Since I have too many ideas, I figured I'd put pen to paper and show some of them. So this will...
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GilcuruLend’s Snippets and Ideas
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A New Threat 1 (LOTR)
- Location
- United States
A large, circular table sits at the center of the room. Fourteen chairs have been placed around it, each elegant in their own way.
The easternmost chair is large and blue, shaped so the armrests appear to be waves about to crash down. Ulmo, King of the Sea, sits in his seat, for it is he who called the others here today, despite his estrangement to the rest.
On the other side, at the uttermost most west, lies a chair covered in tear droplets. Which are fake, and which are real is impossible to tell. Nienna, Lady of Pity and Mourning, stops crying for a moment and looks up.
Next to that seat lies a ephemeral chair that seems to shift as you watch. One moment a flower; the next a unicorn; the next an adventurer. Irmo, master of visions and dreams sits in his place.
Next to his seat is another which is gray. Inlayed with flowers and other plants, it seemed gentle to the touch. Estë, healer of hurts and weariness, sits next to her husband.
On the other side of Nienna lies a darker chair. Seemingly made of of bone and skin, it both draws the eye and makes one avert their eyes. Námo, Lord of Mandos–the halls of the dead–grimly sits in his seat.
The chair next to his seems to be made of cloth, and one can see various past events decorating it. Vairë, Weaver of Time, sits down in her own chair equal to her hisband's.
Back on the east side of the table, a very large golden chair sits. Decorated with seemingly real swords and axes, it intimidates even the most powerful. Tulkas, champion of the Valar, sits down in his rightful seat.
Next to it lies a much smaller violet chair. Green arrows cover it, giving a sense of swiftness. Nessa the Dancer sits next to Tulkas, who is her husband.
The next chair is shaped like a horse, with an unstrung bow on top to serve as an armrest. Oromë, huntsman of the Valar, sits next to his sister.
A golden flower lays next, amazing the eyes. Vána the Ever-young sits down in her seat by her husband.
The next chair is perhaps even more splendid. The back is a tree trunk, with branches going out to form the armrests. The seat is made of vines with flowers inlaid between. Fruits that quite possibly could be real hang off the side. Yavanna, Queen of all things that grow on Earth sits regally in her chair.
Made of metal and rocks, this next chair could not be more different. Diamonds lay across the metal body, with various other gems between the diamonds. Aulë the Great Smith rests next to his wife.
The next and second to last chair looks like a Star. Shining brightly, the points of the star form the chair, yet it somehow still looks comfortable. Varda, Queen of the Valar and Lady of the Stars sits in her rightful place.
At the front of the table, if there could be considered to be one on a round table, is an ornate purple chair decorated with spirals and drawings of eagles. Despite its modesty compared to many of the others, there is no doubt it is the most regal. In this sits Manwë, the Elder King, ruler of Middle-earth and owns the domain of the skies.
Around this table lies more chairs and tables, gathered around as to face the center of the room. In these chairs sit the Maiar, who are not as great as those at the center but are still important nonetheless.
"I call this meeting to begin. Ulmo has a concern for the fate of Middle-Earth." Manwë motions for Ulmo to speak.
"I have traveled in the seas, and I know the lastest events on Middle-earth. An old enemy has appeared. One of the greatest spawns of Ungoliant has returned. And unlike before, the kingdoms of men are too fractured to defeat her."
"Then let's go out and fight. She could not possibly handle any of us," Tulkas suggests.
"I believe a more gentle approach is necessary. Last time we entered the world, a continent was lost," Estë entreats.
"And last time we did not, millions passed through my halls," points out Námo.
"We could have the remaining dwarves fight her. I believe they have created many powerful weapons in the last few milennia." Yavanna turns to her husband.
"My dwarves could not possibly defeat her without far too many casualties. As their craft has grown, their numbers have fallen. Why don't you have your Istar, who never came back might I add, deal with her?" Aulë responds.
"Radagast is not nearly powerful enough for that," Vairë points out before Yavanna can admit to it.
"So let's go ourselves!" Tulkas slams his fist on the table. "I could defeat it myself. That would be safer."
"And how much damage would you consider too much? Would half the lives on Earth be gone by the time you are finished?" Nienna snaps, before crying at the thought at so much death.
The debate continues for dozens of hours, since none of the Ainur require sleep in Valinor. They argue back and forth, but no action seems sufficient.
The door opens soundlessly, but it is noticed by all and silence reigns. Despite his long white hair and beard, the newcomer seems more youthful than most of the others. Olórin sheepishly enters the room, returning from abroad.
"I apologize for my delay. I was busy on an adventure. Ihom, that's a Teleri elf, needed a certain kind of bark from a tree that only grows on top of Hyarmentir. Not one to turn down an adventure–they are so hard to find these days–I took the time to climb that tall mountain to retrieve it and only received notice now." Olórin says.
"Ah, Olórin. This reminds me of the last time you were late to a meeting." Manwë refers to when they had decided to send the wizards to Middle-earth to combat Sauron. Olórin has arrived late as well, and was chosen to go with the wizards.
"Say, perhaps we send him again. He did such a good job last time," Oromë suggests. Olórin quietly chuckles as he sits in his seat.
"Perhaps I should be told what this new threat is, before running off to fight it?" The Valar inform him. Olórin thinks on the information.
The Valar continue to debate what to do next, before deciding it must be men who defeat the creature, as it was before. They need to keep them together and united against her, however, lest she corrupt them to her bidding once more.
"I implore ye, Olórin. You who succeeded once before. Take up the mantle and return to Middle-Earth, to guide the race of men to unite against the darkness."
"I accept."
Gandalf lands on the shores of what was once The Shire. For he is indeed Gandalf, and not Olórin anymore, for he has taken up a human form once more.
He is wearing a white robe, and smoking a pipe. Gandalf uses his wizard staff to get up from the water and onto land. He ties the boat to the shore, so it will be waiting for him when he returns.
"Back in Middle-earth at last." Gandalf travels to the closest village, in the hopes of getting a ride. Due to a lack of contact with Middle-earth, knowledge on present affairs is little. They were, however, able to find several major languages for him to learn, though some of the words' definitions were… strange.
Gandalf looks around as he hopefully finds his way to a village. Green grass, sea-blue water, and a refreshing breeze. It is just as he remembers. Some time later, he reaches civilization.
It is a picturesque village, surrounded by greenery and the sea. The buildings are plain white with many colored rooftops, though there are strange metal wires traveling from building to building on poles.
Gandalf decides to speak to one of the people. That man over there looks friendly, so Gandalf walks up to him. He is sitting on his porch, seemingly waiting for someone.
"Hey Dumbledore," the man says, chuckling as Gandalf walks up to him.
"Dumbledore? I'm afraid I'm not he."
"So what, Gandalf?"
"Why yes. How is it that you know me?" Gandalf looks startled that someone recognizes him after all those years.
"What do you mean? It's a pretty obvious cosplay. I didn't know there was a convention soon though," he says. Convention? Cosplay? This man is being ridiculous.
"There isn't. Not here, at least. Somewhere in the world there certainly is. What's your name?"
"I'm Arthur Acker. So what are you doing then if there isn't a convention?" He looks at Gandalf suspiciously.
"Actually, I came to you to see if I could get a ride. I was dropped off here, while I need to be in the capital."
"That's pretty far away. I really can't afford to help you."
"I can provide appropriate payment, of course." Gandalf takes out a gold coin. "Would this be enough?"
"Is that real?!" Arthur exclaims. Perhaps they don't still use coins, Gandalf thinks. If only they stayed in further contact with Middle-earth so he could know these things. This could be difficult.
"Of course. I'm afraid I didn't bring any currency of this place with me," says Gandalf.
"Let me go inside for a moment."
"Oh, would you let me sit down for a moment? I am an old man and can't stay standing very long," Gandalf insists while following the man inside his home.
"Er… of course… let me just…" the man leaves to a different room. What a strange man, Gandalf thinks.
He catches sight of a book on a bookshelf. Now, normally he wouldn't take things from other people's homes, but this one feels important, and he'll give it back anyways.
"The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring," Gandalf reads out loud. His face pales.
He flips through it in shock, reading one of the tales that was in The Red Book of Westmarch, which was written by his good friends, Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam. That a book could survive so many years… it is truly amazing. Gandalf chuckles.
"Please come out with your hands in the air!" Strange men are standing outside.
"And who might you be?" Gandalf asks, walking outside. Some of them seem surprised, and the others look like they just confirmed something.
"He is clearly crazy, let's just take him in and see if there is a missing persons report." The man clearly thinks he is whispering, but to Gandalf it is clearly audible.
"Excuse me, but I'm afraid you are mistaken. I am perfectly within my right mind."
"Sir, just come with us. We can get this cleared up." Gandalf ponders this for a moment, and agrees.
They enter a strange metal contraption called a car–so that's what that is–and head to the station. They stay silent during the car ride–how rude–and when they reach their destination they enter a room to interrogate Gandalf.
"So this is not an interrogation. We just want to know a few things about you."
"Not an interrogation? Are you not going to ask me questions expecting an answer?"
"Well, yes but–whatever you prefer. What is your name?"
"I have many names. Though, I believe, you would know me best as Gandalf."
"Where do you live?"
"Nowhere, yet. I'm afraid I have just recently arrived and have yet to talk to your king."
"Do you have anyone we can call?"
"Call? Call how? There are few you can summon by yelling into the air."
"By telephone."
"I'm afraid I don't know anyone with a telephone. Not yet, anyways. And if that is all you have to say I think I'll be on my way now."
"Sir, you can't just leave." But he does. The police officer tries to grab Gandalf as he leaves, but is pushed aside on his way to the door.
"Please stop! You're not well."
"I'm well enough."
The officer tries to grab him again, but the wizardightly taps him with his staff.
"Ouch! He hits hard."
"Wait up! You weren't released yet!" another shouts as Gandalf leaves the building.
At this point Gandalf is far ahead of the police, still calmly walking out. He will not suffer being imprisoned, thank you very much.
Gandalf's path is suddenly intercepted by a young boy, chasing after a ball. The boy has the most terrified look on the face, and it pains Gandalf to see it.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Do you want to see a magic trick?" The boy seems soothed by the words.
"Sure!"
Gandalf taps his staff on the ground, and miniature fireworks come out of it forming various patterns. The police officers, having caught up, stand in awe at the blatant magic.
"How is his staff not blowing up from those bombs?" They whisper this and other such things to each other in awe.
"Now if you excuse me, may you point the way to the capital?"
"London? I think that's east," says the boy.
"Thank you." Gandalf begins to walk, when he is stopped by another police officer again.
"How did you do that?"
"Magic, you would say. Or that is the closest word you have to it."
"Prove it."
"Prove it? The proof is right in front of you. I clearly did it."
"I'm going to have to arrest you for unlawful use of explosives."
And Gandalf stops. Clearly, these men must think he insane, if they believe magic does not even get exist. So Gandalf faces them all and raises his staff.
He seems to grow, though he stays the same size. He seems to become brighter and darker, more difficult to see despite a lack of changing light. Then a bright light shines from his staff, instilling the feeling of hope and bravery and a sense of greater power. But not fear. And then it stops.
"I think we're going to have to pass this one up the chain." One of the police gulp loudly.
The easternmost chair is large and blue, shaped so the armrests appear to be waves about to crash down. Ulmo, King of the Sea, sits in his seat, for it is he who called the others here today, despite his estrangement to the rest.
On the other side, at the uttermost most west, lies a chair covered in tear droplets. Which are fake, and which are real is impossible to tell. Nienna, Lady of Pity and Mourning, stops crying for a moment and looks up.
Next to that seat lies a ephemeral chair that seems to shift as you watch. One moment a flower; the next a unicorn; the next an adventurer. Irmo, master of visions and dreams sits in his place.
Next to his seat is another which is gray. Inlayed with flowers and other plants, it seemed gentle to the touch. Estë, healer of hurts and weariness, sits next to her husband.
On the other side of Nienna lies a darker chair. Seemingly made of of bone and skin, it both draws the eye and makes one avert their eyes. Námo, Lord of Mandos–the halls of the dead–grimly sits in his seat.
The chair next to his seems to be made of cloth, and one can see various past events decorating it. Vairë, Weaver of Time, sits down in her own chair equal to her hisband's.
Back on the east side of the table, a very large golden chair sits. Decorated with seemingly real swords and axes, it intimidates even the most powerful. Tulkas, champion of the Valar, sits down in his rightful seat.
Next to it lies a much smaller violet chair. Green arrows cover it, giving a sense of swiftness. Nessa the Dancer sits next to Tulkas, who is her husband.
The next chair is shaped like a horse, with an unstrung bow on top to serve as an armrest. Oromë, huntsman of the Valar, sits next to his sister.
