The Centennial War

[Jessica]

"You're a fighter? Then-Then I guess it's really important we get you back on your feet soon. Right? Do you use magic or a weapon?"

Sephira noticed the girl stop herself from saying or asking something, but she decided to replace it with another statement. The purple haired girl wondered what the girl was going to ask, but stopped her thoughts when she was asked something.

"I use magic. I control the Winds and use them to my advantage.. Do you fight as well or are you only a performer?"

 

[Ray C]

"I'm in the tournament, but I'm more of a performer than a fighter. I'm here because I made a promise." Grace shifted to set her back against the bed, looking back at Sephira over her shoulder. "I'm a Wind user, too. I learned from Sylph herself." She gave a small chuckle. "That was my Grandmother. Her name was Sylph. But she always told me that when I was good enough, I'd be able to hear the real Wind Fairy's laughter."

 

[Jessica]

"I'm in the tournament, but I'm more of a performer than a fighter. I'm here because I made a promise. I'm a Wind user, too. I learned from Sylph herself. That was my Grandmother. Her name was Sylph. But she always told me that when I was good enough, I'd be able to hear the real Wind Fairy's laughter."

Sephira smiled during Grace's explanation, the very name Sylph sounded familiar to her, but decided not too ask further. Perhaps she had heard it from another conversation she happened to overhear? Did she maybe read it in a book somewhere? The purple haired girl gave a half hearted chuckle at what the girl's grandmother had said. She would love to be able to hear the Wind Fairy's laughter, it sounded like a legend that was crazy enough to be true. She looked over to the green haired performer.

"In the tournament? Could have fooled me. You don't look like the type to be fighting at all. How good are you with wind, might I ask? I've been looking to see if I could learn a thing or two from someone else."

 

[Ray C]

"I might be able to help. My wind isn't very strong, but I'm good at control. It helps with my music, you see." Grace gestured to the violin she had set aside. "Grandma always said, 'A little goes a long way as long as you use it right.' She meant it about meals as much as strength, though," Grace added with a giggle. There had been some very plain meals, but the times she remembered most were when Grandma would turn a few plain ingredients into the most mouth-watering dishes Grace had ever tasted. "What about you, Sephira? Did you have a teacher like that?"

 

[Jessica]

"I might be able to help. My wind isn't very strong, but I'm good at control. It helps with my music, you see."

Grace gestured to the violin she had set aside, Sephira looked over to the perfectly crafted beauty. She had always wanted to play a flute type instrument, but no one wanted to teach her.


"Grandma always said, 'A little goes a long way as long as you use it right.' She meant it about meals as much as strength, though," The performer added with a hearty giggle.

Sephira felt a little envious of the other. Her life sounded wonderful, from a grandma who loved her to her amazing musicality. She always received the good attention and seemed to never have had a problem within her life. Not a care in the world. The purple haired girl had endured so much negativity since the day she could remember. She was disliked from the start, all because she wasn't as good at wind like the others. Constant ridicule was what she looked forward to everyday, and no family to cry to. It was usually just a journal she would spill her thoughts and emotions into, but that wasn't as good as a hug and supporting words from another.

"What about you, Sephira? Did you have a teacher like that?"

Sephira meekly smiled and rubbed her neck.

"No actually..I never had a teacher, no one would accept me as their student.."

 

[Ray C]

Grace looked at her in surprise. "You've never had a teacher?" she asked, her tone similar to when someone might say, 'you've never tasted salt?' "But you can use wind magic? That's impressive; before Grandma taught me, the only time I ever managed to summon wind was when I was really angry." A shadow passed over Grace's face, but it stayed for only a moment before her smile returned. "When you're feeling better, we'll go see how good you are. Anyone who can learn without a teacher has to have some serious potential."

 

[Jessica]

The green haired performer looked at her as though she had just told her she's really a boy (which she's not).

"You've never had a teacher?" she asked in the same surprise as her expression, "But you can use wind magic? That's impressive; before Grandma taught me, the only time I ever managed to summon wind was when I was really angry."

