Fantasy The Great Mage Hunt of Delaran (Currently Open)

[Kiyoko Tomoe]

"Yes, because there's some reason behind why a person would try to burn down an entire city and then hold a child hostage, only to kill that child's mother right in front of them," Ayane said sarcastically, trying to hide the fact that her mind was filled by immense fear and hatred at the memories that had been brought up by the day's event. "You expect me... to forgive someone that murdered my mother, even when my mother herself said she'd never forgive him. Forgiving him won't bring my mother back, so if you want to talk about forgiveness, find someone that didn't one day just lose everything they ever loved."

With that, Ayane once more walked off, heading to a nearby street to perform for whomever she could garner the interest of with her singing voice. Today, her performance was especially meaningful, fueled by her emotions that had begun building up since the start of the 'execution'. She didn't care about the city lockdown that was to be starting up, she just sang her heart out, accepting whatever donations came of it, though she didn't sing for the money. She sang to honor her mother, and to release the emotions that kept building up within her. That's all she wished to do, and all she would do until she either became tired, or someone of authority were to tell her to do otherwise because of the lockdown.

Zamasu Jackaboi

 

[ShadowHounder]

BakaTheIdiot (no worries man)

Lily giggled at the old soldier. "I should be ready near the south gate tomorrow night. I would want it done today... but knowing Ivan he's already sent an army after me." The young girl moved towards the door and looked back at him. "Oh... and don't worry. I may not look like it but I am of age. You're image can't be ruined by today regardless of what people think may have happened." She stuck her tongue out before closing the door and rushing out of the building. She found a small alley to hide in and wait for whatever guard to find her in... alone and crying of course.

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi

Gideon sighed as Issac sent the guard out to begin a manhunt. "If Lord Ivan's track record holds up... Not even I could avoid the legal issues he could throw at us. Let's just hope they find her soon... there's no telling how scare she might be." Well the soldiers were active on look out, Gideon took this as an opportunity to have one of the guards take the food to the orphanage for them. There was no need to embarrass his friend any further... Gideon did that enough already. The wiseman chugged his first drink as they waited for a word back from the guards. "So... I've heard that you have Elisa stationed in Colassi Tower. Are you sure she's ready for such a task? Magus is not exactly a simple siege." Gideon's tone was that of an concerned father almost... having been her mentor for many years of the past. He knew that she would do great things... but the soldier was never sure if she was ready to do so yet.

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka - Local Inn --> Ashitaka's Inn Room

The old swordsman took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh. Of course she made a joke like that. The little brat left the room, leaving the old man to his thoughts. With this one simple job, he could make a fortune, or lose one, depending how everything turned out. He took out the keys again, pondering whether or not he should just bail and steal the money anyway... That alone would be enough for him to get arrested, but at least he could get out of that with a slap on the wrist by saying it was a job. This could actually get him killed.

Gathering himself at the door, pocketing the keys, and formulating a plan in his mind on how to make this work, as well as what could go wrong, Ashitaka stepped outside, and headed for his room at a different inn. As per usual, with slight added caution, he kept his head down, weary of any guards belonging to the noble. All it would take was being spotted by the guard from before, and everything would fall apart. This was something he couldn't allow.

When he finally got to his inn, he was greeted by the innkeep, who was a close friend and a trusty comrade.

"Work?" She asked.

"As always." The old swordsman replied. "Any job requests?"

"Nothing yet."

"Sold out my room?"

"Come on now, we're friends."

"Just checking." He chuckled. "Anywho, I'll only be here another day, then off for more work."

"Don't bother." Said the Innkeep, a disappointed look on her face. "The city is on lockdown. Apparently, some stuck up bastard lost his daughter. Something. I don't know."

"Since when?"

"A guard came in not a few minutes ago."

"Shit..." The old swordsman sighed. "Well, that's bad for business."

"You're telling me. I can barely afford to maintain this building, what with the small pile you pay me."

"Ouch."

"I mean it!" She said, clearly aggravated. "You're paying half. Next time, it's full price. Otherwise, you can find a different woman to offer a discount."

"Come now," Ashitaka grinned. "You're the best there is. Besides, you'll get your due, and then some. This job is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Cheers!"

With that, the swordsman left, seeking a better hiding place for the night.

ShadowHounder

 

[Jackaboi]

Elisa was unsure how to proceed at this point, thanks to the assassin that attacked Magus, Gildal isn't ruling out the fact Colassi may be involved. So now he won't let Elisa leave. She stood in silence as the leader spoke his terms. "My safety for information? Hmph... Unbelievable... To think I'd get stuck in this embarrasing position..." Eli crossed her arms and pondered over her options, she didn't have her sword so fighting wasn't an option. Even if she did get it back she'd still be severely outnumbered. But yet her loyalty to the kingdom and her father left her unable to accept this deal. What was the harm in a little info she wondered? Maybe she could just... Her trail of thought was cut off when an injured purple haired mage burst in to the room. Claiming to know what the culprit looked like.