A golden flower lays next, amazing the eyes. Vána the Ever-young sits down in her seat by her husband.
The next chair is perhaps even more splendid. The back is a tree trunk, with branches going out to form the armrests. The seat is made of vines with flowers inlaid between. Fruits that quite possibly could be real hang off the side. Yavanna, Queen of all things that grow on Earth sits regally in her chair.
Made of metal and rocks, this next chair could not be more different. Diamonds lay across the metal body, with various other gems between the diamonds. Aulë the Great Smith rests next to his wife.
The next and second to last chair looks like a Star. Shining brightly, the points of the star form the chair, yet it somehow still looks comfortable. Varda, Queen of the Valar and Lady of the Stars sits in her rightful place.
At the front of the table, if there could be considered to be one on a round table, is an ornate purple chair decorated with spirals and drawings of eagles. Despite its modesty compared to many of the others, there is no doubt it is the most regal. In this sits Manwë, the Elder King, ruler of Middle-earth and owns the domain of the skies.
Around this table lies more chairs and tables, gathered around as to face the center of the room. In these chairs sit the Maiar, who are not as great as those at the center but are still important nonetheless.
"I call this meeting to begin. Ulmo has a concern for the fate of Middle-Earth." Manwë motions for Ulmo to speak.
"I have traveled in the seas, and I know the lastest events on Middle-earth. An old enemy has appeared. One of the greatest spawns of Ungoliant has returned. And unlike before, the kingdoms of men are too fractured to defeat her."
"Then let's go out and fight. She could not possibly handle any of us," Tulkas suggests.
"I believe a more gentle approach is necessary. Last time we entered the world, a continent was lost," Estë entreats.
"And last time we did not, millions passed through my halls," points out Námo.
"We could have the remaining dwarves fight her. I believe they have created many powerful weapons in the last few milennia." Yavanna turns to her husband.
"My dwarves could not possibly defeat her without far too many casualties. As their craft has grown, their numbers have fallen. Why don't you have your Istar, who never came back might I add, deal with her?" Aulë responds.
"Radagast is not nearly powerful enough for that," Vairë points out before Yavanna can admit to it.
"So let's go ourselves!" Tulkas slams his fist on the table. "I could defeat it myself. That would be safer."
"And how much damage would you consider too much? Would half the lives on Earth be gone by the time you are finished?" Nienna snaps, before crying at the thought at so much death.
The debate continues for dozens of hours, since none of the Ainur require sleep in Valinor. They argue back and forth, but no action seems sufficient.
The door opens soundlessly, but it is noticed by all and silence reigns. Despite his long white hair and beard, the newcomer seems more youthful than most of the others. Olórin sheepishly enters the room, returning from abroad.
"I apologize for my delay. I was busy on an adventure. Ihom, that's a Teleri elf, needed a certain kind of bark from a tree that only grows on top of Hyarmentir. Not one to turn down an adventure–they are so hard to find these days–I took the time to climb that tall mountain to retrieve it and only received notice now." Olórin says.
"Ah, Olórin. This reminds me of the last time you were late to a meeting." Manwë refers to when they had decided to send the wizards to Middle-earth to combat Sauron. Olórin has arrived late as well, and was chosen to go with the wizards.
"Say, perhaps we send him again. He did such a good job last time," Oromë suggests. Olórin quietly chuckles as he sits in his seat.
"Perhaps I should be told what this new threat is, before running off to fight it?" The Valar inform him. Olórin thinks on the information.
The Valar continue to debate what to do next, before deciding it must be men who defeat the creature, as it was before. They need to keep them together and united against her, however, lest she corrupt them to her bidding once more.
"I implore ye, Olórin. You who succeeded once before. Take up the mantle and return to Middle-Earth, to guide the race of men to unite against the darkness."
"I accept."
Gandalf lands on the shores of what was once The Shire. For he is indeed Gandalf, and not Olórin anymore, for he has taken up a human form once more.
He is wearing a white robe, and smoking a pipe. Gandalf uses his wizard staff to get up from the water and onto land. He ties the boat to the shore, so it will be waiting for him when he returns.
"Back in Middle-earth at last." Gandalf travels to the closest village, in the hopes of getting a ride. Due to a lack of contact with Middle-earth, knowledge on present affairs is little. They were, however, able to find several major languages for him to learn, though some of the words' definitions were… strange.
Gandalf looks around as he hopefully finds his way to a village. Green grass, sea-blue water, and a refreshing breeze. It is just as he remembers. Some time later, he reaches civilization.
It is a picturesque village, surrounded by greenery and the sea. The buildings are plain white with many colored rooftops, though there are strange metal wires traveling from building to building on poles.
Gandalf decides to speak to one of the people. That man over there looks friendly, so Gandalf walks up to him. He is sitting on his porch, seemingly waiting for someone.
"Hey Dumbledore," the man says, chuckling as Gandalf walks up to him.
"Dumbledore? I'm afraid I'm not he."
"So what, Gandalf?"
"Why yes. How is it that you know me?" Gandalf looks startled that someone recognizes him after all those years.
"What do you mean? It's a pretty obvious cosplay. I didn't know there was a convention soon though," he says. Convention? Cosplay? This man is being ridiculous.
"There isn't. Not here, at least. Somewhere in the world there certainly is. What's your name?"
"I'm Arthur Acker. So what are you doing then if there isn't a convention?" He looks at Gandalf suspiciously.
"Actually, I came to you to see if I could get a ride. I was dropped off here, while I need to be in the capital."
"That's pretty far away. I really can't afford to help you."
"I can provide appropriate payment, of course." Gandalf takes out a gold coin. "Would this be enough?"
"Is that real?!" Arthur exclaims. Perhaps they don't still use coins, Gandalf thinks. If only they stayed in further contact with Middle-earth so he could know these things. This could be difficult.
"Of course. I'm afraid I didn't bring any currency of this place with me," says Gandalf.
"Let me go inside for a moment."
"Oh, would you let me sit down for a moment? I am an old man and can't stay standing very long," Gandalf insists while following the man inside his home.
"Er… of course… let me just…" the man leaves to a different room. What a strange man, Gandalf thinks.
He catches sight of a book on a bookshelf. Now, normally he wouldn't take things from other people's homes, but this one feels important, and he'll give it back anyways.
"The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring," Gandalf reads out loud. His face pales.
He flips through it in shock, reading one of the tales that was in The Red Book of Westmarch, which was written by his good friends, Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam. That a book could survive so many years… it is truly amazing. Gandalf chuckles.
"Please come out with your hands in the air!" Strange men are standing outside.
"And who might you be?" Gandalf asks, walking outside. Some of them seem surprised, and the others look like they just confirmed something.
"He is clearly crazy, let's just take him in and see if there is a missing persons report." The man clearly thinks he is whispering, but to Gandalf it is clearly audible.
"Excuse me, but I'm afraid you are mistaken. I am perfectly within my right mind."
"Sir, just come with us. We can get this cleared up." Gandalf ponders this for a moment, and agrees.
They enter a strange metal contraption called a car–so that's what that is–and head to the station. They stay silent during the car ride–how rude–and when they reach their destination they enter a room to interrogate Gandalf.
"So this is not an interrogation. We just want to know a few things about you."
"Not an interrogation? Are you not going to ask me questions expecting an answer?"
"Well, yes but–whatever you prefer. What is your name?"
"I have many names. Though, I believe, you would know me best as Gandalf."
"Where do you live?"
"Nowhere, yet. I'm afraid I have just recently arrived and have yet to talk to your king."
"Do you have anyone we can call?"
"Call? Call how? There are few you can summon by yelling into the air."
"By telephone."
"I'm afraid I don't know anyone with a telephone. Not yet, anyways. And if that is all you have to say I think I'll be on my way now."
"Sir, you can't just leave." But he does. The police officer tries to grab Gandalf as he leaves, but is pushed aside on his way to the door.
"Please stop! You're not well."
"I'm well enough."
The officer tries to grab him again, but the wizardightly taps him with his staff.
"Ouch! He hits hard."
"Wait up! You weren't released yet!" another shouts as Gandalf leaves the building.
At this point Gandalf is far ahead of the police, still calmly walking out. He will not suffer being imprisoned, thank you very much.
Gandalf's path is suddenly intercepted by a young boy, chasing after a ball. The boy has the most terrified look on the face, and it pains Gandalf to see it.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Do you want to see a magic trick?" The boy seems soothed by the words.
"Sure!"
Gandalf taps his staff on the ground, and miniature fireworks come out of it forming various patterns. The police officers, having caught up, stand in awe at the blatant magic.
"How is his staff not blowing up from those bombs?" They whisper this and other such things to each other in awe.
"Now if you excuse me, may you point the way to the capital?"
"London? I think that's east," says the boy.
"Thank you." Gandalf begins to walk, when he is stopped by another police officer again.
"How did you do that?"
"Magic, you would say. Or that is the closest word you have to it."
"Prove it."
"Prove it? The proof is right in front of you. I clearly did it."
"I'm going to have to arrest you for unlawful use of explosives."
And Gandalf stops. Clearly, these men must think he insane, if they believe magic does not even get exist. So Gandalf faces them all and raises his staff.
He seems to grow, though he stays the same size. He seems to become brighter and darker, more difficult to see despite a lack of changing light. Then a bright light shines from his staff, instilling the feeling of hope and bravery and a sense of greater power. But not fear. And then it stops.
"I think we're going to have to pass this one up the chain." One of the police gulp loudly.
The Divine War: The Cycle Part 1
- Location
- United States
Five people sit at a modest table at a modest farm.
"Darned these nobles! They're always raising the taxes. Why I aughta-" Milla's father, Joseph Mowbray says.
"Not in front of Milla, dear," Juliana Mowbray, her mother, interrupts. Her father grumbles and continues eating chicken.
"I'm old enough to hear anything! I'm twelve! So that means I'm a big girl now. I help on the farm and everything. I have opinions and everything." Milla looks up at her mother precociously, then speaks in a deep voice. "Those nobles think they're better than us! We aught to show them they're no better!"
"Oooh, ooof course you are a biiiig girl. Mature little Milla," Barric, her older brother, mocks. He's fifteen, so he thinks he is better than her.
"You're just jealous," she bites back.
"Of what?" Barric aggressively responds, and she frowns.
"We shouldn't fight," Milla insists to him.
"Maybe I like fighting. I'm going to join the army you know."
"Well I don't!"
"Now where did that come from?" Milla's mother asks. "You've never shown any interest in that before."
"Yeah, don't join the army. Stay here with us." Milla stares at her brother.
"Ugh, fine, whatever."
"I think the army is pretty." Rowan, Milla's six year old brother cuts in.
"You haven't even seen the army," Milla tells him.
"Yes I have." Rowan smiles and looks off into space.
"He's always so strange," Joseph says to his wife.
"Don't say that about our little boy," she scolds.
The family continues eating, chatting mostly amicably as families do. When they are done, Milla runs out of the room to her own.
Milla's father had worked in the military when he was younger, and thus got to choose a piece of land to farm on. This land had once been owned by a noble, now long dead, and so they also got this run-down villa. Milla, however, does not think of this as she runs to her room. Her interest is on other things.
She runs into her room and almost slams the door, before just barely catching it. She then sits in her room quietly, but is about to burst with excitement. She hasn't told her father, but she thinks she has magic! She holds a small blue ball in her hands, and it seems somehow… familiar.
Milla made it herself, though she isn't sure how. She knows mages are very valued in the capital, but are often made to go to war. She has never liked the idea of war, so being a battle mage scares her. Perhaps she could be a wizard, she thinks, and simply study magic. But that sounds boring, she much prefers physical activities.
So she simply holds onto her magic secretly, watching as yellow sparks fly from the orb. She sighs, and it dissipates.
Suddenly, a white cylinder of light appears in her room. Real magic! It fades and a woman, looking to be in her twenties, is standing there.
"Whoa… are you a mage?" Milla asks.
"No. I am… well, you'll know. See this crystal?" The woman holds a blue crystal out in her hand, shaped like two pyramids attached, which black lines on the edges.
"Yeah? It's pretty."
"This is called a Memory Crystal. It is an extremely rare artifact that will restore the memories of your past lives. But only very special people are allowed to use it." She winks.
"Am I special?" Milla asks.
"Of course. Just reach out and touch this crystal. The magic will do the rest."
Milla reaches out and–
Niam looks out from his castle, which he took when he established a foothold on this island. After he took control of a major kingdom on the mainland, he decided that his conquest of the seas must not be contested, and this island has an especially large navy. If he takes it, he will be in the perfect position for further conquering.
And so far, everything is going perfectly. That foolish kingdom to the north's armies are entering right into his trap. They charge the castle, breaking open the gates with earth magic. Fireballs are thrown into the air and into the courtyard, but are swiftly blocked with water blasts by Niam's own battle mages.
