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Post by Clair Feldsky on May 1, 2012 9:01:19 GMT -6
What Ardus said left the Falcoknight feeling chilled, despite the warmth of Etruria's southern landscape. It wasn't the sort of cold that a fire could help warm you from. It was fear of the dark. Ardus could be exaggerating. Simply telling ghost tales to mess with his brother, or for some other purpose, but when she looked at those eyes, and saw the kind of man he seemed to be she could only believe what he said was what he had experienced and try to fortify herself against the coming night.
The stories of the heroes, and their mighty weapons was not new to her, but she'd never ascribed true world rending power to them. Such a thing had sounded like the work of time on the tale. Nothing more than an exaggeration on the heroes' larger than life reputation. She had no doubt that they were mighty weapons, and the heroes had been the best of their time, but the sort of power the tales told of seemed unbelievable when one actually stopped to listen. Now, the others were speaking of these weapons as though they truly had shattered the world. Perhaps it wasn't so unbelievable to think such things had the kind of power the stories spoke of, when you considered their adversaries had been dragons....
Well, what was there to do? They still didn't know what they were fighting, but it was becoming more clear that their country would need to be at full strength for the future. Their mission was unchanged: stop the fighting in Bern. Now they just had other things to worry about besides Etrurians, and Bernese.
The falcoknight shed the cloak she had been wearing, throwing it back to her collection of things. The rising sun was warming the day, and it was time to be doing things, even if there wasn't much that needed doing right now.
"Your story has me worried. About a lot of things." Clair spoke up as Noello finished, her face a picture of frustration. She didn't know enough about magic to venture a guess at all that, but there was still something she could ask.
"Did you find any defense? Any way to beat them back at all?" The downturned corners of her lips and angry slant of her eyebrows made it clear that she was not happy with what she was hearing. Of everything in the world, feelings of helplessness was the one that she feared most. Inability to do assist, or do anything meaningful was what she had dedicated her life to avoiding.
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Post by Richter Abend on May 7, 2012 2:31:43 GMT -6
Ardus shook his head, which, seeing the look of frustration on her face, probably wasn't the answer Clair was looking for. "No, not a thing," he said dourly. "They just...get inside your head, wreaking their havoc, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still feeling the effects." The Ilian rubbed the back of his neck. "Nothing serious, mind you, more something like a mental scar. So aside from Noello's conjecture about the divine weapons, I'm not even sure there is a way to beat them back." Ardus sighed. "And even then, one doesn't find those just lying around."
At his brother's words, Richter couldn't help but frown as he crossed his arms, disappointed. If there was nothing they could do, then what good was this conversation? "So ultimately all you're telling me is that there are dark forces at work," he began, "but I already knew that. This is pointless." Ardus's mouth twisted dishearteningly, though not at Richter's words, but at his inability to shed any more light on the situation. "Believe me, I want to be of more help," he replied, "but this isn't pointless. I'm arming you with the knowledge to act; the knowledge to make a plan. If you come across any new information, it'll be good to know what you're up against." Richter shook his head, exhaling. It was frustrating, very much so, but he understood that his brother was, at this point, just as blind about the whole situation as he was.
"Are you sure there's nothing else you can tell us? A direction you could point us in?" the younger Ilian asked. Yes, they had a mission in Bern, but in the long run, this was probably going to come up again, especially if Etruria was involved in any way. "Well," started Ardus, but there was a long pause as he seemingly racked his brain for information, "you're heading to Bern, correct?" Richter nodded. "Correct." "Then in that case, have you heard of the Fire Emblem?" Ardus asked. "Yes, it's the royal seal of Bern," replied Richter, his brow furrowing as he did. What did they seal of Bern have to do with demons and the legendary heroes? "It might have a part to play in this whole mess," Ardus continued, addressing Richter's unasked question. "In my research, I mentions of it, signs that it was the key to a power of some kind." He shrugged. "So going off of that it's either literally hiding something that could help us against this threat, or all I found were references to the Bernese means of succession. I'm leaning towards the latter, but either way, it's something you might want to look into while you're down there. After all, even if my research means nothing, the Emblem might just help you in ending that stupid rebellion."
