Fire Emblem: Soul of Heaven [IC/PG-16]

[Kay Faraday 23]

---

"ow ow ow,"

"Really?" The cleric gave a... Slightly annoyed look as he walked out into the main hall of the building, crossing his arms as he glanced at the barely able to shamble woman. The fact that she had managed to get herself this far was impressive sure... But it was also really freaking annoying, since she could honestly collapse at any moment. He let out an exaggerated sigh as he shrugged his shoulders lightly, "Look, if you wanna leave, we won't hold you hostage, but... With you being in a condition like that, I don't think you'll make it far. How will you feed yourself for example?"

He gave her a stern look, his gaze hardening for a moment as he did, "You won't. You can't hunt in a condition like that. There was no one with you, so it's not like you've got people watching out for you. If you want to go back out there and die, I can't stop you, I'm just a cleric. But if you stay here and heal, you'll at least have a fighting chance." He let out a small sigh as he brought a hand up to his head and looked down at her, "...But what do I know? Maybe you're totally able to defend yourself, huh?" 

With that, he shrugged his shoulders a tiny bit as he yawned, "Or maybe you'd rather speak with our leader? Worst case, maybe he can arrange an escort to wherever you're going... And you won't die as a result."

---

[Blake 312]

"Whenever you're free," Raynor responded, continuing on... But Ada was so out of sorts, she hardly understood.

"A-alright, I guess we can, uh... meet by the stables later for it, yeah."

The shaman quickly wandered off, still a bit red and confused by what had just happened. It was really strange, 

-----

"Do I really have to do this...?"

Ada had gone to the stables almost immediately after, giving the mounts love and affection... mostly for Gojira, who demanded it. She had her hair up in a ponytail, the old feather charm hanging from her ear, not that there was a clear difference between the two. If he really wanted to learn magic, she guessed, but... was that really the case?

"You know, that rider of yours sure is an oddball," Ada muttered as she fed the giant lizard a scrap of jerky.

[Skaia 578]

Leon had figured there was a difference in heat between the two nations, but, he was more surprised to see that despite that, Rona was still raring for more work. Sighing as he laid further back against the tree, Leon chuckled as Rona let out her own hearty laugh. "Well, I wish I had half the zeal or stamina you had for this kind of stuff. Though, I can't just leave a hole in Cormag's room tonight can I?" After his small joke, Leon then saw Ada walk towards the stables, going to pet Gojira. Smiling a bit, the young man said, "well, glad to see they've fit in well enough." 

---

As Edda was making her way into the main hall, to begin her trek out the building, she suddenly froze up and stopped in her tracks as she heard a familiar voice. Turning slowly to face them, Edda looked at Layne who was now chastising her fully. With each comment, the girl seemed to physically recoil from the apparent truth behind it as she only seemed to nervously look away from the healer more. With an expression that was akin more to a child getting caught and scolded, the girl did a once over of herself, seemingly patting herself down to check for things on her person or in her robes. While there was a brief moment of relief, this seemed to break away into a sigh as she merely affirmed about her ability to defender herself. "...I can't...."

Perking up as he mentioned an escort though, Edda thought about it for a moment. "That...." Shaking her head, she said, "no." She seemed to still be thinking on the idea, but eventually just said, "fine, I'll rest. But I don't want to just lie down all day." Her face going back to that of a disgruntled child again, she merely said, "it's boring."

 

[LordCowCow 840]

"Well, I wish I had half the zeal or stamina you had for this kind of stuff. Though, I can't just leave a hole in Cormag's room tonight can I?"

"He's had worse." Rona said, momentarily having a grim expression on her face. "After all he's a stubborn boy he'd sleep anywhere if he thought he had to!" She forced herself to say the second bit with more cheer. "But don't worry you can rest here with Yue." She glanced at the girl who had seemed to be worn out. Overworked herself? As an archer she had to be strong but that didn't mean she had the endurance the other two had. "I think I can finish this up myself."

Rona watched as Ada pet the newest addition to their stable. "Looks like that one has a one track mind." Rona mentioned with a chuckle. The mage hadn't even noticed that the three of them were there. Would it upset her for Rona to suddenly approach? Perhaps she should wait until Ada was done?

Ultimately it was up to Leon. "So, want me to get back to it?"

Leon smiled at the girl's zeal but said, "well, I wouldn't let myself let you do this alone. So, let's spend a bit longer here."

Rona wished that he would let her do it herself. It just didn't feel right to her doing work alongside her commanding officer. But she would respect his wishes. "Yes, commander, I suppose I should let you rest more."

