#✦

[verseandrhyme]

once more onto the breach

@yewfallen ; @macawbre ; @atypicalsenerio

The next round begins and carries with it a sense of finality. Once more, strange new spells are granted to her, a ring slid on her finger and a brief explanation of what she is capable of. Mitama spares it little mind. Her focus is already determined, eyes lingering on Henry even as the new enemies are summoned to face them.

Fix the mistake. Ensure they survive. Ensure that no one else suffers for your failings.

Her usual physic spell is not returned to her. Instead, a new spell is given, one that grabs her attention immediately. Fortify...

The go is given, and Mitama makes her move immediately. She takes a calming breath and focuses her energy, feels the spell dance within her as it gathers and, throwing her hands forward, casts.

Mitama rolls a 12. 4 Health! Henry, Soren, and Febail recover 4 health.

It does not fly as she is used to, does not seek out a target and fly to them specifically. Rather, the spell grows outwards from her, covers all allies to her team and, from what Mitama can tell, heals them all.

A stunned silence follows Mitama’s spell. All of them...perhaps she should study faith a little further than she already had when all of this had ended.

To think on later. For now, they have all recovered, and Mitama lets out a laugh as Febail and Soren return. “Please try not to go back immediately this time, the both of you...”

[crestbound]

action/reaction

“Oh, boy... the knights really weren’t kidding when they said that rebellion was crushed, huh.” 

Sylvain gives a low whistle as they venture forth, stepping over slabs of broken rock as he walks. Everything’s in shambles; it’s impossible to tell what this building even was back in its prime, but the cracks and burns and chips along what little manages to still stand tell enough of a story well on its way to being forgotten. 

It’s a shame; he bets it was quite a beautiful structure before battle tore it down.

“Well, since the city’s underground and everything here’s been more or less blown to pieces, I guess it’s safe enough to assume that the door we’re looking for is gonna be beneath our feet, too.” Though, if a city’s meant to be hidden, he also doesn’t doubt it’ll take a bit of work to actually unveil the door itself. What would it take—magic? A contraption? A puzzle? Perhaps a mix of all three.

“Remember to watch your step!” he calls back, then, a little quieter to the person behind him, he grins and offers a hand. “C’mon. Better to be safe than sorry, yeah?”

@yewfallen @elegiac-boar @ordelion @sheereccentric

[ulircursed]

gifts of others thou hast not

There seems to be no end in sight to the horrors around the village. Your party is fending off the zombies around the perimeter and searching for clues when bizarre, spider-like beasts rise up from the snow all around you. Glowing blue veins streak through their metallic bodies, and their many legs make them far faster than you’d expect of something of this size. You’ve never seen anything like this before, but you remember hearing a report of similar contraptions being spotted in western Faerghus several moons ago. You try to fight them, but your weapons bounce right off, so your only choice is to escape. Hop on the fastest horse you can get your hands on and hope it can outrun this new threat. [Grants +1 Riding]

     Andrei gasped as he faltered on the next draw of his bow, his arm dropping to dangle uselessly at his side as the arrow fell to the ground near his feet. While he had been able to be of minimal help in beating back the infected - his lack of ability to do any fatal damage wasn’t as relevant when they were actively trying to avoid killing more people than necessary - he could clearly feel his arm protesting every single movement, until now, when it finally stopped working altogether. He gritted his teeth, gripping the injured arm as he considered his options.

     The situation wasn’t that dangerous at the moment, with the Academy having sent more reinforcements to this area not an hour ago to aid in corralling the zombies, so perhaps he could stay and wait for his arm to return to some semblance of cooperation, rather than retreating fully. Just as that thought ran through his mind, however, there was a metallic rumble from the ground, and all of a sudden they were under attack once more. Giant, glowing creatures that skittered across the snow with incredible speed, quickly swatting away the efforts of the frontline fighters with their spindly, but powerful legs. It seemed that no one’s attacks were doing any damage to the creatures at all, nor were their movements impeded in the slightest.

