#v:crystalblade

[eternianblade]

I heard your daughter Edea randomly slept with some traveling merchant .... [I know CT is no more I just want to know what he'd do!!]

The Swordmaster remains silent as the unknown person speaks and seems to need a moment to reflect on this matter before finally, with a calm and collected look, an answer is offered:

“And where would you have heard this...? I see no reason to believe your words if you cannot tell me as much.”

Still, what if it was true? He’d definitely have to talk to Edea aboutit... - but could he even? After all, what right did he still have to interfere in her life after having been gone for so long...?

“...even if it should be that your words are truthful... Edea is no child anymore... She is the only one that can judge her life and her decisions... It is not up to me to think ill of her for such an encounter... Even if I may not approve of it...”

[eternianblade]

The Nameless Patient

The number of days since the assault on the waterfall city had steadily grown and reached a solid number by now, yet the number of injured people bought to the temple and the white mage schools hardly reduced at all. Not, if anything, they grew by the day too and that made it harder and harder to find a place to properly treat everyone.

By this point, even a small training hall normally used by the city guard for training had to be repurposed into a makeshift healer station.

But such was the fate of Myrefall, for it could not turn away those who sought aid in these dark hours. No matter from where they came to the city of healing, no matter how dire it’s own situation was.

And this young woman that had been bought to them a few hours past, unconscious but not with any obvious wounds was no exception. Another had brought her here, directly to the repurposed training hall, and asked for her to be taken good care off. That person had refused to state any name, claiming to only be helping a stranger out in these dire times, and for this reasoning he had had to thank them and let them leave. Even if this all seemed quite suspicious...

His gut feeling rarely betrayed him, and this time it told him to keep an eye on this young woman. As such he had stayed in the hall, offering a hand to the far too few healers manning it, but keeping an eye on the pallet where she rested, waiting for her to wake up.

[eternianblade]

Report from Calcheth

“I see... so Calcheth had to suffer this much pain...”

The Swordmaster’s glance lowered itself as he thought back to the terrible assault that Myrefall had been subject to, to all the death and destruction that he had thought so dire. But as he had learned by now from varying messengers he had little reason to lament the state of the waterfall town, least not when compared to the other cities.

“I am certain Lady Lenne will agree to send as much help to your town as we can spare. I am inconsolable but as you can see we have been a target of this nefarious plot as well and as such, I fear we may not be able to spare as many as would be proper and needed...”

The swordmaster looked up again, mustering the youth in front of him carefully. He seemed quite healthy considering the tragedy he had to go through... almost as if he was somewhat accustomed to death in this terrible scale... 

“Forgive me lad, but could you tell me again of your name perhaps?”

[eternianblade]

"Samudra knows that I tried..."

It was hard to bear seeing her like this.

Despite all their efforts, despite everything that she had done, Myrefall had taken a heavy blow and lost many an innocent soul in the assault a few days back. And the fact that her valiant efforts had saved hundreds of their citizens seemed to do little to ease the burden the losses had placed on her heart.

And to make it all worse she had to put up a strong front for her people, no matter how sad she felt, no matter how exhausted she was...

He could not imagine how much of a strain this must put on the poor Quartier...

He wished to ease her pain. He could not undo what had happened, nor could he make what would follow any easier to achieve. All he could do... was to be there for her, as an emotional support and reliable ally.

“You have done all that you could... please, Lady Lenne... Try not to be so hard on yourself. Not one soul in this city is going to put any blame on you for what happened...”

He wanted to gently hold her and offer her support in that manner as well, for he could only guess how many years it had been since she last had felt such comfort and security. But he cannot allow himself to do so. It would not be proper.

After all.. he was but her guard....

[eternianblade]

The Prisioner and the Quartier

Luckily, following the encounter with the Adamantoise and their fellow guardsmen, Logan and Kamiizumi manage to make their way quickly to where the Lady Lenne was at the moment. Of course she was busy - how could she have not been, given the circumstances? - but at least she seemed to be safe.

What a relief.

“Lady Quartier, m’lady.”

Despite the dire situation the Swordmaster bows down before the woman he had sworn to protect before he continues to speak.

“Forgive me for leaving my assigned post at the main gates of the temple... But I could not stand by idle when your innocent subjects are being slaughtered...”

Oh yes, we had almost forgotten: He did defy her direct order to stay and defend he Main Gates... - But his reason for doing so was quite noble, so hopefully she’d understand him. He just couldn’t turn a blind eye when the town that had taken him in so kindly was under attack, was in danger of being destroyed? No, there was no way he could do that. He... he just couldn’t...