Was that too insulting? She had said it without thinking. Would he think she was talking back to him? Keeping a calm expression she examined the young man closely. Waiting to see when his expression turned to one of anger.

[Kay Faraday 23]

---

"...I can't...."

Layne nodded his head lightly as he let out a little sigh. "...Good. I know it sucks to be stuck in one place for too long, and I know you probably have things going on, but you have to recover before you can start running around." He smiled sheepishly as he rubbed at the back of his neck gently, "I know it sucks, but it's necessary, if you've gotta recover, you've gotta recover."

"no." 

"No? I mean, if you really don't want that, I can't force it, but..." He shrugged his shoulders lightly, waving his hand in the air as he did. He noticed that perking up, the idea clearly had caught her attention... Which means he was going to force it! "I think it would be better for you! Think about it, mull it over. I'll talk to our leader about it." The way he said that, he talked as though he was in total control, not giving her the littlest bit of time to protest as he immediately moved onto the next topic.

"As for boredom, well, what do you like to do? We don't have too much in the way of entertainment, there might be some board games laying around. If you prefer artistic things, I'm sure we can scrape together some supplies for it. There's plenty to do outside, and I would offer to lead you to the training grounds, buuuut... You hardly seem to be the shape to do that..."

It might not have been subtle, but Layne was hoping that she wouldn't notice the fishing for information that he was trying to go through with. It was... Unlikely to succeed, but maybe if he could get her talking about the things she liked, it would be possible to figure out more about her. But... She wasn't a big talker, either way.

---

[Saikazo 241]

"A-alright, I guess we can, uh... meet by the stables later for it, yeah." Ada said, causing Raynor to grin. Now that was great!  With her teaching, he would (hopefully) be able to contribute more around here, and that would help this group (and him) become legendary! Well, then again, he had to find out if he could even do this, but that was what today was for... hopefully.

Ada left in a bit of a hurry, causing Raynor to tilt his head. Maybe she was just really excited to get another magic user on the team. That seemed right.

---

"Do I really have to do this...?" The moment Ada had gone to the stables Gojira got up to greet her, a little put off that she greeted the other mounts, but was happy once more once she gave him attention. Really, there was nothing better than being pet and fed by a human that thought you were cute. "You know, that rider of yours sure is an oddball," Ada muttered as she fed the giant lizard a scrap of jerky. Gojira snorted as he took the jerky in mouth, nodding in agreement. His rider was strange, but he was also the one that raised him, so he was kind of instinctively drawn to the man's side. 

Raynor came around thirty minutes, book tucked under his arm. "Yo," He said as he approached. "Glad to see you and Gojira's gettin' along. Makes me feel better that there are people around here that appreciate a good Salamander," He would have spun a lance at this point in an attempt to look cool, but he didn't have a lance on him, and spinning a book seemed like a bad idea. "So, what's first?"

[Skaia 578]

Leon continued to sit back against the tree, as he looked back to Rona. The boy cocked his head to the side, curious as she seemed to be examining him. As he did, he started to wonder if she was upset with him for wanting to take so long a break. It was hardly becoming of him as the leader to do so, and since she seemed so eager to go back to work, he figured it only made sense. Looking away, a bit disappointed in himself, the boy then looked over to see Raynor carrying a tome of dark magic with him. "Interesting." It was certainly an odd situation, and while Leon wasn't entirely the gossiping type, he couldn't but be curious. All the same, they were where the working was to be taking place, and he didn't want to keep Rona from getting back to work longer than he already had. Looking to her, he asked, "what do you think they're up to? Should we interrupt?" 

---

Edda was seemed to be taken aback by the boy's sudden eagerness at her asking for help for an escort, but didn't say much beyond that. As Layne then went on to speak about what to do around here, Edda tried to think about what it was she would want to do here. She wasn't really too keen on the prospect of training, and the thought of training with a group of mercenaries was not something that she found particular joy in. As she thought more about what she did in her spare time, a more uncomfortable expression crossed her face as she immediately mentally crossed off one thing. "I guess...art works...do you have any paints?" 

 

[LordCowCow 840]

"what do you think they're up to? Should we interrupt?" 

Rona wasn't sure how she felt about how many people were gathering here. But she did know she wasn't comfortable with what it looked like Raynor was doing. "He has...a book of magic. You don't think he expects to learn it do you? A warrior can't use magic." She said. It wasn't right. She remembers her father scolding her severely for just mentioning the thought of studying a magic tome. Real warriors must dedicate their lives to the weapon. Magic was something to be used by those who have no spirit...

Did Ada have no spirit? It didn't seem right but...that's how it was, right?

