Fantasy Chronicles of Cre' Est (Triveila)

[Firewind]

​

Lonán listened to the conversation of Lorraine with some interest. A mystery disease that affects the lungs? In a noble family? Curiouser and curiouser. He was certain that there’d be quite an adventure involved, or perhaps a job or two. A high paying job, his first in over three months.

But those thoughts were interrupted when Kyero suddenly lashed out at Ares who defended himself out of reflex. Lonán‘s hand immediately grasped onto Serena’s Flower, his crossbow, and he looked very unamused at Kyero. As quick as the aggression came from Kyero, the quicker it evaporated. “Lashing out aggressively without warning or challenge. Typical Svi’ik trick.” He thought. He was about to voice his disapproval when Lorraine started scolding the demon like an unhappy mother with her child. She even stomped her foot down with the warning of ‘never again’.

“Agreed with Ms. Lorraine. No more unprovoked attacks like a Svi’ik, no more unapproved brawls within this group. Or the next warning will be a Saharanian one.” Lonán stated. “That, I’m sure you know, Kyero, is more tactful, and oftentimes more pointed. So pray, think of my Scabbard. You see, she loves my sword, and she wishes him to stay indoors with her.”

He smirked a little at his own little joke before Hawk hopped on the road for a hot second as if attempting to buck Lonán off for making such a terrible joke. “Don’t be a critic Hawk! Or no carrots!” Lonán scolded when the horse settled down again.

 

[Wayne]

ARES LANCELOT LINNARD

MENTIONS
GojiBean as Lorraine & Kyero || Firewind as Lonán Arzura​

He felt the tension lower as Lorraine tried to scold Kyero about his actions, but Ares knew men like him were hard to reason with. He adjusted his red hood, covering his mask better, his eyes vanishing in the shade created. As Lonán added to the conversation, Ares nodded, completely agreeing with the man, but perhaps for the time being it would be best to simply disregard the action, consider it some kind of useless tactic to test Ares, he did not have to show his strength just yet, but at least they knew he could defend himself.

“I would like that” He crossed his arms “should we continue our journey then? I think it would be best to progress further before the sun is out.”

That raised a question in his mind, he had no equipment to camp out, he had survived the night by passing the night in taverns or finding other strangers who were out camping and were kind enough to spare some space for him to rest, although he was no stranger to simply lying down on the ground at night in pure darkness, he was glad that the nights weren’t cold enough to kill him.

“Do any of you have the equipment to camp?” his eyes glanced at the sky, the soft breeze passing felt comforting “I suppose you all know better than me how far we are from the capital, correct?”

Ares already liked Lorraine and Lonán, they seemed like leveled individuals, and the doctor’s mention of the disease made him feel that the capital could also provide him with work, he was some kind of mercenary after all, although most of the jobs he had completed were small time, he could count in a single hand how many times he had done protection jobs or anything else, perhaps it was because he lacked a proper weapon.

 

[GojiBean]

Lorraine & Kyero​

Kyero looked up at Lonan with a cold, dark glare practically daring him without words to step down from the horse and back up his mouth.

"Hey!" Lorraine snapped.

Kyero's attention was instantly pulled to her.

"I know that look, mister. None of that." She said, pointing a finger up at his face mere inches from his nose.

"You haven't forgotten that your amnesty's conditional, have you? And those conditions don't have an expiration date. If you were to cause a brawl which, Peur'tia forbid, ended in any severe harm or the death to innocent travelers you'd be locked away for the rest of your life. And you've come much too far to risk that!"

She retracted her hand, took a breath, and softened her voice while adding a warm smile.

"Besides, you probably still have an army's worth of enemies out there from your time in Te'i Sai. You don't need to be adding any more. Especially when you're the one who suddenly threw a punch at someone who posed no threat to you. So try to relax, okay? And if you want to know something about them, just ask. It's a lot easier and safer than throwing punches for whatever reasons you did." She said, reaching out and giving his nose a light flick.

She then spun on the ball of her left foot to face the other men.

"On another note, I agree that we should see if we can reach another inn or rest stop before sunset. As for camping gear, Kyero and I traveled light. So all I have is my medical bag, and Kyero's got... Whatever he's got."

At a glance it didn't look like Kyero was carrying anything aside from one dagger strapped to each hip. But since he wore a black hide jacket which fell low enough to completely cover his waist almost anything could be hiding within or behind his back.

"Kyero. Do you remember how far rest stops are from one another on the main roads here?"

Kyero glanced away a moment, the wheels in his head clearly turning.

"I think about every twenty miles or so." (~32km)

"Oh... How far have we walked since the last inn?"

"Five miles, give or take."

"Mmm... You think we can we cover fifteen miles before sunset?"

"Yeah."

"For you, or all of us?"

"All of us."

"Okay! Then let's get moving!... Oh! Wait. One last thing."

Lorraine turned and strolled up to Hawk, giving him a big smile as she reached out to pat his neck and give him a kiss on the cheek. She then looked up at Lonan, and her face, though bearing a smile, was quietly stern and matched her polite, yet sharp tone of voice.

"Much as I appreciate the effort to deter Kyero's rather foolish punch idea, I think you need to relax a bit more as well. Threatening further violence is no way to make your point that peace is the best solution. And I'd rather not see Hawk become riderless. Isn't that right, Hawk?" Her tone shifted to pure sweetness when she addressed the horse.