The mage tried to detail the attack but had trouble doing so due to the grievous wound she'd sustained. "To leave one with such a wound and leave them to bleed to death... Does this assassin hold no honor...?" She spoke quietly, unsure of whether anyone heard her or not. Yet the mage pressed on and performed some magic to create a wisp before she collapsed and was escorted out. Even if the wisp was intended for Gildal, Elisa's curiosity got the better of her. She drew closer and closer to the spell, starting to make out the contents. She saw flashes of the mage's memories and jumped back, nearly shocked at the reveal. "Serah!?" Eli blurted out the mages name by mistake. The princess looked to the leader, unsure of how he would take these developments.

ShadowHounder Kiyoko Tomoe​

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi

Gildal glanced at Elisa as she exclaimed the assassin's name. As he watched the wisp's magic himself, he drew one of his commanders over to discuss. "Definitely MEU judging by that reaction. Unfortunately... our informant's late." The leader glanced back at Elisa. Now that he had the princess in his presence he had to end any inside operations at Delaran. "When Lily gets here... tell her that she's not allowed to go back to Delaran city. I don't care how big of a buffoon she claims Ivan to be."

"You know she won't take kindly to that..." The Commander muttered.

"And I'm not about to risk the life of someone else just because they feel the need to be a manipulative bitch!" The Savior grabbed his commander by the sleeve. "I made it clear when she wanted to continue her life as a adopted girl that she was only allowed to stay there as long as no one found out. That double agent bullshit was her own damn choice." With his point made clear, Gildal let go of the man who moved over to prepare for their informant to show up.

He took a long, deep breath before looking back at Elisa. "Serah eh? Something tells me you're more surprised then happy. What I want from you is the truth... Did you have any knowledge of this assassin? The MEU is known for sending orders to soldiers without informing the post captain... so I'm not blaming you directly for this."

 

[TPBx]

Ethan Kaloronos

"Oh well, Good then," Ethan sighed. "What was I going to do again... Eat and rest... Eat and Rest... yeah. That's right. Gotta get ready for the big day tomorrow." He gathered himself and patted the stranger on the back, "thank you for time and Long Live The King!!" Ethan then marched off as if nothing had happened, obviously it was just all in his head. The girl meant no harm and was probably just extra attentive like he was in that moment. Ethan even realized that she was kind of cute. He blushed a bit after realizing that he was being carried by the young woman, but there was no time to dwell on these kinds of thoughts. He had to head home, get himself fixed up and ready. The attack on the mage's last bastion was going to be a big event, and a chance to prove his skill to the higher ups that would be on the battlefield with him. His home in the city was not all to far away from the town square thankfully, so it wasn't too long until he found himself in comfort behind closed doors. Ethan took off his armor and sword, setting it aside on a rack and proceeded to the kitchen.

He prepared a simple meal of leftover bread and some salted meat and ate it in front of a dimly lit fireplace. He stared into the coals and reflected about what his duty, and more importantly tried to remember a past that seemed so fuzzy to him. He brought himself back to the moment, envisioning his current self standing in front of his younger self in the wake of that disaster. He could see the tears stream down his younger self's face as young Ethan came to the realization that mages took away everything that he had held dear. His parents, his brothers and sisters, his friends and other family. Enraged he snapped out of his day dream, got out of his chair, and punched the ground with incredible force, breaking the wooden floor and even a part of the stone foundation beneath it.

That singular moment would never disappear from Ethan's mind, nor did he want it to disappear...

Zamasu

 

[Zamasu]

It was at this very moment that the kingdom has went under lockdown. This could be Delaran's doing, as fate would soon tug the red strings of these two women in a situation that would be dangerous for their well-being. Magus is their focus, but the kingdom would never allow anyone to leave during at this moment. It is only a matter of time till the M.E.U. begins their attack on Magus, and these two women will not allow it.​

• Aoba Hitokiri
• Ruby Yang Beifang

• 
  
  
  

  Aoba Hitokiri​

  
  Aoba is now at a lost. Her words cannot reach the crying girl. She looks down onto herself and thought "Are my words lack any reasoning to her? If that is the case, then...I might as well take action. Yeah, i'll go find the mage that killed her mother and bring him to justice. That way, the girl will be able to smile again instead of crying all the time. Okay, I'll do it. But I need to convince her to be at my side." As the girl walked away, Aoba wants to catch up to her but then realizes that she would become a hindrance. She decided that she'll have Eve do that for her sake.
  
  Aoba looks around the area before dashing off to find a hiding spot to call out her summon. The only problem is that with this many people, she will definitely be caught. Eventually, she finds herself in an alleyway where there is a manhole. Aoba nodded before she lifts up the cover, jumps down the sewer, and places back the cover. Once she is in the clearing, she takes out her Eve Magicite and chanted "Heavenly being, hear thy name. Come out and give me thy aid. Goddess of Humanity, Eve, i choose you!" She throws the stone down to the floor which splits into two. The halves then gets covered in a bright light which would then reforms into the beautiful dual-wielding goddess that have said to be the first woman to walk the planet.
  
  "I am thou and thou art I. Thy being shalleth be your shield. Dost, art thou Eve, Goddess of Humanity!" The summon spoke with a powerful and echoeing voice, which almost gave way their hiding spot. "Eve, I want you to do something for me, but be very stealthy about it unless something happens." Aoba says to which Eve responds "What bidding should be done, Maestra?" Aoba takes a deep breath and says to her summon "I want you to keep a good eye out on a little girl that I've met. I wish to follow her, but I'm afraid that I would be an annoyance. Be very quiet about it and don't let anyone see you. If the M.E.U. finds out about your existence, they will know that a summoner is within the kingdom. If ever something happens, take appropriate action. I'll entrust you that you will keep her safe until I find out the devil who made her cry."
  
