Happily Ever After: A New Take - IC

Gilbert thought for a second, and oddly enough his first thought wasn't to be rid of this curse.


"that's not odd, the old lady told you it could only be cured one way." He corrected his thoughts. Thinking of the old lady reminded him of something, something she hadn't answered. "Mrs. Fairy, if I could kindly make a request for my gift." He said, slipping into his 'Sir Gilbert' voice. " There is a girl I wish to find, the daughter of a spirit, a girl who I swore to prorect, I wish to find her, or at least have a way to communicate with her wherever she may be. "  he said, trying not to sound too terribly cheesy while still trying to sound chivalrous. Maggy hopped even closer to the fairy and ribbited.


@CosmicChangeling
 
@Kiwikat


Shiloh blinked at Gilbert and looked down at the frog at her feet. She sneezed, her mucus spraying the female frog. "Sorry....if you grow two heads...I think i can fix it." She looked down at her, her voice becoming more nasally as she blew into the hankerchief again.


"Frog boy, man...frog prince or whatever. I can't grant a gift you already figured out. Your spirit doo hickey girl thing is right there." she pointed to Maggie. "And you've been treating her like she's dirt so.....I mean that's almost grounds for cursing you. You're already cursed so can't go that route. There's your girl you swore to protect. Have at it. Introduce her to your friends instead of trying to hide her or whatever."


She then pointed at the frog, "And you miss, don't make me regret sticking up for you. You get annoying and I'll have four frog legs for dinner at some point. I hate frog legs but I'll make an exception." The fairy twirled her fingers, stopping only to make sure she had her wand, placing it in her mouth and nodding her head as if she was using it, but her concentration was on her hands as she manipulated the dust coming out of her pores. Gloves began to materialize she handed them to the frog prince.


"You sing.....alot....I respect that. I sing too. These are gloves that create a sonic boom. Knock your enemies thirty feet away from you by clapping your hands together. Don't do this in caves or avalanches...you will cause more damage than good. There. Gift. Boom. Next."
 
Gilbert was speechless, he looked at Maggy, then at Shiloh, then the gloves, then back to Maggy. "I-I-I-I b-b-b-but...What?!?" He finally sputtered. He picked up the golves with a swift bow, " I mean... Thank you for your kindness." He said. Maggy hopped back, still covered in mucus. Gilbert stared at her as if she were a burglar who snuck into his house only to make him a cup of tea. "Why the heck didn't you say something before?" He whispered to her. Maggy croaked back something snarky and hopped on his shoe. Gilbert thought for a few seconds, he had to apologize to her, for real this time... But now? If he did it now it would look like he was doing it because he had to, which he did. But that wasn't the point, "I'll talk to you tonight." He assured. "We can hash this out then." He nodded.
 
Light the way.


"If you have something that can guide my way towards the Lady, give it to me. Otherwise, I require no trinket." Came the distanced voice of the knight as his starry gaze rested on the spectacle occurring between Gilbert and his frog-damsel. The knight decided there was a pang of jealousey resulting from his observation.


Consequently, the helmeted view slowly wandered to the child remaining evenly seated on his shoulderplate "... truthfully, I would prefer something for Maiden Etna instead. She will not remove herself from her... spot. Our path leads into the most dire of dangers. Lady Shiloh, give her something that will protect her in times of need."


@CosmicChangeling @The Suspicious Eye
 
@Unwavering Knight @The Suspicious Eye


Shiloh looked at the small child sitting on his shoulder. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something very peculiar about her. Ignore the fact she was a small girl ontop of a mechanical creature and very calm about it. She knew little kids, they typically cried, hid or generally stayed away from creatures of that....well...


The fairy not being freaked out was normal, the child on the other hand. 


"You're the one that Edith Thatcher tried to kill, right?"
"Does anyone even care she tried to kill Alice?!"
Shiloh ignored the girl, leaning forward and trying to get a goo-aaaachooooo! She managed to sneeze in her arm but dust flew in Etna's face. 


"Sure....I can try something." The wand was put back at the tip of her mouth as she held her hands out letting dust cyclone and shape form. Ever since she was a little girl in the enchanted Forest, Shiloh never practiced her craft the correct way. You ask her how exactly she made edith's sword the way she did she would shrug and give a simple 'i don't know' because she didn't. She felt the magic course through her like a conduit and let it do what it seemed fit. 


Most of the time, the moment she saw what she created she knew why and what its purpose was. Like gloves with sonic boom powers, or a sword to teacha brat better manners. But as a clear stoned gem rested in her hands on a silver necklace chain she had zero clue what it did, what its purpose was or why her magic decided to create it.


She wasn't in the business of selling jewelry after all. Handing it out. "Uhh....here you go little kid. It...it definitely is magical. Wear it and it should...uh...protect you?" The fae wasn't sure how to tell the knight that the girl didn't really look like she needed protecting.
 
Malia did her best not to laugh as the arrows a were pointed to her. Oh how she love the pathetic weapons of humans. Unafraid of their rudimentary weapons she didn't even bat a eyelash at them. She turned her attention to see a woman ask if she could bring her daughter back. Floating down to her Malia smiled unusually sweetly, "of course I will. In exchange for one simple s-."

"DO NOT OFFER THIS WOMAN ANYTHING."

As evil Malia was she strongly believed in manners and one of the most annoying things she simply couldn't tolerate is people interrupting HER. Her eye twitched with rage as she looked at the magister. "What I'd you say you filthy pathetic worm...." The air around them began to heat up and the ground began to steam as she was ready to mirowave everyone there. If it wasn't for Logan, the entire village would have had missing children, burned homes and puddles of meat for villagers. Her eyes narrowed ready to release a heat wave that would demolish them.

Malia crossed her arms and glared at Logan. "Who thinks you can tell me what to do?" Like hell she was going to fix things free of charge. She didn't destroy things for just the fun of it. Her business was made of deals and payment she wasn't about to do something for free. She would have continued on this tangent except she saw the barrel of a gun aimed at Logan's throat. Focusing her powers the gun began to melt in the man's hand. The metal liquid formed around the man's feet welding him in place. Tossing her hair Malia smiled.

Stepping to the ground she walked over to Logan and looked at the guard. Her broom return to the small charm on her bracelet and looked into his eyes. "What do you think you are doing? Shut up." She raised a finger to his lips stopping the guard from talking. She smiled and shook her head. "I know you're trying to hurt my things." Her finger grew hotter as his flesh began to burn. "I don't like it when people go neat my toys without my permission. I don't like it at all!" She grabbed the guards mouth with her whole hand and melted thr flesh together. She instantly pulled the heat away causing it to cool and harden.  Watching the man give scared grunts and screams she laughed and looked to the magistetr. "I didn't steal your kids you stupid man, I hate children. Fire, yes but children. No way. Whoever stole them must really not like your watered down town."

Looking at the rest of the crowd sh spoke again. "I will do you all a kindness and get your children back. IN EXCHANGE....you all will pay a larger price. I require two strands of hair each and a piece of rope. Agree to the terms or loose your chance to get your kids back." She looked boredly at her nails waiting for the righteous indignation to follow until they eventually give up and agree. It was common st this point and it bored her to see the cogs of the simple mind turn.


