering from illness keep their strength up so they don't die or get crippled. It's not glamorous, but it helps."
"That's good," you say. "Well, I'm here, so who needs help?"
You follow Melissa as she leads the way deeper into the infirmary area, pointing out three main sections that form a triangle that "points" deeper into the camp. The outer edge of the infirmary is split into two halves, with the right side being the emergency intake section. This is where wounded soldiers are brought, and it is the most open section so that healers can easily see where they are needed and rush towards the worst injuries. Proudly, Melissa declares that most soldiers who reach that section will survive.
However, some of those survivors will still need to rest and recover despite the healing magic, so they get transported deeper into the infirmary towards the main camp. This area is more closed off, with "wards" set up where groups of men (or groups of women) can look after each other without troubling the healers too much. There are a few central wash areas, but for the most part it just looks like another part of the camp, just a bit more quiet.
Where Malissa takes you, however, is the illness section. This part is a maze of curtains, with barrels of soapy water set up at seemingly every crossroads. Soldiers are kept as separate from each other as possible, in the hopes that they won't infect each other.
"This sort of healing and recovering system is the Divine Realm and Northern Kingdoms' greatest strength, the way we can keep a force in the field far longer and more safely than anyone else," Melissa says as the pair of you dip your hands in a barrel and scrub. "I've never seen them, but I've heard horror stories about Imperial medical malpractice, and honestly it's a sign of Sol Invictus's mercy that anyone survives their bungling! The way I hear it, they just shove everyone into one big section, no air-breaks, no wash stations, nothing but a bunch of overworked light mages and staff-users trying desperately to hold back the tide of illness!"
Before you can think of an answer to that, Sister Selinda's voice speaks up. "While their infirmaries are certainly far less organized and planned than ours, they are not so stupid or careless as that. They've stolen some of our ideas and systems, though to the best of my knowledge they have not determined exactly why we do as we do." As Melissa huffs, the older Solite gives you a nod. "Mistress Levinheart, it is good to see you again."
"You too," you say, checking on the first patient. The woman gives you a smile and a wave of her hand, she seems fine. "Thanks for keeping an eye on Melissa for me."
The pair glance at each other as the three of you walk onwards, continuing to check on patients. "It was my pleasure, Mistress Levinheart," Sister Selinda says. "Cadet Melissa was instrumental in the aftermath of the battle, to aid in saving as many of those wounded as could be brought to safety."
"But not as instrumental as you!" Melissa says cheerfully. "I heard all about how you were flying all over the place and smashing all the Imps!"
A flicker of pleasure at the praise makes you smile sadly, the memories of that night beginning to flicker through your mind as your other self thinks them over. "I just wanted to make sure it could be done with as little pain as possible," you say. "I do hope they take the hint and just go away."
"It's not impossible," Sister Selinda says as you enter a section and cast your Healing magic on a man who's clearly suffering from his illness, allowing him to let out a long breath as the pain leaves his eyes. She takes a moment to check in with him while Melissa gets a cool rag to clean his face. Once the man seems better off, the three of you move on. "After all, there has been conflict with the Empire before, and the free nations of the world have remained so because we've shown that we're strong enough to make victory painful, especially when we stand together." She frowns. "Though from what the soldiers have been saying, Imperial prisoners have said that they're fighting to avenge their Emperor Thaddeus, so it will be harder to convince them to stand down this time."
Melissa snorts. "I mean, from what I heard, Mistress Levinheart put the scare into them with her big shout. I could hear he-" she stops suddenly.
You freeze just as you were about to check on the next patient. Something about what she'd just said… and the fact that she stopped herself… It could be nothing, just her having a thought or not wanting to bother you with something, but your instincts prick.
-You vaguely noticed that two of the healers are sticking pretty close together while others fan out solo…-
A flicker memory rises from your dragon-self. It's... faint, difficult to focus on, since she was in charge when it was made, but you do remember that at the time she didn't care and you'd been so tired you hadn't noticed either, but now… Picking up on your worry, Dragon-You refocuses and brings the memory into sharper recall. It's still not perfect, you were far away, you were tired, it was night, but one of the figures had definitely been smaller than the other…
Slowly, you turn around to look at Melissa, who's grinning in the way that you'd seen her smile around her mother when she said something she shouldn't have. "Could hear what?" you ask softly.
"I heard the men talking about you," she says, still smiling. "Some of them were kind of scared, but they were all super complementary…"
You fold your arms, spreading your wings and lifting into the air until you're the same height as the Solar Knight. "Melissa."
The pair of you stare at each other for a moment before Sister Selinda cuts in. "I bear responsibility, Mistress Levinheart," she says. "I allowed her to come along. As per your wishes, I kept her safe; we remained far back from the front, well away from any danger."
Flinching, you drop back to the ground. "But I promised her mother she wouldn't leave the Kingdoms!" you say.
"I mean, I didn't really," Melissa says. "That border's always been super fuzzy, so depending on who exactly you ask-"
"That is sophistry, Cadet, and you know it," Selinda says. "She asked to be able to help more, and I made the call. We needed every healer we could get in the reserve. Enough were already being drawn to support the main attack, they would be exhausted, their staves drained, and might even need healing themselves by the time the fighting was over. There needed to be a quick triage group ready to care for the wounded, and every healer was needed."
You grit your teeth. Remembering what you saw, she's not wrong. Despite your best efforts, there were a lot of people who got hurt, even Artemis said so. However, it's still irritating, to have the clear instruction and request you made ignored! "I gave my word to Knight Corona Marina that I would keep you safe!" you say to Melissa, who flinches and looks down, finally looking guilty. "I promised!"
"I know, Mistress Levinheart," Melissa says, her voice smoothing out from its normal overly-cheerfulness into a steady, quiet strength. "I know you did… but I was in this infirmary while you were meeting with the nobles. I saw how the people were suffering, and that was just from skirmishes! I… I couldn't just stand back, taking two healers away when they were needed most!" Looking up, she straightens her shoulders and meets your gaze calmly. "I saved five lives, Mistress Levinheart," she says. "And Sister Selinda saved eight. And those are just those who would have died then and there, not counting others who might have lost limbs, been crippled in other ways, or simply died of complications later. I will understand if you have to report to Mother, but those lives… they're worth it to me."
What do you do?
[] You can't help but understand. For all her flightiness, Melissa clearly cares deeply about people, as does Sister Selinda. "I will not tell on you, so long as you swear to never, ever go behind my back again." You really hope Mother Marina never finds out about this, since she will be furious. However, this will mean that you'll be able to keep Melissa around for now, and she'll owe you a favor.