  Eve nods in response, saying "It will be done, Maestra." Her body gets engulfed with light as she vanishes. Aoba hoped that things will turn out good as she expects. She then gets out of the sewer and went off to find a place to take rest. Meanwhile, Eve appears on one of the buildings' rooftops as she watches Ayane sing with her heart out. "So this is the lass that thy Maestra has spoketh. Such a poor and frail soul haveth experience pain and trauma. Whoever you may be, Ithou bidding will be fulfiled." Eve thought as she kept watching, hoping that from this height, no one will suspect her.
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  Ruby Yang Beifang​

  
  "Long live the king my fucking ass." Ruby thought just as the man leaves. She let's out a boring sigh before continuing her stroll. A couple of minutes later, she hears a beautiful singing voice coming from somewhere. She begins to follow the voice and finds a young girl singing with all of her heart and soul. Donations were dopped upon her feet, but the girl does not seem to mind. "Wow, she's cute. And her voice kinda reminds me of those singing maidens back at the monastery. Geez, I miss that place." Ruby thought to herself as she kept watching the girl sing.
  
  A few minutes later, Ruby decided to walk off. After making a few distance away from the singing girl, Ruby starts to think of what to do to waste her time. As she thinks, her shoulder suddenly gets bumped by an unsuspecting woman. "Sorry." The woman says to Ruby as she minds her business. Ruby was confused by the incident as she watched the girl who she bumped go away. But then comes a thought that has entered her mind; "Huh...that's weird. Why do i feel like I have some sort of connection to her? How strange. I need a good beer to wash that away."
  
  And so Ruby went off to find a good but cheap tavern to get a good swig of the finest brew. She soon finds one and goes in. She settles down at a table and calls out a barmaid. "Give me a huge mug of your finest brew and maybe a little company from someone as beautiful as you." Ruby says, ending it with a flirtratious wink. The barmaid approaches her with a huge mug of Delaran's finest beer. She places the drink down at the table and sits on Ruby's lap. She wraps her arm around the barmaid as she takes the mug.
  
  "So, what were you doing at this time?" The barmaid asks, dragging her finger slowly across Ruby's chest. "Been in brawls, watched a disappointment of an execution, then watched some girl singing. Nothing really much happens." Ruby answers before taking a sip of her beer. "Ah! Nothing beats a fine brew like this kingddom has, and some fine ladies too." She says, but then a part of her still have doubts about the woman she had bumped into. Whoever she is must be someone who knows her past.
  
  
  

And as fate have destined, the red strings of these two women have been tugged and for once, tied. As soon as the attack on Magus begins, the situation will bring these two together and fight whatever they think is right.

Jackaboi Kiyoko Tomoe TPBx​

 

[Jackaboi]

Elisa looked puzzled, what were those two muttering about...? Something about an informant? Does that mean they have an active spy somewhere in Delaran? Weren't they being way too audible considering the enemy is right in front of them!? They even said the spy's name! Lily? LILY!? Lord Ivan's adopted daughter!? "Uh... Guys I'm still here you know..." That kind of info was just made this trip worth it! Even if she didn't get what she wanted this would certainly make her superiors day. Regardless she pretended to have not heard anything and let them finish their talk before the leader returned his attention to his guest. Obviously he'd notice her mention Serah's name but this could go in her favour. "You want the truth eh? Alright, if you want my opinion on this I wouldn't even think Colassi Tower was responsible for this. Serah was never even stationed there to begin with. What I do know is that she often disappears for weeks on end until she suddenly decides to come back again. So it wouldn't surprise me if she went rogue." Elisa glanced at the leader once more, her eyes serious and a gentle smirk starting to form. "Well... From what I gathered you're certainly no idiot. You wanted me to hear about your little spy didn't you? Well how about this..." Elisa stared towards the window that provided a good view over Magus. "Let's say you help me search for Serah, assuming she hasn't escaped Magus yet. Then once she is found you'll allow me to take her into custody and recieve beffiting disciplinary measures for acting against orders. In return, I'll make sure your informant escapes the city, of course she won't be allowed back in. Once word of her being a mage gets out she'll be on a wanted poster in every corner in the city. But that's exactly what you want isn't it?"

ShadowHounder Kiyoko Tomoe ​

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi Kiyoko Tomoe

Gildal smirked in return. "You learn fast Princess. Those skills come in handy in many of places... some you may not even think." The mage leader chuckled lightly before continuing his speech. "I wouldn't worry too much about getting Lily out of Delaran. Knowing her she's already found someway to stage her kidnapping and get here undetected. Hopefully now she won't be so inclined to try and go back with a bounty on her head. Honestly after her third time coming back and telling us everything she gathered while she was in town we just stopped caring. Not only was it free information but it also made it a hell of a lot easier to tell with the bitch. But that ain't the issue right now. The issue is finding Serah and finding out what the hell she's doing here of all places."