@CosmicChangeling @Kiwikat @Katerang
 
Torrence didn't wait for Nellie to speak before expressing once again his discomfort with this plan. " So we are trying to con her?" Geppetto shook his head, "She's too smart for that, we just do what they ask, we don't have to like it... We just have to do it" Geppetto said to Torrence, his voice sounded as though he was deep in thought. Torrence's voice groaned "We already have this stupid thing to answer t-" suddenly, the goblin's hand flung toward his face at an incredible speed, Geppetto's voice as sharp and firm


"you can call Mal stupid all you want, but do not, EVER, refer to whatever we say all that time ago stupid"The goblin's head turned to look at how close the hand was from actually striking him. Torrence whistled. "some one's a little protective" Geppetto didn't answer and looked back at Nellie, "C'mon, your master and the wench went that way." He said, only now noticing the smoke, "we'd better hurry, before Geppetto slaps himself again" Torrence grumbled.


@Katerang


@The Suspicious Eye


@CosmicChangeling
 
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Shiny.


"Behold." Helbrecht spoke with a, especially flat tone as he looked down on the gem being handed over to Etna "Now the Maiden can look lovely while fighting mortal peril." Affixing his gaze on Shiloh, he continued "A trinket that only shows its power in the most dramatic of situations will exhibit its use soon enough, I am certain. Thank you, Lady Shiloh."


It stood to question if he approved of the gem's inherently inconsistent nature.


Having finished the arcane business, the knight turned his attention to his squire, just freshly the recipient of a fabled weapon meant to shield her from the most malignant of energies - at least if she ever managed to achieve the requirements. Naturally, it would be part of his duties to instill the values within her being, though for now there was a different matter that he wanted to clarify.


Trudging over to Edith, the knight's eerie voice intoned "Squire. How quickly do you believe you will be able to utilise your gift's magical protection? I ask, because it is a given that wizards, witches and the like will be amongst our opponents soon enough, I would have you understand the ways in how to combat them."


@The Suspicious Eye (Etna addressed)


@CosmicChangeling (Shiloh addressed, then Edith approached)
 
Geppetto was shocked to see the monkey had already left. He shrugged it off and ran hard in the direction of the smoke. He got there just in time to see Mal and the hunter man in the middle of quite a large group of angry people, justifiably angry people, the worst kind.


"What are we going to do about this..?" Geppetto asked Torrence quietly so as not to attract the other people's attention. Torrence obliviously shouted, "Why don't we just tell 'em that stupid dragon is to blame, I mean we already convinced the hunter it stole our child!!!!" He screamed almost purposeful loud. Geppetto gulped as he noticed a few townspeople turn to look at what had just said that. "INFACT!!" Torrence screamed, "WHY DON'T WE JUST TELL THEM THE HUNTER CAN KILL THAT DRAGON AND GET THEIR STUFF BACK!?!?" Torrence said, there was no secret, Torrence knew what he was doing, and he knew damn well Geppetto wasn't going to like it. Many of the townsfolk on the outskirts of the circle were now looking at the goblin like he was a drunkard watching a war from afar who would make comments like, "I could do that if I really wanted to, but I wanna take it easy on the other guys." Needless to say, the goblin was attracting a great deal of unwanted attention. Torrence knew it, so he continued, "THAT HUNTER GUY SURE IS GOOD AT KILLING DRAGONS, YA KNOW... THE DRAGON WHO ACTUALLY HAS ALL YOUR STUFF! IF THESE TOWN PEOPLE KILL HIM THEN THE DRAGON WILL GET AWAY WITH ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE NOT FIT TO BE FIGHTING A DRAGON, BUT LOOK AT THE HUNTER GUY" (Torrence then had to take a very rough sounding breath from all the "inconspicuous" yelling) "LOOK AT THOSE MUSCLES, IS HIS NAME HERCULES OR HUNKULES, I MEAN I'M JUST SAYING, IF I WAS A GIRL WHO WAS ALSO ATTRACTIVE I WOULD TOTALLY BE ALL OVER THAT!" Torrence screeched to Mal, Geppetto just hook his head, 


"What even IS your point anymore?"


"ALL I'M SAYIN' IS, IT WOULD BE KIND OF A WASTE TO KILL THE HUNTER GUY, BUT ITS A GOOD THING WE AREN'T TELLING THE TOWNSPEOPLE THIS BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE REALLY MAD AND WANT TO KILL AND BURN US!" 


@CosmicChangeling @The Suspicious Eye
 
Etna watched the others get presents. She hadn't gotten a present in such a long time, she wondered what she'd get. Excited to get something cool she couldn't decide what would be the coolest. No matter what it is she simply hoped that it was something that would destroy her enemies with ease. Hopping up and down on her knights shoulder she was quite excited. "I want a sword that can cut through anything. Wait! No! A mace that can destroy planets. No! Ah a scythe that can slice and absorb souls. No I want something bloody."


Etna looked at the fairy and smiled, "will kill." She happily corrected both of them. Etna may be peaceful for now, but she'll have her day eventually. She leaned back as the fairy  looked at her curiously "What are you d...?!" Etna was cut off as the woman rudely sneezed dust into her face. She coughed and wiped her face. Shaking her head she brushed the excess dust. "Ugh! Gross!!"


Etna took the jewelry and frowned at it. "How the fuck is this supposed to kill my enemies with blood and gore?" She held the necklace up letting it dangle in the light. "This is just a necklace, a stupid necklace." Frowning she shook her head and groaned. Looking at her she wondered if Shiloh even knew what the necklace could do. She sounded so uncertain Etna grew increasingly suspicious. "This is a cheap gift. I...."


About to say she hated the gift and didn't want it she was cut off as Helbrecht said she'd look lovely in it. If he likes it I guess I'll wear it. She blushed and put it on, watching the light glow red she smiled and snuggled up to him. "Okay. I'll wear it."As they made their way to the stupid girl Edith. She glared at her and snuggled closer to her knight's head. "Witches and warlocks should be killed on sight. They are the devils kin." Etna growled her gaze never leaving Edith, giving her a glare that said Edith could never succeed.


@Unwaivering Knight


@CosmicChangeling
 
When the events in the square had been finished, Red sent out invitations for the boys' funeral and walked back to the campsite, thinking of any additions to her speech she would need. By the time she'd finished thinking everything up, there were a mere twenty minutes until the beginning proceedings. Everyone from Cascain had returned to the campsite, with Alice and miss Carver the last to arrive, Alice with a sullen, defeated look and miss Carver looking smug. Alice had likely been yelled at for letting Zh'rsh possess her. Good on her for teaching Alice a much needed lesson, Red needed to write a letter of credit for the woman later. A tip on top of her annual pay, maybe.


As those last awkward twenty minutes passed, Red took a breath and left her tent to speak to the gathered crowd, which had been much larger than she'd previously anticipated. Dozens of townspeople had arrived on top of the group that had been formed during the chaos and aftermath of the previous day. It wasn't late enough in the day yet for Gilbert's curse to begin, though Red recognized that by the end of the ceremony they would be cutting it close; They had half an hour of burial and remembrance, followed by ensuring they are guided into their new lives as spirits, and finished with a celebration of their new lives in the form of a party of sorts. The sun would likely be reaching the horizon by the time everything died down, but Red figured Gilbert would be able to pay attention and make sure not to be caught in the middle of his transformation. 