[] You gave your word. You promised Mother Marina you'd follow certain rules, and Melissa had broken those rules. You'll have to report to her what happened right away, which will almost certainly mean that Melissa won't be allowed to stay. However, from what you've seen of the woman, you're pretty sure that the Knight Corona will accept that you did your best, so she shouldn't be upset with you.
[X] You gave your word. You promised Mother Marina you'd follow certain rules, and Melissa had broken those rules. You'll have to report to her what happened right away, which will almost certainly mean that Melissa won't be allowed to stay. However, from what you've seen of the woman, you're pretty sure that the Knight Corona will accept that you did your best, so she shouldn't be upset with you.
"You have my word, and my word is my bond."
-Sir Kevin Avery
You force yourself not to grit your teeth as you stare at Melissa. You'd always considered yourself an honest girl at heart. Mother and Father had both taught you that lying was wrong, and even though you'd done it a few times since meeting Artemis and helping her and Agrithe with their problems, you'd never broken your word! True, it had technically been Melissa that'd done it, but she'd only had the opportunity because you'd taken your eyes off her!
"I know you want to help," you say, pushing aside the feelings of understanding that need. "But your mother wanted you to be safe, and she made me promise to keep you safe."
"I was!" the young Realmer says. "I was with Sister Selinda the whole time, and we were with the reserve force! There was never any danger!"
"But there could have been! And besides, I promised your mother that I'd look after you and that you'd stay in the Kingdoms! I promised!" you repeat.
Finally, Melissa flinches a little. "I-" she says. "I just wanted to help…"
The two of you stare in silence at each other for a few seconds before you sigh. "You know I'm going to have to tell your mother about this, right?" you say.
"Yeah…" Melissa sighs. "Don't worry, I'll back you up that it was my choice and you did everything you could to stop me." She looks around. "So, when will that be?"
You consider. "…Honestly, right now is probably the best time," you say, causing the girl to wilt a little. "It'll probably be a few days or weeks until the Empire can bring their other army near enough that I need to be around to help in case they try anything. I'll go check with Artemis, though, just in case." A small part of you hopes that she will have something that will force you to delay, because the part of your psyche focused around your dragonstone can't help but point out that Melissa's willingness and desire to help, consequences be tail-munched, is very dragon-like.
'But she doesn't have a heart to tell her when that's not the best idea,' you tell yourself as you excuse yourself from the infirmary. Melissa remains with Sister Selinda, clearly determined to do as much good as she can before having to face the music. It's honestly kind of inspiring… though it would be more-so if it hadn't led her to be so irritating to you!
Other-you "shrugs." 'We all have our challenges,' she thinks. 'Still, it's better to do something rather than sit around thinking all the time."
You sigh. 'True,' you acknowledge. 'But it's even better to accurately tell when and where the right time and place to act is. That's why we work together.'
'Finnnneeee…' Dragon-you thinks. '…Can we practice letting me be in charge of this body?'
You giggle as her emotions draw you away from your worry and frustrations with Melissa, earning odd looks from a few passing soldiers. 'You are obsessed with that,' you think.
'It's only fair! You've gotten to be in charge of my body a few times, it's only fair I get to be in charge of yours!'
'They're both our bodies,' you remind yourself. 'We're the same person.'
The other half of your mind pauses. '…Oh yeah…'
Thankfully, it doesn't take you long to find Artemis. She and Phoebe are just leaving yet another meeting with the rest of the nobles leading the army. You grimace, you hadn't even been told about this one. You hope you're not making a bad impression…
"Ryza," Artemis says, shifting to approach you once she notices your presence. "What's wrong? You seem tense."
You nod. "It's complicated," you say, letting your friend guide you into the shadow of a small side-tent so as to get out of the way of the rest of the milling nobles. A few of them glance in your direction, but nobody approaches, seeming to decide that Artemis can handle whatever you need. "So, you remember Melissa?"
Artemis nods along as you explain the situation, her eyes narrowing slightly. However, she doesn't speak until you're done and you ask if now would be a good time for you to go confess to Mother Marina that you weren't able to fulfill your promise to her. She starts to open her mouth, before glancing over your shoulder with a concerned expression. "What the…"
Turning, your eyes widen as you see Belle and Kelton walking towards you. That's all well and fine, but what's less fine is the red-stained cloth your soldier friend his holding to his head! Only the fact that both he and the thief have self-satisfied smirks on their faces prevents you from panicking!
"What happened!?" you yelp, White magic shining in your hand as you hurry over.
Kelton waves a hand. "Eh, it's nothing, I'm fine," he says. "Things just got a little intense over at the sparring circle," he says, only to hiss as you cast a Heal on his head anyways. Blinking, he pulls the cloth away, revealing an unmarred head but even more blood on the other side of the cloth. "Ended up taking on three guys at once." he continues. "They were talking some garbage about… well, I had to put them in their place."
"And I was betting that he'd win," Belle says, jangling a small bag of coins. "The other watchers didn't believe it, but I knew this lunk was too stubborn to give up."
You frown as you sweep your Heal spell up and down, finding another few bits of damage up and down Kelton's body. Nothing really serious, but enough that he was surely in some pain and would have been in a lot more if you hadn't done anything. "I know you both like winning," you say. "But we're among friends… well, allies at least, here. You don't need to go all out and get yourselves hurt!"
The two glance at each other for a second. "Eh, these were Parvei guys, so it's no big loss," Kelton says. "Besides, sometimes you can't let certain things be said without a response." You start to open your mouth to ask what he's talking about, but the soldier keeps speaking too quickly. "So, Belle was saying that she heard you saying something about leaving for a bit? Something come up?"
Making a mental note to poke more into this situation later, you summarize the key points of what Melissa had done quickly. As you finish, Belle raises an eyebrow. "No offense, boss, but I think you're overreacting," she says. "I mean, the girl was back at the rear, so she wasn't in any danger."
Frowning, you fold your arms and stare up at the bigger woman. "It's the principle of the matter!" you say. "I promised that I would keep her from wandering around, especially out of the Kingdoms! I trusted her and Sister Selinda to not do that while I was busy, and they didn't!"
Belle shrugs. "So the girl wasn't completely honest. Don't tell me you've never told any fibs in your life. She didn't go running off on any fool crusade, she stuck with the other healers and helped out. From what I've seen of her, I'd consider that a win."
"Nothing as big as that!" you say. True, when you'd been younger you'd sometimes said things that weren't true to your parents, but you'd mostly grown out of that by your sixties. Since then, you'd only lied or withheld information when you'd needed to in order to protect yourself or others as you wandered around the continent.
Kelton pats you on the head. "Of course not," he says. "But honestly, I'm with Belle on this one." The thief gives him a surprised look. "Yeah, yeah, it's bad that she didn't keep her word, but honestly I'm not sure my sister would have either in her position. Healers get like that, you know. Always having to charge around, patching everyone up and telling them off for getting hurt in the first place. I think it's something about light magic, since you'd done it yourself a bit when you started learning it, Ryza."