Gildal stood in thought for a few moments. "Something doesn't seem right here..." The leader muttered just loud enough for Elisa to hear. "If this assassin was looking to kill mages and destroy our town... then why would she leave a survivor. Trained MEU soldier so it's not sloppiness. Not mercy or guilt either judging by how the others die." His eyes widened as he came to a grim realization. His teeth could almost be heard as the gritted upon one other. He swiftly, and effortlessly, slammed his boot into the large door to send it flying open. He walked right past the guards as they stood in shock at his outrage. It took a lot to get Gildal this mad... and his men knew better then to approach him when he was. He spun his staff just long enough to grab Elisa's sword with a chain of fire. With a careless, but precise flick, the sword flew through the corridor and straight towards the princess. He knew exactly where he was going... and exactly who he was looking to tear answers out of. If their truly was a traitor in his midst... They would pay. Pay with a death more painful then death itself.

 

[Mena]

Honey

Honey was contempt with making bread, the smell of a well earned cooked break left her happy. Currently the boss was in his office, counting the large amount of coins they gathered from the day's work, leaving the customers to her. Typical business men who are only concerned about their money. The young girl thought, placing the bread tray onto the counter. She would occasionally take a glance back into the main room, counting the number of orders she still had to fulfill. She occasionally had weird looks given to her by the customers when she served their meals but nonetheless she liked cooking.

Everyone she has met so far came back for seconds and thirds when they gathered enough money to spend at the bakery. Honey continued making bread, passing the dough through her fingers until the clumps were smoother. She would then apply a small amount of magic into the meal, letting the soft green glow quickly die out as it appeared. After placing the batch of dough into the oven Honey gathered the now cooled breads and stepped into the main room, behind the counter.

Taking the money from the customers and giving them their bread, pastries, and desserts, this was her job everyday. Honey quickly placed the money into the jar, handing her last customer their meals. She would occasionally get the rude customers but most of them were very kind and generous, even offering her tips. Honey just hoped that nothing eventful would happen in the kingdom, this morning was eventful enough for her.

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka - Central Deleran

Having finished his banter with the local innkeeper, the old swordsman still needed to prepare. Blade, bow, arrows, poison, all necessary tools that lined his satchel, save for one thing: rations. The old man had genuinely no idea how long this would take. A sword was only as sharp as its weilder, and a man feels sharper on a full stomach. Weighing his wallet, he looked for options.

He spotted a bakery, just across the street, and carefully weaved his way through the crowds. He put up his hood, took a breath, and entered the establishment. Immediately, he was greeted by the scent of bread, and the overwhelming energy of a hungry line of customers. It wasn't too long, but that didn't concern him. The prices were fair, but he was cutting it close. He took a moment to notice that the person behind the counter seemed familiar, but thought nothing of it. He patiently waited, coughing into his sleeve. It had been a long morning. The sight of bread in a bakery was probably the most normal thing he had seen today. It almost reminded him of home.

Mena (Bam! Inclusion.)

 

[Jackaboi]

Issac always hated doing this whenever Lily went missing, putting the city into a full lockdown to start a manhunt for one girl? One of the main reasons why he was glad to never have been a son of an influencial family. But that aside now it was time to await word from the guard as to whether or not they can find Lily. The lockdown on the other hand will likely be lifted by tomorrow morning. Just in time for soldiers to start their journey for Colassi Tower. It should be a good 5 hour walk to there but that could be cut in half on horse back. Issac calmly sat down and downed his first tankard of lager in an instant alongside his friend, ordering the next round of drinks and paying for them as he said he'd do. It wasn't long before Gideon voiced his concerns for Elisa spearheading the attack on Magus. "Elisa Moonfire is the daughter of King Reverend. Should he one day pass away the princess must be ready to take on the role of a Queen. She must know when she's either winning or losing a battle, know when to push on or order the retreat. It's experience like that you can't get anywhere else except an enemy you can't surely know you'd prevail against. Besides... She was under your tutelage after all. I'm sure she'll make the right decisions befitting of the predicament." Issac chugged down his next lager, the alchohol showing no sign of hitting just yet. He ordered the next round of drinks, assuming Gideon had already finished his second drink.

ShadowHounder​

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi

The two veteran soldiers enjoyed a few minutes of peace and beer before a scout walked up to Isaac. "Sir... we have some news that you need to know." The messenger stated briefly. "It's urgent matters involving Magus."

"Can you see we're a bit busy right now lad?" Gideon slurred, having already gotten to his fifth drink. "What could be so important that you would interrupt our peaceful time?"

The man cleared his throat, identifying Gideon has one of the men he could trust this info to. The bar luckily didn't have to many customers at this hour... so the knowledge wasn't at extreme risk at the moment. "We got a report from Colassi Tower shortly before the lockdown. Princess Elisa went out a few hours ago and hasn't returned yet. There have also been sightings of an increase in sentinels in Magus territory." Gideon immediately spit out the drink he had in his mouth. He knew exactly what that implied... and it meant more trouble then anything else that had happened during his time on duty. "And to make matters worse, we also have reason to believe that there may be a spy within the royalty. Many officers have reported documents going missing after visiting Lord Ivan's manor."

