Fire Emblem: Crestfallen | IC

[Psyker Landshark]

Theodoric Branden Marlon
Mentions: fuckin everyone I can't be bothered to tag literally the entire cast
​

Dinner had been fantastic, even by noble standards. He had been pleased to see there were at least a few fish dishes served, and the conversation among the house members had been pleasant enough. Unsurprisingly, there had been a shared disdain for Victor, and it helped to center the talk about winning the mock battle the next day.

Theodoric had woken up early in the morning before breakfast to get some light exercise in before breakfast and classes. A quick jog and a brief run-through of sword forms was enough to wake him up and work up his appetite before he made for the dining hall. Breakfast had been a sumptuous spread as well, and he'd taken the time to further catch up with Parthenia and Sherry. Considering they were dining with the Green Falcons as well, they couldn't exactly talk strategy at the moment.

After breakfast, he found himself actually looking forward to seeing what exactly their professor was like...only for him to be disappointed by her being a no-show. Again. Theodoric pursed his lips at this, but made no other sign of outward dissatisfaction. He sighed, shaking his head.

"We don't have that much time before the mock battle, regardless. The best we can do is likely to understand how each of us fights so we can work better together. I'll start. I'm primarily a swordsman, but I have some amount of skill in Reason magic. Enough to conjure Fire spells, at least."

 

[Nim]

Laila Bellwood
Mentions: @Luminosity (Sherry) @Astoria (Parthenia) @Psyker Landshark (Theodoric)​

Laila felt relieved when they all decided to move to dinner. While she would join the others at first, after eating a relatively small amount of food, she already upped and left to her room. She was not used to large and welcoming meals like these, and she didn't want to accidentally over indulge herself in what was high quality food. Once she was back in her room, she laid on her bed and just allowed herself to fall asleep, feeling like it was the first proper rest she had in a while.

Morning came, and Laila woke up before the sun even rose. She was used to waking up so early to help prepare the tools, heat the forge, make supply runs, and also prepare some light breakfast. Having practically nothing to do felt annoying, so she got up, went through her morning routine, and then went outside. It wasn't possible yet to go eat breakfast, since it was still very early, so Laila took a brief stroll around. It wasn't quite satisfying, but it was better than waiting idly in her room.

When the dining hall opened for breakfast, Laila immediately went there. The breakfast, just like the dinner yesterday, felt like way too much to her liking. She settle for tasting a few different foods, before leaving the dining hall. After checking where the classroom was, Laila went and saw she was the first one to arrive. Sitting down in one of the chairs in the front row, she started tapping on her table impatiently.

After a while, the classroom started to fill up, with Cherry and Parthenia arriving. Both made remarks regarding the no show instructor. Laila felt it was a bit rude to not give the teacher the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she was getting over some illness. As Parthenia and Theodoric moved away from the teacher onto what they thought of the Falcons and understanding each other better, Laila gave it briefly some thought. She turned in her seat to look at the others "Well, regarding myself, I think I'm mostly know my way around using axes. I know some basic swordfighting, but I think that by sticking to wielding an axe, I'll have a better chance, because I'll be aiming to my strength."

"As for the Falcon's weaponry and such, I figure you might have a better chance at knowing what they'd wield, based of personal knowledge of the people. I could make assumptions, but that would be based of my professional views. And I don't think my knowledge as a smith's apprentice is exactly the most accurate, at least when it comes to helping people choose a weapon appropriate for them." Laila said, offering an apologetic smile as she did.

 

[Rouge Rogue]

Leonid Hector Sylmare
mentions: @Astoria , @Luminosity , @Nim , @Psyker Landshark​

Food really did make everything better.

After an... eventful round of introductions, the group dispersed before any heads could roll. The Red Chimeras gathered together to share a meal and a few words, and Leon supposed the other house did the same.

Leon made his due contributions to the topics discussed during dinner, but really, nothing was quite as interesting to him as the assorted food on the table. He found himself making quite a few new acquaintances; veal became his best friend, and roasted lamb his lover. And yet, despite his best efforts to stay faithful, he found himself having flings with plums and dates and--- dessert? They had dessert, too?!

Gods forgive his taste buds, for they were guilty of so, so many counts of delicious infidelity.

Another feast awaited him in the morrow, and Leon was pretty sure this was as close to heaven as he'd ever get. If this was what life in the monastery was like, he would need to seriously consider becoming a devotee.

He lingered in the cafeteria as long as he was able before dragging his feet to class - after pocketing a few fruits and slices of bread for later, of course. He kept an apple in hand, tossing it up and down as he went.

As Leon arrived to the classroom, he found it more or less empty. There was Sherry and Parthenia, both of whom he remembered as his neighbours from yesterday's round of introductions at the dormitory - and then Theodoric and Laila, who he knew by name if nothing else. They were discussing strategy. Boring but necessary, he supposed.

Leon took a bite of his apple and stepped forth.

"You'll find me best suited for long-ranged combat," which was the long-winded, noble-like way of saying that: "I shoot people. With arrows. Before they see it coming." He took another bite, silently wondering how that would work in a mock battle setting. Would he use dulled arrows? Aim away from the vitals? Both? Probably both. They likely didn't want any accidents.

"If needed, I'm decent enough with a sword, too," he added as an afterthought, before nodding towards Theodoric. "Though we seem to be covered on that front. I'd hate to steal anyone's thunder."

He leaned against the door frame, glanced behind as if to ensure no one was listening in, and then leaned towards the others. "As for the Green Falcons, instead of trying to deduce their skills based on their characters, well," he grinned, perhaps a bit more wickedly than he'd intended, "I'm quite willing to do a little reconnaissance, if needed."

Spying, In other words. He'd spy the shit out of them if given the go.

 

[Jessica]

LAPIS ZUVAL

Interacting with: All methinks

Mentions: Leonid


Her time spent at the library had been wonderful~ She read a good portion of the books she had taken and the librarian had been kind enough to allow her to borrow the rest of the ones she hadn't gotten to yet, which she was truly grateful for. Lapis had managed to finish Requiem and suffice to say, it was definitely worth the years of searching. With the group saving the kingdoms from the plague and each of them moving on to become great things, Lapis felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Her curiosity had been sated, and the book's story would comfortably remain within her memory for as long as Lapis breathed.

A few other stories had been finished and she had begun studying the Fire tome she had picked out. It held some similarities to the Wind tome her father had taught her, which was nice, but it still holds quite a few differences that stumped Lapis a few times.

