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[ferrum-sanctus]

moon-caught‌:

      Her comments about Seteth earned a muted snort from him as he walked. He’s by no means surprised that the man had earned himself such a reputation amongst the people who lived at the monastery, even he tried to avoid the nosy, green-haired man whenever possible. His heart was probably in the right place - he did seem to care about their well-being, but he had a stick so far up his ass that Azrail’s amazed he’s even capable of walking. He’d spent most of his life doing as he pleased, if he were being honest, so things like rules didn’t exactly thrill him and neither did Seteth’s stern, but doting personality. Normally, whenever it seemed like he was going to open his mouth, Azrail would simply vanish or tune him out entirely. It took a while, but ht’s pretty sure he got the message given the fact that Seteth hadn’t tried to speak to him outside of passing on tasks and missions from Rhea in quite some time. Either that, or he was really good at avoiding people. 

         “Exactly, he doesn’t know when to leave things be. He can lecture me all he wants, but it’s not like I’ll magically decide to listen to what he has to say all of a sudden. You’d think he’d have better things to waste his time on.” He shrugged, his manner still very much casual despite his own grievances towards the man. Frankly, he had always been one to take care of himself. The butlers, while kind to him, didn’t have the time to care for him and the priest that had taken him hadn’t really played much of a role in raising him given that he’d been a bit older by then. That, he and he was fairly certain, at this point, that they had little to no knowledge of how children thought or acted and, though they were kind, they didn’t know how to take care of a child. Thankfully, he was fairly independent and didn’t really need them to do much other than put a roof over his head at the time. Now, well, no one seemed to bother with him anymore. The first month Seteth had tried to play missing parent to him like he was currently doing to her, but he’d given up on that some time ago. 

       It was evident; however, that his dislike of Seteth was nothing more than that: a simple clash of ideals and dislike. The rage and anger he had spoken with when the topic of nobles was no longer present in the conversation, implying his hatred for the wealth ran deep and was the driving force behind any ounce of disdain that boiled in his blood. Outside of those moments, he almost seemed comically calm - hands behind his head and taking one step forward with little care for those around him. Even the tone of his voice and the words he chose to use were dreadfully casual. 

     At her remark, he stopped just beside the doorway that lead into the dinning hall. At this hour, they were still serving lunch so grabbing something to eat wouldn’t be much of a problem, though it also meant the students who attended the Officer’s Academy here would also be present. Not that he really cared. They never paid him much mind and, when they did, he typically just chose to ignore them. The less he interacted with the students and staff here the better. It wasn’t a direct order from Rhea, but any assassin worth his keep and pay was intelligent enough to realize that flying under the radar was the easiest way to get the job done. No, frankly, he was more concerned about her well-being. From the sound of things, it was unlikely the students would treat Natalia too kindly if they noticed her. Ah, oh well, he could always deal with them later if they caused trouble for her.  

      “Sure, I don’t mind. They should still be serving lunch right now, so we should be able to get something good. The students will still be there, though - it doesn’t really matter to me, but I’ll be in for another lecture if I mess with them too much, so let’s make it quick, okay? After all, I can’t trust them not to test my patience. I’ll see if they’ll give us something special since you just got here and all.” Not all of the students here were nobles, but most were. The few commoners attending classes here he could get along with just fine, but even the sight of those noble curs was enough to make him angry all over again. 

Natalia certainly wasn’t opposed to skating by the students as quickly as possible, while she didn’t know if she’d be treated poorly by most of them per-say there would certainly be gawking. Whether it was the eye-patch, the sword, or just her small stature combined with them people had a tendency to stare here even more so if they knew ‘who’ she as so to speak. Her ‘companion’ had resumed his lackadaisical demeanor in full now so she also didn’t want to stay in the mess hall long enough for him to revert to how he seemed moments ago. Not to mention she really could do without the looks, they really had no idea who they were looking at or talking to when it came to her.

“Something special? Well they don’t have to go out of their way, but, I haven’t had good food since I can’t remember when before coming here so I’d really appreciate it.” as if to accentuate the point her stomach growled and she laughed a bit to herself.

“Either way quick is fine with me, we could always take the food to go, I’m honestly not up for another round of gawking.” she shook her head a few tones of her own frustration poking through her attempts to keep her behavior as ‘good’ as possible, he made it very easy to relax acting casual as he was.

“They don’t know what I’ve seen, where I’ve been, or what I’ve had to do but they stare like I’m their personal circus so I can understand finding them...trying to say the least. Er, all that to say if you know a better place to eat after we grab something away from them I’m all ears.” Natalia wasn’t really angry at the students themselves but there were VERY fresh wounds about her situation that the infractions the students weighed against her were all the more upsetting. So many of these kids from her perspective not only were older than her but much better off what business did they have harassing her when they hadn’t even the slightest idea of the suffering that had been put on her. Still, she chose to push that thought away she really didn’t want to have another melt down today, she’d had one every day so far since she came here.

At the very least not in front of Azrail, after he was going out of his way to help her out she really didn’t wish to inconvenience him with something like that.

“If they’ve got something hot with halfway decent meat, I’d be really grateful honestly that sounds...so good.” you really didn’t quite know how much you could appreciate food until you’d been starving as frequently as she had in her life, she was pretty keen on taking advantage of the regular good supply of food here no matter what it made others think of her.

The Troubled Youth

[ferrum-sanctus]

moon-caught‌:

     She fought too recklessly for his liking, even when it was made apparent the blade she harbored was capable of healing her wounds, but he wasn’t in a position where he could freely comment on it. She was a stranger to him, and he had the well-being of the villagers to look after before he even considered worrying for her sake. But she was easy to lose in the crowd as a result, and he had to be more careful with his casting than he would have been had he been alone out of the fear of striking her by mistake. After all, he wasn’t aiming for individuals unless he was able to spot one of the commanders or mages from where he stood, he was simply aiming for large groups to keep them scattered and those who drew too close to the village for his liking. Unlike her, he needed to remain mostly stationary in this fight; a roadblock, in a way, to keep any of the brutes from slipping into the village.Their ‘teamwork’ left much to be desired, but he supposed it was working out in their favor regardless given the fact that none of the soldiers, brutes, and mages had managed to slip past them yet. 

        It was exhausting keeping up this pace, though - he wasn’t the man he had been a decade ago when he could have fought an army on his own and not felt winded. Magic drained one’s own energy, and his own body was too weak to allow him to wield a sword properly for long periods of time. Casting spells continuously was difficult for even the most experienced of mages who weren’t dragged down by the injuries he had suffered in the past. His own fingers felt the heat of his flames and the sting of his lightning as they traveled through his palm, but it was bearable. He wasn’t unused to such conditions when fighting, and he was more than willing to burn his calloused hand a few times if it meant keeping the remaining villagers safe from harm. At this point, he wasn’t concerned about the well-being of his own body, but of using up all of the spells he had learned. There was a limit to how much magic the body was capable of holding so, naturally, there was a hard limit to the number of times a mage could cast any given spell. Though, he was willing to resort to his sword if he had, it wouldn’t be nearly as easy to keep the soldiers from the village with it as it was with magic. 