     “This isn’t working. We’ll need to go!” After witnessing the next two fighters getting beaten effortlessly back by the beasts, Andrei called to the nearest Archer, a young man who, he had noticed with chagrin, hadn’t seemed to tire yet at all, his arrows flying with a strength that was wholly enviable, though even his powerful strikes didn’t seem to be enough to bring down the metallic-looking creatures. “The reinforcement team brought more horses; we’ll never outrun that speed on foot!” It was unlikely the steeds numbered sufficiently for each foot soldier on the team to ride alone, but it might be enough to get all of them to safety, barring any other unforeseen complications.

     The spidery creatures’ legs crunched against the snow, letting out an odd, echoing noise as they turned, zeroing in on another cluster of people standing close to where the two of them were. Sparing one last backward glance, Andrei began to head his way as quickly as he could towards where the horses were tied, the pain in his chest and arm only growing as they were jostled with the movement.

@yewfallen

[healresolve]

Sitting outside Lana's dorm room when she returns from classes for the day is Febail. His body has traces of dirt and his clothes, though dry now, show signs of falling into snow from outside. Surely, he has been spent a considerable amount of the day elsewhere, not even bothering to unhook his weapons from his person as he snoozes lightly, leaning his head and back against his cousin's door.

Her footsteps seem to shake him from his light slumber however, his eyelids lifting slowly to take in her visage. Sleep-addled he may be still, the moment he's sure it's her who stands beside him, he tells her the thing he's been waiting all day to say:

“ I remember everything. All of it. The Holy War, Yngvi, you... ”

After all, he had promised her he would and he had meant it. He stands, holding up Yewfelle and showing it to her in its radiance.

“ ...and look what I have again. ”

Winter's hold on the land makes her breath linger in the air like small clouds as she makes her way back to the dorms after classes have finished, freshly fallen snow hushing the sound of footfalls against the pavement. In colder moons students at the Officer's Academy do not overstay their welcome in the courtyard as they would seasons prior. Lana imagines the chill to be comparable to Silesse though she cannot know for herself, but natives of Fodlan insist this light dusting is nothing compared to Faerghus and that some regions there are colder still.

She remembers once telling Lester that she thought the landscape barren when covered in snow that seemed to stretch on for miles without end, burying beneath it traces of life. He had smiled patiently, kindly (as she always imagined Father would) and explained that it was more like a renewal of it. A blank canvas was nothing to fear he would go on to say, sharing the sense of freedom he felt before starting a new painting or something profound like that. This feeling, his words or maybe just the intentions behind them - his attempt at introducing levity - had managed to stay with her all these years. People did not oft give him the credit he deserved.

- Inside her boots squeak against the tile despite her best attempts to wipe the slush that stubbornly sticks to them at the doors. There is a resting body outside her room when she comes upon it, one familiar and most welcome though his movements are stiff from sleep when he lifts his head in greeting, but he looks at her with such certain directness, purpose, that she withholds comment that he looks like he has seen better days.

"I remember everything.”

A pleasant kind of chill ghosts her, Lana's eyes growing wider and even wider when Febail reveals the holy regalia of their house - a destiny and memory recovered. Just how much she doesn't think to ask before she approaches and draws him into a hug, ignoring the clumsy way she awkwardly bumps into Yngvi's most prized possession as she does so. There are no words to do justice to the moment, and Lana knows that even more than herself that Febail must have no shortage of emotions towards the return of something so important and precious that had been just beyond his grasp.

"Welcome home, Febail," she whispers, misty-eyed, trying to bury a sniffle behind him.

[radiantpriamos]

“ Hold it! ” Febail cries out, swinging his stick up and pointing towards Priam as if it really were the two of them waving swords on a battlefield. “ We're not playing that. That's just a waste of food. ” Plus they were definitely using a medallion earlier, weren't they?

He scans the area, the light catching the shine of the makeshift puck in Rennac's bag. He motions Priam to follow suit to go grab it. “ C'mon. ”

Stealing the puck back proves easy enough, but Febail ends up grabbing some biscuits along with it. “ Guess he's had 'em prepared to switch things out, huh? ”

A pause before Febail's stomach rumbles.

