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Post by Richter Abend on Jan 27, 2010 23:12:28 GMT -6
Richter sat atop his horse as the Etrurian forces marched through the Sacaen plains. While he wasn't trained to fight atop one of them, it didn't stop him from using his privilege as a High Officer to avoid walking.
Ariston was leading the front of the force while the other High Officers were scattered through out. Richter and his forces were put in the back, which was expected considering how the pink haired mercenary had been treated lately. Though, while he understood the gesture of the highest commanding officer marching in front, tactically, it was unsound. On a plain such as this, attacks could come from any direction, and a force this large takes time to mobilize. If anything, Ariston should be in the middle, the safest place in any conflict.
Putting his criticisms of his superior officer's tactical planning aside, Richter looked out into the grassy distance. The plains were exactly the same as the last time he was here. What a boring place. Sameness as far as the eye could see, just like Ilia. For any other soldier, this back-water country was military suicide. For Richter, however, it was a land of opportunity. The farther he was from the Herald, the better.
Not turning to find her, but knowing she was near, Richter addressed Clair. "Assistant Officer Feldsky," he said officially, "anything out of the ordinary?"
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Adete
The "Before" years
[M:0]
"Please, listen to my songs, and then decide if I'm useless."
Posts: 15
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Post by Adete on Jan 28, 2010 0:25:59 GMT -6
Adete is on the back of a horse, one of Sacaean backround. He's playing a simple tune on the flute, one that seemed to be as ancient as the great temples at the Dread Isle. The bard rides slowly, so that he may practice as many songs as possible. The song ends, soft and simple as it had started. "Hah, a beautiful day, is it not, my friend?" He pats the horse, who seemed to understand. "It is a shock to find a very, very distant relative at Salvation Point, helping to rebuild the place. Nieah had said that the Inquisional Army had traveled to Ostia, and let me borrow you."
He got out a small carrot, and gave it to the horse. "I declined, but after thinking about it, why would I decline to ride such a noble creature? So I walked back to her and asked for it. I believe that the Army will arrive here soon, shall it not? Oh! I've been resting for too long again... I'll play... hm... Oh! An Ilian folk tune!"
He puts away his flute, and gets out a small piccolo and begins playing again... this time, a common folk tune that is common among Ilians...
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Jan 28, 2010 12:52:11 GMT -6
Clair had been trading off shifts of walking and then riding on Corona for the better part of the morning. She did this to help prevent Corona from becoming to weary. After all, he was the one that had to carry them both through the air, and he was the one that would be doing most of the moving. She'd been riding Corona for a while when her Commander called her up.
Clair prodded her pegasus up alongside her commander's steed. "No High Officer, nothing that I can tell." The winds were less formidable coming back to Sacae than when they'd been leaving. That would at least make for smoother flying. She looked around and saw only the breezes rippling the oceans of grass, causing a continual undulating of the ground. "I've heard stories though, of sacaens being able to merge at will with their grasses. Only being seen when they wished to be."
Corona nickered a bit as a stronger gust hit, tearing loose some of Clair's hair from it's place. She resecured it underneath her small headband before noticing something. Corona's ears flicked forward, attentively. There was a light sound in the air, carried across the plains. She couldn't make it out that well, but what she could sounded vaguely familiar, like a memory that refused to come. "Sir?... Do you here something on the wind?"
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Post by Richter Abend on Jan 31, 2010 1:01:39 GMT -6
Richter shook his head. People merging with grass? That was outlandish even for a fairytale. "Normally, I'd dismiss such a claim as utterly ridiculous, but after what we've seen..." The High Officer trailed off, his reference obvious. He paused, his ears picking up a small song dancing on the air. It was familiar to him, and Richter wasn't much for music. This noise, it reminded Richter of home. Ah, right. The old man who lived next to the Abends would always play this song on his pipes.
"It's an old Ilian folk song," he said to his Assistant Officer. The pink haired soldier turned to Clair. He couldn't stop the army, but his assistant officer did ride a pegasus. He wanted to know who was playing it. The song made him almost feel...peaceful. "Clair, could you fly out and investigate the source? No Sacaen would know that song," he said in a not very commanding voice. It was more of a request.
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Aleth
Hero
Everything you can do I can do one handed!