Wayne Firewind

Capital City, Auxeras​

Auxeras. Capital City, and the crown jewel of Triveila. A bustling mini-metropolis which had in recent days become a frenzy of activity. Preparations for New Years celebrations were now in full swing. Everywhere one looked both business owners and regular civilians were setting up decorations such as hanging flags, flower wreaths, hanging charms and paper dolls of good fortune, decorating the local shrine to Auxereilla, Mother of the Gods, and much more.

Not only that, but everyone's clothing had become more festive with brighter and more saturated colors than was standard throughout the rest of the year. Bright blues, greens, reds, and yellows were the most common colors. With less saturated accent colors along the hem, seams, collars and buttons.

"Cela! Did you finish the paper cranes yet?" A man called into his home's open front door.

"Almost papa! A few more to go!" Came the response of a young girl's voice.

"Thank you! When you're finished please start hanging them on the porch railing!"

"Yes, papa!"

The man then began hauling large bags of hand-made scarves to the local children's orphanage just up the road not far from the West end of the central marketplace. Along the way he greeted others who had done similar by knitting shirts, sweaters, and pants for the children as well. Orphan or no, they would have their share of the festive spirit and be included in all the action on the day.

Among the major festivities was the New Years Festival. This was the largest and most anticipated of Triveilan holidays where everyone would craft and wear hand-painted wooden holiday masks, wear traditional clothing such as the Kimono and Yukata, and spend the entire day with their entire collected family who would all agree well in advance where to meet for the big event. Additionally, fireworks shows, especially those done along the beach where the ocean waves could reflect the light of the explosions to add to their power and majesty, were a staple of the event and would commonly continue for upwards of an entire hour.

Another smaller, but never the less a near universal favorite holiday was the Seishin Festival, or Spirit Festival.

During the daylight hours of Seishin, everyone spends the day in quiet solitude to pray and pay respects to their ancestry. As such, it requires daytime fasting. Seeing your family or eating prior to nightfall is considered bad luck. Once the sun sets fully beyond the horizon everyone reunites for a large family meal before migrating to the beach where the entire local community sings a hymn of love and remembrance dedicated to the departed.

At the conclusion of the hymn a bonfire is lit and two circles are formed around it. The outer circle is for musicians and singers, and the inner circle is for any who wish to participate in a traditional dance of mourning for the departed. It's believed the bonfire guides the spirits of one's ancestors back to this realm to share in song and dance with their descendants, sharing their pain of being separated by death but always concluding with a song of love and remembrance to share in the love of family prior to the end of the festivities. At the conclusion of the dance, everyone returns home to sleep. Nothing more is to be done this night.

With everyone skittering about it was also a time of great gathering for thieves. Triveila wasn't known for its crime. But the capital city during New Years was just too alluring for thieves both local and international. Most of the thieves were very subtle and practiced, and only stole little things during the day so as not to attract attention. But come the Seishin bonfire dance, that was the most common time for homes to be broken into while everyone was away at the beach for the festivities. And in recent years it had gotten worse. Last year alone almost seventy homes in the capital city reported broken windows and door locks being picked.

There was a call for an increase in the local guard patrols. However, with the festival's importance to everyone, the Queen and Queen-In-Waiting included, it was difficult to justify depriving anyone, least of all the guards who already had one of the more dangerous jobs in the nation keeping everyone safe in the streets, of their right to remember and honor their departed family.

 

[Firewind]

​

Lonán smirked as Kyero got his scolding. He was sorely tempted to get into a brawl with the Red Eyed Demon, but if rumors were true that’d be one brawl Lonán would not walk away from. He listened as they discussed how far they had left to go and knew it’d be at least a couple more hours then to reach the next rest inn. He was about to voice his readiness to get going when Lorraine strolled, no, literally sauntered over towards Hawk and started petting him.

“W-Wait a minute! He’s a mite temperamental! Picky about Wh-“ His warning stopped short as he noted that Hawk was not reacting or trying to bite as he normally would a stranger. In fact, Hawk seemed to be enjoying the attention given to him. Lonán was flabbergasted. Then he looked at her smile and he almost had a dusting of pink form around his face before it died down at her statement.

She admonished, no, downright scolded the way he phrased his warning. Telling him to relax as well and not need to answer violence with a passive aggressive warning. His eyebrows slightly furrowed before he smirked. “I am Saharinian. Telling me to not be the tiniest bit aggressive is like telling a tiger to change it‘s stripes.” He said with a grin as if he practiced this statement several times. “Or telling a healer to do harm to a person. It can’t be done. I’d pay 20 gold to see a Tiger change its stripes however.”

Lonán then checked the sky for the Sun’s position. “We can argue all about Cultural differences later however, as I’m sure that Inn’s not gonna grow legs and come to us.” He said, grin still present.

 

[Wayne]

ARES LANCELOT LINNARD

MENTIONS
GojiBean as Lorraine & Kyero || Firewind as Lonán Arzura​

And I'd rather not see Hawk become riderless. Isn't that right, Hawk?"

How would Lorraine know the outcome of a fight between the two? Ares looked at Lonán who certainly looked more than ready to take anyone on a fight, he was Saharinian and Ares once overheard that they had that fighting spirit. So it seemed as if she trusted her gut by saying that he'd lose, even if she did not say that directly. Either way, that was not a fight Ares took any interest in, he had his mission of reaching he capital and that was the only thing he wanted to do.