       Thankfully, that problem was still a ways off and the storm would strike this area before he ran out of tricks. And he prayed that would be enough to scatter those who lingered. He doubted any of the people within this ragtag army would want to throw their lives away for a cause they had been forced to fight for. Besides, if their commander retreated, they could use the excuse of following orders to avoid death at the empire’s hands. Regardless of how he looked at it, once their commander retreated, they were better off following suit instead of remaining here to fight with them. He just hoped his ‘companion’ wouldn’t do anything too reckless and worsen the injuries she had already managed to collect. Though, the second that thought tan through his head, there was a commutation amongst the soldiers - shouting, screaming; the ones that had been trying to get past him fell back, and he had the distinct feeling she had just done something extreme. From where he stood, he couldn’t see her amongst the crowd or the trees. 

        But it wasn’t long after that the soldiers began to retreat as a whole, slipping past the trees and far away from the village; the snow beginning to fall heavily covering up their tracks and dusting over the thick puddles of blood that soiled the earth. It’s a welcomed change of pace, but he still finds a frown upon his features as he finally spots the woman as she makes her way back over to him. It was evident now that there was a limit to what her sword could heal, judging from the wounds that still marred her body. Despite her words and the tonic she had taken, she was clearly not fit for another round of battles at the moment - sword or no. 

        “We are lucky…they have already started to retreat. I doubt…they will attack again so soon with their commander wounded…and the storm setting in.” He swallowed around the pain in his throat; that too had become something normal for him. The cold stung where his hands had been burned by his own magic, but, once again, it was nothing he couldn’t ignore. With her back and the army gone, he was now a bit m ore focused on the blood mess of a mage withering beside his steed in the snow; helpless to cast a single spell without the use of his hands and with the amount of blood he had lost. With the wounds to his knees, he couldn’t even get up to run away. His gaze; however, flickered back to her when her words cut off - the pain now clear in her voice. 

         “Take it easy…we should return to the village for the time being…they may have something to help with your wounds there.” He wasn’t confident in that statement, but they could at least get out of the cold. For someone from the kingdom, this was nothing to him, but the frost had a way at stinging at open wounds that was truly unbearable. “As for him…he will not be able to cast spells any longer…I hoped we might be able to get some information out of him. You mentioned…they were taking children from the villagers…I thought we might be able to convince him…to tell us where they have taken them.” 

The blood pounded in Natalia’s ears truly once the adrenaline started to wear off there really was nothing left to block the pain. Still she wagered thanks to her tonic she wouldn’t bleed out before she was able to sit down and rest, the village was far off but not THAT far right? She stared at the mage on the ground his logic seemed wise, the stranger was clever, she was honestly beginning to wonder who he was. Most out of the way towns like this did not keep mages or warriors, they depended on the currently collapsed governments to protect them. The weaker voice in her mind wanted to ask for assistance from the man or his steed in the hike back, but, she refused. That strength was better suited dragging that now handless monster back, they were right if they could get him to talk they could find out where the children could be taken there was a chance she could prevent it from happening again at least a little. At least to someone else, she forced herself to sheath her sword wrapping one arm around herself as she forced her spine to straighten and stand fully.

“Don’t concern yourself with me, if they have any such supplies they ought to keep it for themselves. I was sworn to protect not to take. If we can get that worm to talk, it could save lives from a pain you-” she looked away and again instinctively reached for her eye-patch, she was not particularly gifted at concealing how she felt about something. “-might not be able to imagine. Thank you for your quick thinking stranger, it could help more than you know.”

She paused again and considered her use of the word ‘stranger’ it wasn’t factually incorrect but, he’d expressed an interest in helping her pursue those vermin preying on the innocent had he not? She sighed, this was not a ‘good’ time for this but, she had little faith a good time would ever arise.

“My name, is Natalia Amilla, if that magician spills anything saving those children will be my priority, so you are aware. I am far too versed of the hell they face to turn a blind eye to it....” she wasn't sure if the man would give her a name in turn and she did not care if he did not wish to. Previously she might have mentioned her status or rather previous status as a Knight of Seiros as proof of her good intention but her allies had turned their backs on villages like this to chase down only rumors of the Archbishop. Rhea was important but was her one life truly worth so much suffering going ignored by those with the power to stop it. Instead she chose a vaguer simpler introduction, not out of a desire to keep secrets but, in order to make her values clear.

“I am a knight, and my sworn charge is the innocent people who have no means to protect themselves int his conflict.” With that she simply began limping ahead down the path towards the village, not trying to lose him by any means but the cold WAS stinging at her wounds and she would be ever so grateful for even just a simple shelter from the wind at this point no matter how painful dragging her body down the path currently was.

The Storm’s Eye

[ferrum-sanctus]

First Snow

@summonedhearts​ continued from  ✦.

The knight looked up at the sky, it was darker than usual due to the heavy clouds that threatened to break loose any moment now. Still in Garreg Mach the winters were not so bad, they were nice honestly not like the ones she grew up protecting her siblings from in the Kingdom. They likely only survived because of how far south they were, yet she kept that to herself, she had spent years as a knight trying to give up her bitterness over her past she wasn't’ about to start now. And even if that wasn't the case, she had bigger fish to fry in her grievance pile than nobility so young at the time that he had nothing to do with how her ‘family’ was treated.

“Yes, the snow is strange that way it holds such power over life and death, yet it appears fragile and even beautiful. As the hour is late I must insist on accompanying you however, as a Knight of Seiros I cannot allow harm to befall any student on my watch.” She would have done as much for any student but doubly so the leader of one of the houses this year they were all very important young people Lady Rhea insisted over and over again the future depended on. Though she would hope late night snow watching would not prove dangerous, in truth if sleep was evading him some company might do the young prince well.

“Sour dreams then, your highness?”

[ferrum-sanctus]

moon-caught‌:

      Her words don’t come as a surprise to him by any stretch, though it was apparent her dislike was only that - not even an ounce of the deep, unyielding hatred he felt for the swine that were good for nothing but running this damnable world into the very ground they stepped on. Nobles thought nothing of those who couldn’t afford to fill their pockets or increase their ranks in this worthless society they had created, and, surely starving orphans could provide them with no means for gold or aid in their useless ventures to claw their way to the top upon a mountain of bodies they had crushed to get where they were today. To them, the lives of a few, poor children were worth less than the dirt upon their boots. They cared little about the consequences of their actions despite the fact that they, the ones who held power and wealth within their hands, should have been the ones to help those who were suffering. But they didn’t care. They would never care. And they only way to make them care was to eliminate them. Only when they were all dead and gone could the world be anything more than a lost cause. 