Ardus grew quite after bringing the subject up. He was no stranger to the concept of a Bernese rebellion, and the thought of it didn't exactly leave him with happy memories. So, rolling and tying up the mural in his hands, Ardus got to his feet, and looked both Richter and Clair in the eyes. "Other than that, I don't think there's much else I can say to help."
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Post by Clair Feldsky on May 11, 2012 20:48:01 GMT -6
Defenseless. Emblem. Bern. Rebellion. The words all blended together. Sharing a common trait in how useless it all seemed. This didn't really change anything. It only broadened the scope of their focus. Now they had to watch for the Fire Emblem as well. That would be a treat. It was only the most valuable rock in all of Bern. She didn't even know who, if anyone, had secured it. Another of Ardus' words stood out. "Stupid". Because honestly, how they were supposed to fix all this was beyond her.... But, one step at a time. Nothing had really changed after all, remember?
Moving forward, and away from the trouble, Clair pushed aside her frown. She put aside the frustration. It would be put to better use some other time. For now, it was only a distraction, and useless besides. Ardus and Noello didn't need to have to deal with it more than was necessary either.
"So it looks like our course hasn't changed. Bern is an important destination these days." She said, speaking up to energize the conversation a bit. Enough of the quiet brooding, and silent considerings. She reached down and tugged her skirt straight over her hips, before turning the same attention to her belt, and the thin band which still held her hair back. The day was here.
"What about the two of you? What will you do now? More ruin digging?" She had her doubts of the usefulness of more digging. Still, she could easily be wrong. There was a reason mages had a reputation for being intelligent, after all. They knew things. Perhaps things which Ardus and Noello could uncover.
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Post by Richter Abend on May 16, 2012 18:59:46 GMT -6
"Perhaps," respond Ardus quickly, giving Noello a quick glance. "They have been a surprising look into the current state of Elibe, and from them I feel as if I have gained a lot of knowledge that I would not have otherwise. Knowledge that will help us in the future." Then, the large pink haired man gave another, longer look to his brother.
"But perhaps not. It seems this darkness, this evil, has begun to stir, and my time of passive observance may very well be coming to an end. If you're going to assist in Bern and end Etruria as the threat it stands as today, you will need allies, and I am more than willing to pledge my sword to your cause." With this said, he nodded to Richter and Clair, his words addressing both of them. Richter too gave Clair a quick look. While he may have started this crusade, at this point, the cause was as much hers as it was his. He was glad Ardus understood that.
"I'll pledge my services as well," came Noello's higher pitched voice. "Might as well, as I've got no where else to go. You meat heads will need some intellectual help, and I've got plenty of intellect to spare."
"I appreciate the help, brother," Richter said in response as a smile broke across his face, though it turned to a smile of slight annoyance as he turned to Noello with minor displeasure. "We need all the swords we can get, and yours is wielded by great hands. Greater than mine at least." Ardus, in reply, gave his younger brother a cryptic, toothless grin. "We shall have to test the truthfulness of that one day," he said in playful reply. "But for now, I'll accept the compliment." "So then where will you go?" asked Richter, his heart sinking a bit as he realized how short his reunion was going to become. As furious as their meeting had begun, the younger Ilian was now nothing but glad to see his brother, a man he had long thought dead. It was good to know there was but one more Abend in the world. "Probably Delfia," came the short reply. "After all, unlike you, I'm not a wanted man, and you could no doubt use some eyes on the inside. That is, unless you have needs elsewhere." Richter shook his head. "Save for Bern, I can't think of much, and a spy in Etruria sounds far more useful. That is, unless Clair can think of something else." He turned to Clair, gesturing a hand in her direction. "What do you think?"