The enemy is fully in the castle. Niam throws a strike of lightning upward, signaling it is the time to strike. The other half of his army comes from behind, trapping the enemy kingdom's army within he castle. Niam smirks. A plan gone perfectly, he thinks.
Niam jumps from the balcony onto the ground, forming a giant crack in the concrete from his impact.
"It's Jupiter! Run!" some no-name soldier yells. But it is too late. In Niam's hand, he has formed a great hammer, completely monochrome blue. He throws it at the hapless soldier, splitting his head in twain. Already both his hands have formed new hammers, and he wades into the fray, literally crushing the resistance. Spears are broken upon his enchanted armor and shields are shattered underneath his blows.
It is a fierce battle, thought one side is clearly outmatched. The enemy kingdom's forces dwindle.
"We surrender!" The enemy prince who had been leading this force holds a white flag after only a few minutes.
Niam smiles. The enemy kingdom has no chance now, with most of their army and their next in line to the throne captured.
"I accept your complete and total surrender. Lay down your arms and let yourselves be tied." Soon enough the enemy army is put in the dungeons, except for the prince.
"You will never conquer my kingdom. You believe yourself a god, but the kingdoms of Earth will never accept you and your kind as rulers."
"Brave speech, lowly prince, but they already have. There is a reason Deutum* rise to power, and die to none but other Deutes. And even death is merely an inconvenience."
"Lies!" The prince spits in Niam's face, blocked by magic, and is taken away by a soldier.
Suddenly, there is a bright white flash next to Liam, and a young girl appears. This could only mean one thing, for only one being alive has the power to teleport: Alyssa the messenger.
"What are you doing here?" Niam demands.
"Greetings, oh Deutum of Jupiter. I, Deutum of Mercury, The Messenger, arrive with a message from Aidan of Mars." Alyssa says formally, with a contrasting smirk on her face.
"And what is it?"
"Thanks for making this so easy, and die." Her amusement at this message and Niam's impending death juxtaposes her apparent young age. As Alyssa speaks, the sounds of an army marching across fields sound clear.
Niam jumps, holding himself in the air with magic for a moment as he sees an army before falling back down, barely making a noise. Then he swears.
"Tell him to stop intruding on my affairs. He can fight me when I'm done."
"He said you'd say that. He also said for me to say that you should stop being so slow. Now excuse me, I have a message from Zefira to Foster to deliver. Those are always so fun." Alyssa disappears in another burst of white light.
"Useless messenger. I swear, we should just get rid of her and use a spell instead. It's not like she ever does anything anyways…" Niam grumbles. He then seems to realize that he is about to be under attack, and looks up.
He quickly moves to give orders to the army to go in defensive positions. But with the gate already destroyed and being outnumbered, it is not a good chance.
The archers and mages send their initial volleys of attacks between forces. Niam, standing at the front of his forces, can see Aidan leading his own army by example.
"Darn you! I was just about to grow my military tenfold by assimilating these kingdoms!" Niam shouts.
"And that's exactly why I attacked!" Aidan replies back haughtily, ignoring the dying men and women around him as he continues to march forward. Niam responds with a lightning bolt, which Aidan blocks with a glowing blue shield.
The armies reach each other, and both Deutum fight in melee. Niam smashes through the soldiers while Aidan cuts his own opponents down in blue swaths. Then they collide.
Niam has the advantage at first as he overpowers Aidan. His raw, physical strength can not be counterended by being slightly outnumbered. He smashes his hammer against Aidan's defenses, occasionally killing a soldier who tries to intervene. But eventually the sounds of battle around him quiet, and Niam realizes he is standing alone.
"I surrender. You win this time."
"Yes, I think I do. Fire!" Aidan's mages send volleys of fire and ice and steel at Niam. He tries to block, creating a blue sphere around himself, but it immediately cracks and shatters, no match for even a few mages much less dozens. His lifeless body burns in the ruins of his castle.
More fighting. More death. A hundred lifetimes of battle. Reaching back through time, thousands upon thousands of years.
Milla takes her hands off the glowing blue crystal in front of her, unable to take any more of it.
"Now you have returned to your memories, Deutum of Jupiter. I must go. Don't worry; the ones you haven't seen will return to you in time." Alyssa, now a woman, gathers the white light around her, preparing to teleport out.
"Why? Why return these horrific memories of war and death to me?"
Alyssa pauses. "That is the way things have to be. But they aren't all war and death. Think back to the beginning." She disappears in a flash of light.
The twelve year old girl looks around her room. She is but a simple farmer's daughter now, but plans run through her head aided by eons of experience. Taxes were recently raised. If she incites the farmers, she could cause a rebellion to serve as her army and take over the Kingdom of Khegia assisted with her powers. From there she would be in a strong position to start taking over nearby lands.
For now, though, she simply goes to bed.
In the morning, Milla gets up from bed to start her day. She puts on her tunic and stockings, before entering the main room.
She and the rest of her family eat breakfast at their table.
"Ugh, pottage. We need to get better food than this," Milla complains.
"What are you talking about?" her mother asks.
"Oh, nothing." They sit at the table for some time, eating their pottage and occasionally chatting about inconsequential things.
"Better be off then. Those eggs won't collect themselves."
"Alright mommy. I'm going." Milla says. She leaves the house and heads to the shed where the chickens are kept.
This is one of her daily chores, collecting the eggs from chickens. Normally she is fine with it, but now? What a plebeian job. She has to get herself out of this poverty, and fast. Being born as a noble is so much better.
When Milla is finally done, she goes to eat lunch before starting into her next chore.
There is a small path leading into the nearby woods from her house, worn in by many years of travel. The young girl begins to walk it, and arrives at Stylehr** Forest. It is known for being filled with nutritious nuts and berries, and since it's royal land, any can take from it. Most folk joke the king doesn't even know it exists. Milla is often told to gather berries planted in a specific spot, just inside the forest, as the same ones always grow there.
This time, whether it is just because it's the first time going in there since she got her memories back or because of something else, Milla feels nervous.
She knows there are no wolves or other such predators here, and even if there were she could easily kill them, but still…
Milla finally reaches the bushes. Or… not? Where the bushes should be, there is instead a little girl around her age, dressed in a dress made of light green leaves, contrasting against her dark skin. She sits in a small clearing, but perks up when she sees Milla.
"Wanna play? It's been so long since someone with so much Potential has been here. I've been trying to approach you but you're always so deaf. I'm Stylehr, what's your name?" The girl giggles.
"I'm Milla. Potential? You mean Intelligence?" Milla asks. The spirit closes one eye.
"Is that what you call it? Humans are so silly. But still: wanna play?" She jumps up and hangs upside down with her legs curled up around a branch. Could it be? A strange magical otherworldly girl in the forest…
Mills frowns. "I don't have time to play, I need to pick fruit and return to my family. But… are you a nymph?"
"You're no fun. And no, I'm not a nymph. And none of them ever come to me, because they're too scared of you and my forest is too small. But you aren't scared of yourself, so you'll stay with me, right? Will you return tomorrow?" Stylehr jumps down from the branch and it recedes. Not a nymph then? But that control over nature… and she can't leave this place… could it be? Milla smiles at the opportunity.
"No. Not unless you promise a favor to me."
"What kind of favor?" The girl smiles mischievously.
"First I need you to answer a question. Are you the spirit of this forest?"
"Maaaaybe. I might tell you if you agree to play with me." Her grin gets even wider.
"Yeah, sure. Of course."
"I am! Woo! Now you have to play with me!" She runs over and grabs Milla by her hand, which is only slightly lighter in color.
"Wait, I never said now," Milla contests, before pulling away.
"It was implied. Don't break your promises!"
"I want you to promise me a favor first."
"Only if it's that I keep you!" When Milla shakes her head, the forest spirit sticks her tongue out. "Nanananana," she sings, as vines wrap around Milla and bring her upward into the trees.
"Ugh." Milla creates a blue dagger in each hand, and cuts the vines, falling to the ground. "If you won't give me a favor Stylehr, I'm leaving."
"Wait! I didn't mean it. What's the favor?" Stylehr asks desperately as Milla dismisses her magic-made daggers into nothingness.
"In a few weeks I plan on leading some opponents of mine in here. I would like assistance in disposing of them. As a forest spirit I'm sure you have experience in similar things."
"Ew, gross! Blood is sticky and killing people is mean. No, no, no!" Stylehr backpetals in shock from the request, with a disgusted look on her face.
"I'll be your friend," Milla sing-songs.
"No, you'll be my friend either way because you're not leaving. Not to go to that," the forest spirit insists. Vines wrap around Milla's legs, and soon her arms, restricting her movement.
Milla simply sighs. What a foolish spirit. Blue light forms around her, not even in her hands, but still as sharp as shattered glass. The blades dance around her, cutting the vines to ribbons.
"I'm leaving." Milla begins to walk away.
"No! Don't go!" Stylehr runs after her, but stops when she's is stabbed in the arm. Some sap leaks out of the wound before it closes just a few seconds later. "You stabbed me…" The forest spirit begins to tear up.
"Tough luck." But maybe the small girl hasn't changed quite so much, because she adds "I'm sorry."
"Fine! Leave and don't come back!" Stylehr runs into her forest, crying. Milla barely takes ten steps before she finds herself on the outside of the woods, despite being in the middle of it before.
At dinner that night, Milla makes up a sob story about wolves.
"They were so scary! They chased me around and I thought I was going to die!"
"That's strange. Wolves don't really live 'round these parts, and they especially don't attack people." Milla's father ponders.
"Honey! Milla dear, it's alright. You won't have to go in there anymore," her mother says.
"Thanks." Milla looks up with glistening eyes. "Can I–can I go to the town with you tomorrow? I'd feel better."
"Of course my little girl," her mother replies. Just as planned.
"I wouldn't be scared of no wolves," Barric proudly declares. "I'd pick up a stick and stab them in the eye!"
"Ew, no! Don't hurt them!" Milla says, still unknowingly acting, rather than being, as if she was the same person as yesterday.
"I'd stab them so bad they wouldn't be able to be hurt no more," Berric claims.
"That's enough, you're scaring your sister," Joseph demands.
The small family continues eating dinner, with Milla hiding a smirk at convincing them to let her go to town.
The next day Milla makes sure to get up earlier and to make sure she gets in the wagon.
"I'm all ready to go!" she shouts.
"Yeah, but we aren't! Get out of there," Berric replies.
"No, I'm just going to wait here." Milla plops down and closes her eyes.
The ground is rumbling. Wait, no–she's just on the wagon. It is being driven by her mother, who is using the mana crystal to make it move. Anyone with enough Intelligence to control magic can make one, so they are fairly cheap. They are fairly efficient at the simple act of turning the wheels since they also use some of the user's mana rather than acting as a battery.
In fact, this one was actually made by Juliana, who was taught by the local priest along with a few other children when she was a young girl.
That is not to say that her father isn't smart; Intelligence is actually a misnomer from when it was believed the smarter you are the better you are at controlling magic, while they are actually not related. The term stuck, and it's a common misconception even today.
Milla is broken from her thoughts when they finally arrive, a scant few dozen minutes later. Millshire, the start of her plans.
"We're here! Yay!" Barric shouts.
"Now, make sure to be back by the time we're done and don't get lost," Joseph demands.
"Let's go honey," Juliana tells her husband. They leave together, leaving the children to wander the town and play with the other children.
"Bleh. You better not follow me." Barric runs away to his friends, leaving Milla behind alone.
How convienent. Milla begins to walk over to the bar, listening in on the conversations inside.
"These tax raises are killing me! We ought to complain," a gruff man says.
"Oh, I don't mind them too much," a second person says.
"You have larger fields than I do. You'll be complaining too when they take that away from you."
"Why, my lord would never do that."
"Wait, we have the same lord," a third man says, "and he halved my lands last year!"
"Well it's not like we could do anything about it anyways," the second man insists.
Milla takes the opportunity to walk closer and cut in. "You could fight."
"No, you wouldn't understand, but we couldn't possibly fight the army. Too many would die and nothing would get better. Trust me… I've been in wars. It is not glorious." The fourth and last person at the table, an old man, speaks up with his words of wisdom.
"So instead you'll just wait for them to conscript you to fight other armies?" Milla asks. The old man looks at her suspiciously, but the drunk gruff man does not.
"No! We'll cut them up and stop them from making me do anything I don't want to do," the gruff man boasts.
"Just like you did when they raised the taxes?" When Milla says this, he pauses.
"You know, for a little girl you are pretty smart," says the gruff man.
"You can't possibly be thinking of fighting!" The second man is now visibly frightened at the thought.
The third man looks contemplative. "We do still have that old armory from that war some years ago, and we do have plenty of strong people…"
"Well, I guess," the second man says.
"No, this is fo–" the old man begins to say, when Milla tugs on his staff. He needs to be taken out of this conversation.
