04-22-2016, 01:11 AM
The last few hours had been a lot for Shad to digest. Shad's party had met up with Paige and Eli just as Cass had promised, but their party had grown since Paige and Eli last saw them a day before. Shad was awake, his forearms in splints and heavily wrapped. Despite his injury, he was in high spirits. Cass was her usual self, apathetic and sarcastic. The changes to the group came from their two new compatriots. Alice, who Shad encountered multiple times in Pharae, had followed them and offered her aid. She made it known she wasn't a fan of the Church of the Preservation of Sanctity, but that's all Shad knew. He didn't even know if she knew how to defend herself, but she must have gotten by somehow to catch up with them. Convincing Cass to let her accompany them while Shad was out cold was a great feat indeed. With the news of Bern's offensive in the air, both of them went off to try to help in his stead. That left Shad alone in his quarters with their newest companion who joined mere hours ago.
----------------------FLASHBACK----------------------
Shouting could be heard in the distance, accompanying crying. Shad heard the noises and leapt off his horse onto unsteady feet and drew his sword with great difficulty. He could barely hear his companions yelling at him to stop. He charged with the same reckless abandon he did earlier when he saved Eli. He charged headlong into a sword wielding man and brought him down to the ground. He took out his fire tome and charred the back of his head with a spell before he looked to examine the situation. He looked up and saw a woman with piercing green eyes, brown hair in a ponytail, and a distinct tri-colored scarf. "Are you safe miss?"
She stared at him for a moment, tears running down her face as she turned towards another man, already cold on the ground nearby. She walked over to the man and picked up a small box and opened it, sobbing profusely at what she saw inside. Shad struggled to get himself up when he noticed the man was wearing the armor of Church. A Keeper? He looked at the man he had stabbed and turned him over to discover the same thing. He looked at the woman and didn't see a weapon, but noticed the mans sword had blood already on it. Why did this Keeper kill the other one? What's going on here? He withdrew his sword and hid his book, before asking, "What's happened here?"
She composed herself enough to explain. "He was going to ask for my hand. We loved each other, so it was only natural. Except, he was a Keeper, and I was a mage he was harboring." Shad's eyes widened at that. The rest seemed clear, but she continued, "His friend discovered our secret and killed him for his betrayal and tried to kill me." She looked back at him, tears no longer pouring off her face, but collecting in her eyes. "Your form is sloppy and inefficient. To thank you, let me help teach you. My name is Taika."
--------------------FLASHBACK END--------------------
"Taika, I'm going out for a bit. You might want to return to your room for the time being," Shad said to his new teacher as he left the room, wearing a simple brown tunic instead of his coat or Sacaen clothes. He still had the tome hidden on his person and still wore the Schiavona on his waist, but he was a battered man. Now was a good time to approach Bern to cement an alliance, but Paige didn't seem to want to do that. He didn't want to push any of his allies too far. Last thing he wanted was to drive them away. He was unsure of why they chose Tania, especially after Ambrose told them that Orica's family had been overthrown. Perhaps this chaos with Bern invading made it a bit safer for them, but he wasn't sure. He began walking towards the dining area when he felt someone grab him and heft him up. He turned his head and saw a familiar pair of faces. " Lennox? Carla?"
Lennox carried his smaller cousin into the main hall, attracting some attention in the process. He let him down with a laugh. "What in the name of Elimine happened to you? You look like shit." He looked just like he last saw him months ago in Etruria. Taller than he was and built to match. Still wearing that large cloak as well. "Looks like you've had a bit of trouble these past few weeks, judging from those wounds."
Shad only chuckled in response. "I hate to say it, but I've only really been in one fight these last few weeks. The other fights I didn't actually get hit or hit anyone. Infact, in one fight I used those unarmed attacks you taught me and used the guys own ax to disable him. Then there was a thing about derailing a meteor, but yeah. One fight and I got hit pretty hard." He joked, taking it in stride. It was true, unfortunately. The first real fight he got into since arriving in Pharae weeks ago and he left it with two broken arms. "Cass treated me and said I shouldn't be able to use my sword for a while, until we find someone with a mend staff."
"Cass is here, too? What about Marcus?" Shad's other cousin Carla questioned. She had a good reason to be confused. As far as they knew, Cass was holding down the fort with Carla's brother, and Cass' husband, Leon, back in Arretium and Marcus was accompanying Shad.