You frown thoughtfully. You do remember reading some stories about White manakete going out of their way to heal and protect others, most notably Solariana and her Union. You don't think you've mentally changed since you started learning White magic, you're still a Yellow manakete at heart. You just have more abilities to help people now, but maybe there is something in that mentality…
Before you figure out exactly how to respond, Artemis sighs. "I understand where you're both coming from, but this is bigger than just Cadet Melissa overstepping her bounds. In some ways, she's acting as a representative of the Divine Realm, and as much as I would wish that they would come and aid us in this war, they have not chosen to do so yet. Even more seriously, Ryza's acting as a representative of a species that has been vilified throughout human history, so she needs to put her best foot forward to the Divine Realm as well, to show them that she can be trusted." Both your friends frown at Artemis, causing her to roll her eyes. "It's unfair, I know, but the world we live in is not a fair one."
Belle grits her teeth a little, but nods. "Ain't that the truth…" she mutters. "So, do you think this is going to turn into a whole quest, or are you just going to drop Melissa off and come back?"
You shrug. "I don't plan for anything else," you say. "But if you and Kelton want to come along-"
Artemis shakes her head a little. "I wouldn't normally suggest this," she says. "But this would probably be something better handled quickly and quietly, and the more people go along, the slower it will be. We can probably peel off one of Dame Angela's Whitewings for a day or two, so that she can carry Melissa while you fly on your own. The other two, however, are helping our raiding groups to keep the Imps jumping as they retreat." Yeah, Sir Rimpler had mentioned that yesterday, hadn't he. "They're still organized enough that we haven't been able to do much, but best to keep reminding them of the body blow you dealt them. We want them to retreat far back into their own lands so that they're truly out of the fight."
"I guess that makes sense," you say. "Is there anything I can do to help once I get back?"
Your friend's lip curls for a second. "Count Sobieski was pushing for you to launch several demonstration attacks on nearby villages, to try and lure out the Duke so that we could jump him," she says. "But I talked him down from that. Not only do you need your rest, but you also made a point of telling them to leave, and now that they're doing so it's prudent for the peace that'll come after if you show yourself as some keeps her word." She sighs. "Besides, I don't want you to think you have to do things you truly morally oppose just because someone else asks you to."
"Thank you," you say. "So I'll go talk to Angela, see if she can spare someone, and take Melissa back home. I shouldn't be more than a day. Pegasi are very fast."
"True, but if you need to stay a little longer to mollify the Knight Corona, feel free," Artemis says. "I trust you. And if she gets upset with you, remember that you did your due diligence. You kept your eye on her daughter until you physically couldn't, and then found someone you should have been able to trust. Feel free to throw this Sister Selinda into the stampede if you have to to protect yourself."
It takes you a moment to figure out what Artemis means, but when you do you huff. "You don't have to put it like that," you say. "Her job is to heal as many people as possible, so I should have realized she'd want to be around to help in the aftermath of the battle. From there, Melissa convincing Sister Selinda to let her come along makes perfect sense."
Belle snorts. "See, this is why everyone tells you you're too nice," she says. "Sure, that all makes sense, but she still didn't do what you asked, and whatever my opinion on the matter, that's clearly something you see as a problem. Which means you have every right to be annoyed with her and use her in the case that the holy knight gets pissy."
"…Well, hopefully I won't have to do that," you say. "After all, I have to work with Sister Selinda after this, so if I bite her tail that'll be harder in the future."
"That's our Ryza," Kelton says, still ruffling your hair. "Always thinking ahead."
You puff your cheeks up. "I'm a Heart," you say. "That is literally my reason for being, to think about the big picture and try to make the best choices possible."
Artemis laughs. "Alright, alright," she says. "You should probably go find the Whitewings before they leave. I'll let the rest of the leadership know where you're going, though I'll leave off the details. Best not to have too many cooks seasoning the porridge when it comes to tense diplomacy. You've done well with the Realmers so far, I'm sure you'll be able to smooth everything over this time as well."
"Thank you, Artemis," you say. "Don't worry, this won't take long."
Thankfully, everything seems to be going to plan. You're able to catch up to Angela and the other Whitewings just before they lift off, though it's a close thing since you'd paused to grab Solariana's scroll in case it could be used to calm down the Solar Knights. The grey-haired pegasus knight huffs and puffs, but when you offer to just half-shift and fly Melissa yourself she waves a hand with a sigh. "From what I hear, that'll take longer," she says. "And as annoying as it is to take off with an incomplete flight, I want my favorite flying lightning mage back sooner rather than later, so if splitting the flight gets me what I want sooner then so be it." She jerks her head to Bucephila. "Silas's still flying a little slow from that hit he took yesterday, why don't you give him a break by doing a bit of courier work." The other Whitewing groans theatrically, but you see her stroking her mount's side as she guides him a few steps away to let her fellows begin their launching gallop and shoot into the air, turning to fly above a group of cavalry as they ride west.
"Is he alright?" you ask, moving closer to take a look at the big pegasus, who sniffs at you experimentally. He tenses slightly, causing you to step away.
"Friend, Silas," Bucephila says. "Just because she can turn big and scaly sometimes doesn't mean she's not your friend anymore." The pegasus nickers, but bows his head slightly to you. "Yeah, he's fine, just a little sore. You know how pegasi are, creatures of wind magic, so the anima energies disrupt healing a bit. Makes it harder to magically patch them up, which means that they get sore and cranky. Angela's right, he really should take a break, but with only three of us around we're having to do the job of a whole squadron."
You frown guiltily. "Sorry," you say, thinking back to the time you'd spent yesterday doing other things. "I should be helping you out more…"
Bucephila waves a hand. "It's alright," she says. "You have your own thing going on and we Whitewings are used to making do with less. Take the time you need, we'll live."
Still, as Belle leads Melissa over, her pack over her shoulder and a slightly resigned expression, you tell yourself that when you're done with this errand, you'll take time to help your flying friends out. Even if it's only being a healer that can keep up with them, they're risking themselves to help the Kingdoms, so it's only fair that they be helped in turn. "Are you ready?" you ask the young Solar Knight.
She nods. "Yep," she says, smiling genuinely. "And thanks for getting me out from under Mother's wing, if only for a little bit."
You sigh, why does she have to make this so difficult? "She just wants to make sure you're safe," you tell her as Bucephila helps her onto Silas's back. "My mother would never have let me do half the things I've done."
"You seem to have done pretty well for yourself," Belle says. "Maybe moms need to learn to let go a bit more?"