      “Referring to them as ‘a pain’ is putting it lightly, but I suppose I understand regardless. They think nothing of others; their inane minds are only capable of thinking about themselves and their money. They’re disgusting. A waste. I hope you and those orphans weren’t made to suffer too much as a result of their negligence, and if those would so openly ignore the pain of others haven’t already been punished, I hope they meet an end that suits their ignorance. As for the one who would spit on you despite the fact that you’re sworn to protect them, I doubt it will be too long before they find their blood strewn about these grounds.” His words are dripping with nothing but hatred and venom towards the nobles who have treated her so poorly. It’s painfully evident how deep his hatred runs; it’s intertwined with his very being. Molded into his muscles and bones and every thought that runs through his head. His dedication and sense of justice would almost be admirable if it were not so twisted and married to an unfathomable rage. 

        Though, his expression and even his mood seemed quick enough to change once the topic switched over to something else. A smile returning to his features and that carefree way in which he held himself easing the tension that had been built up in his shoulders. Not an ounce of the anger he had just exposed remained in his mannerisms. It was as if he was entirely different person when they were speaking of matters that didn’t involve nobles. And it was clear, despite his anger earlier, that none of it had been directed at Natalia herself. As far as he was concerned she was entirely innocent. She had suffered at the hands of those who lorded their birth over others and had been forced into a position she didn’t appear entirely prepared for, though this was by no fault of her own. And he didn’t mind helping someone out, assuming that person wasn’t of noble birth.  

        “Hmm, most likely, though if that’s the case I pity you. His lectures are always so long-winded and boring. It makes me think he enjoys acting like he has a stick up his ass.” He shrugged, seemingly heedless of how he chose to address those that were above him, but it was hard to argue with him. Anyone who had sat through even a single lecture of that man’s would likely be able to agree with him. And while he didn’t outright despise Seteth as he did most nobles, it was apparent he didn’t like the man either. He had a habit of sticking his nose where it didn’t belong and seemed to enjoy playing the role of a father figure he didn’t want or need. Frankly, he’s prefer it if the church as a whole left him to his own devices and only spoke to him when they had a mission he needed to carry out. He wasn’t interested in playing pretend with them. 

       “Don’t worry about it.” He tucked his hands behind his head as he walked. By now, he knew the monastery grounds fairly well, even if there were areas he didn’t venture into often, such as the student dorms, he still knew the layout and where everything and everyone typically was at any given point in time. Though he wouldn’t exactly call this place home. Then again, he wouldn’t really call anywhere home. “Well, anyone, time to commence the tour,” he sang as he twisted about on his heel to face her with a smile, his hand coming up to point at the building he’d already lead her to. Not that they had been far away from it to begin with. “That’s the dinning hall right there, if you go inside you can get pretty much anywhere from it since it leads out into the main hall. If you ask nicely the kitchen staff will usually give you the leftovers and anything else they have, if you miss a meal for whatever reason.”     

As she had speculated his wrath on the matter was well, unfathomable at depths she couldn’t even imagine. Well, she could in fact imagine being that angry, or rather remember, but, not at the nobility. Still she felt a pang in her heart as though she’d been stabbed or struck when he mentioned hoping the other orphan’s did not suffer too much. His rage was so great she decided not to fuel it with that painful truth that most had not even survived that negligence, and those that had well...she and Laura would not ever be the same. Yet the experiments, those mages, she couldn't talk about them anyways. It did not stop her from wondering what in the world could have put such an anger in his eyes. The wrath that burned there was easily enough to practically kill a man in it’s own right. She wondered if she had looked much like that...just three days ago. In the end it was far simpler that she just let him follow her change of topic. It was better that way there were things she saw in there she didn’t know if anyone could understand save perhaps someone else who’d lived such a thing.

Were there other survivors like her? Still mentally sound? She doubted it.

Though his last comment about those who had more immediately offended her by spitting at her well it was ominous. It oddly let her hoping such a thing did NOT come to pass as if it did she had a gut feeling she might be complicit just by telling him about the matter. Would he kill someone over something so petty? From the way he talked if it was a noble, maybe. She kept their identity to herself on the off chance he didn’t know. She pushed her mind to lighter places to match his sudden shift in demeanor once again. Though it granted him no formality what so every she had to stifle a laugh at his mocking of Seteth.

“Well he certainly knows plenty but, he does tend to go on in his own particular....way about things. If by ‘in his own way’ you mean forever and always with this stern disapproving tone then absolutely. I don’t think he understands some of the children here are more than used to taking care of themselves and not everyone wants ‘replacement’ parents. I never needed them then and I sure don’t need them now.” Truth be told complaining about Seteth’s strictness and almost forceful way of inserting himself into situations that did not involve him was a thing she could easily bond with Azrail on. 

“Well I don’t know about you but I could go for something to eat and it’s right by the center for navigation, if you don’t mind stopping.” She was starving truth be told as of this morning she was well enough to walk herself about and thus to get her own food form the mess hall though she hadn’t really gone through too much trouble to ask where it was not wanting to bother some of the older more busy knights so early on into being appointed to their ranks. Still she was starving she’d gotten used to eating regularly again in a matter of just a few days and had no desire to go back to scrounging and saving table scraps between meals just to survive or more likely feed her sister more.

The Troubled Youth

[ferrum-sanctus]

moon-caught‌:

      He didn’t care much for her fighting style, even if the sword she possessed seemed more than capable of healing her wounds, but he wasn’t here to criticize or question her methods if they got the job done. In the end, all that mattered was whether or not they managed to keep this ragtag, brutish group away from the village and. hopefully, prevented them from causing further damage to this region. Without the threat of the oncoming storm lingering overhead with darkening clouds and heavy snowfall, it would have been a hopeless mission, even if, from where he stood, the vast majority of the soldiers that had been sent to greet them were exactly as she had described earlier - petty criminals and thugs who had little to no formal training. They were an eyesore, yes, but largely due to their numbers rather than their actual skill, and it appeared the soldiers mixed in with them were more than willing to use them for shields or to fight their battles for them. As much as he wanted to get rid of the group of thugs, it was wiser to aim for the soldiers and mages who were controlling the group given that he doubted the empire cared if a few dozen criminals died - if anything, it would rid them of the cost of dealing with them formally.    

        So while the fire he crafted was quick to rage upon the battlefield, burning the sorry men who came within its grasp, it was more calculated than it appeared; it struck through large groups, parting them and thinning their numbers to search for anyone who seemed even slightly more important than the thugs rushing out to meet their death, and was useful in cornering the groups between intense flames or the woman’s blade. Either way they would die. It was just a matter of how they wished to do so. But their numbers were impressive to say the least and they were only two people; there were still thugs who managed to slip through, but even so, he refused to allow them to reach the village. He was a swordsman by heart and nature, but he couldn’t deny the usefulness of magic when it came to battles like these. With his palms facing forward on either side of him, he allowed a powerful stream of flames to boil up from his flesh and seep into the earth around him, spiraling towards the trees and catching them alight, creating a funnel that lead straight to him. Now it would be impossible for them to try to slip around himself or the woman to attack the village, well, unless they actually wished to be burned alive by the wall of flames spreading out on either side of him. 