Regardless, she would persevere. Failure was not an option for her, ever.


~~~


Breakfast had been amazing, far better than what Lapis had enjoyed even during her days of recognized nobility. Taste, texture, presentation, the meals had it all much to her enjoyment. Considering she was mainly used to her meals being plated with little care, seeing the monastery's dishes so beautifully crafted was a welcomed surprise. Though Lapis didn't talk much (or at all), she still enjoyed being able to listen to the nobles' conversations and even share a word or two with Laila. So long as time was spent together, Lapis considered it a bonding experience.

Lapis had even taken a second to watch the Green Falcons, quietly observing them and their behavior to try determining how to behave around them as a person, and how they would work tactically.

Walking into the classroom, Lapis was momentarily disappointed that they would need to wait further for their arrival. But all wasn't lost; this would allow her to go through her mental notes from breakfast.

Lapis was sitting quietly in her seat now, hands clasped over her mouth as her unwavering gaze stared at the person or wall in front of her. If one were to look, they could probably see the gears turning in her head, or they would think she had fallen asleep with her eyes open.




Victor, the most interesting one, was the person who was rather haughty and had a high view of his own self-importance, holding the traits that had nobles viewed in a negative light. She couldn't blame him though. Many nobles of incredibly high-stature are never born with those sort of traits and people sometimes seemed to forget about that. It is always something influenced and, when left unpunished, would be developed into their personality. Victor must have had an experience in his life that had him looking down on Commoners, most likely a similar view from his parents or some sort of relative. Or, and this was more unlikely, he had too many negative experiences with Commoners that he hated them as a whole.

Lapis wanted to learn more about him truthfully. She wanted to understand how he came to be such an unlikeable character and see if there was any chance of redemption for his mindset. Unfortunately for her, Victor would likely not want to waste his time speaking to a "commoner wench" such as herself. A shame.

Tactically, Victor's behavior could go in two ways; assert his dominance over the other nobles, or assert his dominance over the commoners. If she really had to guess, she would assume that Victor would take the chance to put a Commoner in their place and attack them first. That only left the two options for his choice of attack, and the most likely one of herself and Laila would be herself.

Lapis hardly had experience with bladed weapons; only a sword and that was because if she did not have some sort of experience with a blade she would have to focus entirely on reflexes, wit, and a bit of luck with every battle. Not only that, but Lapis's defensive capabilities were not the best. She was not at all wealthy like most of her classmates and so she could not afford the armor the nobles usually adorned. She was also not conditioned to take a lot of beatings, so if Victor attacked her first, Lapis would surely only need a couple of hits before he took her down.

Laila, on the other hand, stood a far better chance. She held muscle, looked to be experienced with blades in general, and most likely had a good amount of training under her belt. Laila would surely have the strength to parry Victor's attacks and even do some damage if the time came for it. Victor's arrogance may come into play and, if they were lucky, he could lose his composure and unintentionally hand over the victory. Perhaps Laila should taunt him during the battle to make him angry and unable to concentrate?

She would need to ask one of the nobles regarding some insight into his personality. If Victor behaved as Lapis thought, then it would be far easier to make an accurate prediction.

Not that she had been able to do any of those, but that was beside the point.



Francette was another one. The girl seemed to hold herself at utmost composure and had been appointed House Leader. She never slouched, made no mess as she ate, and didn't seem to pick up her napkin at all during breakfast. Her table manners were completely that of high nobility and, judging by her body language when she was speaking, it went as far as being wary of how she even moved her hands.

Lapis did not have much information about this girl save for her name and whatever else the Chimera nobles said about her, but she would still try and come up with some sort of tactical possibilities.

Francette was a high status noble, which meant the utmost training and tutoring were a given. Lapis couldn't tell if the woman had any sort of muscle definition on her to tell her preferred method of attack. Her strategy of attack... Lapis would need a lot more information regarding personality if she wanted to come up with an accurate strategy. Maybe Sherry would know something?



The last two... Lapis had not met them, nor did she know much about them save for maybe their names. While the two were of obvious nobility, and both seemed very kind (though the red-haired boy moreso), their demeanor didn't tell her much. Were they rash? Quick-witted? Were they calculative? She was curious about them too and wanted to learn more of their stories but...

She had to see them speak to Commoners just yet. She hoped neither of them were like Victor.

But now, she tuned back to the conversation in time to hear Parthenia's question. She would be happy to answer!


"If I may." Lapis spoke up after Leonid, not wanting to interrupt anyone. "I am capable of wielding a sword, but my experience mostly lies in Magic. As of now, I am only experienced in Wind, but am studying Fire and making plans to dedicate time to Thunder and perhaps Blizzard if I can handle it. I would prefer long-ranged combat since my defensive and hand-to-hand combat capabilities are subpar compared to everyone else's." She added the last part.


Lapis figured it would be most beneficial to include her weaknesses so that the team could strategize around it rather than surprise everyone at the heat of the moment.

Hearing Leonid's offer, she decided it would also be best to stay quiet regarding her own deductions. He was right; they shouldn't try to base anything just off their demeanor alone. Watching them practice would speak far more than how they composed themselves, saw other people, and ate breakfast would. Besides, she didn't have enough information to go off of for it to really be beneficial to the team.



​

 

[Solace]

Mentions: @Luminosity [Sherry], @Rouge Rogue [Leonid], @Nim [Laila], @Jessica2477 [Lapis], @Demon Shinobi [Alexander], @Psyker Landshark [Theodoric], @Astoria [Parthenia]
​

The welcome of nourishment came in the form of a celebratory banquet for their class' inauguration, finding himself salivating at the sight of the fine cuisine after such a long travel. It was under the setting sun where they were left to their own devices, and the noble found the exhaustion from his previous herculean display begin to hammer at his bones. Ushering himself into the dormitory that would serve as his home over the next year, Mael practically collapsed against the soft cushion that was his bed; a comfortable night's sleep had been long overdue, after all.

---

Time wandered on the cusp of dawn when the boy stirred from his rest. As Mael shut the door behind him, he realized that he had awoken an hour or two before most of the Academy would rise from their slumber. Perfect! He had made it a habit to train himself at the earliest point of the morning in his life, and with the busy schedule for the foreseeable future, waking up at the first sounds of small birds would give him more than enough time to see to this morning routine. Walking around the Irinduil Monastery felt drastically different compared to the previous day when students, faculty, and the clergy flocked its halls; at this early hour, he was greeted by the occasional monk making the rounds. Though, just as he started down the steps leading into the main courtyard, the noble found himself having a brief conversation with a particularly peculiar guard who called themselves the Gatekeeper.

"You'd like me to... time you?" the Gatekeeper scratched their cheek with a single finger, looking confused.

"Absolutely!" Mael gave the Gatekeeper an energetic vibe that seemed too unrealistic for someone who was awake during an hour that most people rather slept. "But only if it will not impede your duties! The last thing I wish to happen is distracting you from... uh, keeping this gate, if you will."

After waving the sentry a momentary farewell, the noble hopped through the marketplace section that lay just before the pearly gates of the monastery's entrance, his eyes looking around to the various vendors that were just beginning to set up their stalls and wares. There was a general merchant whose wares dabbled into the usual medium of goods, such as medicinal vulneraries, antitoxins, and oil lanterns. A pair of gruff-looking individuals, an older man and a younger woman, had their backs turned from him as they were engaged in deep conversation. "... hell needs it modeled after a greatsword for, anyway?" the boy seemed to catch the later part of their exchange. "Not like he's gonna be aiming to kill someone at that mock battle today."

"Professor's commission," the woman responded as Mael identified them as the armorer and blacksmith. "Gotta get this one done before Juno comes through. But... the others weren't such a pain in the ass, compared to this one."

Mael tried to catch a glimpse of their work, observing through the corner of his eye as he walked past them. A double-edged greatsword fashioned from crude metal rested on a small table before the pair, its blade almost intentionally blunted to cause more bludgeoning damage than slashing; ideal for training, where killing typically was not one's intention. Yet, he could not chase away the lingering thought that the properties of such a large weapon cried out the very opposite. Perhaps its user did want to cause harm in the mock battle? Heh, good luck, Green Falcons!

In a short moment's notice, the noble found himself standing at the apex of the plateau, staring down the long snake of a winding path that Mael had just barely conquered the previous day. His mouth opened to draw in a large breath, sucking the refreshing air into his lungs. It had been decided that this course would serve as his morning routine for the next year, where he would jog the entire distance down the path and back to the gates of the monastery within the shortest possible time. "Well... let's get to it."

---

The exercise had gone tremendously better compared to the other day, having properly prepared himself to operate with muscles that were not so tight and constricted from inaction. The coarse of adrenaline felt incredible across his body, and by the time that he finished, Mael no longer felt any trace of drowsiness. Even so, the run still served as a daunting trial; going downward was not so much a problem, but rather, it was the jog back up; with the path's sloping nature due to the monastery's location on a plateau that was elevated above ground level had been the source of his woes. It was something that he would just have to get used to, and if this was going to be every morning, then it would not take long to adjust.

