erisunoaakaibu

[erisunoaakaibu]

Strings and Roses - The Sequel

After saying goodbye to Evgeny, Ciara and the two hamster familiars returned to the Mystical House. 

Almost immediately, Ciara excused herself and went straight into her room, closing the door shut, even locking it. She sat on the desk, deep in thought about the encounter with the Graveborn girl named Briar.

“Briar… that girl is so strange.” Ciara thought to herself. “She was… distressed? And what did Lord Ludovic mean when he said it was a cruel coincidence?”

The woman looked in the mirror, taking in the appearance that she took in as a disguise. It was not too much different from her true form, the form that she guessed she had hidden for as long as she had been like that. After all, before she went to the Duchy of Whiteridge… who wouldn’t fear and hate a Graveborn?

She stared at the reflection for a long while, until someone knocked at the door.

“Magister Ciara? Are you okay?” It was Chippy’s voice.

The woman in glasses immediately snapped out of her trance and opened the door. Both of her hamster familiars were there, with a worried look on their faces.

“I’m fine, don’t worry too much.” She made no attempt to smile, but that didn’t seem to raise more concern for the hamsters. For her face always looked like she was in a bad mood, with a pair of sharp, cold eyes that seemed to pierce one’s soul.

“You have locked yourself in your room for an hour without any explanation.” Hammie spoke up. “Is everything alright, Ciara? You have been… acting a bit strange since you learned about Briar.”

“I’m fine, trust me. Maybe I’m just a bit too captivated by her music, who knows.” The woman’s voice didn’t even waver. “Let’s go outside. We still have a lot of time before night falls again.”

* * *

The snow was rather heavy that night. Everyone in the Mystical House was sound asleep, warm and comfortable next to the fireplace, except for Ciara. She stood on the balcony, looking at the countless snowflakes falling in the sky. Hammie was right, she was acting a bit different than usual after knowing about the Graveborn violinist whose outfit was clad with roses… roses, huh.

“Ciara, look what I got you! A rose plant!”

“...Rose? Why?”

“You said you loved roses, after all! So I thought, why don’t I get you a pot?”

“I said so?”

“Oh, right, you’ve lost your memories… but do you still find these beautiful and alluring?”

“...My apologies. I… don’t find them alluring anymore. But I truly appreciate the gesture, thank you. I will take good care of it.”

The conversation ran through her mind, and she recalled what Valka had said about why Briar wore roses on her outfit. There was more to this girl than it looked, and that only made the woman with glasses more curious and determined to find out the truth. 

Without a second thought, she put on a cloak, and jumped off the balcony with ease, as she walked towards a certain direction, one that her intuition was telling her to.

* * *

In the middle of a cemetery, stood Briar, with her unmistakable dress, its hem decorated with many white roses. She was in front of a grave, a well-kept grave, without a single speck of dirt. The girl just stood there, unmoving, amidst the heavy snow.

“Mother…” She murmured, her voice soft and calm, but there seemed to be a myriad of emotions hidden behind that calm exterior. “Please, tell me this is just a cruel joke of the world…”

She stood there for a while longer, before speaking up again, with a voice even softer than before. “That woman… She looks too much like you, mother. I know she can’t be you, for you had passed away for too long, but… I couldn’t help it. That face, your face, how can I ever forget? Even if she looks younger, even if her eyes are of a different colour, how can I ever mistake those facial features, that were clearly yours?”

Tears streamed down her face, falling into the snowy ground below. And yet… her expression remained rather unchanging.

Suddenly, a faint noise could be heard from afar. A sound that was not natural, probably coming from a human. And, without even a second of hesitation, the girl immediately disappeared into thin air, leaving the cemetery in silence once again.

Just as Briar left, somewhere in a corner, Ciara dropped the branch that she just snapped in half to the ground, then stepped forward to the cemetery. She stopped at the tombstone that Briar had stood in front of, and the epitaph caught her eyes…

“Mrs. Hepburn. Passed away at the age of 50.

May her magic stay in this world forever.”

* * *

Ciara returned to the Mystical House through the balcony, as quietly as how she left during the night. Truth be told, she never expected herself to be able to watch Briar for long enough, without getting caught, given how perceptive and cautious the girl seemed to be. How peculiar, she thought. She always had a remarkable talent for stealth, but this went too well. As if… there must have been something that allowed her to do so. Something that seemed to be other than the fact that she was secretly a Graveborn.

The woman pondered for a long while, then something caught her eye - a bag that she had not opened since the day she lost her memories. Chippy and Hammie said that she had kept that bag for as long as they remembered, claiming that these were the memories that she held dear. Maybe there could be something worth noting in there, about her past at least. There was no guarantee that it could help her to solve the question in her mind, but knowing more of her past would be a good thing.

With that thought out, Ciara approached the bag, and opened it. Nothing much - just a few magical tomes, some small trinkets of the past that she had no recollection of, and… a large and thick journal, with many sheets of loose paper inside - everything had signs of preservation magic on it. The journal immediately caught her eyes, so she took it out, and started reading through it.

The first thing she saw in the journal was a sketch portrait of a man, seemingly a noble, bearing a pair of gentle eyes, a stark contrast to her sharp ones. She carefully observed the man in the sketch for a while more, before continuing with the sheets of loose paper tucked in the journal, one by one.

* * *

“My dear wife,

I know we live together, but sometimes I just want to convey my words through letters. Just like how I always love writing poems.

You are indeed right, the roses in our garden seem to bloom so vibrantly and brightly this year. Not only them, but the wild rose bushes outside our estate also have bloomed so vibrantly too. I have never seen such vitality coming from them, it’s as if someone had casted magic onto them. And I trust you, my dear wife, that you have nothing to do with this. Because if it had been you, I would have known immediately.

Do you think the same as what I am thinking? This must be Dura’s blessing, to bestow the baby you are carrying with something remarkable. I don’t know what that is, but I sure know that I would love our child just as much as I love you, wholly, truly, with every fibre of my being. 

Speaking of which, I have thought of this name, that seems to suit the baby well. A name that I’m sure you will love, and can be used regardless of whether the child is a boy or a girl.

You know me well, my dear wife, I would not leave the name here. Once you read this letter, come to me, I will tell you later.

Yours truly,

Your husband.”

* * *

“My dear wife,

I have never seen our little rose so happy before. The way her eyes lit up upon opening her present… I have never seen that look before. And here I thought she had been happy enough when she was playing in the rose garden.

Our little rose seems to have a fascination with the violin, as your sharp eyes have already noticed a long time ago. I, too, can see how she perks up when the violins start to play in the performance, how her gaze lingers more on the instrument than others, when she sees the images of it. She’s drawn to it, like a moth to the flame… ah, it might not be the right words, but I don’t want to rewrite the letter, so I’ll leave it like this then. And it seems like our decision to buy her a violin was correct.

She doesn’t seem to be a natural at the instrument, it seems. But yet, I could see the determination in her eyes when she learned to play. Her eyes are blue, and according to you, they are as gentle as mine, but I could see a glimpse of the sharpness from yours, when she was determined to play a note right. She wants to become the best violinist ever, and even though it would be a hard journey, I know that I will always support her like you do. I can already imagine a future, when our little rose can stand on stage and play the most beautiful tunes ever. 

Although, I have to admit, sometimes I’m a bit concerned, too. Her determination seems to be too strong, and I’m afraid it could be a problem in the future. Like you say, my love, we should keep a closer eye on her, just to make sure she would take good care of herself.