       His attention briefly returns to the knight as a blast of dark magic strikes her in the back, and a curse is whispered beneath his lips. In a battlefield this large and with this many moving pieces, even he can’t keep up with all of them at once, especially now that he’s forcing the thieves and bandits to come towards him if they wish to reach the village. But, though wounded, she appeared to still be capable of fighting. Much as he wished he could assist her, he was no healer and had never harbored a talent for it. Hopefully that blade of hers was capable of healing wounds inflicted by magic, not just those given by physical weapons. But, even from where he stands and even as the snow begins to pick up pace, he recognizes the mask the mage that had struck her wears and the magic they wield. It was the same as the ones he had seen in Duscur that day. 

        Anger was an emotion he felt so rarely days, as were most emotions if he was being entirely honest; he wasn’t nearly as lively as he had once been, but it still managed to light a spark of rage within him when his gaze fell on the mage in full. But the light from her magic obscured the man’s face, forcing him back and towards him. “If killing them will save the village…I’ll gladly comply.” Even better if he could manage to immobilize this man without killing him; after all, he still wanted answer for Duscur and proof of their innocence. Though he doubted they would spill what information they had, even with torture being a viable option. He was bred and raised to be the future shield of the kingdom, it was hardly beyond or beneath him to use such methods in order to keep it safe. 

       He lowered his hand as the mage came towards him, fingers wrapping about the hilt of his blade rather than whispering the words for a spell beneath his breath. Its silver glittered beneath the twisting waves of snow now falling upon the flames he had set and pierced, with ease, through the man’s right knee and then his left, forcing him onto the ground as the blade was yanked out and swiftly, without hesitation, cut off both of his hands. Returning the blade to its sheath with the same ease he had drawn it, he turned his attention back to the battlefield; if the mage didn’t bleed to death before this little battle drew to an end, he intended on forcing a few answers out of him. With the snow coming in heavy now, though, the walls of flames he had created were slowly beginning to die; the bitter wind slicing through them and purging them of life. 

       “The storm is here, watch yourself,” he called out to her, though his voice was weak and he wasn’t confident she could hear him. From where he remained, a spark surged within his palm, twisting and shifting into lightning this time, and, with terrifying might, that bolt tore through the battlefield, easily tearing apart those who had tried to take advantage of the dying flames and had begun to head towards the village.  

To call removing the heads of the various wicked mages from their shoulders satisfying for Natalia was an understatement. She still remembered the pain they inflicted on her, constantly, and more importantly that which they took from her. Yet, her strategy was sound, many of the less...convicted would scatter away when their nearby commanding soldier or mage was felled, too afraid to try the woman’s blade or magic’s wrath without that guidance. She danced from commander to commander any she could get in the reach of her blade felled quickly yet, now that she’d cast her first spell she didn’t hesitate to cast a few more, though she was mindful, in spite of her own pain to allow her sword to grant her healing saving that vein of magic for the villagers. Angry as she was she had not forgotten, were she the type to forget such things in a rage she’d have left with the church in indignation to search for Rhea.

Yet the pain of people who had no one to protect them well, it was familiar to her. Perhaps if the reigning lord had any security spared to a border town she and her siblings might not have been taken. Those thoughts were fleeting though, unhelpful and abandoned as quickly as they entered her head what was done was done the past would never be rewritten it was foolish to try.

The snow was coming down harder and harder now, her eyes were ill accustomed to it, this had to end soon. She had noted the rather impressive wall of flame the stranger had made to protect the village dwindling, it was excellent at the time but now there was little use in recasting it. The lightning deterred them for now but, that madman would push them on until the storm started swallowing them. Yet if even one man slipped around in the obscurity innocent people could die, she knew she should trust the mounted man to keep them at bay the village clearly his charge and yet.

She was who she was, and she much preferred a risk of injury or death to herself than anyone else. She had tried to stay relatively back int he crowd but now with a rather impressive leap she moved to a nearby thugs shoulders then another and another across the top of the militia preventing the snow from slowing her advance she felt lighter grazes and cuts land she made the occasional slash to hold her body together, when she made impact, this was going to hurt.

She found her target, the madman placed in charge of this, and pierced her blade deep into his shoulder. Of course with a wild charge like that he was expecting her to go for the kill, which was exactly why she didn’t. She didn’t need to kill him, not now, she just needed to wound him deeply enough if he pulled back all others would follow suit. Wild as the group was this monster was still their commander, she felt his ax dig into her sides splitting them open, once, twice, thrice, the kind of pain that would make anyone pass out. Not Natalia, she could always remember a worse pain, always and with her blade dug into his body as she dragged it down through his shoulder into his torso the vitality drain kept her from bleeding out or dying outright. It was a miserable way to fight, she knew it full well, and accepted it. 

The moment she sensed the man move them locked in their grapple giving him access to a shot at her neck she dug her legs into his stomach and pushed off of him dancing back into the crowd, bleeding as she was she stood. Yet, regardless of what it cost her, it worked, the man’s torso bore a deep gash from left shoulder down to stomach she hadn’t been able to force it to his heart in fact it was only the Archbishop’s blessing that made it resilient enough to sever bone. Several times in her retreat the woman fell, as the crowd scattered once their monstrous commander sounded the retreat, to protect his own life like the dog he was. Somewhere int he retreat, she fell vanishing in the crowd it was a painful moment or two before she was seen again slashing at a nearby soldier sword glowing healing her wounds enough for her to stand and keep moving. Eventually through a stutter and stop advance as the enemy scattered she managed to reach him and his...captive?

“They’ll leave they are nothing without that brutes confidence.” She held her side using her sword to keep herself from collapsing outright pulling a tonic from her side bag, drinking it. Normally such medicine was good for about 3 doses, she opted in her condition however, to drink it all. It was then she noticed the writhing, bleeding mess of a mage nearby still very much alive.

“What did you-ngh.” she seized her side, perhaps that was a bit riskier a gambit than she should have tried but, without a legion of knights at her back she saw little other option, even if they existed she chose not to see them. Her pain, her agony, she could accept it was the pain of others she could not prevent that tormented her dreams in time she would forget what this felt like but that, that would haunt her forever. A worse pain.