By the time that the boy had returned to the dormitories, Mael could see that some of the student body were just beginning to rise up from their slumber. Breakfast was soon to commence in the hour, and the mock battle in the afternoon would not bode well for him on an empty stomach. The noble seemed to take less time to complete his morning exercise than the time it took to style his hair, bathing and grooming himself thoroughly. 'Ugh, does it seriously need to be this tight?' he thought to himself, slipping into the academy uniform as he pulled his sleeves up past his elbows.

After another hour or so of stuffing his face with as much food as humanly possible, the boy was quick to learn that he had exactly no idea where their classroom was, remembering that his attention had been drawn to other matters during yesterday's tour. He found himself wandering aimlessly for several moments before his eye caught Leon sauntering away from the cafeteria, following the noble from Sylmare discreetly before presumably reaching their class hall. Upon arrival, it was evident that their professor was absent once more; that, or excessively tardy. He let out a breath of relief at the fact, knowing that his brain wouldn't be picked at from a lecture just yet.

He had arrived in the midst of a collective discussion on their individual martial talents. It was no surprise that Theodoric continued to practice swordplay, but outside of Sherry and Parthenia, the others in the Red Chimeras remained a mystery. Hearing that Laila preferred bearing the weight of axes came off as a huge surprise, genuinely impressed with a gasp. "Really?! You must be so strong! You have to show me how you train."

Leon followed up shortly with his own proficiency in archery; it seemed like every single person, including himself, knew some basic swordsmanship. Just as the next girl concisely ran down her weaknesses, the mention of magic moreso caught his attention; Mael didn't know a lick of anything about the subject of Reason or Faith, despite how deep it ran in the roots of his family's bloodline. It was at the first word of his question where the noble caught himself at a bit of a loss; he did not know the girl's name. Her well-kept, long blue hair beckoned for his attention, and her elegant demeanor gave him the impression of someone he'd love to have a conversation with. Unlike Sherry, of course.

"I fight with these bad boys," Mael added into their discussion as he strode past Leon, bumping the other noble lightly with a wink in his direction. Clenching both of his fists, the boy took a southpaw stance, giving the air a few swift jabs with a smirk on his face. "Not much of a weapon's guy, myself. I can handle a sword, but I prefer getting up close and personal!"

"At any rate, I hear we need some intelligence about our opponents this coming afternoon," his eyes darted between each individual present within their class, his expression shifty and convoluted in a dramatic fashion. "I am happy to say that no form of espionage is necessary, for I have the knowledge that we so desire!"

"Oh? Do you?" Sherry asked as she set her hands on her hips. "Please, go on."

Nodding, Mael brought a hand up to his chin in deep thought, tapping the side of his face with his index finger. "For starters, Mister Victor Keryth is a pushover. A bully with no bark and a small brain. Even I could beat him at fencing; he comes from a physician's bloodline, so he'll be looking after the wounds of his Green Falcons outside of protecting himself with meager swordplay."

"On the other hand, Francette Luralei was annoying to fight. She's not particularly strong, per se, but their house leader is quick on her feet. Plenty more talented with a sword than our miscreant, Victor, and I hear she zaps people that she doesn't like with a Thunder spell."

"Marcus Kirlou is probably the nicest guy among them, but don't be fooled; he's pretty crafty with a bow, and can handle a sword just as well. Pretty strong, if I had to say."

"I know Miss Valyra personally; she's from Cretus, after all. Ariel's their strongest fighter, and if she isn't charging at you with her axe, she's looking to beat you with her fists. Let's try to win, please. If we lose, I will never hear the end of it from her."

"Namira is Azir's brother, right? Miss Ravaleth is surprisingly better with a lance than she is with her house's ceremonial weapon, the axe. Compared to the last two, she shouldn't be too hard to deal with."

"Lastly, I have no idea who this 'Lucien Matias Kard' guy is, but if he was chosen for the mock battle alongside the rest of them, then I'd assume he can hold his own weight. I guess the real surprise is to see if anyone's changed since then!"

Sherry nodded along calmly at first, only stopping at Mael's final words. "... and how long has it been since then?" she muttered, her voice somewhat grave.

"Hm..." he thought about the girl's question. "About... two to four years, I'd say," Mael's smile slowly dissipated upon their collective expressions, puffing his cheeks out in a confused manner. "What's wrong? My information is flawless!!"

 

[Marlowe]

MENTIONS: @Psyker Landshark [Theodoric], @Solace [Mael], @Astoria [Parthenia], @Rouge Rogue [Leonid], @Demon Shinobi [Alexander], @Nim [Laila]​

Sherry was less than happy to hear Parthenia's suggestion. Of course they'd get the short end of the stick, being dealt with what seemed to be a drunkard instead of an actual professor. She listened to everyone's strengths and what sort of weaponry they used. They had a severe lack of magic users, much less someone that could heal them. Lapis seemed the closest thing to a true mage; Sherry hoped that she would learn a few healing spells. It would surely aid them later on. Sherry watched a mixture of slight amusement and annoyance as their group became bigger. Yhirel, were they a ragtag bunch. Even Maelys, who claimed to know information on the skills and weaponries of the Falcons, was able to give more information than she did. Damn, she was supposed to be the House Leader, not him! Even then, while his input was valuable, she wasn't sure how they could prepare a decent strategy. They didn't have enough time--​

​

The doors to the classroom flung open. Sherry's mouth, having been partially opened in order to form another response, turned to look at the new arrival. The woman stood still for a moment before making her way to the front. Sherry's eyes widened in shock. The woman was outstandingly pretty; she had long, flowing black hair and a sharp expression, though she walked with a slight limp and had a bow slung shoddily over her shoulder. Over her other shoulder hung a large sack stained with crimson.

The princess of Galbia stared in bewilderment as the woman reached the front of the classroom and stood behind the pristine cherry oak desk. With a mighty heave, the sack was thrown onto the desk. The thump that emitted from the impact resounded throughout the classroom, breaking the temporary silence. Sherry watched as the woman tiredly placed her bow to the side before she tenderly opened the cloth bag and exposed its contents-- the decapitated head of a giant wolf.

Sherry bristled in shock. What kind of woman was this? She had gotten blood all over that nice desk and probably the papers that were on it! Her hands clenched into fists before she took a step forward in an attempt to challenge this woman. Her action was once again silenced by a sharp glance from the lady.

"Would you kill to save a life or to prove that you're right?" the woman said as she stroked the ridge of the wolf's nose with a delicate finger.

Her words were punctual, firm, intact. Sherry stood in place. How could she even react? Who exactly was this woman? Was she drunk? Lost? Maybe both? The woman's glare remained on the Red Chimeras before it quickly lightened, a sparkle in her eye as she grinned.

"Oh, lighten up-- it was just a joke! I am Juno Cybille Qetesh, a professor at the Academy. And I assume all of you are the Red Chimeras, led by the very, very... famous Sherry Millefiore Grimdall? I hope this is the start of a wonderful year together."

​

 

[Psyker Landshark]

Theodoric Branden Marlon
Mentions: still not tagging literally everyone, fuck you​

Hm. Maelys knew about as much as he did regarding the Green Falcons, especially considering his countrymen. Then again, Theodoric had been busy training these past few years rather than socializing. He'd barely seen his peers among the nobility in some time, so it was only natural that his information was somewhat outdated. Unfortunate given the upcoming mock battle, but hopefully his skills would make up for it.

Before he or anyone else could say anything further, though, they were interrupted by their professor finally making an appearance. To his shame, Theodoric's first thought upon seeing Professor Juno was that she was remarkably attractive. It took a few moments for him to shake that thought from his mind, chiding himself to focus on what was important. He'd get killed on the battlefield if he was distracted by a pretty face, especially if he couldn't even manage to have self-discipline while in a peaceable setting.

Unlike Sherry, Theodoric's reaction to Juno's stunt with the head was that of muted approval. Impressive. A wolf of that size, with a bow? At least their teacher knew what she was doing martially. The question was...interesting. He'd already killed before, a year ago. Bandits in Marlon territory on an otherwise routine patrol with his father and Marlon men. Battle had been enjoyable, if only for the chance to test his skills outside of a training setting, but as for the act of killing...

Theodoric refused to admit that the memory still disquieted him on some nights. What he felt was unbecoming. A dutiful noble shouldn't be squeamish at the thought of slaying his enemies. Gwendolyn wouldn't have hesistated. His father hadn't hesistated. He...damn it all, this wasn't the time! He forced himself out of his idle thoughts, focusing his attention back onto their teacher.

 

[Nim]

Laila Bellwood
Mentions: Grew too lazy to update this! ​

Hearing the others continue to talk about what they could do and how they could go about finding out more about their opposing house, Laila relaxed a bit in her chair in the front. Suddenly Mael spoke to her, sounding incredibly surprised about her apparent capability to wield an axe, and requested to watch her train. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she moved to rub the back of her neck with her right hand "Err, sure? Maybe we could train together. See how you dance around my axe." She suggested in return.

As he moved on to begin talking about what he knew of the others in the other house, Laila tried to keep her attention on what he said. So the one who despised sharing the dorms with the commoners was apparently the biggest pushover of them all. As much as she wanted to say she will go and smack him down easily. But hearing about Miss Valyra made her think that perhaps it would be best if she tried making sure this girl didn't get close to anyone who couldn't handle some brute force. But she knew this was going to be a team battle, so she needed to wait and see what Sherry will decide on.