Yours truly.”

* * *

“It’s so cold here, in the Duchy of Whiteridge, isn’t it? It’s even colder than our little rose’s body, when we found her lying on the ground a year ago. This place is always covered in snow, yet a few months ago, you still suggested that we move here. Still, your powerful magic has kept our new home warm and let roses grow again, just like when we were back in our hometown.

I have to admit to you, my dear wife, that I still haven’t gotten used to it - the green glow from our little rose’s eyes, the sight of her deathly pale skin, and the fact that her hair has turned into the colour that isn’t yours anymore. The way that I came down to the study room at night, to see those green orbs flickering at the pages of paper… It hurts me dearly, to know that the girl living with us is no longer alive, and she will stay like this forever, witnessing the death of everyone she loves, seeing the world change, while she remains stagnant.

Ever since the day we moved here, our little rose has never left her room, except at late night, when she comes down to the study room, or walks around the garden. Even after her demise, she has never stopped her pursuit of the violin, and I can hear it too, her skills have gotten better and better. But it’s such a pity, for she will never be able to play on stage like she once dreamed anymore, given her current… state.

And you too, my dear, you have been burying yourself in those magical tomes for longer than usual, trying to find ways to improve your spells, doing everything in your abilities to help our little rose. I know you want to help her even after the day we die, but… don’t overwork yourself, would you? I don’t want you to meet the same fate as our little rose, after all.

Take some rest, my beloved wife. Please take care of yourself.”

* * *

Those were just three of the many letters that were in the journal, the ones that Ciara found the most intriguing. According to the letters, she had a husband who loved her dearly, and a daughter, who had passed away too young from overworking. For a reason that seemed to be her husband’s preference, no name was mentioned in any of the letters, not hers, not his, not their daughter’s. 

She knew that Ciara was her real name, however. Not because she remembered, but because the first thing she found after she realized she had lost her memory was a piece of paper in her pocket, stating her real name in case she ever forgot, but just her given name, not her family name.

It didn’t take long for the woman in glasses to piece together the clues. Two parents who loved roses, and a daughter who loved the violin, who moved into the Duchy of Whiteridge after the daughter’s demise, and the mother used magic to keep their house warm enough for the roses to grow. The story was too similar to that one she had heard recently.

“Briar wasn’t born in the Duchy of Whiteridge. She became a Graveborn before she moved here along with her family, who were still alive back then. Being a Graveborn, she doesn’t feel the need to switch her clothes to warmer ones.”

“What about the fresh rose? It’s not made of magic, and it’s not enchanted with preservation magic either.”

“You may not believe it, but Briar grows roses in her home.”

“How is that possible? Roses can’t grow in this cold weather!”

“Her house is enchanted with some sort of permanent magic that makes the place suitable for growing roses all year round.”

“That’s some really serious magic going on! Briar must be a really powerful mage!”

“She said that it was her mother’s doing. Her parents loved roses back then, and that grew onto her, too. She wears roses on her attire to always remember them.”

* * *

“Oh, Lady Ciara, I didn’t expect you to come to the Everstill Manor at this hour. Alone, even.” The butler candelabra, Václav, greeted the mage. “Is there something urgent that has brought you here?”

“It’s not anything urgent, but I want to talk to Lord Ludovic in private. Is he free right now?” “Yes, you came at just the right time. Please come in, I will inform His Lordship immediately.”

Ciara had always been the patient type, but for some reason, she found herself pacing back and forth, while waiting for the Graveborn Viscount to come to the front hall. Maybe the newfound truth had left her more than eager to know more, or to be more precise, to verify it.

And after a while, Ludovic finally came down to the front hall, his steps as graceful as ever.

“Greetings, Your Lordship.” The woman greeted, bowing her head in a polite manner.

“Greetings.” The Graveborn paused for a second. “Judging from your face alone, you have discovered something about what happened before, correct?”

“Yes, indeed. And I would be honored, if you can help me.”

“Well then, I assume that you don’t need me to explain further? Pray tell, how do you wish to be assisted?” “...I wish to meet Briar. I want to hear her words on this matter, to confirm the last doubt that I have in the truth laid bare in front of my eyes.”

Ludovic’s face became more stern for a second, but it was fleeting. Just as his expression returned to normal, he turned to the entrance of the manor, gesturing to Ciara to follow him.

The two walked a long road, until they came to a place unknown to almost everyone. And finally, they stopped in front of a house, surrounded by rose bushes, a sight completely impossible for the cold weather of the Duchy of Whiteridge, if it hadn’t been for the use of magic. The air around the house was warm, truly a stark contrast to the freezing cold just a few meters further from it.

Behind the overgrown wild rose bushes, stood a house, its walls taken over by creeping vines. Surrounding it was a large garden with many types of roses of many colours, its scent evident in the air, yet pleasant to take in. Even though it was hard to see due to the night, the garden was still clearly lush and beautiful, as if proper care was there, but the overgrown state of the rose bushes was a rather peculiar sight, given how people would usually prune their plants to ensure a pretty shape.

“Briar prefers the beauty of overgrown plants to the carefully pruned ones.” Ludovic spoke up, as if he could tell what was going on in Ciara’s mind. “This is where she lives. This house was enchanted with magic from her late mother.”

He then walked towards the gate, where lay a few candles, then turned back to the woman wearing glasses behind him.

“I can’t guarantee that you will get the answer you seek, for Briar is difficult to open up.” He said. “Please refrain from saying anything that will potentially distress her even further. Meanwhile, I will try to convince her, should she try to leave.”

With the words spoken out, Ludovic lit the candles on the gate in a specific order. The flame glowed with a green hue, its light flickered against the night sky.

A few seconds later, the candles died down, as the gate opened, all on their own, as if inviting them inside.

“Come.” 

He gestured, then walked towards the gate, stepping deeper into the garden, to the magically preserved house in front of them. The woman with glasses followed closely behind, her eyes scanning the surroundings carefully, taking up the details, as if she was trying to recall the past. A faint violin sound could be heard from inside the house, but it came to an abrupt stop, as they walked closer to the house itself.

Ludovic opened the front door of the house, then closed it after the both of them had entered the place. His steps were slow and careful, as he led Ciara deeper into the place. And just as they entered the living room, they were greeted with the current owner of the place - Briar herself.

“My Lord.” She spoke up, her voice as soft as a gentle breeze yet flat in tone, her expression still rather unreadable. “Please, tell me you have a good reason to bring… her here.”

“I do, in fact.” Ludovic replied. “She wishes to have a word with you.”

Briar stayed silent, looking at the Graveborn guy in front of her, then glanced at the woman standing nearby for just a second. It was hard to tell what was in her head, and yet, the Viscount seemed to read her with ease.

“Ciara has saved Cedartown, along with Valka. She will not harm you, I promise.” 

“...I know, but… nevermind.” She paused, then turned towards the mage, but only for a brief moment, before returning to her friend. “Please, have a seat first, both of you.”

The three of them sat down around the tea table in the living room. The air wasn’t so comfortable for some reason, despite the rather neutral expression of all of them.

“Tell me, what do you want to say, Magister? Please be brief. I don’t have time.” 

Briar was the one who broke the uncomfortable silence. The claim that she didn’t have time, was a blatant lie, yet nobody pointed it out. She was a Graveborn, after all, and a Graveborn would always have time on their hands.