"Can you tell me a story?"
"Well of course. Here, let's go away from the men." He walks to another table, then one empty. Milla follows and sits at another chair, internally smirking at having pulled away the only nay-sayer. With any luck the idea would even spread without her help.
"There once was a peaceful kingdom in the mountains. In it lived a beautiful princess along with her father, the king. They were a peaceful kingdom for many years, surrounded by plenty and wealth. They had hard times, but they were few in number and always ended.
Until the king's brother returned from a long exile. He riled up the people, insisting they need to attack the neighboring kingdoms to take their wealth, so no one would ever be poor. He deposed the king and drove the princess into exile.
His armies raided the countryside, for a time doing exactly as he promised. All the people in the kingdom were rich with plunder.
But then the neighboring kingdoms fought back. Armies fought and died, and the loot ended. The people of the kingdom became poor, and their stolen gold was useless since no one would trade with them.
The king, in his greed, kept up husband lavish lifestyle and the people were more poor than they weren't ever before. They longed for the days of peace, before they started their folly.
And that was when the princess returned. Not on the front of an invading army to reclaim her kingdom, no.
She was alone. And yet, she wasn't. As she traveled through the mountain kingdom to the capital the people traveled with her. Her retinue grew to be hundreds large when she reached the evil king's castle.
'Have you come to depose me? Do the same as I did to your father all those years ago?' The evil king asks.
The princess responds with only three words. 'I already have.'
And it is true. For a Kingdom is not land or wealth. It is the people, for without people you have nothing.
The evil king sent his knights and mages down at her, but they too were tired of war. This they stood by her, and drew their weapons only to throw them down.
And so the evil king despaired. He looked around at his empty castle, realizing his mages and knights have abandoned him. And so he jumped off his tallest tower, never to be seen again.
Thus the once peaceful mountain kingdom was reclaimed not by force, but by peace."
Milla scoffs at the story. What ridiculousness, strength is the only path to power. That princess would have been slaughtered by the knights.
"That's a really cool story!" Milla says aloud.
"I hope you have learnedly something from it. Now, I need to go rest. This old man's back isn't as young as it used to be."
Milla leaves the bar, ready to spread her revolutionary ideas across more of the town. That is when she meets with her old bully, Tybalt. Idiot. Always pushing the other children around to make himself feel strong. She'll show him what real strength is. The girl marches up to the boy, arms crossed.
"Oh look, it's Milla. Still think you're so strong little Mittle?" Tybalt mocks.
"I know I am," she responds to him and his friends.
"Then prove it. Fight me!"
"Sure." Milla smirks. "As long as you're not afraid to fight without your posse following you around."
"What?"
"Oh, are you too dumb to understand my words?" That does it for him.
Tybalt runs toward her in a tackle. Milla steps to the side, redirecting his weight to the ground when he reaches her. He tries to get up and punch her, but she just catches his fist and punches back harder.
She punches him one last time and he falls to the ground. He doesn't get up, but his friends look on in shock.
"And don't bother me again!" Milla saunters away, feeling victorious. Then she panics. That totally blew her cover! They know she couldn't do that before! She hopes those boys don't tell anyone about it… "Stupid stupid stupid! I am so stupid," she berates herself silently.
Nonetheless, Milla spends the rest of her time talking to people and discretely giving them the idea to rebel against the nobles.
"Milla! It's time to come back! I can't believe you lost track of time so Mom and Dad had to send me to get you." Barric runs to Milla, who quickly pretends she wasn't about to cut into someone else's conversation.
"I know, I know. I'm coming." Milla returns with her family to the farm. While her job is not yet finished, she knows that when she returns, she will be able to continue.
When she next returns to the town, she has barely talked to anyone when her plans are put to the test. The tax collector has come, and this time, is escorted by two knights. The king must be really worried about the safety of his men if he assigns multiple knights to guard them, though it could just be Millshire. Milla smirks at the thought. He has more to be afraid of than he thinks.
"Make way! Make way! The royal tax collector is here. Pay your taxes and you will be safe," one declares. They go from house to house, taking the little money the townsfolk have.
That is, until they get to the old widow's house. Milla looks around, then ducks behind a nearby bush to hear better.
"The royal tax is forty percent of what you earn. We know you make more than that," the tax collector says, pointing at a single gold coin.
"I have nothing else! I swear! The church already took their share!" The widow cries out.
"In a year? You made only that? We have no use for beggars and the weak in our kingdom. You are to be executed at dawn." The knight begins to pull her away.
"No! LET GO!" The widow activates the little magic she has, blowing the knight several feet away. He is, however, unharmed by the uncontrolled burst.
"How dare you assault a knight!" The knight draws his sword, and is about to cut her down where she stands when Milla sees her chance and intervenes.
The sword slams down onto a blue blade, held by a mere girl.
"The nobles of this land have oppressed us too long! Cede to our demands or die!" Milla's speech is somewhat ruined by her youth and high pitched voice, but her holding her own against a magically enhanced knight proves her words for her in a way nothing else could.
"I don't know what witchcraft you've learned, but it is no matter. You will die with the widow." The knight swings his sword again and again, to be blocked by Milla each time. Eventually, they get into a sword lock, magical blue blade pressing against brilliantly shining metal. The knight pushes downward, aided by his height and gravity, while Milla begins to be crushed underneath him.
Then the tables turn. Milla wins the contest of strength and pushes the knight back and off from above her. The crowd gasps in disbelief, some outwardly wondering if they are dreaming. The girl jumps, and splits his helm with a single strike.
The knight's corpse collapses to the ground.
"Come! Look at these knights! One of them tried to kill one of us for the crime of being poor! Is that not unfair? Is that not cruel? We have the power to stop them! We have the power to fix this! I am the Deutum of Jupiter, one of the ancient rulers of heaven! Join me in a glorious revolution against the corrupt king!"
The second knight and tax collector realize the tide has turned against them, and begin to try to sneak away. They are surprised when they turn around and face a dozen peasants armed with swords and spears.
The gruff man from the other day shouts, "You will starve us no more!" The peasants charge the knight, and even his plate armor is no match for a dozen weapons slashing and stabbing. He falls, and the tax collector, running away in the chaos, is shot with an arrow and falls.
"Down with the king!" Milla shouts.
"Down with the king! Down with the king!"
Much of the town is now gathered around, shouting with her. Even her parents and brother are there, though are unaware it is her as they are behind much of the crowd. She wanted revolution and made a mob. Curse those knights for making her act so soon, they need to be calmed down now.
"People of Millshire! People of Khegia! You are angry; so use it! We are the start of a great revolution! It is time to prepare. War can be tough. But our cause is true, so it will be glorious as well.
I will be using my power to aid you and make sure you succeed. Which is why we need to prepare. I want all the leaders of the town to meet me in the town hall. The rest of you should continue your day while preparing for war."
Eager to follow a figure of legend, the townsfolk obey her for now.
"Where is she?" Joseph nervously asks to his wife. "We haven't seen Milla since this morning."
"Let's just go back home without her," Barric suggests.
"Don't you dare!" Juliana berates him. "I know you're worried too."
"But she's right there," Rowan says.
"What do you mean right there? She's not anywh–" Juliana is cut off by Milla appearing from the crowd.
"Milla! We have to get back, it's getting late. You can't keep disappearing like that."
"I can't go back to the farm. I'm needed here."
"What are you talking about?" Juliana presses her palm against her forehead. "No fever."
"You didn't see?" A smile of amusement appears on Milla's lips.
"See what?" Barric asks.
"The keh-nite," Rowan says. Milla looks at him curiously.
"Yes, I'm the one who killed the knight. And I will stay here to lead the revolution." At those simple words, Milla's eyes glow blue. Juliana stumbles back.
"Wha–what happened to you? Are you possessed? We should go see the priest. He'll be able to help you."
"NO. I'm fine. Leave or stay; it is your choice." Milla walks away.
"Wait!" Barric shouts. "Why?"
"It's my destiny," Milla lies.
"Now listen here. It may be your 'destiny', but no daughter of mine is going to go off and fight in some war." Joseph walks over to her and puts a firm hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
"Is that how it's going to be?" Milla asks him.
"Yes."
Milla reaches over to his arm, and throws him over her shoulder by it. He lands on the floor and groans.
"So be it!"
Her family can only watch sadly as she walks away.
"So how many people can we expect to join up?" Milla asks her impromptu military council in the town hall.
The gruff man from before, revealed to be named Walter, speaks up.
"We have eleven dozen and five from this here town already, and have messengers ready to go to other towns to request aid as well. The nearby villages will get notice by word of mouth as people return after a day's work. We just need proof you are a Deutum to put in the letters." He slides them across the table.
"Of course." Milla's hand glows, and they watch in amazement as she imprints a glowingly blue symbol onto each of the letters. No one but the most ignorant could mistake what it is and what the symbol means: war is coming.
"I want all the grain we can to be stored and for the town to be put on rations. I wouldn't put it past the king to order the fields burned, and I want no one starved." Milla orders.
"Of course. I'll have someone do it now." Bryce, another man highly esteemed in the town, walks outside for a moment to give orders.
They make to continue discussing war plans, with Bryce, Walter, and Milla at the head of the discussions. But shortly after, a familiar old man walks in.
"I came as quick as I could. What are you doing?"
"Old man Henry… we all know what you are going to say," Walter says.
"Then why don't you act on it? This is not the way. You will only bring endless war upon us."
"What we will do is earn our freedom. Go now or change your mind. I don't care which." Milla looks pointedly at him.
"Remember what I told you. Just… remember. Don't make the same mistakes I did." The old man makes to leave.
"Probably ill," Milla mutters just loud enough for the others to hear and take heed. "Let's get back to work."
"I can't believe it," Joseph says when they make it back to the farm. "Our little girl?"
"She's been possessed. The Deutum are ancient spirits, who take control of new people when they die. We have to… to…" Juliana's voice breaks. There is nothing to do.
"She has memories. Memories of a time long long ago." Rowan looks up, but his eyes are blank. "They do not possess. Only demons possess."
Rowan… She always knew he was were special. A natural born seer, very rare and only told of in stories. But no one can know. That would risk losing him too. Juliana waves her hand.
"He is blabbering nonsense. Why don't I go put him to bed? You stay here."
Joseph just grunts while she leaves.
As Juliana puts Rowan in a crib, she thinks. She will never give up on her little girl. Memories, memories… if her memories are erased then she will return to normal. She stands up quickly and writes a note to her husband explaining that she is going out. There is only one thing to do.
The mother runs out the back door on a familiar route. To the Stylehr Forest. Planted by the Wandering Druid's just a few decades ago to hide something within on order of the king. Few know of it, and fewer can make use of it.
She reaches the forest, and steps inside. No turning back now. She steps off the path, and lets the forest guide her. She can almost hear childish laughing as she goes, though there is no one else here.
Then she finds it. An old log cabin, meant to look completely ordinary to anyone who stumbles by.
"Wait! I have to go back. I left… a broom upright. Yes, it's going to fall. I must stop it." Not sure who she is talking to, Juliana turns back anyways, but trips on a root and falls on her head.
The spell is broken.
"Thank you," she says in prayer. She runs back at the cabin and flings the door open, stepping inside. The spell can't affect her now.
An underground labyrinth, filled with books. Dangerous books. A place that was once common knowledge before the knowledge inside was used to make everyone forget. Everyone except her, of course. She was out of town at the time, and when she returned feigned ignorance.
Juliana slides her hands across the books. K, L, M. There. Memory Charm Rituals. She takes the book out and reads through. Rituals on restoring memories, rituals on erasing an object from memories, there. What she's looking for.
"Memory Destruction. Ensured to restore someone to their younger self," she whispers. It is the reason this book is forbidden. Dangerous magic to erase years of a person's memory, once used to essentially kill someone without murder. After all, a six year old in the body of an adult is useless for everyone, and much more painful on their friends and family.
This is likely the only time this spell will be used for good. How ironic, she thinks. Juliana copies the spell down on parchment, then puts the book back. She runs back up the stairs and out the door. Back to the village it is.
Strangely enough, she makes the journey out of the forest in just a few minutes. That's not possible. The forest is way bigger than that, it should be nightfall by now. Juliana looks forward. There is no time to ponder now.
Only an hour later and she is there. The town, much less livelier at night, stands before her. "I'm coming," she whispers to her far away child.
She races to reach the only house with lights on. That must be the war room.
"Let me through!" Juliana yells at the guards.
"Of course Mrs. Mowbray. Your family has always had good standing in this town, and you are always welcome to having a voice in it's aff–" the guard says before being cut off by the woman pushing past him.
"Milla! Come here."
"What? You have no right to command me, mother. Sit at this table if you'd like but–" Milla is interrupted by her mother going to her instead.
