Shattered Horizon IC

[Izurich]

[fieldbox=Voyager of the Skies, Brown, solid]

"Alright, take care, everyone, we'll see each other again soon... and Lyra, thank you for everything." After borrowing a sum of money from Lyra, a rather hefty amount by middle-class standards but the equivalent of 'pocket money' for someone like Lyra, Agatha set off for the nearest Hospice together with Tulian and the escapees. Of course, with this sizable entourages, they must find a facility large enough to house them all. Fortunately, they found one, managed by a kind healer who was willing to go out of her way to help before she received coins too; a kind soul indeed, a very much welcomed respite from dealing with pirates, slavers, vampires, and sludge monsters.

Confident that Elaina and the rest were now in capable hands, the Nightingale Heiress left to walk around the city, her blue-haired elven partner accompanying her. It felt nice to have someone with her again, Tulian might just be her second personal companion for her next adventures, after she got her airship and crew back of course. Reizal's marketplace was bustling indeed, as any Illiserevian port town, but if there was one thing unique about this place was the plethora of Talentium items, from weapons, armor, and accessories, any aspiring martial artist would surely find their item of choice here. All of them were quite expensive, nothing surprising considering their material, even with the money given by Lyra... would it be enough? Agatha predicted she'd have to relief some more from her family's treasury. Well, for now at least, she could enjoy some leisurely window shopping with a friend.

The pair soon found themselves inside one of the shops, a fancy one with not too many customers. Tulian was trying out a pair of ornate hair pins while Agatha found herself fixated on a finely crafted Talentium Quarterstaff, similar to the one she owned, but better in every way, except for its price. "Well, you can't exactly bargain with Talentium stuff." The Heiress shrugged, "Heeeey, you hurt my feelings, Tulian. I am a noble too, heiress of the Nightingale family, sure not as high-ranked as the Mauritania, but we are established enough. We play a great part in the manufacture of vessels in and out of Illiserev, you know? Also, we were one of the major parties responsible for the invention of airships." It was obvious Tulian had struck a nerve in Agatha, specifically regarding her pride as a noble. Slowly, a small sly smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Hey, storekeeper!" Agatha sauntered off to the clerk, "How much for the hairpins, a pair of Talentium boots," then she pointed at the staff, "and that quarterstaff." Not so subtly, she gave a grin at Tulian before turning back at the clerk, "Oh, that much? Alright, we'll take them all." Got them all, with only a few coins left to spare, it was worth it. Walking out of the store with her new shiny weapon, Agatha took a deep breath, placing one end of the stick on the ground as she grips it vertically with her right hand, "Haaa... right, Tulian, how does the new shoes feel, comfy?" Up next, one of the Nightingale's workshops near the port, time to let her family know what happened... and withdrew cash to pay Lyra back.


[/fieldbox]

 

[Psyker Landshark]

The Archipelago, huh? Well, at least it gave her something to work with, Alexa mused as she chewed her meal, calling for a flagon of beer to go with it. She took a sip, still thinking. She'd have to find passage to the islands, which would be damn expensive considering they didn't get much traffic.

Alternatively, there were the Sandakkans. They likely had information on any activity within the Archipelago, right? And even if they didn't, if she could barter passage back to the islands with them, it'd still save her funds that she'd need for traveling supplies. It was decided, then.

After polishing off her meal and leaving the payment on the table, Alexa gave Araki a nod. "See you around, kiddo. Looks like I'm off to try to find passage to the Archipelago. If you're headed back to Dansila, give Lucius Courtright my best, would you?"

 

[Skyswimsky]

The lack of people - thanks to the silence of her room - was a welcome exchange for the Keep Noble. By the end of the day long voyage, Myriel managed to bury all of her feelings - thinking herself to be prepared of her upcoming report. Giving her thanks to the captain, the Knight Errant found herself finally at home and, despite the welcoming eternal spring, Myriel would have welcomed the harshest winter if only with Benedicta at her side... .

Despite her greatest efforts, it felt like every step she was taking towards the inner-city was tearing open one the wounds she had so desperately tried to close. Getting closer and closer to the great Noble House of her family doubts started to fill her mind while grief slowly creeped its way back onto the surface. Before the Astopolian realized it, she soon found herself in front of the Keep's Mansion. The hand which held her sister's flagpole trembling, she attempted one more desperate try to calm herself down before finally stepping inside... .

 

[Asuras]

The short wait, sitting beside Lyra, was spent mostly staring a hole into the opposite wall. Kanuni was reluctant to speak to the prim little girl, appreciative as she was that an audience had been secured. Only the occasional sigh was heard coming from Kanuni until they had been directed to the carriage, bound for the mayor's residence. Inside, directly facing Lyra, the princess had lost her will to maintain any more awkwardness. She rubbed her nails through gloves as she spoke.

"So this is but one family-ruled city of Illiserev, yea? And there's two others? How does the slave trade function in such a country as Illiserev? Heard that not all of them support it." She dropped her hand and stared at Lyra eye to eye. "Where do you stand in all this, anyways? Can't imagine you're that highly regarded if you're going around rescuing slaves."

At the top of the towering home, Kanuni met the apparent mayor with a formal Sandakken bow; hands clasped behind her back and eyes pointed up to see the woman even as she bowed over.