“I will cut to the chase, then. Before that, I apologize if this meeting is too abrupt. I do not intend to make you feel uncomfortable in any way.”

“It’s alright. Please continue.”

“How should I put this… Tell me about your past, Briar.”

Briar’s fingers pinched the transparent fabric layer at the end of her sleeves lightly, right where her hand was resting at. It was such a subtle gesture that it was barely noticeable, yet it caught Ludovic’s attention almost immediately.

“My… past?” She tilted her head a little. “Which… part of my past would you like to know?”

“Back when you were alive. If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.” Briar looked away for a second, before she continued. “Now, where would you like me to begin?”

“Your fascination with the violin, if you may.” 

“It… came naturally to me. I’ve loved the instrument from the first time I had my eyes on it. When I was alive, I had always dreamed of being a great violinist, after all.”

Briar looked down onto her hands, as she finished her answer.

“I see.”

Ciara nodded at the answer. One of her hands reached up to her face, her index finger curling, her knuckle pushing up to fix her glasses. Immediately, Briar diverted her gaze towards the mage, lingering for a moment, until she put her hand down. She then blinked, as if trying to catch herself, then looked back to her hands. 

“Well then… I believe you still have… other questions?” She asked with a tinge of hesitation in her voice.

Ludovic, who had been quiet for the time being, exhaled slowly. “Briar, if it’s too much, you can—”

“It’s okay, my Lord. I’m fine.” She spoke in a calm tone, but the calm was… almost too measured. She then turned towards the other woman, yet still avoided eye contact. “Ask away, Magister. I’ll… try to answer your questions.”

“...I heard that the warm temperature around your house was your mother’s doing.” Ciara took a deep breath, as she chose her words carefully. “I apologize if it's too much to ask, but… may I know more about your mother?”

This time, she was greeted with a silence that lasted more than necessary. Briar’s hands, which were fidgeting with the ends of her sleeves, clenched tightly, the fabric crumpled upon the tight grip.

The candlelight on the table flickered, its green glow casting shadows across the room. Ludovic turned towards Briar, then to Ciara, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Ciara also returned the gaze, her eyes then flickered between the two Graveborn in front of her, as if she was asking for help.

“My mother…” Briar finally spoke up. “She was… Strong. Competent.”

A pause. One that felt too long.

“Yet… she has her gentle side.”

The silence lingered for even longer. Briar’s glowing green eyes never left her hands, the wavy strands of her hair obscured the sides of her face.

“Briar—” Ludovic spoke up, his voice laced with a hint of concern.

“I said I’m fine.” Her voice came out too quickly, before she realized how… forceful she had been. “Ah… my apologies.”

It took Ciara a while to speak up, as she, too, had noticed how the air was filled with tension.

“...she must have been a powerful mage, for her spells to last for so long.” She spoke, as if she had forgotten, that she was a mage herself. The strongest mage of Esperia even.

Briar didn’t reply. Her lips parted slightly, as if she was trying to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth. She closed them again, pressing them into  a thin line.

A moment passed, before that soft voice finally rang again.

“My apologies. I just remembered, I have matters to attend to.” She immediately rose from her seat in one motion, without even a warning. “Please forgive me.”

She then closed her eyes, her lips parted, and a soft murmur could be heard coming from her lips. A spell, perhaps.

But before she could even finish chanting the spell, a hand caught her wrist. A gentle grip, enough to interrupt her.

“Briar.” Ludovic’s voice was low and steady, a single call of her name, as he stood up.

“Let me go.” She muttered, and tried to retract her hand, but it didn’t help. The guy didn’t move at all, his hand still grabbing her wrist.

“...please.” Her tone became more quiet, like a whisper. “It’s not worth caring for me. If I had—”

A pause.

“If I had listened to her, to them… I could have lived. If it hadn't been for me, she could have stayed in this world for a bit longer…” Her breath hitched in her throat.

Silence.

“You’re always like this.” He let out a sigh. “Always running away, always refusing to accept help…”

“But… I don’t deserve to be cared for. Everything - it’s all the price I have to pay. This is what I deserve.”

“No, you do not deserve to suffer alone like this.” He shook his head. “She wouldn’t blame you like you do to yourself, and she wouldn’t think you deserve this either.”

Another flicker of the candlelight.

“She loved you.” Ludovic continued. “And that wouldn’t change, just because you passed away too soon.”

Briar opened her mouth, but nothing came out of it. Her lips, once again, pressed together into a thin line.

Her shoulders trembled lightly, as she looked down.

“Briar.” His hand slid down further, to hold her hand, his fingers intertwined with her. “Look at me, would you? You are not suffering alone anymore. You have me.”

She didn’t reply.

But a tear fell down from her eyes. 

Another. Then another. Then many others.

Her crying was… so quiet. Not even an audible breath. Yet those tears were visible, those glistening drops, reflecting the green candlelight, before falling onto the ground.

Ludovic let go of her hand, as he slowly pulled her closer, into a tender embrace.

“It’s okay.” He whispered. “Let it all out. I’m here, now, and always.”

Ciara silently watched, unmoving, as if she didn’t want to ruin the moment.

And after what seemed like an eternity, Briar finally pulled away, the back of her hand wiping away the last remnant of the tears on her face.

“...I’m sorry that you have to see this.” She whispered.

“Please don’t be.” Ludovic shook his head. “You’ve been holding it in for centuries. It’s okay to let it all out.”

Briar took a deep breath, then exhaled, her voice still a little hoarse, but it seemed more… natural.

“I guess… we can continue our previous conversation.”

[erisunoaakaibu]

Side quest: Strings and Roses

(Go to Cedartown to accept the quest.)

Talk to Evgeny.

Chippy: Evgeny! It’s been a while. How have you been?

Evgeny: I’ve been doing good. How about you?

Ciara: I’m good. However, I sense something troubling you. Is there anything wrong?

Evgeny: No, it’s not anything wrong. I just happened to encounter something strange at the cemetery when I came to visit the grave of Levsky yesterday.

Chippy: (shocked) Something strange? At the cemetery? Was it the undead?

Evgeny: I’m not so sure myself. Here, take a look at this. I found it on Levsky’s grave.

(Received item: White Rose)

Hammie: A fresh white rose? Roses can’t grow in this cold climate, can it?

Ciara: Correct. And there’s no trace of preservation magic on this rose, either.

Evgeny: That’s precisely what I found strange. And there’s more, too. When I came to the cemetery, I saw a girl, standing alone in the cemetery, holding a violin. When she saw me, she bowed down and started playing. Evgeny: It has to be the most beautiful piece of music that I have ever heard! When I heard it, it felt as if Levsky was there with me, all healthy, and happy.

Evgeny: But before I could even say anything, that girl had already disappeared.

Chippy: That is really strange!

Hammie: Can you describe what the girl looked like?

Evgeny: It was getting dark, so I couldn’t see clearly. But I saw that girl had really pale skin, and she wore a dress that was unfit for the weather of this place, yet she didn’t seem to shiver at all. Didn’t she feel cold?

Hammie: Pale skin, doesn’t feel cold… Ciara, do you think the same as I do?

Ciara: A Graveborn.

Chippy: A Graveborn? Hammie, Ciara, are you sure?

Hammie: Yes, we’re completely sure.

Evgeny: Anyway, the girl didn’t do any harm. In fact, her music soothed my sadness quite a lot, even for a moment. I wanted to thank her, but I don’t know if I can meet her again. Can you help me?