So none of them carried anything besides Lonán and Hawk, suddenly Ares did not feel as bad for not carrying anything with him, of course he missed having a weapon but that was the only thing that he truly needed, he could make good money with his job, even if most of the work he accepted was far from dangerous, they still provided him with enough gold for food and shelter.

"Right, let's continue then" he took the first steps, taking the lead as he continued walking. He wondered about the capital, how big the city was or even how friendly they were but Lonán had said something about a festival of some kind, so Ares could only imagine that the capital would be crowded with visitors from all around the land, perhaps that would mean more work offers for him.

The only thing that truly bothered Ares was the fact that he would still have to pay the blacksmith for any kind of weapon and if he remembered correctly, he had no more than five gold coins with him, he would be lucky to even obtain a dagger from the blacksmith so even before he reached the store, he would have to first obtain the means to pay for the weapon, what great trouble he found himself in.

 

[GojiBean]

Lorraine & Kyero
Date: December 24, 574 CE​

Two days came and went very quickly. Resting at the inns and rest stops along the way, the new group spent most of their time simply walking and enjoying the serenity of the beautiful Triveilan landscape and the loosely scattered forests which occasionally overtook the main road before giving way shortly thereafter. Occasionally they would speak to each other, but mostly about what they were seeing and making sure everyone was in eyeline of each other and contributing to camping and other necessities such as standing guard (with backs respectfully turned) when one of them had to relieve themselves.

Along the way Kyero had paused several times to scan the trees, shrubs, large boulders, and other obstacles which occasionally dotted the landscape. When asked why, he either didn't reply, grunted, or gave one to two-word answers. "Mmm," and "It's nothing" were by far the most common, much to Lorraine's chagrin.

Ares and Lonan, however, may or may not have known or at least heard of what Kyero was doing. It was a technique called "Spotting," commonly used by thieves and assassins alike. If they were concerned that they were being followed they would suddenly stop and survey the landscape. It was a rather overt way of letting anyone who may or may not have been following or watching them that Kyero knew they were there, or strongly suspected they were, and that any approach or attempt to ambush the group could (and in his case likely would) incur a harsh, perhaps even violent response.

It only happened a handful of times. But each one was enough to make Lorraine more and more frustrated with him for not just speaking up as to what he was doing and why given that she'd worked so hard to try and get him to behave in a more sociable manner back in Cretas, and had actually managed to make good progress with him in doing so. But now it was almost as if he suddenly regressed to the way he was while still with Te'i Sai.

Nevertheless, the group finally reached the capital city of Auxeras.

A grand Tori Gate entrance over eighty feet tall greeted any and all travelers, and was visible from miles away due to how flat the land was becoming the further West they moved. As they arrived there were several shrine maidens who greeted them with a deep bow at the waist, welcoming them to the city and wishing them a safe and enjoyable stay.

As they entered the city proper the difference in architecture between Triveila and Cretas was really becoming more apparent and awe inspiring for Lorraine who looked around, mouth agape, and curled in an awe-inspired smile as she took it all in.

"It's beautiful!" She exclaimed as she jogged ahead of the boys a few paces before turning a full 360 degrees to look at all the buildings, rooftops, decorations, and outfits everyone was wearing.

It was such a festive atmosphere with bright colors, paper cranes and other animals, hanging flags, signs, street musicians, and much more. In fact it was almost overwhelming just how festive and alive the city was. According to what Lorraine had heard it was usually much more relaxed despite the population count. But, given how close they were to New Years, it made sense that the city was so active.

Obviously, people had heard of Kyero's amnesty. But they still took obvious notice and were, understandably, very wary of him and gave him a wide berth.

"Okay, boys! I'm going to find my client and see what the issue is with their son. Kyero, you coming with?"

"Mm." He grunted with a nod.

"Great! Then come on! I have the directions. Their home is just North of the main Market, and has the family crest above the front door on a wooden hanging sign. They say you "can't miss it." So we'll see if we can find it. How about you two? Ares, you wanted to visit a blacksmith, right?"

Wayne Firewind

 

[Firewind]

​

Lonán was admiring the Tori gate entrance as he rode on Hawk following the others into Auxeras. He looked at the city beyond it and blinked before silently contemplating all he heard about it from various sources. He looked at the bright colors and was amazed and entranced by their intricacies. “By the sands.” He said softly, “It’s everything you said.” His mind drifted to a conversation he had a long, long time ago with a friend.

——

“When I’m able to travel on my own, I’m taking you to Auxeras for the New Years’ Festival! We’ll have a load of fun! You’ll see Mel!”

“If you say so. Also, we’ve been over this. Don’t abbreviate my name. It’s just plain ol’ Melidan.“

“Whatever you say, Mel-Mel.”

“Serena! That’s even worse!”
——

Lonán blinked when he heard Lorraine’s proclamation of the city being beautiful and snapped out of his thoughts of two laughing teenagers under the twilight skies of Saharan. “I quite agree Ms. Lorraine, it’s everything I can imagine.” He said as he then listened to her general plans which were currently visiting her patient and figuring out what’s the matter. He pondered for a moment but nodded.

“I’ll follow your lead for a spell Ms. Lorraine, Kyero.“ Lonán said, “I got nothing better to do as I’m mostly here for the festivities and a potential game or two of my favorite dice game if they allow some gambling. But maybe not.” He shrugged.

“Besides, Hawk has taking a liking to you Ms. Lorraine. He’s never warmed up to people that fast ever since I acquired him in Valkyom. Isn’t that right buddy?” Hawk could only snort in reply.