"To all who have attended, now speaks Rowen, princess of the house of Sorell!" Caitlyn Mathews called out as Red left the tent, now feeling far more conscious of her foreign choice of dress: She was wearing a silk celadon dress, with slightly too-long sleeves and a skirt stretching to just above the ground. It had obviously been imported from one of the nations of the Far West, likely for one of the former lord's mistresses. There had been no time to weave any spells into the fabric to make it better fit Red's figure, so it was too big for her, but she had no other clothing which fit the funeral avaliable. As more eyes fell on her Red felt a moment of fear, a desire to run from the massive crowd and into the woods, where few or no people would judge her. 


But Red was a princess, no matter how little she liked it. She did her duty. Red walked up to the center of the funeral, where the bodies of her friends were surrounded by a semicircle of the other five Cascainians. Red, being both the speaker and the only person with any legal or blood relation to the boys, was in the center of the grounds, between their two bodies. After casting a small amount of green magic to amplify her voice to the full crowd, Red began speaking, trying her best not to let her own emotions hurt her speaking:


"Today we are here to bear witness to the end of two heroes. Morgan Freemont and Roose Freemont. They came into this world together twenty one years ago, the same day their mother left this world. Early in life the boys knew what they wished to do with their lives, and spent years mastering the bow and green magic in the attempt to become Cascainian royal guardians. They put everything into their practice and preparation, and were rewarded with an assignment to guard princess Rowen Sorell at the age of sixteen. They remained Rowen's - my - loyal protectors and friends for years following their induction into the order of guardians, and mentored me when I decided I wished to join the order as well. When their father passed on and was succeeded by their brother Darreck, the boys remained by my side in spite of their grief, showing themselves as paragons of duty.


"Several months ago, just after I had joined them as a guardian, we were assigned to guard Princess Alice Sorell in her travels west. Despite empty roads, ruined cities, and magic spiders those two men were able to keep their uplifting spirits with the group, always able to make a friend or two on the long road to Haevia. Yesterday, upon arrival in this town, Thorndike, Roose and Morgan left their mortal world, killed in the defense of their princess and charge. They died heroes of Cascain, guardians to the last breath." She had lied a bit near the end, but it was better than the truth - that they died in an alleyway, likely terrified of their coming demise, murdered by one of the very citizens of the town. 


With her speech complete, Red turned to Alice, silently asking the girl if she wanted to speak. For a moment, Red thought Alice's face said she would say yes, but then the girl seemed to hesitate, and shook her head. With no act to follow, Red signaled to those surrounding her to kneel. Carver, Matthews, Drakesbane, and Valen knelt, the latter three with blades dug into the dirt, leaving only Alice, the white mage, and Rowen, the green mage, standing. Both knew their roles, and turned to the bloodseeds now building roots within and around their former friends. Red began using her magic to create a falsehood around the bodies and seeds, making them look peaceful as false dirt fell into the pit and over them, covering the bodies and the seeds. Alice, at the same time, was casting her white magic to hasten the seeds' growth and absorption of nutrients, forcing them to grow from seeds into small trees in only a few minutes. 


As time passed, the roots completely absorbed and overcame the bodies of the boys, and Red's use of illusion magic became less and less important. After two minutes there was no evidence the bodies even existed, and Red's powers became unnecessary. The more perceptive of the crowd would notice some slight change as the fake dirt became real roots, but few others would notice anything. When the casting was finally complete, two five foot tall, thin trees with crimson red leaves stood where two pits and bodies once were. Alice looked exhausted by the spells, and Red made note to let her rest instead of making her parade around and pretend to care about the people who spoke with her. Red took note of the gasps of shock in the crowd, and even smiled as she heard a child asking if they could touch the trees. 


The spirit from earlier in the day, well aware that it was her turn to do some magic, appeared just in front of Rowen and Alice, materializing seemingly out of thin air. She looked older, much older, than she had been when Red and Gilbert had spoken to her, but even still Red could see the power that woman had in her old roots. Beside her, Red watched in awe as two other, much younger, spirits seemed to appear out of the trees. The two children, who couldn't have been older than eight or so, recoiled from her at first, before nodding at her silent expression, and each taking one of her hands.


They walked through and away from the crowd of humans, heading deep into the woods, before the woman turned around to look in Gilbert's direction. After only a second, and without saying anything else, the woman kept hold of the childrens' hands and vanished alongside them. Red didn't - couldn't - say anything. Her eyes were widened at the sight they were all treated to, and she knew what she saw was an event few would ever see again for the rest of their lives. 


After an increasingly awkward few minutes of silence and shock, someone, bless them, began passing out filthy Haevian alcohol, whatever it was called. Regardless, it was alcohol, and it was about time to begin the celebrations. 


-----


Five minutes passed, and people were being loud again. They were splitting up into groups together, talking over one another, and spilling whatever that foul tasting drink was called everywhere. Red had chosen to spend some time in Gilbert's corner, especially after the look between him and the spirit. "Did you have any idea what that look was about?" Red wasn't about to go through the pointless greetings or thanks or anything like that. Gilbert knew she appreciated him, she didn't need to overdo it. She really just cared about what the spirit was doing, and why.


@CosmicChangeling


@Unwavering Knight


@The Suspicious Eye


@Katerang


@Kiwikat
 
Gilbert absent mindedly took a swig of whatever this liquid was. He swallowed to answer then recoiled as his face scrunched in disgust. "People drink this?" He thought, looking at the glass, "on purpose?" His eyebrows raised to the glass. He put the cup down and tried to ignore the burning in his throat. He never had the opportunity to try alcohol, and at this point he was glad he hadn't. He wiped a tear that somehow escaped from his eye and answered. " I was more prepared to see her, I wasn't expecting her to look back." He said, not looking up from his cup, " she might not have been looking at *croak* me" he croaked and narrowed his eyes. "Sorry, this is cutting a bit close, I will be *croak* croaking  *croak* often" he said, feeling rather annoyed. Maggy hopped off his foot and to Gilbert's suprise, she was getting heavier... And bigger! Gilbert tilted his head, but shook off his curiosity. He turned back at Red and took another sip out of respect for the men's lives. " is *croak* *croak* that what all *croak* funerals *croak*  are like for you?"


@Homage
 
Gilbert was about to continue his thought but the croaking was getting worse. "I'm *croak* so sorry *Croak* *croak* I will *croak* just go to *croak* sleep *croak* at *croak* camp*" He croaked. He beckoned Maggy to follow him. He payed no attention to the fact her skin was getting paler or the fact that her webbing between her fingers was going away. He was too caught up in trying to supress his croaks. He found his way to the camp and laid down looking at the sky. He hummed himself into a sleep-like state and for the first time in a long time forgot he was even turning into a frog. His low hums turned into croaks, which turned into snores. He forced himself to wake up when he remembered he didn't leave a bed for Maggy, seeing how he vowed to protect her and all, it was the least he could do. He fully opened his eyes and felt his froggy skin against the hard floor. He looked in the direction where Maggy was sitting. She wasn't there. Instead, a naked woman looked at Gilbert's frog self with fascination. Gilbert looked at her then scanned around for Maggy then his head snapped back to the naked woman,his brain was not ready to process that. He shielded his eyes and screamed a very croaky scream. The woman screamed a very womanly scream, so really everything was how it was supposed to be.