Leon shrugged. "It's not unheard of. I practiced magic back before I settled on a sword, but...well, I can't say Raynor struck me as the book and magic type."

A look of what almost seemed like horror appeared on Rona's face for a moment. And then she laughed. "You're a funny one, Commander. You, magic? I cannot see it. You're meant for the sword I think. Hm, do you think I should stop him? Magic can be dangerous..."

A look of confusion and uncertainty crossed his face, but he continued saying, "well, I suppose it can be. But he has Ada teaching him and she seems to have a handle on it. But, if it looks like it'll get out of hand, we should."

Rona seemed unsure about that but settled back. Her gaze not wavering from the pair. She didn't like it. Not one bit. "As you say, Commander."

[Blake 312]

"Yo, glad to see you and Gojira's gettin' along. Makes me feel better that there are people around here that appreciate a good Salamander," He would have spun

"Well, yeah, they're cute as a button, and helpful to boot!"

Ada had replied instinctively, before turning around to find Raynor with the book tucked under his arm. Immediately, the awkwardness returned, but he would quickly break the silence.

"So, what's first?"

"Well, uh, first thing to do would be... You know I'm actually not sure," Ada muttered, fidgeting with the charm on her ear, "I kinda just got super excited and took to these tomes when I was a kid..."

"Well, I guess that's a good of a start as any," Raynor commented as he flipped open the book. "I did the same, except I'm a grown man," he added with a laugh, causing Gojira to shake its head.

"The texts aren't exactly decipherable, though... It's written in a lost language, unlike anima tomes, which draw from a slightly older dialect. I guess I start by teaching you how to read the tomes, then. But I'm warning you, my dad never learned how to read them."

"I see... How did you learn to read them then?" Raynor asked as he opened the book. "Or are you just kinda guessing and it works?"

“It just kinda... clicked. Anima tomes confound me, but the elder magics just seemed natural.”

"Don't take this the wrong way, but that's kinda weird," he commented. He then paused as he stroked Gojira's head. "Well... Maybe not as weird as I'm making it out to be," he admitted. "I guess it's kinda like me and Gojira. It's not like his roars and shrieks translate into my language, and it's not like I'm just guessing off body language, but we just kinda... Click, and I know what he means."

"I guess some people are just more suited to magic, and others to..." Ada glanced back as Raynor was affectionate with the lizard, awkwardness creeping back in, "S-so I guess teach you how to read comes first, y-yeah."

[Kay Faraday 23]

---

"I guess...art works...do you have any paints?" 

Paints, huh? Layne tapped at his cheek for a moment as he hummed, before shaking his head a tiny bit, "I think I've got some laying around from my brief attempt at painting before I realized I had pretty much... Well, zero talent at it. I'll be riiight back!" He gave a little bow of his head as he slipped away from the woman, humming lightly as he made his way down one of the halls, towards the room he was set up inside. After some rummaging around and searching the room, he pulled together a variety of paints, along with an unused canvas, it must've been his lucky day! He collected them before bring them back to Edda with a little smile, before speaking up again.

"...Now if you'll excuse me for a moment, I should speak with the commander. Odds are, he'll want to talk to you about a potential escort. As much as I would like to say I could, I'm not the one to authorize this sort of thing, I'm just the cleric." He waved his hand in the air, before turning to Edda again, "So don't run off while I'm gone."

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Layne had made his way out towards the outside, taking a quick glance around as he mumbled lightly. That girl was... Being way more of a pain in the ass than he had expected. It took longer to convince her to recover than he had expected, whatever she was hiding must've been serious if she didn't want to wait even a little bit. Layne sighed gently, he needed a break from all that. So with that, he casually began to take a walk around the base, trying to find Leon as he did. The cleric eventually caught sight of the commander... But with Rona right next to him, there was a tiny bit of hesitation from Layne to approach, he had overheard a tiny bit of her conversation with their guest...

But in the end, he knew he couldn't wait. He headed towards the pair, raising a hand up into the air as he did, "Ah, commander, Rona! If I can have a moment... I would like to talk to you about our... Guest. The idea of finding an escort to wherever she might be heading appears to have caught her attention, and while I haven't been able to get anymore information out of her... It's possible that we might be able to open up her lips if we can get some sort of deal going. I made no promises, in the end, it's up to you. But... I think it's for the best if we do that. She won't stay here long either way, and I would hate for her to leave on her own."