Posts: 247
Profession: NEET
Affinity: Ice
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Post by Aleth on Jan 31, 2010 10:13:45 GMT -6
The walk here wasn’t a hard one for any matter; it didn’t put any serious stress than what Aleth already had. Being the type of mercenary she was, it was best to stay away from the main front lines or the back, seeing as those might take the worst hit. Truthfully the problem she had was the amount of deaths that happens in those areas. Whenever someone dies another suffers, let it be a friend or family member at home. In her younger years she didn’t mind killing bandits and the like, yet even them had friends at the very least. Sure she wished to repent for all the deaths she had caused; there was no way for her to have a religion as the Prophet had come up.
It was a good day to march, the scenery was ever so repetitive, but she looked forward to wind that swept the waves of people every now and then. Her superiors weren’t all that bad, but their situation seemed to be a quite serious. Keeping your mouth shut helped many times for a mercenary; however some people don’t know or refuse to do so. Yeah, it was true, the soldiers and mercenary were all telling their adventures, their problems, enough for her to know this army was bad news. They say it was for the sake of this Prophet, but if someone tells you to go out to kill others for the sake of peace. Well that’s a lie, since you’re causing more problems than you resolve. If she were to say what was really on her mind about this matter, they would probably have her executed for treason. Not yet, she wasn’t ready to die just yet.
Each minute walking seemed to make the journey to their location a whole lot longer. The condition was horrible, enough to keep everyone moving forward. Something clicked in her mind as she heard a faint tune not so far off. It was recognizable from her past, though it didn’t give any pleasing memories back. She had heard some people play this song while travelling with her parents. They knew it, but never bothered to teach it to her. She learned it by herself; just as so many other things that they didn’t bother teaching her and she wanted to know for sanity’s sake. Everything enjoyable in her life had been done with her own hard work and accomplishment. This left a sour sore in her mind, one that actually enraged her to point of smashing down whoever played it.
It was obvious that she was just acting bitter; it didn’t take long for herself to regain her mellow temper. The musician wouldn’t know her and the troubles from the past, so it was best not to hold any forms of prejudgments against the man. It did however leave a curiosity and disturbance of the current situation. Why would a Sacaean know such a tune? It was widely played in Ilia, yes that was confirmed to say the least. Was it some enemy troop? No, why would they so openly announce their presence in such a situation with an army so close by. It was best if she saw the situation for herself. Knowing perfectly well that demanding something so selfish in the current situation can cost her employment or even her life, she broke rank and rushed for the front.
She ran as swiftly with the armor of hers clanking against each other every now and then. Once Richter was within sight, she slowed down her pace to a jog and eventually to a walk. If she kept running, she might have slammed and tackled the man for all that matter. Taking a few gasps of air, not much as the size of this army was far from large. It tired her a little, but her enthusiasm had given her more than enough energy to ask and fulfill her request.
“Sir, may I request to investigate the situation of that Ilian song?” she asked her tone seriousand deliberate. She didn’t miss a beat or seem incapable of doing the request (except for that quick breathing scene before…curse the armor). As she spoke, her eyes were deadlock onto Richter’s careful to react to ANY order that might happen. Knowing how the army was, she was ready to run out of there if any signs of her being executed were seen. Something in her told that these people didn’t mean any harm, but it was best to be prepared nonetheless, you can’t always trust that gut feeling in your stomach. She learned that the hard way with her arm being amputated off. Well that and she completely ignored all warnings from the villagers. Hey, they were in trouble and she was just trying to help.
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Lyar
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Incapacitate? I thought you said DEcapitate!
Posts: 155
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Post by Lyar on Jan 31, 2010 14:11:26 GMT -6
Lyar had kept to Richter's side throughout the trip, marching along pace with the other soldiers even while carrying a load much heavier than theirs. He was carrying, of course, his axe, armor, his supply Backback, Mavick, and Mavick's Supply backpack, all the while being shouted at by the diminutive dark magician. Lyar didn't mind the verbal abuse though: he knew Mavick cared, and all the shouting and pathetic punches were just his was of showing how much he needed his giant brother.
He listened quietly to conversation between commanders Abend and...Fieldsky he believed it was, making sure to keep his guise of the happy imbecile up, and keeping a spring in his step to keep the image up...along with irritate the midget on his back.
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Jan 31, 2010 16:12:40 GMT -6
Clair rode along, swaying in the saddle a bit as Corona clomped along in the fields. The music was still playing, teasing her senses with it's familiarity. She could almost remember it, but not quite. Her Commander's demeanor changed slightly. He seemed to be enjoying hearing the music. Clair, herself, thought that the music carrying across the plains like it was, was quite pleasant.