The same darkness that had killed Sephira's lively eyes seemed to wave over the cheerful girl. She had stopped speaking momentarily and her smile faded. But, as quick as the shadow came, the smile returned.

"When you're feeling better, we'll go see how good you are. Anyone who can learn without a teacher has to have some serious potential."

Potential? That wasn't a word Sephira heard everyday unless the word "no" was in front of it. If Grace believed that Sephira must have "potential" then she has not seen the other Wind users and their abilities. She was far below their level and could not learn as easily as them, but why? Why couldn't she reach the same amount of skill as the rest of them? Why didn't wind come as naturally to her as it did for them? Just, why?

"Okay.. Do you know of any others who may be skilled in wind? I am curious."

 

[Silvir]

"Hmm?" Deacon hadn't caught what she'd said under her breath, but shrugged to himself. If she'd wanted him to hear, she would have said it louder. But when she requested that he describe the sky, he was confused. Sitting up and turning to look at her, it took only a few moments for him to realize her eyes weren't focused on anything. She was blind. Deacon was caught completely by surprise, so he was late in responding.

Thankfully she bailed him out by speaking again. Not that her words added any clarity; if anything, they confused him even more. Even following her gaze, all he could see was the crowded outpost, including one tent on the edge that he'd just stormed out of. "Umm," he began, trailing off immediately. "Sorry. Do you mind if I sit here?" It was way too late to be asking that, but Deacon's brain had just jammed and he felt incredibly self-conscious. Without even realizing it he had tensed his entire body.

Somewhere at the back of his mind, it occurred to him that he could have walked off without looking foolish because she never would have seen him approach to begin with. Then he wondered if it was okay to think that, or if that was considered rude. But as long as he didn't say anything like that it wasn't rude, right? Then again, that would be the same as taking advantage of a disabled person. Wait, should he use the word disabled to describe her? Should he say blind? Or is it vision impaired? He was panicking slightly, a little bit of sweat beginning to gather at his hairline. Thank goodness she couldn't notice that. Wait, that's not right, either. Or is it?

"hmmm?" At first she wondered what the guys was on about he sounded a bit taken aback and nervous all of a sudden. A light laughter escaped her lips clinging as she realised that he hadn't noticed her lack of vision earlier.
"don't worry about my blindness there are more ways to view the world than trough the sight of ones eyes. And besides i prefer if people treat me normaly instead of handling me like an vision impaired doll" The last part came out a bit harsher than she had intended but it was a sour subject.

She decided to ignore the person that had fallen most likely he was up and about again since no screams where heard. Instead she held more curiousity on where Arthur had gone with those refreshments.

"So isn't it courtesy for a man approaching a lady to introduce him self first?" The girl finished with an intention to tease.

 

[Ray C]

"Others? Um. Eheh." Grace tried grinning to cover her embarrassment, but there was no getting around it. "I don't know anyone," she admitted, hanging her head. "Except Elysia. I came here with Elysia because my Grandma's an old friend of the family. Before now, I've never been farther than the village at the foot of the mountain." There; she'd said it. She was really a hermit from the boondocks who knew absolutely nothing about the world. That's why Grandma Sylph had thrown her out of the house to begin with.

 

[Jessica]

"Others? Um. Eheh," The other girl tried grinning to cover her embarrassment, but there was no getting around it. "I don't know anyone." she admitted to Sephira and hung her head.

Sephira looked at the other. She did not know anyone else? She was an excellent performer and was more cheerful than the purple haired girl had ever seen. Not to mention, her performances attract a lot of attention, would she have been introduced to other performers or maybe audience members?

"Except Elysia. I came here with Elysia because my Grandma's an old friend of the family. Before now, I've never been farther than the village at the foot of the mountain."

"Why do you say it as though it is a shameful secret? You are blessed with the kindness of a friend and the caring love provided only by family. There are others unfortunate enough to live the life no person ever wants to endure.."