    "WHO ARE YOU!" He exclaimed throwing his head under the covers. The woman opened her mouth but all that came out were weird choking noises. Gilbert didn't dare take his face out from under the blanket. Thank God frog anatomy was different than human anatomy. The woman made the noises again and hopped on all fours over to an embarrassed frog. One last round of noises and Gilbert slowly realized what this was, only question was... How. "M-M-Maggy." He asked, taking his head out from the covers, it took a lot of effort but he looked her in the eyes. Sure enough, their eyes were very similar, at least similar enough for Gilbert to be a little more sure that this woman was Maggy. She nodded her head vigorously, Gilbert closed his eyes and took a breath. "How?" He asked as calmly as he could muster. She shrugged, Gilbert winced. "And before you move anymore, just... Get some clothes on... Okay?" He said grabbing his human sized blanket and handing the corner to her. She opened her hand too big for the blanket and grabbed it with a whole fist. She then looked at Gilbert as if to ask, "What next?" Gilbert sighed and motioned wrapping himself in an invisible blanket. Maggy mimicked the action and lifted her arms in celebration. The blanket fell to the ground. She picked it back up with a frustrated, "hmf" and tried again. Gilbert motioned tying the lose parts of the blankets. Maggy nodded with a smile and did as she was shown. She clapped her hands. And sat down next to Gilbert. The blanket was too small for her, but at least it covered the places Gilbert was too honorable to see uncovered.


    "C-c-cloothsss" she tried to say. Gilbert was impressed immediately, he concluded it must have been some kind of magic. "Clooths!" She pointed at Gilbert's clothes. Gilbert nodded,


"Your mom made them for me... I don't suppose she will be here to make you a pair, Don't worry I'm sure one of the girls will  help you find something... Maybe not all of them..." He said thinking carefully. He didn't mean to think that offensively to Red, but something about the way he said it made him think he was being offensive, perhaps too much time around Edith where everything he said was offensive. "Either way, I'm not sure if you meeting everyone like this would be a good idea... Or maybe it would, I don't know... What do you think, go or not..?"


"G-g-go!" She nodded. Gilbert shrugged. 


"What's the worst that could happen" He hopped up to his feet and took her finger in an attempt to help her up. Big mistake it almost ripped her makeshift dress. He carefully did the best he could to help her to her feet. "I just hope the festivities aren't over just yet..."

@Homage @The Suspicious Eye @Unwavering Knight @Katerang @CosmicChangeling
 
The small child with her pale complexion and white hair, standing  next to the giant armored kinght, was a wriggling ghost in the crowd. Etna fiddle with her new necklace throughout the entire funeral, trying to find some sort of hidden weapon or secret in it. Unlike the others she saw funerals as a inconvenience. They were for the living, not the corpses and she had no time to appease those whours still kept their sentiments. Besides the time to cry about loved ones was long gone for the young girl. She she'd her last tear when she froze on that cold winter day.


However, Etna stood through the funeral watching one girl intently. Her crimson eyes burning with a death glare through her bangs at he little pampered  Cascainian princess, Alice, looking oh so sad at the death of her servants. Couldn't ever bring herself to say some words about her fallen commrades. Etna scoffed as the Cascainians spoke fondly of them. Cannon fodder till the end. It doesn't matter who you are if you sign up to fight you sign up to die. These soldiers don't deserve this. No one does. As the funeral came to a end leading to the wake Etna let go of her Knights hand and made her way over to where Alice was, she had something to  tell her. Stealthily sneaking past any of the others who would try to stop her. Her eyes caught the glistening of a bottle  of amber liquid. Well...she didn't have v to do this completly sober. Swiping a bottle of alcohol from the loose hands of a drunk citizen, she drank as she made her way further into the crowd following the girl. 


Etna had the alcohol tolerance of an old man, she finished half the bottle before she caught up with the girl. "A-Alice..." Etna tapped the girl's shoulder, and smiled. "Don't worry I'm not here to kill you. That's for another day. I just wanted to tell you.... that it doesn't matter how you say goodbye. Those two are dead because of you and your people. Go back before you end up losing everything you care about. Then....Then you'll lose your life by my hand. Knowing that you have their blood on your hand." Etna grinned and patted Alice's shoulder, "you've been warned. But you're probably too st- ugh." Bile began to rise up from her esophagus, maybe she didn't have such a strong alcoholic tolerance like she thought she did. 


Covering her mouth she turned away and ran back into the crowd to find her knight. 


@Homage (sorry Etna is mean.) @Unwavering Knight
 
Gilbert and Maggy found there way back to the outside of the area where the festivities were held. Every foot they were closer to the crowd, the more unsure he was... The whole time they were walking Maggy was practicing her speech.


"Grasss" She said as she scrunched her toes in the few patches of garss there were around them, Meanwhile Gilbert was hard thinking


"What happened today that would cause such a thing... Was it even an event today, maybe it was from yesterday and I just never noticed it... MAYBE HER MOM DID MAKE HER A HUMAN..." 


"F-f-fiire" Maggy pointed at the fire that lit up the area. Gilbert's thoughts continued,


"Maybe she has her own fairy godmother like Edith... Wouldn't that be cool, I wonder if all fairy godmothers are like that one was..." He thought even harder...


"Bugs" She said without struggling as a mosquito landed itself onto her arm. He went to lick it but it flew of before she could. With another 'hmf' she walked on in silence. Gilbert's thought rampaged, "What if I show her to them and then Edith thinks that I am a pig because I brought an almost naked woman with me... What if I can't explain them that this is Maggy or what if I do and they don't believe me... What if..." 


"We need to see someone who knows magic..." He said outloud.


"fairy!" Maggy smiled and pointed to the crowd. Gilbert nodded and took a step into the crowd, leading his V.I.P behind him by her finger. He walked past Red and waved, as did Maggy. He decided to walk over.


"Excuse me Red, have you seen Edith's fairy anywhere..? I have run into a very... Magical... Problem" He smiled at his choice of words and Maggy giggled.


@Homage


@CosmicChangeling
 
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The amber glow of dusk settled the the cool darkness of night as the wake of the two heroes continued. Many of the townspeople drank and partied in the crowd, celebrating  the  life of the fallen or just getting drunk. Everyone was dancing and having fun with with eachother. Inir was not one of them, he was away from the cheerful chaos leaning against a solid oak tree. A glass of some kind of alcohol on one hand and in his other he inspectrd his brother's sealed letter. Magically closed in it tried to open it to no avail, he  sighed as he looked at the golden writing, 'Not Yet.'


Running his fingers through his hair he tried to figure it out. "When will yet be? What is inside this envelope? Is it a letter? Will it say where you are? Are you alive? Where yoi'be been?" He lowered his hand, dejected. "Or is this your last cruel joke, Jack? Knownig you, brother, it may be." He took a sip of the strong liquid, not even sure when he had gotten it. Wincing at the bitter taste he closed his eyes and let the alcohol seep in. His mind wondering as to what it could be.


The letter shimmered and the words changed to, 'are you sure?' Inir Looked At It surorised, "yes, Yes I am sure. Open the letter Jack Please!" The letter shimmered and shined only for the words to scroll around again to spell. 'Patience.' Inir sighed and looked at the letter, what am I waiting on? Just tell me.
 
((Collab with @CosmicChangeling))

Edith just raised a browser at the knight. Was he serious with this question. "I think I know how to use a sword. I don't lie, I should have no problem."