"I'll go, Sir" She'd still have to be cautious. It would be an unusual tactic for the stereotypically proud, and honorable sacaens to use: luring a patrol out with a folk tune. Wouldn't they have used an etrurian song though? It didn't matter to Clair though. After seeing the destroyed town near Salvation Point, leading up to the battle there, she would be prepared for anything.
Just then, a swordswoman in the Prophet's colors hurried up. Actually, Clair recognized this one. Alex?... no no, it was Aleth. The pegasus squire listened as she requested to go and see to the song.
"Actually, I was just on my way to investigate that myself. Why don't you come with me." Corona flicked his ears towards the woman, before deciding she wasn't going to hurt him, or his rider. Clair reached down an arm, ready to help Aleth climb aboard. "Here, climb up behind me." Clair reached down and hauled the other girl up onto Corona. "Hold on tight."
Corona gathered himself for a moment, raising his wings high above those present, before hurtling up into the sky. It was a good day for flying. The winds were strong enough to assist in flight, without buffeting too much. They circled, rising higher and higher over the army before heading off towards the source of the music.
They were roughly 50 ft over the plains. Why fly in the clouds when it would only take more energy and time? In addition, winds grew more turbulent the higher you went. This wasn't the time to go practicing cloud diving (especially with a passenger.)
They touched down near a young man in a yellowish outfit. He was the one playing the music. Clair still didn't feel that confident about fighting from the back of a pegasus, so the squire rode Corona a few steps closer and then dismounted, using her lance like a walking stick. As she approached she spoke to him.
How should I greet this one, anyway? "Bravo, Master Bard. I've missed hearing the songs of my homeland. Tell me, what is your name, and where are you bound?"
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Marcus
Manakete
Dragon Reborn
Hell and back is a long way to go, but my journey's only begun.
Posts: 176
Profession: Wanderer
Affinity: Dark
Dragon Element: Lightning
Profile: Marcus
OoC Alias: Marc
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Post by Marcus on Feb 3, 2010 21:46:07 GMT -6
Marcus and Byron flew for hours. Byron had cautiously accepted the ride, and Marcus couldn't tell if he was enjoying it. Marcus did, however, as the wind filled his black and green wings. Eventually, Marcus spotted something unusual. Soldiers, here in Sacae. Marcus had heard rumors about a war, but hadn't heard much. He quickly scanned the ranks and spotted what looked like the leader, a pink haired swordsman on horseback. He flew to the ground , being careful not to startle anyone. "Yeah, right," Marcus thought. He landed and quickly transformed. "I come in peace. My name is Marcus Fireheart and this Byron Kenton. We're travelers. Could you be so kind as to tell me what is going on here?" Marcus asked looking around nervously, hoping nobody was about to kill him.
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Post by Guinevere von Altenburg on Feb 4, 2010 12:01:29 GMT -6
Guinevere was marching in formation with the rest of the troops. As today was a nice day, and the chance of fighting seemed low, she had her helmet off and it was stowed away nicely in the pack on her back. She took a deep breath and smiled. While most would consider just marching boring and tiresome, she loved it. She bent her head back and watched the clouds roll by. Such a beautiful day. As she moved her head back down, she flicked her hair back, causing some of the male soldiers around her to whistle. She signed and ignored them.
When she had joined Commander Richter's unit, she hadn't told a soul that she was of noble birth. She didn't want to get special treatment solely because of her birth. From what she had heard, the other soldiers just thought she was a beauty who had a rich uncle somewhere. She felt that Commander Richter, and maybe some of his senior officers, had been able to figure out her true birth status because they were smarter than the average soldier.
She looked down at her lance and gave it a little bit of a polish. Just as she did, one of the soldiers stepped closer to her. "I like how you handle your lance, beautiful. How would you like to try mine out sometime?" Guinevere gave him a small smile before slamming the dull end of her lance into her foot. As the man hopped away, she laughed softly to herself. As she laughed, she caught sight of the giant dragon flying towards the unit and quickly transform into a man. After being stunned for a few moments, she quickly grabbed her helmet from her bag and put it on just in case. She hurried to a spot towards the front of the unit and readied herself if she were needed. She stopped with Commander Richter only a little ways in front of her and the dragon-man approaching him. Without trying to, she held her breath.