The Storm’s Eye

[ferrum-sanctus]

moon-caught‌:

       Her laugh, though brief and quickly replaced with a frown and silence, still managed to make a grin worm its way onto his sharp features. So, despite coming off as a bit of a stick in the mud (not that he would really hold that against her; their stations were entirely different and others would be far more likely to judge her than they would him) she could still have a bit of fun here and there - good to know. Straightening himself out, he kept his hands tucked loosely behind his back as he stopped. Seteth had only mentioned a few things about her in passing, though he’d overheard a few offhanded comments from the filthy nobles that roamed about this place. It was nothing personal, and he doubted Seteth had told her much of him either. After all, he didn’t know terribly much about him. Only that a pastor had raised him for a few years before he came to live here, and of his crest, of course, which Hanneman had unearthed, though much was irrelevant in Azrail’s opinion. He’d lived much of his life unaware of his crest’s existence and could manage just fine largely ignoring its presence.    

        In his opinion, the monastery was fairly relaxed, but once again his own duties and obligations were far different from hers. He was more or less allowed to roam and do as he pleased so long as he didn’t draw too much attention to himself, or disturb the students currently being taught there - and, of course, he wasn’t allowed to harm them unless they appeared to harbor ill-intent towards the church in which case, he was free to carry out his own duty to the church. The rules and regulations the actual Knights of Seiros were forced to abide by did seem fairly strict to someone like him, but he also didn’t know the extent of them either. He wasn’t a knight himself, and to the students and staff here, he was simply an extra hand to help out if something went wrong. Most of the people here were unaware of his true purpose, unlike Natalia who had promptly been shoved into the spotlight. 

         He snorted at her comment. ‘Sensitive’ was a nice way to put it. He could call them moronic, a waste of space, and unworthy of being allowed to live, but he supposed that was what made her a knight and him a murderer. He could barely stand to be kept within the same walls as this useless students complaining about this and that and foolishly pursuing their studies and wasting their money. By the Goddess their presence was an eyesore, if not for the handful of commoners that attended the Officer’s Academy he would have little to no interest in protecting them. Though, he supposed most of the staff members were tolerable and he liked Rhea enough to agree to their arrangement. 

        “Hmm, sensitive, huh? You needn’t be so polite when referring to pigs. They’re beneath you. If they’re giving you any trouble at all, I wouldn’t mind teaching them a lesson for you.” His words are dripping with hostility despite the fact that his own smile never leaves his features; his own tone, naturally light and carefree, doesn’t change either. Truly they should be grateful to her. After all, she was the one putting her life on the line to protect their worthless, helpless selves. If anything, they should grovel at her feet when she walks past them. But, of course, they’re as stupid as always. He’ll never expect much from the like of nobles when they don’t even possess the intellect to realize their place or the common decency to cease spewing complete nonsense.

         “I don’t mind giving you advice or showing you around, though I’m afraid our stations are vasty different from one another. I’m not used to being in the spotlight, it’s not exactly in my job description so the people here rarely bother to take notice of me. Unfortunately for you, that isn’t the case, though I suppose you have the church to thank for that for making you a knight. Not that I think you’re unworthy, hardly - for from it, but nobles aren’t good for much other than flapping their lips. It’s all they really know how to do, so when they find something unusual, they talk. Though I wouldn’t worry too much about offending them, it’s really not worth your time to bother with them.”   

         Frankly, compared to him, she was downright unlucky. Being an assassin it was better for him if people ignored him - his presence wasn’t terribly important or even noticeable. “I can, at least, show you around, though,” He began, turning heel to venture the grounds. “You know you really are pretty amazing. If I were in your position, I think I would lose my temper, and it probably wouldn’t be too pretty.” 

Once again he surprised her, the loathing in his voice he did not even try to hide it when talking about the nobility. She would be lying if she said she didn’t have feelings about the nobility, if it wasn’t blaming their importance on crests for causing people to try those sorts of experiments. However, even simpler than that as a child she and so many other children she knew had starved in a noble’s territory not tended or acknowledged the lord far too absorbed in service to Firdiahd or perhaps the lives of orphans simply mattered not to the nobility. Yet, she’d never let the irritation consume her even in the coldest winters in southern Fraldarius territory she’d kept her family alive she didn’t need their help, their words, or their charity.

She contemplated telling the boy as much, yet his wrath seemed so much more personal she decided to keep her mouth shut on matters she knew nothing about. It was how she kept her neck out of trouble then hopefully it applied now.

It was strangely relieving though he was jumping to extremes that someone here was willing to side with her over the nobility. It wasn’t somethings he was used to, and she didn’t know that others wouldn’t she’d only been here 3 days. Still though, it was a bizarre but kind offer she kept minded for later. However, just like that she found herself smiling much more surely and even laughing again.

“Well I was minding my tongue but if you think so too, they really are a pain huh? Most of em I’ve met anyways. They used to walk right by us starving in the winter maybe not the main nobles form the territory, I never even SAW them, but anyone who even considered themselves high class. One of them spit at me yesterday! Really that’s just rude for people who supposedly care so much about manners. That’s how it goes for orphans though, I can take care of myself.” she didn’t know why she was telling him this, she almost felt as though it might do well for his opinion of her to know she came from nowhere remotely like those people he called ‘pigs’. He wasn’t...wrong in some cases but perhaps he was being a bit general? Again, she minded her own business on that matter she didn’t know why he said things like that he could have a good reason.

“I know you’re not a knight, I’m sure Seteth or someone will give me a run down of duties, but I’d appreciate the tour since I guess I live here now.” She hadn’t lived ANYWHERE for nearly a year she’d like to be more acquainted with he new home the training grounds and most importantly at least in her survivalist mind, where the food came from it had been brought to her the past few days. She appreciated the compliment, but, maybe more so because it was about a skill she actually felt she had, patience. The compliments from Rhea or the knights seemed to come from and rely on skills she wasn’t sure she had. The heart of a warrior? Favor from the Goddess, she knew little about things like being sainted, chosen or anointed, she was an orphan for goddess sake. Yet patience, having ‘raised’ several other children that she knew she had and could pride herself comfortably on.

“Thanks Azrail I appreciate it. Maybe I can pay you back some day.” she was going to specify something the compliment the help but it was really all of it so she kept her thanks general. She didn’t go making promises she wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep, yet, she was all too willing to help him in turn since he so readily offered to accept her request.

The Troubled Youth

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Game Meta-Data.

Basics:

Strengths: Sword, Faith, Riding

Weaknesses: Flying, Reason

Budding Talent: Lance

Loved Gifts: Watering Can, Whetstone, Riding Boots, & Smoked Meat

Favorite Flower: Lily of the Valley

Hated Gifts: Gemstone Beads, Book of Crest Designs

Favorite Tea: Tea of the Saints

Requirements: Must have beaten Chapter 6. In BE route she will only rejoin if you complete a paralogue available immediately after the time-skip until the month of .Chapter 17, during that month it will no longer be available and Natalia will appear as an enemy in both the end two chapters, perishing if defeated in Chapter 18.