 

[Wayne]

ARES LANCELOT LINNARD

MENTIONS
GojiBean as Lorraine & Kyero || Firewind as Lonán Arzura​

As they passed the tori gate, Ares felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had been to that place before, his mind spun around as if it was trying to solve some kind of puzzle but he was soon distracted by the lights of the festival, the children running around and the loud vendors selling items of questionable quality. As he looked around, Ares felt as if the entire group was in awe at the beauty of the city and its festival, he wouldn't deny that it was amazing, it even made him feel the need to enjoy it, perhaps dance with some groups, play some cards or something.

"...How about you two? Ares, you wanted to visit a blacksmith, right?"

"Oh..." He looked distracted, as if he had been consumed by his thoughts for all their conversation, he looked around, trying to remember the memory that was so eager to escape, he glanced at her, looking at her eyes as his brightened "that's it, the blacksmith" he said, pointing at her before giving the doctor a thumbs up.

"I feel like I have been here before, I'll find a map to the nearest blacksmith" he looked at the group, it seemed as if they were going to split apart as Lorraine, Kyero and even Lonán were going to the home of the sick man, although from what he heard, it was just north of the main market, perhaps they could pass by the blacksmith before visiting the house? Ares was sure it would be best and even better would be if they ate something on the way.

"You will pass by the market? I would not mind accompanying you too, but I need to check the blacksmith first, I'm almost sure there is something I must to there." Despite not admitting it, Ares felt very curious about the mysterious disease, and he also wanted to see the doctor in action, perhaps if she was as good as it seemed, she would be able to help him with his own problem, his memory.

 

[GojiBean]

Lorraine & Kyero
Date: December 24, 574 CE​

"Aw, thank you gentlemen!" She chuckled. "Okay! To the market!"

Lorraine strolled casually, taking in the sights and sounds as they went along. She offered everyone a smile and a bow of her head which was usually returned in kind. The few times they weren't was when Kyero walked closer to her as he was also distracted by the sights and occasionally picked up his speed without realizing it. A couple guards strolled along with them at a respectful distance, keeping their eyes on Kyero. Clearly, despite the amnesty announcement, trust in him was still very low.

As they entered the market they beheld arguably the largest open space in a city Lorraine had ever seen. At its center was a large fountain with a statue of the Mother of the Gods with water coming from either open palm which were both held outwards above her waist. It was beautiful. And the craftsmanship was astounding. The detail in each square inch made it almost look alive.

But the space. The sheer volume of open space. It was absolutely massive. When Lorraine asked Kyero if he knew how wide it was, he said he couldn't remember. Lorraine went to ask a local and they confirmed that the market, from end to end as a near perfect circle, was approximately 640 feet. The market in Cretas was barely even half that side, and that seemed big to Lorraine for most of her life. But this market put it to absolute shame. And yet, despite the size, it didn't feel empty at all. There was so much activity and hustle and bustle that it felt just as cramped as the one in Cretas on a bad day. Shoulder to shoulder for much of the march to the Northern end with Kyero's presence being the only thing helping part the way. Though, only just. Lorraine still brushed shoulders with many people. But so long as Kyero was at the front of the pack there was at least a small parting of the sea, so to speak.

At last, they reached the Northern edge of the market and Lorraine paused to take a breath.

"Phew... What a sight, don't you think?!"

She looked down the road to the North, hoping to spot the sign with the family crest. But, alas, it wasn't visible yet. She flagged down a local and asked if they could direct her there, and they were kind enough to do so. Up the street for two intersections, then take a left. It would be on the right side after a few doors. Lorraine thanked them and the group took off. Before long, they arrived at their destination.

"Here we are!" She spun around and faced the three men. "Now, remember gentlemen that this is a noble's household. Mind your manners. Especially you, Kyero." She winked.

Kyero grunted in response.

With that simple rule now set in place, she knocked on the door which was opened by a servant who asked after their identities. When he saw Kyero he nearly slammed the door shut in their faces. But Lorraine managed to assure him that there was no threat and showed him the summons letter. He allowed them all entry, but was very wary of Kyero and took a step away as the Red-Eyed Demon walked through the door.

The man came around to stand in front of everyone and cleared his throat.

"Everyone. If you wouldn't mind, please, remove your footwear. The master of the house disallows shoes of any kind on the mats from this point forward. You may proceed either bare foot, or with socks. Thank you."

The entrance had a wooden floor with several racks for shoes and other clothing items like jackets and whatnot. Lorraine complied and removed her boots and socks, and Kyero did the same. When he set his boots down they hit the ground with a metallic "thunk."

"Hm? Kyero, what was that?"

"There's metal in the toe and souls of my boots."

". . . How do you walk so quietly, then?"

"Practice."

Lorraine was incredulous, but shook it off and waited for the others to comply.

"Well, gentlemen?"

The attendant also watched and waited expectantly for their compliance.

Wayne Firewind

 

[Wayne]

ARES LANCELOT LINNARD

MENTIONS
GojiBean as Lorraine & Kyero || Firewind as Lonán Arzura​

The capital really was everything he had heard from others, the market itself was huge, crowded and with music everywhere. Ares accompanied the group as best he could but felt his body being dragged by some kind of force, as he looked around, it was some kind of dance where people jumped and spun in a large group, there was a certain grace to it, but Ares was not the kind of person who knew how to dance, and he wouldn't even be able to with all that armor he carried, but somehow people were leading him, as if they knew him for years, as if he was some kind of friend, was that the magic of the festival?