Before the others continued speaking about anything, a woman came and entered the classroom. She was as beautiful as a well refined and sharpened sword in Laila's eyes. And then she noticed the bag that appeared to be partially stained with something red. While she had a hunch as to what it was, she kept her sight on the woman as she walked over to the teacher's table, putting aside her bow, before dropping a large wolf head from the bag onto the table. Laila merely blinked twice at the sight, being completely unsure as to what this was supposed to mean, as the woman introduced herself as their teacher.

As Juno mentioned she hoped everyone will have a wonderful year together, Laila couldn't help but still keep her eyes on the wofl's bloody head. After a moment, she turned to look at her teacher again, raising her hand "Professor Qetesh? Is there a reason for the wolf's head being there?" She decided to ask, being as straightforward as it can get while trying to still appear somewhat well-mannered. She didn't want to appear rude, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.

 

[Jessica]

LAPIS ZUVAL

Interacting with: @Everyone

Mentions: Maelys, the dead-ass wolf


Lapis, listening to her classmate, was happy with herself that she kept quiet about her own deductions. Maelys knew far more about the other nobles than she did, so it was best she not say anything at the risk of spreading misinformation. Sherry questioned him, and the taller man puffed out his cheeks in stubbornness.

Heh, he looked like a child doing that. How adorable~


It was then that the doors opened, temporarily silencing everyone to see a woman coming into the room carrying a bag. The poor lady seemed exhausted; she set aside her bow and headed to the front of their class. Lapis could quickly deduce that this was probably their professor. She had been about to greet the older woman until she revealed the contents of the bag to the classroom.

Truth be told, Lapis was far more intrigued by the familiarity of the animal rather than the fact there was a decapitated head atop the table.

"Is that a Gray Fadellian? Ooo!" She got up from her spot, approaching the decapitated head to get a closer look. "Not only a breed with a dense population and known for their excellent teamwork in packs, but responsible for approximately 30,000 human deaths in the Divine Year of 779. If their 3 and a half-inch canines don't kill you, then the horrible bacteria from their poor diets infecting your wound will." As she spoke, she gently lifted the wolf's mouth to see the teeth. "Thank you for doing the community a service, Professor."

​

 

[Astoria]

Parthenia Harland Ciran
Mentions: @Psyker Landshark @Luminosity @Solace @Rouge Rogue @Demon Shinobi @Nim @Jessica2477
​

Parthenia nodded sagely as her fellow peers took turns in elaborating on their combat skills as well as their knowledge on their rivals. As everybody did so, she took the opportunity to elaborate on her own as well, although Maelys' information was particularly informative, if a bit… irrelevant, given his outdated information. Still, given it being Maelys, it was still impressive nonetheless. Parthenia also liked to keep tabs on her other rivals and nobles as much as she could through social gatherings, rumors, and private discussions, although she was decidedly less keen to share that privileged information.

The little roundtable, however, was interrupted as the classroom doors burst open. Parthenia found herself annoyed by the rudeness of whoever was entering, but had to admit that the woman that entered was quite pleasing to the eye. But still didn't excuse her entrance, or her tardiness, really, upon finding out that this was indeed their professor.

And what was she carrying, anyway? It looked like a dead body. Once the bag she was carrying was flung open, it appeared it was indeed one, from a wolf. She had a lot of questions about why, but she would ask about them later. She had the same thoughts as Theodoric; at least this woman seemed competent, and interesting—important details.

But…

"Professor, why were you drunk and unable to show up for our big day yesterday?"

 

[Rouge Rogue]

Leonid Hector Sylmare
mentions: most people, i think​

The one to speak after him was Lapis, a girl Leon knew only by name. As it turned out, she was a practitioner of magic. Now that was intriguing. Magical folk were a bit of a rarity where he came from, their talent for the arcane arts usually enough to get them off the streets. He'd need to keep an eye out to see what exactly she could do.

A light bump on his shoulder alerted Leon to a familiar presence. He turned his head just in time to catch Mael's wink, and returned it with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head. He did step away to let the noble pass, though.

At Mael's boastful words regarding information, Leon cocked a brow. Oh? Had he actually fought against some of them before, or did his information come solely from his noble upbringing? Whichever the case, Leon bit back into his apple and listened.

By the time Mael finished with his monologue, it turned out the answer was 'both'. He mentioned having actually fought some of them before, but some of the information sounded more like hearsay - and a few years old by now, at that. Two to four years, huh. Not long enough a time for someone to do a complete one-eighty as far as battle style went, but certainly enough to build upon previous skill - or learn entirely new ones. Under normal circumstances, anyhow; there was always the possibility that for one reason or another, someone'd had no choice but to pursue an entirely new way to fight. Incidents, for one; if someone got a permanent injury inhibiting them from wielding their precious axe, they'd probably need to pick up magic to remain useful.

Leon shuddered at the thought - but made a mental note to read up on magic sometime. Just in case.

Either way, even if some of it was outdated, the information Mael provided was valuable. To think that the noble houses were careless enough to reveal that much about their own... they must've not known the power information held. On the streets, cutthroats paid fine sums for tidbits like that.

Hmm. Now that was a business idea possibly worth pursuing.

Leon had just begun to try and formulate a plan of action based on what he heard, when he was nearly whacked in the head with the door. Saved only by practiced reflexes, Leon stepped away from the doorway just in time to avoid a possible concussion. He pulled back an arm, preparing to throw the leftover core of his apple at the assailant - only to quickly lower it when he realized who it was that walked into the room.

Their professor, Juno. She was a looker, even with the bloody sack flung over one shoulder.

As she flung said sack onto the table and revealed its contents, Leon couldn't help but blink in surprise. He wasn't sure what he'd expected to see her drag in, but a decapitated wolf head was definitely nowhere near the top of that list. For a moment Leon wondered if he should feign disgust or shock or something of the sort. He was probably a bit too used to bloody carcasses for a young noble.

Or so he thought. As it turned out though, quite many seemed to have no qualms with the bloodied head. Lapis even waltzed up and started to examine it, reciting facts about its species like she was giving a presentation. ...Huh. At least the princess reacted exactly as Leon had expected. Royalty was royalty, after all.

Realizing he was still standing, Leon slunk away into a seat before the professor decapitated him, too.

"Would you kill to save a life or to prove that you're right?"

The question came out of nowhere, and Leon found himself taken aback by it. Would he? He shouldn't. Leon wanted to say he wouldn't.

He wouldn't.

Juno dismissed the question as jest soon after, but Leon kept eyeing her with suspicion. Was it actually just a joke - or a test of some sort, to gauge their reactions? ... Come to think of it, what was the purpose of the wolf head, anyhow?

Laila asked that very question before he had to. Then came another question, as straightforward as it was intrusive, regarding the professor's absence yesterday. Leon withheld a chuckle. And here he thought professors were supposed to be granted respect on principle. He was learning already.

"Likewise, professor." Still unsure how he should conduct himself - the teachings he'd received clashing with the disrespect his fellow students displayed - Leon figured he'd play it safe and stay polite. Luckily for him, he managed to keep his tone fairly formal, amusement hidden behind a neutral expression. "I've an inkling this will be a wonderful year indeed."

Intent to keep observing and adapting, Leon crossed his hands over the table and sat back to do just that.

 

[Solace]

Mentions: @Psyker Landshark [Theodoric], @Luminosity [Sherry], myself, @Astoria [Parthenia] @Rouge Rogue [Leonid], @Demon Shinobi [Alexander], @Nim [Laila], @Jessica2477 [Lapis]​

The color in the eyes of the professor seemingly shifted colors as a faint violet rolled across the former shade of gray, a peculiar look on her face as Juno Cybille Qetesh looked over the reactions of her students. Her features curled with delight, pressing her lips together as she wondered how amusing her method of taking attendance would be. Before answering the set of questions that she expected to receive, the woman plucked off both of her gloves and tossed them to the end of the desk, placing her hands around the mane of the wolf's head. A trail of light followed her fingers as they traced around its fur before the casting was complete. The ritual would take a moment to take effect.

"My, my, an inquisitive bunch! To tell you the truth, I did forget about the commencement of your class," Juno drew a sigh, running a hand through the wild beauty of her long black hair. "But I was given quite a short notice from the Archbishop that I was needed for this year; you could say that I'm a freelance professor, as I only teach a house of the Officers Academy when I am requested."

The professor took a step to the right from the wolf's head, quickly observing the ritual's progress before looking around the classroom with a smile. "Let's see who is among our lovely class for the rest of the year," Juno rummaged into her haversack for the list of Red Chimeras, only to crumple the paper into a ball and throw it away while rolling her eyes. "I've a more interesting approach; please gather your writing utensils and paper. This will be the Red Chimeras' first lesson of the year, killing two birds with one stone."