The last sentence was a thought, and Sephira was unable to stop herself from saying it. Sephira was refurring to her own life, but she did not want to say that out loud. She did not want the other girl to feel as though Sephira is accusing her of being ungrateful of the life she has. The silver eyed girl cringed inwardly at the last sentence and she could feel a pressure within her chest, an all too familiar tightness.

Sadness.

 

[Ray C]

"Oh, um, right! Sorry! I mean-" Deacon stopped himself there. "Deacon Greer, miss. I apologize, I just really didn't expect-" No, no, no! Stupid! Please, just stop me from talking. Different topic, different topic. "Um. The sky is a very clear blue, like a dyed sheet. There are a few white clouds passing over there--over to the east," he quickly corrected, pulling his gesturing hand back to his chest. "There's a little bit of gray smoke from fires spiralling up from the outposts." He included the color every time, though it occurred to him that she might not know colors. Still, she had asked to see the sky and he wanted to deliver that as accurately as possible. It was the least he could do after insulting her like that.

---

Grace felt the room growing heavy. She didn't want to depress the girl again, so she tried to beat the gloom back again. "No, I don't mean it like that. I love my home. But nobody is going to listen to some country bumpkin from the middle of nowhere. I learned that much on the way here." Stopping at inns for the night or diners for a meal, Grace had put on a marvelous display of her complete cluelessness. She'd never even had to deal with money before this adventure; everyone knew Granny Sylph, and Granny Sylph knew everyone. They took care of her and her granddaughter, and the pair of 'fairies' helped them whenever they needed it.

"How should I put it? That town is the only world I've ever known, so I've never had the chance to know something more. That's why my Grandma sent me here: I need to see more of the world. I need to be able to choose for myself how I will live, where I will go, what I will do. There are so many options, but that's not something I could see as long as I stayed in the place I was at."

 

[Jessica]

"No, I don't mean it like that. I love my home. But nobody is going to listen to some country bumpkin from the middle of nowhere. I learned that much on the way here. How should I put it? That town is the only world I've ever known, so I've never had the chance to know something more. That's why my Grandma sent me here: I need to see more of the world. I need to be able to choose for myself how I will live, where I will go, what I will do. There are so many options, but that's not something I could see as long as I stayed in the place I was at."

Sephira nodded as the girl spoke, Grace loved her little town and everything in it, but the rest of the world was a foreign place to her. Sephira did not understand being within one place, so there was a difference between the two. Due to her faction partnership with Kyysucara, Sephira was able to travel and never fully settled in one place. He would often leave with paper strips with real or fake information from anonymous women, while Sephira would leave with bruises or/and a hurt self esteem. Sephira sat up with the support of her arms, although the muscles ached, it was not bad enough to make her collapse.

"The world truly is a beautiful and amazing place, yet you still have so much to explore.. It sounds like your grandmother is showing you responsibility and how drastic a choice can be when you're on your own. Your grandmother really cares for you and sounds like a wonderful person.."

The purple haired girl smiled at the other, a genuine smile. Her grandmother indeed sounded like a wonderful person who would do anything to benefit her granddaughter.

 

[Ray C]

"She is," Grace agreed. She matched the smile Sephira was giving her. The thoughts of home did a lot to make Grace feel at ease. "Thank you. For listening to me talk." Deep inside, hidden where Sephira wouldn't notice it, Grace was a little disappointed. She spoke of exploring the world to see new options for herself, but she had hoped the other girl would take it to heart as well. It isn't only about more places; it's about more people, more lifestyles, and more circumstances. Grace had been hesitant to push the girl into talking about it, but the way she spoke sounded as though she had been keeping something bottled up from well before today's assault. Which, now that Grace thought on it, she didn't even know the extent of what had happened.

"Do you want to talk? I want to know what happened today." Grace forced her face to hold a smile, but it was admittedly weak. Still, she'd gotten the words out; now it was the other girl's choice to accept or decline.