"Greetings, madame. I am indeed Princess Jadar of Sandakke. I cannot imagine my presence here is expected or sensible. It is only by the chaos of an unforeseen event that I find myself in Reizal." She stood up straight, arms still behind her back, and looked aside to Lyra.

"Before I continue with a request, perhaps it is pertinent you understand why I... we are here." Possessing far fewer details, Kanuni left explaining the Rift Beast problem to Lyra.

 

[Warm Regret]

Although he knew it would take more than a side comment from him to truly upset the young heiress, he still felt badly for not expressing himself correctly. Sometimes he came across as callously blunt even though most times that was not his intention. His blue-gold eyes softened just a touch when she teased him about being offended and he lowered his head instinctively. He listened as the twin tailed girl told him more about her family. He thought it must be nice to belong to a family of high standing such as hers and was amazed she didn't display the elitist attitude many people of her social standing seemed to possess. It was also interesting for him to learn about the different roles the most important families in Illiserev maintained. Information like that was always useful. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply…" He tried to explain himself but it was too late, she was already calling over the shopkeeper.

The softened look in his eyes became more like concern when Agatha began to point out the things she wanted to purchase, namely the hairpins he had ben admiring earlier, a new pair of fighting shoes and the quarterstaff. When the shopkeeper gave them the price, Tulian tried to quietly dissuade her from buying them. "The price is a little steep, perhaps we should…" but before he could even finish his thought, she had already made the purchase. While he was opposed to spending so much money on new weapons, he couldn't help but admire the items Agatha so graciously bought for him. Before leaving the shop, Tulian placed the talentium hairpins in the base of his ponytail once again and admired them in the mirror. They were not gaudy or over the top yet the design built onto the ends were so stylish and intricate, it gave the hairpins a beauty that seemed almost effortless.

Emerging from the shop wearing the hairpins and the new shoes, Tulian didn't feel stronger per say but more like his confidence was restored and that is what he drew his strength from. The shoes were comfortable and the hairpins somehow enhanced his natural beauty. Turning to look at Agatha, the beautiful elf watched as she got accustomed to her new weapon and nodded, contradicting his statement from earlier. "It was a good purchase, you seem to handle it quite well." When she asked him about his shoes, he looked down at them then back up at her. "Yes they're quite comfortable thank you. I've always felt that in the right pair of shoes, you can do anything…and these make me feel like…well…like I can take on just about anything." He said with confidence before pulling his knee up to his chest in a quick fighting stance then letting it fall to the ground again in a more relaxed posture.

His royal blue hair was swept across one eye while his long ponytail lay still down his back and although he attempted to push the hair from his face, it simply fell across his eye again, determined to do what it wanted. "Agatha…" He began softly. "I just wanted to thank you for all that you've done for me. You've helped me escape a most undesirable situation, given me permission to work as part of your crew, spent so much money on these new items and most importantly, given me my freedom. I'm not sure if I can ever repay you…but if there's anything I can do for you, anything at all…you have only but to ask it."

 

[Zombehs]

Blinking in surprise for a moment at her contribution, Araki mulled on the information for a moment as he tried to remember his world geography. It was quite possible he supposed with the direction the ship had sailed away, but that didn't make things any easier. Like she said, most of the islands were uninhabited and any ship out to sail between them could only carry so many supplies. Beyond that, if they did stumble across a vampires hideaway then what? They had an entrenched position and probably wards or the like to detect any intruders. It'd be a massacre…

In his thoughts, he didn't notice that enough time must have passed for Alexa to finish her meal. Another surprised blink aside, and he looked up at Alexa as she stood to leave. "G… good luck," he settled on after a moment of hesitation before he turned back towards the counter. The rush of cold wind signaled the front door had been opened again, and he sighed quietly as the door clicked shut. Back to Dansila? Not likely, but then again he hadn't heard any news from it.

"Got any news from Cykes? There was a pretty big fuss after the Beast attack I heard. Also, any good inns around here?"

 

[Astoria]

"Much obliged. Thank you."

With her business sorted out, Lyra was silent, as typical for her, until her Sandakken counterpart finally broke her awkwardness and spoke up with questions in the carriage arranged for the two of them. After a moment's fancy at examining the gilt of the carriage interior, the purple-haired girl acknowledged her question with a short nod.

"Certainly. As I mentioned, the other two are the Mauritania and the Braxtons, the former of which I belong to." Glancing out the window as the horses clopped through the cobblestone streets, she continued. "None of the established families facilitate slavery. The Braxton family is considered blood, and they condone it. They don't enjoy favor from many of the other houses. Up until a few years ago, the Covinghall family was still in power, so slavery has had a resurgence in the past several years." She made a small sigh without gesture. "I'm not political. I care not what policies any one house has, but several peers -friends- of mine amongst the noble houses were taken amongst those in Dansila. I couldn't have ignored that."

Before long, they arrived at the estate of Larota Marassi. It had a quite imposing, fortress-like appearance to it, one that continued to persist even when they were shown out of the carriage and into the building by their chauffeur and then a maid. Giving fleeting attention to the sparse few decorations in the hallways, Lyra greeted the lady of the estate with a small curtsy upon seeing her in her office.

"Lady Marassi, it is good to see you." Not sparing time for further pleasantries, Lyra was quick to bring her the ill news.