Chippy: Of course! Sir Chippy will definitely help you out! Now, where should we begin?

Hammie: Let’s go to the same place at night first. Maybe we can have a chance to see that girl.

Wait until Night.

Chippy: That Graveborn doesn’t sound like anyone we’ve met. Does Valka know her?

Ciara: Maybe we can ask her later.

Go to the cemetery.

(On the way, dialogue on top of the screen)

Chippy: Do you hear that? That sounds like the violin!

Hammie: It’s so, so beautiful. Let’s follow the sound.

(The three came to the cemetery, only to see the music had ceased, and there were a few white rose petals on the ground, barely discernible from the snow. Suddenly, an undead appears and tries to attack the three of them. They have to defeat it before continuing with the examination.)

Defeat the undead.

(dialogue on top of the screen)

Hammie: There’s something on the ground. Should we go take a look?

Examine.

(Show on screen: a few white rose petals)

Chippy: Are these… rose petals?

Hammie: They seem to be made out of magic… Look, Ciara, they are fading away!

Ciara: …this looks like the residue of a form of teleportation magic to me. But it’s something I have never seen before.

Chippy: That is so strange! Should we go ask Valka?

Hammie: Yes, I think we should. 

Ask Valka.

Valka: You seem troubled.

Chippy: Valka, you’re here!

Valka: It’s nice to see you guys again. Did something happen?

Chippy: We want to ask you a question! Apart from Igor, Carolina, Callan and Ludovic, do you know any other Graveborn?

Valka: I do know one, in fact.

Chippy: Really? Can you tell us more?

Valka: I’m sorry, I can’t. She specifically told us to not tell anyone about her, should they come and ask.

Chippy: Did you say “she”? Does she play the violin?

Valka: (Valka seems surprised.) You have met her before? That’s impossible, she never lets anyone see her ever, unless on purpose. And you guys can never be ones she would show herself to.

Hammie: Well, here’s the story…

(The three decide to tell Valka the whole story regarding Evgeny.)

Valka: That makes sense now. I should tell you more about her, then. Her name is Briar. She has spent her centuries long existence studying and practicing the violin.

Chippy: No wonder why her music is so good!

Hammie: We felt like we were hypnotized by the music itself! That’s how beautiful the music was.

Chippy: Evgeny also stated that she wears a dress that doesn’t fit the weather of the Duchy. Do you know why, Valka?

Valka: Briar wasn’t born in the Duchy of Whiteridge. She became a Graveborn before she moved here along with her family, who were still alive back then. Being a Graveborn, she doesn’t feel the need to switch her clothes to warmer ones.

Hammie: What about the fresh rose? It’s not made of magic, and it’s not enchanted with preservation magic either.

Valka: You may not believe it, but Briar grows roses in her home.

Chippy: How is that possible? Roses can’t grow in this cold weather!

Valka: Her house is enchanted with some sort of permanent magic that makes the place suitable for growing roses all year round.

Hammie: That’s some really serious magic going on! Briar must be a really powerful mage!

Valka: She said that it was her mother’s doing. Her parents loved roses back then, and that grew onto her, too. She wears roses on her attire to always remember them.

Chippy: Then her mother must have been a really powerful mage!

Valka: Ciara, why are you so quiet? I know you don’t like to speak, but you haven’t talked for a bit since I told you guys about Briar.

Ciara: …No, it’s nothing. Anyway, how do we find her?

Valka: It’s hard to answer that. Briar doesn’t have a set schedule. She goes outside at night to play, but her destinations are always random. Sometimes, she even wanders for a long time. Prior to this, she had been nowhere to be found in the Duchy for a month until just recently, some time after Cryonaia had been sealed.

Chippy: That’s so hard… If we’re not lucky, then there’s no way we can find Briar!

Hammie: But we can’t give up now, right? Ciara, what do you think?

Ciara: …let’s go find somewhere to talk about the plan first. 

Valka: I can only wish you luck on this.

Find somewhere to talk.

Hammie: So what’s the plan, Ciara?

Ciara: According to Valka, Briar goes outside to play the violin at night. There’s a chance people might be able to hear her music from time to time.

Chippy: So now we go to Cedartown to ask?

Ciara: Exactly. But we wait until the sun rises fully first.

Wait until Noon.

(dialogue on top of the screen)

Chippy: Let’s go ask the citizens!

Go to Cedartown and ask citizens. 

(Person #1: Hello there.)

Chippy: May I ask, have you ever heard mysterious violin sounds during the night?

Person #1: No, I haven’t. I’ve heard people talk about it, however. 

Hammie: What did they say?

Person #1: They said the music was hauntingly beautiful. I wish I could hear that for once…

(Person #2: Who is that violinist…)

Chippy: May I ask, have you ever heard mysterious violin sounds during the night?

Person #2: I have once, a long time ago. And now people say that the sounds are back, it makes me want to listen to it again.

Hammie: Do you remember where you heard it from?

Person #2: I don’t, sadly. I was just going around, so I didn’t really pay attention. But I heard the violin sounds tend to be where there are people who passed away.

Hammie: I see. Thank you.

(Person #3: The violin sounds are back!)

Chippy: May I ask, have you ever heard mysterious violin sounds during the night?

Person #3: Yes, I have. In fact, I have heard it so many times!

Hammie: Do you remember where you usually hear it from?

Person #3: I remember how it’s usually the places that don’t have people. The last time I heard it was in Petalia Plains!

Chippy: Thank you so much!

Talk to Chippy and Hammie.

Hammie: Seems like Briar likes to play in secluded places, far away from people.

Chippy: What are the places that can be like that?

Ciara: We have Petalia Plains on the list. The cemetery at night can be secluded too, but I don’t think she will come to the place twice in a row. Hmm… given how she plays where there are deceased people, she might play in the Sorrowfall Lake too. 

Hammie: I remember there’s a Graveborn near Carolina’s home. I wonder if Briar would come there.

Ciara: That could be the case. I’ll put that on the list.

Wait until Night.

Go to the listed places:

(Magister Ciara, Chippy and Hammie go to all the three places, but there are no traces of Briar. Not even a single musical note. The three are really disappointed, but they can’t really do anything about it.)

(Suddenly, Ciara has an idea. More like, a deduction.)

Talk to Chippy and Hammie.

Ciara: I just thought of this.

Hammie: What is it, Ciara?

Ciara: Think about it. Briar never seems to show up in front of people, as if she may be untrusting of them or scared of being seen, and yet for some reason, she put a flower on Levsky’s grave, and played for Evgeny.

Chippy: Now that you said it, it’s kind of strange…

Ciara: And what is Briar again?

Chippy: A Graveborn?

Ciara: Exactly. So, a Graveborn is more likely to know another Graveborn, right? We have seen that Valka knows Briar here. And judging from what Briar has been showing, there is no way she just suddenly knows of Evgeny and Levsky.

Chippy: So what you’re trying to say is…?

Ciara: There’s a high chance Briar learned about them from another Graveborn. And the Graveborn that was directly involved with them is…?

Hammie: Lord Ludovic?

Ciara: Exactly.

Chippy: So now we go ask Lord Ludovic for help?

Ciara: That’s right. Let’s go.

Go to Everstill Manor.

Chippy: Václav, is Lord Ludovic home? We need to meet him.

Butler Václav: My apologies, His Lordship is indeed home, but he is currently having a special guest that he wants to speak to in private. And please, keep your voices down for the time being. The guest is rather… overly vigilant and easy to be startled, and His Lordship requires that she should feel completely safe here, under any circumstances.