"Stand back!" Juliana begins speaking, reciting the spell as it disappears off the page of her note.
Esare yuor mmoreeis,
Esrae yuor mnid,
Tkee aawy the taerrusies,
Taht is dienfed.
Light travels from Juliana's outstretched hand and to Milla's head, wrapping around it before disappearing. The mother falls onto her knees, utterly exhausted. "Oh my sweet baby."
"Wha–what happened? Where am I? Why aren't I in my room? Mommy?" Milla stands up, confused, and runs to her mother. "What happened?"
"Juliana! What have you done! You've doomed us all!" Walter shouts at her, furious at the realization that Milla is once more unaware of her powers. "The army will come and kill us all now."
Bryce sits calmly.
"K–kill? Fighting? Please don't. I don't know what's happening but fighting is bad." Milla begins to cry on her mother's lap.
"I did what I had to do! And I got her back. That's all that matters."
"I think not. That's a very amusing spell you have there, but so very useless." A woman appears from the corner of the room, walking forward, despite that there is no entryway there. Juliana stands up, but just barely.
"You won't take my daughter!"
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Alyssa, and you're Juliana–though with that stunt of yours you won't be anything for much longer–and you're Bryce, and you're Walter. Now that introductions are done, I believe I'm going to do my job." Alyssa walks up to Juliana, then blows softly at her. The wind picks up and she crashes on the wall.
"You'll have to kill me to get to her." Juliana stands up, and runs at Alyssa.
"Don't be ridiculous. You already did that to yourself, what with using a spell more powerful than you can handle to do more than it's meant to do. There is a cost to everything. I'm almost surprised you're not dead." Alyssa holds Juliana back with a single hand, intercepting anything she tries.
The Deutum of Mercury takes out a Memory Crystal and gently taps Milla, still a crying wreck on the floor.
"Well I'm off then. Don't try that again. Bye!" Alyssa disappears in a flash of light, leaving nothing in her place and destruction around her. Juliana barely sits down, thinking that she has failed.
"Leave." Milla looks at her mother, noting her lack of vitality with indifference. "Your interference is not welcome here."
Juliana stands up and leaves the building, before collapsing in despair. She's lost Milla. Her child is dead.
*Pronounced "De-uh-tum" and "De-uh-tes". De as in deity and tes as in uno dos tres without the r sound.
**Pronounced "Stie-ley-her"
Stylehr
AN: This entire thing was going to be one part then I realized it was 7k words, so I'm just posting this part now.
"Darned these nobles! They're always raising the taxes. Why I aughta-" Milla's father, Joseph Mowbray says.
"Not in front of Milla, dear," Juliana Mowbray, her mother, interrupts. Her father grumbles and continues eating chicken.
"I'm old enough to hear anything! I'm twelve! So that means I'm a big girl now. I help on the farm and everything. I have opinions and everything." Milla looks up at her mother precociously, then speaks in a deep voice. "Those nobles think they're better than us! We aught to show them they're no better!"
"Oooh, ooof course you are a biiiig girl. Mature little Milla," Barric, her older brother, mocks. He's fifteen, so he thinks he is better than her.
"You're just jealous," she bites back.
"Of what?" Barric aggressively responds, and she frowns.
"We shouldn't fight," Milla insists to him.
"Maybe I like fighting. I'm going to join the army you know."
"Well I don't!"
"Now where did that come from?" Milla's mother asks. "You've never shown any interest in that before."
"Yeah, don't join the army. Stay here with us." Milla stares at her brother.
"Ugh, fine, whatever."
"I think the army is pretty." Rowan, Milla's six year old brother cuts in.
"You haven't even seen the army," Milla tells him.
"Yes I have." Rowan smiles and looks off into space.
"He's always so strange," Joseph says to his wife.
"Don't say that about our little boy," she scolds.
The family continues eating, chatting mostly amicably as families do. When they are done, Milla runs out of the room to her own.
Milla's father had worked in the military when he was younger, and thus got to choose a piece of land to farm on. This land had once been owned by a noble, now long dead, and so they also got this run-down villa. Milla, however, does not think of this as she runs to her room. Her interest is on other things.
She runs into her room and almost slams the door, before just barely catching it. She then sits in her room quietly, but is about to burst with excitement. She hasn't told her father, but she thinks she has magic! She holds a small blue ball in her hands, and it seems somehow… familiar.
Milla made it herself, though she isn't sure how. She knows mages are very valued in the capital, but are often made to go to war. She has never liked the idea of war, so being a battle mage scares her. Perhaps she could be a wizard, she thinks, and simply study magic. But that sounds boring, she much prefers physical activities.
So she simply holds onto her magic secretly, watching as yellow sparks fly from the orb. She sighs, and it dissipates.
Suddenly, a white cylinder of light appears in her room. Real magic! It fades and a woman, looking to be in her twenties, is standing there.
"Whoa… are you a mage?" Milla asks.
"No. I am… well, you'll know. See this crystal?" The woman holds a blue crystal out in her hand, shaped like two pyramids attached, which black lines on the edges.
"Yeah? It's pretty."
"This is called a Memory Crystal. It is an extremely rare artifact that will restore the memories of your past lives. But only very special people are allowed to use it." She winks.
"Am I special?" Milla asks.
"Of course. Just reach out and touch this crystal. The magic will do the rest."
Milla reaches out and–
Niam looks out from his castle, which he took when he established a foothold on this island. After he took control of a major kingdom on the mainland, he decided that his conquest of the seas must not be contested, and this island has an especially large navy. If he takes it, he will be in the perfect position for further conquering.
And so far, everything is going perfectly. That foolish kingdom to the north's armies are entering right into his trap. They charge the castle, breaking open the gates with earth magic. Fireballs are thrown into the air and into the courtyard, but are swiftly blocked with water blasts by Niam's own battle mages.
The enemy is fully in the castle. Niam throws a strike of lightning upward, signaling it is the time to strike. The other half of his army comes from behind, trapping the enemy kingdom's army within he castle. Niam smirks. A plan gone perfectly, he thinks.
Niam jumps from the balcony onto the ground, forming a giant crack in the concrete from his impact.
"It's Jupiter! Run!" some no-name soldier yells. But it is too late. In Niam's hand, he has formed a great hammer, completely monochrome blue. He throws it at the hapless soldier, splitting his head in twain. Already both his hands have formed new hammers, and he wades into the fray, literally crushing the resistance. Spears are broken upon his enchanted armor and shields are shattered underneath his blows.
It is a fierce battle, thought one side is clearly outmatched. The enemy kingdom's forces dwindle.
"We surrender!" The enemy prince who had been leading this force holds a white flag after only a few minutes.
Niam smiles. The enemy kingdom has no chance now, with most of their army and their next in line to the throne captured.
"I accept your complete and total surrender. Lay down your arms and let yourselves be tied." Soon enough the enemy army is put in the dungeons, except for the prince.
"You will never conquer my kingdom. You believe yourself a god, but the kingdoms of Earth will never accept you and your kind as rulers."
"Brave speech, lowly prince, but they already have. There is a reason Deutum* rise to power, and die to none but other Deutes. And even death is merely an inconvenience."
"Lies!" The prince spits in Niam's face, blocked by magic, and is taken away by a soldier.
Suddenly, there is a bright white flash next to Liam, and a young girl appears. This could only mean one thing, for only one being alive has the power to teleport: Alyssa the messenger.
"What are you doing here?" Niam demands.
"Greetings, oh Deutum of Jupiter. I, Deutum of Mercury, The Messenger, arrive with a message from Aidan of Mars." Alyssa says formally, with a contrasting smirk on her face.
"And what is it?"
"Thanks for making this so easy, and die." Her amusement at this message and Niam's impending death juxtaposes her apparent young age. As Alyssa speaks, the sounds of an army marching across fields sound clear.
Niam jumps, holding himself in the air with magic for a moment as he sees an army before falling back down, barely making a noise. Then he swears.
"Tell him to stop intruding on my affairs. He can fight me when I'm done."
"He said you'd say that. He also said for me to say that you should stop being so slow. Now excuse me, I have a message from Zefira to Foster to deliver. Those are always so fun." Alyssa disappears in another burst of white light.
"Useless messenger. I swear, we should just get rid of her and use a spell instead. It's not like she ever does anything anyways…" Niam grumbles. He then seems to realize that he is about to be under attack, and looks up.
He quickly moves to give orders to the army to go in defensive positions. But with the gate already destroyed and being outnumbered, it is not a good chance.
The archers and mages send their initial volleys of attacks between forces. Niam, standing at the front of his forces, can see Aidan leading his own army by example.
"Darn you! I was just about to grow my military tenfold by assimilating these kingdoms!" Niam shouts.
"And that's exactly why I attacked!" Aidan replies back haughtily, ignoring the dying men and women around him as he continues to march forward. Niam responds with a lightning bolt, which Aidan blocks with a glowing blue shield.
The armies reach each other, and both Deutum fight in melee. Niam smashes through the soldiers while Aidan cuts his own opponents down in blue swaths. Then they collide.
Niam has the advantage at first as he overpowers Aidan. His raw, physical strength can not be counterended by being slightly outnumbered. He smashes his hammer against Aidan's defenses, occasionally killing a soldier who tries to intervene. But eventually the sounds of battle around him quiet, and Niam realizes he is standing alone.
"I surrender. You win this time."
"Yes, I think I do. Fire!" Aidan's mages send volleys of fire and ice and steel at Niam. He tries to block, creating a blue sphere around himself, but it immediately cracks and shatters, no match for even a few mages much less dozens. His lifeless body burns in the ruins of his castle.
More fighting. More death. A hundred lifetimes of battle. Reaching back through time, thousands upon thousands of years.
Milla takes her hands off the glowing blue crystal in front of her, unable to take any more of it.
"Now you have returned to your memories, Deutum of Jupiter. I must go. Don't worry; the ones you haven't seen will return to you in time." Alyssa, now a woman, gathers the white light around her, preparing to teleport out.
"Why? Why return these horrific memories of war and death to me?"
Alyssa pauses. "That is the way things have to be. But they aren't all war and death. Think back to the beginning." She disappears in a flash of light.
The twelve year old girl looks around her room. She is but a simple farmer's daughter now, but plans run through her head aided by eons of experience. Taxes were recently raised. If she incites the farmers, she could cause a rebellion to serve as her army and take over the Kingdom of Khegia assisted with her powers. From there she would be in a strong position to start taking over nearby lands.
For now, though, she simply goes to bed.
In the morning, Milla gets up from bed to start her day. She puts on her tunic and stockings, before entering the main room.
She and the rest of her family eat breakfast at their table.
"Ugh, pottage. We need to get better food than this," Milla complains.
"What are you talking about?" her mother asks.
"Oh, nothing." They sit at the table for some time, eating their pottage and occasionally chatting about inconsequential things.
"Better be off then. Those eggs won't collect themselves."
"Alright mommy. I'm going." Milla says. She leaves the house and heads to the shed where the chickens are kept.
This is one of her daily chores, collecting the eggs from chickens. Normally she is fine with it, but now? What a plebeian job. She has to get herself out of this poverty, and fast. Being born as a noble is so much better.
When Milla is finally done, she goes to eat lunch before starting into her next chore.
There is a small path leading into the nearby woods from her house, worn in by many years of travel. The young girl begins to walk it, and arrives at Stylehr** Forest. It is known for being filled with nutritious nuts and berries, and since it's royal land, any can take from it. Most folk joke the king doesn't even know it exists. Milla is often told to gather berries planted in a specific spot, just inside the forest, as the same ones always grow there.
This time, whether it is just because it's the first time going in there since she got her memories back or because of something else, Milla feels nervous.
She knows there are no wolves or other such predators here, and even if there were she could easily kill them, but still…
Milla finally reaches the bushes. Or… not? Where the bushes should be, there is instead a little girl around her age, dressed in a dress made of light green leaves, contrasting against her dark skin. She sits in a small clearing, but perks up when she sees Milla.
"Wanna play? It's been so long since someone with so much Potential has been here. I've been trying to approach you but you're always so deaf. I'm Stylehr, what's your name?" The girl giggles.
"I'm Milla. Potential? You mean Intelligence?" Milla asks. The spirit closes one eye.
"Is that what you call it? Humans are so silly. But still: wanna play?" She jumps up and hangs upside down with her legs curled up around a branch. Could it be? A strange magical otherworldly girl in the forest…
Mills frowns. "I don't have time to play, I need to pick fruit and return to my family. But… are you a nymph?"
"You're no fun. And no, I'm not a nymph. And none of them ever come to me, because they're too scared of you and my forest is too small. But you aren't scared of yourself, so you'll stay with me, right? Will you return tomorrow?" Stylehr jumps down from the branch and it recedes. Not a nymph then? But that control over nature… and she can't leave this place… could it be? Milla smiles at the opportunity.