“It's a human whirlpool, that's it” he thought, trying not to stumble as he followed the group, he peeked his head up, trying to focus on where Lorraine and the rest of the group were but he could only catch the top of their heads in the crowd. Eventually he was almost thrown out of the dancing circle, he patted his shoulders, looking up as he noticed a simple sign with an engraved anvil on it, with not much thought he swung the bamboo door open. The interior was dark, aside from the lights of the forge and the windows that were somewhat covered by large wooden planks and crates.

“Excuse me?” Ares said.

“Yes, welcome to the best blacksmith o-” A man came out of another room but his eyes widened at the sight of Ares, he almost jumped back, closing the sliding door as he shielded himself with it “go away, leave now” he yelled.

“What happened?” Ares looked around, but he was the only person in the room.

“I thought that my dad lied, but you're alive” it was a younger man, but Ares couldn't remember him or even what he was talking about. Either way he walked to the door, the sound of his heavy metal boots getting closer and closer.

“Why are you scared?” He grabbed the door's side and started to force it open, winning with barely any effort against the young man's strength.

“Please” he tried to keep the door closed “you came here demanding a sword that was beyond my father's ability, you beat him up when he refused, he worked everyday on it out of fear” he looked at Ares’ cold and expressionless mask “but you weren't using any of this, yet I would never forget your voice.”

“When did this happen?” He asked.

“Why are you asking these questions? It was months ago” the boy stood up, hearing the crackling of old wooden stars, his father walked down, noticing the red hooded man.

“Who is this?” He looked pale, old and somewhat sick.

“My name is Ares” as his mouth closed the father almost fell down the stairs, but kept his composure, coughing once as he walked towards a few crates that were close to the forge.

“Hm Ares, you finally came to retrieve your weapon?” He asked “please understand that this is not my specialty, I have never worked on a piece this big.”

“What are you talking about?” Ares questioned both of them, trying to understand if he had been there before or if perhaps there was a chance they had gotten him mixed up with someone else.

“Accompany me, let me show it to you” the frail old man walked to another door that led to some kind of inner garden with the rest of the house kind of circling around it, the sun shined bright as a Sakura tree sat at the center of the garden, a sword resting against it. The sword was long and seemed to be heavy, there were no details engraved on it, the blade was curved, a Flamberge of some kind, forged by a blacksmith who was not proficient in creating weapons of that kind, was that the weapon of choice Ares looked for? He questioned himself, walking towards it.

“As you may have noticed, it is simple. Creating a weapon that big demanded much effort, I failed one too many times.” the old man sat on the stairs that led back to the store “I suggest that you find blacksmiths with knowledge about long swords to properly give this weapon the care it needs, for the time being it is no more than a blade, it is your duty to refine it into a proper weapon.”

“Your son told me I hit you” Ares sounded defeated.

“Oh yes, you did” the old man had barely any anger in his voice “yet I denied you my one and only service, I do not agree with your actions but I understand the frustration.”

“I apologize, I don't know the man I was a few months ago.”

“I can see that, I noticed from the moment I saw you, you sound different.”

“Different?”

“Calmer, when you first entered my store, it felt like a demon had stepped in here” Ares grabbed the sword, he imagined it would be heavier, but it was light enough to the point where he could comfortably lift it up with both hands, yet he knew that if he tried to one hand it, that would not work. He swung it around a few times, feeling the weapon as he got to meet it. The old man seemed satisfied with his work and perhaps satisfied that Ares was no longer the same man.

“I don't know if I have enough gold for a weapon like this” he said, checking his five coins again in the hopes that another one would magically appear.

“Oh no, you paid in advance, Ares”

“Well, thank you then” the old man bowed and Ares followed, shaking hands after doing so.

“Your journey has only begun, when news reached that you had been killed, I knew that no mere man would be able to defeat you.”

“Thank you sir, I appreciate everything, but I must return to my group” they parted ways, with Ares heading back outside, he felt conflicted wondering what kind of man he was before losing his memory, but shook off the feeling by noticing the group was almost gone, he was sure Lorraine would be admiring the architecture and the festival for hours, but he had been mistaken, he barely caught them leaving, pursuing them as he carefully pushed people away.

Eventually as the trio were turning left into a street he caught up to them, he was surprised at how light the sword was (7lbs/3kgs) considering it's enormous size (5’7/175cm) but he was sure that swinging it around would eventually get him tired, despite his physique, which he had been training since waking up from the accident, the sore pain he felt from training sometimes made him forget the feeling of his skin burning. However there was one thing that bothered him, the old man had said that Ares was ‘killed’ and it never crossed his mind to ask him about it, but perhaps the old man wouldn't be able to answer, sometimes news just reached people with no further explanation, just ‘he is dead’ and that is all.

As they reached the house, Ares wondered if he was supposed to leave his sword behind, but all they were asked was to remove their shoes, at that point he felt more comfortable leaving the sword with them. He took off the metal boots, revealing a layer of chainmail that covered his entire feet and leg, one could theorize that Ares wore some kind of chainmail set that covered his entire body and underneath it was another layer of black cloth, a simple sock.

“Hopefully the chainmail will not be seen as disrespectful, I use it for medical reasons.” His tone indicated he was simply notifying everyone in the room rather than asking to be allowed to keep it.