Hammie: Overly vigilant and easily startled? That sounds a bit like Briar, right?

Butler Václav: Oh, so you know Lady Briar? Indeed, she is the guest that His Lordship is talking to.

Chippy: What a pleasant coincidence! We are trying to find her to no avail, and thank Dura above, she’s here!

Butler Václav: Well then would you kindly wait for a moment? I believe His Lordship will finish conversing with Lady Briar soon, and I will inform them about your arrival after that.

Ciara: …thank you.

Wait for a moment.

(While waiting, Ciara overhears the enchanted furniture and the flower attendants talking about Briar. It seems like Ludovic and Briar had known each other for a long time, and they seem to be on good terms, being really close friends.)

(After a moment, Ludovic enters the front hall, along with a Graveborn girl holding a violin, wearing a knee-length puffy dress decorated with white roses, her shoulders exposed, an outfit indeed really unsuitable for the cold weather of the Duchy. Seems like this girl is Briar.)

Talk to Ludovic and Briar.

Ludovic: Please forgive me, I was having some discussions with my… friend, Briar. According to Václav, you came here in an attempt to look for her?

Chippy: Yes, we are looking for her! We want to meet her to deliver a message!

Ciara: (Ciara takes in Briar’s look for a second, her expression unreadable, before she speaks up.) Pleased to meet you.

(Briar observes the two hamster familiars, then diverts her gaze back to Ciara, lingering for a bit longer than usual.)

Briar: …Greetings. May I learn your names?

Ciara: I am Ciara. And these are my two hamster familiars, Chippy and Hammie.

Briar: (Briar stays silent for a bit longer than expected, before she speaks up, her face still calm and hard to read.) …A pleasure to meet you. Pray tell, what is the message that  you want to deliver to me?

Chippy: It’s a message from Evgeny! He wanted to thank you for putting that flower on Levsky’s grave, and playing a song for him. Briar: Tell him there’s no need to thank me. And please, don’t reveal my name to him…

(Ludovic turns toward Briar as she speaks) 

Briar: For I am just a mere nameless violinist, seeking to ease the pain of the sufferers. Now please forgive me, but I have something I have to attend to. Farewell, for now at least. 

(Briar then turns away, lifting her violin up in a playing position. And with a pull of her violin bow against the strings, she dissipates into a flurry of rose petals, before disappearing completely, leaving a few petals behind.)

Chippy: She really left that quickly? Why?

Ludovic: Briar has always been like that. Running away, whenever she feels overwhelmed. I could see just back then, she was distressed, and she probably couldn’t hold it in any longer. Just let her be.

Chippy: She was distressed? But we didn’t do anything…

Ludovic: I think I know why. (He turns towards Ciara.) But I believe that this is a story for later. Just know that you did nothing wrong, it’s probably just a cruel coincidence for that girl.

Hammie: We understand. Now that things have been taken care of, we should go now. Thank you, Your Lordship.

Return to Cedartown and talk to Evgeny.

Evgeny: Have you found her?

Chippy: We did, and we said thank you on your behalf!

Evgeny: That’s good to hear. What did she say?

Chippy: She said there’s no need to thank her. For she is… what did she say again?

Ciara: …A mere nameless violinist, seeking to ease the pain of the sufferers.

Evgeny: That girl is such a humble and kind person… I think I’ll never be able to forget her kindness. Anyway, thank you for your help. I wouldn’t be able to thank her without you guys.

Ciara: It’s nothing, really. Well, excuse me, we have to go now. Maybe we’ll meet again.

(Quest ends... probably?) 

[erisunoaakaibu]

A tattered letter

You found a letter on the ground, tattered from the passage of time. With some effort, you finally managed to decipher most of the content.

“Dear (the name has been smudged beyond legibility), 

You might be wondering, how this letter got sent to you in the first place. It might be unsettling, yes, but rest assured, I do not mean any malice or harm. You need not know who I am, for I will leave the Duchy of Whiteridge soon, and you will probably never hear from me ever again, at least not (illegible).

You probably have guessed, I have a favour to ask you. It’s alright if you don’t want to help me, because I know things will go well, with or without my interference. Still, I can’t help myself but write this letter, for I would hope for that small chance to happen.

By the time you read this letter, you probably have (illegible). It was probably a coincidence, or at least that was what I predicted. That girl, she is a good child. Too good even. She would pick the most beautiful flowers for others, without even caring about her hands pricked by the sharp thorns and torn by the blades of grass. She would (a long, illegible paragraph). She would… oh, my apologies, I am writing too much. I will get to the point.

That child, she is so kind, so sweet, yet she never seems to care about herself. I have seen her walk this land all by herself, pouring her heart out (illegible), seeking to help others through their pain. And yet, when asked about her own agony, she would hide, she would run, she would mask herself under a tough exterior, thinking she doesn’t deserve such kind gestures, believing everything is (illegible). She bottles up her feelings, then (illegible), crying in silence, day by day. It is truly a painful sight to see, yet I can’t seem to do anything about it.

What I am trying to say is that, (illegible), please help that child out. Help her to come out of her shell, help her to finally voice her words, help her to never endure the pain alone. Please be patient with her, slowly coax her to open up, slowly prove that she would be safe around you. I have seen the look in your eyes, the way you look at her as she (illegible), the way you treat her with respect. I believe that you will be the one who can stay with her, to bring a smile on her face once more.

My words may sound like a plea, but no, I am not begging you, for I am in no position to ask for such a favour. I just simply want to write this letter, and send it to you, that’s all.

Sincerely.”

The name of the sender seemed to be left blank on purpose. 

[erisunoaakaibu]

[Writing] The first meeting of Briar and Ludovic

There was this rumor that had been spreading all around the Lightbearer Empire for years. About this mysterious violin sound at night. The hauntingly beautiful violin sound, that once you listen to it, you will never forget. 

Many had tried to follow those sounds before, but nobody had ever managed to get their hands on any single clue about how, or why it was even there in the first place. Their efforts were always in vain, and the only things they ever got were just a few white rose petals, which dissipated after some time.

Having found out about the rumor, the only response that the girl gave out was just a plain sigh. After all, she was the one playing the violin, and the last thing she wanted was for the Lightbearers to find out about her.

* * *

Her name is Briar, a Graveborn violinist, who has been around for quite a long time. The rumor about the violin sound, it actually came from a habit that she had developed, and that was to go outside and play at night. For the past years, she had been roaming around the Lightbearer Empire with her trusted violin at night, yet managed to stay anonymous thanks to a few tricks up her sleeve. 

To Briar, immortality was not what she wanted, at all. In fact, she didn’t even know how she became a Graveborn after she passed away. Leading a solitary life forever, was quite… tiring, to say the least. The only thing immortality brought her that she was grateful for, was her violin skills, which was honed to a peak in the span of over a century at least. 

But then again, being a Graveborn, she had lost the opportunity to be on stage forever. Her immaculate skills, were now only for her to listen to, and the sole audience of her performances was the night sky. Sometimes, it would be a fellow Graveborn that she met on her way, but those cases were as rare as it gets.

She didn’t know, however, that it was about to change. 

* * *

It was a beautiful starry night sky, perfect for playing outside again, or at least that was what Briar thought. As usual, she grabbed her trusted violin, and left home again. She stopped somewhere away from any residences, and was surrounded by many large trees. A rather favorable spot that wouldn’t attract others easily, and the thick foliage also helped her music to be less likely heard from afar.