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         Don’t hold me ᴜᴘ now                    I can stand my own ground

                   I don’t need your ʜᴇʟᴘ now                                     You will let me down

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Speaking of Natalia’s TWSTD grudge...

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Natalia does not share the hair and eye color of her face claim, it’s why I’ve made the images black and white, along with my personal icon aesthetic. Her hair is a rouge pink and her eyes (or rather eye singular in most points on the time line) are a sage green.

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moon-caught‌:

       For now, he chooses to ignore her misstep if only because they don’t have time to dwell on it, but it’s not something that goes without his notice. Her words imply she knows the prince, and from her words, he can likely safely assume Felix, Sylvain, and Ingrid as well (he assumes the would-be king would not be without them), though her relationship to them isn’t one he can patch together from what little she had said. But her tone didn’t carry any hostility in it, so, for now, he’ll trust her and ask after the prince once they’ve dealt with these eyesores and ensured the remaining villagers were safe. As much as he wanted to know how she knew the group, he wouldn’t start asking her questions here and now. He imagines his own presence is suspect enough. He knows the prince is still alive, yes, but only as a result of his involvement in rescuing Dedue who had willingly taken the other’s place. He’s yet to confirm with his own eyes whether or not his brother and the others are safe and well - he has only Dedue’s words to confirm that, and it had been some time since the prince’s own retainer had seen him. He prayed when this was over he would be capable of reuniting with them, even if he no longer had a place beside the prince. A broken shield was still a shield and more than capable of carrying out its duty until it shattered. 

        “I have no need or want for…a reward.” Eliminating the threat before them would be more than enough for him. It would allow him to rest just a bit easier knowing the nearby villages, as well as this one, would be spared from the brutality the others had already endured. And removing a handful of those strange mages in the process was an added bonus - he wasn’t as naive as he had been in Duscur; he wouldn’t trust everything would go as planned and he wouldn’t turn a blind eye to his instincts again. If he had listened to his gut that day; if he had trusted in the feeling of dread that had seeped into his very bones on the way to Duscur, the king might still be alive. And this war may never have happened. Yet, he trusted in the king too strongly at the time and had wished to believe in the future he had desired. Now, such a thing seemed foolish. Ideals were just that if one was never given the chance to carry them out. He doubts they’ll welcome the sight of a man they thought they had killed, and that was all the more reason to hunt them down and burn any answers they could offer him out of their vile, useless tongues. 

        “Primarily, yes…you may trust that I will guard your back.” She was gone as quickly as she had come, the moment the soldiers came into view; her lone form mixing amongst their countless bodies as the first few flecks of snow began to pour from the dreary clouds above; growing in volume with little sign of rest. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust; to commit her form to his memory and grow accustom to how she moved so he would not risk striking her by mistake. While it had been nearly a decade since he had last fought alongside someone, he wasn’t ill-trained for it or unused to it. And she was clearly quite skilled, though he’d assumed as much from the way she had spoken earlier, even if he was doubtful of her motives until recently. If he wished to serve the prince again and protect his brother, he would have to prove to them, and to himself, that he was still able to fight.  

       His gloves fingers flexed for a moment as  felt the heat of fire begin to boil beneath his skin, creeping down into his palm and spreading to the very tips of his fingers. His chant was all but silent, yet the spell wove its way through his body regardless, bursting into a bright, wild flame that spilled out from his palm and tore through the thick layer of snow that had already started to form around him and devouring the soldiers rushing at her sides without hesitation or mercy before sinking down and twisting into ash. His spells were quick; there was little time between them as they left his hand and found their target, but the flames themselves were wild and angry, consuming the miserable men who weren’t able to escape.

Indeed there was no time to regale the man with tales of babysitting, or fighting alongside the allies she did not know they had in common, much less know he had a relation to one. Perhaps were he not so scarred or covered, or even if her mind were less focused on the task at hand she might have seen some of the family traits Glenn shared with the others of his blood she’d met. Yet she hadn’t bothered to learn his name much less study his face, her eye was on one thing a horizon of impending foes and a time limit to fell as many as possible. She was easy to pick out from most of the combatants aside from a few imperial soldiers she was the only one with any obvious formal combat training yet there was still something wild about her movements, yet it wasn’t’ untrained like most of the ex-bandits and criminals she had so willingly thrown herself in the fray of.

In truth it wasn't a matter of pride or even not trusting the man’s skills in the end, this was normal for her. Time and again since she was 14 years of age she had been asked to step onto seemingly impossible battlefields and return with a victory as the Knight of Seiros, it left her perspective skewed. She was to fight fall and stand up again, as many times as it took to fulfill her goals once Lady Rhea’s orders and now, unclear and yet she kept fighting she knew nothing else. 

Or rather what she once knew before that was long gone. Taken by some of the kinds of people among this crowd.  While neither knew it strangely they had something akin to that in common. 

She took unnecessary risks as she fought or so it seemed, let a blade strike her side, cut in. She let herself bleed what at first seemed like foolhardy guts became more clear whens eh turned on the man holding the blade and struck him with her own. It emanated a sickening light, akin more to faith magic and vitality drained from the man’s wounds through her sword her own shutting rather nicely as the body dropped. The sword served her purpose she could accept wounds take hits the pain wouldn't stop her and her blessed blade seemed keen on repairing the damage. However, shortly after the display of the blade’s unique, properties she felt a warm heat rush past her the enemies to her left flank burning away. A mage, it seemed he spoke truly not that she had much reason to question him on that fact. She took advantage of that, cutting at a soldier’s throat as he began to fall jumping and pushing herself off his falling body into the air eyes below her but leaving the cluster of soldiers surrounding her open to a clear shot from the man’s wrathful flames landing clear out of the potential blast zone.

However, she had miscalculated the position of the unfriendly familiar faces in the crowd. A familiar pain crashed into and twisted on her back. She knew the feeling of dark magic, she was FAR too familiar, but, she also knew the feeling of THEIR magic it was different older more demented. She turned eye locking with two deep in those vile masks they used to hide their faces. The pain in her back ignored, the wound untended, the feeling of pain gnarled on her back a pain she was once regularly tormented with for answers she didn’t have, why her body could reject crest blood and live, she shifted her focus.

“I was wondering when one of you cowards would foolishly wander in the range of my blade.” She saw it through the glaring glass in his mask, he knew her, she may have killed everyone in that fort yet she found out later their numbers were much greater she’d become accustomed to them knowing her. She wanted nothing more than to run him and all bearing his flag down but she had not lost track of her current ally or the main army as much as her hate drove her to let it all go. As much as the eye that was now gone showed her the mangled faces of her siblings lost, she fought it. She raised her free hand light collecting in the palm crashing down driving the mage back away from her, and directly into the man she would surely later learn was named Glenn. Her magic was different, faith magic was bathed in a strange light that reason magic seemed to lack. She turned her focus off the man as she drove him back calling out to her ally.