---

[Skaia 578]

Edda waited where she was told to, sitting down as the cleric boy went off and got the supplies. When they had come back, Edda seemed a bit surprised that they actually had them, but didn't make any comment. Putting up the  canvas, the girl wasn't exactly sure how to take being told to stay put, unsure if she felt like a prisoner, child or both. Not to mention that as Layne had left, she tried to call out to him, still reluctant to get any sort of escort. All the same, she knew it would cause more problems if she left and she didn't think she could possibly convince Layne to not talk about it(or catch up to him at this point.) So she stayed right where she was. Besides, she had something to do now. With brush in hand, the girl got a palette going of mostly different kinds of blues and grays, before going to work on her painting. 

---

Leon had looked confused and uncertain as Rona had made her comment about him using magic. The way she had seemed to be both mortified and scoffed at the idea, Leon wasn't entirely sure whether or not he should've felt insulted. She seemed to compliment him by telling him he was meant for the sword, well it sounded like a compliment at least, but he still couldn't get get off the comment that fast. Given that up until now he had been working with Aleithe for most of the bookkeeping, compared to the noble boy it made sense that he wouldn't have looked as studious an individual. But Rona had also seemed to think of it as dangerous so that caused it to wrap around to being a compliment again? Ultimately confused by the whole exchange, Leon merely looked towards Jouran duo, seeing that they were just getting ready to start reading. 

Before he said anything more to Rona, the duo was then approached by Layne, which Leon gave a friendly wave back. Leon began to mull things over as Layne presented his suggestion, thinking about what the best thing to do here would be. "I don't know how many escorts we could find for her." Looking to Layne he said, "there's not many people here who would be willing to help a Jouran out normally anyway, but with their being a bounty on their head currently I'd be hard pressed to find anyone I could think of who wouldn't just turn them in. We're the only mercenary company in Aeora that has Jourans in it, that I'm aware of, after all." Thinking more on it, he looked to the other two and asked, "but if that's the case and we can't just leave her alone...hm...How would you two feel about us taking on her escort request as a job then?" 

[Kay Faraday 23]

---

"I don't know how many escorts we could find for her. there's not many people here who would be willing to help a Jouran out normally anyway, but with their being a bounty on their head currently I'd be hard pressed to find anyone I could think of who wouldn't just turn them in. We're the only mercenary company in Aeora that has Jourans in it, that I'm aware of, after all." 

Layne coughed gently as he nodded his head a tiny bit, "That's about what I expected. I don't know what exactly has been... Going on with all that relationship stuff, but I knew that things have been a bit shaky in that regard. Either way though, I would rather not leave her alone for too long, you know? In case her injuries get worse, or she stumbles and gets hurt once again. I would feel rather guilty if that happened after my treatments."

"but if that's the case and we can't just leave her alone...hm...How would you two feel about us taking on her escort request as a job then?" 

He smiled a little bit as he heard that, a relieved sigh escaping him as he nodded his head. He didn't speak right away, before taking a little glance over at Rona to wait and see if she was going to respond, but he quickly spoke up again, "I would rather us take the escort rather than let her go alone, personally. In the end, it's your call, and I don't even know if we can be paid for it, considering she was very hesitant to even mention it... But that's something you can talk to her about, it's more fitting for the leader to do it!"

He was stretching the truth a tiny bit, but the way her eyes had lit up when he mentioned the possibility definitely meant that Edda wanted some sort of help with that, right? Yeah, that was definitely how things worked, you don't get that sort of look in your eyes for no reason... "But... We should talk to the others as well. We just got back from a job not long ago after all."

---

[LordCowCow 840]

Rona didn't like this. Both Leon and Layne seemed to want to help this girl out. They didn't know what she was doing. Who she was. And, worse, for Rona, who she knew. To Rona this girl was a potential link to her old life. One that she didn't want to keep around for long.

Yet what say did she have in it? If her commander wanted to help the girl then she would have to help her. Without question.

Still she knew it would be good to voice her concern in some way. Making sure Leon didn't do anything without thinking about it first was another of her jobs.

"For all we know she's a criminal." Rona reminded the two. "And we don't know if she could even afford to pay us. It'd be risky to help out someone we have no information on. What would we do if it turns out not only can't she pay but also that she's wanted by the Aeoran army? Not that I'm afraid of the army, of course." Rona added, putting on her sense of bravado. "They'd be foolish to try and capture me...It's just that without knowing anything about this job we can't really make a decision."

That being said...

"But... We should talk to the others as well. We just got back from a job not long ago after all."

She looked towards Layne directly. "If the Commander decides we go, anyway, then we go."

[Saikazo 241]

"I guess some people are just more suited to magic, and others to..." Ada stated, causing Raynor to look up. "S-so I guess teach you how to read comes first, y-yeah."