“ ...You think it'd be stupid to try it? ”

Priam didn’t find thievery to be his style, but when it was from an evident thief... well. Their truce could only be temporary, but without the puck on the ice he supposed it was fine.

“Oh, cookies?” Febail’s stomach rumbled and Priam huffed. “There is no such thing as food meant to be nibbled or merely sampled. Here.”

He took one and shoved the whole thing into his mouth in one fluid motion. He crunched it. A pause. And crunched it. And crunched it. And crunched.... and eventually it was something like sawdust, which he swallowed down without complaint. Food and negative energy did not go together.

Regret. Regret which he must suffer in silence. He didn’t say how bad it was, nor would he admit that it sat down in his stomach like a sad lump of lead. Priam could understand with utmost clarity why the biscuits could be mistaken for a puck.

“Hmmm.” That was all. Priam nodded out to the ice rink. “Let’s.... go.”

[lilyfonded]

simple joys

 @yewfallen

She loved watching the fish swim carefree in her free time at the little pond area-- Rather, many students and faculty that knew her would find it odd if she didn’t have any sort of desire to go there. The clear skies made it the perfect place to stand by and relax. She should be studying right now, but it wasn’t as if she had no time to do so! As she thought this, the most brilliant of ideas came to mind. What if she studied while she was here? Ah, how fun of a time that would be!

She’d definitely keep that in mind for her future visits. For now, though, the simplicity of everything was more than enough to make her happy. Much to her many joys, she wasn’t the only person in the vicinity.

“Do you like the fish here, too? I will admit.. I spend more time here than I should be! I cannot help myself. I could sit here for hours and idly watch them swim by.. I am almost jealous of them!” Letting out a giggle at her own words, she turned back to her new friend with a soft smile.

“Oh! What about a favorite fish? Or, maybe.. A favorite color of fish? Ah..” A dismissive shake of the head ensued-- Perhaps she was speaking too much. She just couldn’t help herself! “Ah! My apologies. I got carried away. I am Flayn, to properly introduce myself.”

[halfjalar]

Symbols of the Past. ✩ Azelle & Febail

@yewfallen

A tower, standing proud yet alone on a nearby mountain. Abandoned for a long time, now it shall be turned into a place of entertainment, relaxation and recreation for the Academy’s students; so says the Archbishop, at least.

But before the rewards can be enjoyed, hard work must first be put into the project. There is cleaning and renovations to be done, furniture to bring in and set up. Students pitch in, some more, some less willingly, assisted and overseen by the Knights and Professors, Azelle among them on this day.

The Velthomer, as fate would have it, is of little help when it comes to the heavy lifting and other physical aspects of work, so he chooses instead to support the task at hand by overseeing and organizing, as well as using his Fire magic to provide some warmth and combat the winter chill. Luckily however, it soon turns out that the flames he conjures are not the only source of comfort in the low temperature available in the area; a large hot spring is discovered nearby, and many soon begin to frequent it to rest and relax the aching muscles during the breaks from work.

(And sometimes a little more often than that.)

Azelle for his part has not really utilized the hot springs personally, his visits to the spot mostly intended to make sure the students using them are safe and responsible; the same is the case this time as his steps take him there. A lone young man sits there, soaking in the spring as he enjoys his break. As there does not seem to be any need to disturb him, the Mage initially intends to simply turn back - 

 - until something he spots in the corner of his eye prompts him to pause, take a better look, and let out a gasp. He is not seeing things, is he? The diamond shape, accompanied by a symmetrical wing-like pattern...

There is no doubt about it; he would recognize it anywhere.

“You--” The word escapes him before he regains control of himself. Ah, snap. Well, he likely should ask anyway, and while this is not the best way to start a conversation, he supposes it is one in the end. So, he keeps going.

“... The brand on your back... You possess the blood of Ulir?”