"…and that is that. I insist that we must take action quickly."

 

[ERode]

@Psyker Landshark
With those words, Alexa set off for the coveside docks once more, entering and exiting with the suddenness of a summer storm. Retracing her steps, she strode down the stone staircase and found herself walking about on the wet wooden platforms once more. Many ships, most of them bearing the insignia of some merchant company or the other, bobbed up and down in the gentle waves, but only a few of them were manned or looked ready to sail off.

The harbormaster, sitting on a barrel and smoking a cigar, caught Alexa's eyes and waved at her. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon. Found where your man was?"

"Something like that." Alexa shrugged nonchalantly as she approached. "He might be in the Archipelago. Looking to book passage there. You know where those new foreigners have docked?"

The harbormaster puffed out a ring of smoke, scratched the stubble on his chin. "New foreigners...those...Sanddicks or something? Or do you mean a different set of islanders?"

"Yeah, the Sanddicks." Alexa paused, snickering under her breath. "You know where they are? Kind of need them to make it to the islands. Unless any other islanders have docked here recently."

"Not hard to pick them out, really. They're the only warship here anyways." The harbormaster pointed up at the steel-plated vessel floating dangerously close to the water line. A couple of Sandakkans were standing guard, their cheeks rosy red behind the helms they wore. Looked like docking up near the entrance of the cove wasn't too pleasant of an idea.

Alexa approached the guards, raising a hand in greeting. "Afternoon, gentlemen." She said casually, keeping her hands well away from her sword. "Is that leader of yours around? I've got a request I'd like to ask her."

One of the men looked at her heavy, dirty cloak and her generally unwashed appearance, before grimacing. "Leave. Our princess has no time to mingle with street rats like you."

"Would a street rat have this?" Alexa took a step back before drawing her talentium bastard sword, keeping it pointed down towards the ground. "Look, I just lived through a Rift Beast exploding an entire port. I'm not in the mood for you to be uppity. I have a legitimate request to make of your princess, and if you're not going to let me in, I'm just going to hang around here until she comes back. I know for a fact she walked off with one of my friends earlier to see the town mayor. I'm just doing this to be polite."

"Then just 'hang around'," he said, before returning to his post, unimpressed by her long-winded speech or her flashy toothpick.
@Zombehs
The young bartender was surprised at Alexa's quick exit as well. Turning to the meal that the woman hadn't even touched, and then looking at Aki, she said, "Well…huh…guess you can have it?"

With that, she took the payment into her apron once more. That woman definitely seemed to have her own connections as well, what with her association with Lucius Courtright, one of Dansila's heroes, as well as her apparent relation with what had transpired in Yuimas as well. Aki's question momentarily caught her off guard, before she crossed her arms and thought for a good long while.

Cykes…Abnormal rift-beast into vampire kidnappings.

Yuimas…vampires in slave auction into abnormal rift-beast.

"As far as I've heard," she said, "Astopol's sent some of their knights over to help with security, and the Siaruth family has been sending over part of their workforce to help with restructuring the place as well. Doesn't seem like they've found the perpetrators but, hey…at least their rift-beast problem has been dealt with, right?"

"A good inn though…I wouldn't really know. I think it's really important though, that you tell the mayor about this! Like, this is really, really big news, what happened to Yuimas!"
@Asuras @Click This
Marassi nodded as Lyra told her story. Bringing out a notepad and a pencil from her desk, she took notes while the daughter of the Mauritania family spoke, not a single expression emerging on her face as the story became darker and darker. Slavery, vampires, and then a city-destroying rift-beast that was not confirmed to have been destroyed.

"Your insistence," she replied, nodding at Lyra, "will be noted. But this is not my decision to make. I will send a courier to the Veldarilt's main house and they will most likely do something about these events. However, whether or not the other two families get involved will be an issue. Have you contacted the Mauritania family yet?"

"And how does this all relate to you, Princess Jadar?"
@Skyswimsky
The house of the Keep family was a humble place, three stories tall with dark blue tiles on the roof and blindingly white walls. The faint scent of flowers greeted Myriel as she stepped into cool interior alone. Adorned on the opposing wall was the Keep's family crest, white and blue with six wings. Behind that laid a dull, misshapen longsword: Origin, the first talentium weapon crafted and wielded by Mirelle Keep.

Upstairs, the sounds of heavy footfalls could be heard, a painting of an ancestor tilting slightly to the side from the vibrations. Appearing from the staircase, a brilliant smile greeted Myriel, before her father wrapped his arms around her and gave her a big ol' hug. Despite being 54 years old, there was still not a speck of gray in Shraed Keep's hair, and he still possessed the vim and vigor of a young knight. Former Captain of the 7th​ Angelic Blades, Slayer of the Hal'Morj Covenant, and father of Mirelle Keep, he retired early to better care for his three daughters after Mirelle moved out.

"Myriel," he said, swinging her around in circles, "Daddy's so happy you're back! Did you finish your quest early? How did it go? Got assigned to a battalion yet? Oh, and where's Benny?"

 

[Zombehs]

Regarding the salad with some distaste, Araki clicked his tongue as he pulled the colorful plate towards him. It was still food, and free at that, so he might as well not let it go to waste. Munching on the leafy greens, he was content to slowly polish off Alexa's meal as the bartender apparently racked her mind for answers to his question. His shoulders slumped slightly at the news of Astopolian Knights in Cykes, and he seemed to slow his eating pace a bit. Still finished by the time she finished, Araki nudged the plate away as he scratched the back of his head in contemplation.