"That might help, yeah," Raynor agreed, plopping to the floor, folding his legs under him as he got into his sitting position. He reached over for the book, looking over it quickly. He didn't really look over his purchase and now was the right time to do so.

The book was a nice purple, a shade that Raynor thought looked really cool, like royalty. There were some small symbols across the top. He assumed they meant Shade, since that was the book he was told he bought. There was some sort of design on it, like a diamond within a bigger diamond, and the bigger diamond had jagged edges on the top and bottom.

He flipped open the book and stared at the strange strange symbols that were attempting to pass as a language. He did his best to read them, and... he could kinda see a sort of sentence structure. He could tell where sentences started and ended... but that was about it. He looked up, chuckling a bit. "Well, these are certainly words of some kind," He joked.

[Skaia 578]

Leon listened as the two gave their points about it, thinking on the matter more closely. He wasn't very keen on just letting someone leave and wander all their own, nor was he entirely comfortable with handing someone he hardly knew the authorities on the little pretense of her had. All the same, Rona's points were valid and if she were both a criminal and dangerous to them, then he didn't want to expose the rest of the falcons to danger on their behalf. Not to mention Rona's confidence in taking on the Aeoran army was both assuring to him yet also ominous all the same. As the two had seemed to reach a stalemate in both of their opinions, Leon stood up and said, "well, I can't do much about this when I don't know enough about our client. I'll go and speak with her myself," gesturing to those around him he said, "you're all welcome to come along with me and speak with her if you like." 

With that, Leon moved to the inside of the Falcon's base, where he saw the girl named Edda painting. Looking at it, the girl hadn't seem to have gotten that far in to it, merely creating what appeared to be a dark blue and gray arch towards the top of the painting. As he stepped forward, the girl paused and then looked around. Seemingly startled at the man, he looked curiously at her only for her to clear her throat and take on her sharp expression once again as she asked, "who are you?" 

Looking at the girl, the man sighed and said, "I'm Leon. Commander of this company. Layne told me that you were in need of an escort, but if I'm going to find you one, I need to know more about you. So?" 

The girl sighed at the mention of Layne's doing, muttering under her breath before she looked back. "Fine. If you won't let this go, what do you want to know?" 

[Blake 312]

"Well, these are certainly words of some kind," He joked.

"All ancient text... Once you know the spells, the tome itself will be basically a chant skipper," Ada tried to keep herself from focusing on the awkwardness, steeling her nerves as she continued talking, "For example, I can recite the incantation for that tome by heart at this point. Since you can see the structure, try to follow along with my words."

Holding her hand out in front of her, palm upward, Ada closed her eyes and began to chant. She spoke more slowly than normal, enunciating so that Raynor would have an easier time following along. Once she had spoken quite a bit, dark magic began to form above the palm of her hand, taking the form of a black ball. Similar to when she invoked the weapon arts, her hair began to flow gently, as if a light breeze was blowing... until she closed her palm suddenly, dispersing the magic as she ended her chant.

"Now, if I was holding your tome, I would be able to cast the spell instantly, so long as I use the book as a conduit. And, on top of that..." Ada reached into her bag, pulling out her Dusk tome and cracking it open, "There are stronger versions of the spells by performing the chant with the tome open. This won't work for you while you're learning, because you need the tome to even cast the spell... But once you've mastered a spell, it becomes available. Does that make sense?"

[LordCowCow 840]

"you're all welcome to come along with me and speak with her if you like." 

Rona nodded firmly. Of course she would go with. How could she not? She needed to be there in case the girl said anything...important.

The Wyvern Rider glanced over at Yue, who still seemed to be resting, and knelt by her. "If you wish to stay here that's fine. You know where to find us if you need us." She smiled at the archer before getting back up and following Leon back to the girl.

Who she didn't imagine was happy to see Rona again.

"Fine. If you won't let this go, what do you want to know?" 

Should she say something? After all it was their leader who should be asking these questions right? But then again...She decided to step up next to Leon, though still somewhat behind him in deference. "I believe I already asked you a few things. If you're going to get escort the escort will need to know where you're going, and why....and what sort of trouble they should expect to follow you."

Edda seems to have a more annoyed expression on her face as she sees that Rona is with them, but says, "Enta...is where I'm going." The girl begrudgingly added, "I need to get a ship. To Yon'Lou. I heard it was the best place. As for trouble...well, no more trouble then you would expect." She says this more directed at Rona personally, then the group.

Rona narrowed her eyes, took a step forward, and opened her mouth. What did she know? There was something about the way she said that which put the girl on edge.