Juno suddenly drew a blade from the scabbard at her hip, pointing it towards the air. It was a long rapier that exuded master craftsmanship, its material shimmering like a diamond in the light. With precision, the professor slashed into the atmosphere like an artist stroking their paintbrush against a canvas, leaving the design of a Crest's outline that radiated with light above her head. "Crests have been an important aspect of our existence since the dawn of history, and although their significance has gradually devolved into a symbol of status as time has passed, they are much more than a conceptual wall that separates nobility from common brethren; they are the living proof of our founders' legacies," she looked down from her visual depiction, bringing the rapier back to her side. "This is the Crest of Baranbe that I possess, derived from the Saint Baranbe. Notice the solidity of its image, the resolution of power that coarsens in each of its lines; scholars call this a Major Crest. They say that those with a Major Crest have limitless potential, and are capable of displaying extraordinary feats."

As the mirror image of her Crest dissipated into the dust, Juno gave her students a moment to scribble their notes before continuing onward. "These Crests are more than a measure of birthright. I will not allow my students to graduate with such a primitive, bigoted opinion. Once, before these symbols even surfaced from the annals of history, their namesake walked the continent just like you and I do today. You may know them as the Ten Divine Heroes, as they are depicted by the Church of Yhirel," the professor sheathed her rapier entirely, peering back into her haversack. "For most of you, they are the progenitors of your lineage. But, to the world of eld, they were known as the Dream of Musentia before traces of that name vanished from the records."

An expression of great pain wore on her face as Juno looked towards Theodoric, her hand emerging from the haversack with a white gladiolus flower. The design of a different Crest began to illustrate itself above the boy's head, its form marginally dilapidated and weaker in luster compared to the last. "Marlon was the First Dream of Musentia, but before the Days of Ruin, he was Vanguard of the Mordlind Concorde, a legendary brigade of knights which inspired the name of the country he founded," the professor shook her head as if the recollection personally upset her, her fingers gently picking at the flower's petals. "He was without equal in battle, but one would never expect such peerless might from someone who detested the idea of fighting so much. Said to be gentle, kind, and handsome, there was nothing but kindness in his heart... it is quite difficult to believe this humanity could face the horrors of Azaral's swarm. His story is one of hardship and heartbreak. Do not be afraid, Theodoric."

Her eyes wandered to the house leader of the Red Chimeras as she laid the gladiolus to rest beside the wolf's head, reaching back into her collection of flowers. She revealed a red anemone in her grasp, with Sherry's Minor Crest now depicted in front of the girl's face. "The Second Dream was Marlon's childhood friend and closest ally, Grimdall. They served in the Mordlind Concorde together, but the idea of being second in rank and strength to Marlon was what spurred the Bloodrider into the fray of battle," Juno gave the house leader half of a smile. "He was ambitious to a fault; he did not wish to save the world for the sake of saving the world, but rather, for future generations to remember his name. Very few could truly touch or see his heart the way that his comrades did."

"Yet, Pleiades seemed to understand those feelings quite well," She turned towards Maelys, who appeared greatly flustered from the sudden attention and looked around frantically as he pointed to himself. "Huh? Wuh, me??" This reaction roused a giggle from the professor, who proceeded to procure an orange rose from her bag as the Major Crest of Pleiades floated over Maelys' desk. "The Third Dream was a street urchin who had a chance encounter with her future comrades when she was caught by Grimdall after nearly escaping on the back of Marlon's steed. They spared the girl from her shackles, and from that point forward, Pleiades was known as the Trickster. She was as snarky and fiery as she was beautiful; not exactly the most ladylike gal, but her nature challenges the indoctrinated image of what society views a 'proper lady' to this day."

Juno slowly set the two flowers after the gladiolus as if the process was of great importance, procuring a blue iris. "There is no official record as to whether the Fourth Dream was a man or a woman. To carve one's own path by the measure of their reach is the lesson behind the enigma of Ciran," she looked to Parthenia with curiosity. "It is only known that they were a low-ranking knight who served the Mordlind Concorde. Their resounding courage saved the life of a dying Marlon by carrying them several miles across the plains that is now called Ciran's Crawl, and it was the very same valor that plunged the first strike against Azaral during those last moments of the dark days."

The professor allowed the students a moment to survey their notes before continuing her history lecture, laying the previous flower to rest and revealing a bird of paradise. "The chieftain Sylmare never quite intended on associating himself with the ones who shunned his people, much less, the Dream of Musentia; it was merely happenstance that their motivations aligned. Initially, the Fifth Dream refused involvement and sought a sanctuary for the sake of his tribesmen, but no one was spared from the ceaseless massacre," Juno studied Leonid with unusual intent, as if gleaming directly through the boy and his Crest. "In the darkness and the world before, Sylmare felt that there was nowhere to belong, persecuted by the swarm and his own fellow man. It was only the Dream of Musentia who accepted his character rather than reject his skin, and there was the outside world yet to be seen that he felt compelled to protect."

"And finally, that brings us to the Tenth Dream," the Crest of Ravaleth had already appeared before Alexander, its pearly form pulsating with a darker energy unlike the previous Crests. Instead of turning to her haversack, Juno reached into a pocket that was underneath of the breastplate of her armor. She held a sunflower out in the direction of the boy, the violet within her eyes seemingly revolving in a cautious glare. "Not all of the Dreams were heroes or knightly figures worthy of inspiration. Ravaleth... perhaps, it is his tale that is the most tragic of all. In his early life, he was an executioner of innocence who committed atrocities before the Days of Ruin, claiming lives and treasure for his own satisfaction. Several years later, it was a divine intervention which declared him a champion of Yhirel, yet the impending judgement of his vices became a burden too heavy. It was for this reason which Ravaleth became the Tenth Dream; all that he had, and more, he brought to bear against the darkness... 'tis a shame that the sins linger."

With six out of the ten Crests manifested, Juno laid the last flower to rest beside the wolf's head, seeing that the ritual was near completion. "These are the Crests of the Dreams that our Red Chimeras possess; the others, we shall discuss another time," the professor motioned her hand in a beckon, causing each of the mirror images to float towards her before entering each of their respective flowers. Her features lit up with a gasp, realizing that something was missing. "Ah, yes," she gave both of the commoners a large smile before waving her finger like the wand of a wizard, conjuring two orbs of light from the two girls that gave off the familiar warmth of the sun. "It is the people's hopes that became the Sword of the Dreams. Without solidarity and allegiance, it is quite possible that there would be no tale to tell today. It is the people who made their dreams come true."

She drew the final necessities of the ritual towards her desk, directing the globules of light to merge into the wolf's head. Suddenly, the flowers and the wolf's head began to shrink underneath an emerging bed of verdant foliage, the latter's misshapen figure disappearing beneath the grass. A beautiful flowerbed had bloomed in its place, with the flowers she had previously placed now blooming in pairs. Seeing Maelys Ernst Pleiades erupt into a standing ovation at the display, Juno crossed her arms together and leaned against the desk, pleased with herself as she watched for the class' reaction. "That will be all for our introductory lecture! I'm aware that there is a mock battle to be held in the afternoon. At this time, please let me know what sort of weapon you would like; a sword, lance, and the like, as well as what form you would like for it to model, such as a rapier or pike. The smithy'll have your requests completed by the time of the battle."

 

[Marlowe]

MENTIONS: @Psyker Landshark [Theodoric], @Solace [Mael], @Astoria [Parthenia], @Rouge Rogue [Leonid], @Demon Shinobi [Alexander], @Nim [Laila], @Jessica2477 [Lapis]​

Magic sure was an interesting thing. As Juno lectured them about each of the Ten Dreams of Musentia, Juno crafted Crests out of thin air and had them hover over their heads. Each of the Crests came with a story and that was when Sherry knew that their professor was well-versed in history. The red-haired girl let herself breathe calmly for a second, deciding it was best to not become riled up about her indecency for now. As House Leader, she would have to bring it up to Juno eventually, anyway. Juno went down the lists of the other Dreams, touching upon the first Grimdall and making Sherry smile at the mention, before she came upon the commoners'. With that, bright orbs glowed upon their heads and hovered in the direction of the other Crests that had since merged with the flowers. Sherry looked up from her note-taking to see that the flowers and wolf head had disappeared under a verdant display of foliage. Their short lecture had ended, and she had been left in a state of quiet curiosity and desperate intent. Rising from her seat, she took a steps forward to approach her professor. "Professor, if I may... I would like--"​

---

MENTIONS: @Psyker Landshark [Theodoric], @Solace [Mael], @Astoria [Parthenia], @Rouge Rogue [Leonid], @Demon Shinobi [Alexander], @Nim [Laila], @Jessica2477 [Lapis]
​

THE VERDANT CREST
AFTERNOON

They did not have to travel long to get to the Verdant Crest. The Red Chimeras and the Green Falcons departed the monastery in a group and arrived at the Crest about half an hour later. What was interesting was that, unlike their time within the mess hall, they did not intermingle; the Chimeras stayed to themselves, along with the Falcons. Sherry stayed to the front of the group, sitting tall upon horseback as she hovered near Juno. Their group chattered among each other as they traveled, though Sherry was strangely silent. She focused on the feel of her pike as she stroked its smooth shaft. If Maelys was correct about his observations, then we shouldn't have to worry about the Falcons too much, she thought to herself as she observed the polearm's tip. While it was made of metal, it was dulled a considerable amount. They wouldn't be able to cause too much harm with their training weapons, which was good. The last thing she wanted was to die in the middle of some Yhirel-forsaken field with hardly anything to prove herself of her worth.