Someone from the group had probably already done just that since apparently some of them were heirs to famous families or what not. If not the mayor then probably a family of power, and news would eventually make its way up the chain of leadership… There was no telling how active the Rift Beast would be though, and Riezal could probably use all the warning it got as the closest town. Hell, they might even put him up for a few days for bringing the news.

"Right. How would I get to the mayor? And thanks…" He slid off the seat and dipped his head respectfully towards the bartender. Once he got directions, he'd trek his way up to whatever fancy building the mayor worked out of.

 

[Asuras]

Kanuni bowed shallow with a smile as she was spoken to again.

"I had originally set sail for Yuimas giving chase to a slaver's vessel. Illiserevians landed upon our Sandakken shore not but a few days ago with the intent to procure women of our nation. By the ire of the gods my own mother, Queen Jadar, was amongst those captured as she fought back. Of course I gave chase, quite intent on either wresting her from captivity forcibly, or without any chance of harm by simply purchasing her back." Kanuni frowned. "Though it is unlikely we would have left there without at least one death to repay them." Her eyes flared.

"Unfortunately as you now know, the city is ravaged, and hardly approachable with the looming threat of an unidentified Rift Beast mulling about. If my mother is still alive, she would have left for here, Reizal. We will wait in hopes that she will find her way back into our arms, which is why I have come to you to request lodging for me and my brothers and sisters. A warship of ours is docked at the city's waterside to note as well. I don't believe such a thing should be left to guesswork as to its intentions," Kanuni finished with a grin.

 

[Astoria]

"I have. I've entrusted a letter and control of the ship to Tacio Membles. I suspect my family will be turning away our ships from Yuimas pending an emergency meeting."

With all that was left to be said done for the moment, Lyra took a backseat to allow for Kanuni to speak up. She was, after all, naturally curious to hear what the foreign princess had to say as well; she'd wondered their true purpose so far North ever since she had encountered them on the high seas several days ago. It was a short but quite enlightening tale. It seemed, for all intents and purposes, that some faction belonging to Yuimas had not only violated the sovereignty of Dansila, consorted with vampires (although Lyra could certainly overlook such a thing), but also invaded another foreign nation and taken their queen as a slave. Wasn't that tantamount to war?

Lyra had her own nationality and sense of pride to think about as well, however, and she found the princesses' statements and demeanor objectionable. To repay her own (rare) hospitality and that of Lady Marassi's with a threat was an insult of the highest caliber.

"Princess Jadar. My hospitality and Lady Marassi's is not to be abused. Might I remind you that you are but one ship within the range of the fort and the Third Fleet? Point blank."

 

[Izurich]

[fieldbox=Voyager of the Skies, Brown, solid]

"Hmmm..." The twintailed heiress diagonally held up her brand new weapon with both hands, examining its length from tip to tip, the silvery Talentium color gleaming as if showing off its own value, "Yeah, this baby's actually much better than my old one... and much more expensive. It's wholly made with Talentium instead of sturdy wood with a Talentium rod as its core. I bet I can do so much more with this. Shame about the color though... well, I can order a cosmetic tweak or two to make it look like my old staff." She twirled it around a few times then plant one end once more on the ground.

"Hey, don't mention it." Agatha chuckled at Tulian's expressed gratitude, "It's Lyra's money anyway, hahaha..." A little jest here and there, "but seriously, I have to pay her back." Putting one hand on her hips, the young woman turned to examine Tulian, or specifically, his posed legs and feet, "I'm looking forward to see you in action, Tulian, kick their asses... literally."

She was about to head off when the blue-haired androgynous elf called out to her, in a soft voice... well, softer than usual. "Yeah?" The brunette stared up directly at his blue eyes, already expecting some kind of emotional heart-to-heart chat, the atmosphere certainly felt right. "Heh... any decent human being will do the same." She claimed, her lips curling into a small smile, "No, don't repay me back, I wasn't doing business deals with you, I'm just doing what my heart deems right. If only more people can understand that, the world will become a better place... stop fighting among fellow sentient beings and focus on exterminating those rift monsters." Wishful thoughts were nice once in a while, but wishes without real concrete actions were empty, "You staying by my side through my... no, our struggles are enough, Tulian. Now then, let's get to one of my family's workshops, get some money, inform them of our current situation, and arrange transport for the girls."

---

Soon enough, Agatha and Tulian returned to the docks, into one of the drydocks with a particular symbol emblazoned up high.

Picture

The crest depicted the famous passerine songbird spreading its wings, soaring towards the sun up above. "Ha... there it is." Agatha smiled upon seeing her family's crest. It was busy as usual with mechanics, crews, and laborers working here and there. They didn't notice the Heiress... yet and for now, Agatha liked to keep it that way. "Come on, Tulian, let's go inside, to the office. I want to see the manager."