[sireneia]

if sothe gets to make a weird crop-top like version of a suit jacket, i have to live with the revelation that febail’s hypothetical thing would have a cape that’s only hanging off of him from one side and i don’t like th

in any case! last year i explored febail’s wedding in a happier context, but this time i’m taking a sharp turn away from the fluff to get into how there’s a pretty decent chance that febail’s marriage isn’t really going to be his own. by that, i mean with him being a majorblood, he’ll likely be given pressure to produce an heir/ess. of course, you technically don’t need to get married to do so, but febail wouldn’t feel right not doing so.

he cares the world for family, first in a nontraditional sense with his caring for the orphans at his orphanage but also later in a more traditional sense. the moment he finds out he has a mother who still lives, he becomes fixated upon the concept of not only her but also his father. he wants that nuclear family, and it occupies his thoughts very quickly.

while i think febail can definitely marry for love, if the political pressure gets to him first, he’s not above marrying simply because he’d think it right to have a second parent present for his child’s life. he might protest it at first, saying to let him do it at his own pace, but it’s not too difficult to get him to feel as if he ought to hurry it up.

[sireneia-a]

i’ve posted abt this before but i’m still tender so here’s a quick edit

[macawbre]

fortune favors the bold

silver round // @yewfallen, @verseandrhyme, @atypicalsenerio

“Hey! Heyyyy! You’re going to leave us a bloody mess if you stay on the side lines for too long!”

Henry greeted Soren like a grate against a chalk board, patting him on the back with a good ol’ recover spell. The light magic surged from his battering touch to Soren’s back, leaving him with a significant amount of life just waiting to sprout. And in this simple greeting, Henry smiled ominously. Must have sucked for him to be dragged onto the field back to some of the worst enemies ever devised! But hey, battles like this were always so fun, weren’t they? (Pain and misfortune of possibly losing someone aside...)

Henry rolled an 11. Healed Soren back up to 6/10 HP!

“Ahaha~ Alrighty! Everyone’s up again. Now, if you’re going to do anything wild, just make sure you come back with your head attached!” He was aching to fight but leaving Soren out cold was probably something an old version of him would do. Nowadays, he guessed warming up the tinder before tossing in the sparks was... something feasible, even for someone like him. Just had to cross his fingers and hope he didn’t just get knocked out the first round of combat, nya ha ha!

“Febail? Mitama?” 

Giving them a quick one-two glance, he gave them the okay. Not much he could do but set them off on their own wings. “You got this! Don’t be a stranger if ya need someone!”

Backing off to prepare his next bout of enchantments, he carefully observed the battle field. Going from a boss to four well-armored enemies wasn’t going to make this any easier. Well, if it wasn’t going to get easier, they’d just have to beat them down harder than those freakshows could take it. And what was more amusing than surpassing your own limits while beating the pulp out of others’?

[lafilledenaga]

i don’t need to hold hands

Her mind had been plagued by so many things once they had returned to the monastery. While it was the first day of lessons to some, she remembered all of it. The traps, the caves, the enemies, the deaths...and yet she could still only think about one thing. It consumed her thoughts when she sat in silence, only able to have reprieve when in conversation. 

When you’re hurt, I’ll just wait for you.

His voice rang in her mind like a melodious bell, chiming on the hour. The feelings of his lips against her forehead...it was driving her to insanity! Julia prided herself in her self control, but somehow one small kiss to the forehead was making her feel so embarrassed...

She had to get to the bottom of this.

That was how she found herself outside of Febail’s room. It was somewhat later in the day, but she had no idea if he would even be in his room at this time. Despite the hesitation, she knocks. 

“Um...Febail? Could I come in...?”