With that in mind, Briar started playing a music improvisation on her violin. She poured her heart into every note, and so, the song that came out spoke her mind more than anything. Her passion, her sadness, her loneliness,... it really wasn’t hard to hear all those emotions in the song. 

Briar seemed to be completely immersed in her performance, but in fact, the back of her mind was still on alert, ready to make her take the pre-planned escape route that she had, just in case. And of course, as expected, she could feel someone coming… and if she felt it, then there would definitely be someone.

Her fingers on the violin shifted, and she moved the bow just a little, the gestures barely noticeable. And then, just with another pull of the violin bow in her hand, she dissipated into a flurry of white rose petals. This was her signature teleportation spell that she learned and modified, so that she could cast it using her trusted violin, by playing in a specific way.

Usually, those petals would disappear as she teleported home, but in this case, it was different. For some reason, she decided to just get up a tree and hide there, and due to the short teleportation distance, there were a lot of residual rose petals in the air while she was still on the tree branch. It was a rather… beautiful scene to witness, as the rose petals swirled in the air, along with the soft winds. She would love to come down and play her violin in the middle of that scene, but it wasn’t safe, at least for now. And thus, she sat there, on the tree branch, not making a sound. She watched, as the petals slowly disintegrated into thin air, and the wind died down. Without the wind, the atmosphere became silent, so silent that she could hear her own breath. 

Once again, Briar was right. Thanks to the air being silent, she could hear faint footsteps from afar. Someone was coming her way, and acknowledging that, she tried to hide herself deeper into the leaves. Despite her rather calm face, her eyes were laced with a subtle worry, the worry that she might get caught. 

She waited, just like that, her attention fully on the footsteps.

Until someone came.

She closely watched that person from above, her breath was silent.

It was a male, wearing mostly black clothing, and his attire looked like that of a noble… a high-ranking noble, in fact. He had the appearance of a teenager, with long, wavy and silver hair loosely tied at the back with a green ribbon. The person was holding a bouquet of everbloom flowers - the flower for the deceased. 

Briar observed the person closely, a bit curious about his appearance, and why he was carrying everblooms around like that. But just as the person started turning his head to look around, she realized it. The stranger’s skin was extremely pale, like a dead kind of pale, and most importantly, he had those glowing green eyes - a telltale sign that he is a Graveborn.

Seeing a Graveborn like her, she let out a relieved sigh, as she knew, at least she wouldn’t be reported, or be killed immediately. She let her guard down a little, her gaze not leaving the Graveborn guy. The guy stopped at the sight of the rose petals on the ground. She saw him reaching his free hand out towards them… but he paused midway, as if something had prevented him from reaching out further. For a moment, he stared at his hand, then at the petals, before letting it drop back to his side.

Before she even realized it, he had already directed his gaze towards her. Just like that… she saw something in his green eyes. Some kind of sadness. The sadness that contained hundreds of years of isolation and loneliness. Looking at those eyes, she could see part of herself in him - she had also lived for so long, all alone, without anyone around. 

His gaze lingered on her hiding spot for a while more, as if he had noticed her presence. And her eyes briefly met his for just a second.

“Being kind to others in need, is being kind to yourself. Actions have consequences, Briar. What goes around, comes around, and you should always treat others the way you want to be treated.” The words from her parents suddenly rang in her mind. It’s been hundreds of years, and she still remembered those words so clearly, as if it was yesterday. She had always followed this principle, not only because she believed in it, but it was also her way of paying tribute to them.

The other Graveborn had already looked somewhere else, as she was pondering. Seeing this person, it made her want to do something. And so, she carefully left the tree branch to approach him, making a rustling sound in the process. 

Upon hearing the sound, the guy then turned around. Facing him was a girl who was just a little shorter than him, and also looked like a teenager. Her skin was just as deadly pale as his, and she also had those glowing green eyes of a Graveborn. She had short, wavy and a bit messy hair in a dark color that faded into a dark teal at the tips, decorated by two white roses as well as two braided hair strands that were tied at the back.

“Greetings.” She spoke up, her voice was just as soft as a gentle breeze, as she bowed down politely, before walking towards him.  He, on the other hand, didn’t respond. His expression was unreadable, as he carefully observed this strange girl. She was holding a violin… could it be that she had been practicing here before he came?

"May I perhaps... play a song for you? That is, if you are okay with it, of course." What a strange offer, especially for a complete stranger, he thought. But still, her eyes hid no malice, and it wouldn’t hurt to spend some time listening to her song anyway.  “Please do.” The silence remained for only a few more brief seconds, before he nodded.

"Thank you." The girl observed him for a bit longer, her face showed only calmness. She then spoke up again after a short while, her hand holding the violin at the playing position. "I shall begin then." And thus, she started playing a song. A song for a lonely soul, who was suffering from an eternal pain. It was as if the song read his heart, and soothed his own sorrow and suffering. And her skills too... it was way too good, the kind of skill that either came from someone with exceptional talent, or someone who had spent hundreds of years practicing... Everything, added together, was like a healing elixir for his soul, even if it was just for a while.

And as the song ended, the whole place returned to stillness.

The silence lingered for a bit longer, before the guy spoke up. The sadness in his eyes was gone, maybe for this moment only. “That was… beautiful.” “You have my sincerest thanks.” The girl replied in her gentle voice, her expression still calm and unchanging. “Anyway... I hope the song has helped you somehow.” “I think it did.”

Another moment of silence. “May I… know your name?” He asked, his grip on the everbloom bouquet tightened a little. However, the girl didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she turned around, her back against him. “I am but a mere nameless violinist, hoping to ease the pain of the sufferers.” Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, ruffling the hair of both Graveborns, as well as bringing the fallen leaves with it, engulfing both of them.

"But since you asked... My name is Briar." She spoke again, as her violin bow touched the violin. With a single pull, she dissipated into a flurry of white rose petals, then disappeared. The wind died down, and there were a few fleeting rose petals on the ground.

A hint of surprise could be seen on the Graveborn guy’s expression, as the girl disappeared. Their meeting was so sudden, yet so brief, and it almost felt like a vivid fragment of imagination. “Briar, huh…”

* * *

A few days later. 

Briar visited her parents' graves in the cemetery at night, bringing white roses for them, and tending for the graves themselves. When alive, her parents loved roses, and so, she would bring them the flowers from her own garden whenever she came here.  It had been years, and yet the two graves still remained well-preserved. She just never wanted to forget them, and this was one of the very few things she could do to always keep them in her mind. A soft sigh escaped her lips, as she was about to turn around. But something caught her eyes.

"...Everblooms?"

There was a bouquet of everblooms on her long forgotten grave, which was just behind her parents’. That grave of hers… apart from her name, nothing was even readable. Moss and ivy had taken over, and if it wasn’t for the name, even she would have forgotten about it. But how? How did someone even remember her, to offer everbloom flowers to her grave? It was a strange phenomenon to her, but yet, part of her was glad. Maybe, just maybe, someone actually remembered her, but she thought, it was most likely just someone putting everblooms on random graves, and she just got it by chance. She took the everblooms home, and hung it upside down, to preserve it as a dried bouquet.

Days passed. And yet, those everblooms remained pristine. Of course, anyone would find it strange, so she had to take a look at them again. And just as expected, she found out that those weren’t natural flowers, but in fact, flowers made from magic. 