She was more irritated at such a basic solution instead of being yearnest and inquisitive. Edith was like a grumpy bear or wild animal in human form.


A moment of silence. The knight tilted his helmeted head slightly to the side, as if having to readjust his view on Edith.


"You plan on using a sword against entities that can turn you into a critter with a glance? Turn your cover into a wailing wall of snakes? Heat your armor to the point that your insides boil within?"


The helmeted head straightened again, looking directly down on the crutched girl "Suppose that the sword's anti-magic capabilities function flawlessly as the fairy described them. What do you do if a witch does not bother casting spells directly, but instead chooses to conjure an army of monsters out of thin air to drown you in bodies? Or rips open the earth beneath you, leaving you to tumble into an endless abyss without ever even looking at you?"


The fifteen year old's bored state remained as she seemed unbiased by Helbrecht's serious concerns. Concerns that she should have taken seriously.


But didn't.


She held the shield and the sword up as if it answered his redundancies. "A hoard of creatures....I just fight them. Done. An abyss I will get out of it. I grew up near the enchanted forest I fought magical creatures. I can handle myself."


Creatures that were animals that fought based off instinct and people with magical abilities were two different things completely but Edith seemed unphased. "Besides if I get thrown in an abyss and can't get our game over. World ends. Doubt you can prepare yourself for abyss dropping and it's not like you have any experience. You might. You aren't really human, not really. Maybe you have." She shrugged.


"A knight am I." Helbrecht spoke, a questioning tone entering his voice. For a moment he lifted his gaze from Edith, letting it wander "For that, am I not sufficiently human...?" For the duration of his words, he did not deign to look at her.


"As for weavers of the arcane." The voice reverted to its harsh timbre, helmeted view affixing itself on the squire as if fulfilling a practiced gesture "I have slain twelve witches, five mages, six sorcerors and four wizards, reaching a total of twenty-seven, not counting certain outliers."


"Fighting them requires a different approach." The helmeted head gave a slight twitch, gaze recalibrating itself to search Edith for a change of attention "Avoid direct engagements. Most arcane weavers can not keep their concentration up if subjected to sudden amounts of pain. Shoot them, trap them, poison them, starve them, dissect them, use them. But beyond all, do not be seen before you kill them, unless you have quick measures at the ready to replace a volume of your flesh and bones in an instant."


"Do not rely solely on your sword and shield to keep you safe. They are but boons that at this moment are just as likely to fail you as they are to keep you alive, unless you enjoy the thrill of casting a coin to see how many of your innards you are allowed to keep between engagements." One of the knight's claws opened slightly, indicator digit pointing at her crutches "As soon as you can move fluidly again, we will practice moving silently and hiding in different terrains. Whatever you learned as a hunter in the woods will be quite useful, such skills we will further refine."


Edith did not look amused. Her deadpan expression remained intact on her face as she listened to Helbrecht. If anything her gaze made it look like she was barely paying attention. Inwardly she was groaning. Mages. How to fight them. That sounded like she needed to pick up a bow and arrow and be a weakling, hiding to take down foes.


Thea had told her she needed to rely on the group. Was this why she was stuck with this Red woman. To kill stupid mages? oh god is that why she even had a mage around was to deal with this?!


She looked down at her feet. She wore shoes much much larger than her actual feet size. They were embarrassingly small, it made it easy to swiftly go through the forest without a sound but she didn't want people to actually see them. ".....stealth in the woods. Ok...." Already regretting this and picturing the knight mocking her tiny little feet. "I don't see you being a very....stealthy person. How do you teach that if the very sight of you is obvious from miles away?"


"I crawl on walls and ceilings. I walk as if I belong where I do not, for none expect one such as I to be there without noise, exactly because my sight is all too obvious. On several occasions, I pretended to be a statue. It has yet to fail, curiousely enough." The knight's armored shoulderplates gave a slight rise, a metallic clink followed by a strange click as cord-like muscles contracted in an unfamiliar way. The gesture appeared wooden.


"I can move silently if I must. But the matter if I teaching you is secondary to the fact that if I can covertly move, then certainly so can you with much more ease."
 
In the aftermath of the funeral life continued. The time for celebration and mourning was over, it was time to move on. Picking up their packs, closing their tents and gathering their rations, the group of estranged travelers slowly continued their journey to the capital center of Haevia. A goal that was getting closer every day. Hard to get over the loss of two proud soldiers, day by day the group returned to a semblance of normal as they made their way to the warm wilderness of Haevia. A week had passed for the group and after days of nothing but trees and grass they finally reached civalization.

It was a odd town, quite small, but that wasn't what was out of the ordinary. What was odd was the architecture. Every building was curved at some point as if a large man had sat himself upon the home straining the wood to curve. Roofs leaned to either side and littered everywhere in the town were statues and busts of a fat balding man. His face, a series of protruding lumps, as if his whole face was a unkeened lump of dough. In the center of town stood the most prominent statue of the large man. Made of pure gold the man was adorned in furs and silks holding a scepter in his plump sausage fingers. In mid day light the shining head of the man's face shone a brilliant reflection right into our young heroes faces. The town of Brightdale, was in front of them and inside the newly appointed leader waited  for them.


Etna winced as even from outside the town, the light shined in her eye. "Ugh too bright!" She slid off her Knights shoulder and hopped to the ground. Looking up at him she walked to his side and wrapped her small hand on the large creatures clawed fingers. Doing her best to keep up with the knight's pace she had to nearly run, but it was worth it to be by his side. Looking off at the hideous little town she scowled. "Ugh. What kind of place is that?" She frowned in disgust used to simple surroundings even before her death she wasn't a fan of the statues.

A fleeing villager caught her eye and she couldn't help herself. It was just too easy of an opportunity to not take it. Looking away she ever so slightly extended her foot to trip the unfortunate soul. Without fail the young brown haired man tripped over the girl's foot and slammed his head against the hard ground. With a loud crack the poor man gave a grunt to show he was at least alive. Etna looked down at her victim and smiled before covering her mouth. "Whoops! Clumsy me."


-----


Headed to the same location on a different path Arthur, the white haired future king of Camelot, made his way towards the small town. Having used Haevia own spies against them, he got a detailed lay of the land and the King's castle. As he walked more and more villagers ran in terror past him. Raising a eyebrow he tilted his head, his thumb rasing to break the seal of his swords sheath. A soft smooth voice spoke in Arthur's ear.

"You know how much I despise being stuck on your stupid sheath Arthur." It was the silky voice of the Sylph Silvia trapped within his sword. Only to appear once fully drawn she dawns the sword with water magic. Having been trapped for eons before Arthur pulled her sword from the stone, she is a bit temperamental at times.

"I'm sorry Silvi, but you know others can't see you. They'd freak out." Another villager ran past him screaming and shouting with a mixture of anger and fear.

"Why didn't you take the other sword instead? You know how I hate adventures." A soft pout could be heard and Arthur chuckled.

"You know how Merlin is about Excalibur. He hid it from me. Somehow he knew I'd do this. Besides I like having you around."

"Of course he did. He's just used to your antics by now. Still I have to say that I am willing to deal with the horrors of adventuring as long as I'm with you." 

Arthur smiled but something caught his eye. Up ahead a young maiden fell to the ground hard. With long auburn hair and full lips, not to mention a body that was tight in all the right places. "Well off to my antics Silvi. Sorry."