She glanced over at Leon and stepped back into place. "I see." She said simply.

[Kay Faraday 23]

---

"well, I can't do much about this when I don't know enough about our client. I'll go and speak with her myself, you're all welcome to come along with me and speak with her if you like." 

Layne gave a nod of his head gently, a small smile on his face as he did. He didn't speak right away, instead he seemed to focus as he closed his eyes. A little sigh escaped him, a hand rubbing at the back of his neck, "I'll come along, I should probably do a check and make sure that her body is holding up alright here soon. I'll let you talk to her before I do the check up."

He waited as Leon started to make his way back towards the main building, taking a deep breath as Rona followed after him. The fact she was coming was definitely going to make this a little more touch and go, but he had hope that this could be resolved in a way that was beneficial for everyone! With heavy steps, he followed after the other two, taking another deep breath before they actually reentered the main building. With the fact that Rona clearly wasn't happy about the girl staying with them, it was going to be a little worrying having to organize an escort...

"I'm Leon. Commander of this company. Layne told me that you were in need of an escort, but if I'm going to find you one, I need to know more about you. So?" 

"Fine. If you won't let this go, what do you want to know?" 

That's a good start! No outright rejection meant she had to be at least a little bit okay with the idea of the escort, even if she wanted to act like she wasn't. All that had to go from here was a good reaction from Rona... And then the duo started to talk. Questions about what kind of trouble Edda was expecting to see... And then a response that Rona knew what kind of trouble to expect? Layne just gave a confused look as he looked between the two of them, a small mumble escaping him as he did, "...Alright, you're both being... Really vague, so like, is there something dangerous on this trip or not? If there is, I don't like the idea of letting her go on her own at all..."

---

[Saikazo 241]

"All ancient text... Once you know the spells, the tome itself will be basically a chant skipper. For example, I can recite the incantation for that tome by heart at this point. Since you can see the structure, try to follow along with my words." Well, they were just jumping right in, weren't they? Holding her hand out in front of her, palm upward, Ada closed her eyes and began to chant. Raynor did his best to follow her, holding his own hand out in a similar manner to her. It was... odd... he could say the words, but... it felt foreign, and it was like his tongue was tripping over itself.

While she formed a ball of darkness, he was only able to manage a small dark mist pouring out of his hand, formless and featureless.

"Now, if I was holding your tome, I would be able to cast the spell instantly, so long as I use the book as a conduit. And, on top of that..." Ada reached into her bag, pulling out her Dusk tome and cracking it open, "There are stronger versions of the spells by performing the chant with the tome open. This won't work for you while you're learning, because you need the tome to even cast the spell... But once you've mastered a spell, it becomes available. Does that make sense?"

"I... think so," Raynor commented. "Basically... as long as I know the spells by heart, having its tome lets me skip chants... and I can do stronger versions, but only when I have the book the spell is from opened," With a chuckle, he looked at his book again. "So guess I'll have a lot of cramming to do if I wanna be casting magic," That wasn't his strong suit, not at all, but if he could wrestle both a Salamander and a Wyvern, he could learn how to read a language. "Thanks for all this help," he added. 

 

[Skaia 578]

Leon was about as confused as Layne was as Edda seemed to insinuate something towards Rona, as the two had finished their talk. The girl, however, looked to the trio with a look that seemed to be filled with its own confusion mixed some manner of condescension. "Trouble like...I'm Jouran. She's Jouran." Gesturing between the two of them, she then gestured to Layne and Leon saying, "last I checked, your kind would gladly kill us on sight." 

Leon raised an eyebrow at this and said, "that's a bit extreme." Sighing, he looked to the other two and said, "but the general idea is about right." Looking to Edda he asked, "is there anything that you've done to the Aeoran people that would make you more wary of them." 

The girl simply looked to the side and said, "I worship a dragon. That's about it."

Leon looked at her, though she didn't seem to keep eye contact with him, as he simply said. "Alright." Thinking about it for a few more moments he said, "well, if we're going to take your job, we are mercenaries. Do you have some form of payment?" 

The girl looked surprised and confused at the boy,  as she said, "uh, sure- yeah?" Rummaging around in her pockets, the girl seemed to examine a few things in there before pulling something out. Within her hand was a simple red gem, one that the group was quite easily able to recognize as valuable. Her expression returning to its original stoic, if not slightly annoyed, face the girl said, "this." 

The boy looked skeptical at the gem but from his, admittedly amateur, eye seemed like it was legitimate. While this only managed to raise more questions for the boy, he didn't seem to press further, and instead looked to his two companions. "Do either of you have objections or more questions for her?" 