You consider her words. It's true that a part of you chafes a bit at the realization that, if Mother had still been alive, you wouldn't have seen or experienced any of the amazing things you have. You'd never have flown the skies above Castle Agrithe, never sensed the swirling magic of the Marble Hall. Never met so many of your new friends, never had the chance to help so many people. True, a lot of it had been tense and scary and painful, but there was plenty of good as well.
Of course, you're honest enough with yourself to know that, if given the opportunity, you'd trade everything, even Belle and Artemis and Kelton, for another few minutes with your parents.
Thankfully, Melissa rescues you from having to answer by waving a hand. "Nah, Ryza and Mother are right," she says. "Doesn't mean I accept I was wrong, since I did get to heal and save some people's lives, but they're right. I was told not to go out of the Kingdoms, but I followed my calling. Which means that I need to accept the consequences."
Belle rolls her eyes. "Boring. You stiff spines are all boring," she muttered, but there's no heat in her words. "Well, see you in a bit. I'll work with Lady Artemis to make sure the other noble muckety-mucks don't volunteer you for anything while you're gone."
"Make sure Kelton doesn't get into any more fights as well!" you say as Silas spreads his wings. A moment later, Bucephila clicks her tongue and he canters down the path between makeshift stables before lifting off into the air.
"No promises!" Belle calls after you as you lift off to join the Whitewing and your charge in the sky.
The trip towards the Solar Knight keep is thankfully calm. The day is warm, with only a few clouds in the sky to provide the occasional bit of welcome shade. Without need for a rider, you're able to mostly keep up with the pegasus carrying two humans, though you still get the feeling Silas could outpace you if he put his mind to it.
You're also grateful that Melissa doesn't seem to hold the fact that you're telling on her against you. Instead, she seems determined to get as much out of this excursion before she's grounded, and thus bombards you with more questions about the Union. You find yourself calming down a little as you fly along, sharing what you know and remember. You wish you'd had more time to look over it, but since it keeps the flight from descending into a tense silence it serves its purpose even without you having to pause to check it.
Finally, as the sun begins to sink towards the horizon, you spot the shining walled building in the distance. You glance up, frowning. You'd hoped that you'd be able to get back to Artemis before nightfall, but you'd underestimated just how far it was and how much a pegasus would be slowed by multiple riders. Well, tomorrow the flight back will be easier and quicker, so you should still make good time… assuming you aren't kicked out right away… "I'm sorry about this," you say to Melissa as you start to angle downwards.
She sighs. "I'm sorry too, that I caused you problems," she says.
You smile wryly. "Well, it could have been worse," you say. "You did have some good reasons, and at least you slipped up quickly. I'm guessing this'd be worse if I only found out in a week or two. Or worse, never found out at all and then your mother did once you got back."
You both wince at that thought.
As you fly closer, you frown as you notice that there seems to be quite a bit of activity in the courtyard. You see several banners you don't recognize fluttering in the wind and a group of horses being guided towards stables. Studying the flags, you're pretty sure they're all Divine Realm in origin, based on the sheer number of whites and golds and images of the sun. It would have been really awkward if this had been an Imperial emissary group that you'd inadvertently run into… Shaking your head, you wave to the men standing on the walls, watching you come in. They glance at each other, but a moment later wave back to you and point towards the pathway in front of the castle.
"Hello!" you call as you land, walking closer to the gate until you're pretty sure they can hear you. "I'm Ryza! Ryza Levinheart! You might remember me from a few days ago!"
The men on the wall mutter to each other for a few seconds longer before all turning to look back. A moment later, a woman in a Solar Knight uniform peers over the crenelations. "I remember you," she calls back, her eyes sweeping over to Melissa. "And I see Cadet Melissa is with you. Is something wrong?"
Swallowing, you nod. "A little, yes," you say guiltily. "Is Mother Marina around? We need to talk to her."
The Solar Knight raises an eyebrow, but gestures to the men behind her. "She is. Come in, she should be with you momentarily," she says as the gate begins to grind open.
"Thank you!" you call up to her, waving before leading Melissa, Bucephila and Silas through the gate and into the courtyard. As you enter, you look around, curious to see more of what was going on. You see a cluster of men in ornate cavalier armor helping the servants tend to their mounts, along with a pair of Solar Knights whose armor is subtly different from Mother Marina's group.
What really draws your attention, however, is the three figures standing in the center of the courtyard, speaking quietly. One is Mother Marina, and the second is an old man in a moderately fancy robe that looks vaguely familiar… 'Wait, isn't that the weird priest guy who gave us the map?' your dragon thinks. 'Looks like him. Smells like him too.' You nod vaguely, your focus on the last figure.
He is a middle-aged man, but while Father Simon's outfit has some shine and decorations, it's nothing compared to his companion's! The man's long white robes are decorated with enough golden trimmings and swirling symbols that you're slightly surprised he can stand! Atop his brown-grey hair sits a tall hat with no brim that curves up to form a rounded wedge, with more golden writing and symbols upon it. In his hand is an ornate staff that you don't immediately recognize, made of white wood and wrapped with what looks like an entire scroll worth of parchment. Between the writing was gold etchings glinting with dragonstone dust and swirling with White magic. Atop the tip is a golden representation of the sun, with strips of parchment hanging from the points covered in more writing and marked with red wax seals.
"A Missionary!" Melissa gasps.
You look over at the young Realmer. "A what?" you ask.
"The Sun Father's personal emissaries and diplomats!" Melissa says excitedly. "They carry Sol Invictus and the Divine Realm's word to other lands! What's one doing here?!" You shrug. "Maybe the Sun Father's decided to help out the Kingdoms in opposing the Empire's expansion!" the girl contiues cheerfully.
Before you can respond, Mother Marina's eyes flick over to you, then to her daughter. Frowning, she says a few more words to the Emissary, who glances over before waving a hand. Bowing slightly, the Knight Corona makes her way over, her face taking on a slightly icy mask that makes you squirm.
"Melissa. Mistress Levinheart," she says as she reaches the pair of you. "You have returned far earlier than I had expected." Folding her arms, she looks at her daughter for a moment before fixing her gaze onto you. "I assume there is a reason for that?"
Swallowing nervously, you nod. "Y-yes, there is…" you say. "You know how you said that Melissa had to stay in the Kingdoms while she was with me. Well, two nights ago…"
You tell the story of what happened, with Melissa nodding along but not adding anything, clearly wanting to look away from her mother but forcing herself not to. Mother Marina doesn't interrupt either, simply continuing to stare you down in a way that reminds you of your own mother looking at you when you'd done something you shouldn't have. A part of you wonders if the First Mother sends visions to new parents on how to intimidate their children without a word, or if it's just something they naturally figure out on their own.