“On my way here I ran into this woman... she appears to be a spellcaster... - and... m’lady... she... she publically threatened... to rip out your throat...”

Logan - who had tried to maintain posture as good as he could during this - stared at the swordmaster with wide open eyes. Just what kind of woman had he been carrying around here then? And why had she not been punished for this heresy yet?

[eternianblade]

Delivering the Prisoner

The number of monsters around had only increased, much to the Swordmaster’s dismay as he and Logan the townsguard made their way towards where Lady Lenne was supposed to be. And it wasn’t just the giant amphibians or oozes anymore either, no. Somehow, the enemies had become more dangerous during the short time he fought with that woman. That was worrying.. very much so.

Just right this instane he was dealing with another snake that had elected the people of Myrefall as it’s newest snack, cutting it through in the middle finally. The snakes had been one thing, so long as he kept avoiding their poisonous fangs he was fine - the bizarre shelled creatures that also came forth were far more worrying in that regard.

“Logan, can you go on? Lady Lenne should not be much farther now, so do your best!”

He could tell the young guard was getting tired from having to carry this unconscious woman, as well as her weapons - the tonfas were hanging at the poor lads side and thus joined the spear strapped to his back as parts of his arsenal for now. And ultimately, this was a lot of weight to carry, especially in a stressful time like this, and the rain did nothing to help... - He felt sorry for the lad. But sadly he could not show compassion at this time...

At least they had not run in any real obstacle so far..

As if to spite him for this thought a low cry of a large creature can be heard in that instance, and indeed... how could it be any other way right now...

An Adamantoise.

“Logan! Try to go around it, I’ll hold it off!”

The blade raised defensively in front of his body, he tries to draw the attention of the large turtle, creating an opening for the young guard. And at first, it seems to succeed. The Tortoise focuses on him as he circles around it, observing him intently.

But then...

Just when Logan tries to slip past with the unconscious prisoner he carries the large beast deems it fit to turn it’s attention to these two again - and why would it not? An unconscious woman and a young man unable to defend himself right now? That was ideal prey, hands down.

“No, don’t! Logan, watch out, run!”

Just as the Swordmaster shouts out and tries to rush towards the unfortunate townsguard a small lightning bolt hits the side of the Adamantoise’s head. And another. And one more!

Perplexed Nobutsuna Kamiizumi turns around - and finds a small group of guards ready for battle, some of them obviously knowing rudimentary magic.

“Please hurry Ser Kamiizumi, You need to protect our Lady Lenne! We can handle this here, so go! We count on you, Captain!”

For a moment he is perplexed, almost as if hearing this all to familiar word had thrown him off balance. Captain... he couldn’t shake the feeling he had been called that before... by someone that looked up to him...

“... Understood men. I shall not disappoint your trust. But you stay safe as well! Don’t underestimate the foul game that is being played here!”

With these words the Swordmaster turned around and ran after young Logan, in the direction where the Quartier had to be.

He didn’t know it yet... but these soldiers who were the first to call him their captain... He would never see them again...

[eternianblade]

Defending the Main Gate

His orders had been clear and simple, yet their importance could not have been more imense.

“Ser Kamiizumi, I need you at the main gate,                   do not let this creature reach the crystal”.

Clearer words could not have been spoken, a clearer command not be given.

And this was exactly where he had positioned himself thus: The Main Gate of the Temple, overseeing the road leading up to it. He knew this was a spot of utmost importance, one he could not afford giving up. Especially not with Lady Lenne putting her trust in his abilities to serve as the final line of defense for these sacred grounds.

And yet still...

He could not help but feeling that up here, in this static position, he was ultimately neglecting the town and it’s people who had shown him so much kindness over the past months. Waiting here he was not protecting a single one of the unfortunate souls that found themselves at the mercy of whatever abomination it was that was attacking the town.

And this thought was hard to bear.

But what was he to do? Remain true to the Lady Quarier’s orders and defend the main gate or should he go and raise his blade to protect those that needed him the most right now?

A difficult decision for the Swordmaster...

[eternianblade]

The footsteps that echoed through the silence of the temple at this late hour were calm and not rushed. They held a steady pace, a clear sign that while the man responsible for them was not rushed he did have a goal. And it seemed he knew the path to his destination, too.

It is the Swordmaster whom these footsteps originate from, Nobutsuna Kamiizumi. He had been staying in Myrefall for a few years now, and at the temple for several months. Lady Lenne herself had promoted him to a post that made him a guard at the temple. And speaking of which, it was indeed the Lady Quartier that had summoned him at this hour.

“Lady Lenne? I hear that you have sent for me?”

His calm voice announces his presence in front of her chambers after he knocked on the door gently.