 

[Jackaboi]

Elisa pondered over the many reasons why Serah would be here in Magus. She also considered the fact that this counted as "conspiring with mages." Considering she was the princess of the kingdom she was confident that her royal immunity would save her from any serious punishment. But she was intent on staying silent just in case. Regardless this information about Lily would have to be reported, of course her sources of such information will remain incognito. Elisa listened closely as Gildal went over the details of the attack, eliminating potential reasons in the process. "It could be that Serah wanted to be seen. But why? Also to leave witnesses alive, more specifically one with telepathy. It's almost as if she was trying to send some kind of message... But to what end?"

Soon realisation dawned upon the savior of Magus which very quickly turned to anger. Before Elisa could even get a word in he was already storming off somewhere. He kicked the main door in with a thunderous bang, giving the soldiers a big enough fright for one of them to drop Elisa's sword Crescent Edge, which Gildal kindly caught before it touched the ground and flung towards it's rightful owner. Of course she didn't have a problem catching it, the hilt of the sword landed perfectly with the palm of her hand as she closed her fingers around it and sheathed it once more. Elisa followed behind Gildal as he anrgily paced his way towards someones home. "Do you have a lead? I would ask you watch your temper before confronting suspects. Lest the backlash will be more painful than you'd imagine."

ShadowHounder Kiyoko Tomoe ​

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi Kiyoko Tomoe

Gildal suddenly paused in his movement around the last few steps of the stairs. With a small hint of hesitation, he grabbed a small white trinket out of his pants pocket. It has a light glow to it that seemed to dim and brighten in some kind of pattern. He took a turn into the right corridor after placing the trinket back where he grabbed it from. He knew that the princess would more then likely follow him... but he didn't have the time to care. Something were far too important to worry about secrecy. He reached to a empty portion of the hallway when he faced the stone built walls. After tapping the stones in a distinct order, the wall opened up to a hidden room. A shiver ran down Gildal's spine as he knew exactly what he had to endure when he entered the room.

Within the confines of the red stoned hallway, Gildal immediately felt the full force of black magic that surrounded him. Every mistake, every regret, every person he killed... all of these moments flooded his mind as he took slow and painful steps toward the room on the other side. It wasn't the first time he had endue this walk, and it not be his last. The Sages told him that those would entered before him went mad with guilt from the first step. They told him that only a strong soul can truly survive the power of the vile enchantment that plague this corridor. They told him that it only got worse each time he came back. But he had to come back here time and time again. The Sages told him that it could damage his mind if he continued to return as he did... but they knew not of what was on the other side. Of who he came here for. The spell left him the moment he got to the other end of the tortured hall. In the center of the room was a young girl, only 3 years younger then Gildal. She sat on the floor, chains binding her to the place in which she stayed. Her eyes were void of life as she looked at the mage leader.

He approached the girl slowly and pulled out the trinket once more. When Gildal was only a few inches from her, he knelled and placed the trinket on the floor next to him. He placed a hand on the floor in front of him, letting the energy leave his body. He knew that he couldn't give her everything... his life had become far too important to sacrifice himself. He only gave her enough to keep her live... even if she was not the same girl he knew for many years. This process was long and dangerous, but he had to do it. He already lost so much and he couldn't lose her too. He couldn't lose the last part of his old life. Gildal held back his tears as he treated his hand, the cold already informing him that he couldn't give her anymore of his life force. He was preparing to leave when the word came out of her mouth. "Bro...ther?"

The savior's lower lip quivered as the tears could no longer be contained. He jumped forward to hug the girl, unable to maintain his serious persona any longer. The people of Magus called him their Savior. The thought of being a hero always sickened him. How could he be a savior? How could so many people depend on him to keep them safe? The man who couldn't even safe his own sister.

 

[Kiyoko Tomoe]

This had been the best performance Ayane had done in a while, yet it didn't feel right to her. There was something missing from her heart still; a void that she knew not how to fully fill. Song helped her empty out the negative feelings, but there was never anything to fill it in with other than more negative feelings, creating an endless cycle of forgetting and then feeling pain. Every day the pain got ever so slightly better, but it felt as though, no matter how many days went by, there would still be pain to accumulate. So she sang. She kept singing, because that was the only way to subside the pain that kept coming back, and it's all she really knew. That is, until a soldier came by, allowing her to finish her current song before informing her it wasn't safe to stay outside right now due to the city-wide lock down.

Deciding that no matter what she said she'd be forced to return to her caretaker's home, Ayane collected the significant pile of gold in her hat and carefully carried it on her way, her small body struggling a little with the weight. Regardless, she made it to the currently-empty house, setting the hat full of gold down to unlock the front door before dragging the gold pile in. Not even half an hour later, a man, holding a covered painting in hands, knocked on the door, Ayane answering without delay, as though she'd already been at the door. The two of them exchanged greetings before the man removed the painting's cover, revealing the stunning artwork he'd brought.

Spoiler: Painting of Shiina Goldwood

Ayane took the painting in both hands, almost hugging it for a moment. "Mother..." She whispered to herself, before setting the painting down inside and dragging out a bag of gold, one slightly bigger than the pile she'd brought home. "Thank you," Ayane said politely before closing the door, leaving the man to head off with the gold in hand. It was to Ayane's understanding that the painter was also trying to get a copy of the painting hung within the castle, something Ayane wholeheartedly approved of happening, especially so after seeing the piece of art for herself. "You died protecting me... You said you wouldn't forgive him, so even though he's dead... I won't forgive him either..."