As you finish your report, you wait silently for a few seconds as Mother Marina breaths slowly, steadily and deeply through her nose. As the silence starts to stretch and become awkward, Melissa finally speaks up. "It's my fault, Mother," she says. "Ryza-"
Mother Marina makes a chopping gesture with her hand, her eyes glowing faintly with White magic as she silences her daughter. After a few more breaths, she finally speaks, her voice calm, steady and deadly. "Melissa, go to your room. Do not dawdle, no detours. Just. Go. I'll deal with you later." Swallowing, Melissa nods before scurrying off. You start to open your mouth, but as Mother Marina's eyes flick back to you you find your throat doesn't seem to work anymore…
Finally, as Melissa disappears into the old convent and the doors boom closed, the older Solar Knight's shoulders slump and she lets out a tired sigh. "Sol, please grant me Your patience in dealing with willful children," she mutters to herself, "as You are patient with us when we do not follow Your commands…"
Finally getting your mouth and vocal cords to work, you manage to squeak. "I'm sorry…" you say.
She waves a hand again, this time less sharply. "I appreciate your contrition, Mistress Levinheart, as well as you're swiftly bringing this to my attention. But Melissa made her choices, and in truth some of the blame for this lies with me. I know my daughter's temperament. I knew sending her out that she would test boundaries and try to turn the letter of her promises against the spirit." She sighs again. "I should have recognized that you would need to leave her behind to help your lady fight the Empire. I should have sent someone with you, someone to keep an eye on Melissa when you could not." She gives a tired smile. "She is much like me when I was her age. Too caught up in the idea of Doing Good to think about the consequences, both actual and potential, before it's too late."
"So… so you're not mad at me?" you ask.
Mother Marina shakes her head. "No, I am not angry with you," she says. "I thank you for not trying to hide this from me, though I am disappointed in her that she couldn't prevent herself from rushing off for at least a week." She glances back thoughtfully towards the two men who were hanging back, clearly not wanting to involve themselves in a family matter. "Though… perhaps this is Sol Invictus's will…"
You cock your head. "What do you mean?" you ask. "Melissa said the man in the fancy hat is an Emissary…"
"He is," Mother Marina says, waving a hand towards them, causing the two men to make their way over. "We were just about to discuss how to balance our instincts of decorum and ceremony with the practical need of not giving the wrong impression at a… delicate time. Your being here… well, that does make everything much more simple." As the two men reach you, Mother Marina steps to the side. "Mistress Levinheart, you've already met Father Simon," she says, gesturing to the older priest. "But by the light of Sol Invictus, be known to Missionary Peter Jogby, Speaker of Truths and Voice of the Sun-Father." The man inclines his head deeply enough that you're worried his hat will fall off.
"T-thank you," you say, not sure if you should offer your hand or bow or what exactly to do. Most of the time humans in fancy outfits expect people to bow. "I'm Ryza Levinheart. It's nice to meet you."
Missionary Jogby smiles slightly as he looks you over. "Peace be upon you, young manakete, and be not afraid," he says. "I come bearing the words of my worldly lord Sun-Father Mathias." He cocks his head slightly for a few seconds before he continues in a more normal-sounding voice. "Please, forgive me for staring. It is just… strange, to see one who looks so young who is nevertheless wrapped in so much magical energies…"
You wave your cloak slightly. "Well, I am a mage," you say.
The man waves a hand. "So I see, but many wear those cloaks, even some who do not deserve them. I speak of the true power that wraps around you. You are quite blessed." You're not sure exactly how to respond to that. You wish Melissa hadn't been sent away, her mother and Simon are both listening to the man calmly without letting any emotions show. At least the younger Realmer has a face you could read! "But forgive me, that is not why either of us are here. I come bearing a message from the Sun-Father, are you prepared to receive it?"
"Yes," you say, trying not to make the word sound like a question. It's been a while since you've experienced this level of pomp and circumstance, and you're not mentally prepared for it!
The Missionary nods, smiling again. "Praise be," he says, his words echoed automatically by Mother Marina and Father Simon. Reaching into his voluminous robes, Missionary Jogby pulls out a fancy scroll wrapped in a golden ribbon and held closed by a wax seal depicting the sun. The edge of the parchment even seems to be gold! Seriously, why is there so much gold!? "What details can be spoken of safely are in the Sun-Father's letter, but in short he wishes to invite you to the Divine City to speak with him in person on a matter of… great importance."
You blink. "W-what?" you ask. "Should… shouldn't this be something for Lady Artemis, she's-"
Missionary Jogby shakes his head. "You misunderstand, young manakete," he says. "This message has nothing to do with the… regrettable conflict beyond our borders. The Sun-Father is aware of your role in that, of course, but he wishes to speak of your true heritage, rather than your adopted one."
A small spike of anger flashes through you, causing your dragon-self to growl slightly. However, you channel those emotions to the side to be dealt with later, as annoying as it is for the Missionary to speak so dismissively of your friends and their struggles right now you have to figure out what he wants! There's something about this… "What do you mean, 'great importance?'" you ask. "What's going on?"
The man frowns slightly, but continues on. "I am afraid that there are some things that cannot be spoken of, outside of the proper locations," he says. "Normally, they would not even be discussed with one who is outside the Faith. However, the Sun-Father believes that your… unique perspective is a gift from Sol Invictus, and thus exceptions can be made."
You take a slow step back. "May I speak with my friend on this?" you ask, gesturing to Bucephila.
Missionary Jogby nods. "Of course," he says. "Though if it is any reassurance, allow me to say this: in Sol Invictus's name and by the will of the Sun-Father, sanctuary is offered upon you if you should return to the Divine City with me. No harm will befall you, the oath of the entire Divine Realm and the Faith upon it." With that, he gestures for Father Simon and Mother Marina to join him a few steps away, outside of human hearing.
Still, as you scuttle back to Bucephila's side and take cover by Silas, you find yourself whispering anyways. "What do you think?" you ask as you open the scroll and look at it. Written in fancy lettering and decorated by several more ribbons held on by wax seals at the bottom, it almost looks more like a work of art than a message!
A Solar Missive, written in the spring of the Year of Divinity Three Forty-Two
Written by the hand of Sun-Father Mathias, unto the manakete known as Ryza Levinheart.
May the Light of Sol Invictus be upon you.
Through trusted sources, both personal and professional, I have heard of your awakening as well as your nature. I have read your work, and found your depictions of a culture long lost to history to be of great interest, and I would speak with you in person to learn more, if you be willing.
Unlike the Empire of Theodore Wyrmblood, the Divine Realm has no ancient grudge against your people, and so I pray that you do not think of this invitation as a deceitful cover for some trap or villainy. I give my word, as the mortal representative of Sol Invictus upon this world, that should you accept my invitation, every effort will be bent to ensure that you have sanctuary throughout the entire journey to the Divine City, your stay here, as well as your journey back to wherever you wish to go.