[/fieldbox]

 

[Skyswimsky]

[BCOLOR=transparent]

[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]It was painful. Despite the joy that Myriel's father was carrying with him and the small flame of happiness that Myriel felt for just a moment, ultimately, every word he spoke and every touch she felt was nearly as painful as the moment she realized her sister was gone.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Or maybe not? After all, despite being covered in burn scars and messy through her travels as well any other hardships she had experienced, in front of a loving father she was simply just her child.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent] No. Even so, Myriel knew she wasn't allowed to feel like that. Not even one second. It was unfair. It was not right. She was already horrible enough, so why did she continue to taint herself? With a rather dark mien and mixed feelings, the tears she had hoped to have all shed were dwelling up once again upon hearing the innocent question of his father. "..." Clenching "Benny's" Flagpole even harder, surely ready to break if not for the material it was made of, it was all too obvious that at least something must have happened.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Hm? What's wrong, Myriel?" [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]her father asked, lifting her up to eye-level of himself, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Is everything alright? You didn't have a fight with Benedicta, did you?"[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Despite his love, how could he be so cruel? Forcing Myriel to speak the unspeakable? Wasn't it obvious enough already? "If only..." She said with a sob, she would gladly trade in a hateful relationship between the siblings if she would turn alive in exchange. "S-She...She..." She could feel her throat dry up, but it had to be done. It had to be said. Her father did not deserve the cruel truth, but no lie either. "She is gone... dead."[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]That smile of Shraed's disappeared upon those words. Placing Myriel down on the ground, the former military officer's expression became grave at those words. Ah, so that pole wasn't just a pole after all. He let out a long sigh. The world was a dangerous place, after all, and while it was rare for Errant Knights to be slain during their travels, it was always a possibility. Especially with news of that abnormal rift-beast, and even the danger that normal rift-beasts present.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Motioning for Myriel to come with him to the living room, which at least had a couple of wooden chairs for the two to sit on, he asked, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"So...how did she go?"[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Having passed the initial hurdle, Myriel's mind eased up a bit. Of course, it was only the beginning of a story her father surely wanted to hear. A story about how Myriel did not only kill Benedicta indirectly, but also tainted her legacy beyond recovery.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Sitting down with her father, Myriel stood silent for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts and preparing to simply report the events that occurred. "We decided to proof ourselves inside Yuimas..." The place was infamous, so she was certain there was no need to explain why. "While trying to free slaves, we discovered an entire vampire brood, but that is not the reason she is gone now... no... ." Despite her grief, Myriel's words just kept blurring out, as if afraid if she would stop once she would never speak up again.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"We killed a few of them, well aware that we are no match against them alone we tried to escape while covering the slaves." Despite her best efforts, she now stopped for a moment. "My sister, your daughter, took some serious damage, while I got away with a scratch. Some self-proclaimed justice does complicated the entire endeavour a lot more than it needed to be BUT we would have been fine!" The Knight Errant nearly cried out. "We would have been fine... if not..." Pictures of the gigantic Rift Beast, the descendent of a star and ultimately the charred corpse of her sister flashed before her eyes. "A gigantic Rift Beast attacked the town, a type I have never read upon before... without a form, it was more like a... slime... a gigantic wave of death and despair that would have killed all of us... and then... and then... it is my fault Benedicta died."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I realized far too late, my sister used some sort of Sword Skill that I had never seen her use before... but it was too much for her to handle. Her body..." Benny's fresh corpse becoming more vivid inside her memory put an even grimmer look onto her face. "...all that's left is her flagpole." That kinda finished the story. Though, there was more, an important detail that made Myriel never forgive herself. "While I was being useless, my sister died an heroic death, a legend that would be passed down in decades to come! I knew it was what she wanted... but... but... I don't care about that! I just want her back."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Now she completely broke out in tears. "And to make matters worse, despite crushing the beast into countless pieces it was still alive... I could hear it, I could feel it, I smelled and saw it... how it was slowly regaining its form, destroying the tale Benedicta left behind. I... I should have finished it... but all I did was being a pathetic loser who couldn't do anything right! I should have died instead of her... ." And with that, Myriel was done, simply continuing to sob.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Shraed brought over a cup of tea, placing it beside the distraught Myriel. It hurt, hearing the story, hearing her cry, but at the same time...he clenched his fist, and then, with his other hand, brushed away her tears. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Don't cry, Myriel,"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] he said, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"and don't wish yourself dead as well. Benedicta died like she wanted to, after all, and that is enough for you to celebrate her passing! Glory has been bestowed unto her, and she will find peace in the arms of the Goddess."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Her heroic feat is saving you. Now, it's your duty to become great enough to honor her sacrifice, isn't it? Not all legends are made from the slaying of a great beast, after all."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]To think that a child like Benedicta could rise to such heights in her lifetime, when all she did was stay in the shadow of her forebearers. Truly, this death was something to be celebrated.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]His words only reached Myriel partially, doubting her already clouded mind even more. What glory was there if she - technically - failed? Myriel herself did not know of any tales that was chanting about an Astopolian Knight that "nearly" killed the vile beast. She realized he had a point, after all, Benedicta's action did save countless lives BUT it was not the glory she deserved. Her sister was supposed to soar higher.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Rekindling her revenge driven resolve thanks to her father's words, she gave a small nod. "You're right... I... I swore to myself to become powerful enough to finish what my sister started... I need to get stronger..." And not just that, it had to be fast, otherwise, the people who already wrote legends as their daily routine would take care of the beast.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"So, in order to be stronger, do you intend on simply staying in Astopol then?"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] he asked.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Myriel hesitated for a second. Pathetic. "I...spend most of my life behind the safe walls of our great nation and I am still a weakling not worthy my name... I... don't think I'll the answers I seek here... ." After all these years, did she really had to admit defeat that way? Maybe one last stroll through their great library would give her any more hints she could follow... .[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"If the answers you seek won't be found within the halls of our great ancestors and the roads traversed by our living legends, where will you go then, Myriel? Benedicta died gloriously by treasuring our majestic history."[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"I... don't know." In all honesty, it wasn't something she really wanted to do either, but it was something the Knight Errant deemed as necessary.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I am not Benedicta, nor will I ever be. After all this time, between the halls of our great ancestors, I continued being pathetic. I tried my hardest, really..." She gave off an apoplectic, sorry, smile. "I am probably not worthy of carrying the 'Keep' name. I am sorry, father."[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Shraed's expression tensed, frowning as Myriel renounced the family name. It pained him to hear that, to see his little girl's hopes and dreams squashed so spectacularly while one of his other daughters ascended gloriously to the heavens above, but…[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Perhaps," [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]he began, hesitant, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Your talents lie elsewhere, Myriel. Maybe you should put your quest as a Knight-Errant on hold? Take some time just to re-discover yourself?"[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"W-What? No!" Even if the truth hurt, Myriel didn't mean it like that. "I am not going to lay down my arms!" Considering her love for books doing something scholar-y was kinda obvious, though, something the Knight Errant refused to accept. "There has to be something... somewhere... out there, that was meant for me. All this time, all the studying I did, it didn't help me to save those dear to me. So maybe I… just have to go… without a plan… for a change?" Considering how much she played herself down it was the only ray of hope she had left.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Shraed scratched his chin as his daughter struggled to come up with an answer. Only officers were drilled in the actual art of war, while errant knights were sent off into the world with faith and combat skills. If Myriel had truly been trying to think up plans before she did whatever, perhaps it didn't work out well specifically because she was never trained or tested on those skills?[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"So, what is it that you plan to do?"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] he asked. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Will you continue with your quest? Will you put your quest on hold? Will you stay in Astopol until you believe you're ready? Or will you seek those answers within other nations?"[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"I won't let myself be limited by the boundaries of nations... . And considering others surely seek out to slay the gigantic Rift Beast I have no time to rest either..." It was pretty obvious that Myriel would stay, most likely, just two or three days, if she wouldn't actually find an answer inside the library.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Her father sighed. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Give yourself some time, Myriel. If that Rift-Beast is as gigantic as you say it is, Illiserev will definitely be moving in immediately. I understand that you have a personal score to settle with the Rift-Beast, and I fully support that, but nothing will come out of you rushing out once more, when you don't have any answers yet."[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Myriel nodded. "You're right, one, maybe two days, I shall stay. But..." Just as she planned before. "They won't be in vain!" With that, Myriel now stood up, giving her father a kiss on his cheek. "I shall shower and dress myself before I make haste into the library... one last ditch effort."[/BCOLOR]