@yewfallen

[lockpicnic]

I Put You Through Hell

The Garland Moon is supposed to be the start of the rainy season, but these recent hot days and rainless nights could have fooled you. A new well would let the villagers tap into a new reservoir of groundwater (not to mention you’re in dire need of their goodwill). In a few days, you all manage to get pretty far down. Your massive accomplishment turns into your worst nightmare, however, when your rope tethering you to the surface manages to untie itself. You’re left trapped in a well with no one, not even Lassie, to hear your cries for help. Are you strong enough to climb your way out of here? [Grants Heavy Armor +1]

@yewfallen

Patty trusted Febail with her life-- he was her brother. He did nothing but protect her all her life, and she doubts that that would end now just because she made a little oopsie and kinda, sorta died during that big mission they were on. She finally got to go on a big adventure without her brother’s protection-- she was old enough to take care of herself!

And then she died, unable to even tell him herself.

She hoped that it would end there, with the two of them avoiding each other and never talking about it ever again. It really wasn’t that serious-- she was alive now! Life, sadly, had other plans for her. It felt like some sort of cruel joke. One of her professor’s asked if she’d be willing to help out with the new well, and before even hearing the full details she said yes. If she was away from the school and busy working, then there was no chance of running into her brother and having an awkward conversation.

Now she was stuck at the bottom of a well, Febail waiting at the top to pull her back up to the surface. Of course he would also be here-- why would it be anyone else? She couldn’t help but wonder if he had somehow done this on purpose.

Patty was hard at work, digging deeper, when she heard a strange noise from above. 

Snap

“F-Febail? What was that?” Slowly she looked up, noticing the rope between herself and the surface falling to her feet. She panicked, clawing at the nearest wall in an attempt to climb back up to the top. “Hey-- I-I’m stuck! D-do ya got ‘nother rope by any chance?”

[amitieos]

things that go bump in the night (sword +1)

@yewfallen

Elincia yawned, stetching her arms skyward. She’d been in the library for hours, pouring over tomes about sword techniques. If she ever wanted to be worthy of wielding Amiti she had to learn more and prove herself.

Outside the window, the sun is already setting. She must have been here much longer than she’d already thought. The library itself had mostly emptied out and she was feeling rather lethargic. There was a shortcut to the dormitories but-- well there had been rumours.  Whispers, resonating upon dust that danced between the tomes, of a thief. One spectral and clad in armour, gone by sunrise.

Truth be told, she was a touch terrified.

Thankfully, she notices someone across the library hall. A member of the Black Eagles with golden hair scattering the faint twilight. Ah -- Febail she thought, approaching the young man.

“Pardon the intrusion, Lord Febail.” Elincia began, pleading her own voice to remain calm and stable. “Have you almost finished? I was about to head back myself but... I’ve heard some troubling rumours.and I’d prefer not to venture that way alone, but only if you’re ameniable milord”

Hmm. Perhaps a little too prim but she was scared and one catches far more bees with honey than with vinegar. Best to be over polite than cause offence, she had often been reminded. Especially when she needed aid from the other.

[healresolve]

“ Here, Lana. Take these. The kitchen had too many extras. ” What Febail gifts her is a well-wrapped box, inside of which are little tarts with fresh berries. They match almost perfectly ones he had made for Patty's birthday back when the two of them were on Jugdral fighting under Seliph's army, revealing his lie all too easily. “ It's the Day of Devotion, but try keeping yourself from eating so much you get sick, alright? The last thing anyone needs is a bedsick cleric. ”

“W-who told you?! I haven’t snuck a cookie in weeks, honest!” Lana squeaks out in disbelief, a departure from the tone of most exchanges between the two. 

The present is by all means flattering and perhaps she may even have appreciated the wrapping had his little comment not seemed like such a personal attack on the sweet tooth she nursed in private. She cannot recall when he had learned of it. Even back in Jugdral she had always gone to great lengths to keep it in check despite her brother’s best efforts to tempt her into indulgence.

Cheeks puff slightly as some semblance of composure returns, but the pitiful gaze with which the offending box is fixed tells otherwise. Between the candies Larcei had been so kind as to deliver and whatever goodies this housed could only spell trouble. “Maybe just one...” 