I hope to hear from you soon, as there are matters that I believe would be to the Divine Realm's benefit, as well as your own, that we discuss face-to-face.
May our Lady's Sun shine brightly upon you and yours.
"Wow that guy knows his purple prose…" Bucephila says dryly as she reads over your shoulder (well, your head, since she's taller than you). "I've seen exactly one official letter from the Sky Marshal, and she didn't write anything like that!"
A part of you wants to giggle, but you're too busy chewing your lip. "What do you think I should do?" you ask her.
The Whitewing sighs. "Sorry, kid, way above my hiring price," she says. "All I can say is that, based on the wording, they really want you to show up, and I'm guessing they want you to get there sooner rather than later." She shrugs. "Other than that, well, from the fact that both the big boss and his mouthpiece said that you'd be protected if you went along means that you will be, the Divine Realm's always been a bit holier-than-… has always prided itself on keeping its word."
As you stare at the fancy-looking words on the gold-trimmed letter in your hands, you find yourself thinking back to when you told Artemis that this wouldn't take long.
Why had you tempted fate like that?! Hadn't you learned not to tempt fate!?
What do you do?
[] Accept the invitation. Artemis has been talking about how important an alliance with the Divine Realm is, and the Realmers do seem to like you. Perhaps, if you help the Sun Father with whatever he wants done, you can convince them to come and help Artemis and the Kingdoms sooner rather than later! This will take time, though, especially since you can't justify keeping Bucephila with you, she needs to get back to her friends. You also have no idea what you're getting into…
[] You promised you wouldn't be gone long. True, it hadn't been a big, official promise, but you had told Artemis that you'd be back soon so that you can help her. You have no idea how long it will be before the Empire can get another army over to threaten the Kingdoms again. You can't afford to be gone too long, not when your friends might need you at any minute! At the very least, you should check in with Artemis first, though something tells you that you may not get the chance to come back if the Empire's on the move.
[X] Accept the invitation. Artemis has been talking about how important an alliance with the Divine Realm is, and the Realmers do seem to like you. Perhaps, if you help the Sun Father with whatever he wants done, you can convince them to come and help Artemis and the Kingdoms sooner rather than later! This will take time, though, especially since you can't justify keeping Bucephila with you, she needs to get back to her friends. You also have no idea what you're getting into…
"For a faith that's supposed to have been founded on the teachings of a poor, exiled preacher, I find it very telling that the Divine Realm flaunts its love of gold decorations so much."
-Duke Martin Wellingford of the Northlands Dutchy
You've now been to more of Artemis's meetings with the other nobles in the army than you can really count ('I can, and it's too many…' Dragon-you thinks), and there are some parts that you still don't fully understand. Intellectually, you get that it's important to make sure that there are enough food and supplies for everyone, and the careful decisions on marching paths make more sense once Phoebe had helped explain that local communities could get overwhelmed if too many armed men and women tramped through their land without long-term preparation, but those things don't truly resonate with you in the way it would for someone who'd been raised to think about those things.
One thing that you'd never needed explained, however, was the talk about having friends and allies to help in difficult times. That makes perfect sense to you, no matter how much you don't really like some of the ways people were talking about trying to "convince" the Divine Realm to enter the war. Even Artemis, who'd never approved of the more underhanded ideas, had always agreed that the Kingdoms needed help.
You… however surprised you are, no matter what worries you might have at the sudden offer put before you without any warning, you do recognize that it's an opportunity. If you can talk to this Sun-Father person, especially if you're able to help him out with something, maybe you can convince him to come and give aid to Artemis and the others. If only by sending healers to help take the strain off of Sister Selinda and her friends so that they don't feel the need to go behind your back to get another White caster!
Besides, you muse, there is a personal stake for you in this as well. The Sun-Father's letter and Missionary Jogby had both said that this was to do with you being a manakete, and you've been working to convince humans that you and they can live together in peace. Getting the chance to talk to one of the leaders of one of the big human nations would probably help with that, especially since he was already showing interest. Besides, the Divine Realm is the spiritual successor to Solariana's Union, so you might be able to find out more about what was going on there!
A part of you considers whether this is a trap. However, Bucephila did say that the Divine Realm takes its promises seriously, and the Sun-Father was pretty clear in his letter that you'd be kept safe both during the trip and on the way back. Besides, you've proven that you can take care of yourself.
"I think I'm going to go with them," you say to the Whitewing. "Would you go let Artemis know that everything's alright, that I'm trying to make some friends in the Divine Realm to help us get the help we need?"
Your friend sighs. "She's not going to be happy," she says. "But Angela needs me, and Lady Cartese needs to hear where you are from someone she can mostly trust rather than a Realmer messenger." She grimaces. "Just… don't die on me up there, okay? Nobody'd ever let me hear the end of it if you did."
Folding your arms, you give her a dry look. "I made it all the way to the Marble Hall and back to Agrithe mostly on my own," you say. "I'll be fine!"
"Most of that was spent with people who had a vested interest in making sure you didn't get hurt," Bucephila says. "Either because they were hired to protect you or… whyever that fire-riding Imp doesn't want to hurt you."
You frown. "Lacroix is a good person," you say. "He helped me out a lot when I first got to the Hall and Blitzbolt was being a pain."
Bucephila's eyes narrow for an instant. "Perhaps he's good to you," she says, a coil of ice lacing through her tone. "But he's directly or indirectly responsible for the death of four of my friends and spirits only know how many people from the Southern Kingdoms, so forgive me for feeling a little less charitable towards him."
You flinch. "What?" you ask.
The Whitewing sighs. "Right, you weren't there for that meeting," she said. "We got news from back south yesterday. It's out of date by now, but the gist of it is that the war's going okay, the Kingdoms have pushed well past the border and taken several castles and settlements. Unfortunately, the rest of my squadron took a nasty hit while raiding near Castle Tempest. Your friend and a few other lizard riders got the drop on them, and it didn't go well for us at all."
You shiver unhappily. On the one hand, you'd never met any of the other Whitewings but they were Angela and Bucephila and Alexandra's friends and so hearing that they'd died hurt. However, at the same time you can't help but understand where Lacroix was coming from. He cares so much for Callista, and even though you know there's a good reason his home is being invaded it makes sense he would defend it with everything he has… and he and Firescale are powerful. Which means that he's able to make anyone who tries to hurt his friends and loved ones pay for that, just as you've done up here. Which probably means there's a lot of Imperials that are really mad that you killed their friends.
You really hate war.
"I'm sorry," you say.