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Adete
The "Before" years
[M:0]
"Please, listen to my songs, and then decide if I'm useless."
Posts: 15
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Post by Adete on Feb 4, 2010 18:36:32 GMT -6
While Adete was playing his song, a pegasus came to him, and two ladies came toward him. As he ended the song, one of them asked him something...
"Bravo, Master Bard. I've missed hearing the songs of my homeland. Tell me, what is your name, and where are you bound?"
Adete looks up, and tips his hat. "Master Bard? No, I am not worthy of such a title. It is the title of my grandfather..." His voice fades, as he could almost imagine his grandfather playing the harpischord... with... Mother... He focuses once more. "My name is Adete Eratodom, son of Legroal Eratodom and... Kilieh Makarn..." He lost focus for a short moment afterwards, it had been a while since Adete had even thought about her full name.
"I... I am pleased that you enjoyed my song. I'm guessing you are both from Ilia. Well... I was at Salvation Point, and a distant relative told me about the Inquisional Army coming here... and I wondered if I could join. I cannot fight, but my songs... ask me to play anything! Sonnata, Ballade, I can play it! No song can beat me!" He brought his piccolo to his lips and played a simple tune, a short, light melody, that blended with the breeze. "I... may I speak to the commander?"
As he waited... he imagined Kilieh. She played many instruments, and had died during Adete's studies. It was... so long ago... Kilieh was Adete's grandfather's most skilled pupil... and... it was Adete's mission to learn everything she had learned. If... only he knew where her notes were... Notes on how to play with good tone, how to play any instrument, and composed songs she had made. Adete himself had only heard one... and it was... Adete had only learned a part of it... the small melody he had just played.
If only she was alive! That song was too good to lose, when played... Grandfather admitted it was better than his songs! I must find it... and it must be heard.
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Mavick
Seer
Little Strategist
"The Darkness... It consumes me."
Posts: 208
Etruria Fame: -2
Sacae Fame: 1
Affinity: Dark
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Post by Mavick on Feb 4, 2010 19:23:18 GMT -6
"I swear, the sooner I can procure a horse, the better." Mavick grumbled. "Why the Scouring do you wear this armor, brother!? Your an axe fighter and a marine unit! Sure, there are those who wield axes in armor and on horseback, but they aren't associated with the water! It's totally illogical!" the little man rambled on.
"We really do need to get you some better fitting armor though, since you insist on wearing iiiiiiii-" Mavick's voice trailed off as he watched the spectacle before him. A dragon? But they were all whiped out! The diminutive mage looked as if he were about to drool, pass out, or both. A dragon, still alive! This was such a find!
"I'm getting down now, and try not to upset it." he whispered into his brothers ear, slidding down the armored man to land with a little thud onto his little feet. He would have leaned up and whispered into Richters ear, but there was the whole height problem, so instead he nudged on the mans leg. "Should I bring the soldiers into a formation?" he asked in as low a voice as possible.
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Lyar
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Incapacitate? I thought you said DEcapitate!
Posts: 155
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Post by Lyar on Feb 4, 2010 19:55:59 GMT -6
Lyar merely let Mavick rant and rave, and then once asked to he let him down. Sure he saw the dragon, but from the stories Mavick read him from that Sir Rayl's book, he wasn't all too shocked at their existance as he made his way besides his brother, Mavick, and that blond lady," I bet it wants to be our friend!" he chimed in happily, though what he would have said if he didn't have to put on this guise of stupidity would have been along the lines of:
"Commander Richter, we should do nothing unless it does something to us."
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Kyro
The "Before" years
[M:5]
Strength does not lie in one's arm or mind, but in what they fight for...
Posts: 29
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Post by Kyro on Feb 5, 2010 22:23:41 GMT -6
Kyro had run into the exact problem he had predicted: the Herald had been nearly impossible to find. Sure, he had been given a prediction when he left Bern, placing the Herald's likely location in Ostia. However, armies moved, and the Herald was known to move with particular speed. The wyvern rider, accompanied now by Elias, had checked several towns along his route, and it had been halfway to Ostia that he had been told of a large army bearing the Inquisitional banner moving to Sacae. Nobody could say whether the Herald was included, only that several officers of obvious importance were present. Satisfied with the information, Kyro had reasoned that a delivery to a high-ranking officer would be just as satisfactory as the Herald. In fact, had his orders really stated the Herald specifically...? No, in fact. It had been preferable that the Herald receive it, but all that was required was that Ilian opinions became known. As if they weren't already.