 

[ERode]

@Warm Regret @Izurich
The Nightingale's dry docks was indeed a busy place, not only because they had to repair their own ships that were going in and out, but also because they patched up holes and scratches on other ships that were less fortunate when navigating into the cove. The waves were particularly strong that day, and more than a few accidents had transpired. Cloaked as they were, the laborers, many who haven't even seen the rebellious heir to the Nightingale family before, didn't give so much as a passing glance towards the duo.

Soon, however, the two of them found someone who looked like they were the overseer of this particular place. Being a town governed by the Veldarilts, who were closely tied with the Siaruth family, Reizal's docks were mainly cared for by businesses associated with those families, and regardless of the amount of business that the Nightingale drydock received, it still wasn't large enough to really need an office for a manager or an overseer.

Upon spotting the signature tricorn hat of a man in charge, the two were quick to approach him.

"Welcome," he said, tipping his hat downwards, "to the Nightingale Drydocks. How can I help you two? Need a ship patched up? Weather's been pretty messy these past few days and all."

 

[Izurich]

[fieldbox=Voyager of the Skies, Brown, solid]

Agatha wasn't exactly surprised that not a single employee seemed to notice her, carrying on with their respective tasks undisturbed. Riezal wasn't her family's hometown anyway and due to her constant adventuring with her airship and crew, Agatha bet the Lughanta herself had more fame. This particular drydock only maintained seaborne vessels, rather obvious since it's located inside of a cliff, so the airship captain had never been before... well maybe she had, long time ago before airships were invented.

Exploring the wide drydock for a bit, the heiress raised an eyebrow, her left hand scratching her head. It seemed this place had no office, perhaps it wasn't unnecessary, well whatever, she just had to ask around. "Excuse m-..." but just as luck would have it, she spotted the signature distinctive hat of an overseer not far from her right. She immediately made a beeline towards the man in charge, "Hey, nice to meet you." Agatha smiled as her head nodded a bit, "Yeah, this is a nice place, a real piece of work." A small grin curled at the corner of her lips... which grew wider as the overseer continued to speak. "I'm aware, Sir. Sludge flood, experienced it myself." Now that she got the man's interest, time for business.