A thought crossed her mind. She had been to an everbloom field before, and seeing this bouquet of magical everbloom… it made her want to return to the place again. 

* * *

She appeared on the everbloom field that same night. There was someone in the middle of the field, holding a bouquet of everblooms in his hand.

“Ah, it’s you again. You left so suddenly last time, I didn’t get the chance to tell you my name.” “...”

“I am Ludovic. It’s a pleasure to see you again, Briar.”

[erisunoaakaibu]

Hi, I just wanna say that I've started writing again! This is what I have done in the span of 2 hours, how great is that!

Due to a few circumstances, I will post the finished work on my main blog and reblog it back here later.

[erisunoaakaibu]

I think I accidentally wrote something that rhymes nicely.

[erisunoaakaibu]

Pros of re-reading your own fic

a good time;

Has exactly the tropes you like and the characterization you want to read;

Gratification: yes you did finish a thing and yes you did do good;

just a very fun time all around.

Cons of re-reading your own fic:

Is that another TYpO

[erisunoaakaibu]

I'll put it here because it's a nice quote.

Maybe useful for future ideas.

[erisunoaakaibu]

One merit of fanfic that I don’t think gets mentioned enough is that while you are starting off without having to create new characters and worlds, you are also uniquely constrained by the characters and worlds that you choose to write about, because the audience has expectations for them that you must match.

In that sense, it’s essentially a writing challenge in consistency with a specific style, in a particular range of voices that aren’t always your own.

What’s the worst thing a fanfic can be, in my opinion? Out of character. If you’ve come to a fic to read about a specific character, with a distinct personality, style of speech, and set of morals, and the author of the fic hasn’t done their job properly, you won’t feel like you’re actually reading about that character, and you will have a hard time reading the fic.

There is so much that goes into creating a unique character that is easy to not think about until you have the extreme constraint of writing the actions and speech of a character you did not originate, where you have to match the thought process, ideas, and syntax of someone else, essentially trying to insert yourself into the mind of the professional writer who originated the character, and extrapolate how they would make their creation react to the situation you’ve put them in, what words they would put in that person’s mouth, etc.

So fanfic is an excellent exercise in making sure your characters have distinct personalities, and making sure those personalities are consistent. Because if they’re not, your audience will be able to pick up on it immediately.

[erisunoaakaibu]

This chorus gives me some real good ideas.

[erisunoaakaibu]

Revival main cast (as of chapter 05)

A compensation for the lack of illustration in chapter 05.

[erisunoaakaibu]

My personal deduction of the Dryad's interaction with the Odd Mushroom relic and the Parasite curse.

[erisunoaakaibu]

Guys! Guys guys guys! Chapter 5 of Revival is out!

If you're interested, come and read it! It's really long compared to my previous chapters, and I'm glad I could write that long!

[erisunoaakaibu]

Revival - Chapter 5: The automaton

The corridor right after the Lagavulin was filled with mushrooms. They were hypnotizingly colorful, as if they were luring the others to eat them.

As a Dryad, it only took me a while to identify most of these mushrooms and the effects they had did not affect me. I knew there were parasites in them, altering the properties of the fungi to find a human host, and eating them would get humans infected, but for the Ironclad and the Silent, it was a different story. The two of them were staring at the mushrooms, refusing to move. It was clear to me that they were trying to resist the urge to pick up those things and put them in their mouths. 

“Damn it!” The Ironclad let out an angry curse, before he started to violently stomp on the fungi in an attempt to escape from the hypnosis. It worked, as the Silent also snapped from the trance. But immediately, one, two, three dead rodents, whose bodies spotted mushrooms that could apparently move, appeared. According to the journal, these are Fungi Beasts, capable of releasing spores that can render their enemies vulnerable. 

The three of us quickly summoned our decks, ready for the fight. “D-Don’t take them down one by one! Try to kill them at the same time.” This time, I could finally tell my allies about the monsters before they started fighting. “Got it.” The Silent replied.

* * *

The fight ended, with the team taking quite a few hits in the process. None of us suffered from fatal damage, but we could have done better. “We told you to NOT take down those Fungi Beasts one by one, Ironclad! We could have taken less damage from that fight if you hadn’t done that.” “So? It’s just a scratch! Plus, you guys didn’t even take that much to begin with.” “What do you mean we didn’t take that much? You have to understand that our Max HP is lower than yours, and we can’t just heal ourselves naturally like you! Also, brute force alone can’t get you far either. At this rate we might not even get to the end of the first map.”

I watched, as the two of them argued. I really didn't want them to bicker over such a matter, especially when they had just met each other for a short while. “Erm... g-guys...?” I tried to speak up. But they didn't seem to hear me. “Then what do you expect me to do? Fucking hold back? I ain't doing that. They can't hurt me if I kill them first, that's how I take care of them!” “And it backfired. You are such an idiot.”

A sigh escaped my lips. I knew I couldn’t stop them at that point, so I looked around instead. Somewhere in the mushroom-filled corridor, two of the fungi catched my eye. The caps were green, almost teal in color with blue dots, and the stems were red. I had never seen such oddly-looking mushrooms before, for some reason. Maybe it was something that only existed in the Spire? The only thing I was sure of is that this one didn’t have any parasites living inside.

“If it works, it works, no questions asked. So just shut your fu… wait, where’s the Dryad?” “She’s behind you.” The two of them stopped arguing in the most unrelated way possible, but I was glad that the argument went to an end. “What did you find, kid?” Asked the Ironclad, and I pointed to the mushroom as the answer. The guy immediately picked the mushroom up, examining it. “This thing looks so weird. Is it edible though?” “Who knows.” The Silent paused for a second. “Look, there is another over there.” As swift as always, she picked up the mushroom. “I’m not sure, but this thing also makes me wanna eat it. Should I?” “Go ahead. I’m not responsible if anything happens to you.” Without a second thought, the guy lifted up his mask, and popped the mushroom right into his mouth, devouring it in the blink of an eye. The scene baffled both the Silent and I, as none of us expected him to do that so quickly. The huntress stared at the Ironclad, then at the mushroom in her hand. Eventually, she also gave in to the urge and consumed the thing.

* * *

There was a rest site right ahead of the corridor. We were pretty tired, so being able to see a rest site was great. The Ironclad conjured flame from his finger. The bright red flames immediately turned green upon spreading to the campfire on the ground. “Oh, I never knew you could use fire magic. Say, how did you get that power?” “...” The warrior did not answer. Seemed like the question made some bad memories resurface, as we could see him trembling.

“Hey, I apologize for that question. Uhh… are you okay?” “I’m fine. No big deal.” There was an awkward silence. “You know, you should take a rest. If there’s anything, you can ask us.” “...thanks.”

* * *

The three of us were fighting against a huge monster of the Spire. But instead of being inside of the tower, we were outside, in the middle of a wide field, on a sunny day. And we were fighting alongside an automaton of the Spire somehow. I didn’t know what that thing was, but it was turning its back against its kin.

Things were tough for the team. Monsters kept coming, and we couldn’t keep up with the sheer number of enemies.

Suddenly, the sky turned dark and cloudy. Cold winds were blowing, and then there was lightning. Lightning started striking the monsters, helping us to gain an advantage in the battle.

And then, I saw something below my feet. A newly sprouted plant, with two little embryonic leaves. The little sprout grew itself into vines, embracing me, then turned into a ray of light and entered my deck of cards. I felt… strange, but the strange feeling grew into power, as I was able to take down foes more efficiently.