"Remember to be careful what you say, Elias," Kyro called over the wind, not really caring whether Elias heard. This looks like the army I've heard so much about...fairly big, the colors flying, and that seems to be the pink-haired lieutenant that leads part of the army...but where is the Herald? Before Kyro could ponder this and its implications, he realized he wasn't alone in the skies. Not a pegasus knight or a wyvern, but-
"Dragon!" Kyro shouted as Aiyer swerved away with a shriek. The dragon didn't seem to notice them as it passed by, which Kyro almost regretted. When it landed in the middle of his objective, he saw his chance. "Down, Aiyer. Feel free to land in any open spot." The wyvern obeyed, albeit reluctantly, and they landed a fair distance away from the pink-haired commander's horse. In other words, as far away from the dragon as was logical. You don't see this as an opportunity, do you, Aiyer? Even if he is your kin... But first, his job.
Kyro slipped off of his wyvern, mindlessly digging the letter out of the saddlebag when he was hit with a notion: less than a hundred yards away was a dragon. The one thing he had found more intriguing than wyverns before he had met Aiyer. He felt his knees begin to buckle before he steadied himself. "Elias, just...try not to get killed or anything. And don't get me killed." Steeling himself, Kyro walked slowly toward the soldiers, letter held aloft. "I come with a message for the Herald or any officer in command." The standard greeting of a messenger in wartime, and one that let Kyro take his mind off the dragon.
Almost.
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Post by Kraft on Feb 6, 2010 11:39:43 GMT -6
Ariston pushed himself through the crowd. His rough voice snapped commands at officers. In a matter of time the army had formed a formation around the dragon. Men with spears were in the frontline, pointing their weapons at the dragon, ready to pierce it when it moved. Behind those men there were archers, mages and monks, ready to unleash their spells on the creature.
Ariston was just as baffled by the sudden appearance, but his training got to him. This dragon... it could mean serious troubles. He had orders, and this dragon could ruin his orders. Ariston was mad. In fact, he was boiling. How could the scouts and the archers have missed this dragon? One would think that such a huge, flying beast (that happened to be though of as EXTINCT) would've been noticed and taken down. But maybe it was for the better now. The beast had transformed into a human (which was even stranger) and seemed to be more vulnerable. Officers told him that beast claimed to come in peace.
Ariston worked his way next to Richter. Orders had been given. If the beast would move, strike, transform or even bloody roar, then it would be killed. It had landed in the middle of an army and even dragons had their limits.
"You will adress your questions to me, beast. State your business instead. We are the Inquisitional Army. We were on our way to reinforce some of our forts. The Saceans do not like us, even though we mean no harm." Ariston looked at Richter and nodded at him. He had done well. The troops that surrounded the dragon were mostly from Richter's army. If the dragon would attack, his men would be wiped out. Ariston could not allow this to happen. He had other plans for Richter and his troops...
It seems another messenger had landed. He had words for the highest officer. Ariston's men had escorted the two men and their wyvern towards the dragon and now the entire army circled around three men, a dragon and a wyvern. If even one of them moved; they would be killed.
"Speak, fools!"
(OoC: Okay, normally I would've slaughtered this dragon, but I'm not big on destroying a PC newbie. Be careful now, Marcus and Byron. Wrong answers and wrong moves could mean death.)
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Byron
Archer
PopMeat
Posts: 50
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Post by Byron on Feb 6, 2010 12:00:56 GMT -6
OoC: And for that Kraft you have my thanks, next time I'll be smarter.
IC: Byron looked around in fear at the stupid mistake they had just made. If they said one wrong thing or moved an inch they would be destroyed. Byron realized Marcus could destroy a good portion of this army, but... What could he do? Nothing. Byron saw no other option but to try to get on their side. Byron looked at the man who seemed to be in charge. "We mean no harm. I am Sacaen, however I am for your cause. For it was not you who caused the misery in my life." Byron saw this wasn't going so smooth. "If.. If I may I would like to join your cause. I have nowhere else to go, no one to turn to. However if requested, we will leave bearing the same peace of which we arrived." Byron said thinking that he played his cards right. Hopefully.
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