Stepping closer to close the distance, Agatha lowered her voice as to not attract attention, "I'm Agatha Nightingale, Heiress of the Nightingale family, Sir. If you don't know me, perhaps you know of the red-painted airship that streaked flame trails across the skies, yep, I'm the captain of said airship, the Lughanta. You see, it's a long story, but to cut it short, I lost her along with my crew, captured by pirates, sold into slavery in Yuimas, escaped with the others, and barely escaped with our lives from vampires and rift-beasts." It might seem like a story straight out of a drunkard, but her tone conveyed no hesitation or doubt, she meant every word she said. "I wish to withdraw a number of funds from this drydock's treasury, arrange transport for the escapees back to their homes, except for the elves, they should be sent to the Nightingale estate to be employed there."

[/fieldbox]

 

[Warm Regret]

Once again, Agatha uttered words of encouragement to him, in her own unique way. He accepted her words quietly as he stood there, un-moving, cloaked in the garment they found on the ship they used to escape from Yuminas. He hoped he would be able to change the unflattering garment soon but his new talentium infused shoes and talentium hairpins more than made up for the lack of style in his clothes. Nodding his head softly, he responded to her desire to see him in battle. "I won't let you down." He replied quietly. "Hopefully I can keep up with you." He added. He was very unassuming when it came to combatants and often used that to his advantage. Although they had been through as much strife as one could imagine in just a few days, they had yet to fight alongside each other or see each other in action.

Tulian hoped they would somehow complement each other's skills on the battlefield if they had to defend themselves. She was a wind magic user and he used earth magic, their personalities even reflected these elements. In this regard, their personalities couldn't be more different but Tulian hoped that instead of bumping heads, they would make up for what the other lacked, not only in battle but in life as well. Eventually Tulian had thanked her for everything she had done for him and Agatha explained the reason for her kindness. Basically it was just who she was. Her words warmed him and stirred something deep inside. She truly did have a gift for motivating others. His heterochromatic eyes seemed to gleam in the ambient light around him, adding to his natural beauty until he lowered his head. "I wish more people were like you Agatha." He spoke softly from the heart yet his face remained unchanged.

Nodding in agreement to her suggestion about her family's workshop, accruing some money and helping the other slaves, he followed her lead. "Yes, we should get going." When they reached the docks, Tulian looked around all the laborers busying themselves. He noticed that he had caught an eye or two from the workers but didn't let his gaze linger long enough to give anyone the wrong impression. When Agatha pointed out her family crest, Tulian inspected it for a moment and spoke without looking at her. "So that's your family's crest? It's…very noble." He said thoughtfully. "Your parents should be proud that you've lived up to the family name." He finally did look at her when she suggested that they go further inside and he nodded and followed behind her. When the overseer approached them, Tulian stood quietly beside Agatha, clasping his hands in front of him.

Upon the overseer tipping his hat to the two of them, Tulian responded by nodding his head slowly but keeping it partially down. The beautiful elf stood in place when Agatha moved forward but his slender tipped ears picked up the entire conversation. It was then that he realized how bizarre her story sounded when it was said aloud. In truth, he too had a hard time believing the young heiress when they first met and that was before the vampires and rift beast even got involved, so he could just imagine what the overseer was thinking. At the moment, he didn't feel it was appropriate for him to say anything just yet. He would back up her claims if needed but was unsure if it would even do any good coming from a lowly elf. Hopefully the overseer would simply believe Agatha and agree to help them without much push back or they could somehow prove themselves to gain his favor but his more cynical side felt like it wouldn't be that easy.

 

[ERode]

@Asuras @Zombehs @Click This
Looking up from her notepad at Kanuni's declaration of the presence of her warship, Larota wondered for a moment whether that was a threat or something, before deciding that it was merely a declaration. The Sandakkens came armed and ready to fight for their queen's freedom, after all. The Mauritania lady reacted differently, however, and the gray-haired woman said, "Lady Mauritania, I understand that these past few days have been tense, but please, calm yourself. This is more akin to a declaration of arms rather than a threat, after all."

"And as for lodging, that will indeed be provided, as long as you keep your weapons aboard your ship. Though it may take some time to decide a course of action in response to what has occured within Braxton Hall, it's within my power to send aid to Yuimas immediately. If you wish to search for your Queen, feel free to come along."
~
Kanuni frowned slightly, crossing her arms. "I suppose I should feel your confidence in your own troops, but alas I cannot so easily. You believe your aid will be sufficient to enter a city plagued by the creature Lady Mauritania described?" The princess appeared ready to make a noise of dissatisfaction, nose wrinkled and eyes narrowed, but sighed instead.

"Perhaps with my own forces in tow there shouldn't be much to fear. I will follow. If anything we may find my mother along the way," she said with a bow. "How immediate is 'immediately'?"
~
"Hmm… That may be so."

Lyra never was the best at reading social situations, so the issue ended up not being a big deal for her to care about. After all, there were far more pressing issues to deal with. She disagreed with the suggestions put forth by both women, shaking her head. "It's a folly to send regular troops at the being. With a tidal wave, it can wipe out an army. Only the most elite and specialized of forces should even try getting close. Even I had my difficulties. Regardless, if an operation is on hand, my family will surely lend ships to facilitate a defense."
~
"If this Rift-Beast is still present," Larota spoke, "it will be easy to spot from a distance, and we can focus on helping out those who have managed to escape while gathering information on the beast itself. This is the best case scenario. If it isn't present, however...we'll most likely have to search for it from the skies. A tidal wave, as you so aptly described it, Lady Mauritania, should not be able to scrape the skies so easily."