Their numbers paused at the top of a hill. Below them laid the Verdant Crest, a large stretch of Cretian plains that was dotted with dense shrubbery and a cluster of trees here and there. The summer sun was at its peak, casting brilliant light on the fields down below and making it almost shine. The grass was deep green and filled with life. Sherry gazed down at the fields, her eyes glimmering with determination. That was where she was going to shine-- that was where she was going to prove herself to the rest of the Chimeras and show that she truly earned the title of house leader. Graces, she could almost see it now; she would stand victorious in the middle of the field after having led the successful charge against the Green Falcons, the Chimeras cheering beside her.

"The rules of battle are as follows," the voice of a monastery monk brought her back to the present. She watched as the monk dismounted from his horse, signalling the rest to do the same. "Each House will start on opposite sides of the field. The House that fells each member of the opposing side will be called the victors. You shall not aim to fatally harm any House member; if one falls in battle, the monks shall warp you off the field. The start of the battle will be announced with the presence of fireworks in the air-- no one shall be permitted to begin before that point, lest they wish for automatic disqualification. Is that understood?" When no one uttered a word, the monastery monk dipped his hooded head. "Houses, make your preparations. The Green Falcons have requested to begin at the other side of the field."

There was a shuffle as the Green Falcons began to ride past them. Sherry caught sight of Francette at the head of their numbers, but the other house leader did not spare her a passing glance as she rode forward. Marcus watched them quietly, and so did Ariel, but Victor hovered close as he smirked at them. "I wish the best of luck to the Red Chimeras," he told them in a snobbish voice as he gave them a frivolous bow.

Sherry's face became red as she scowled. "Why, you--"

"I would aid you on the battlefield if I could," Juno's voice interrupted her. She stood in front of their class, her arms crossed over her chest before she continued. "Though I don't believe it'd be much of a challenge if I did!" The woman snorted, turning towards her with an expectant gaze. "Well, Sherry, is your party ready to fight?"

Sherry glanced back at their numbers. She didn't know why, but she was suddenly nervous. They looked inexperienced at best-- by the Void, was she even gripping her pike well enough? "Is everyone prepared?" she reiterated the question, her expression serious as she gazed over them.

​

 

[Psyker Landshark]

Theodoric Branden Marlon
Mentions: @Luminosity (Sherry) @Solace (Maelys) @Nim (Laila)​

Theodoric found himself moderately impressed with Juno's creative use of magic, but simply responded with a curt nod when she'd brought up Marlon family lore. He wasn't exactly fond of being compared to others and found wanting, but being in the shadow of a legend was preferable to always being compared to certain other people. Hopefully, she hadn't taught Gwendolyn before. Though Professor Juno didn't exactly seem to be old enough to be staff at the Monastery a decade back.

Still, he gave Sherry a pointed stare at the mention of Grimdall being second in rank and strength to Marlon himself. Petty, to be certain. But riling Sherry up did amuse him, if only because someone had to keep her ego in check.

___

That afternoon, Doric hefted a rather large and sturdy wooden training sword on his shoulder as he rode atop his horse. It was about the size and length of a typical bastard sword, being capable of being wielded in either one hand or both. If he was to wield Marlon's own greatsword one day, it was imperative that he familiarize himself with larger blades as soon as possible. Even a blunted metal blade of this size and weight would have been capable of delivering lethal blows to the unarmored, so he'd had to settle for a wooden blade instead.

He couldn't say he wasn't eager for this. Despite his distaste for killing, he did rather enjoy the fight itself. The rush of adrenaline from every sword stroke, the triumph in outmanuvering an opponent...no, he'd gladly take the opportunity to test his skills. Still, there were some things he wanted to clarify before the battle began.

"Professor, are we permitted to keep our mounts, or will the battle be on foot only?" Theodoric asked Juno, before turning towards towards Maelys and Laila in particular. "Even if we're permitted horses, a full force of cavalry would be unwise. You two are likely the sturdiest fighters we have in the house. If I and one more person support you two on foot, we could likely hold against a charge while the others flank their main body."

While what he said wasn't untrue, he did have ulterior motives behind the suggestion. Of all those present here, Maelys and Laila were likely the least effective on horseback. Mael wouldn't exactly be able to punch much from atop a horse, and he doubted that a commoner blacksmith would have cavalry training. Everyone else was likely to at least be able to handle themselves on horseback, considering they'd had some kind of noble upbringing or training.

Hopefully, Sherry wouldn't start complaining that he was somehow undermining her. They really didn't need some kind of egotistic tantrum right before the mock battle.

 

[Nim]

Laila Bellwood
Mentions: Sherry ( @Luminosity ), Maelys ( @Solace ), Theodoric ( @Psyker Landshark ), Lapis ( @Jessica2477 )​

It wouldn't take long for Professor Juno to begin speaking, telling them the truth, that she forgot about the class, before beginning to tell them a lot about the Crests, how they were not just birthrights, and then showing them her Crest through magic in the air above her. And that was through the use of a sword! Laila felt herself already be impressed by their professor. She then went on to begin detailing the backgrounds of the different Crests, though only those that were apparently present in their class. They had 6 Crests in their classroom. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, before Juno conjured a light from inside her.

Watching as the lights from her and Lapis go into the wolf's head and then proceed to make the bloodied head vanish under the peaceful and calming sight of a flowerbed, Laila couldn't help but feel more at awe from the presentation their teacher gave them. When Juno mentioned the smithy will be making them the weapons, she hoped to ask if she could watch, but upon realizing she couldn't just ditch class to go and try to help the local smith, who might not even need any help. Not to mention, they probably wouldn't let her because the smith is probably making the weapons for both classes.

---

She was relieved that they were riding the actual horses and not brought via carriages. The moment they left the monastery, Laila had a slight fear that would be the case, but it seemed as though fortune was on her side. She only got to ride once before, and like in this instance, it was alongside someone else. Once they stopped at the Verdant Crest, she was already feeling an itch to get off and stretch her legs some more. It felt a bit weird to her to be seated for an extended period without doing some efficient with her hands.

One of the monks explained the rules, before the Green Falcons departed to go to the far side. While most ignored the Red Chimeras, the same arrogant guy from yesterday came and wished them luck in a way that made her want to hit him over the head with the side of her battleaxe's head. Deciding it was better to ignore him than to play into his teasing, she turned towards Sherry and the others as Juno asked if they were all ready, a question that was then repeated by Sherry. For someone who was supposed to be their leader, it felt less than encouraging to see that.

Grabbing a hold of her battleaxe, Laila gave it a brief look before looking towards Theodoric, who rose a good question. She personally had no intention of riding a horse into battle if she could, since the battleaxe would be at a disadvantage due to its relative shortness compared to swords, pikes and the such. But if they were allowed, perhaps she could cause the horses to throw their riders off their backs. It wouldn't even take a hit of any kind, just scare the horse good to make the rider lose control.

As Theodoric turned to her and Maelys, she listened patiently before looking at Mael "I don't know about sturdiest, but I think I get what you mean. Either way, I'm ready to do this." She said, turning to look at Sherry while giving a nod of her head. She wondered why the Green Falcons would choose to go to the opposing side, but Laila figured whatever the reason was, they will be able to overcome it.

 

[Demon Shinobi]

Alexander Zephaniah Ravaleth
The Verdant Crest
Interaction: @Psyker Landshark @Nim @Luminosity
Mention: @Solace ​

Alex had been, surprisingly antisocial following the first meeting in the hall. It could only be assumed that something had happened to stop him from wanting to talk and interact more. In truth he wouldn't have said anything about it. He simply ate his dinner and went to bed. At the very least, it'd been a delicious meal. Still, the next day would prove to be the real start of his academy life. That didn't stop him from being late. He'd gotten in a little early morning exercise warm up, gone to have a slightly late breakfast, and had showed up second to last to the room, only just before the professor. Had he been a bit earlier, in time to hear Mael speak, he might have corrected him on his thoughts of Namira. It was true she'd once boasted great Lance skills, but that'd been a few years ago. She'd long switched her focus to using the axe and even held incredible skill.

Still, Alex watched closely at the professor came, using the morning as a first class. Her explanation of the Crests, there histories, his classmates lineages, his lineage. He sat silently, his arms crossed. He'd studied the history of his house, but this was different. It felt more personal than anything he'd studied before. He narrowed his eyes, but quickly looked away from the professor.

Just like that, they were on their way to the battlefield. He listened to the rules, he listened to the discussion of his peers and allies. Then, finally, he spoke for the first time that day. "I'm good with a sword, and thunder magic. I think I'd be pretty good helping back up Mael and Laila," he said calmly. thinking about it, this was a good idea. He smiled and placed a hand on Laila's shoulder. "I'll have your back bud," he added trying to be as reassuring as possible. "Well, long as your swinging your axe at the enemy." Alex smirked ready to fight. He was feeling a little more pumped. Especially with the prospect of kicking a little ass and winning. Winning meant showing up his sister, if only for the moment. So, he looked to Sherry for a moment. "So, what are you orders princess?" he asked the redhead with a cheeky grin.

 

[Jessica]

LAPIS ZUVAL

Interacting with: Everyone

Mentions:



She watched her teacher's display regarding the Crests, though she had already known their names due to her background, but hearing more about them was in fact interesting. Lapis gave Juno her undivided attention as the class went on, soaking in the information like a sponge.