 

[Jessica]

"Do you want to talk? I want to know what happened today."

Sephira's heart skipped a beat, her mind immediately flashing back to the events before. She swallowed a lump in her throat, and took in a breath.

"Well... In case you are unaware, my name is known through out the Wind users. Not as a legend, but as a laughing stock."

The purple haired girl swallowed another lump in her throat.

"I was, well, am constantly ridiculed. Today, three men, the prodigies of the Wind, decided to continue the on going problem I've had for about a year... They started coming after me, so I ran. They chased me into the forest, quickly caught up to me, and...Y'know."

Sephira purposely trailed off to let the other fill in the blank and was purposely vague on details. Grace was the first person that knew her story. Even Kyysucara didn't know the whole thing, but she hoped he wouldn't be angry when he found out the full story. She told the story in return for the girl to tell her something that she didn't like to talk about. Sephira wasn't the type to receive without giving in return.

 

[Ray C]

Grace listened in silence, letting Sephira finish before speaking up. "Prodigy my foot. Anyone who abuses Sylph's Wind like that doesn't deserve it." Grace's blood was boiling, though she was the tiniest bit relieved that it wasn't something worse. "If I ever get my hands on them, I'll show them what I think of their 'prodigy' title. Maybe I should make them all eunuchs anyway; that would remove the bad blood." She realized she was muttering darkly to herself, so Grace quickly wiped the glare off her face. "Sorry, did I say that out loud? I just can't stand people who don't get it. You have Sylph's power, just like me; we're sisters. Even if you couldn't do more than make a cool breeze, you're still a Sylphan."

 

[Shiromaya]

Sebastian slowly rose up to his feet after taking quite a while to recover from the fall. "Ugh.. damn it all." He muttered out to himself and bowed down to pick up his scythe and whilst doing so he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. "Angh!" He ripped out a rippling loud shout caused by pain and dropped down onto his knees. When it came to pain he wasn't really the sturdiest person so he always kept himself safe.. actually this could be the first time he ever broke anything. He picked up the scythe with his other hand and slowly rose to his feet. As his head went up, in the distance he could notice two people sitting up on a hill. 'Great.. they didn't even bother to come down here to see if I'm alright.' He thought to himself disappointingly. Slowly he paced out to go get his shoulder checked up.

He made his way towards the medical tent dragging his scythe behind him which made an eerie sound as it ground against the various rocks on the ground. After quite a bit of walking he stumbled upon a set of smaller tents that looked more like housing units instead of the large medical tent he saw earlier on. Atleast they were Star Brigades so he could get help here easily although.. 'What the hell.. ?' He looked around but the place was pretty vacant. 'Where in the hell am I?' To him it was obvious.. he was lost. "Anybody alive out here?" He placed the scythe down infront of him and leaned his weight against it. His shoulder was throbbing and he could feel heat around it as it started aching more and more with every second. "I just need some directon..." His words trailed off and echoed through out the place.

 

[Kyy Namosaka]

Kyy wanders by Sebastian. "Need help? I may be able to help ya." He smiles a bit. "Kyy." He puts his hand out.

 

[Shiromaya]

Sebastian watched the unknown person approach him, his hand slowly wrapping around his scythe. "Sebastian.. I'd shake your had but I've managed to injure my shoulder so.." Sebastian was on full alert as this was Star Brigades encampment and he was pretty sure he wasn't a part of Star Brigade faction. "Yes.. I could use some. It seems that I have wandered off in the wrong direction." He took the scythe out of the ground and swung it onto his shoulder. "Do you by any chance know where the people from around here went to?" Sebastian carefully examined the person for his weapons but he couldn't spot nothing but a grimoire attached to his belt. 'So he casts magic..' Sebastian was already studying out Kyy as he thought his intentions were sinister but Kyy was only trying to help him. ".. Also what are you doing here."