"Oh no. Don't you dare clo-" Letting the sheath fall back onto his sword Silvia's voice was silenced. Being the chivalorous young man he was he quickly went to the young maiden's side to help her up. "Are you alright? Here let me help you up." He lifted her back to her feet, holding her close to his chiseled chest. "What's going on here? What are so many villagers running from?"

The maiden fell against him and looked up at him with fear in her eyes. "O...our local dungeon master. We made him mayor...He'd done so much work... but...he's gone mad, he's delusional. He just outlawed all villagers with brown hair.  We're running because if we're seen we'll be shot on sight." Tears welled up in the woman's eyes as she began to cry against him.

As he was just about to turn his charm up soldier spotted the maiden. "Hey you stop!" The soldier drew back and arrow and shot it at the young maiden. With a whoosh, Arthur cough the arrow inches away from the woman's face. He looked at the soldier with a cool rage. Underneath the shaking armor the solider knew he was in for it now.

"Go. Run, now."

The girl gave him a nod and ran off towards the port where he'd come from. Arthur smiled, "you know. Ita rude to shoot arrows at pretty girls." He walked forward, the soldier frozen in place in fear. "I think i should teach you some manners." He snapped the arrow in two and swung his fist.
 
The mid day sun brushed across the wayward group of jumbled puzzle pieces. A woodsman, a monkey a witch and a...goblin? Lay in the wake of a charred forest. Clothes torn, with cuts and bruises everywhere the group lay unconscious, but surprisingly still alive. The soft melody of the forgetting song still rung in their ears as slowly one by one they would begin to wake up. Their memory of the past week gone to the wind, their enemy had slipped through their fingers and any relevantions, lost.

Malia's brow furrowed in her sleep, she was missing something. Rolling around she reached our and felt something warm. She smiled and snuggled up close to it, resting her head on the heat source. At peace she took in his... overwhelming smell of filth and garbage. Now that wasn't what her, aptly called, hunk of man meat smelled like. She opened one eye and saw the scaley mucus green of Rumple.

Both eyes shot open as she sat up. "Ew! Gross!!" Her hand went to her pulsating temple as a head rush took over and heavy migraine set in. "Fucking hell..." She paused and looked back at the goblin. Still mad at him not being her woodsman she punched him square in the gut, for his own rude awakening. She smiled hearing the pained groan from her victim of the morning.

Looking around she squinted at the destruction around them. This seemed like her handiwork, but she had no recollection of how or why she set half a forest ablaze. Then again did she ever really need a reason? A shiver ran down her spine as she finally looked down to see her clothes torn and cuts and bruises everywhere. "What the...?" She looked over to her group and gave an annoyed grumble. Standing to her feet she faltered before getting her footing. Looking at the sleeping Logan she smiled and tapped her fingers against her lips. Let's give him something sweet hmm? Sure she was worried about her memory gap, but that didn't mean she couldn't play with her cute toy a bit. Besides this isn't her first memory wipe. She walked over to him and leaned down and kissed him ever so lightly. Her heart pounding in her chest as she stroked his cheek with her fingers and she nearly sang, "wake up sleepy head."


@CosmicChangeling


@Kiwikat


@Katerang
 
Torrence rumbled himself awake and did a good deal of grumbling after that. 


"Ugh. You could't have waited a few more minutes before waking me up, Wench? I was having the most lovely dream about my fairy."


With his right hand, the goblin slapped himself lazily across the face as if he wasn't awake enough to do it with all his might.


"hey" Yawned Geppetto, "What have I told you about calling her wench?"


"You just said we should be nice to her."


"and you think calling her wench is being nice?"


Geppetto said, sounding more awake.


"you're focusing too much on the words I said and not how I said them, it was a sarcastic 'wench' not an offensive 'wench'"


"you and I know that is bull because we are the same person... Anyway... Good morning Mrs. Witch. I assume you slept well too?"


@The Suspicious Eye


@CosmicChangeling


@Katerang


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Gilbert looked at the statues and whistled. "now THAT is the face of power..." He said as he examined the portly statues. Maggy ribbited in agreement as Gilbert called forward to the rest of the group, (Gilbert had taken the caboose so he could look around at the new unfamiliar parts of the forest.) "Hey, We're stopping here right? I wanna meet this guy!" He looked that the statues again and marveled. 


@Unwavering Knight


@CosmicChangeling


@Homage


@Katerang
 
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The journey was sooooooooooo long. Chase had never walked so much in his LIFE..... It didn't help that Edith kept wacking him with her sword whenever he started lagging behind. She claimed she was testing her new magical sword. Chase was just lucky that the thing apparently wasn't working and he never got anything worse than a few welts. Although one time he could have sworn the sword phased throught him, but it was probably a trick of the light.

But now they were in a new town. FINALLY. He could rest and get some real food, like bread. GOD. He missed REAL BREAD. Bread was suppose to be soft what they had been eating wasn't soft!

Suddenly a glimmer caught his eye. Woah. That was certainly a statement piece.... Chase looked over the gold statue and coulldn't help thinking, Shouldn't the gold have gone to helping the people? But he immediately chastised himself. For all he knew that statue was helping the people!


Then a man practically ran into him bringing him out of his thoughts.... And he realized there were a couple people running.... Weird.... And they were running away from the center of town....


Then a man tripped.


"Oh my gosh are you okay?" Chase in knelt down beside the fallen man and checked where he had wacked his head. "This doesn't seem too serious.... probably...." Ha. Like Chase knew about medicine. He looked over at the cause of the tripped man, "Hey Etna are you okay? He didn't hurt you when he ran by did he?" Poor Chase... Can never think a bad thought about anyone.


The man groaned in response to him. "Uh..... let me help you up..." Chase started to stand and his hair caught the light just right gleaming golden into the mans eyes just as he opened them too look up at his helper..


"AH NO PLEASE!" The man shouted in fear his eyes suddenly wide as he scrambled back but stopped when he realized it was just Chase's hair. "Oh god.... for a second I thought that stupid statue was after me...."


@CosmicChangeling


@Kiwikat


@The Suspicious Eye


@Homage


(still working on the Nellie part)
(I edited it because the page refreshed and deleted half my post.
 
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It was a pitiful sight when the girl on crutches and a broken leg had more stamina and moved quicker than people. The week travelling with her new....companions...had been hell. Thea had been mooning after the tall purple haired wizard, Inir, acting more like a love sick dog than anything else. She droned on and on asking questions about what he liked to do, how he learned his craft...and how fascinating he was. She wanted to tell her sister that even if she did like the boy, she needed to have some sort of dignity about herself than to literally act like without him around you'd be lost.


It gave men power over you that no man ever deserved to have. 


So, she would whack Chase to keep up and when he would whine and pout she would say that she needed to practice her sword, did he WANT her to fail at saving the world from ultimate darkness? Good, they were on the same page and she'd whack him again. (Edith didn't actually believe her sister's premonitions to be quite frank). And then she would whack Inir telling him to not hurt her sister or her heart or she'd cut his out for him. She'd glare at Etna, making sure.


Entering the town, Thea grabbed her sister's arm reaching out. "Edith, we need to cover our hair."


"Why?"


"Most of us have brown hair, at this moment it's not very wise for us to be in this town with it."