~~~


When the time to arrive at the battlefield had come, Lapis was certainly nervous. She was only a Commoner, fighting with students who had had elite training under their belts and another who knew these weapons like the back of her hand. Thankfully, the ride there was enough to soothe her nerves~ She'd never gotten to properly ride a beautiful horse before! Though her riding skills were... lacking, very lacking, Lapis couldn't stop smiling! She'd never felt so tall and important before, and the horse ride was so gentle and kind that she almost wanted to keep the horse for herself.

Upon arrival, one of the monks explained the rules to the group and the Green Falcons took their place on the opposite side of their battlegrounds. Ahh... Her nerves! Would she have to go by herself? Lapis had her strengths, but... She was still very vulnerable on her own.


Would any of them appreciate someone acting as backup?

Well, if she ended up alone she'd better wake up and be ready. Her father knew just how squishy she was as a fighter, so he helped her sharpen her reflexes for exactly this reason.


"I can be of help if anyone needs it; if not that's fine too." She told the group.



​

 

[Astoria]

Parthenia Harland Ciran
Mentions: @Psyker Landshark @Luminosity


​

Parthenia would usually avoid asking outright aggressive questions to a person such as her professor, but her own curiosity and amusement warranted too much for her to not do so. She was lucky that Juno was so forthcoming with an answer, but her response stunned even Parthenia. She had literally forgotten about them.

It seemed their professor wasn't much for introductions or orientation, so soon enough, she found herself with paper and quill in front of her. From her detailed explanations, it appeared that she was a scholar of history. That was knowledge that she could always respect. Like Theodoric, Parthenia was nonchalant about her ancestral history; although she wasn't boastful about it, she was proud enough of it.

Catching Theodoric gaze towards Sherry at their respective family lore, she too shot Sherry an amused smirk.
-

Later in the evening, Parthenia tested the weight and balance of her new, although not-quite bespoke training lance. It was light enough, suitable for her to be nimble in battle and on horseback, and a good emulation of a weapon that she might carry in the air, if she had her way. The tip of the spear was still metal, but was rounded and soft. Spinning the weapon several times with her dominant hand, she guided her horse to keep alongside her peers.