After defeating the monsters, we ran towards the horizon. We ran, and ran, until we saw someone, or something, in the distance…

“...”

“...Dryad…”

“...wake…up…”

I opened my eyes. Turns out, it was all a dream. However, something was in my hands. A Power card, named Embryonic leaves. It was at that moment that I remembered the Dream Catcher that Neow gave me. It must have been it, I thought to myself, then proceeded to inspect the card closer. But before I could even do that, the voice of the Silent interrupted me. “There’s a mushroom growing on your head.” She pointed her finger towards me. Now that she mentioned it, my body definitely felt a little different than before. I put my hand on where she pointed at, to feel something spongy and slightly firm. It was really a mushroom. Not good. “It looks like the thing I ate down there.” She continued. “Well, you are kind of like a tree, so I guess that can happen.”

I didn’t reply. She probably didn’t know, but fungi grow on decaying matter, not on healthy trees. My body had started to rot away since I got contracted with the Spireblight, but I didn’t want to make them worried, so I never intended to tell them. Slightly relieved that the Silent didn’t notice that, I diverted my attention to the card again.

“Embryonic Leaves Type: Power Rarity: Uncommon Cost: 1 Effect: Gain 2 Strength. Gain 2 Dexterity. Gain 3 Withered.”

…“Withered”?

“Withered Type: Debuff Effect: Loses Max HP this combat. Your Max HP cannot be reduced to 0. Removing this debuff will not heal you like how you get healed when your Max HP increases.”

Of course, this would happen. I knew that I would have to trade my own health to become stronger, given my condition. Unless I died from it before I could end the Blight, it would be a price worth paying for. In that case, I would have to be more careful.

“Hey, you two! Come over here!” The Ironclad’s gruff voice rang across the room, cutting myself from my train of thoughts. I immediately put the newly-acquired card into my deck, and walked towards him, along with the Silent. “Do you two know what kind of automaton this is?”

Next to the Ironclad was, indeed, an automaton. I didn’t know anything about these machines, but it didn’t look like it was active. It had a core that was similar to the Sentries written on the Torn Journal, albeit damaged and cracked, just like its whole body. However, unlike the Sentries, this automaton had humanoid limbs, with seemingly moveable joints, and a flat head attached to the core with wires. Also, this particular automaton was also wearing a torn piece of blue fabric around its so-called neck, which was unseen in any of the automatons written in the journal. I quickly turned the pages. There were many kinds of automatons in the Spire, but none in the journal that looked like this one. “Anything useful?” Asked the Silent, only to receive a disappointing nod from me.

We ended up staring at the strange automaton for what seemed to be a minute, before the huntress broke the ice again. “Well, since it’s not moving, shall we ignore it and head up?” Both the Ironclad and I nodded, as we turned our backs against the unmoving automaton, continuing our ascent at the Spire. But just before we could even move, there was a sound coming from the automaton. “What in the-” Immediately, my allies took on a defensive stance and gestured to me to stand behind. The automaton, on the other hand, stood up. Its face turned to the three of us, as if it was staring at us.

“INITIATING SCANNING PROTOCOL.” A robotic voice could be heard from the automaton. “SCANNING PROTOCOL INITIALIZED. START SCANNING.” “TARGETS SCANNED. BEGIN ANALYSIS.” “ANALYSIS RESULTS: THREE HUMANOIDS, TWO ARE CARRYING WEAPONS. INTENTION UNKNOWN, CAN CAUSE DAMAGE.” Sensing danger, my two allies readied their weapons and their decks, in case the automaton attacked the team. “INITIALIZING COMBAT PROTOCOL.” Just as they expected. The thing raised one of its floating arms up into the air, and a ball made out of lightning was channeled right in front of our eyes. And just like that, a fight between my two allies and the strange automaton began. I didn’t know what to do. There was no information given, and I couldn’t think of anything. I couldn’t see the intention written on the automaton’s head either! “What the heck is going on? Why can’t we see its intention?” My allies were as confused as I was, and so did the automaton somehow. Something was amiss, the team was sure, but we couldn’t yet figure it out.

Until I caught a glimpse of something. A deck of cards! The deck was blue in color, the same color of the fabric that the strange machine wore on its neck. “Guys!” I yelled and pointed at the machine’s deck. “Look!” They followed my finger, and saw the deck too. “What?!” Realization finally hit them. Immediately, they switched back to being defensive. “Hey, you pile of scrap metal! Take a look at this first!” They both showed their deck of cards in front of the robot.

And that thing actually stopped. “OBJECT IDENTIFIED: TWO DECKS OF COMBAT CARD. ENEMIES DO NOT USE CARDS.” “TARGETS IDENTIFIED AS ALLIES. ENDING COMBAT PROTOCOL.” The lightning thingy also disappeared, as the robot stopped its combat mode. It turned to us again, this time its voice seemed a little… different? “Storing allies’ information. Please state your names.” “Call me the Ironclad. This person with a skull is the Silent, and this plant-human is the Dryad.” “Data stored. New allies acquired: The Ironclad, the Silent, and the Dryad. Initializing handshake.” The other two looked at each other with confusion written all over their faces, then shrugged. But in the end, we all ended up doing a handshake with the automaton anyway.

Looking at the automaton, I suddenly remembered something. “Guys… There’s something I want to tell you.” And so, I told them the dream I had earlier. “You mean… you actually had a dream foretelling that we encountered this thing? And you also got a card, thanks to the Dream Catcher? Why didn’t you tell us earlier? We could have saved all the trouble earlier if you told us!” Immediately, I was scolded by the Silent. “Well… I was waiting for the right time…” I lowered my head. “Also… I… I wasn’t sure about it…” “Hey, even if you’re not sure, just tell us. We can work out together if it’s right or not. Don’t be so shy and hesitate all the time, you’re also part of the team!” She was right, I should have talked a little bit more. I was scared of saying weird things, so I rarely spoke up. But then again, being hesitant only hindered me from being helpful, I should have known.

* * *

“So… Do you have a name or a title, automaton?” “[DEFINE] NAME OF SELF” “[ERROR] NAME OF SELF NOT FOUND” “[DEFINE] TITLE OF SELF” “[ERROR] TITLE OF SELF NOT FOUND” “Oh, you don’t have one. We definitely should give you a name or a title. What do you guys think?” We stared at the new ally of ours, thinking of something to name it. “What do you think, Dryad?” “Well… I'm not sure…” “What about you, Ironclad?” “Hmmm… This thing… cracked core, cracked limbs,... you know, it looks kind of defective.” “Defective… defective… defect… That’s it, we’ll call you the Defect! It’s perfect, given your look, and how you fight against the Spire despite being one of the machines in this tower. You are now the Defect.” It didn’t take time before the machine acknowledged its name. “Data stored. Name of self is the Defect.” “Greeting sentence acquired. Hello, I am the Defect.” “Great! Defect, welcome to the team.”

[erisunoaakaibu]

I want to explain this in the fic, but it's quite complicated, as I wanted to make the character balanced. I have posted an explanation post on my main blog, but it's been too long and I don't want to find it again.

[erisunoaakaibu]

Wait, did anyone read chapter 4 of Revival? Didn't see any notes for that chapter that's not from me.

[erisunoaakaibu]

Hey I just wanna say that I've been working on the fic again! I've reached over 1k words for chapter 5 despite my terrible stomachache and I'm really proud!

That being said, can I get a little praise?