 

[Silvir]

"Oh, um, right! Sorry! I mean-" Deacon stopped himself there. "Deacon Greer, miss. I apologize, I just really didn't expect-" No, no, no! Stupid! Please, just stop me from talking. Different topic, different topic. "Um. The sky is a very clear blue, like a dyed sheet. There are a few white clouds passing over there--over to the east," he quickly corrected, pulling his gesturing hand back to his chest. "There's a little bit of gray smoke from fires spiralling up from the outposts." He included the color every time, though it occurred to him that she might not know colors. Still, she had asked to see the sky and he wanted to deliver that as accurately as possible. It was the least he could do after insulting her like that.

The girl smiled and soon the soft laughter clinged again.
"Elysia Storm and relax Deacon don't rush when you describe the sky"
She pulled up her knees to her chest and rested her chin ontop of them.
"hmm so the sky is very clear today" THe blind girl fell silent for a moment listening to the wind and sounds coming from the town. She then raised her head. Tilting it slightly as she listened towards the town.

"Hey Arthur what took you so long!?" she said with a raised voice towards a tall young man that was approaching them up the hill. As the man got closer he noticed Deacon next to Elysia and at a moment his eyes was like those of a predator eyeing deacon up and down before relaxing again. As he noticed Elysia didn't seem bothered.
"good day sir i apologize if the miss here has been a bother to you" He said and bowed in a courteous way "though lacking sight she can be more trouble than most children with it. I am Arthur her butler if one could call it that"

Elysia pouted -"hey im sitting right here hearing you don't start spreading weird rumours about me like that and wheres my drink?"
Arthur smiled and held up a drink. "Ah my apologies miss" Moving the hand holding the drink as if he was about to toss it he then snapped his fingers with the other hand. Which caused a slightly distresed look from Elysia.
-"W..wait don't toss it when doing that" Reaching out into the air trying to catch, she then felt Arthur gently hand it to her instead.

Elysias facial reaction was the one Arthur had hopped for a flustered and also lightly embarassed look that he trully adored.

Elysia however mumbled to her self and sipped from the drink that was already oppened. "stupid doing as you like and whatnot"

 

[Jessica]

"Prodigy my foot. Anyone who abuses Sylph's Wind like that doesn't deserve it." The other girl's blood was boiling, but she then appeared to be relieved.

"If I ever get my hands on them, I'll show them what I think of their 'prodigy' title. Maybe I should make them all eunuchs anyway; that would remove the bad blood." Grace had started muttering to herself, and Sephira could hear her. The same shadow that gloomed over the cheerful face had disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

"Sorry, did I say that out loud? I just can't stand people who don't get it. You have Sylph's power, just like me; we're sisters. Even if you couldn't do more than make a cool breeze, you're still a Sylphan."

Sephira looked at the girl, her words causing the same pressure from before. She was right. The Wind users all didn't get it. They abuse their abilities and portray themselves as high and proper. They look at one's abilities and treat the best of the best as though they were a very God. If you weren't as good as them, you were shunned, ridiculed, and beaten. This is why they did not have a good relationship with Earth users, they were 'inferior' to them as they called it. They would make the Earth users feel vulnerable, and Sephira hated it. Earth were people too, not just inferior pawns that Wind could do with what they please. Sephira was about to respond to her when she heared a male voice calling outside.

"Anybody alive out here? I just need some directions..."

A look of confusion came across her face, who could that possibly be? Maybe another participating in the tournament? Or perhaps just a traveler that was lost and in need of directions? She got up from her bed, the wounds and bruises not protesting as bad as before, and started to walk to the entrance. Then, an all too familiar voice started speaking to the other.

"Need help? I may be able to help ya."

'Is that Kyy?'

"Kyy."

She moved the flaps of the tent she was within, peeking over to the others. Her presence was obvious, but she decided to stay quiet until their conversation amongst each other was finished. The wounds on her face were not as bad as before, and because of Grace's clean up, she looked almost like she did before the assault. But if one had a keen eye, they would see that she had faced a brutal beating.