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Post by Clair Feldsky on May 17, 2012 18:58:36 GMT -6
Clair looked around as the conversation continued, feeling at home in the midst of the words and plans accelerating the way around. She'd been a part of these events for a long time, and though it had been a long time since she'd had any lack of confidence, she went ahead and allowed herself some pleasure at having reached the point where others assumed her more than a glorified errand girl. This was what she had striven for for so long.
It was good to think that Ardus and Noello would be working with them in the future, although thedirty look which she flashed over to Noello at the term "meathead" was quite capable of displaying her annoyance at his comment. With the precision of jousting champion, the Falcoknight shot an arm out, and stabbed two fingers into the scrawny mage's frame in the same manner she used to jab Corona to get the large pegasus's attention.
"Watch that tongue, Noello! It was a quick jolt of annoyance through her surfacing. Quick to bubble over, and quickly forgotten, as she grinned at her own reaction, and the situation.
"Delfia is best." Clair agreed, though she wished there was someplace else she could think to send them. "Just be careful while you're there. The city is much more dangerous than it was before all this began, and we could use you on the inside when we are finally ready to make out move." The golden haired sky rider reached up to her ear, using her fingers to gather some of her hair before resecuring the wayward strands behind an ear, her voice softening as she did so.
"Plus, I don't want to chance hearing of you being found out while working there..... This would be a good time to write to your sister, Mary, don't you think?" She brought up the last suggestion. She'd never quite let the subject go from before, when she'd spoken of it with Richter. She felt that now would be another time to bring it up.
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Post by Richter Abend on May 20, 2012 22:15:20 GMT -6
"Keep your hands to yourself, woman," blurted Noello, jumping back as Clair's fingers jabbed into his shoulder. He lifted his arms up in a pose that poorly resembled that of a boxer. "Touch me again and I'll roast those fingers off."
Ardus, however, reached over and, with a large, bearlike hand, softly lowered his younger companion's arms. Childish insult, childish response. "Hush, Noello," he said, giving both the mage and the pegasus rider a reproachful look. Not quite willing to settle, but smart enough not to provoke a more overt reaction from Ardus, Noello hushed up, allowing Ardus to respond to Clair.
"A good a time as any," Ardus replied. "To be fair, I wasn't aware she was still alive until last night, but from the way you say it, I figure Richter hasn't been writing any letters either?" Richter shook his head, ashamedly. "No, I haven't," he replied, slowly. Ardus clapped his younger brother's arm. "Well you should," said the older Abend casually. "I'm sure Mary would appreciate it." "You don't..." started Richter, before Ardus silenced him. "You were furious at me yesterday," came the response. He patted Richter again. "I'm pretty sure you do.
Ardus turned back to Clair. "Now I doubt we have the time to tarry much further. We're still in Etruria after all, and I can't imagine they've just given up chase." He cracked his neck, motioning Noello over to their bags. "Wouldn't want to follow us into the hands of the Prophet after all."
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Jun 3, 2012 17:59:40 GMT -6
Clair frowned, raising an eyebrow as the magic user put his dukes up. She made no move to imitate him. It was offputting that his reaction was to try to fight her, and her confidence in him dropped at seeing it. She hadn't thought much about it when she'd jabbed him, but if this was his reaction to her, what would happen when they reached Delphia?
She was glad that Ardus at least spoke sense about writing their sister. Perhaps Richter would finally budge on the matter with his older brother's encouragement.
"See you when we return, then." The falcoknight wasn't the most talented at goodbyes when it wasn't in the structured form of departure, but she refused to be totally inept at them.
Take care of yourselves till then." She backpedaled a few steps, before turning to their own things (mostly her pegasus' tack), and started getting them in order. She gave a shrill whistle as she worked, and heard the sounds of a snort and flapping wings within a few moments. She'd busy herself over here. Richter could come over and they could get moving when he was done saying his own farewells, if he had any.
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