Zamasu

 

[Zamasu]

• Aoba Hitokiri
• Ruby Yang Beifang

• 
  
  
  

  Aoba Hitokiri​

  
  Eve kept watching the girl sing with her heart and soul, and when she is done singing her current song, a soldier approached her and tells her to leave for it is not safe for her to be out alone while the kingdom is in lockdown. Ayane did what he said and Eve went on the move, jumping from roof to roof while nobody notices her. She eventually catches the teenager entering what is her house just as she saw a man handing her painting.
  
  Once the man leaves, Eve jumps down from the roof and approaches the front of the house. She goes over to the window to see what the painting is. It turns out that it is a painting of Ayane's deceased mother. "So that's the mother of the poor lass. All of her life after her death has left her be a broken bird. No wonder Maestra has much care for her." Eve thought as she felt very sorry for Ayane. She then hears her talking to the painting and mentioned that her mother's killer is already dead. "So the murderer has slain. I will inform Maestra after this." Eve thought to herself as she continues to observe Ayane like a stalker with a crush.
  
  But then Eve realized that she is in a very dangerous position, and so she decides to make her appearance before Ayane. Her body gets engulfed with light and she forms into a little wisp before going through the narrow dent of the front door. Once she got through, she forms back to her normal appearance and say "Young lass who grieve thou matriach, who also defended Delaran but was sadly slain. Thou appeareth before you with no harm. Thou not a thief, thou not a murderer, thou not an adulterer. Thou art a servant to thy Maestra who cares deeply ontoweth you. I am thou and art thou I. Thy being shalleth be your shield. Dost, art thou Eve, Goddess of Humanity. Young lass that grieves for her fallen matriarch, may I thou know your nameth?"
  
  Meanwhile, Aoba is starting to get hungry waiting for her summon to return. Her nose suddenly gets a whiff of fresh bakery, and so she went to where the scent was and finds a bakery. She goes in the establishmentt and was greeted by a hungry line of customer. If she want to get her food fix, then she'll need to at least wait.
  
  

  Kiyoko Tomoe BakaTheIdiot Mena ​
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  Ruby Yang Beifang​

  
  Ruby had just finished her mug and surprisingly, she did not get intoxicated by the amount of alcohol. This really shows how very hard the monks of the now-destroyed Hokuto Monastery can be. She pays for the drink, but she continues to flirt with the barmaid. But then all of a sudden, a group of thugs storms into the tavern, their appearance changes the peaceful mood of the place into a terrifying atmosphere. One of them went over to the counter and grabs the bartender by the collar and say "Hey, its been a week now. Where's our payment?" He demanded, scaring the living hell out of the bartender "Have you forgotten that you owe us money in exchange for protection of this shit joint? Where the hell is it?!"
  
  "I-I-I'm s-sorry, b-but we haven't made pretty much profit and-" The thug suddenly punches the bartender right at his face just as he was going to finish. "Alright boys, thrash this place!" The thug yelled to his fellow thugs, but as they were about to start wrecking the establishent, Ruby throws her empty mug at the thug's head. He turns to her and the barmaid is visibly scared. Ruby glances over to her and say "Babe, go over to a corner and hold on tight. This is going to be a big brawl, but I'll make sure that this will be over within a minute." The barmaid nods before she runs over to a corner and Ruby gets up from her seat and does a little stretching.
  
  The thugs pull out their knives and the one who got hit by the mug threatened "You got guts to mess with us, lady." Ruby smirked and say "I got guts, yes, but you don't have the BALLS to gut me up." The thugs did not like what she said and so one of them lunges his knife onto her stomach...and it broke. "W-What the hell?!" He freaked out "This bitch is made out of diamond or something!" Ruby appears to be unharmed from the lunge. This is another trait that the monks have; a body that is literally as hard as diamond, and it is all thanks to the amount of weight that has evenly spread.
  
  "What's wrong? That ain't a very KNIVES attack. You're all so dull." Ruby mocks the thugs, agitating them. They all begin to charge towards her, their knives pointing at her. The first one got his knife snapped by a sudden quick punch before Ruby grabs his arm, twists it, and then lands a painful punch to the elbow to dislocate it. Another one comes in from the side and she quickly delivers a strong punch to the chest, which shatters his entire ribcage, and then she follows it up with an uppercut that also shatters his entire lower jaw.
  
  A third thug goes in to attack her, only for Ruby to double punch him in the temple which leaves two big cracks on his skull before she elbows his top skull, also leaving a big crack. The first thug gets back up, his arm awfully dislocated. "You bitch!" He cursed as he goes in to attack, but Ruby was quick enough to deliver a sweeping kick that makes him trip and fall onto the floor. She goes up to him and stomps his groin many times. The second thug gets back up and attempt to attack Ruby from behind, but then she takes notice of it and quickly grabs him by both of his ears and slams him down onto the first thug, crushing him with the second's weight.
  