Bucephila sighs. "It's not your fault, kid," she says. "Everyone knew that wherever Archduke Cartese sent his daughter, you'd go with her. You've done good work up here, and if things work out with the Divine Realm maybe you'll do more. We Whitewings know what we're getting into when we earn our spurs." She ruffles your hair.
Leaning into her touch for a moment, you glance over at Missionary Jogby, Mother Marina and the others. They're watching with some interest, but make no move to interfere. "Any other news?" you ask.
"Apparently the monsters have been acting up more than normal, harassing scouting parties and even raiding the supply lines a little, but as of the last letter we got things haven't gotten too bad," Bucephila says. "Other than that, nothing major." She follows your gaze over to the Realmers. "Well, we probably shouldn't abuse His Hoit- the Sun-Father's patience." She smiles wryly. "Stay safe out there. I'd feel really bad if anything happened to you after I let you wander off. Besides, Angela's still hoping we can convince you to join up with us more permanently if we keep bugging you about it."
You're pretty sure she's not being serious, but you shake your head anyway. "I'm sorry, but after everything Artemis and I've been through together, I'll be sticking with her and Agrithe. At least for a couple centuries."
Your friend blinks before letting out a bark of laughter. "Spirits, it never gets any less weird when you casually mention that unless something kills you, you'll functionally live forever," she says. "But I'd better get going. See you on the other side." With that, she guides Silas back a few steps before turning him towards the gate, leaving you alone with the Divine Realmers.
Taking a deep breath, you turn and make your way back to Missionary Jogby. "I talked it over with Bucephila," you say. "And I'd be happy to accept the Sun-Father's invitation to go talk to him."
The man smiles and nods deeply again. "Praise be," he says. "We are grateful for your trust, young manakete, and we will not abuse it."
You hope not. "So, now that I've agreed to come, can you tell me what you want?" you ask. "If it's something to do with information about manakete or the Union, it would help to be able to do some reading on the way so I can answer the question better."
'And faster, so we can get back to help Artemis.'
Missionary Jogby waggles a finger, smiling slightly patronizingly. "Patience, child," he says. "While the Sun-Father has faith in all of of Sol Invictus's children, by law and tradition some secrets are not to be spoken of outside of the innermost shrines of the Divine City."
Folding your arms, you wish that you were taller. You know it's petty, but it sometimes gets irritating that people can literally look down at you, especially when they're treating you like a child in an annoying way. You could hover up to eye-level if you wanted, but that seems like it could give the wrong impression, so you choose not to. "I'm ninety-seven years old," you say. "Which means I'm pretty sure I'm older than you."
The man blinks before his smile takes on a wry edge. "Perhaps, but while I am no Revisionist and thus have not heard the full details of any messages they have sent among their numbers, those that the Sun-Father spoke to after Father Simon came to tell him of your nature indicated that you are still a child by your people's reckoning. Is that not the case?"
"Not really," you say. "I went through my Awakening, so by manakete traditions I'm an adult now." You don't mention that you're probably one of the youngest manakete to ever actually go through with an Awakening (you don't have any evidence for that, but it's something that sure feels like it should be true)!
The Missionary cocks his head slightly. "I see…" he says. You frown slightly, there was something about his tone… but before you can either puzzle it out or look at anyone else, he smiles. "I will not lie to you by pretending I understand the full significance of that statement, but it is clear that it means something important to you, and therefore congratulations are in order."
Slightly wrong-footed, you shrug. "Thank you," you say. "So, are we leaving soon?"
Missionary Jogby looks up at the sky. "This close to sundown, it seems ill-advised to set off today," he says. "Not only did you just fly here from Starhelm, but it is bad luck to travel in darkness, without Sol Invictus's guiding light." He looks to Mother Marina. "Might we impose upon your sanctuary for the night, Mother?"
She nods back. "Of course," she says, taking a step back and gesturing for you to follow her into the main building. "Those who spread Sol Invictus's truths are always welcome here, as are those who come in peace."
"Thank you," you say as you follow her.
"Indeed," Missionary Jogby adds as he and Father Simon follow as well.
As the four of you walk, you sense two shining beacons of White magic falling in behind you. Glancing over your shoulder, you realize that the two new Solar Knights in different armor are following you, one on either side of the small formation. Unlike Mother Marina, whose magic is dormant, these two women have active spells shining from the staves in their hands. Worriedly, you study the weave of their power, deciding that at the moment it seems like they have some sorts of protective wards cast on Missionary Jogby that they're maintaining, but active magic like that could mask a more aggressive spell from the fancy-looking White magic tomes hanging at their hips if you were distracted by something else…
Father Simon seems to notice your wariness. "Fear not," he says. "It is tradition that a Missionary always travels with escort, as part of the oath they take is to never cast a harmful spell against another human. Knight Flares Luxann and Glinda are here to protect him, and since the Sun-Father offered you sanctuary they will protect you as well." One of the women, a redhead with a long braid coiling out from a small hole in the back of her helmet, gives a small nod.
"Alright," you say, channeling aside your concerns to keep your dragon-self from stewing in them. You've put your trust in many people since you've woken up, and only once has it really blown up in your face, and that was only because she'd had to try and protect Sypha. Bucephila had vouched for this sanctuary thing the Sun-Father had extended, and you trust her to know what she's talking about. "So how long will it take to get to the Divine City?" you ask.
Missionary Jogby speaks up again to answer. "It will likely take four to five days to reach the Divine City," he says. "Perhaps more, depending on how crowded the Pilgrim's Path is. While we haven't reached the peak devotional season of high summer there are often pilgrims getting an early start. From there, likely a few days to speak with the Sun-Father and hel- determine where relations between the faithful and your people will stand. After that, another four or five days to see you safely back here, whatever the outcome may be."
Filing away the Missionary's minor slip of the tongue for later consideration, you frown. This errand was going to take longer than you'd thought… "I can probably fly myself back to Starhelm," you say. "Would that be acceptable?"
The man waves a hand. "I am sure it will be, if that is your wish." he says. "But let us not speak so soon of leaving before you have even reached your destination!"
"Well, I need to be back as soon as I can be," you say. "After all, my friends need me to help fight off the Empire if they decide to invade and try and take everything over again. I'm sure that whatever the Sun-Father wants to talk about is really important, but I do have to think about what comes afterwards."
Mother Marina gives a wry smile over her shoulder. "From what you told me, it's likely the Empire won't be able to make any meaningful moves against your companions for some time," she says. "However, I give my word that I'll have my scouts keep an eye on the situation, and if something radically changes, I'll send word." Missionary Jogby starts to open his mouth, but the Solar Knight meets his eye. "I understand that we cannot act without leave from the Sun-Father, but Sol Invictus calls on us to help our friends, and Ryza has proven herself as one who keeps faith even when it does not benefit herself. That marks her as a friend in my eyes, and with the Empire acting so aggressively they are not our friends."
