[IC] Swords Beneath the Starlight

Airitech:

When will you be approaching him, and what all will you say?

---

Baylee, Mazelina, Barnabas:

Lysistrate's smile grows into a full grin as Baylee says yes, and Barnabas agrees, and--

Then the other holy woman of the party approaches. She almost visibly breaks into a sweat.


"I... um... Y-Yes, you can! In fact, it is important that you do, because, um, I just-- um. I just realized that, um, I have... to do things!!! Near the bodies of the fallen! Prayers! For the dead! So... ummm... everyone will need another cleric to lead them in prayer! Mhm!!"

She stands up and walks away briskly, almost tripping over her dress several times.

---

Sunny:

Lain watches Mazelina rush off to the prayer circle. There's a pause. She manages to work up the courage to ask:


"So. You really do consider yourself an enemy of the Goddess, then...? Curious... I. I suppose I had assumed that you followed some sort of... 'kinder' idea of Progress, if you don't mind my saying. Some sort of... less confrontational...? Ideal? I can't really work out why else you'd fight alongside us otherwise."

Mazelina:

When you catch Lain later, the sword sits in her lap. She dabs oils over it, making sure it remains polished and kept. The starlight shines down upon it, and you can practically catch the cosmos in its surface.

You stand there in silence for a moment. The only confirmation that she heard what you said is the cessation of her rag's movement. The air holds cold and thin around you. She speaks quietly when she finally finds the words to respond.



"...It was entrusted to the people of Achaim when the League was founded. The kings of Ilya fought unceasingly in that time, and the sword took thousands of lives before peace was finally forged. Achaim was a weak city; even with the sword, it would never be able to conquer the whole of Ilya. So they gave it to us. The nobles of Achaim would be its protectors." She draws a finger across the blade's surface. "My father was its previous keeper. Now the duty has fallen to me."

She shakes away the lingering memories. "...I think I've rambled enough about myself tonight. Would you like to share a memory of your life before all this started? I guarantee you it's more interesting than anything I have to say."