 

[Firewind]

​

Lonán joined Lorraine and Kyero in sightseeing the Market, taking in the views from atop Hawk. He watched as people eyed Kyero warily, even more so than the Saharanian with a repeating hand crossbow, and a longsword of a length of 112 centimeters. Though when the young mercenary thought of it, Kyero’s reputation as the Red Eyed demon made his current position feel as precarious as Lorraine told it to be. He was half glad now that she gave him that warning, despite it being told through petting his horse.

Not that he wanted any enemies, he had roughly one major enemy he had to leave behind at Saharan. That’s all the enemies he’d want for one lifetime. Though if he should ever come looking for him, Lonán was confident he’d be ready for that Zankora svi’ik any time of day.

He instead returned to looking at the sheer size of the place.

——

“The Marketplace is so Huge it’d make Her’eshia’s look like a busy street!”

“I highly doubt that, Serena.”

“Trust me Mel-Mel. One day you’ll eat your words!”
——

”Yeah.” Lonán said, agreeing with Lorraine’s statement as he followed her to her Client’s home and dismounted. He got his sword on his belt and in a ceremonial manner, tied it shut to its scabbard. He nodded at Lorraine when she asked him to behave as he put his hand crossbow on his belt as well. “I’ll behave as if my Shiekh was living here. I know my Clan’s Shiekh personally, but that is another story.”

After introductions were made and everyone made it into the entrance hall, the request for shoes to be removed were met with a raised eyebrow as one by one, each person complied. Though he noted the chain mail about Ares‘ feet as well. What sort of person wears armor for medical reasons? Wouldn’t the weight slow him down? Or what if the hot sun makes the metal hot in summer? He scratched his chin before the servant looked at him expectingly.

Lonán sighed and sat down upright and pulled each of his combat leather boots off, showing red socks with a soft teal decorative emblem of a raven and a wolf chasing the sun. The raven was on his right foot, and the wolf on his left foot. He slowly looked at everyone in the eyes. “. . .Do not laugh.” Was all he could say about his socks as he stood up and was ready to join the others.

 

[GojiBean]

Lorraine & Kyero
Date: December 24, 574 CE​

Lorraine smiled at the boys once they were all ready to go, although Ares' statement about wearing the chainmail for "medical reasons" had her intrigued. She'd have to remember to ask him about that later. The attendant was a bit skeptical as well but nevertheless allowed it as he led them through the house.

They were soon led upstairs, and the master and madame of the household were waiting outside their sons room. As they approached the madame, dressed in an elaborate yukata with black and gold floral designs with a white trim and sash, gave a deep bow at the waist while her husband, dressed in an all-black yukata with a red trim and deep purple sash, gave a shallow bow of his head only. Lorraine gave a full bow to forty five degrees, as was customary in Valkyom for women of standing.

The pair had been so focused on Lorraine that they failed to notice who Kyero was at first. But when the madame of the house looked up into his eyes her own went wide as saucers and she instinctively grabbed her husband's sleeve and tugged on it while pointing at Kyero. When he looked at Kyero his eyes also widened and his body visible tensed.

"Sir, madame? Pray, be at ease. He's harmless, despite his history and reputation. You have my word he won't cause you any trouble." Lorraine said with a deep bow.

Both were stunned to silence for a moment, but quickly composed themselves.

"Thank you, Doctor Almna. We'll trust your word. And we're happy to welcome you, and your companions, to our home." He said with another bow of his head, stealing a brief, wary glance at Kyero who was busy scanning the space.

"The pleasure is ours, sir and madame."

Both the master and madame gave another bow in gratitude for the exchange.

"Our son seems to have developed strange symptoms lately. He's been coughing and struggling for breath after only the lightest activities. We've asked every doctor in the city, and several others from around Triveila, but none of them were able to diagnose his condition. They all suggested plenty of bed rest and hydration, which we've been doing. But his condition hasn't improved."

"If I may ask for clarification on something?"

"Of course, Doctor."

"Are these symptoms consistent? Or do they happen after spurts of high-intensity activity such as running or playing sports, and the like?"

"No, Doctor. He also has these issues at night and has lost much sleep over these coughing fits. He'll also sometimes experience difficulty breathing while simply sitting on the bench under our weeping willow tree out back near the pond. He often says his chest feels tight, like there's a weight placed on it."

"Thank you very much for clarifying." She bowed again. "When do the symptoms seem to be at their worst?"

"Most definitely when he tries to be active. He's been competitive ever since he was little and played sports with his friends most of his life. And it's really been devastating for him to not be able to enjoy those activities anymore. Every time he tries to participate he collapses into coughing fits. And he's passed out several times from the breathing difficulties."

"Oh my."

"Yes. It's been a frightening and heartbreaking time for us."

"I'm sure it has. And you have my sincerest sympathies, sir and madame." She gave another bow. "May I go in and speak with him, please?"

"Of course, Doctor. But, if you please, I ask that your companions remain outside. He has some anxiety issues around new people and his breathing difficulties worsened when folks he didn't know came in and crowded his room."

"Of course." She turned to the men with a smile. "I'll just be a moment, gentlemen."

She was granted entry to the room. And for a brief moment they could see through the open door the young man, probably in his early 20's, lying in bed and watching the door as Lorraine entered. The door closed behind her, and silence engulphed the space as the master of the house whispered something to his wife who gave a bow to the group before departing downstairs.

"So, gentlemen. What brings all of you to our home with the Doctor?"