“They rely on fire power from the mages to protect their frontal assault, many will scatter without that support!” despite it aligning with her hatred and her goals, it was also true, she’d once splintered the force of mages, from the organization that’s name she knew not, it caused chaos in the battalions ranks. As she used her magic to drive the man back towards Glenn she used her sword to keep his allies with axes and spears at bay she. Keeping this side of their formation herded in towards the center trying to prevent any form breaking away and circling herself and her mounted companion to make a break for the village. She didn’t know if they would try it but, it was a chance that could NOT be taken.

The Storm’s Eye

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A phenomenally enameled silver Swept-hilt Rapier, Germany, ca. 1606, housed at the Staaliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

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moon-caught‌:

    He held little to no interest in the Knights of Seiros, the church itself, or the noble brats that attended the over-the-top academy harbored within these walls. Though that didn’t mean he wasn’t aware of the individuals that were contained here - it was his job to know and his Goddess-given right to eliminate those who carried ill-intent for the Church within their hearts or those who were bold enough to blatantly stand against the Church without a single thought or care for the consequences of their rather foolish actions. Not that he minded their dreadfully poor foresight - it gave him an excuse to test how far he was allowed to go before the line would be drawn. And any chance to slit the throat of a worthless nobleman was one he was all too willing to take (and, by the Goddess’s hands he prayed this inane world would go up in flames sooner rather than later). He knew of her, of course, before she had called out to him. It was duty to know and to pry and to learn - to dictate to Lady Rhea who is worthy of serving her and who has spat nothing but lies at the Archbishop.

        They were alike, he supposed, she had been dragged into the church as a child with little other choice than to accept the role they had thrust upon her. Even the students who studied here were older than them. By now he was used to their curious glances and whispers, but the poor dear before him might as well have been standing beneath a personal spotlight that rivaled the sun itself. He could vanish and no one would notice. Disappearing was a part of his trade. And aside from the curious questions about what purpose a child has being here, they will leave him be. After all, there’s nothing outwardly or apparently special about him. Which can’t be said for her. It had been three days since she had arrived - nothing short of a tattered, hot mess, and she had been welcomed into the ranks of the Knights of Seiros. It was natural for the older knights to be suspicious of her, she was a child after all, and all the more reason for the students to doubt her worth and whispers rather unsavory things behind her back. Ah, well, that’s not really any of his business, is it (but that’s not entirely true either - she isn’t a noble from what he’s been told and what he’s heard, he as no reason to throw her to the wolves and no desire to do so)? Ah, but he really doesn’t want the added attention her presence brings either. What a pain. 

           “Hmmm,” he hums, tapping his index finger against his chin as he stops his endless wandering of the grounds to meet her. “I am, and I already know who you are. I wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t, would I?” His voice was light and airy; almost carefree in an unsettlingly manner. Though his expression remained largely friendly, a faint smile stretching across his lips and his overall manner seemed relaxed. Even more so when he decides to give her his undivided attention, turning to fully face with a sudden clap of his hands. Ah, well, he doesn’t mind too much if he ends up getting tangled up in the rumors spewing by worthless cur for a few days (he could always cut their tongues out if they spat too much unneeded vile - they should let him get away with that much if he simply explained that they were speaking poorly of the Goddess and she had asked him to deliver divine punishment to their filthy mouths). 

          “Sure, I don’t mind.” He tucked his hands behind his back, playfully tip-toeing around her in a half circle; the movement in and of itself is innocent enough. There’s nothing hostile in the manner in which he holds himself or moves. “But, hmm, it’s a bit strange to be addressed like this - it’s far too formal, don’t you think? We’re something akin to allies, are we not? So you’re more than welcome to speak to me whenever you wish without needing to ask. Besides, you already know who I am and I already know who you are, so we’re already friends, right?” He all but coos as he lifts his head, brushing long, messy, dark bangs from his features as he winks at her.     

Strange. That was Natalia’s first impression of him, the little she’d been told by Seteth was that he may not be what she expected. Right once again. Still she didn’t mind, in a way it was not so much he was not what she expected as it was, she had no expectations and he still managed to completely subvert them. Not that she minded, she was surprised how willing to talk to her he was, though his way of going about it was...odd. In fact as he thought her too formal she, thought though kept it to herself, that he was being much to casual calling them friends and the like. Yes they knew each other's names and stations to a degree but- still she wasn’t offended either just taken a back.

They were now both servants of the Archbishop and the church there was no reason they COULDN’T be friends she supposed. After all what she’d come to talk to him about could be considered something one might go to a friend for...she supposed...in a way. The smile surprised her it was an odd thing, she wasn’t sure if it was off or her time in that cursed fort had made her forget exactly what a smile on another child’s face looked like. The cruel mages there left little reason to smile after all.

The circling might have unnerved her enough to reach for her sword, a habit the the circling by one too many men with ill intent had given her, if it wasn’t for the lackadaisical way he walked. In spite of herself by the time he got around to delivering his closing wink she laughed, just a bit. What a funny boy...and she knew more than her fair share of funny children or at least she used to- that thought pulled the smile and laugh away replacing it with a frown. The pain was too close, it was all too much to remember, so she pressed on into her reasons for coming to talk to him.

“Well if that’s how you really feel about it I have no objections...to be honest up until recently I was in a much more...relaxed environment.” Recently being before they were taken after that well, things were far from relaxed. “Being here is strange for me and I don’t wan to offend someone I hear these noble types are...sensitive.” an understatement one had quite literally already spit at her for blocking their path. It seemed some people were unfond of her appointment at her age given her lack of status or known background. “But, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about, I guess, I just wanted to talk to you about what...your experience is here? I’m not sure what to expect I- one minute I’m banging on the doors for salvation for my sister and now I’m a knight I’m not sure where to go or what I should do or what’s proper or even allowed. But, Seteth said that you were kind of like me when you came at least in age and having nothing...so I was just hoping for some advice if you aren’t terribly busy.”

Truly she had no intent to inconvenience him or hold up her day but, she felt so lost it was strange to be the one asking for help. Normally she was the wall the strength that held her family up yet without that family to depend on her she felt washed away as though she were at sea. Perhaps that’s why she’d not so much as questioned the appointment to knighthood maybe she was trying to fill the void of that responsibility with something else, to keep her centered. The boy was odd but, he wasn’t treating her hostility perhaps goddess willing he’d grant her a touch of empathy or bare minimum, advice.

Natalia sighed to herself, she hated this feeling of vulnerability with a stranger but, with one small and broken exception, anyone who didn’t qualify as a stranger was now dead and gone. She was, very alone it felt.

The Troubled Youth

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Natalia always carries a small memento on her for each of her lost siblings,expanding to include Laura after she’s sent away. 