"No. Not unless you promise a favor to me."
"What kind of favor?" The girl smiles mischievously.
"First I need you to answer a question. Are you the spirit of this forest?"
"Maaaaybe. I might tell you if you agree to play with me." Her grin gets even wider.
"Yeah, sure. Of course."
"I am! Woo! Now you have to play with me!" She runs over and grabs Milla by her hand, which is only slightly lighter in color.
"Wait, I never said now," Milla contests, before pulling away.
"It was implied. Don't break your promises!"
"I want you to promise me a favor first."
"Only if it's that I keep you!" When Milla shakes her head, the forest spirit sticks her tongue out. "Nanananana," she sings, as vines wrap around Milla and bring her upward into the trees.
"Ugh." Milla creates a blue dagger in each hand, and cuts the vines, falling to the ground. "If you won't give me a favor Stylehr, I'm leaving."
"Wait! I didn't mean it. What's the favor?" Stylehr asks desperately as Milla dismisses her magic-made daggers into nothingness.
"In a few weeks I plan on leading some opponents of mine in here. I would like assistance in disposing of them. As a forest spirit I'm sure you have experience in similar things."
"Ew, gross! Blood is sticky and killing people is mean. No, no, no!" Stylehr backpetals in shock from the request, with a disgusted look on her face.
"I'll be your friend," Milla sing-songs.
"No, you'll be my friend either way because you're not leaving. Not to go to that," the forest spirit insists. Vines wrap around Milla's legs, and soon her arms, restricting her movement.
Milla simply sighs. What a foolish spirit. Blue light forms around her, not even in her hands, but still as sharp as shattered glass. The blades dance around her, cutting the vines to ribbons.
"I'm leaving." Milla begins to walk away.
"No! Don't go!" Stylehr runs after her, but stops when she's is stabbed in the arm. Some sap leaks out of the wound before it closes just a few seconds later. "You stabbed me…" The forest spirit begins to tear up.
"Tough luck." But maybe the small girl hasn't changed quite so much, because she adds "I'm sorry."
"Fine! Leave and don't come back!" Stylehr runs into her forest, crying. Milla barely takes ten steps before she finds herself on the outside of the woods, despite being in the middle of it before.
At dinner that night, Milla makes up a sob story about wolves.
"They were so scary! They chased me around and I thought I was going to die!"
"That's strange. Wolves don't really live 'round these parts, and they especially don't attack people." Milla's father ponders.
"Honey! Milla dear, it's alright. You won't have to go in there anymore," her mother says.
"Thanks." Milla looks up with glistening eyes. "Can I–can I go to the town with you tomorrow? I'd feel better."
"Of course my little girl," her mother replies. Just as planned.
"I wouldn't be scared of no wolves," Barric proudly declares. "I'd pick up a stick and stab them in the eye!"
"Ew, no! Don't hurt them!" Milla says, still unknowingly acting, rather than being, as if she was the same person as yesterday.
"I'd stab them so bad they wouldn't be able to be hurt no more," Berric claims.
"That's enough, you're scaring your sister," Joseph demands.
The small family continues eating dinner, with Milla hiding a smirk at convincing them to let her go to town.
The next day Milla makes sure to get up earlier and to make sure she gets in the wagon.
"I'm all ready to go!" she shouts.
"Yeah, but we aren't! Get out of there," Berric replies.
"No, I'm just going to wait here." Milla plops down and closes her eyes.
The ground is rumbling. Wait, no–she's just on the wagon. It is being driven by her mother, who is using the mana crystal to make it move. Anyone with enough Intelligence to control magic can make one, so they are fairly cheap. They are fairly efficient at the simple act of turning the wheels since they also use some of the user's mana rather than acting as a battery.
In fact, this one was actually made by Juliana, who was taught by the local priest along with a few other children when she was a young girl.
That is not to say that her father isn't smart; Intelligence is actually a misnomer from when it was believed the smarter you are the better you are at controlling magic, while they are actually not related. The term stuck, and it's a common misconception even today.
Milla is broken from her thoughts when they finally arrive, a scant few dozen minutes later. Millshire, the start of her plans.
"We're here! Yay!" Barric shouts.
"Now, make sure to be back by the time we're done and don't get lost," Joseph demands.
"Let's go honey," Juliana tells her husband. They leave together, leaving the children to wander the town and play with the other children.
"Bleh. You better not follow me." Barric runs away to his friends, leaving Milla behind alone.
How convienent. Milla begins to walk over to the bar, listening in on the conversations inside.
"These tax raises are killing me! We ought to complain," a gruff man says.
"Oh, I don't mind them too much," a second person says.
"You have larger fields than I do. You'll be complaining too when they take that away from you."
"Why, my lord would never do that."
"Wait, we have the same lord," a third man says, "and he halved my lands last year!"
"Well it's not like we could do anything about it anyways," the second man insists.
Milla takes the opportunity to walk closer and cut in. "You could fight."
"No, you wouldn't understand, but we couldn't possibly fight the army. Too many would die and nothing would get better. Trust me… I've been in wars. It is not glorious." The fourth and last person at the table, an old man, speaks up with his words of wisdom.
"So instead you'll just wait for them to conscript you to fight other armies?" Milla asks. The old man looks at her suspiciously, but the drunk gruff man does not.
"No! We'll cut them up and stop them from making me do anything I don't want to do," the gruff man boasts.
"Just like you did when they raised the taxes?" When Milla says this, he pauses.
"You know, for a little girl you are pretty smart," says the gruff man.
"You can't possibly be thinking of fighting!" The second man is now visibly frightened at the thought.
The third man looks contemplative. "We do still have that old armory from that war some years ago, and we do have plenty of strong people…"
"Well, I guess," the second man says.
"No, this is fo–" the old man begins to say, when Milla tugs on his staff. He needs to be taken out of this conversation.
"Can you tell me a story?"
"Well of course. Here, let's go away from the men." He walks to another table, then one empty. Milla follows and sits at another chair, internally smirking at having pulled away the only nay-sayer. With any luck the idea would even spread without her help.
"There once was a peaceful kingdom in the mountains. In it lived a beautiful princess along with her father, the king. They were a peaceful kingdom for many years, surrounded by plenty and wealth. They had hard times, but they were few in number and always ended.
Until the king's brother returned from a long exile. He riled up the people, insisting they need to attack the neighboring kingdoms to take their wealth, so no one would ever be poor. He deposed the king and drove the princess into exile.
His armies raided the countryside, for a time doing exactly as he promised. All the people in the kingdom were rich with plunder.
But then the neighboring kingdoms fought back. Armies fought and died, and the loot ended. The people of the kingdom became poor, and their stolen gold was useless since no one would trade with them.
The king, in his greed, kept up husband lavish lifestyle and the people were more poor than they weren't ever before. They longed for the days of peace, before they started their folly.
And that was when the princess returned. Not on the front of an invading army to reclaim her kingdom, no.
She was alone. And yet, she wasn't. As she traveled through the mountain kingdom to the capital the people traveled with her. Her retinue grew to be hundreds large when she reached the evil king's castle.
'Have you come to depose me? Do the same as I did to your father all those years ago?' The evil king asks.
The princess responds with only three words. 'I already have.'
And it is true. For a Kingdom is not land or wealth. It is the people, for without people you have nothing.
The evil king sent his knights and mages down at her, but they too were tired of war. This they stood by her, and drew their weapons only to throw them down.
And so the evil king despaired. He looked around at his empty castle, realizing his mages and knights have abandoned him. And so he jumped off his tallest tower, never to be seen again.
Thus the once peaceful mountain kingdom was reclaimed not by force, but by peace."
Milla scoffs at the story. What ridiculousness, strength is the only path to power. That princess would have been slaughtered by the knights.
"That's a really cool story!" Milla says aloud.
"I hope you have learnedly something from it. Now, I need to go rest. This old man's back isn't as young as it used to be."
Milla leaves the bar, ready to spread her revolutionary ideas across more of the town. That is when she meets with her old bully, Tybalt. Idiot. Always pushing the other children around to make himself feel strong. She'll show him what real strength is. The girl marches up to the boy, arms crossed.
"Oh look, it's Milla. Still think you're so strong little Mittle?" Tybalt mocks.
"I know I am," she responds to him and his friends.
"Then prove it. Fight me!"
"Sure." Milla smirks. "As long as you're not afraid to fight without your posse following you around."
"What?"
"Oh, are you too dumb to understand my words?" That does it for him.
Tybalt runs toward her in a tackle. Milla steps to the side, redirecting his weight to the ground when he reaches her. He tries to get up and punch her, but she just catches his fist and punches back harder.
She punches him one last time and he falls to the ground. He doesn't get up, but his friends look on in shock.
"And don't bother me again!" Milla saunters away, feeling victorious. Then she panics. That totally blew her cover! They know she couldn't do that before! She hopes those boys don't tell anyone about it… "Stupid stupid stupid! I am so stupid," she berates herself silently.
Nonetheless, Milla spends the rest of her time talking to people and discretely giving them the idea to rebel against the nobles.
"Milla! It's time to come back! I can't believe you lost track of time so Mom and Dad had to send me to get you." Barric runs to Milla, who quickly pretends she wasn't about to cut into someone else's conversation.
"I know, I know. I'm coming." Milla returns with her family to the farm. While her job is not yet finished, she knows that when she returns, she will be able to continue.
When she next returns to the town, she has barely talked to anyone when her plans are put to the test. The tax collector has come, and this time, is escorted by two knights. The king must be really worried about the safety of his men if he assigns multiple knights to guard them, though it could just be Millshire. Milla smirks at the thought. He has more to be afraid of than he thinks.
"Make way! Make way! The royal tax collector is here. Pay your taxes and you will be safe," one declares. They go from house to house, taking the little money the townsfolk have.
That is, until they get to the old widow's house. Milla looks around, then ducks behind a nearby bush to hear better.
"The royal tax is forty percent of what you earn. We know you make more than that," the tax collector says, pointing at a single gold coin.
"I have nothing else! I swear! The church already took their share!" The widow cries out.
"In a year? You made only that? We have no use for beggars and the weak in our kingdom. You are to be executed at dawn." The knight begins to pull her away.
"No! LET GO!" The widow activates the little magic she has, blowing the knight several feet away. He is, however, unharmed by the uncontrolled burst.
"How dare you assault a knight!" The knight draws his sword, and is about to cut her down where she stands when Milla sees her chance and intervenes.
The sword slams down onto a blue blade, held by a mere girl.
"The nobles of this land have oppressed us too long! Cede to our demands or die!" Milla's speech is somewhat ruined by her youth and high pitched voice, but her holding her own against a magically enhanced knight proves her words for her in a way nothing else could.
"I don't know what witchcraft you've learned, but it is no matter. You will die with the widow." The knight swings his sword again and again, to be blocked by Milla each time. Eventually, they get into a sword lock, magical blue blade pressing against brilliantly shining metal. The knight pushes downward, aided by his height and gravity, while Milla begins to be crushed underneath him.
Then the tables turn. Milla wins the contest of strength and pushes the knight back and off from above her. The crowd gasps in disbelief, some outwardly wondering if they are dreaming. The girl jumps, and splits his helm with a single strike.
The knight's corpse collapses to the ground.
"Come! Look at these knights! One of them tried to kill one of us for the crime of being poor! Is that not unfair? Is that not cruel? We have the power to stop them! We have the power to fix this! I am the Deutum of Jupiter, one of the ancient rulers of heaven! Join me in a glorious revolution against the corrupt king!"
The second knight and tax collector realize the tide has turned against them, and begin to try to sneak away. They are surprised when they turn around and face a dozen peasants armed with swords and spears.
The gruff man from the other day shouts, "You will starve us no more!" The peasants charge the knight, and even his plate armor is no match for a dozen weapons slashing and stabbing. He falls, and the tax collector, running away in the chaos, is shot with an arrow and falls.
"Down with the king!" Milla shouts.
"Down with the king! Down with the king!"
Much of the town is now gathered around, shouting with her. Even her parents and brother are there, though are unaware it is her as they are behind much of the crowd. She wanted revolution and made a mob. Curse those knights for making her act so soon, they need to be calmed down now.
"People of Millshire! People of Khegia! You are angry; so use it! We are the start of a great revolution! It is time to prepare. War can be tough. But our cause is true, so it will be glorious as well.
I will be using my power to aid you and make sure you succeed. Which is why we need to prepare. I want all the leaders of the town to meet me in the town hall. The rest of you should continue your day while preparing for war."
Eager to follow a figure of legend, the townsfolk obey her for now.
"Where is she?" Joseph nervously asks to his wife. "We haven't seen Milla since this morning."
"Let's just go back home without her," Barric suggests.
"Don't you dare!" Juliana berates him. "I know you're worried too."
"But she's right there," Rowan says.