Kyero locked eyes with the man, but said nothing, which visibly made the man uncomfortable as he broke eye contact and cleared his throat while looking towards Ares and Lonan.

Wayne Firewind

 

[Firewind]

​

Lonán looked about the room as the talking happened, only bowing respectfully back when the bowing occurred, maintaining eye contact and never looking downwards. Eventually, Lorraine went to visit/examine the patient in question, leaving him, Kyero and Ares alone with the lad‘s parents, and even then it quickly decreased to just the man of the house. Whilst the Saharinian didn’t mind waiting, he could tell that the awkward silence felt across the room felt. . . Well, awkward.

The silence was the interrupted by the Client’s father asking the trio how they came to traveling with Lorraine. Lonán also cleared his throat. “I came more out of obligation to make sure Ms. Lorraine made her way through the city safely.“ He said as he stretched his arms. “I was coming to Auxeras to witness the new years celebration, have a look around the city, pay respects to an old friend of mine. She’s been gone for a while.“

He folded his arms around himself, feeling like he said his piece. He would say no more unless further conversation was further made towards him. He was just hoping to have a peaceful vacation from mercenary work for the time being. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[GojiBean]

Lorraine & Kyero
Date: December 24, 574 CE​

(WARNING: The latter half of content in this post may make some readers uncomfortable. Please proceed at your own discretion.)​

Inside the patient's room

Lorraine smiled and walked to the young man's bedside, during which time his eyes followed her the entire way. She also maintained strong eye contact the entire time through her smile and took in all the detail she could about his condition on the surface.

"Good morning. I'm Doctor Almna. May I ask your name?"

"Yosuke. Please to meet you doctor."

Lorraine's head tilted ever so slightly.

"The pleasure is mine. So, Yosuke, tell me more about the breathing issues you've been experiencing please."

"Sure. It started a few months ago. I was with my friends playing a game of kick ball, and I suddenly started coughing non-stop and had trouble standing after a minute or two of it."

She inched a bit closer.

"Oh my. That must've been quite frightening. Pray, do you remember whether or not you were close to any flowers or fruit trees which still were flowering?"

"Umm..."

As he thought to himself, Lorraine again inched a bit closer.

"I don't know if we were near any of the flower fields. But it was kind of hot that day. Do you think it was heat stroke or something?"

"No, I very much doubt that was the cause. Do you remember if you were playing in an area with a lot of dirt? And was it windy at all?"

"Uh....... No, I don't think we were on dirt. I'm pretty sure we were playing on the grass."

"Mhm. Okay. And, by chance, when you lay down like this is the problem usually better, worse, or the same as when they happen after periods of activity like sports?"

"It uh, it varies. Sometimes it's worse. Sometimes it's better."

"I see. And, by chance, do you remember coming into contact with anything unfamiliar when this all started? For example, did you touch any plants you didn't recognize? Or come into physical contact with an animal you don't usually interact with?"

"No. Not that I can recall."

Lorraine nodded a few times.

"Okay. Yosuke, I'd like you to do me a favor and sit up slowly, please."

He complied, and Lorraine noticed that he didn't appear to be wearing anything under the blankets which wasn't unusual for patients who were sick and having issues with overheating during bed rest. But the lack of sweat or other signs of heat-related discomfort were notable.

"Thank you, Yosuke. Now, are you comfortable with turning this direction so I can listen to your chest?"

"Yeah. Thanks doctor."

He turned towards the edge of the bed and didn't seem shy about not bringing the bed sheets along with him.

"Thank you, Yosuke. Now, I'm going to sit beside you so I can listen to your lungs, okay?"

"Perfect. Thank you. Do you need me to do anything?"

Lorraine noted the way he smiled, and paused a beat before answering.

"If you wouldn't mind leaning back just a little bit? It'll make it easier for me to listen."

He nodded and put his hands behind his hips to lean his torso back. Lorraine sat down beside him and leaned over, using one hand on the bed near his hip to support her weight, and put her ear to his chest.

"Pray, take a deep breath, hold for two seconds, and then breathe out."

He did as asked.

"Good. Once more, please." She asked as she leaned over a bit farther to listen to the other side of his chest.

He complied, and she felt his hand slide closer to hers on the bed with his thumb touching the edge of her pinky finger. She sat up and placed both her hands in her lap.

"Your lungs sound clear. Have you experienced the issue in the last few days?"

"Yes. It happened just yesterday. I feel fine normally. It's just when I do things with my friends or when I lay down that it seems to flare up out of nowhere."

"Hm. Pray, take a deep breath in and exhale as forcefully as you can for me. Try emptying your lungs of all the air inside them."

"Sure."

He did as asked, and was able to do so without issue.

"Yosuke, may I be honest with you?"

"Of course, doctor." He said, scooting closer to her on the bed.

"Your lungs sound perfectly clear and healthy to me. I wasn't able to hear any signs of wheezing or congestion which is what I would expect to hear given the symptoms you and your parents described."

"Do you think I might be getting better then?"

He inched closer, now hip to hip which made her lean back and away from him while maintaining a friendly and professional smile.

"Yes. I do believe you are healthy."

She tried to stand up, but he had managed to sneak his arm around and gripped her shoulder to pin her against his side.

"That's great, Doctor. Thank you. Do you think I can resume activities?" He asked while wearing a smile which didn't reach his eyes.

Lorraine's smile disappeared, replaced by a calm, stern glare as she looked towards the door.