[LordCowCow 840]

"...Alright, you're both being... Really vague, so like, is there something dangerous on this trip or not? If there is, I don't like the idea of letting her go on her own at all..."

Rona winced. She was being to obvious. Dammit. Dammit all. It wasn't as though she could explain what she was worried about. For one she didn't know if this girl had any idea and for two, if she did, this wasn't how she'd want it to come out. Not that she wanted it to come out at all...

Thankfully she didn't have to say anything at all. "Trouble like...I'm Jouran. She's Jouran. Last I checked, your kind would gladly kill us on sight." 

Leon seemed to accept this but Rona wasn't quite sure if that was all there was to it. Leon proceeded to ask for payment, which Rona realized what that meant for them, and she had to repress a sigh. But if that was the way it was going to be then so be it.

"Do either of you have objections or more questions for her?" 

She still didn't quite get why he even asked. "Of course not!" Rona said. "You made the decision and I'll follow through with that decision, Commander." Rona nodded firmly.

The girl turned towards their new employer, mentally braced herself, and stepped forward. She extended her hand. "Let me start over. I am Rona, of the Iron Falcons, and I will defend you with my life until we reach your destination."

Edda warily put out her own hand to shake saying, "I'm Edda...thanks."

And now it was awkward. But she had to persevere! Gripping the hand tight she shook it firmly before letting go. "You have nothing to fear with me looking out for you."

"right. I uh..." Edda seemed to try to let go, clearly uncomfortable by both the gesture and sudden shift in attitude.

Without letting herself show on her face how awkward this was Rona stepped backwards. "We always get the job done, isn't that right?" she aimed the last at her companions.

[Kay Faraday 23]

---

"Trouble like...I'm Jouran. She's Jouran. Last I checked, your kind would gladly kill us on sight." 

"...Well, my kind wouldn't be too happy about me using Staff magic, but here I am using it. You tend to stop looking at things the traditional way when you start to go against it." He coughed for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders slightly as he did.

"is there anything that you've done to the Aeoran people that would make you more wary of them." 

"I worship a dragon. That's about it."

Layne nodded his head, crossing his arms for a moment as he mumbled, "...That's reasonable, I think? I mean, I don't know much about the whole... Dragon worship, even the spirits which I should know a decent bit about... I kinda slacked off on those studies." He coughed as he rubbed at his neck again, taking a brief glance up at the ceiling as he did. The sight of that gem made him blink for a moment, raising an eyebrow gently as he glanced back over at Leon as he heard him speak up again.

"Do either of you have objections or more questions for her?" 

He shook his head lightly, "No, I don't think I do. If you're up for taking the job, I think we've got a good plan."

"You have nothing to fear with me looking out for you."

"right. I uh..." 

"We always get the job done, isn't that right?"

Layne rubbed at his cheek gently as he hummed, nodding his head as he beamed, "Now that it's official, absolutely! There might be a brief snag here and there, but we'll absolutely get you to your destination safely, we're very good at doing pulling through."

---

[Blake 312]

"I... think so," Raynor commented. "Basically... as long as I know the spells by heart, having its tome lets me skip chants... and I can do stronger versions, but only when I have the book the spell is from opened," With a chuckle, he looked at his book again. "So guess I'll have a lot of cramming to do if I wanna be casting magic. Thanks for all this help," he added. 

Ada cast him a sideways glance as he looked over the tome, before raising her hand to her ear to play with the charm a little. Maybe he really was just trying to be nice... Or to butter her up to teach him. It certainly didn't seem like he meant anything else by it, no matter how hamfisted it was. With a small sigh, Ada nodded and looked over to him with a soft smile.

"It's no problem. If you want to learn, I'm willing to teach you. But, I need you to understand that this is going to be a lot of work both from me and on your own, got it?"

Ada turned to leave the stables and head back to see how Eda was holding up, but she paused for a moment. Looking back over her shoulder, she looked back at her fellow northener, a slight blush on her cheeks. Maybe... Maybe it would be nice. But who knew?

"Hey, uh... Just don't go too deep too fast. The elder magics can be a bit difficult to control if you get in over your head, alright?" She added on, trying to disguise her glance.

 

 

[Sethera 290]

Yue had been following the conversation between Leon and Rona quietly, content to let them take center stage while working to chop wood. She had taken a short break, however, her stamina not being quite up to par compared to the other two. Annoyed at her own lack of ability, the archer let herself sink to the ground and blend into the background.

And then Ada arrived, dark tome in hand.