Shiloh, paler than snow, she sneezed into a hankerchief dust flying everywhere. She pulled out her wand flicking it as her index finger pointed at individuals. "On it. Blondes and redheads for everyone."


"Not me." edith barked. "I'm not changing my hair color just because my sister told me to. And I'm not covering. Some crazy loon wants to do something because I have brown hair then let them."


"Edith....your foot is still mending..."


"Fuck it, I don't care, let her learn on her own what happens when you don't work with your team." She changed everyone's color, Red's to a dark purplish red, Thea's to blonde, Alice's the same as her family members and so on so forth. "Last chance kid-" Shiloh stuck her tongue out when she saw the snarl look on Edith. "Ms. Grumpy gills over here."


Edith saw the man lying face first on the ground, brown hair, his body covered in sweat. She poked his back with her crutch nudging him to sit up right. "You. What's going on here?" she asked.


(Will work on logan when i'm home sneaking this in because slow day in office. Been job applying and taking interviews to get out of dodge got some good prospects. i might be in switzerland for two weeks :D)
 
When the group finally left Thorndike for a new village, Rowen was both relived and distressed. They had new companions to share the journey east with, and their companionship had been proven solid by their time dealing with the tragedy in the village, but the cost felt too great to Red. She still felt guilty for the loss of her longtime friends, and nothing could change the hole in her heart where the boys once were. Shiloh, Chase, and Inir lightened the mood in their own ways, but Red still felt like the group was missing the clever quips of the boys.


As time passed, it became rapidly apparent that the groups' food supply would run out quicker than anticipated, no doubt due to the party size doubling essentially overnight. On the third night of their travels Red began sneaking off early in the day, sticking around the group while trying to hunt down nearby game in order to lessen their use of rations. Every day had been lucky, as she was always able to bring back at least three rabbits or squirrels to cook. By the sixth day Red looked forward to spending the morning on the hunt, alone with her thoughts and nobody around to accidentally kill. The seventh day felt like it came too soon, and Red knew from her studies of the map that they soon were likely to arrive in the town of Wellington (Now named Brightdale). 


When they came upon first sight of the village, Red overheard Thea, Edith, and Shiloh talk about changing hair colors, and found that the hair of everyone from Cascain had been changed to a purple-red hue. When Edith actively fought against Shiloh changing her hair color, Red shrugged and cast a quick illusion spell on Edith's hair, turning it (And part of the top of her forhead) a bright blue. Edith wasn't getting out of going along with the plan, no matter how much of a fit she threw. 


When Etna obviously tripped the man running from his village, Red glared at the girl. She would not hurt a child, but between her threats towards Alice and her active malice towards Red's fellow Cascainians the girl was rapidly burning through Red's patience. It wasn't smart, but Red felt the need to finally discuss things with Etna, if only to decide whether she should warn the others about the type of person this girl was. Red walked up to Etna and Helbrecht as the remainder of the group was focused on spellcasting and interrogating strangers, speaking in a voice barely above a whisper.


"Etna, you need to stop this hostility immediately. Not everyone is as kind or patient as Chase. Some of us see your actions as a danger to the group," Red held her hand above her dagger as she glared at the girl, wanting to make her threat as obvious as possible. "I won't warn you again, change this tone of yours before I begin to see you as a threat to get rid of." As she finished speaking, Red offered Helbrecht an apologetic look. She had nothing but respect and gratitude for the knight, but if it came down to it he was not worth as much to her as Alice.


-----


Alice sat looking outside of her carriage, across her mentor. She had cast spell after spell as they passed the nature around them, rotating primarily between Red and White. Unfortunately, Miss Carver seemed out to get her for the day, as every spell was either too reckless or too slow. Her fire magic moved too quickly, did too much damage, and her healing magic didn't repair her burns from ice magic quickly enough. Every spell was another failure, and all of that was before she touched on the runecarving of Green magic, which Alice couldn't even begin to understand. "Why are you so incapable?" Miss Carver asked after Alice's seventh failure in green magic. "Your aunt can do it, and she's been training barely longer than you. She casts dozens of runes an hour whenever she fills her quiver, yet you can't make a single rune in just as much time! You have more talent with magic than she, so what makes you such a failure?" Lady Carver's voice rapidly rose in volume as her anger grew, and Alice knew it would be idiotic to argue back.


Still, sometimes self control was hard. "I'm incapable? You and I both know I am a better Red & White mage than most are in either category, so why does my Green magic matter so much? Few can learn more than one spell type, yet you expect me to know three? Nobody in the family can cast all three types of magic, so why do you expect me to be able to?" The voice in the back of Alice's head (Not Zhr'sh) that normally told her when not to open her mouth had mysteriously gone silent, so she let her mentor have it. Why was she expected to know everything, when few mages in recent memory had ever been able to claim ability in all three worlds of magic?


But even with that voice gone, Alice felt regret moments after opening her mouth. She felt her legs stiffen, the temperature of the carriage dropped rapidly. Her body was becoming less and less mobile, she was being punished again. She shivered and let out a single suppressed yelp, trying not to be loud enough that someone outside could hear her. Alice felt Zhr'sh in the back of her mind, screaming to fight back, to fight Ice with its natural enemy, but Alice forced herself to ignore her spirit. "Apologize." Carver said, her anger contained behind a terrifyingly neutral mask.


"I-I'm sorry, ma'am," Alice responded, trying to avoid her mentor's eyes.


"Good." As she responded, Alice felt the ice magic slowly receding from her body, though the agonizing pain was still there. "Now get out and walk the rest of the way to the town. We should be there shortly." As instructed, Alice stood up from the carriage and exited. As she knelt down to heal her burns, Miss Carver spoke again. "No. The burns should be hidden under your dress and stockings. You will keep them for the duration of our time to and at this village, as punishment for your insubordination." Alice shook as her teacher gave such an order, but nodded her head, to terrified to try anything else.


-----


@CosmicChangeling


@The Suspicious Eye


@Katerang


@Kiwikat


@Unwavering Knight
 
Malia smiled at the little show of duality between the smelly creature. She had to admit that between she preferred the polite Geppetto rather than the rude Rumple. Although she didn't remember much of the past week, but it was clear the moment she met his other personality, she preferred him more. Smiling as her sleeping beauty she looked over to Rumple/Geppetto, "Good morning to you." Tossing her hair she gave a cheerful, although somewhat cynical, smile. "I did in fact sleep well, however, I don't seem to remember anything that happened here." She paused as she tried to remember anything in the slightest, "no...nothing. I remember the village and those stupid villagers, but nothing more." Placing a finger to her cheek she cocked her head ever so slightly, "I wonder, how much time has passed?"


@Kiwikat


------


Traveling with the group of young heroes was a challenge for Inir. He wasn't used to  company on his adventure, let alone pleasant company. The children of the Xremis family never traveled together for fear that their sibling would turn on them to get their father's favor. Many siblings have lost their lives at the hands of the surviving five. Inir included although his murderer a regretted accident, but murder all the same. Feeling out of place in the group he would glance to Edith for an example. She was so strong even with her injury she was still traveling along with the group, motivating the rest of them. It was downright admirable.