"Kyero!" She called calmly, but loudly.

Outside the Patient's Room

The master of the house had been fidgety the entire time and had tried to spark some kind of conversation with Lonan and the others. But he couldn't stop stealing brief glances at Kyero who was now staring a hole through the man's skull as he tried to speak which made him stutter and stumble over his words.

Then, through the door came Lorraine's call. Kyero instantly took a step towards it only to be blocked by the man raising his hands in a "stop" gesture.

"Please! Sir! My son is not we-"

Kyero's eyes opened wide and flashed brightly enough to illuminate the man's face with red light despite the well-lit nature of the hallway they stood in. His words immediately failed him as he started incoherently mumbling. Kyero, meanwhile, gently used the back of his hand to nudge the man out of his way before throwing the door open. At the sound, Yosuke jumped. And as he saw Kyero looming in the doorway, eyes aglow against the darkness of his silhouette, he immediately lost his train of thought.

"Wh-... What in the-"

Kyero marched into the room glaring a hole through the bridge of Yosuke's nose which caused the young man to begin trembling in fear and shock. The instant she felt his grip loosen Lorraine stood up, dusted off her dress, and took a step closer to Kyero while turning to address Yosuke.

"Yosuke. Your health is serious business and not something you should ever lie to a doctor about. I ask that you refrain from such deceitful tactics in the future. And pray, if uninvited, please keep your hands to yourself." She said with a bow at the waist, hands folded in front of her. "The examination's over. We can leave now." She said while giving Kyero a pat on the shoulder.

Kyero kept his eye on Yosuke all the way to the door where he half-turned back towards the young man's room with a deep scowl etched in his face. Lorraine tapped his shoulder, but he didn't break eye contact with Yosuke.

"Kyero, it's done. We're leaving now."

Kyero continued glaring down Yosuke, and Lorraine looked to both Ares and Lonan, eyes slightly wider than normal, glancing between them and Kyero who seemed poised to march back into the room at any second.

Wayne Firewind

 

[Firewind]

​

Lonán‘s eyes snapped to the door as well when Lorraine called to Kyero as the former Assassin immediately responded and intimidated his way into opening the door. Lonán looked through the doorway and his brows furrowed. “What is going on here?” He asked with a frown as a memory replayed in his head, over and over again. He felt his mind grow warm and fiery at the thought of it, to the point he could almost feel the embers of his anger start to stir awake to do its crawling.

But he had to focus, from what he heard Lorraine said about the patient lying. “You sneaky opportunistic Svi’ik.” He said in a surprised tone. “What? All the girls in town say no or something?” he folded his arms at that question before he heard Lorraine say they were done here and were leaving. However he heard her repeat it to Kyero, who looked to be not too keen on leaving. Lorraine looked towards Ares and himself for any aid.

Lonán was just as mad though. However, he just wanted his vacation, damn it. And the memory that this was stirring up did not help. He got up. “Codswiggle it Kyero, he’s just a foolish entitled boy! Is that type of person, a lecherous snake, really worth throwing away your amnesty for, start a fight over Miss Lorraine over or anything else?” He asked rhetorically, “Is it?”

He kept his eyes square on Kyero, his normally bright amber eyes in the way the light shined on them made them look like a piercing hazel brown/green. ”Cause I don’t think it is. Such things are never worth it. It’s never worth it.” He said softly so that no one could hear him unless they strained.

 

[Wayne]

ARES LANCELOT LINNARD

MENTIONS
GojiBean as Lorraine & Kyero || Firewind as Lonán Arzura​

The whole house had a foul smell, one that perhaps only Ares could feel, was it all the luxurious items inside? Or perhaps nobles just had that smell, that corroding odor that made him feel nauseous since he took the first step inside the house. He analyzed the environment, taking little notice to the decorations that were scattered around, in an effort to create something that resembled a home, sometimes Ares felt as if he just had a very unique hate towards nobles and royals alike, get he couldn't know why.

"My interests are my own privacy, I'd rather not share my motives" but he nodded as Lonán spoke "although I suppose I'm here to escort the doctor as well."

There was a brief silence, as if conversation between them was impossible, Ares didn't feel uncomfortable, he simply felt indifferent to the man that stood by them. What caught his attention like an arrow, however was Lorraine's call for aid, Kyero had done most of the work, pushing the father aside as he entered the room and Ares caught a glimpse of the young man with his arms around the doctor, his blood boiled as he felt a presence creep closer, it was that shadow, that thing that always came to him in a fight, a stressful situation or at his weakest moments.

The father had a moment of strength and filled his lungs with air, perhaps he wanted to scream for guards, Ares had not seen any but there was a chance they were stationed somewhere else in the house, or perhaps the father even wanted to try something, fear may be strong, but a father's love is stronger. Although it wasn't enough, Ares pinned the man against the wall with one hand covering his mouth, in a way that looked like he was holding the man by the face, and with the other hand he made a "silence" motion, with one finger up against the emotionless metal mask.

As Kyero left the room, Ares let the man go noticing he looked defeated, had he known his son was a pervert? Perhaps he did not and that was enough to destroy his heart. Ares took a step sideways, now standing directly at the center of the doorframe, he looked at the young man but his eyes couldn't be seen, the metal mask looking ever so creepy, there was a certain aura around him, but he soon left, following after Kyero and Lorraine. Although Lonán didn't seem keen about the idea of going back into the bedroom, Ares was in complete agreement with Kyero, despite no words being said.