Catching Theodoric's question to the professor, she drew closer to him. "As much as I would prefer to be on horseback myself, it would be odd for the first practice session to be so unbalanced, would it not? If I am wrong, I'll gladly act as your cavalry." Although she seemed neutral at the moment, she was definitely looking forward to a little bit of action, especially when she hadn't seen her childhood peers in such a long time. How would they actually size up against her in battle?

As they lined up on the battlefield, looking across at the Green Falcons on the other side of the field, Parthenia sidled up to Sherry. "Absolutely not. Shall I draw up the articles of surrender?"

 

[Rouge Rogue]

Leonid Hector Sylmare
mentions: @Psyker Landshark , @Luminosity, @Jessica2477​

In the end, they did find out what the wolf head was for; an elaborate magic ritual, which their professor prepared while recounting the tale of the Dream of Musentia. It was a story Leon was quite familiar with, having read up on it in the Sylmare library. He did not really mind a refresher, but... he wasn't exactly a fan of the way Juno spoke of crests, toting their importance as something almost divine.

When her eyes fixed onto him with concerning intensity, Leon tried not to glare back. She told him the story of Sylmare, his supposed ancestor. The man who became part of the Dream of Musentia despite the discrimination his people faced. She made it sound as if the Dream of Musentia were some sort of benevolent folk for accepting him - but really, did they not accept him only for his merit? Had he been powerless, he'd been left in the muck with the rest of his tribe.

That was the nature of crests, too. He was made the heir of house Sylmare because he possessed one, but that did not mean the noble house was any more accepting of other thieves like him. And yet, he wasn't somehow more deserving of proper treatment than the rest of the children on the street, just because one of his forefathers happened to fuck a descendant of an ancient hero and pass on 'power' or 'potential' or whatever to him.

With the lecture and ritual done, Juno began to distribute weapons to the class. The familiar weight of a bow in his hands brought Leon some respite, but as it would turn out, it did not last.

--​

Leon would've said he wanted to die, but he was convinced the gelding under him could read minds and would gladly hurl him into a tree at the slightest incentive.

Much to Leon's dismay, their trip to Verdant Crest was made on horseback, with no carriages to slip in to avoid the four-legged monsters. 'It's just half an hour away', he'd been told, but it felt like they'd been on the road ten times that long. Leon's back hurt, his ass hurt, and he was gripping onto the reins so tightly his knuckles were white and numb. Every snort the horse made caused Leon's heart to stop, and every swish of an equine tail looked like a whip cracked. Leon was convinced he would die today. Not in the battle, but far before they reached it.

Then, a lifetime and a half later, they finally came to a stop atop a hill. A monk begun to explain the rules, and Leon took that as leave to dismount. So he did, as quick as he was able. Too quick, in fact; his leg got stuck and he stumbled, unable to free himself.

So while the monk prattled on, Leon fought for his life behind the rest of the Chimeras. He was free just in time to straighten himself when Sherry turned to look over her fellow students. Thank the god he didn't believe in, she hadn't seen him.

Just then, he heard Doric comment on how a full force of cavalry would be unwise - and how they should perhaps split their forces instead.

"I agree!" Leon shouted so abruptly it definitely didn't pass for natural. He realized as much, struggling to replace his desperate tone with something more befitting a rational noble. "I, hm, think your plan is sound. I'm not--- efficient, from horseback."

He glanced at the horse he'd ridden earlier, and he swore the damn thing looked back at him with murder in its eyes.

Leon took a step away from it.

"I volunteer for flanking duty. On foot." The more he spoke, the more confidence he managed to regain, until he didn't sound like he was trying to talk himself out of a beheading anymore. "Just point me at a high priority target, and I'll take them right out. Be that their leader, that smug swine, or some pesky healer."

At those last few words, he glanced at Lapis, suddenly reminded that she was a healer too. "No offense."

He turned to Sherry, noting that many others had done so as well. "All that is to say, ready as can be."

The others seemed to echo that sentiment, some more sarcastically than others. Leon cracked his neck and rubbed at his wrists, surprised how eager he was to shoot a bow at a moving target again. And if said target was on horseback? Well, he certainly would not mind missing his human target by half a foot or so either.

His horse neighed just as he finished that thought, and Leon practically leapt out of his skin.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I swear I didn't mean it! he promised the mind-reading equine, taking a few steps away from it yet.

 

[Solace]

​

Mael had broken into a standing ovation of sorts from Professor Juno's ingenious display of their respective introductions. While magic was not entirely scarce in their world, there were several lost forms of the arcane arts that only stood the test of time through mere documentation, and even fewer practitioners; even a talented scholar such as his grandfather admitted an inability to comprehend a majority of those lost arts due to sheer difficulty. Yet, the professor had been able to demonstrate one of those forms almost effortlessly, as if there was more than a lifetime's worth of practice behind her somatic incantations. It only piqued the noble's interest in their instructor even more; there was no doubt in his mind that Professor Juno was one-of-a-kind!

---

Mentions: @Psyker Landshark [Theodoric], @Nim [Laila], @Demon Shinobi [Alexander], @Jessica2477 [Lapis]
​

The location of their afternoon joust was a smaller clearing situated just a hair's length from the Verdant Crest's main expanse, where the highly anticipated Vermilion Battle would take place in half a year. It was this time that the noble had no choice but to travel on horseback with the rest of his class, and to say that the experience went terribly was quite the understatement. Mael was quick to separate himself from his steed upon their retinue's arrival, finding himself encapsulated at the thought of their evening victory feast while the monastery's proctors explained the rules of engagement. It was only after they took leave that his focus returned to the mock battle.

His body quaked with a jubilant excitement as Mael jumped into the air with his left fist raised high, shouting aloud. "About time!" a large grin painted across his features, turning towards the general vicinity of the Green Falcons who began to ride towards the other side on horseback. Sticking his tongue out towards their soon-to-be opponents, the noble released his fist into a waving motion, taunting them. "Shucks, I almost feel bad for the bunch of you!"

He stood within their huddle as battle preperations were underway, fastening the training gauntlets around his hands. Mael had specifically requested a pair of cestus; the gloves were a surprisingly perfect fit, braced with blunted metal over his knuckles and fingers that produced a faint clang when he pounded them together. He wondered if Ariel would opt to engage in hand-to-hand combat with him; Miss Valyra was a tough cookie, but his left-handedness had always thrown her off. Perhaps it would have been favorable if he took her out first?

"This is just an evaluation of martial talent, or lack thereof-- no horses, I'm afraid," Professor Juno answered Theodoric's question, raising an index finger up slowly to her lips. "Though, nothing says that we can't make crafty use of the environment! The bushes, trees, slopes... I'm almost positive that the Green Falcons already have a nasty plan up their sleeves, and their movements will correlate."

As important as it was, Mael found that he wasn't much of a strategist when it came to battle. He could try extremely hard to come up with something to contribute to any possible plan of approach, but admittedly, he just really wanted to punch some Green Falcons and bring them down a notch. When Theodoric spoke of holding against a potential charge from their opponents, he gave the other boy a look of great offense, his eyes growing wide. "D-d-defense?! You would have me stay put instead of plunge into the fray with courageous fervor?!"

The noble was profoundly disappointed at his anointed role as another brick in the wall, crossing his arms together with a dejected sigh. "Fine, fine... we will hold the line, you, my neighbor, and I," Mael's smile returned slightly with Ravaleth's assurance towards Laila, strolling over and placing his hand on the boy's shoulder in reflection. For whatever reason, it felt like reuniting with a long lost friend. "As well as Amon!"

He remembered about the blue-haired girl with magical aptitude from earlier, feeling the need to ease her meekness. "I believe your talents would be best suited for disrupting their ranks in ambush, Miss.... uh, misleading their backlines from feeling safe. Or, something like that!"