Then there was Thea. He couldn't help but feel a bit flustered as she'd talk to him. Walking a bit slower to keep pace with her as she asked questions and gave him compliments. He didn't deserve it, there was so much he'd rather not say. The Xremis family has terrorized the entire globe from Cascain to Camelot. Mentioning too much might end with his head on a pike. Doing his best he gave a warm smile and answered most of her questions. Dancing around the few he couldn't answer honestly. Although it was strange, it was as if Thea knew the answers before he told her, and could tell he was lying when he did so. She couldn't possibly know what and who he truly was...could she? No. If she knew she'd hate him just like the others. Inir was no different than his evil family even if he didn't share their malice. As they talked his hand twitched and he looked to Edith wondering what he should do. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries.

Feeling the heavy thunk of Edith's sword against his head he turned red as a tomato. "W...w...what?! I-id never...." He looked to Thea and grew even redder if it was possible. Completely tensing up he was relieved as Thea pulled the conversation away from such things. He sighed and walked behind the Cascainian carriage. He stopped as he saw Alice come out and begin walking. With his long legs he was beside her in a few bounds. He looked over at her a bit surprised she was walking, instead of riding in the carriage. "Good afternoon Alice. It's nice to see you out and about..." he saw the pained look on her face, and instantly changed his tone to serious. Placing a gentle hand on her solder he looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Are you alright?"
----
Etna smiled at the gullible Chase as he asked if she was alright. It took all she had not to laugh in his face right them and there. Getting to know all of the interesting characters in the group she had to say Chase was the one who she like the most, aside from her knight of course. He was too blinded by what she assumed to be a mental defect that he cannot possibly see anything wrong in anyone. It was fascinating and she wondered what would happen if he'd ever find someone to loathe as she did. Glaring at Edith for a moment before looking back to Chase with a smile. Giving a slow nod she hugged Helbrecht's arm, "I'm fine, mister." She looked down at the stranger she'd tripped with pride. Even causing a little bit of trouble filled her with such...satisfaction. However, her moment of bliss quickly died as Red came over to them. Traveling with Cascainians was the worst, she didn't know why or how the others could even stand their backwards ways. These people are our country's enemies, they should be grateful she hasn't slit their throats while they sleep.

Her smile faded replaced by a death glare as Red tried to scold her. Who did this filth think she is?! Scolding me like a child. I'm... Her train of thought stopped there as she watched Red place her hand on the dagger. A cold smile returned to her face as she actually paid attention to the rest of the threat. She chuckled and shook her head at the Cascainian woman. Her eyes flashed and her necklace faintly glowed as she spoke. "Listen here filth, your pathetic threat, just like your pathetic people mean, nothing to me. You should see me as a threat, because I'd kill you all in a instant if I ever truly felt like it. Be grateful that I have my own reasons for heading to capital. Otherwise I'd have done my duty to my country and strike you down where you stood. None of you are a challenge worth spitting at. So next time you try to tell me what to do, remember, I am a threat. The question is how painfully will I kill you?" Etna's necklace faded back to a dull color and she calmed down. Her chest felt a bit weird, but she didn't break her eyes away from the woman's gaze. Etna has died before and the place she was sent to was... She had no fear of dying again.

-----
The brown haired stranger coughed trying to ease his embarrassment. Tripping and falling, then mistaking a man for a statue. How foolish was he? Getting to his feet he gave a bashful smile. "Ah...thank you. I apologize for shouting. After having those statues all around you start to think any bit of gold is him." He winced and stumbled as he looked down at his reddened ankle. "Ah!!... I must have injured it in the fall. I took quite a tumble didn't I?" He gave a tired pained smile as he looked at the group. Noticing all them with different hair colors he gave a sigh of relief. "Good you'd all be safe..." His eyes lingered on the dark skinned Cascainians, "possibly."

Trying to place weight on his ankle he sighed. "Our new mayor... he was one a well respected dungeon master. The king called on him frequently for requests, but after taking power he went mad. Turning or village into a large dungeon he's been making crazy decrees. No spoons at the table,  making the word shake illegal and now banishing anyone with brown hair. I'd recommend you avoid this place before our mayor makes another harmful decree."

Appearing behind Gilbert armored guards pointed to the man. "Hey halt there!!" The man turned around and paled as he began to run, regardless of his injury. Looking back at the goup he shouted,  "Beware of the mayor!!" The guards ran around the group chasing after the stranger. Meanwhile the shining village glistened calling the group towards a quaint wayward inn where s hot meal was waiting for the group.

A young waitress deliver a pint of ale to a blonde man in the corner. Making her way to the bar counter she sighed. The bartender was cleaning glasses. It was a slow day, not much to do since half the village was banished. "Why the long face Jenny?"

Jenny looked at the bartender with a sad smile.  "I just. I wish this place was more lively. I miss the atmosphere of rowdy travelers. I just miss action."

"With all that is going on, we have enough action as it is girlie. We just lost half of our village to one decree including the mayor's own daughter. Who knows what is next." As he spoke his mustache danced as the curl tips wriggled. "Be blessed for the peace we have right now." He smiled, but agreed with her. This slow business would soon kill the inn itself if this continues, but to speak out is foolish.

Jenny smiled and nodded, "you're right. I mean it's not likely that anyone will come. No traveler in their right mind would come to a village like this."


@CosmicChangeling


@Katerang


@Homage


@Unwavering Knight


@Kiwikat
 
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Geppetto nodded, "They were angry cause some dragon took all of their stuff and burned half the village" He said, looking around. He didn't actually mean to emphasize half, but they way she had just responded to him meant she probably wouldn't have cared. "Yea, we gotta kill that dragon too. It took our cow!" Torrence growled. It took Geppetto a few seconds to remember the story they made up to convince this group to kill the dragon. That was why they were sent there in the first place. "Right! We should keep heading to that dragon."


"Do YOU remember where it is Geppetto?" Torrence snapped. "Well, no but hunkules as I recall you called him can probably track a dragon down from miles away." The goblin walked over to the sleeping man and poked him lightly on his face.


"Doesn't look like he is getting up... HEY WE-"


Before he could finish the goblin punched himself in the gut.


"WITCH, can't you just wake him up with magic?"


@The Suspicious Eye


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Gilbert watched the men rush behind him in awe. "Woah! I wish I could summon guards whenever I wanted. This is the coolest Mayor guy... I don't even like spoons to be honest." When they had gotten inside the Inn Gilbert looked around and whistled. 


"Dang this city is even fancier than Thorndike was." He saw the bar and reached in his pocket for money. Why would he have money? Instead he tapped Inir on the shoulder.


"Hey, got any ,money... I wanna buy some food."


@The Suspicious Eye


@CosmicChangeling


@Homage


@Unwavering Knight


@Katerang


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Gabriel hated this city. Well, hate was too strong a word to use about anything. The city was fine up until recently. but since that new mayor most of his time was spent delivering muffins to the fat man  (and sometimes providing his service as keeper of enchanted artifacts too.) Sure, today was one of those days he had to himself, and he could be in any town right now. But for some reason he decide to wait here for one more day, he seriously doubted anyone would be cool headed enough to wander into some bakery that only served muffins. Still he flipped his hands and activated the ring to create muffins, and as fast as they were created they were in the display case. He created one extra and ate it for himself. He looked out the window absentmindedly and was surprised to see someone new to this city. He got out from behind the bar separating him from the customers and opened the door.


"Hello Sir, could I interest you in some muffins? First one's on the house." He smiled.


@The Suspicious Eye
 
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