  The third thugs gets up, but Ruby comes in to deliver a strong punch to the stomach followed by grabbing his head and pulls it over to deliver a powerful knee to his face and throws him at the pile of thugs. "Well now? Had enough? You can't beat me with that kind of skill. My prowess is better than yours!" Ruby boasted as the thugs painfully get themselves up their feet and starts running away in fear. "Well, that does it then. I needed a another fight anyways." Ruby says with complete satisfaction before the barmaid runs over to her and gives her a hug. "Oh thank you! You've saved this tavern from those ugly thugs!" She happily says "How can I repay you?" Ruby thought for a moment until she says "It would be against my principles to say money and other materialistic things, so...how about-"
  
  "I sleep with you?" The barmaid guessed, surprising Ruby "The guest rooms are always free for one night only. 'Special services' however..." Ruby blushed, having no other words to say. She scratched her head, looking away from the barmaid, and say "Well...I guess i can acce-" Her words gets to a sudden stop when the barmaid grabs her hand and drags her up to where the guest rooms are and...well...i'll leave the interpretation to you.
  
  
  

 

[Jackaboi]

Elisa paused at the same time Gildal did, the saviour remained silent as he pulled out an odd-looking trinket. Then he approached a wall and revealed what looked to be a hidden passage behind it. The Moment the door opened she could instantly feel the malice that filled the hall of the secret passage. This could only be the work of Black Magic, old but not any less dangerous. "Gildal... What's going on here?" Again he was silent, his mind focused on something else. As soon as he stepped forward into the room the pain was already apparent. Just why was he putting himself through that kind of torture? What was at the end of that room? Elisa hesitated for a good moment but decided to try and go through herself, but it didn't take long before haunting memories flooded her mind. She has killed a lot of mages ever since her father started this giant vendetta. She certainly didn't enjoy it though. The faces of every mage she struck down appeared all at once, conglomerated together, all cursing her name. "Why did you kill us?" "Did you want to impress daddy that badly?" "Do you really hate us?" "Hurry up and die!" "What would your mom say if she saw you like this?!" Elisa backed away from the hall, the voices stopped as soon as she was far enough away, her face was shocked, tears running down her face without even realising it. That room was cursed, attacking the very horrible memories that people keep within themselves. She was never stepping into that room again. Thus she decided to collect herself and tried her hardest to look as normal as possible while she waited for Gildal to come back.

ShadowHounder​

 

[Kiyoko Tomoe]

Spoiler: Ambient Music

"Oh my... What have we here?" Blake questioned as he walked out from the corner, meeting Elisa at the hidden passageway. "I didn't know the princess cared about us mages enough to visit," the blonde-haired man said as he approached and stared down the hallway. "To think that there's a place like this within Magus... Here I thought that Black Magic wasn't allowed anywhere near these walls, but here it is, at the very heart of Magus."

Blake looked at the princess, taking in the clear painful reaction that the woman had to the Black Magic, smirking internally, though keeping a straight face on the outside. "If you would like, I can guide you through. I'm sure you want to know just as much as I what GIldal has hidden within this hall." Blake stated, stepping within the hallway and turning back to face Eli. It was clear there was no reaction whatsoever from Blake to the Black Magic, as though the man had stepped through such horrid energies thousands of times before. He reached a hand out to the princess, an earnest smile upon his face that showed he wished nothing more than to help the woman. While Eli herself wouldn't be able to sense it, nor would Gildal considering the high concentration of Black Magic here, Blake was releasing faint traces of his own Black Magic to essentially act as a repellent to the Black Magic around, as he knew that by doing so Elisa could walk through those halls unaffected, albeit she would still feel some of the immense pressure that the magical energy exhumed.

"The magic is quite dense in here, but as long as you hold my hand, it cannot touch you."

Jackaboi ShadowHounder

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi Kiyoko Tomoe

After a few minutes, Gildal made it back to the main corridor, the secret passage closing behind him. His skin was pale from the draining he had done while inside and tears still staining his skin. His face was that of defeat... that of someone who knew that they were fighting a battle they'd never win. But it was a fight he had to keep going... until the day he dropped to a blade to the heart. The color slowly returned to his skin as he noticed Elisa nearby. "Who would've thought that the kind who known his fortress was a dark mage..." He muttered to her while moving his fingers in order to make sure they were still there. "I found this room when I had first arrived here. According to the Sages it was meant to be a secret torture room for the emperor of a kingdom that lived here many years ago. His reign has long been forgotten, but his impact on life has never been removed fully. The room on the other side is doesn't have the enchantment... but another one that allows you to transfer life force from one living being to another." Gildal gave the princess a worried look. "I'd recommend you don't come near here again. This room has taken the sanity of many... I wouldn't want it taking yours as well."

At that point, Gildal noticed the other mysterious man next to her. "And who might you be...?" He was too drained and broken to care about the fact that an outsider was in his tower... but it still didn't stop him from being suspicious.