"What do you mean right there? She's not anywh–" Juliana is cut off by Milla appearing from the crowd.
"Milla! We have to get back, it's getting late. You can't keep disappearing like that."
"I can't go back to the farm. I'm needed here."
"What are you talking about?" Juliana presses her palm against her forehead. "No fever."
"You didn't see?" A smile of amusement appears on Milla's lips.
"See what?" Barric asks.
"The keh-nite," Rowan says. Milla looks at him curiously.
"Yes, I'm the one who killed the knight. And I will stay here to lead the revolution." At those simple words, Milla's eyes glow blue. Juliana stumbles back.
"Wha–what happened to you? Are you possessed? We should go see the priest. He'll be able to help you."
"NO. I'm fine. Leave or stay; it is your choice." Milla walks away.
"Wait!" Barric shouts. "Why?"
"It's my destiny," Milla lies.
"Now listen here. It may be your 'destiny', but no daughter of mine is going to go off and fight in some war." Joseph walks over to her and puts a firm hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
"Is that how it's going to be?" Milla asks him.
"Yes."
Milla reaches over to his arm, and throws him over her shoulder by it. He lands on the floor and groans.
"So be it!"
Her family can only watch sadly as she walks away.
"So how many people can we expect to join up?" Milla asks her impromptu military council in the town hall.
The gruff man from before, revealed to be named Walter, speaks up.
"We have eleven dozen and five from this here town already, and have messengers ready to go to other towns to request aid as well. The nearby villages will get notice by word of mouth as people return after a day's work. We just need proof you are a Deutum to put in the letters." He slides them across the table.
"Of course." Milla's hand glows, and they watch in amazement as she imprints a glowingly blue symbol onto each of the letters. No one but the most ignorant could mistake what it is and what the symbol means: war is coming.
"I want all the grain we can to be stored and for the town to be put on rations. I wouldn't put it past the king to order the fields burned, and I want no one starved." Milla orders.
"Of course. I'll have someone do it now." Bryce, another man highly esteemed in the town, walks outside for a moment to give orders.
They make to continue discussing war plans, with Bryce, Walter, and Milla at the head of the discussions. But shortly after, a familiar old man walks in.
"I came as quick as I could. What are you doing?"
"Old man Henry… we all know what you are going to say," Walter says.
"Then why don't you act on it? This is not the way. You will only bring endless war upon us."
"What we will do is earn our freedom. Go now or change your mind. I don't care which." Milla looks pointedly at him.
"Remember what I told you. Just… remember. Don't make the same mistakes I did." The old man makes to leave.
"Probably ill," Milla mutters just loud enough for the others to hear and take heed. "Let's get back to work."
"I can't believe it," Joseph says when they make it back to the farm. "Our little girl?"
"She's been possessed. The Deutum are ancient spirits, who take control of new people when they die. We have to… to…" Juliana's voice breaks. There is nothing to do.
"She has memories. Memories of a time long long ago." Rowan looks up, but his eyes are blank. "They do not possess. Only demons possess."
Rowan… She always knew he was were special. A natural born seer, very rare and only told of in stories. But no one can know. That would risk losing him too. Juliana waves her hand.
"He is blabbering nonsense. Why don't I go put him to bed? You stay here."
Joseph just grunts while she leaves.
As Juliana puts Rowan in a crib, she thinks. She will never give up on her little girl. Memories, memories… if her memories are erased then she will return to normal. She stands up quickly and writes a note to her husband explaining that she is going out. There is only one thing to do.
The mother runs out the back door on a familiar route. To the Stylehr Forest. Planted by the Wandering Druid's just a few decades ago to hide something within on order of the king. Few know of it, and fewer can make use of it.
She reaches the forest, and steps inside. No turning back now. She steps off the path, and lets the forest guide her. She can almost hear childish laughing as she goes, though there is no one else here.
Then she finds it. An old log cabin, meant to look completely ordinary to anyone who stumbles by.
"Wait! I have to go back. I left… a broom upright. Yes, it's going to fall. I must stop it." Not sure who she is talking to, Juliana turns back anyways, but trips on a root and falls on her head.
The spell is broken.
"Thank you," she says in prayer. She runs back at the cabin and flings the door open, stepping inside. The spell can't affect her now.
An underground labyrinth, filled with books. Dangerous books. A place that was once common knowledge before the knowledge inside was used to make everyone forget. Everyone except her, of course. She was out of town at the time, and when she returned feigned ignorance.
Juliana slides her hands across the books. K, L, M. There. Memory Charm Rituals. She takes the book out and reads through. Rituals on restoring memories, rituals on erasing an object from memories, there. What she's looking for.
"Memory Destruction. Ensured to restore someone to their younger self," she whispers. It is the reason this book is forbidden. Dangerous magic to erase years of a person's memory, once used to essentially kill someone without murder. After all, a six year old in the body of an adult is useless for everyone, and much more painful on their friends and family.
This is likely the only time this spell will be used for good. How ironic, she thinks. Juliana copies the spell down on parchment, then puts the book back. She runs back up the stairs and out the door. Back to the village it is.
Strangely enough, she makes the journey out of the forest in just a few minutes. That's not possible. The forest is way bigger than that, it should be nightfall by now. Juliana looks forward. There is no time to ponder now.
Only an hour later and she is there. The town, much less livelier at night, stands before her. "I'm coming," she whispers to her far away child.
She races to reach the only house with lights on. That must be the war room.
"Let me through!" Juliana yells at the guards.
"Of course Mrs. Mowbray. Your family has always had good standing in this town, and you are always welcome to having a voice in it's aff–" the guard says before being cut off by the woman pushing past him.
"Milla! Come here."
"What? You have no right to command me, mother. Sit at this table if you'd like but–" Milla is interrupted by her mother going to her instead.
"Stand back!" Juliana begins speaking, reciting the spell as it disappears off the page of her note.
Esare yuor mmoreeis,
Esrae yuor mnid,
Tkee aawy the taerrusies,
Taht is dienfed.
Light travels from Juliana's outstretched hand and to Milla's head, wrapping around it before disappearing. The mother falls onto her knees, utterly exhausted. "Oh my sweet baby."
"Wha–what happened? Where am I? Why aren't I in my room? Mommy?" Milla stands up, confused, and runs to her mother. "What happened?"
"Juliana! What have you done! You've doomed us all!" Walter shouts at her, furious at the realization that Milla is once more unaware of her powers. "The army will come and kill us all now."
Bryce sits calmly.
"K–kill? Fighting? Please don't. I don't know what's happening but fighting is bad." Milla begins to cry on her mother's lap.
"I did what I had to do! And I got her back. That's all that matters."
"I think not. That's a very amusing spell you have there, but so very useless." A woman appears from the corner of the room, walking forward, despite that there is no entryway there. Juliana stands up, but just barely.
"You won't take my daughter!"
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Alyssa, and you're Juliana–though with that stunt of yours you won't be anything for much longer–and you're Bryce, and you're Walter. Now that introductions are done, I believe I'm going to do my job." Alyssa walks up to Juliana, then blows softly at her. The wind picks up and she crashes on the wall.
"You'll have to kill me to get to her." Juliana stands up, and runs at Alyssa.
"Don't be ridiculous. You already did that to yourself, what with using a spell more powerful than you can handle to do more than it's meant to do. There is a cost to everything. I'm almost surprised you're not dead." Alyssa holds Juliana back with a single hand, intercepting anything she tries.
The Deutum of Mercury takes out a Memory Crystal and gently taps Milla, still a crying wreck on the floor.
"Well I'm off then. Don't try that again. Bye!" Alyssa disappears in a flash of light, leaving nothing in her place and destruction around her. Juliana barely sits down, thinking that she has failed.
"Leave." Milla looks at her mother, noting her lack of vitality with indifference. "Your interference is not welcome here."
Juliana stands up and leaves the building, before collapsing in despair. She's lost Milla. Her child is dead.
*Pronounced "De-uh-tum" and "De-uh-tes". De as in deity and tes as in uno dos tres without the r sound.
**Pronounced "Stie-ley-her"
Stylehr
Millshire is one of the largest towns of the Kingdom of Khegia, but not quite a city because there are other slightly smaller towns that with it trade with the capital city, not to Millshire. It is based in the middle of large fertile fields and mainly harvests grain. The town has a large mill that it's famous for which was built on a large hill. Legend says if you are favored by the gods your wheat will double when using the mill to ground grain. The population is around 3000 with around a dozen satellite villages. (Which have about same as normal medieval pop.-few dozen to a hundred) Mowbray family one of few that is closer to town than one of the villages, they live on the land that a former lord of the land did. Only slightly richer than average farmers though.
Khegia's capital is a city named Bruross, but since the kingdom is so small it is the only city, rest are towns. Maybe under half the size of Belgium? 5000 square miles or so. Fairly fertile grounds, many towns and villages. Mostly farmland makes it up. Easier to travel far distances (horseless carriages, not too expensive-faster than walking so more possible distance between villages/towns) means more people go to the city than local towns if they can for trade. Also makes each town's population larger than IRL medieval. Common magic means can support more people, more comfortable lives as well. Plagues rare due to priests' healing magic. War is major cause of death.
Khegia has the one city, the capital Bruross. Is about 20,000 pop. Millshire is the largest town of 3000. Many others 1000-3000. Each town has at least one priest who knows healing magic and is the head of the local religion–whatever that may be. Many rural homesteads and villages of small populations. Whole country maybe 600,000 people. Geographically, latitude is little closer to equator than Mediterranean. Is landbound.
Niam had conquered approx France and the island he was attacking was Britain. Not quite accurate, but that's the scale of things. He had only taken equivalent of quarter of England when he died. That place was no where near Milla's new land. He had only taken a fifth of his army there, and had a small part of it with him in that scene. The rest was fighting other kingdoms. It was to be a sneak attack on both the prince's side and Niam's side so both had relatively small armies but Aidan brought much of his army.
Stylehr forest is relatively new, planted by druids. (A type of magic user than focuses on nature magic and lives in forests)
Khegia's capital is a city named Bruross, but since the kingdom is so small it is the only city, rest are towns. Maybe under half the size of Belgium? 5000 square miles or so. Fairly fertile grounds, many towns and villages. Mostly farmland makes it up. Easier to travel far distances (horseless carriages, not too expensive-faster than walking so more possible distance between villages/towns) means more people go to the city than local towns if they can for trade. Also makes each town's population larger than IRL medieval. Common magic means can support more people, more comfortable lives as well. Plagues rare due to priests' healing magic. War is major cause of death.
Khegia has the one city, the capital Bruross. Is about 20,000 pop. Millshire is the largest town of 3000. Many others 1000-3000. Each town has at least one priest who knows healing magic and is the head of the local religion–whatever that may be. Many rural homesteads and villages of small populations. Whole country maybe 600,000 people. Geographically, latitude is little closer to equator than Mediterranean. Is landbound.
Niam had conquered approx France and the island he was attacking was Britain. Not quite accurate, but that's the scale of things. He had only taken equivalent of quarter of England when he died. That place was no where near Milla's new land. He had only taken a fifth of his army there, and had a small part of it with him in that scene. The rest was fighting other kingdoms. It was to be a sneak attack on both the prince's side and Niam's side so both had relatively small armies but Aidan brought much of his army.
Stylehr forest is relatively new, planted by druids. (A type of magic user than focuses on nature magic and lives in forests)
AN: This entire thing was going to be one part then I realized it was 7k words, so I'm just posting this part now.
The Changeling
- Location
- United States
AN: You do not necessarily need knowledge of either Nanoha or Starcraft to read this fanfic without confusion, as it starts at Nanoha S1. This will be updated once per week on Sunday, and I do have a small backlog so unlike my quests this will actually finish.
It has been said that fairies would replace a human
child with one of their own. This fairy child would
then grow up with the human parents as if their own;
these children were known as changelings.
"I'm going to bed now. Be good Nanoha, okay?" Momoko, Nanoha's mother, says. She is a lithe woman with long brown hair, mother of three.
"Okay mommy." Nanoha sits in her bed. A small brown haired five year old child, the most extraordinary thing about her is her hair that always sticks up. Or so her family believes.
Nanoha looks around the room and listens. Everyone is asleep, good. She stands up and waddles over to the window. She looks up, annoyed at how high it is. This is her first time she has to go herself, so she refuses to fail. Nanoha turns away for a different exit, before pausing. How silly of her to forget! She leaps a meter up onto the windowsill and opens the window.
She looks for any watchers. It wouldn't be good for any neighbor to catch her, after all. Not finding any, she moves on. She straightens up and walks. It is such a relief to be able to move properly after all these years of pretending. Even if she likes her family and would prefer to just stay there.