"Your men have no qualms with riding aboard an airship, Lady Kanuni? We will leave in the hour it takes for an airship to be prepared and my men briefed."

Hopefully the Flementine Tunnels were at least partially intact, but travelling by airship still appeared to be the best idea thus far. The mayor of Reizal didn't exactly just want to wait around doing nothing, after all.
~
"We've piloted a ship well enough, despite being people of the land," Kanuni smiled, "I believe we may be fine in the air." She crossed her arms behind her back and glanced aside to Lyra with a hint of worry. "I only hope the thing has no additional surprises. I'll put my trust in your judgement, as I am doubtful our people know much more of rift beast than either of you two."
~
Lyra brushed aside a straying strand of hair. "Hmm. Very well. I wouldn't want to see an expedition go forth without somebody with the proper experience beforehand."

A pause. "Could a message be sent for Mr. Tacio Membles to expedite the procurement of a new staff for me? I wish to be fully prepared."

---

With messages sent and arrangements made, Kanuni and Lyra soon departed from Larota's office tower. One hour of preparation before they were expected to meet up on the outskirts of town, where an airship had been prepped to send them off back to Yuimas. As they descended, however, the two women would notice a somewhat familiar presence. At the front door, still not yet admitted, was Araki, bundled up and waiting.

@Warm Regret @Izurich
"Sludge flood?" The man arced his eyebrow at that strange comment. "Don't know where you've been looking, but it's just bad weather. Strong winds and waves."

Weird girls, really, what with their heavy, manly cloaks and all that. Even stranger story, what with this girl naming herself as Agatha Nightingale. He had hardly heard of the daughter of the Nightingale family at all, and the Lughanta, while it was her signature airship, was also rather…unique. And losing the airship, the crew, and then getting sold into slavery? Combine that with talk about vampires and rift-beasts, and it was really a rather…strange story. Sure, she delivered it well, but words alone didn't prove anything.

Hell, all things considered, this sounded more like a scam than anything else. Withdrawing funds from the drydock's treasury? Get free transportation? The man took a look at her companion, an odd-eyed individual that must have been one of the elves this girl spoke about, before sighing.

"Look, if you are indeed the heiress, I'll apologize at a later date, but your story is rather unbelievable. The demands you make are even more difficult, because, well, there's no proof of any of this. Now, if you did have some evidence, or the word of a noble within the city, I'd be happy to assist you, but, as of now, I can hardly open up the treasury to some people who just claim to be the heiress, right?"

 

[Zombehs]

It wasn't his inability to stay still that drove Araki to pace back and forth in front of the building, but the fact that he likely would have fell asleep. Despite the winter chill, the satisfaction of a full belly was enough to make his eyelids heavy as the minutes ticked on by. Stifling a yawn, he perked up slightly before sighing as the bell sounded throughout the city and marked an hour wasted here… About to take his leave, some activity by the tower's doors caught his eyes and he blinked a few times at the sight of familiar figures.

Looking at the pair for a few moments, he figured that they must have just informed the mayor about the situation at Yuimas. He thought about it for a few moments, and quickly came to the conclusion that the story coming from them rather than him was for the better. Would have been nice if he hadn't been stuck out here for an hour, but them's the breaks he supposed. He raised a hand to try and catch either of their attention. "Lyra, right? Just speak with the mayor about Yuimas?"

 

[Astoria]

It wasn't comparable to the staff that she once possessed, but the temporary weapon that had been delivered to Lyra during the hour of preparation had to suffice. At the very least, it was better than the shard-on-a-stick that was the spear that she picked up. She was content enough with having something that wouldn't seem to fall apart at the slightest touch.

The individual waiting for Lyra and Kanuni, however, was a bit unexpected. Although he was protected behind layers of clothes, she could still recognize the face as the one that had helped her aboard the packet ship. She was curious why he waiting outside; he seemed mildly surprised himself at seeing her come out, so it seemed that he wasn't waiting for either of them. Regardless, she made a small wave at waist height.

"We did. A counterattack and rescue mission is being organized. Have you come to participate?"

 

[Warm Regret]

It was just as he feared, the overseer didn't believe a word of what Agatha was telling him and Tulian couldn't blame him. He was in the overseer's position once and reacted in similar way. Honestly, Tulian would have been more suspicious of the man, if it were so easy as to walk up to him, tell him some bizarre story then expect his full cooperation. Fortunately for them, the overseer was willing to help if they could substantiate their claims and it just so happened that Agatha was very well connected. He was certain that a good word from Lyra or Alexa would be enough to sway the overseer. According to Agatha, they were all of superior rank so it was perfectly reasonable to expect that with their support, he and Agatha would be well on their way. Removed from his thoughts, he glanced around again and noticed the same laborers drawn to his alluring features while carrying out their work. Ignoring the attention for now, he approached Agatha and the overseer. "It sounds as though we'll need the help of your friends once again." He said looking over at her. "Perhaps Lyra or Alexa can help vouch for us?" He asked. "But if we're planning on asking for their help we may want to hurry. I'm certain they'll want to make plans to leave town soon."