 

[Jackaboi]

"You're on your fifth beer already? HAHA! I won't lose to you that easily!" Issac said as he ordered his 6th round and laughed away at what other conversations the two were having. But that peace would be short-lived as a scout approached the two, claiming to have news regarding Magus. "(Sigh) Can't ever catch a break from the line of duty eh Gid? Heh... Well, hurry it up boy spit it out!" Issac held his tankard in his hand as the scout went on to explain, but what left his mouth was not good. In sync with Gideon spitting out his drink, Issac instantly crushed the tankard he held with such supreme force the beer inside launched out and hit the ceiling before it rained back down again. "THE PRINCESS!?!?" Then even more news found the way to Issac's ears. Word of a spy in the royalty. "WELL!? What are you waiting for soldier!? Send word to the scouts of Colassi and have them gather information on the princesses whereabouts! As for that spy... I will personally attend to that investigation." While Issac was less than happy with the news about the princess, the thought of Lord Ivan finally getting hit with a scandal got him excited, now he finally had the upper ground against that pompous ass. "Gideon? Your help would also be appreciated, whether that is you choose to help with the search for Elisa or aid me in the investigation?"

ShadowHounder​

 

[ShadowHounder]

Jackaboi

Gideon finished choking on his drink as the scout went out to inform the guards. "I'll help with the investigation..." He stated in between breaths. "It's best that we have as many people as we can looking into this spy. Besides, you'll likely have a harder time getting people to talking." The old man managed to joke lightly as he finally got the beer out of his lung. He patted Isaac on the shoulder before heading out towards Lord Ivan's manor to start investigating. The only thought on his mind between locations was hope that the princess was going to get home safely.

Meanwhile in Ivan's manor

Lord Ivan looked outside of his manor through one of the upstairs window. Word had already gotten to him about the suspicions... and he knew he was only a matter of time before his name was dragged through the dirt. He had no idea that a mage had been living inside his estate. The thought of such a person sneaking into his home sickened him. But he had no idea who it could even be. Who would have gotten into his home and played him for a fool so easily? Who could have the ability to get those documents without suspicion? Who was it that manipulated him?

"Is everything okay, daddy?" The question snapped Ivan back into reality. It was Lily, his sweetheart. All of this worrying had made him forget about his delicate flower. The innocent orphan he had taken under his wing after his closest friend died in a fire. The only survivor of the burning of her home. The one person he cared for the most... The one that he told everything to...

No. It couldn't be. Ivan knew that Lily would never conspire with the mages. She would never work with such vile people. Would she? "Lily... dear." A knot filled in his throat as he tried to process the question he dared to ask the snowflake. "You know how daddy is always concerned about your safety right? With the mages hiding in Delaran?"

Lily tilted her head. "Yeah... daddy said that mages could be hiding anywhere. Why do you ask?" Anywhere. That word haunted Ivan as he looked at Lily. Mages could be hiding anywhere. They could be pretending to be anyone. One could be in his manor as he spoke... one could be right in front of him hiding her true allegiance. Before he could speak more, a small, yet sharp pain hit his neck. He placed a hand on where the pain was coming from... only to hear a buzzing sound near him. Bees? In the Manor? How? When? What was going on? "What's the matter, daddy? The truth hurt too much for you?"

Something about Lily's voice changed in that moment. Her tone was gleeful and sadistic, a small giggle forming in her voice as the swarm closed in on the Lord. "It's amazing the kind of fire just a few well placed rats can cause. A shame that no one could even realize that the innocent little girl they saved was the murderer all along. I played all of you like puppets." Lord Ivan had collapsed to the ground as she looked him in the eyes. The poison from the insects already began to drain him of his life... his body covered in marks from the stingers. "And you had the easiest strings to pull..."

The last thing Ivan saw was the evil grin on his flower's face before she left him to be taken by the bees and his dying regrets.

 

[Mena]

Honey

Honey continued to prepare the bread while taking the orders of various customers; it seemed like there were customers than what she saw previously. While these were very quick, since she already had a batch of bread waiting, she still had to make more from scratch as some weren't prepared yet. Taking a quick walk back into the kitchen, she pulled out the prior baking tray then placed another tray of prepared dough into the heating fire once again. The young girl then processed to take the tray and walk back into the lobby, placing the cooked bread into small bags then giving them to the customers.

Looking down the line she counted at least four more orders she would have to take, including the two others that just walked into the bakery. Taking a mental note of the customers, she received their orders then went back to work. This work wasn't very hard but it was mostly time consuming, it was far better than having to chop wood or farm for years. Many of the customers quickly came and went as soon as they received their pastries, leaving the last two customers in the room. Honey pointed at the menu in front of the both of them, signalling them to read the menu while giving them both white slips of paper to write down their orders.

Tags: Zamasu BakaTheIdiot

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka - Bakery

The old swordsman waited patiently for the few customers to fulfill their orders, and his turn soon came. He was given a paper, and the menu was gestured towards by the woman - could he call her that? She looked a bit young. At first, the swordsman questioned why she had remained perfectly silent during the entire encounter, and narrowed it down to two possibilities: firstly, she could just be shy. After all, a swordsman armed to the teeth entering to buy bread wasn't exactly the friendliest image. The other option was that she literally couldn't speak. This was understandable as well; the old swordsman himself had an eye patch over his right eye, and was often impaired by having only one. Nevertheless, he thought nothing of it, and scribbled down his order. In a way, he envied her: she could make an honest living. A simple one. He had to risk life and limb just to pay for the bread he was to purchase. Such was life, he would tell himself, but that didn't change his opinions.

Mena Zamasu