However once the lid is flipped, the memory of familiar confections smooths all uncertainty from her brow and any objection she could have raised before no longer seems important. “Oh, Febail, these are—” The laugh catches in her throat on its way out. “Febail, you cannot know how much this means to me. Thank you. I’ll have you know that from my experience they are best enjoyed with friends. Please, if you can clear your schedule, I’d like to share them with Larcei as well as your sister, and you. Happy Day of Devotion.”

[hezulion]

cover your tracks

You make arrangements with the village for part of the delivery to be sent ahead early, hoping that it will reach its destination safely with a less conspicuous party. In the early hours of the morning these villagers arrive at your camp, and after a few words and easy smiles you watch them pack their wagon with your gifts and go on ahead of you. An hour later, another set of villagers arrive at your camp, insisting that they are here to pick up part of their shipment, as arranged. They even show you the letter that you sent to them confirming the exchange, something those first villagers definitely didn’t have. A fast rider should be able to catch up to the thieves! [Grants Riding or Flying +1]

The sun had yet to rise above the horizon as the sky slowly transitioned from indigo to rose. Ares found his head lolling to the side as his body threatened to fall asleep on him. It was so quiet and peaceful, he was grateful that Febail didn’t feel the need to make idle conversation at such an early hour. With their job already done and the villagers sent off on their way there was little left to do until they headed back to the monastery.

Or that had been the plan. Instead another group of villagers arrived at their base of operations about an hour after the first. Ready to dismiss it as a scam, Ares found his mouth hanging open upon seeing the paperwork.

“Those bastards stole the shipment!” Ares growled, stalking across the room to pick up his sword. The villagers were desperate for supplies, yet he and his comrades had given them away to blackhearted scoundrels without taking proper care to ensure they were given to the right people. There was no hope of making chase on foot but perhaps this mistake could be corrected if they left now and borrowed a pair of mounts. He turns to Febail, the only other person at the station trained in combat and quirks an eyebrow. “Coming?”

@yewfallen

[unmasqued]

fairplay {

The carnival is in town! Nothing like a little truancy and fried treats of your choice to spend away an entire afternoon… And giant, stuffed plushes and shiny prizes catch your eye. “Play a game?” The booth attendant holds out a rickety toy bow. How hard could it be? [Grants Bow +1] // @yewfallen

          Festivals like these only suited Ylisstol after they had triumphed over Grima, Himself. So why was it that the very likes of indulgence rolled into town without so much as a second thought? He was never going to get used to peace, for it rang like childish bells and laughter that he could not place. With baubles and ribboned banners strung up as though the Gods had left all human kind to play into the hands of amity. He was... frankly, quite disdained by how much of a ruckus this carnival was, and how many Shepherds had decided to go trailing off with truancies to dally their heads off. 

          He could have sworn he saw Lucina and Morgan wander off quite some time ago... Hm... Perhaps it was time to flag down Minerva and call it a day— Before he could seek her scaly wonder from up in the sky, he stopped in his tracks. Gerome paused in front of a stand that had painted itself such loud colors, he couldn’t help but burn his gaze into it. So it was a challenge was it? Well, he wouldn’t be fooled into wasting his gold unless...

          Hm. Actually. He just might. Just for him. Gerome was a serial archiver, having appraised nearly all the best students in the school in their combat skills. What good would it do to stay in this academy if not to find people he could face off against. “Excuse me.” He so abruptly called out to Febail, the blonde-haired bullseye that had keenly caught his attention a little while back. “How’s about a challenge? It beats standing around brooding, does it not?” 

         The booth attendant laid out the rules for the both of them. “The first to 25 points wins ol’ Glory over there!” As the man waved nondescriptly towards the giant plush animals the size of two small children, Gerome could only guess he meant one of those. Shrugging, he looked over his shoulder to gauge if Febail would even bother with an amateur like him. “What’s it going to be?”

Rules! First to 25 points wins! If the attendant notices that both are floundering he might add in little bonuses to make it more amusing!

Roll a die to gather your results.

15-20: Bullseye! 5 points.

8-15: Midway — 3 points.

2-8: Edge — 2 points.

1: Walk of Shame — 1 point.