"Leon sent Cass to send me some gold, equipment, and to do some counter intelligence stuff. Marcus and I got separated in Pharae, in a long story, and he went to Bern without me."
Lennox and Carla looked at each other confused, but unsurprised. "Well, let's get something to eat. I kinda owe Carla for a comment I made still, so I'll pay."
----------------------FLASHBACK----------------------
Shouting could be heard in the distance, accompanying crying. Shad heard the noises and leapt off his horse onto unsteady feet and drew his sword with great difficulty. He could barely hear his companions yelling at him to stop. He charged with the same reckless abandon he did earlier when he saved Eli. He charged headlong into a sword wielding man and brought him down to the ground. He took out his fire tome and charred the back of his head with a spell before he looked to examine the situation. He looked up and saw a woman with piercing green eyes, brown hair in a ponytail, and a distinct tri-colored scarf. "Are you safe miss?"
She stared at him for a moment, tears running down her face as she turned towards another man, already cold on the ground nearby. She walked over to the man and picked up a small box and opened it, sobbing profusely at what she saw inside. Shad struggled to get himself up when he noticed the man was wearing the armor of Church. A Keeper? He looked at the man he had stabbed and turned him over to discover the same thing. He looked at the woman and didn't see a weapon, but noticed the mans sword had blood already on it. Why did this Keeper kill the other one? What's going on here? He withdrew his sword and hid his book, before asking, "What's happened here?"
She composed herself enough to explain. "He was going to ask for my hand. We loved each other, so it was only natural. Except, he was a Keeper, and I was a mage he was harboring." Shad's eyes widened at that. The rest seemed clear, but she continued, "His friend discovered our secret and killed him for his betrayal and tried to kill me." She looked back at him, tears no longer pouring off her face, but collecting in her eyes. "Your form is sloppy and inefficient. To thank you, let me help teach you. My name is Taika."
--------------------FLASHBACK END--------------------
"Taika, I'm going out for a bit. You might want to return to your room for the time being," Shad said to his new teacher as he left the room, wearing a simple brown tunic instead of his coat or Sacaen clothes. He still had the tome hidden on his person and still wore the Schiavona on his waist, but he was a battered man. Now was a good time to approach Bern to cement an alliance, but Paige didn't seem to want to do that. He didn't want to push any of his allies too far. Last thing he wanted was to drive them away. He was unsure of why they chose Tania, especially after Ambrose told them that Orica's family had been overthrown. Perhaps this chaos with Bern invading made it a bit safer for them, but he wasn't sure. He began walking towards the dining area when he felt someone grab him and heft him up. He turned his head and saw a familiar pair of faces. " Lennox? Carla?"
Lennox carried his smaller cousin into the main hall, attracting some attention in the process. He let him down with a laugh. "What in the name of Elimine happened to you? You look like shit." He looked just like he last saw him months ago in Etruria. Taller than he was and built to match. Still wearing that large cloak as well. "Looks like you've had a bit of trouble these past few weeks, judging from those wounds."
Shad only chuckled in response. "I hate to say it, but I've only really been in one fight these last few weeks. The other fights I didn't actually get hit or hit anyone. Infact, in one fight I used those unarmed attacks you taught me and used the guys own ax to disable him. Then there was a thing about derailing a meteor, but yeah. One fight and I got hit pretty hard." He joked, taking it in stride. It was true, unfortunately. The first real fight he got into since arriving in Pharae weeks ago and he left it with two broken arms. "Cass treated me and said I shouldn't be able to use my sword for a while, until we find someone with a mend staff."
"Cass is here, too? What about Marcus?" Shad's other cousin Carla questioned. She had a good reason to be confused. As far as they knew, Cass was holding down the fort with Carla's brother, and Cass' husband, Leon, back in Arretium and Marcus was accompanying Shad.
"Leon sent Cass to send me some gold, equipment, and to do some counter intelligence stuff. Marcus and I got separated in Pharae, in a long story, and he went to Bern without me."
Lennox and Carla looked at each other confused, but unsurprised. "Well, let's get something to eat. I kinda owe Carla for a comment I made still, so I'll pay."