"Perhaps, but our goddess also commands that we do not needlessly seek conflict," Missionary Jogby says warningly. "The Empire, though they have been behaving irrationally since the death of Emperor Thaddeus, have kept open lines of communication. Hierophant Wolsenly has sent several messengers, and from what I have been told the only reason he has not come personally is because he has needed to remain in Wyrmrise. We do not want to provoke escalation."
Hierophant… that was the title of one of the members of the Council. If he's being friendly with the Divine Realm, could he have been the one to warn Agrithe about the plan to kidnap the kids at the Marble Hall? You huff, you just don't know, and you can't risk asking people you're not certain you can trust completely in case news gets back to the Regent and he tries to hurt the informant. Although maybe if you ask in a roundabout way… "Thank you, Mother Marina," you say. "The Empire has been lashing out concerningly recently, after all they tried to kidnap a bunch of children from the Marble Hall, and it was only because I'd been there to convince the Archmage to stay rather than be called away that they didn't succeed."
Missionary Jogby sighs. "Yes, we heard of that from Mother Marina's sister," he says. "And we thank you for doing your part to prevent that travesty. However, the Sun-Father has decided that we wait, and unless the Empire forces our hand or Sol Invictus gives a sign that we should change our posture we cannot interfere." You force back a grimace, no sign that he knew more than he was letting on. Darn.
You notice Mother Marina's shoulders tensing, but her voice is calm as she speaks. "I will keep that under advisement, Missionary, and I will do my duty."
Thankfully, before the disagreement can continue, Father Simon clears his throat. "Let us not bring rancor into a good night," he says. "Especially not in front of a guest."
Forcing yourself to smile, you nod. "It's alright," you say. "I'm sure Artemis can keep everything calm until I get back."
If not… well, if you have to cut your meeting with the Sun-Father short in order to rescue Artemis, you'll do so in a heartbeat.
Your dragon-self shifts happily at that resolution.
The rest of the evening passes mostly uneventfully. You eat dinner back in the circular main hall, focusing mostly on smalltalk with Father Simon and Mother Marina. Melissa doesn't join you, but once dinner is over and Mother Marina has led you back to the guest room you'd used when you were here a few days ago she leaves to speak with her daughter.
"She was just trying to help," you say as the older woman starts walking away.
Mother Marina pauses, sighing. "I know," she says. "Sol as my witness, I know, and a part of me can't help but be proud at how brave and giving she is. But she does have to learn discipline, to control her urges and think about the bigger picture." She turns back to you, a wry smile on her face. "But thank you, Mistress Levinheart. Thank you for giving me something else to focus on so I could cool down before going to speak with her. It makes it easier to remember that I love her, and the telling-off I'm going to give her is because I love her."
You force yourself not to grimace. You hadn't been on the receiving end of many of those when you were growing up, but those that you do remember felt awful. "You're welcome," you say.
The next day, after a relatively restful night, you make your way back out to the courtyard to find three fancy carriages being prepared. Well, two fancy ones and a truly ornate one in the middle! You're surprised the poor horses pulling the rolling mass of gold, banners and hardwood don't collapse from exhaustion!
"When a Missionary travels, they carry the words of the divine," Missionary Jogby says as he reads your gobsmacked expression accurately. "Thus, there is a certain level of pomp and circumstance that is required."
"…I'll take your word for it…" you say.
Father Simon laughs, patting you on the shoulder. "It does get a bit much sometimes, yes," he says. "There's a reason I'm hiding out here on the border in a humble shrine rather than staying in the Divine City. But don't worry, Mistress Levinheart, for all that it might seem excessive to you, such a display will smooth the path and help you reach the Sun-Father sooner, which will in turn help you return to Lady Cartese sooner."
You suppose that's a silver lining. "Alright," you say, patting his hand. "Are you going to come with us?"
He smiles dryly. "I think I've had my fill of the Divine City for a few months at least," he says. "Plus, my place is with my flock, small as it is. But don't worry, Mathias will treat you fairly. While he has… political and theological reasons for wishing to speak to you, he is genuinely interested as well."
Looking up at the old priest, you don't sense any deception, and so you nod. "Alright," you say. "Thank you for putting in a good word for me."
"Of course," he says, stepping back. "Safe travels, and may the sun shine upon you."
"Mother watch over you," you respond automatically, getting a slight raise of the eyebrow from him. However, he doesn't say anything as you join Missionary Jogby by the carriage. "I'm ready to go," you say.
The man nods. "Excellent," he says as Knight Flare Luxann lowers a set of stairs from the carriage. "Then let us depart. Sol willing, we will see this done before you need to return to your companions."
As you settle down on one of the ridiculously padded seats, you peek out to see Mother Marina and Melissa standing at the top of the stairs. Spotting you, the younger Realmer waves, a wry grin splitting her face. You manage to wave back just before the carriage in front of you starts trundling forwards, quickly followed by your own, with the third behind you. Meanwhile, the two Solar Knights and multiple cavaliers fan out in a protective cordon. You really hope this is just more of the Divine Realm's idea of decorum rather than a sign of worry about an actual threat.
… at least this carriage seems to be smoother than Mantrae's one.
The trip to the Divine City will take several days. What do you do on the trip? (Choose 2, please vote by plan)
[] Spend time talking to Missionary Jogby, trying to get to know both him and the Divine Realm in general. After all, he apparently works closely with the Sun-Father, so it's both polite and wise to understand him better.
-[] Show him Solariana's scroll and talk to him about the Union. Not only is that possibly the reason why you were invited in the first place, surely he'll find it interesting and it could help convince the average Realmer to be more favorable to manakete.
-[] Focus on talking about the present rather than the past. What's the Divine Realm like? How does it interact with its neighbors? All those things could be useful to know.
[] The two Knight Flares both seem to be very skilled with White magic. Maybe, if you talk to them, you could get a few hints about how to get better, while at the same time making a good impression with the people who you're hoping will come help Artemis and the other Kingdoms fight off the Empire.
[] While Missionary Jogby and the Solar Knights seem to be in charge, they're not the only ones in this expedition. Spend some time talking to some of the others, maybe you'll meet someone interesting who might have more insight into what's going on.
[] You're traveling through a new area, and while you've seen maps none of them have focused on specific landmarks or towns. Spend a bit of time each day flying around (not too far, keeping in sight of the caravan and checking in with them regularly) just so you can get a solid feel for the terrain. Just in case.
[] You've started taking the next step of the Path of Awakening. Since you have time on the road, continue working on allowing your dragon-self to operate in your heart-form so she can interact with the world more directly.
[] Keep your eyes open for anything unusual or unexpected going on. Not only does this satisfy your niggling paranoia, but being in a new place is interesting!