For the twins (Margret & Kenneth) it is a matching pair of old bracelets she found and polished for them for one of their birthdays. It was around the time they were old enough to have to start forging separately to cover more ground, the bracelets were to help their anxiety when being apart, that still some part of them was together. 

For Petunia it is a handful of dried flowers pressed into the back of a book, they weren’t ever Petunia’s specifically but they are her favorite sorts of flowers. Natalia uses the rest of the book as a diary of sorts. She more records feelings than thoughts and only when she feels uncomfortable sharing them with anyone else. Despite being second youngest Petunia was a good confidant for all the rest of the children, gentle and good at listening.

For Laura it is a small almost handheld stuffed animal, a small bear, it’s old and dirty and terribly worn but, when Laura was first brought to them it was the only thing her size they could scrounge for her to play with. She kept it ever since, however, when it became obvious to heal she needed to separate herself fully from her past the possession was left behind to Natalia at Garreg Mach.

She frequently has terrible nightmares twisted around the memories of losing her siblings, she’ll wake from them and immediately have to go swing her sword and train but usually in the middle she breaks down clutching the objects and crying. She does her damnedest never to be seen in such a state. But, other knights she’s traveled with have seen it usually though the topic is left alone entirely or dropped out of respect for her.

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    Sometimes I feel like ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ.

                   But I just can’t.                                 It isn’t ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ.

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moon-caught‌:

     “For that, you have my gratitude…and I’m certain theirs as well.”  While he was knowledgable when it came to dressing and treating wounds, as well as caring for the ill and injured, he was incapable of healing them. And the village itself was lucky if one of its remaining few knew how to hold an axe let alone use any sort of magic. Her ability to use healing magic was a blessing that could, at the very least, help a few of the injured men and women that had gotten tangled up with a few of the wayward soldiers the other day and were sporting rather terrible injuries as a result. Fortune seemed to be on his side for once, but he wasn’t about to thank it - he wasn’t so lucky that he’d actually believe this battle would go over smoothly, even with the storm closing in. It would no doubt help and thin their numbers greatly, but there were always a few eccentrics in every army and they were always the most difficult soldiers to deal with.  

       And the more she revealed, the more she seemed to confirm that. He’d assumed this group had been assembled for the sake of being an eye sore - one to stir up trouble, slaughter civilians, and make people lose faith in the king and church when they were left to die. But he hadn’t assumed the empire would be so reckless as to start releasing war criminals onto the general public. With much of the army being made up of lesser criminals, though, at least they would be easily subdued, and it was likely the handful of imperial soldiers working alongside them, as she had already mentioned, would abandon the core of the unit should something unexpected come up. But these criminals weren’t soldiers - for them, they likely didn’t have homes to return to. It was either delay their death by another die or die right then and there for them. 

       He’s heard rumors from the villagers nearby; from those who have packed up and fled already, but their brutality, while not surprising, remained disgusting. There was no doubt in his mind that the handful of people who had been left behind here would be worthless in their eyes and slaughtered. Thankfully, all of the children had already been sent away, even if they were forced to part from their families for the time being. While he didn’t know the extent of the mages’ abuse - he did know of them. He had been in Duscur when all Hell had broken loose; he had seen firsthand the people who had murdered the king and their men, and who had nearly killed him, as well. He knew the hand they had played in what happened there, and there was still a bitter taste upon his tongue at their mention. He didn’t know what their motivates were, but they would never be welcomed here. If nothing else, he would slaughter them in this storm; criminals and soldiers be damned. 

       He exhaled to ease the tension growing in his muscles from the anger that began to flare up beneath his skin. It’d been years since he’d felt much of anything, even if anger had once been the thing that had driven him. But it was largely useless to him now. As much as he wanted them dead, he was aware his goal was no their eradication, but the survival of the people who had placed their lives in his hands. To forget that would be doing a disservice to the people who had welcomed here not too long ago. The information she provided was more valuable than gold. It gave him an idea as to how they would react and to how they would fight. For once since he’s crawled out of the grave, he’s grateful his skill lies in magic these days.

       “I see, thank y-you. Knowing this, if possible, I’d like to see them…disbanded and those mages beheaded…but it’s not our priority, unfortunately…when the villagers are safe…however, I would like to assist you…in getting rid of them. The king and his army…cannot afford to rescue these people…when they are dying themselves. I have died once already…I have nothing left to lose. My aid may not be much…but I more than capable of burning them where they stand. I hope you will accept…my offer.” He’d like to save as many civilians as possible - getting rid of this group seemed to be the best way to protect them. He doubted they would willingly change their ways. And, so long as he drew breath, he would defend the kingdom until his last. “They’re coming,” he warns as their figures finally slip into view. 

The man’s words were well, perplexing to say the least, not all of them obviously but pieces of them. Especially the last comment seemed vague, yet, she understood dancing on the edge of death she had become KNOWN for doing so yet what he spoke of was different, his tone made her sure. Yet it was not that subtle reveal about himself that shook her but, the mention of the king, who to her was only remembered as one of the many ‘children’ she’d once assisted in protecting after she lost her way. If those kids, or the adults they had become, were in trouble it only doubled her insistence on what she was doing here.

“The king? Those kids from the monastery are-” Those kids from so long ago were they alive, were they fighting? She was not much older than most of them yet, they had been children to her, it was hard to explain. She had no way of knowing, nor of knowing her friend, the Professor she’d once sworn to help protect those ‘kids’ with was alive. It swirled a strange emotion in her chest nostalgic for days gone. She shook her head and bit it back, the enemy was upon them, if putting these bastards down would protect those kids like she’d once promised to even slightly, well, then it only redoubled her certainty that she would chase these people until they were a threat no more but, first the village.

“There are few who would offer to stand against such foes and ask nothing in return, if you mean that I would be happy for any aid in these times. Yet know I have no reward to offer you save the satisfaction of putting such monsters down. If you are a caster then stay back, I will route them into easier to hit groups...” While Natalia posses magic herself it was primarily focused on healing minus a spell or two and even then her blade was sharper and faster, the injuries she sustained in close combat were irrelevant. It was nothing her sword’s enchantment or her own skills could not repair later. She kept her functional eye sharp looking for signs that they may try to break off  and circle back to the village as she took off forward vanishing from the man’s side deep into the fray, a distraction noisy and loud drawing attention from the fire power now (hopefully) behind her, blade glinting.

She had tried to offer surrender time and again, but after two or perhaps three one thing had become apparent repentance was not on the agenda for this group. After that she had given up on offering quarter preferring to use that time to hit fast and hard, to imbalance them. Perhaps the goddess had lead her to the aid she so desperately needed or perhaps it was a stroke of luck. She had decided long ago the main thing that mattered was the action she chose to take in any moment. This moment, she chose to fight with the strange man on the road and protect a village of those who could not defend themselves.

In the next? Only the heavens might know.

The Storm’s Eye