The silver-haired woman immediately stood up, eyes riveted on the following display of dark magic. Her body began to shake, and she fell to the ground once more, though this time not out of choice. Her legs had gone soft, knees knocking together, and before she knew it she had collapsed, though still conscious.

Rona glanced over at Yue, not seeming to notice her state, and knelt by her. "If you wish to stay here that's fine. You know where to find us if you need us." She smiled at the archer before getting back up and following Leon away.

Stay there? With dark magic being practiced not more than several meters away?

No, heavens no.

The girl rose from the ground and followed the others, though her muteness and quiet steps made her seem more ghost than person at that moment. Her eyes were wide, and at first glance one would mistake it for fear, but on closer inspection would see it for what it really was.

Shame.

Every time Ada came near Yue felt shame. Shame for running away from her home tribe, for rejecting the dark magic that was her birthright. Shame for rejecting Ada, a practitioner of dark magic, in turn. She deserved nothing but kindness, but it felt like, for every step forward the archer took, she fell two steps back. It would be safe to say that out of everybody in the group, she was most discomfited with Ada, though Raynor came close.

So the girl followed the others away from the stables, because she was too much of a coward to stay.

Soon, they reached a room where an unfamiliar girl sat. Freezing, the archer quickly hid behind the doorway, head peeking around the corner. Listening in on the conversation like a lurker, the girl gulped as she heard that the other was a Jouran, a worshiper of the dragon. Rona seemed to not like her either, but the other quickly changed her tune once it was decided that they would be escorting this...Edda to Enta. Still, the fact that Rona didn't like her...that was enough reason for Yue not to trust her either.

"Do either of you have objections or more questions for her?"

The other two seemed content to let this happen, and normally Yue would too, but...the girl bit her lip. There were just too many unknowns here. She couldn't feel like she could trust this strange woman at all. She wasn't even sure how she came here. Did they just let anybody into the base now? Unless...did Layne find her? She was in a bed after all. Still...

"I-I don't like this," the archer spoke out, deciding to draw attention to the fact that yes, she was there too. She shrank back as soon as she spoke. "S-sorry," she apologized, though it wasn't apparent who exactly she was apologizing to. "B-but we barely know you...you're suspicious...it just seems bad." The more she spoke, the more it felt like her reasons didn't hold water. They dealt with strangers all the time...and Raynor was rather suspicious but he was accepted as one of them. Really, the only valid reason she had to dislike this girl was because Rona didn't like her. But she couldn't exactly come out and say that, right? Or maybe...was she overthinking that? The fact that one of their more vigilant members didn't trust this girl...that was definitely a good reason. "And...Rona has really good judgment. If she doesn't like you..." she looked down on the ground, embarrassment taking the wind out of her sails. "W-we just don't w-want any trouble is all."

Edited May 14, 2019 by Sethera

[Skaia 578]

With the talks having been ended, both Edda and Leon looked to Yue with surprise as she made her comment. Both, because they hadn't known she was there until now, though Leon more so because she was speaking up and Edda more so because the entire past 5 minutes had been nothing but confusion for the girl. After letting go of Rona's hand, Edda merely stared at Yue, unsure of what to make of this girl at all, but also seeming even more awkward than before.

Leon himself looked to Yue, trying to think of the right course of action. As it was, Yue didn't seem to trust Edda in the slightest. Rona seemed to be wary but willing to work with her. And Layne was the one who had brought up working with her in the first place. With that in mind, it had seemed that the girl was outvoted. And, with past experience guiding him here, the boy felt more inclined to help out the lost and injured Jouran girl. "I understand, but as it is, if she's really just a lost traveler, then it's our job to help her out." Looking back to Edda he said, "we'll be sure to keep you under constant vigil to make sure you don't do anything wrong though. And I can't speak for what will happen if you really are more than just a traveler. Understood?" 

Her awkward look seeming to get more annoyed as she was being pressed, Edda merely let out a, "got it." 

---

Chapter 5 - Poet

Date: 24th of Aeis, Year  967, Fall 
Time: 2:04 PM
Location: En Route to Enta, Southwestern Aeora

 

"Our task is simple. We are to escort Edda to the Port Town of Enta. It'll be a long trip, so get ready for more walking than normal." With that brief description the group had moved out at the beginning of the morning. The group had started to make their way through the country side, simply sticking to the road with little barring their path. Despite this, though, Leon still seemed a bit nervous as he seemed to be keeping constant vigil on the road. Edda, however, seemed to be very uncomfortable traveling with a large group of unfamiliar people, and simply kept her head facing down to the road as she walked alongside everyone else.