The little girl walks down the street, breathing in the stale air of the city. She's tired of this polluted air. She continues her walk in the night feeling the sensations of gravel under her bare feet. She steps on a sharp rock and sighs, sitting down to take it out. Red blood squirts out her foot and she squeaks in pain. She looks at her foot and scrunches up her face in concentration. She knows she can do it, if just-there. The bleeding stops, her foot good as new.
Nanoha stands up with a smile, and merrily goes on her way. Soon enough she reaches the forest. Almost home.
She now breaks into a run, past pretending to have the limitations of a child's endurance. The girl laughs and smiles, breathing in the fresh forest air, carelessly breaking twigs under her feet as she runs. It's been so long, she can't bear to wait any longer. She runs like this for what seems like hours, simply enjoying her journey.
"Nanoha?"
She freezes. Nanoha turns around and sees her mother and father, standing just behind her, both huffing and sweating from running. How could she make such a mistake? She flops down onto the ground and begins crying.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
"Who are you?" Shiro, her father, points his sword at her. He is tall, with short black hair and has powerful muscles. He once worked as a bodyguard, before he got an almost lethal injury and was hospitalized. "What have you done with Nanoha?"
"Um. What happened? How did I get here?"
"Demon, what do you want?"
"I'm not a demon! Wah, don't you recognize me daddy? Let's go home." Nanoha begins to crawl towards him.
"I saw. You are not human. Trickster spirit, where did you take my daughter?"
"I-"
"Nanoha," Momoko says, kneeling down next to her, "just tell us the truth and everything will be fine."
"Um." She can't! If she does-well. She's has already had to practically raise herself due to her father's injury, and if they knew the truth… They'd surely leave her alone forever, and then she would be stuck at Home. Home, while she loves it, is not a good place to stay for long. Not with the other creatures there. She wants to stay with her family!
"Don't worry my baby." Momoko gives her a reassuring smile. "Everything will be okay." She picks Nanoha up and begins stroking her back. "It will be okay."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to go."
"You don't have to go."
Nanoha pauses, then uses her telepathy. Please be safe. Be my little girl.
"Um. Okay. I'll tell." Let's see. She will have to modify the truth so Shiro doesn't attack, but hopefully it will be enough for them to keep her. She would be sad if she had to be alone. "Um, three years ago I got taken to the hive cluster. I can show you it, I was going there now. Then they transformed me into a zerg like them so I got superpowers and have to go there occasionally to eat. I had a friend who would bring me creep to eat before but it isn't safe for him to come here."
She doesn't actually know what happened to the original Nanoha. She thinks she has her memories, two year olds don't have the best memories. She is a zerg herself, created by the hatchery for… some reason. It doesn't seem to even be completely sapient. She then took the original Nanoha's place, pretending to be a baby for the three years until now.
"Who is your friend?"
"Zrok. He's a zergling which is like a dog."
"A dog, huh," Shiro finally speaks.
"Yup!" Nanoha smiles in Momoko's arms. "Want to see him?"
"Sure."
They continue at a slow pace, following Nanoha's directions for what seems to be several kilometers. Momoko sets the conversation, talking about normal, everyday things like their café. Then they reach it.
They ground is covered in a thick layer of grayish purple, organic substance called creep. It pulses as if alive, and seems to be moving. All the trees where the creep lays are gone, making an artificial clearing. On the creep are two pulsating buildings. One is more than thrice as tall as Shiro, a thick base that comes to a spire at the center: the hatchery. The other is smaller, but filled with a strange green acid: the spawning pool. Around them are several moving creatures that have a faint resemblance to a dog. They are half as tall as a human and have a few giant claws on each foot. They have tusks around their sharp teeth as well as a thick layer of brown carpace covering them whole. They have two limbs on top with each have claws jutting out, makin for the appearance of an evil wing, but just behind those are two actual insectoid wings, though much too small to carry them. These are the zerglings.
Nanoha squeals in excitement and jumps out of Momoko's arms onto the ground, covering herself with creep. She begins eating some of it, the highly nutritious food giving her energy. One of the zerglings walks up to them.
"Isn't he so cute?" Nanoha jumps onto the zergling's back. "This is Zrok!"
"He's, um, very… interesting." Shiro partially sheaths his sword. She didn't even see him take it out. He must have just gotten spooked.
"Let's-let's go. Now. Nanoha, come."
"Aww, we just got here." Nanoha frowns. "Wait, no, let's go." Another zergling seems to have taken notice and is slowly stalking them. Nanoha jumps off Zrok and walks up to Momoko who picks her up. She silently urges them to start moving. They have to move!
The zergling pounces, only to fly backward as Nanoha holds her arm out. She strains with the effort, but keeps it back. Zrok jumps on the feral zergling, tearing it apart in a shower of gore. Her parents run, Shiro lagging behind from his injury while Momoko carries her.
They only stop when they are far out of sight of the hive cluster.
"Sorry mommy and daddy. The zerglings go crazy sometimes and fight each other. That's why I can't stay there."
"You are not going there again." Momoko looks down at her fearfully.
Well that is a problem for her. She does need to go there to rejuvenate after all.
"Let's go home."
"Alright."
The walk home is much more sedate than to there. Shiro leans on his wife the whole time. Nanoha drifts off to sleep.
"Nanoha?"
"Wha?" She slowly opens her eyes. Oh, they're back home. Safe. Momoko is standing next to her while Shiro is across the room, putting his sword away.
"Promise me you won't go back there," Momoko pleads. "It's not safe."
"No, I need to. Otherwise I'll shrivel up and die." Momoko looks disturbed at that, which strikes Nanoha as strange. Isn't that how humans age as well? "And Zrok can protect me. He's strong."
"Fine. Only as often as you need to. And… you're still Nanoha. Please, grow up like a normal human girl."
"Of course! I'm like you. I'll be a human for real and make lots of friends. Okay?"
"Good."
"We'll talk more about this. Later." Shiro gives Momoko a meaningful glance. Their lives certainly won't be uninteresting for now on.
The rest of this story will be on the spacebattles thread, here.
It has been said that fairies would replace a human
child with one of their own. This fairy child would
then grow up with the human parents as if their own;
these children were known as changelings.
"I'm going to bed now. Be good Nanoha, okay?" Momoko, Nanoha's mother, says. She is a lithe woman with long brown hair, mother of three.
"Okay mommy." Nanoha sits in her bed. A small brown haired five year old child, the most extraordinary thing about her is her hair that always sticks up. Or so her family believes.
Nanoha looks around the room and listens. Everyone is asleep, good. She stands up and waddles over to the window. She looks up, annoyed at how high it is. This is her first time she has to go herself, so she refuses to fail. Nanoha turns away for a different exit, before pausing. How silly of her to forget! She leaps a meter up onto the windowsill and opens the window.
She looks for any watchers. It wouldn't be good for any neighbor to catch her, after all. Not finding any, she moves on. She straightens up and walks. It is such a relief to be able to move properly after all these years of pretending. Even if she likes her family and would prefer to just stay there.
The little girl walks down the street, breathing in the stale air of the city. She's tired of this polluted air. She continues her walk in the night feeling the sensations of gravel under her bare feet. She steps on a sharp rock and sighs, sitting down to take it out. Red blood squirts out her foot and she squeaks in pain. She looks at her foot and scrunches up her face in concentration. She knows she can do it, if just-there. The bleeding stops, her foot good as new.
Nanoha stands up with a smile, and merrily goes on her way. Soon enough she reaches the forest. Almost home.
She now breaks into a run, past pretending to have the limitations of a child's endurance. The girl laughs and smiles, breathing in the fresh forest air, carelessly breaking twigs under her feet as she runs. It's been so long, she can't bear to wait any longer. She runs like this for what seems like hours, simply enjoying her journey.
"Nanoha?"
She freezes. Nanoha turns around and sees her mother and father, standing just behind her, both huffing and sweating from running. How could she make such a mistake? She flops down onto the ground and begins crying.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
"Who are you?" Shiro, her father, points his sword at her. He is tall, with short black hair and has powerful muscles. He once worked as a bodyguard, before he got an almost lethal injury and was hospitalized. "What have you done with Nanoha?"
"Um. What happened? How did I get here?"
"Demon, what do you want?"
"I'm not a demon! Wah, don't you recognize me daddy? Let's go home." Nanoha begins to crawl towards him.
"I saw. You are not human. Trickster spirit, where did you take my daughter?"
"I-"
"Nanoha," Momoko says, kneeling down next to her, "just tell us the truth and everything will be fine."
"Um." She can't! If she does-well. She's has already had to practically raise herself due to her father's injury, and if they knew the truth… They'd surely leave her alone forever, and then she would be stuck at Home. Home, while she loves it, is not a good place to stay for long. Not with the other creatures there. She wants to stay with her family!
"Don't worry my baby." Momoko gives her a reassuring smile. "Everything will be okay." She picks Nanoha up and begins stroking her back. "It will be okay."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to go."
"You don't have to go."
Nanoha pauses, then uses her telepathy. Please be safe. Be my little girl.
"Um. Okay. I'll tell." Let's see. She will have to modify the truth so Shiro doesn't attack, but hopefully it will be enough for them to keep her. She would be sad if she had to be alone. "Um, three years ago I got taken to the hive cluster. I can show you it, I was going there now. Then they transformed me into a zerg like them so I got superpowers and have to go there occasionally to eat. I had a friend who would bring me creep to eat before but it isn't safe for him to come here."
She doesn't actually know what happened to the original Nanoha. She thinks she has her memories, two year olds don't have the best memories. She is a zerg herself, created by the hatchery for… some reason. It doesn't seem to even be completely sapient. She then took the original Nanoha's place, pretending to be a baby for the three years until now.
"Who is your friend?"
"Zrok. He's a zergling which is like a dog."
"A dog, huh," Shiro finally speaks.
"Yup!" Nanoha smiles in Momoko's arms. "Want to see him?"
"Sure."
They continue at a slow pace, following Nanoha's directions for what seems to be several kilometers. Momoko sets the conversation, talking about normal, everyday things like their café. Then they reach it.
They ground is covered in a thick layer of grayish purple, organic substance called creep. It pulses as if alive, and seems to be moving. All the trees where the creep lays are gone, making an artificial clearing. On the creep are two pulsating buildings. One is more than thrice as tall as Shiro, a thick base that comes to a spire at the center: the hatchery. The other is smaller, but filled with a strange green acid: the spawning pool. Around them are several moving creatures that have a faint resemblance to a dog. They are half as tall as a human and have a few giant claws on each foot. They have tusks around their sharp teeth as well as a thick layer of brown carpace covering them whole. They have two limbs on top with each have claws jutting out, makin for the appearance of an evil wing, but just behind those are two actual insectoid wings, though much too small to carry them. These are the zerglings.
Nanoha squeals in excitement and jumps out of Momoko's arms onto the ground, covering herself with creep. She begins eating some of it, the highly nutritious food giving her energy. One of the zerglings walks up to them.
"Isn't he so cute?" Nanoha jumps onto the zergling's back. "This is Zrok!"
"He's, um, very… interesting." Shiro partially sheaths his sword. She didn't even see him take it out. He must have just gotten spooked.
"Let's-let's go. Now. Nanoha, come."
"Aww, we just got here." Nanoha frowns. "Wait, no, let's go." Another zergling seems to have taken notice and is slowly stalking them. Nanoha jumps off Zrok and walks up to Momoko who picks her up. She silently urges them to start moving. They have to move!
The zergling pounces, only to fly backward as Nanoha holds her arm out. She strains with the effort, but keeps it back. Zrok jumps on the feral zergling, tearing it apart in a shower of gore. Her parents run, Shiro lagging behind from his injury while Momoko carries her.
They only stop when they are far out of sight of the hive cluster.
"Sorry mommy and daddy. The zerglings go crazy sometimes and fight each other. That's why I can't stay there."
"You are not going there again." Momoko looks down at her fearfully.
Well that is a problem for her. She does need to go there to rejuvenate after all.
"Let's go home."
"Alright."
The walk home is much more sedate than to there. Shiro leans on his wife the whole time. Nanoha drifts off to sleep.
"Nanoha?"
"Wha?" She slowly opens her eyes. Oh, they're back home. Safe. Momoko is standing next to her while Shiro is across the room, putting his sword away.
"Promise me you won't go back there," Momoko pleads. "It's not safe."
"No, I need to. Otherwise I'll shrivel up and die." Momoko looks disturbed at that, which strikes Nanoha as strange. Isn't that how humans age as well? "And Zrok can protect me. He's strong."
"Fine. Only as often as you need to. And… you're still Nanoha. Please, grow up like a normal human girl."
"Of course! I'm like you. I'll be a human for real and make lots of friends. Okay?"
"Good."
"We'll talk more about this. Later." Shiro gives Momoko a meaningful glance. Their lives certainly won't be uninteresting for now on.
The rest of this story will be on the spacebattles thread, here.